ᴊᴇssᴇ ғᴀᴅᴇɴ | ᵗʰᵉ ᵈᶦʳᵉᶜᵗᵒʳ. (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
outlierdirector) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
synthneon2024-04-13 08:24 pm
outlierdirector) wrote in synthneon2024-04-13 08:24 pm
oceanview || ❝ two worlds colliding, there ain't no bargaining. ❞
There ain't no bargaining
No giving in without a fight
no subject
« He can see you? I thought--I thought he didn't pay attention to anything he SAW. Is that why you're reaching out now? Because Alan knows you're there? Where are we? What the hell is going on?!
...
What does he think of me now that he knows...? » ]
... you can see her?
[ Beth suddenly feels like she did when they first met at the clinic all those years ago. Defensive--wanting to curl up and hide. He's seen a part of her that she's kept hidden even from the Bureau.
« If they knew? They'd take me away from Alan. It WOULDN'T be a promotion. It would be a relocation to the Oldest House. They'd study me to get to YOU. » ]
You... you knew? [ Her voice grows defensive. Scared. A step back is taken almost as if she's worried he'll react like everyone else always reacted her entire life. ] When--when did you know?
[ « Why didn't he ask? »
The woman named Elizabeth shakes her head to the Master of Many World's unsaid question. No, she had no hand in this door. It was one of many she passed through in an attempt to find him. Not that such a complicated statement could be put into a look. No. This situation was Alan's own finding. One found while the other reached out to run away.
She then raises her hand and gestures to the two arguing. He may wish to step in now. The Master of Many Worlds has insight he can give. Doesn't he? ]
no subject
Maybe he couldn't really see Polaris in their world, but here... wherever "here" is works differently. Maybe. He doesn't understand where they are any more than Beth does. ]
I couldn't before, but I can now. Is it because of him? [ He stares pointedly at the other man who shares his face; that's another thing he doesn't understand and doesn't like. Who the hell is he, anyway? ]
I suspected; I didn't always know. How was I supposed to bring it up to ask you about it? I wanted to ask you about it, don't get me wrong. But- you would have called me crazy, wouldn't you? Would you have told me the truth, whatever that is?
[ He looks like he wants to pull on his own hair in confusion and lack of understanding and a touch of frustration. ]
It was a few months ago, probably. [ Maybe more than a few, if he's being honest. ] I came home and you were on the porch, and I thought I heard you talking, but no one was there.
[ Alan watches this unfold even as he glances sidelong at Elizabeth. Apparently she still needs something from him, or she wouldn't be here now. The look she gives him suggests she thinks he should step in, but should he? What can he do for the couple in front of them?
Maybe they should keep talking things out for a little while longer. ]
no subject
You think I'd call you crazy? Did you forget how we met? You saved me from the Shaded Individuals. I went head first out to prove they existed. You brought me back. Why would I call you crazy just because you started to ask about the world?
[ « I'd be surprised. Shocked he even gave it all consideration. »
She feels Polaris shift again.
Her gaze drops. She looks away. A bitter frown touches her face. ]
Things are just going to get weirder if you can see her. If you don't want any part of it? Then, maybe I do need to leave. We should both leave Cauldron Lake. You could go somewhere like Arizona.
[ « I'd... we'd have to go to New York. HQ would have to meet you. I'd probably never be able to leave the Oldest House. »
Elizabeth crosses her arms and simply watches the exchange. It certainly doesn't seem to be going in a direction either Alan nor the Writer would prefer. Still, she's an observer. That's just what she does. She's only involved in what she is because of another Alan... what a mess. ]
no subject
[ He rubs his eyes with both hands because this is all a lot for him to try and make sense of. ] I think you'd call me crazy because I spent so long pretending I didn't see things, and- I guess I can see things and I can't pretend anymore, can I?
[ To Alan, he thinks he sounds crazy. And what's crazier is the realization that he's actually trying to make heads or tails of this crazy world they're both in. ]
I don't- I don't want you to leave. [ He might not know very much, and he might not have answers to his questions, but he knows one thing: ] I don't want you to leave by yourself.
