asgardeventide | (no subject)

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[when the feed comes on, it’s focused on the very freckled face and curly ginger mop of a teenaged boy. he’s way too skinny, hollow-cheeked and bird-boned with shoulders that hold his shirt like a bent coathanger. he’s also leaning against someone else, but all that’s visible of this other person is a shoulder and a fall of long black hair. the redhead has an affable face, gawky and harmless, and a riot of curly red hair that reaches his shoulders]

There, I think I got this working.

My name’s Ash Trine, and I’m hoping that someone out there can help me out a bit. I’ve got two big questions.

So, where we come from, people have Talents, sort of like the god powers I’ve heard we all get here. But that’s not the only kind of magic there is. There’s magic everywhere, in everything, if you know how to see it and use it. And we do, but that doesn’t do a damn bit of good here.

[he sighs a little, settling more against his silent companion’s shoulder]

But I reckon if the gods are handing out Talents, there’s like as not some kind of ambient magic here, something else we can use. Spells, symbols, rituals, anything like that. And I need to know about that. There’s some stuff I need to do. So anybody who knows anything about it, I’d be much obliged if you’d share. Anything at all would help, I don’t mind having to figure out most of it myself if it comes to that. Just somewhere to start.

Second thing, I’m looking for a job. I’m pretty good with numbers, if anyone needs a bookkeeper, but it’d be even nicer if someone’s in need of a cook. Most of what I know how to make is savory, hearty kind of food--stews, roast and potatoes, shepherd’s pie, that sort of thing, but I’ve been told once or twice that I catch on pretty quick.

[there’s a snort from off camera, and ash turns to the person he’s leaning on]

Are you offering up an opinion, Kieran?

[the voice that answers is considerably lower than ash’s, with a distinct drawl and a definite tone of amusement]

No. I already said you ain’t poisoned us yet, what more d’you want?

[ash rolls his eyes]

Such a glowing recommendation. You’re sleeping on the floor.

[a puppy-huge tattooed hand reaches over from offscreen, knuckling ash’s chin]

The hell I am.

[the feed catches a second of a sweet smile turned at the man offscreen before ash remembers the video and shuts off the feed.]

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[kieran watches the weird screen thing, thinking about that girl he met when he first showed up. and the one wary guy down below, who might only be wary because he's worried what ash does with magic might affect him personally.]

Or maybe... they're telling the truth about what they know just because it isn't their business in the first place. Ask something personal, see if they're still so big on sharing.

That could be. If we're all stuck here, it's not a bad idea to be at least superficially helpful if you aren't keeping your mouth shut. And nobody's given their name, did you notice? It's right there on the screen, but still. I'll see what they do if it's more personal.

[kieran settles back, out of frame, to watch. people are more likely to talk to ash's friendly face than... him.]

[ash gets comfortable against him, wrapping kieran's arm around his back and side, which is both cozy and gives kieran a nice view of his screen without his screen having a nice view of kieran. he's got his mouse-face on, but underneath that he's all strategy and vague discontent. it had been nice, those few days of not talking to anybody but each other, but it's time to start moving again]

[kieran seems to be thinking the same thing :| while there's no video feed he nuzzles ash's hair.]

Can't we just hide awhile longer? I'll deal with the salt licks they call food in that kitchen.

[he leans back into it, craning his neck in order to nuzzle kieran's cheek]

You have no idea how I'm tempted, Kai. Once I get whatever they'll give me about these runes we can hole up again. Or as close as we can get, anyway, bouncing from one side of the city to the other.

I can't believe I'm letting a damn building tell me where I belong.

[he shudders]

It's a really persuasive building. I'm dying to know how they do that.

The same way they do everything else.

Yeah, but I want to see it, Kai. Figure it out. We could use this, maybe, if I could figure it out. It's a brilliant security system. There's so much stuff here that I could crib if I could just see how it bloody worked.

[and now kieran is pulling away, breaking contact so ash can't feel the flare of anger and uselessness.]

[ash scrabbles to not lose contact, because he actually is a big baby]

No no, don't. I already know. I'm so damn mad, Kai, and I'll be mad until we get back to the lake where we belong. But we're not staying helpless.

[he slashes his arm away angrily and stands up, prowling the tiny room]

You mean you're not. I can't do shit here.

Don't you dare. Like I'm not going to teach you? You're brilliant, Kai, you're so smart, of course I'm teaching you. That and calculus, and you're teaching me Iavaian.

[kieran turns back to ash looking as if he's ready to hit something, but lets his shoulders sag instead. he closes his hand around the bullet that still hangs from his neck and flops back down on the bed heavily.]

How do you always do that?

Do what? Point out the obvious? You're my whole heart, Kai, I'm not leaving you behind on any count. I'll teach you every damn thing I know if you want to know it too.

No. Make me feel like I belong wherever we are, just because you're there. Even another prison.

[he reaches over and turns off ash's bracelet. the messages will be there later.]

You're my home, Kai. Everything else is just details.

[a break isn't a bad idea at all, and ash sighs with relief as he leans into kieran]

And you're mine. You're never getting rid of me, you know.

[it doesn't count as clinging if his hands are still moving, right? kieran rubs across ash's shoulders gently and stretches up to rest his chin on the top of ash's head. his breath stirs the curls a bit.]

Like I'd ever want to get rid of you. Like I could bear it.

[kieran can pretend it doesn't count as clinging because ash is generously and shamelessly doing the clinging for him. he slouches into kieran, tucking his head beneath his chin]

[that works. he leans back into the wall, settling more comfortably]

Okay. Hurry up and get a job, and learn the patterns here, and make me a new bullet, and reinvent the wheel, and whatever else you want to do.

[he has no idea what he's supposed to be doing right now except following along, but there's no anger with the thought this time.]

Reinvent the wheel again, you mean.

[his amusement leaks through all the places they're touching, before it's washed over with the feeling that kieran might as well have hung the moon, or maybe that he is the moon, that's how wonderful ash thinks he is]

And what you do is never ever let go of me because you know I'm no good without you, Kai, and learn all this stuff as soon as I learn it well enough to explain and come up with all the things I overlook, because that's what you do. And learn whatever halfassed Talent you got here so we can use that too.

[kieran gives a tiny huff of laughter and relief, and the feeling bounces back at ash stronger and warmer.]

Done, done, I'll try, and I don't know. The halfassed Talent I got is fucking creepy.

[says the ghoul witch...]

Excellent. We're in business, then. Did you figure out what it is, your Talent?

...yeah. I found out.

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