Overnight

[darkest_evening]

There are things to do, of course, besides being Aya's cuddle buddy. Prime is usually quite busy, and now is no exception. Just because he's personally out of mana, doesn't mean he's utterly useless. His plane's got mages in it, after all - and many of them owe him favors or are amenable to being paid. And they need mirrors, for communication. After longer than was strictly prudent spent comforting Aya, he bids her goodbye and goes to handle the less glamorous moments of being him. That is, talking to people, asking for favors, paying favors, persuading them to say yes, they'll use some of their precious magic stores to make mirrors.

Ironically enough, the one thing missing when he's finished is the mirrors themselves. Easy enough to fix, with Revelation. But he'll take care of it tomorrow - he's tired, and it's been a long and complicated and emotionally exhausting 'day,' even if he doesn't properly have them anymore. Sleep, and then he'll get back to dealing with it all. The mirrors, first, they're easiest, then continuing to figure out what to do about Aya.

When he wakes, he goes to talk to a demon about that. Knock, knock, calling Inferno, is Revelation in?

Comments

[namesthesky]

"Well. Thank you. I still need to - be able to self-regulate. Like I'm supposed to be able to do. Not even my - necklace programming wants to require you as much as it made me do, not when it's nonreciprocal and you have other priorities. It is not a very consistent necklace."

[darkest_evening]

"How annoying," states Prime. "We should throw it out, find a consistent evil conspiracy love necklace."

Is it morally questionable that he is extremely attracted to her right now? Mentally, anyway. He likes people that are self reliant and intelligent and self aware. It's probably morally questionable. Let's not bring it up.

[namesthesky]

Aya giggles.

[darkest_evening]

He smiles, a little.

"Would it help if I left?"

[namesthesky]

"I don't know. I don't want you to leave, but if you have other things to do don't let me keep you."

[darkest_evening]

Some things. But they can wait a little while longer.

"I don't have anything pressing that needs to be done immediately," he clarifies. "But it is a tremendously high priority to me that you have - everything in your power to help arrange your head in whatever manner you prefer. Because you prefer very nice things, and also 'because morality.' As my sister would put it. I suspect the necklace has rearranged your head to put my desires in a priority?"

[namesthesky]

"Yes. But I have decades of experience managing my head under very different conditions and I'm not sure what circumstances I need for it now, or how much it even admits of management any longer."

[darkest_evening]

"That makes sense. We can be orderly about this, try different circumstances and see how well managing your head is in each of them, and stick with what works best?"

[namesthesky]

"I suppose. Some of it can be expected to morph over time - if I can believe Annie - so that makes controlled setups awkward."

[darkest_evening]

"A bit. But it might be worth trying, if you're willing?"

[namesthesky]

Nod, nod.

[darkest_evening]

"Recording I'll leave to your expertise. What should be our control?"

[namesthesky]

"You going about your business as usual, I suppose. Without me - interfering."

[darkest_evening]

"All right - how is 'business as usual' for me defined? From before the necklace incident occurred?"

[namesthesky]

She nods.

[darkest_evening]

"I can manage that," he says. "A day or so, or less time...? I don't know how long it usually takes to dissect your own mind."

[namesthesky]

"Usually it's easy. Usually I'd be done already. I don't know anymore. Annie's in - different circumstances, it's fine for her to keep Aldaras around as much as she wants, it would be cruel not to - so I can't exactly use her as a baseline."

[darkest_evening]

"Okay. We can try a day, then, for neatness?"

[namesthesky]

"Okay."

[darkest_evening]

"I'll go have an ordinary 'before there was an evil conspiracy necklace' day, then."

He stands, then looks at her in consideration.

"... Would you like a goodbye kiss?"

[namesthesky]

"Yes. Please. You will not go far wrong if you just assume I always want you to kiss me."

[darkest_evening]

"I'll keep that in mind."

And since it's been deemed 'okay' to kiss her goodbye - he goes and does that.

[namesthesky]

Mmmmmmmmmkiss.

[darkest_evening]

Yup. Kiss!

Unfortunately it is also followed by a soft, "Goodbye, Aya. Good luck."

[namesthesky]

"Bye."