[reverse darkest timeline AU: cellthread #2]

[stilljustandrew]

[Previously: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

What's worried Baby the most, over the past few days --

Well. What's upset her the most is Andrew's consistent refusal to speak to her mind-to-mind, or out loud beyond the few necessary words she might exchange with any other inmate, such as requests for food, fresh clothes, an extra blanket.

But what's worried her is that he hasn't asked for anything to pass the time. No tablet with games or videos on it, no pencil and paper, no baseball to bounce off the opposite wall.

No books.



In the cell, Andrew finishes his breakfast (cornflakes, with sliced banana), sets aside the bowl, and settles down leaning against the wall.

Comments

[stilljustandrew]

In the cell, Andrew's lying down on his mattress with his hands loosely folded on his chest, staring at the ceiling.

(He's starting to look a little stubbly. Sanitary facilities are available in each cell, but he hasn't asked for a razor.)

[hadyougoing]

"Hey, Andrew," Ava says pleasantly. "Your visitor's here."

With one last nod for Brix, she departs to the office, where her probably-very-important paperwork awaits.

[gothamsheiress]

Brix halts in front of Andrew's cell. Her gaze goes over the transparent wall, the bare interior, Andrew.

"Hello, Andrew."

[stilljustandrew]

"Hi."

He starts to sit up, slowly, reluctantly.

[gothamsheiress]

"My name is Brix nó Balm de Marsilikos."

Her voice is pitched low, pleasant and calm.

"How are you?"

[stilljustandrew]

He gets to a sitting position, and draws up his knees.

Low: "I want to go home."

[gothamsheiress]

"Where is home?" she asks, curious.

[stilljustandrew]

"With my master."

And he closes his mouth firmly, as though to say that's all the answer there is.

[gothamsheiress]

"The angel?"

[stilljustandrew]

At that he looks up at her, for the first time, and some species of wary hope flickers across his face.

"Archangel. Yes."

[gothamsheiress]

She smiles.

"Forgive me -- we don't speak much of anything other than angels where I'm from, and his name isn't one I'm familiar with."

[stilljustandrew]

He pauses.

Slowly: "Where are you from?"

[gothamsheiress]

"A country called Terre D'Ange. Most people here don't know it."

[stilljustandrew]

"The ... land of angels? Is that right?"

[gothamsheiress]

She gives him a pleased smile.

"Precisely. The land was founded by Blessed Elua and his Companions, when he was wandering the earth."

[stilljustandrew]

"Who's Elua?"

There's a hesitation there, halfway through the name, as though he isn't sure this is a question he should be asking.

[gothamsheiress]

"--May I sit? I'm no poet, but even my telling of the Eluine Cycle is bound to take time."

[stilljustandrew]

"Sure. Uh -- "

A pause, and some unease.

"In here? Or, or do you want a chair in the hallway?"

[gothamsheiress]

"Do you have a preference?"

[stilljustandrew]

"..."

His eyes flick to her face, away, back again, away.

"No," he says, "whatever."

[gothamsheiress]

A nod.

"May I sit in there, then?"

[stilljustandrew]

"Sure," he says again. "You, uh, you can just walk through, it'll let you in."

[gothamsheiress]

Her eyebrows go up.

"Truly?"

She puts up a hand and steps forward -- and her eyes widen when she meets no real resistance. She stops just past the wall and looks around the cell, not quite believing.

[stilljustandrew]

"Yeah, that -- that's Baby. She's the magic that controls the whole cell system."

A very small, tremulous smile.

"She, she's pretty special."

[gothamsheiress]

"She's not a person?"