Ash Lynburn (ashlynburn) wrote in madisonvalley, @ 2016-10-03 21:46:00 |
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Entry tags: | !closed, !completed gdoc, ~2016 october, ~25 points, ~~ash lynburn (ashlynburn), ~~kami glass (unmade_kamig) |
WHO: Ash Lynburn and Kami Glass
WHERE: Their apartment
WHEN: During the fair
WHAT: Ash is sick. Kami is visiting.
RATING: PG
STATUS: log; completed
And here it came, just like clockwork: the nausea, the exhaustion, the utter inability to do anything but plant face down and sleep all day. At least this year, he and Katniss were prepared. Or, rather, she was prepared, and he was just the beneficiary. Which he wasn't going to argue with at all. And he had Kami. While having her around didn't actually heal him, her presence did make things less worse. It wasn't much, but when he had been as debilitated as he had been, every little bit helped. Today, having her around meant he was eating solid food instead of just soup. “I hear there's a fair that popped up,” he said as he finished the last of his sandwich. *** Setting down her notebook, overloaded with pictures and ideas for the fashion show she wanted to run, Kami sat down across from Ash and looked at him. Her hands folded on top of the prodigious notebook before she answered the question. “There is. It seems like it should be rather interesting an adventure.” A single finger wagged at him. “Though you’re not going. I don’t care that you are feeling well enough to eat, no fair for you.” Kami gave him a smile, showing she wasn’t afraid that he would actually attempt to venture out. “But how did you find out?” *** “I have ways,” Ash said, giving her his best mysterious look. “And, also,” he held up his phone. “Access to the network and a lot of time.” Of course, most of that time was spent sleeping, but every so often he had enough energy and brainpower to do some reading. “I take it you haven't gone yet? Is Simon taking you?” Ash still felt a little bad at encouraging Kami to date someone other than Jared, but Jared wasn't here. Also, Jared was an ass. *** Kami laughed at the obvious item that she had forgotten. Clearly he would stay informed - he was Ash. On the other hand, had Ash voiced that comment about Jared out loud, Kami would have violently disagreed. But then she knew Jared in a way that few people did. It was only because she’d lived with him inside her mind for a very, very long time. But then Ash was entitled to his own opinion about most things - Kami wouldn’t begrudge that. “I will definitely be going,” Kami stated, as if there was any kind of discussion to be had on the topic. “Simon and I will meet up there. It is clearly the ultimate American experience - the county fair. I am sorry that you will miss it.” Kami paused and considered for a moment before adding, “Want me to bring you back anything?” *** “Funnel cake,” Ash said decisively. He liked funnel cake, even if it had way too much sugar and his mother had forbidden him from having any more ever since he'd scarfed down a whole one on his own - and chased it with a deep fried pickle - and threw up in a bale of hay. He was sorry to miss his fair; he'd always enjoyed them, vomiting and all. “Bring me their best funnel cake.” *** “Funnel cake?” Kami inquired, head tipping to the side. That wasn’t something that rang a bell of understanding in her mind. “What is that?” Her mind was picturing some kind of Victorian sponge with frosting and the like. Of course it didn’t really matter what it was like, she would still get him one, but an American fair was not something within her realm of experience - outside of tv and movies - which she had realised did not portray America with any kind of accuracy. Putting that aside, she turned serious for a moment and asked, “Aside from missing the fair, how are you feeling?” Her eyes turned serious, worried for him. She’d never spent a September with either Jared or Ash and so this was something she hadn’t been prepared for. *** “Like somebody’s pulled out my insides and left me hollow,” Ash admitted. He was beyond trying to sound brave and nonchalant; he knew he looked as bad as he felt, and there was no use in trying to pretend otherwise. His main solace was that he had people who cared about him who were taking care of him. “Was it ever this bad for Jared?” *** That did not sound pleasant. And imagining it made Kami scrunch up her face. “Ick,” she commented. “I have to admit to being quite glad I’m not a sorcerer at this point. Though I don’t think other magic users are affected in the same way by this month…” Which was an interesting thought. What was it about Ash’s magic that made it react in such a manner? Regardless, she considered his second question. “I don’t believe so, but September was always a quieter month when we shared thoughts, but I don’t remember him talking about such a sensation.” Kami offered a shrug as an additional response. “I will think further, but I don’t remember anything like this.” She gestured at Ash as she frowned. *** Great. So not only did Jared seem to have usurped him as heir of Aurimere, but he seemed to have escaped the worst of the illness the sorcerers got, too. For a moment Ash wished he was here, so he could punch him. If he could even get the energy to even close his fist. The way he felt right now, he’d probably just overexert himself and fall flat onto his ass. “Lucky Jared,” Ash muttered. “I think Mom and Dad said it was because we were away from Sorry-in-the-Vale, away from the source of our magic.” *** Kami continued to scroll through her memories, trying to put together the time frames of Jared’s words and actions. It was hard because so much of it did not have time reference in her memories - he just was. So she ignored Ash’s muttered comment as she sorted memories into timeframes. Frowning as she put together two and two and got four, she blurted out, “I remember him talking about laying down on the sidewalk, right in the middle of walking to the store, falling down because it was just too much. So he must have experienced much of the same - even if I can’t completely recall.” Kami looked at Ash. “But why September?” Kami was trying to remember all the things she had been reading about the sorcerers and sources and what they had done, but the research had been long ago enough and so much had changed that no connection immediately sprung to mind. *** Well, that was a relief, then. Ash