brushoff | tlv ic contact

Dorian will remember that. He doesn't want to push it right now, mostly because that's a whole mess he doesn't want to talk about. But the doctors and the guards and electricity...that's interesting.

Dorian leans in, little smirk on his face as he points out, "I don't think you know this, Henry. I'm a terrible warden. If you hurt someone who deserves to be hurt? As long as you're in my stay, I'll ignore it. Hell, even if you're not in my stay, I might get you a little cupcake."

A pause before, "It's if you hurt someone who doesn't deserve it, like all the idiot children we have on the ship, that's when we'll have problems."

Henry takes that in, giving him a bit of a smile. "Children are often just as cruel as adults," he points out. "But I can't do anything here with people who don't ask for it."

It is still a strange concept. One that Dorian's provided him and another that Jon has. He's been under tight control for so long that any freedom is sweet and inviting and intoxicating. He can't help but hope that's the case. Unfortunately, Henry feels like most people deserve it. Especially the children he slaughtered.

"You can't do anything with your powers for people who don't ask for it," Dorian points out, like it's the most obvious thing ever. "I'm sure you can get a knife here. Practice enough with it and you'll be able to do some damage."

Should he be saying this? Probably not! Is he? Absolutely.

He looks out to the now-desolate area and drapes a hand in the water again. Killing people isn't the point. He has to show them the worst parts of themselves; he has to make them see that part of themselves that they refuse to look at. They have to face it. And then, and only then, can he let them be free.

The others? The guards, the children? They were simply beyond hope.

"Should we call for help?" he wonders, deliberately switching the subject.

"We probably should," Dorian admits, with a frown. There's a suspiciously long pause before,

"Though I think I might have left my communicator back on the ship? Let me double-check."

He's kind of hopeless in some regards. Don't mind Dorian as he goes poking through his pockets.

Henry goes still for a very long moment. "You left it?"

Of course, Henry also doesn't have his communicator, but that's not unusual for him. He also didn't think he would get stranded.

"How - stupid."

"We'll use yours then," he says, with absolutely zero hesitation.

"I don't bring mine wherever I go," he says as if that's the most obvious thing in the world.

He's an antisocial brat! He has an excuse.

"So you left it?" Dorian points out, mimicking Henry's tone of voice. "How stupid."

Yeah, how's that taste???

Henry is unfazed by this. He can do childish mocking; it's the only sort of interaction he had for a long time. "I don't make a habit of it," he explains. "There is nothing but ceaseless prattling on it. People talking for no reason. And - "

He pauses there as a thought hits him. "I can find Jon. He - never took away his consent."

"If you can find Jon, then do so," Dorian says, with a little nod. There's a pause before,

"And I'd recommend scanning through the network every now and then. Yes, there is far too much childish prattling. But it's amazing what people will accidentally reveal when they forget that other people can read their conversations."

"It - gets overwhelming," he admits to him before settling down on the bottom of the boat, legs crossed and eyes closed. "Now stop talking."

He doubts that's actually going to happen, but he focuses on the rocking of the boat, on the gentle waves lapping against the side. He lets himself fade away, go to another place, to leave his own body and wander elsewhere. He pictures Jon, gets a firm image in his head, and his fingers clasp together. He doesn't notice it, but his nose starts to bleed.

At least he's successful.

Surprise: it actually happens. Mostly because Dorian wants to watch Henry as he reaches out, wants to see what the hell this is all about. So he goes quiet, watching Henry as he works. Though don't mind him as he reaches into his pocket to pull out the handkerchief.

He doesn't open his eyes.

"I found him," he tells him with no emotion. "He's - " He stops, unable to explain what he sees. He's piloting two bodies at the moment - one in the boat and one in the terrible void - and it makes it difficult to keep track.

"Focus on Jon," Dorian says, as he looks at Henry. He reaches over to place a hand on Henry's thigh, as if to stabilize him somehow. "I've got you here."

Henry's eyes open at the touch, blood dripping from both nostrils. He takes a breath, reaching out to him. "He's coming," he says before slumping full over onto Dorian, passed out.

Fucking hell. Dorian frowns, sighs, and starts to wipe at Henry's nose. Might as well mop up his inmate while the blood is still fresh.

[ Things most people don't know about Jonathan Sims: that he actually knows his way around a bloody boat. That's why he's renting a proper little fishing boat to get himself out there to where Dorian and Henry are, driving it with all the ease of a car for most people. And of course, the very first thing he asks is-]

Do I even ask?

[ A glance at Henry before he turns to Dorian. ]

...I shooed him out of there as soon as I could.

We might have run out of gas.

[ Sorry babe! Having cleaned up Henry's face, Dorian was just keeping watch over the kid, making sure nothing happened. ]

And I know you don't like going full tilt spooky god, but it might do Henry some good to know that even if he got all his powers back, there would still be those who outclassed him.

Edited 2022-09-25 02:45 (UTC)

[ That is a deep sigh. ]

I sincerely hope you didn't utilize him to contact me purely to scare the living bejesus out of him.

[ The problem, Dorian, is that he does like it. It's very very satisfying. It's just the Jon part of him that feels awful about it and doesn't want to do it. ]

Shall I tow you or will you both come on board instead?

It was his idea, thank you very much. And let me see if Sleeping Beauty is awake enough to help.

[ You're gonna have to walk off the boat eventually, Henry, Dorian ain't carrying you. So, time for a gentle, wake you up, sort of nudge. ]

[And Henry does wake slightly, pushing himself up to leaning on his elbows.]

I wasn't afraid.

[He had heard some of that conversation and needs to make that point clear.]

I know.

[ Just as simply as if he was agreeing that the sky is blue and water is wet. ]

I've brought supplies for the tow. I wouldn't want you to have to pay for the boat if we can help it.

I've got money if needed, [ he shrugs. ] It'll just have to come out of the clothes found. But help us out, valiant Archivist. Let's get this piece of junk back to dry land.

[Henry can't exactly get up and do much rope tying, but he does at least slide away from Dorian so he can slump back against one side of the boat.]

Use the clothes fund.

[He's still going to do his best to get out of that.]

Re: audio

Re: audio

Re: audio

Re: audio

Re: audio

Re: audio

Re: audio

Re: audio

Re: audio

Re: audio

Re: audio

Re: audio

Re: audio

Re: audio

Re: audio

Re: audio

Re: audio

Re: audio

Re: audio

Re: audio

Re: audio

Re: audio

Re: audio

Re: audio

Re: audio