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

[salus_populi]

"I think he is doing his very best not to act like he loves you," says Aelise. "And doing a pretty good job. I'm sure it won't be hard to make sure he avoids you, if you're worried about upsetting behaviour."

[warmfeelings]

"But then what's the point?" asks Chelsa.

She can sense warmth at great range, but only in quantity - world-population quantity. She notices the change when she does morning announcements for billions of people in one go. She can't even feel Corona from two rooms away.

[salus_populi]

"The point," Aelise reminds her, "is that with him in my pocket, I don't have to worry about how many of your friends I can safely immortalize."

[warmfeelings]

"...Yes. I suppose there's that. It will be very tempting anyway, though - he gets so warm -"

[salus_populi]

"Don't douse him again," she says, "and try not to kindle him. And I'll keep him away from anyone he doesn't get along with."

[warmfeelings]

"All right," sighs Chelsa, and she buries her face in Amdon's hair.

[salus_populi]

"Thank you," says Aelise.

She leaves them alone.