[prp] pod mom ( leila / aleksy )

[cibarium]

shibrgane

other ashdown

Hi.

I don't know if you and the other me knew each other well, but I think I could use your help with something. Can I call you and talk about it?

Leila

 

[shibrogane]

cibarium

re: other ashdown
y ok

 

[cibarium]

Well, the first step was easy. Somewhat relieved by the quick reply, Leila closed her office door and retrieved her phone. She hoped the number she had in there was still correct.

"This is Leila, looking for L- uh, Aleksy," she said upon being answered. 90% professional. 10% almost calling him Lex again without being sure this version of him had ever been called that.

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"Yes, I know who you are," said Aleksy.

His Russian accent was notably thicker, but his actual tone was also notably warmer. At this point he was probably way better at interacting with pod people than he had ever been before. "What is it you need?"

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

"Right," Leila laughed a little, "Hi." Hearing his voice did something to help calm her nerves a bit, even if he didn't sound quite the same. It was still familiar.

"I haven't found my familiars yet. If I remember right you're not big on trips to the other side, but your Sight might be able to pick up on something I can't." She frowned at yourself and paused. "If that's... still a thing."

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"Yes, it is," said Aleksy, though he sounded much less... cheerful about it now that he knew the favor. "I am sorry. I can help, of course. I do not have a way into the other world; do you?"

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

"Not a consistent one, but I'm good enough at ending up there. I'll text you my new address and you can come by after work," she offered. "If it doesn't work out you'll at least get fed."

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"Yes," said Aleksy, "A fair trade. I'll see you there."

After work, which meant around six for Aleksy as he was a small business owner, he showed up with a bottle of wine and a small, tasteful bouquet. It was precisely the kind of bouquet that said I am here to help you, sorry for your bereavement, and also welcome to the neighborhood, pod person. There were succulents. He handed them over with a stoic, Russian look that would be familiar to anyone who had ever looked at an Aleksy Spektor in their lives.

"I am glad to see your acquaintance," he said, very solemnly. "I hope Eve is well? And also that there is an Eve?"

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

Upon answering the door, Leila immediately moved in for a handshake but thought the better of it because 1. she wasn't psychically prepared for something like a handshake and 2. Aleksy was still obviously a vampire and that made touching a whole weird thing. Instead she gave a deep polite nod and showed him inside.

"There's still an Eve, thank God," she answered. "Right over to your left."

The dining table was getting cluttered with notes. It had kind of become Eve's space of late. She moved away from her work once she saw Aleksy come in though -- it had been, she realized, a long time since she last saw any version of him. "Good to see you," she said. "Or meet you. Whichever makes more sense."

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"No hug?" Aleksy rolled his eyes. He was only barely teasing. He set the wine and the flowers down on the table near Eve, but not too close as to get over her stuff. "Both," he said. "Is that Renard's handwriting?" He peered over at towards the book. "Such tiny crab writing."

He shook himself, like a bird clearing rainwater off its feathers. "But I was going to help with your familiars."

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

"Too psychic these days for hugs," Leila quipped back as a means of apology. "It's made my thoughts and feelings all contagious when I touch people." Which was the one thing she really hated about her abilities, now that she'd gotten a sense of just how much it got in the way of socializing the way she was used to. Touching people she cared about was important.

Eve nodded at Aleksy when Renard's name came up. "It's not an inspiring read," she said, tapping the cap end of her pen on another obituary. "But there's a lot of information around the sad parts, so it's a resource I didn't want to leave overlooked. By the way, there's some watermelon in the fridge if you're in the mood for some human food. And thank you for the gifts, dear."

Leila grinned proudly. The promise was already being fulfilled. She'd already eaten enough of it though, so she'd follow Aleksy's lead on the offer before they headed out.

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"This feeling is familiar to me," said Aleksy. He didn't hold up his gloved hands, but he didn't tuck them away either. "Thank you for the offer, but I've eaten." Finn was delectable. Well, insofar as food went. And also as far as sex and like, general... being around-ness went.

He nodded to Eve. "When I get back, if you are not busy, I have a question. Good luck," he said, and then to Leila: "Whenever you would like to go, I will follow."

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

Eve gave a friendly nod back: "Of course. I'll always make time for family."

The ease with which her wife became reacquainted with Aleksy made Leila blush a little with envy. How many words had they exchanged back there... five??

Other Ashdown was quiet and clear-aired, becoming chillier as the regular town got warmer for the spring. Getting there had taken a couple of uneventful laps around the neighborhood, but it was good for getting the small talk out of the way. Comparing details between timelines was less distressing when it was about local businesses and their locations, instead of people and what they knew.

"You See things related to people's magic sometimes, right?" she began. "I'm not sure what Friend would look like to you, since Ezra mentioned once they used to not be termites. But keep a look out for too many eyes." Sitting on the ground against a stop signpost, she continued, "I'm going to try and reach Biscuit again, but I'll hear you if you talk to me."

Leila focused.

shibrogane

ashdown whaler

 

[Ashdown Whaler]

What was once a bright, easy connection - something found through time and practice and a shared bond - was not. It was as if Leila was having to work through sludge.

Or mulch.

Either way there was a lot of static that Leila would have to wade through to discern just what was going on around Biscuit.

cibarium

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"Sure," said Aleksy. He stuck his hands in his pockets. "You would be surprised how many things have too many eyes, I am sure." With that vague, somewhat threatening(???) comment, he watched Leila enter into her wargy trance thing. His boyfriend was a werehare now, so not all of this was weird to him. But there was still a soft of vague, disconnected envy at being reminded of all the ways he couldn't grow or change any longer.

He popped the collar of his jacket, and peered at the connection. "That looks disgusting," he said. "Like it is a rotting thing. Or... a buried thing. That is also rotting... or getting eaten? Buried, rotten. Like those."

cibarium

ashdown whaler