[undarkest timeline] oopfsb: watchers always make lists

[stilljustandrew]

He needs to write that list. He promised Matt.

Watchers always make lists.

Abilities

can take on the form of any individual dead or formerly dead

can (apparently) know anything known to the dead

can sometimes interfere with magical energies so as to disrupt spells aimed at it directly

can give abilities such as superhuman strength or clairvoyance to its chosen followers, while transforming others into Harbingers

can appear and speak to one individual while remaining unseen and unheard by others present

has claimed the ability to pull people out of hell (unconfirmed)

can communicate with people through dreams nightmares

Known Strategies

winning followers through promises and/or corruption

impersonating close friends / loved ones, to deceive and mislead (esp. if the individual is not known to have died)

appearing as close friends / loved ones / enemies without keeping up pretense of actually being them, to stir up strong emotion and cloud judgment

passing misinformation / interfering with communication

damaging morale through constant harassment, esp. of those in fragile emotional/mental states

Andrew hesitates, then adds under that last: On more than one occasion the First has attempted, often but not always successfully, to talk people into murder and/or suicide.

He stops and looks at it for several minutes, trying to decide if that sounds melodramatic.

"You okay?" asks Jonathan's voice behind him.

He turns before his mind catches up, and stutters "Y-yeah."

Jonathan's sitting there on the edge of his bed, looking sad and sympathetic and even a little indignant on his behalf. "He dumped you, didn't he. I'm sorry. That sucks."

Andrew closes his eyes. "If you wanna talk to me," he says unsteadily, "stop looking like him."

"Sorry," says another voice, ruefully; when he opens his eyes, it's Ava Wilson sitting there. "Better?"

"Not much." He turns back to the list, shoulders hunched as though he could hide what he's writing.

"I mean it, though. I am sorry. Especially since it kinda was actually my fault? I called it wrong, I figured for sure he'd stick it out with you."

Andrew's fingers close hard on the pen. "Did you want something?"

She laughs. "What? I told you I'd be back. But listen, if this isn't a good time I can always come back later."

"Yeah," he says to the paper. "Do that. Please."

A pause, and then sounding pleased: "Well, since you ask so nicely. Sure. Just -- one thing before I go?" She pauses, and then when he doesn't respond goes on, her tone shading into concern: "Don't ... don't let it get to you, okay? If he's not gonna be there when you need him, he doesn't deserve you."

Silence. Andrew waits, then slowly lets a breath trickle out.

Then freezes, as his own voice breathes wickedly into his ear: "He deserves me."



When he turns to look, the room's empty.

Comments

[stilljustandrew]

Andrew's turn to hesitate.

Then slowly he reaches to pick up the list, folds it neatly in half and in half again, stows it in his pocket.

"I'll wait for you," he says, low-voiced, and makes for the door.

[1st_among_evils]

"Go on ahead." Warren winks and makes a finger-gun in Andrew's direction. "Catch up with you later, big guy."

(It doesn't sound threatening. It sounds like something an old friend might say.)

[nita_callahan]

Nita waits for Andrew to leave the room, trying to be still, trying not to look like her mind is racing.

"You're wasting a lot of energy on him." She sits back, clasping her hands between her knees. "You lost him, if you ever even had him. That must sting. But you're not getting him back."

[1st_among_evils]

The face morphs back into her own, studying her wordlessly for a moment.

"So ... what, then?" it says finally. "Are you expecting me to say 'oh, okay, never mind' and vanish? I mean, if I did that, would you even believe it?"

[nita_callahan]

She shakes her head.

"No, I guess not. I'm just saying." She shrugs. "Your game plan seems pretty -- limited. What are you expecting to do? Just harass him in perpetuity?"

[1st_among_evils]

"It's not like it'll take forever." The First shrugs, smiling faintly. "I've got time."

[nita_callahan]

"And if he did go back to you?"

[1st_among_evils]

A pause -- and a low, unpleasant chuckle, as her face shifts and flows into Andrew's.

"Well, your worries would be over then, wouldn't they?"

[nita_callahan]

"You don't know any of us half as well as you pretend to, do you?"

She stands up.

"You're just -- brute force with a good costume budget."

[1st_among_evils]

"I know you about as well as I need to, little wizard."

He leans back, smiling up at her.

"Was that it?"

[nita_callahan]

She swallows, and tries not to look like she does.

"Yeah, when we reach the condescending part of the banter, we're done."

She turns and heads for the door.

[1st_among_evils]

"See you around then, Sprat."

It's still Andrew's voice behind her, as she reaches for the doorknob.

(If she looks, the room will be empty.)

[nita_callahan]

Don't look back, whatever you hear.

Classics are classic for a reason, she figures. She doesn't turn around.

When she steps out into the hall, she closes the door with slightly more force than is warranted.

[stilljustandrew]

Andrew's waiting in the corridor, hands closed into damp fists, trying to slow down his breathing.

Are you okay? doesn't seem like the right question, somehow.

[nita_callahan]

"I don't like that thing," she announces. She straightens her hair, unnecessarily, and takes a deep breath.

"How're you doing?"

[stilljustandrew]

"I, I'm okay."

It's maybe a slight exaggeration, but what he means is I'm not on the verge of collapse just yet.

"You?"

[nita_callahan]

"Mad."

Mostly. Shaken would also be accurate, but hardly helpful. And she has the distinct feeling it could have been worse -- might yet be worse.

"Let's go somewhere there are people, okay?"

[stilljustandrew]

"Yeah," he half-whispers. "And, and we need to find Matt."

He doesn't know why her saying mad should make him feel like shrinking. He knows she isn't mad at him; if anything, she's mad on his behalf. It's good that she's mad.

He still can't look up.

[nita_callahan]

". . . Andrew?"

She pauses, then touches his shoulder lightly.

"What is it?"

[stilljustandrew]

"What did you want to say to it?"

[nita_callahan]

--Oh.

"I wanted to give you a second where it wasn't baiting you." She shrugs, more than a little awkward. "And I wanted to see what it would say if you weren't there to be baited. I don't know. Maybe I kinda hoped it would say something revealing."

[stilljustandrew]

He swallows.

"Did it?"

[nita_callahan]

Rueful: "No. Not really. Nothing we didn't already pretty much know. It's an asshole and it wants you."

[stilljustandrew]

He nods, and tries to suppress a shiver.

"I don't even know why it wants me. I didn't even do it all that much good back then."

[nita_callahan]

"Evil's got a real possessive streak. In my experience, anyway."

Asmodean -- Blodwen -- Sitri -- the Lone Power -- hell, V, too.

"And that," she adds, suddenly fierce again, "is not our fault."