[PRP] with taste and scent (algie & jeremiah)

[iloveyouDIE]

Algie mad an awful face as he helped Jeremiah up and heard what Shun had said. It was a horrified look of revulsion only on the sheer fact that Shun would not say such a thing.

"And do we know its not a fetch?" It would be doing a bad job of blending in if so. "And yes I had noticed America's rather helpless demeanour.." He'd wondered if she was merely going through things, like they all were, with the way the world had changed. Perhaps things were sinking in to her that it wasn't all fun and games, but America was stronger than that. He'd always thought so anyway.

"Any theories?" Outside the bathroom Alg moved to retrieve a bag in which the envelopes were sealed. He didn't want to toss them, not when they may be needed, but neither of them wanted that smell in the house.

He opened a window.

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Jeremiah was moving to the kitchen to put tea on while Algie dealt with the letters. "If it was a fetch, I'd know. Though if someone had tithed Shun, I would likely be having words."

Mostly due to the fact that that would be completely unacceptable for various reasons.

He was pulling things out to snack on, pausing as Algie came back and looking towards him. "I've no idea, to be honest, but the behavior is ... unsettling. America was scared when I saw her last, Alg. Of nothing but the noises that happen around her camper. As if there was something in the darkness waiting to get her."

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

"Any connection?" Alg of course, while not a detective, was married to one and in writing his crime books had developed the same trains of thought for these type of situations. "Between them? Things they both did or anyone they've both come into contact with?"

Alg went to the sink to wash his hands on the off chance any scent had clung.

"Besides the behavior.. were they still them?" Knowledge, memories, trust level in their friends..

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"I have not investigated it enough to know for sure, though it's likely they've got several things that line up considering the ties to other ashdown." It was not something he would easily be able to place.

He slid behind Algie, arms going around his middle section and leaning his head against the other. "Somewhat? Aside from the behavior, Shun was still just as willing to see Melany die and dedicated to helping Pax. America, on the other hand, seems far less open and scared of things. Their memories are intact but-" It was the personalities, pure and simple, that were so drastically altered.

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

Alg leaned his head against Jeremiah's when he came up behind him. He finished washing and drying his hands before he turned in his husband's arms and wrapped his own around him.

"America may be easier but perhaps not.. It's hard to keep track of anyone's forays into other ashdown, even if her personali life involved less strenuous investigation." At least he assumed it did. America seemed like a stress-free girl even with all the magical drama. Shun of course made it his job to Find The Truth, not unlike Jeremiah himself.

"Do you know if either of them were looking into similar issues? Pax maybe?" It clearly had to be magical if something was going on. "Or at least anyone else acting odd? Hopefully its not some otherthing wreaking havoc.."

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"I would like to say I have been around her enough to say that she would not crumple like this. It isn't ..." Jeremiah sighed as he pressed his lips to Algie's brow. "It's not her."

The fact was that she was one of the stronger people he knew even if she wanted to crumple sometimes. He had seen it, in rare moments, before she would shrink herself down and hide in that way.

"They were both looking into Pax. America was with me when we ran into Vivien," as Algie knew, "but I am not aware of anyone else acting odd. Not unless you count the fetch next door and, aside from working with the Spinel Lady, the fetch Hart is acting as a fetch should."

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

"No it isn't like her.." Alg sighed. Perhaps he could ask Taym at work but the man was private and was more likely to ask him, he felt, if something was wrong with America.

"Considering we know where all fetches loyalties lie..." Alg grumbled lightly. No Hart was behaving as it should.

The Professor leaned back only enough to be able to look Jeremiah in the face, hands drifting up his back to hang around his neck lightly and play with the back of his husband's hair, "Is this something that warrants investigation?" He could ask around but if the subjects in question weren't willing it may simply be a 'wait and see'.

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Jeremiah ended up tilting his head into Algie's fingers, unable to resist the fingers playing with his hair.

"I honestly don't know, precious." His head was leaning into his husband's warm fingers. "Neither one of them act as if anything is at all wrong. Shun especially responds as if there is nothing at all wrong with him and I do not know that investigating their routines would be helpful if this is something more ... magical in nature."

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

"We'll just have to wait and see.." His fingers were still a scritch scritching, before stopping and smoothing over the hair and curling around his neck, "And keep an eye out. For them.. and anyone else who may be acting odd."

Something clearly happened but at this juncture there was no guarantee they'd find out why.

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Jeremiah nodded in agreement, reluctantly slipping away when the kettle began to whistle. The rest of the things for a warm cuppa were pulled together as well as something for them to snack on.

"I-" he paused, stopping himself. "There's something else I have been meaning to discuss, though it still is a bit disconcerting for me. It's about Minerva Mercer, Noeh."

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

Alg let Jeremiah slip away, moving to the fridge to browse for a nibble while the tea was put together.

"Alright-" He was scanning the contents and leaning for a small plate before toeing the fridge closed with his foot and then using his free hand to grab some biscuits from the cabinet. Alg's attachments to the girl he met named Mina, and then subsequently Noeh at the ball, had been confusing. So had stories that had come after, mixed messages and the reality that she perhaps was playing them all.

He'd been working on severing those feelings, finding it necessary. It was hypocritical for him to judge other's blind defense of those they found to be relatives, even from another life, and thus he was making strides himself at not being one of those people.

Though the reality that she was related to them, to Jeremiah at least, was rather difficult to ignore.

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"I haven't talked to Mother about it yet," Jeremiah spoke as he moved around, taking the biscuits from Algie to set them on the tray, "but she's my sister, Alg. You've seen her eyes often enough. They're just like mine."

That strange blue-green that shifted between the two colors frequently enough, never quite one shade or the other. Yet Algie would know what that meant: Piers was her father because he had taken after his mother in appearance but his eyes?

Those were all on Piers.

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

"Well it would explain the possibility of being evil..." And cemented well Alg's reluctance to be attached, now that he had an excuse of course.

"Perhaps not all evil.. or perhaps not always-" She had, he was sure, been the one who conversed with him in his grimoire. Someone they were attached to in some other cycle. He really had a hard time thinking that any version of Piers could be good and thus a child of his, unless raised properly...

"You should reach out to your mum though.." She may know something. Or perhaps be very surprised they didn't know about her... It was hard to tell between timelines and cycles what was what.

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"She may not always be my sister. There was an age gap between her and Jerry," that name, he still named a face (because he was around Algie, alright), "that was considerable enough that she wasn't likely my sibling. I believe I was in my eighties? The one that Shun spoke with on the phone that initially called to report Melany missing."

He was gathering up the tea tray, then sliding an arm around Algie to tug him to the living room. "She's been missing for years, she was at Harvard Law." Jeremiah let out a breath. "Minerva Tailor Mercer, born in 1989. Went missing in 2013. Reported missing by her half-brother Jeremiah Mercer. I think ... at least, I assume she came to me to use the Mercer name. Mother made Piers change his name back."

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

Alg also made a face at the name 'Jerry'. Whatever incarnation of Jeremiah that was had to have been so different that they shared nothing but the name. Jeremiah and his own revulsion at the name was a testament to that.

"Well I'm sure Jeremiah would have also talked to mum about letting her use the name as well.." Yes he called Meredith mum now. It was easier and he felt less like.. less like he didn't have a mum anymore. He also referred to any other Jeremiah by their name. Not 'You'. He insisted on maintaining the distinction of difference.

He followed to the living room, stealing a biscuit or two from the pack to munch on.

azuredreams