[reverse darkest timeline au] it sticks in the throat

[stilljustandrew]

He hasn't been able to make himself leave the cell since talking to the demon yesterday.

What he does finally do, with some effort, is ask Baby to take a message to Ava, asking if she'll come talk to him for a few minutes.

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[hadyougoing]

It's been a day all around, frankly.

But here's Ava, freshly showered and even (even!) wearing different clothes. They look a lot like her clothes from yesterday, but that speaks more to her lack of creativity than anything else.

"Hey," she says.

[stilljustandrew]

"Hey," he echoes, from the other side of the transparent cell wall.

(He's also showered and changed. Routine's gotten him that far.)

"I, I wanted to ask you ... what's going on with the, the demon?"

[hadyougoing]

Ava frowns, casting a glance down the hall towards the demon's cell.

She looks back to Andrew, and takes a step closer to the transparent wall.

"Like in what sense?"

[stilljustandrew]

"Like ..." He bites his lip. "I'm guessing it's still in Nita?"

[hadyougoing]

"Oh, yeah."

She sighs.

"It's not really interested in budging."

[stilljustandrew]

"Did it say why it wanted her? Or ... anything?"

[hadyougoing]

"It said a bunch of things." Ava rolls her eyes. "But since we can't tell whether any of them are true, Matt and Kali want to try this truth spell on it? Good freaking luck."

[stilljustandrew]

His eyes widen, and there's a near-soundless whistle of indrawn breath.

"Can they do that?"

[hadyougoing]

"Matt says he can."

Ava sounds dubious.

"In theory."

In fact, you can almost hear the scare quotes!

[stilljustandrew]

"But ... you don't think it'll work," he says, tentatively.

[hadyougoing]

"I don't know," she says with a shrug. "I've gotten things out of demons before, but that mostly involved, you know. Torture. I guess I'd feel better if this was a tested method?"

[stilljustandrew]

Some part of his mind skids to a halt at that word.

Nope, another part announces, we are not going there, and detours the rest of him firmly around it.



"Could you," he starts slowly, "maybe ..."

... ask it something for me? is a lot harder to say now, for some reason.

"Or, or could I ask it something? When they do the thing?"

[hadyougoing]

"Oh," she says, surprised. "What do you want to ask it?"

[stilljustandrew]

"There's ... I talked to it the other day, for a, a few minutes, and ..."

His face burns, a little.

"I want to know if it's one of his or if it's running away."

[hadyougoing]

Ava considers this, and gives a slow nod.

"Sounds like something it'd be good for all of us to know."

[stilljustandrew]

If it's one of his we need to kill it, he wants to say. Wants very badly to say.

Doesn't.

"I don't know what else," he says, "but ... do you think it would be okay if I came?"

[hadyougoing]

This time, surprise (if she feels any) doesn't show on her face.

"If you're up for it, sure," she answers. "I mean--you know more about these guys than most of us do."

[stilljustandrew]

He nods, a bit unsteadily.



"You said ..." Slowly. "Matt's doing the spell? And Kali?"

[hadyougoing]

"I don't know if Kali's going to help with the magic part or just ask questions, but yeah."

[stilljustandrew]

He can't quite look at her.

"Could you ... ask Matt? If he's okay with me being there? Because if he's not, I, I don't ... I'll stay out of it."

[hadyougoing]

Ava rubs her temple.

"I'm sure he'll be fine," she protests. (Which is another way of saying he freaking better be fine. This is so not the time for who-kidnapped-who drama.) "But yeah, I'll ask."

[stilljustandrew]

"Okay," he mumbles. "Thanks."

If Kali isn't okay with him being there, he's willing to argue that out as far as it seems reasonable, but ... that's different. For a whole host of reasons.

"D'you know when they're planning to do it?"

[hadyougoing]

"As soon as possible, I think. I can ask Matt about that too."

She doesn't love the thought of being a go-between. But in this case, it's at least 65% a Security matter.

[stilljustandrew]

He nods. "Just let me know when, I guess? Or -- Baby, could you tell me when they're ready to start?"

"I would be pleased to," says Baby's voice from the air.

[hadyougoing]

"Thanks Baby."

To Andrew: "I'll let you know what he says though, okay?"

[stilljustandrew]

"Okay," he says, and tries to make it sound firm.

Maybe this is a mistake, but -- maybe he can do something good; maybe he can help.

He doesn't want to let that chance disappear because he's afraid.

[hadyougoing]

Ava nods, turning to go.


Once she's back in the Security office, she sighs. She's always thought Andrew had a certain--squishiness. Maybe she'd even have called it weakness. But it's so different from the feeling she gets talking to him now: like if she says or does the wrong thing, she'll break him.

It's scary, and exasperating, and you know, one problem at a time.

Off to find Matt.