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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.
warmfeelings
salus-populi
"He is amazingly immortal," she says. "Think Luhan, but the healing doesn't kick in until he's to all appearances dead. I'd prefer minimal damage, but whatever you have to do to get him here, you can safely do."
"Got it," says Demauri. "See you in a bit. Love and loyalty."
He hangs up, and hops on his hoverbike, and closes in unerringly on Harley.
He hangs up, and hops on his hoverbike, and closes in unerringly on Harley.
"Name's Demauri, and you're gonna have a much nicer morning if you want to just hop in the sidecar now."
Demauri sighs. "Look, Harley, I dunno what you think you're gonna accomplish, but Aelise wants you, Aelise gets you. This can involve violence but it doesn't have to."
"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."
He hauls Harley into the sidecar, zipties his wrists and ankles together, and drives back to the stronghold.
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.
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.
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
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."
"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."
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?"
(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?"
