[PRP] a silent beat (leila & jeremiah)

[azuredreams]

"Perhaps related or perhaps not ..." One never knew if things were related or not when it came to strange new abilities and powers.

Jeremiah froze for a moment, something flashing in his eyes that might have been pain, before he let out a sigh. "Yes, it's- It is not something to easy to deal with. Especially given my inability to ..." A flip of his hand through the air to cover the entire cannot see or hear or touch thing.

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

Leila gently took hold of Jeremiah's arm, like she had months ago, and said, "I know."

The gloves kept her surface thoughts and feelings from bleeding over, which she was grateful for, as she didn't want to spread around more pain than there already was among the people she cared about. "You haven't let each other down yet though, not really... he'll be okay, I think."

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"With everything else going on, I am planning on ... trying to set aside some time to see about putting an end to it." The same hand flip as before was made. Jeremiah glanced towards the gloves, the hand on his arm and Leila's face.

Things seemed off but he could not say what.

"Aleksy's influence?" The gloves.

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

Jeremiah's guess at the gloves brought about a slow nod, and a soft smile. "Safer this way," Leila said. "Especially now."

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Shifting, since Leila had put her arm around his, he adjusted position until he simply slid his arm around her shoulders lightly. A one arm hug, though he was currently careful of touching skin and not wanting to intrude at the moment.

"Especially now?" That was concerning. He squeezed lightly. "Did something happen, Leila?" His expression shifted, concern and worry evident. If he had touched skin by accident it would be felt easily, an undercurrent to the need to offer comfort and friendly affection.

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

"I can't tell you what happened."

Leila's response was firm and automatic.

"I can't tell or show anyone, not even Eve..." The distinction was significant, even beyond their married status. She stared down at her freed left hand and swallowed, continuing, "Some kind of magic. It punishes you if you try. So the gloves, they're because it's hard to keep it off my mind."

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"It's a geas," replied Jeremiah, a little flatly (who would have geased Leila and how and why?) but then he sighed.

"Or a variation thereof but essentially it's the same." He squeezed her lightly, looking at her hand. "The gloves are probably wise, I don't want to know what it would do to your mind should you try to share it that way."

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

"I was more worried about how it would affect others," Leila admitted. She didn't want to put people she cared about through blinding searing pain. Or people in general, for that matter. As was usual for her, being squeezed brought some small comfort for the moment.

She squinted down into her lap. "First time I started seeing new things, though... that was right after. It took me a couple of days to remember it wasn't a dream."

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Jeremiah was more concerned with her health, knowing that she had a mental ability and that it likely would affect her mind should she inadvertently broadcast or share. Given her particular talents, it would be hard to control and she had little she could do.

Still, his arm stayed around her, a comfort, as he nodded. "So then it is related." Also traumatic, judging by the remark about the dream. He stopped himself from asking what happened but instead, with his free hand, reached for one of her gloved ones and held it.

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

Leila shook her head, a little frustrated. "If it were, I don't think I could tell you," she said. "But I really don't know." She sighed, relaxing again. Maybe it didn't matter, but part of her was desperate to understand what she'd seen, as if it would make the heartbreak hurt less.

"It was Ezra," Leila continued, growing quieter. It was difficult to say his name, especially in present company. The Ezra Jeremiah knew was almost a completely different person.

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Something traumatic and related to Ezra- His throat tightened, his arm squeezing her lightly. "That-" That made things even more complicated. A sigh escaped, as if he understood just why her voice dropped, why this suddenly became harder.

Had she run into the Burning Man and not her son?

"You saw him?" Even if he wanted to ask what had happened, he knew it was moot. Leila had already said she couldn't speak of it.

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

"Yes," Leila answered, her worn voice barely above a whisper. "There were three of him. The one you knew, and the one I knew... and..."

Her head lifted, eyes widening. "He's like Melany. Some things he's said, and... the third one." She looked over to Jeremiah. "The third one looked real, whole, and the others were just. Blurry outlines."

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Jeremiah was quiet, frowning as Leila spoke. "I had wondered if he might be like Melany," the words were admitted very softly, "especially considering that it was his will, essentially, that kept him going all this time as The Burning Man."

His arm squeezed Leila again.

"I'm not sure what it means if there's three of him or if it means that within him somewhere is ... the Ezra Fitzpatrick of this world."

cibarium

 

[cibarium]

She nodded, more distressed but also more focused. "It's his body, it's always been his. When I say he's like Melany, that's who I mean. The Ezra of this world." After clarifying, she continued filling in more details of what she had seen.

"The first two were layered over the third one. He was looking at me, watching me... while the others walked away." Leila squinted in confusion, and her gaze slowly wandered through random parts of the backyard. "Why didn't he walk away with them..."

azuredrems

 

[azuredreams]

Jeremiah understood what she meant but when she said he did not walk away- "He was left behind? Watching you? That- I mean, is he trapped within? A reverse of the situation Melany is in. Instead of the Spinel Lady lurking within, the Burning Man is the one that is at the forefront and-"

He broke off, as if realization clicked.

"You met the Burning Man." In a quiet voice. "You met Father." His arm tightened around her perceptibly. It was not something he had particularly wished to happen to Leila or Eve. Part of him had hoped the pair would be able to enjoy having a son, to not have to worry about the fact that somewhere within was the Burning Man.

Not for one of them to actually meet him. After all, Ezra Fitzpatrick acted far differently than the Burning Man.

cibarium