just behave

[warmfeelings]

Chelsa permits Harley's original affections to persist intact. For a while. (She maintains regular upkeep of his kindlings to his lovely new friends, of course.)

And then she gets impatient, because he's so antisocial, she can feel him all kindled warm but he refuses to act like it, it's not even just her he's nasty to but her other friends as well, and there's one thing left she hasn't tried.

She doesn't really like dousing people. Even when warmth isn't aimed her way, it's still warmth, and warmth is good. But she can do it.

She does a few repetitions of the douse, late at night, while he's sleeping, and then she cuddles up to Amdon and goes to sleep herself. With any luck Harley'll be better behaved in the morning and won't even notice why.

Comments

[pythbox]

"I don't," he says, "actually, think I'm going to accomplish anything. There's no way it was gonna be that easy. Nice bike, by the way."

[alicornucopia]

"It's a very nice bike. You're gonna be riding in it. Prefer to spend the ride conscious?"

[pythbox]

By way of answer, Harley bolts.

[alicornucopia]

Demauri sighs, pulls his paralytic taser, and shoots.

[pythbox]

Yeah, that was a foregone conclusion.

[alicornucopia]

He hauls Harley into the sidecar, zipties his wrists and ankles together, and drives back to the stronghold.

[pythbox]

It's not very comfortable.

[alicornucopia]

Nobody can say Demauri didn't give him an option.

Demauri has to carry him by hand to get him from the entrance to Aelise herself, but he's strong enough to do it. Ho hum.

"Found him, Aelise," he calls as he approaches the office.

[salus_populi]

"I'm so pleased," says Aelise.

[alicornucopia]

Demauri puts Harley in a chair. "He'll be able to move around in another five, ten minutes," he says. "I found him hiking east. Do you need anything else?"

[salus_populi]

"Not right now," she says, smiling warmly. "Thanks."

[alicornucopia]

"Love and loyalty," says Demauri, smiling at her, and he goes to retrieve his bike and head out.

[salus_populi]

Aelise closes her office door and sits with Harley.

"Here's the thing," she says. "I need you. Chelsa wants you. If we can both have you, fine. But I'm not so sure we can; her methods clearly aren't working like they usually do. So if you'd rather be my battery than her pet, that can be arranged."

[pythbox]

It takes Harley ten minutes to answer.

(Aelise doesn't go anywhere during those ten minutes, and he hates that he likes that, but he likes it anyway.)

"You been spying on me or something?"

[salus_populi]

"Naturally."

[pythbox]

He snorts. "Shit, at least you're honest."

[salus_populi]

"I can afford to be," says Aelise.

[pythbox]

"...If you don't ever, ever let her touch me again," he says, "then I won't run away." He shivers. "Not that you care, but I used to love some people. Now I don't love anybody. Except maybe Corona."

[salus_populi]

"I think Chelsa would disagree," says Aelise.

[pythbox]

"I think I don't give a shit," says Harley.

[salus_populi]

"I'm starting to get that," says Aelise. "I'll see what I can do."

[pythbox]

"Yeah? And in the meantime... what? Just go back and let her fuck with my head some more?"

[salus_populi]

"In the meantime, go wherever you want. Although I'd appreciate it if you stayed handy, so I don't have to send Demauri after you again."

She gets out of her chair and goes to talk to Chelsa.

[warmfeelings]

Chelsa is with Amdon in their room. She has had Amdon longer than anybody; he doesn't kindle as warm as Corona, but in some ways he's her favorite.

[salus_populi]

"It turns out," says Aelise, "that he ran away because you doused him."