wouldn't want to wish this sickness on anyone, not even Jared, but it did help to know his cousin went through it as well. “That's what happened to me last year,” he admitted. “Pushed myself too far and landed face down in front of Allison. I thought I was going to break my nose.” But he hadn't. It was still as long and straight and perfect as ever. “It has to do with the seasons,” he explained. “At least that's what Mom and Dad always said. Because our powers are tied to nature, and when nature dies…” *** “Your body rebels,” Kami concluded, thinking, ignoring his statement about his nose and landing on his face. Very little in her cared about Ash’s good looks. Perhaps if he was tall dark and handsome she might have reconsidered her disinterest, perhaps not. But Kami’s mind was off and galloping away. “So if it is the seasons, is it the seasons where you are or the seasons in Sorry-in-the-Vale and what would negate the affect? More power?” Kami considered this even as she pushed extra power into him, wondering what that would do. Especially since she didn’t notice any difference in the power she experienced. *** Ash shook his head. “Being in Sorry-in-the-Vale.” Because the woods were the source of the sorcerers’ power, and the woods were supposed to protect them from getting sick. At least, that was what his parents had told him. Ash wasn’t sure how much of it to believe anymore, but it was a comfort for him to think that if he ever did go home, maybe then he wouldn’t be stuck with these yearly periods of invalidity anymore. Then again, home didn’t have Katniss. Maybe he could handle a few weeks out of a year of invalidity. “Having you here helps, though,” he added. “Last year was much worse.” *** “Stupid thing to tie power to,” Kami commented, “but then little of what the sorcerers did seems to make any kind of sense. I mean - blood giving power? None of it is exactly a kosher kind of plan.” Her voice noted her disgust with the whole thing. The only good thing that had some out of all of it was Jared. The rest of them could all go jump in the lake. Alright, maybe not Ash. He was a bit more interesting. That was it though. “I’m glad I can at least help, since I’m not good at much else,” Kami pointed out. “At least not where magic is concerned anyway.” *** Ash’s lips tightened at her obvious distaste for blood magic. She had good reason to be. After all, he'd nearly killed her friend for her blood. But it didn't meant he wasn't really sensitive about it. He knew it was bad. He still wanted it. He hated that he still wanted it - but he still wanted it. He didn't want to be reminded of how awful it was and how awful people who used it were. “I thought you were going to pick up journalism again,” he said instead. This was a much safer topic. **** Kami shrugged. “I did try, but it just…” She sighed and rested her chin on her hand, elbow digging into her book of information on the fashion show. “It isn’t the same any more. The purpose - the drive behind it, it’s gone.” Another gusty sigh escaped her. “I miss Jared,” Kami finally commented, talking about the one thing that really mattered, well to her at least. She was pretty sure that Ash didn’t feel the same way. “But writing isn’t my way forward - not here at least. Things are too different.” *** Ash was silent for a moment. Then: “I miss him too.” It was true. Ash might not like the guy; he might think he was a douche and an ass and all sorts of bad words he wasn’t supposed to say about a person, but it didn’t negate the fact that Jared was his cousin, and maybe the one person who might understand what he was going through. There had been a few moments when he’d felt that Jared could have understood him, and that they could have been friends. Before everything happened. “So what are you going to do?” he asked, continuing the conversation. *** “Well, right now,” Kami commented thoughtfully, “work for the most part. Take classes that interest me. Host a fashion show!” The last part was clearly said with far more enthusiasm. An idea then occurred to her and she leaned toward him. “You should be one of our models! That would be perfect! We have to do men’s clothing as well as women’s and you have amazing looks.” It was a more dispassionate statement, not one of interest in Ash as more than a person. There was no crush, no desire. She merely started a fact about his aesthetics. *** Ash’s cough chose that moment to come back, and he turned away to hack out a dry cough. “Not right now, though, right?” Ash said hoarsely when he turned back. “Because I’m in no shape to model anything except life insurance right now.” He did hear the excitement in her voice, though, and was encouraged by it. Kami had been so adrift since arriving, and this was the first time he’d seen her excited about anything. He’d support it if he could. *** “Not now silly,” Kami laughed, but her worry was clear in her eyes. Standing she moved across to him, pushing back his hair with the back of her hand, feeling his forehead. “When you’re better. We still have all the designers to find, hair, makeup artists.” Kami let his hair fall back into place. “Your fever is rising. You should consider going back to bed and resting.” Her hands went to her hips as she glared at him. “I can’t have you getting any weaker. How will I have a fashion show without a star model?!” Her face was stern, but her excitement about the show was clearly evident. “Now, off to bed with you. Seriously.” *** Weak as he was, Ash laughed at Kami’s version of nursing. Both she and Katniss prescribed to the Tough Love school of nursing, which was okay with him. He did acknowledge that he tended to push himself too hard. Penance, he supposed, for all that he’d done. “Fine, fine,” he said, pushing himself up with an effort. “I’ll try to make myself healthy so you can show me off in your show.” *** His announcement was meant with a clap of delight from Kami. “Excellent,” she beamed, all smiles and excitement. “Now, you toddle off and have a wee nap. I will head off and make plans.” She moved to the other side of the table and gathered up her things, sunny and cheerful as only Kami could manage. “Want me to bring home anything for you?” *** And there was the Kami that had gotten Ash’s attention - and affection - when they’d first met. Ash smiled at her, a ghost of his usual Disney Prince smile, and shook his head. “No, I’m fine. I’ll see you when you get back.” |