OTA

[pecked_by_birds]

The past month- Months?- Had been strange. One night he'd found himself compelled to go out, as though something was calling to him. A silent siren song that had coaxed him into his car  and out into the country.

Where had he gone? What had he done?

Those were the questions he had to ask himself when he woke up in the middle of Hyde park in a rumpled suit and a brand new body. ...Possibly brand new. Certainly new to him in that moment, since he couldn't recall much of anything from the past few weeks. His head was pounding, and he was in agony. 

A large bird sat upon him. A hawk, he thought absently- Or maybe not. He couldn't seem to focus on it. Not when his gaze was so strongly drawn to all the blood. ...His blood.

"No," he said softly, trying to chase it away with a weak wave of his hand. "I'm free, you can't- He can't," he insisted, right before the world went dark. ...Not that it mattered. It would heal, he would heal. He always did. How else could the punishment continue?

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[miss_ives]

Vanessa rose with him, a hand on his arm to catch him just in case. She offered him her arm with a wry sort of smile at the reversal of the usual gender roles. "I've kept you well stocked in tea," she told him, as it was a well known fact that tea always helped.

Of course, something like this might require hard liquor instead. While he might have some in the flat upstairs, she had not gone looking for it.

[pecked_by_birds]

"Tea sounds wonderful. I don't suppose I've got food, do I? I don't recall when I last ate, but my stomach is- Empty."

Or stitching itself back together, he honestly couldn't tell.

[miss_ives]

"I haven't raided your cupboards," Vanessa answered as they began to walk. She let him set the pace, matching her gait to his. "At worse, we can order something."

[pecked_by_birds]

The titan nodded, pulling his suit jacket shut to hide some of the blood as they walked.

"Do you have any idea how long I've been absent from London?"

[miss_ives]

"I haven't seen you since that night in the museum," Vanessa answered, glancing at him. "That was... late November, early December? But Mr Collingwood stopped by with your vase, and a talisman, a couple of weeks ago. Do you remember talking to him about them?"

[pecked_by_birds]

The titan frowned, shaking his head, then pausing. "Vaguely," he admitted. "I remember... I made a call. I was- I was in Germany, I think."

[miss_ives]

"That's as much as I know, I'm afraid," Vanessa answered. There was no use asking her questions out here; it did not seem as if he would know the answers. At the shop, she might, but she might not necessarily ask him.

[pecked_by_birds]

The titan nodded, still frowning in thought as they walked on.

[miss_ives]

At least he was walking without her support, which, given what Vanessa had just witnessed, was nothing short of miraculous. As far as curses went, anyway. She knew better than to think anything in this world was either black or white.

She was glad to let the silence stretch until they reached the shop, which she opened up with the ease of someone who had ended up being there a lot more than the odd weekend she had initially offered.

"We can go and check the flat for food," she offered as she locked the door behind them. The shop was most definitely not open just then.

[pecked_by_birds]

"Yes- I might change as well. I don't think this is a terribly good look for company," he quipped awkwardly, all while looking around at his surprisingly tidy looking shop.

"...Did you dust? I don't think this place has ever been dusted before."

[miss_ives]

"I work in a museum," Vanessa remarked with a small smile. "I'm rather used to tidiness."

She hoped that he did not mind, however. This was his shop, and an odd little shop it was. He might have wanted to keep all of its quirks, including the dust balls she'd swept out from under the counter.

[pecked_by_birds]

"It looks good," he said honestly. "Almost like it did when it first came into my possession."

[miss_ives]

Vanessa smiled slightly. "I've become quite fond of this place." A lot more than she had expected, to be perfectly honest. "But how are you feeling? Shall I put some tea on?"

[pecked_by_birds]

"Please, I feel better but tea is always a good thing," the titan said, gaze resting on her for a moment.

"How have you been, Vanessa?" he asked gently.

[miss_ives]

Vanessa had moved to put the kettle on, and she turned back to him at his question, and gave him a small smile. "Troubled," she answered, although he of all people would have known it already. When wasn't she? "I've had a visit from an old friend. She was... wrong. I need to help her, but I can't find her."

[pecked_by_birds]

"Wrong how?" the titan asked, starting to remove his jacket and shirt so he could change. There was always a spare shirt laying around somewhere, and he selected one from a drawer under the counter. It was splattered with dried paint, but it would do.

[miss_ives]

"I didn't notice straight away," Vanessa admitted, looking away from Prometheus to let him change without scrutiny. It was about respect, rather than modesty. "But she wasn't as I knew her, although I couldn't tell you what it was exactly. But she mentioned a master, and was there and gone in an instant."

[pecked_by_birds]

"Curious," the titan said, tugging his shirt down and then crossing over to her. "Are you certain it was her, not a figment or illusion?" he asked.

[miss_ives]

Vanessa looked back at him when he came closer, and there was no doubt in her voice as she answered, "It was her."

[pecked_by_birds]

"And she mentioned a master? I wish that narrowed it down a bit, but I'm afraid you'll find many beings that demand their captives or underlings call them that. ...Though given the nature of your own affliction- One does have to wonder if it's all related somehow," the titan said, his tone not exactly lacking in compassion, but much more pragmatic than emotional.

[miss_ives]

The nature of her own affliction. The words stuck with her, for how little she actually knew of it. "It seems a bit much to be a coincidence," Vanessa agreed, turning away again to ready the mugs.

[pecked_by_birds]

"It does a bit, yes," he agreed, moving out of her way since she seemed to have tea under control.

Moving over to the old battered sofa that had been sitting against the wall for as long as he could recall, he gracefully slumped into it. It was strange to be home, but he felt more present than he had in a while.

[miss_ives]

Vanessa went through the ritual-like preparation of tea, then joined Prometheus on the sofa, handing him his mug. She blew gently on her own tea, then told him, "I can't help but worry that whatever has happened to her might be my fault."

[pecked_by_birds]

"A side effect, perhaps, if it is related. You can hardly shoulder the blame though," he said, holding the warm cup close to his chest. "You didn't ask for this. You didn't seek it out."

[miss_ives]

"A very logical argument," Vanessa agreed. "A shame, that guilt tends to be so irrational."