057 ± [visual / location: around town] i like the autumn but this place is getting old

[aintnoconvict]

At roughly quarter to nine in the morning, Taxon is greeted with a video broadcast of a holo broadcast.

"Hello?"

One can tell it's not a proper arrival because instead of the usual stark arrival room, there's a tiny Glitch hovering over a nightstand. Beyond, there is a patchwork quilt covering a shifting, grumbling lump.

"DG...Cain?" From under the covers, Glitch's head emerges and he peers blearily at his tiny duplicate. "Raw?"

"Cute," he mumbles, the props his chin up to watch the show.

"Cain's going to be mad," the hologram remarks fussily. Glitch snorts. "But...no, it's not my fault this time. I was following him! I was following him! I was follow-"

"All right, enough of that." Glitch pokes his tablet so the holo replay of his arrival vanishes, then scowls when he notices that it's still broadcasting. "Guess that's the aliens' way of wishing me a happy anniversary. Morning, all."

Then he turns the tablet off and flops back with a sigh.

Three annuals. Thirty-six months. One hundred fifty-six weeks. Something like a thousand ninety-five days and he's still not sure how he survived the first dozen of them. Illyria'd basically pointed him at the door and he'd been on his own until DG's arrival. Adaptation. Coping. Moving on. Waiting and surviving, that was 90% of this place.

Today, though, he'll keep busy and distribute a few gifts. The first pumpkin from the garden for Cain with a short length of distinctive gold braiding tied around the stem. One of DG's sketchbooks for Azkadellia, a more intimate glimpse of the younger princess' life here. He's ready to let go, and he hopes it will give Az some comfort. The first volume of his organized notes on Taxon for Mayland, a drink or two with Paul after lunch, dropping a scarf off for Madelyne (the days are getting chillier and he frets), and then...then he'll take Bagoas out for dinner. Because why not.

He sends a voice message to his friend to make arrangements (Italian, Glitch decides, will be nice), gets ready for the day, loads a basket with goodies, and sets off on his bicycle to make the rounds.


ooc: THREE YEARS what even. He'll be stopping by to see everyone mentioned above (and all of that's hadnwavey if you like), but anyone not mentioned is totally welcome to bump into him too. OPEN POST IS OPEN.

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[aintnoconvict]

Glitch is, of course, mostly oblivious to all of these goings-on related to that thing from his head. And while Glitch has access to the house he knocks all the same on the opening door.

"Azkadee? Is this a good time?"

[azoftheoz]

Humming along with the music, something from the Other Side she'd heard at Paul's and had picked up and started playing around the house, she glanced up. The moment she saw Glitch, her eyes lit up and she smiled widely.

Straightening as she pushed her hair out of her eyes, gesturing with the other hand for him to come in.

"Glitch! Come in, come in. You don't ever have to knock. You have to know that," she said, excited to see him and it was obvious in her expression.

[aintnoconvict]

"I do, but...you know, old habits." Manners, they gt hung on to. Glitch keeps the sketch book tucked to his side as he peers around the room, one skittish glance to the stairs before he, predictably, begins bobbing his head t the music. "Okay, what is this? It's almost familiar."

[azoftheoz]

"Of course, but I want you to know that. You're always welcome here," she said, snatching up a ribbon and tying her hair back. Despite her more modern clothes, with Glitch there she took on a bit more of the princess she'd been raised to be.

"It's... I have no idea," she admitted with a giggle. "I heard it while I was over at Paul's. Between him and Cain, I've been picking up OtherSide music. Can I get you something to drink? Or truffles? Cain showed me how to make them so I've been playing with them."

[aintnoconvict]

Glitch nods along, quirking a smile. "Just water to drink, thanks, and...maybe a couple truffles, don't wanna spoil my dinner." He's got Plans after all.

"There was a man named Fitz here who taught me a few things about Otherside music. Frank Sinatra, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones..." He trails off and glances at the book in his hands. "DG liked this band, Red Chili something, I'll have to look it up again. They were interesting."

[azoftheoz]

She nodded, smiling as she moved into the kitchen area. Getting a glass, she got water and ice before getting down a plate and putting a pair of truffles on it. She brought them back in.

"Please, sit down," she said. "Well, you don't have to, but I do know how to be social," she admitted, blushing and smiling as she set the glass and plate on a table.

"You should look it up," she said, her smile sad though, glancing away for a moment, trying not to sigh. "I would like to know what she enjoyed."

[aintnoconvict]

He does sit, and says his thank-yous, and the sets the book on the table as well. "I will, and...well, I'm glad you want more insights, since I'm giving you this."

Glitch slides the sketch book in Azkadellia's direction. It covers the time from DG's second spring in Taxon to the last winter, and contains many random scenes from the city, bits of architecture, hazy bits of the O.Z., and plenty of people. Willow and Tara, Party and Kobra, Mayland the man and Oolong the dragon, Cain and Paul and...yes, lots of Glitch, merry and vacant at first then suddenly pensive and thoughtful, gradually reaching the balance he has now. There are self portraits, and some murky doodles of the Queen and Az as a girl mixed in. A young woman's life as seen through her own eyes and recreated by her talented hands.

"The aliens left this when the palace vanished, it's a little more personal than what's left on the tablets. I...should have shared it sooner but--" He cuts himself off and has a sip of water, but the guilt at his selfishness should be obvious.

