"I am officially out of ideas of things to ask the alethiometer about the necklace that might yield helpful results, even the second wave of oddball wacky questions after last night," apologizes Ice. "I can't guarantee that the spellbinders can't produce anything - but I think Chamomile has no help for you."
Prime - is silent. But he does hear the general gist of the conversation.
"I could do nothing less. Katydid says a couple weeks on the inside for a complete spell that even might work, though."
Well. That. Is definitely cutting down on his possible future choices, isn't it.
"Annie says a few days not molding the necklace barely makes a difference, so I'm keeping it for now in case I have any sit-bolt-upright-at-three-a.m. ideas for things to ask the alethiometer, but you're in for a while. I'm sorry. I'll get out of your hair."
She flumps back into a separate chair and curls up in a ball.
"Yes," he agrees. Pause. "... What would you like me to do? I can - leave you alone to your thoughts, or hold you, or say something distracting and flippant and snarky, or distract you with a project, or - something?"
"I'm trying to figure out how to - self-soothe. I'm not entirely sure I can."
"All right," he says. "I'm available if you require me."
"But it's not fair to require you. You have things to do, lots of them, it is not okay if I need you around most of my waking hours just to emotionally function, I have to figure out something else."
"I agree. But I do still care about you, and I trust you to know when to ask for me to show up and be sarcastic and old and occasionally snuggly."
"Well. Thank you. I still need to - be able to self-regulate. Like I'm supposed to be able to do. Not even my - necklace programming wants to require you as much as it made me do, not when it's nonreciprocal and you have other priorities. It is not a very consistent necklace."
Is it morally questionable that he is extremely attracted to her right now? Mentally, anyway. He likes people that are self reliant and intelligent and self aware. It's probably morally questionable. Let's not bring it up.
"I don't know. I don't want you to leave, but if you have other things to do don't let me keep you."