everyonelives | only death can part us now

[As Xander's attention does shift more to the matter at hand, Simon does get sent back to the orb. It's a tenuous connection, not wanting to push too hard, and blessedly for Simon, the ability to afford his various masters their privacy.

Not that some haven't tried to make use of the rapt attention of a handsome man. Oleander was ... well, that mostly seemed to be a carryover from when Simon was corporeal. But she's dead now. Best not to think about it too hard. Regardless, when Xander's thoughts do turn back to Simon again, he makes an appearance at a respectable distance away, as though to not crowd him in.]

Forgive the intrusion, but my proverbial ears were burning.

( He sees him in the corner of his eye this time, so he doesn't startle. )

Isn't that an out-loud thing?

( Because he hadn't been talking. )

Well, I'm invisible to everyone but you, so I think everything is a bit ... flexible?

[It's hard to really say. He's still working through how a lot of this works.]

I think the intention was so that I could be summoned to fulfill a task but magic will as magic wont.

And he's with the tasks again. Trust me, I bear no ill vengeance on anyone. Can anyone still want vengeance after a hot shower?

( Get over this whole task thing. Also, great. He's magical now. Accidentally. )

You'd be surprised.

[He pauses because where does he begin in explaining this. How a lot of time of the last few decades has been spent wishing for things to be over.]

And forgive me for having a singular focus, but for the past few ... decades at least, I have had little agency in my actions beyond the tasks I'm given or being put to sleep and waking up with a whole new master to manage. Very few of them cared to have an actual conversation.

Trust me, Orb-guy, very little surprises me.

( He lets the pause go, because it looks like he's revving up for something. Well, not that action-y. )

To be fair, I'm not asking for anything. I manage myself just fine. I've managed myself since I was in high school.

( But, his tone could give away that managing himself hasn't gotten him everywhere and has had him drop into a few pitfalls. And then his latest. )

So... you don't have a choice in all this?

Thus is the nature of a curse.

[You don't really get much of a choice in the matter.]

It's not that terrible. I spend most of my time sleeping, unless I've been found. But there are certainly other things I would rather be doing.

Than sleeping or instilling vengeance.

( Obviously. )

Or, talking to a one-eyed guy.

The last one isn't as much of an ordeal as the first two.

[He offers him a small smile.]

But at the same time, I was quite the extrovert once, and it isn't fair for you to bear the full weight of my need to socialize.

Everyone's got the need, right? Or, is it the right. Or, most, I guess. You only get your seldom right. When you have your -- let's just call him Xander. I have spine shiver for last time I used the word master. ( A beat. ) Dracula. Surprisingly? Racist.

[He pauses, before tipping his head to the side.]

Bram Stoker was struggling with a lot when he wrote it. But he also was incredibly British and loved his country.

[Then there's a pause.]

Unless you meant the actual Dracula in which case ... he is very old. Some people truly do get set in their ways.

Actual. Not living, not breathing. Liked the word, swine.

( And hates the color yellow. Problematic? Yes. Old world? Also yes. )

But, yeah, please don't refer to me as your master. I'm not Jeannie. Or, that'd make you Jeannie. Not that you're Jeannie. No one in this scenario - is Jeannie.

Fair enough.

[It doesn't quite change the machinations of the curse, however, but since they're going to be stuck with each other for a bit:]

Is there a preference for how you would like to contextualize this then?

You, guy in the orb. Me, crazy guy who can only see the guy in the orb.

( Crazy because if anyone sees he'll be talking to himself. He's going to have to start having fake phone conversations. )

Unlikely friends? Anything that doesn't jump to the "vengeance" conclusion. But, I'm open to discussing the semantics.

[Friendship is complicated in a situation like this, but Simon has no interest in litigating the matter, so he nods.]

We'll play it by ear, then.

[He can't promise vengeance won't come into play at some point, as that is his purpose, but so long as Xander minds his thoughts or inadvertant commands, they should be fine.]

As it seems we will be ... together for some time.

One could say then we are both lucky. I have a sounding board, you have a me.

( He's trying to see the best in this, at least. )

When you're not out of the orb, are you like... existing inside it? Like a genie lamp?

[He shakes his head, moving to lean against the nearby wall.]

I sleep through it, mostly. I find I prefer it. I think if I were stuck alone staring at the walls of the orb when no one had need of me, I likely would have gone mad long ago.

That's gotta be disorienting. Reappearing like that.

( He frowns. )

Save for, like, you know - private time, I don't just want to send you back to sleep like a button I can push. Can you interact with things? Like, touch them?

[Simon shakes his head.]

Handling them, no. I'm more of an illusion than anything else. But should you use me for my intended purpose, I can cast spells on things.

[But you seem to not want to do that.]

I accidentally enslaved a male witch. There's an irony in that you can just never know.

( From not being him. )

You don't deserve the orb and the darkness, so, maybe. Stick around. Again, save for, like, alone time. ( Of which, he assumes he won't be having much of, now. ) Can I touch you?

( And, for the record, it's not because he wants to, he just needs to know the ins, the outs, the rules, and the regulations. )

I'm not a witch, actually. I'm Faerie.

[It's more complicated than that, but whether or not he breaks things down further is going to depend on how much Xander knows about Faerie to begin with.

He then pauses because, well ... no one has ever tried. October did, once or twice, but she hadn't been in control of the orb.]

I don't know. No one's ever tried.

Like ever?

( He thinks about it for a second, before crossing the room toward him and stopping by the wall he's leaned against. Holding his hand out, it's there for the shaking. Why not test every theory.

They will get back to the Faerie of it all because - que? )

[Simon eyes the hand curiously, unsure of how to proceed, what he should be hoping for. It would be nice, certainly, to be able to touch someone. But after having been stuck in this orb for decades, it would almost be too kind. Still, he reaches out to meet Xander's hand, lining it up with the touch of his fingers and trying to see if he can feel the warmth of his skin.

He thinks he feels something, perhaps just a glimpse of potential, before his fingers slip through Xander's, like he's a projection on a screen.]

( He winces, hand turning as he pulls it back. )

Now we know. Well, I need to get some shut eye. But, I could - I don't know, leave something on for you. Like on the TV? Or, play you music?

I wouldn't worry about it. As soon as you go to sleep, I likely will as well.

[Out of thought, out of mind, out of view. He'll come back again when Xander wants to see him, however long that may take.]

But get some rest. I'll be fine.

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