[ He's sure that Beth is going to wonder where this sudden change in attitude is coming from, and while he's not looking at the other Alan, the expression on his face is one wondering the same thing.
Maybe Alan never wanted to be apart from Beth. Maybe all the weirdness scared him at first, but maybe he realized that he could deal with a little weirdness if it meant getting to stay with her. ]
If you leave Cauldron Lake, I'm going with you.
no subject
[ « And probably the reason why whatever is in the Lake hasn't done anything to Alan. Or me. Aren't you? »
Polaris shifts around her in confirmation. ]
I wouldn't have called you crazy. Just... wondering why suddenly you believed it. [ Her gaze drops to the side. ] Yes, you've been able to see things.
[ « Things that have saved people's lives. I don't think he'd react well to that. Knowing that there's been things he's said or told me in his dreams I've had to report to the Buearu. He won't trust me anymore and maybe that's fair. »
Beth simply raises her eyes to the Alan who does admit to all of the weirdness. The Alan that she has the feeling this weird room belongs to. Her gaze settles on Elizabeth. She frowns. What the hell is she doing here?
What the hell is going on? ]
Maybe we should of left Bright Falls a long time ago.
[ Elizabeth sighs then. ] Leaving Bright Falls won't stop what's going on with Alan. It doesn't matter where the two of you go. You can ask him. [ A hand gestures to the one sitting beside her. ] He's been through it, you know.
no subject
I guess I sort of believe in it, because- I don't know. [ He pauses. ] I believe you more, though, if that makes sense. [ It probably doesn't. ]
So what does that mean, that I can see things? What does that mean for us? Should we leave Bright Falls?
[ He looks at Beth for an answer, but the other person in the room speaks up first. ]
What the hell does that mean? This stuff is just going to follow us- follow me everywhere? [ He finds himself glaring at the other Alan as if somehow blaming him for this. ] Should Beth leave, then?
[ The other Alan standing next to Elizabeth shakes his head, crossing his arms as he thinks about the situation in front of him. ] She could, but something tells me she won't. [ He levels a look of apology in Beth's direction. ] Besides, I don't think you really want her to go.
no subject
She's not... always here. [ She tentatively tries to explain once more. ] It's been awhile since I heard from her.
I don't know what it means for you, Alan. I can't guess when this is the firs time...
[ Beth falls quiet despite the questions and the discussion on what she'll do. What does it matter what she does? This is Alan's path they're talking about. Not hers. She only stayed in Bright Falls because it was where Alan wanted to be... and because she could protect her home town. Though, it seems that isn't really needed anymore. not with the Bureau being there as they are.
Elizabeth sighs and pushes herself from the desk. She takes a few steps forward before dramatically gesturing with her arms to the two Alans. ] Your powers are YOURS, Alan. You can't run away from something that is naturally apart of you. Not thinking about it is simply ignoring it: not running away from it all. You see things from other places in time and space. Peoples lives. You always have, haven't you? HE has.
no subject
Does she do that a lot? Leave, I mean?
[ But then Alan flinches slightly under the weight of Elizabeth's words. He doesn't normally react like that, but there was some strange kind of power or energy or what the hell ever behind it. He doesn't really like it, but there's a hell of a lot of things he doesn't like.
He lets out a breath and rubs the back of his neck. His gaze travels first to Beth, then to the other him, then back to Elizabeth. ]
If they're mine, why don't they feel like mine? Is it because I didn't ask for any of this? Let me guess: I have to figure that out for myself.
[ The other Alan decided his role here was to just observe, not talk. That's fine with him, really, given how he does nothing but talk sometimes. But he feels a pointed look from Elizabeth landing on him, and he figure he better say something or she'll jab him with her elbow or something. ]
I think... Trying to is enough. Putting in the effort. [ He glances at Beth. ] I think people can surprise you; you just have to ask for help sometimes.