[azoftheoz]

Settling herself in, her attention wholly goes to the book. As he pushed it closer to her, she almost couldn’t bring herself to reach for it. Finally she took a deep breath, sliding the book into her lap. With shaking hands, she opened the book.

Glancing up at Glitch, she could only look away a moment before she started flipping through the book. Some were familiar to her, even beyond those of the O.Z.. There was Willow whom Azkadellia had known briefly. Party as well. Then Mayland, Cain and Paul that made her smile, lightly brushing over one with the tip of her finger.

Some of the ones of Glitch made her frown. Glitch as she didn’t remember him, that man between Ambrose and now.

Her gaze rose to him. “Don’t you dare apologize for not sharing it sooner,” she said softly. “I don’t blame you. Not in the least.” He had known DG better than she might ever, and she didn’t only accept that but she was glad for both Glitch and DG in sharing that. “Are you sure you want to now,” she asked, even as her hand curled a bit tighter around one side. She logically was getting better at being mature but her nature and those missing years often showed through.

[aintnoconvict]

He's almost glad Az hadn't seen him as a "proper" headcase; though he's still not sure if (or for how long) the Sorceress kept him around after she got what she needed. It's possible he'd never have stopped being afraid of her, and ehr guilt...no. She can check the tablet if she wants, if she'd missed the little glimpse from that morning.

"I am," he replies with one of his jerky nods. "It's...letting go a little bit, it's helpful." Pause. "Plus I have another one still, from earlier on."

[azoftheoz]

Those memories, especially in the earliest days when Azkadellia was possessed, were blurry. In the days before she fought to try and gather her magic, a stronger magic, and fight back.

She smiled at that, at him saying he was letting go and yet kept one as well. "You aren't worrying you'll be next to leave, are you?"

[aintnoconvict]

"Not at all. Actually...would it be more or less unnerving if I said I'm pretty sure I'm never getting out of here?"

It was a conceit developed over time but...probably one Kirk and Angel and Faith had shared as well, and he's been in the city longer than all of them now.

[azoftheoz]

"I think the answer is just yes," she said softly, dropping her gaze down to the book. She shook her head suddenly. "No. More. I want you back there, so she's not alone and has someone she knows and trusts," she admitted, glancing up at him, eyes brighter than they had been a moment before.

"She and you both deserve that," she whispered. "You know I believe that."

[aintnoconvict]

He wants, quite badly, to remind her that they won't remember anything of this place when they go home, that she's picked up her life right where it left off and all of them are there with her, but he refrains. He spent too much time telling DG that, and now he regrets it.

Instead he smiles, and nods, reaching out to touch her had consolingly.

"I know, I do," Glitch says. "It'll be okay someday. Meanwhile, we've got this place to deal with. How are you holding up?"

[azoftheoz]

Azkadellia wondered so much about this place. So much more than she did about her home. Part of her thought it should bother her but it didn’t. Not while she had those she did.

“I’m doing beautiful,’ she admitted. “I’ve been working on gardening, doing some studies with my magic, and Cain even taught me to make truffles. I’m enjoying it well,” she said softly, glancing at him, wondering if she should feel guilty for that.

[aintnoconvict]

He'll believe her, because he wants to believe her, and he wants so badly for her to not be suffering. She's been through far, far too much already.

"That all sounds excellent, lemme--" He picks up one of the truffles and has a chews, lets it melt a little on his tongue, and sighs happily. "Oh, he taught you good, that's fantastic."

[azoftheoz]

She blushed and smiled at that, ducking her head. "I can't take too much credit. His recipe and his hand. Between him and Remus I might actually learn to take care of myself," she admitted with a smile. "With cooking and maybe even hunting."

[aintnoconvict]

"I think you're doing fine," Glitch says with a nod. "Let me know if hunting happens, I might want in on that."

He'd been a scavenger, it'd be nice to be a bit more proactive.

"And if you want to learn to fix things, you can always stop be the shop. I can certainly handle a second apprentice."

[azoftheoz]

She smiled at that, nearly preening for him to say that. "Thank you. So much. I'm trying," she agreed, nodding. "And I will. I know there's resources here but I like the idea of knowing how much I can do for myself," she admitted. "After all that's happened."

She needed to know she could be okay if they left, if she was here and they weren't with her.

"Honestly, Glitch, I would love that. Anything. I just want to learn."

[aintnoconvict]

"You're not just trying, you're doing," he assures her with an encouraging smile. "And...I understand, I had to do so much to make myself independent. It's not so different, really."

That settles, he picks up another truffle to resume nibbling. On to the future. "Definitely come by. I'll see what you remember about thermodynamics, and you can meet Bagoas. You'll like him."

[azoftheoz]

That definitely made her happy, so glad that he could see how she was trying and the chances being made from the child most, including herself, had known. "I feel like it's more than just learning who I became there, but learning skills I was never meant to know. I like it though. So much here."

Oh she perked then. "We've met! We shared tea during the whole singing thing. I utterly embarrassed myself and he was there for me."

[aintnoconvict]

"I'm glad," Glitch says, nodding, then grins at her revelation. "And I'm glad you've met him already. I'm sorta mentoring him in the ways of gadgets and gizmos, which they don't really have in his time. The enthusiasm's infectious."

[azoftheoz]

“He was willing to help me through some things. That day…” She sighed heavily, closing her eyes a moment. “That singing thing really messed with my mind,” she admitted, shaking her head. “Bagoas found me by the lake and took me for tea. Between he and Long I am learning quite a bit about tea. Which I’m learning I love,” she added.