Pre-θ 8 - Forgiveness

[bit_impossible]

[ooc: Before the Recursive Mind plot.]

[his shoulder twinges slightly, making him wince every now and then from the pain emanating from the wound every time he moves his arm in any single way. he really wishes it would just hurry up and heal; he rather likes having full range of motion for both arms. after checking the bar, he figured that it's either the library or the kitchen that he should check next but he decides to be contrary to such thoughts on the off-chance that Oliver didn't go there and headed to the forest instead. and that's where he is now, dodging branches and listening to the river burbling softly off in the distance.

well...he's listening for anything, really: the rustle of leaves, the crunching of twigs underfoot, anything.

and on the off-chance that anything making those noises hears him in any way, he decides to speak while he keeps an eye out for any movement. his voice is in its normal timbre but with a touch of gentleness in its tone.]

Ollie, if you can hear me--and I really hope you do otherwise this would sound incredibly silly and ridiculous--I need you to listen. I mean, it's not like I don't talk out loud to myself half the time anyway, but it's always nice that someone's on the receiving end of things I've got to say. Like now, for instance.

Hopefully just from the sound of my voice and my being here is enough. I'm all right, just like I said I'd be. But the one thing I didn't check before I left was how well you were. I need you to see that everything is all right--and that you can come home. That's why I'm here, speaking to the trees and flowers and the river nearby, and if you're not here, I'll go entertain an entire library of books next. Maybe I ought to have gone there first, but I kind of had a feeling you might not have gone there for any particular long length of time, not after those creatures had invaded.

I want you to come home, Ollie.

Comments

[oliverplus]

[fidgets awkwardly, avoiding that Look] Can we go back to Lun?

[bit_impossible]

What, looking like that? [looks him up and down]

[oliverplus]

[self-consciously wipes some bits of plant off his shirt] I'll take a shower first.

[bit_impossible]

Right! You do that and meet me back here. I think a cuppa will do you good right now. [and then he can check Oliver for any long-lasting wounds]

[oliverplus]

[blinks, genuinely surprised that the Doctor is (seemingly) letting him off the hook] Okay, sure. I'll be back soon.

[turns to hurry off before the Doctor changes his mind]

[bit_impossible]

[he spins on his heel, pointing himself in the direction of the kitchen's entrance but continues to watch Oliver head off down the hall. once he's out of sight only then does he start to whistle and go in to put the kettle on]

[oliverplus]

[so suspicious, Doctor! did you think he'd try to sneak back to the Plane? Oliver knows he'd never get away with it if he did. instead, he heads off to take a shower and change, just like he said he would do. it doesn't take him long to join the Doctor in the kitchen, his hair now wet (if just as tousled) and clean clothes on] Hey.

[bit_impossible]

[actually, he waited to see if he was all right. when Oliver comes in, he'll see the Doctor sitting at the table, a Bunsen burner lit below the teapot to keep its contents warm. he smiles and motions to the seat across from his]

Have a seat!

[oliverplus]

[nods and gets himself a cup before he sits down across from the Doctor. then he reaches out to pour himself a cuppa. it's easier than figuring out what to say]

[bit_impossible]

[he waits until Oliver's poured his then takes the teapot once he's done] Ollie, back in the bar when that watch first found you... We both said some things--well, a lot of things, really--and I think that's part of why you were in that forest to begin with. Am I right?

[oliverplus]

[Oliver is now staring very hard at his teacup. clearly it's a very interesting teacup] I...I said a lot of things. To a lot of people. Things I didn't mean. [pauses, taking a sip of tea to cover up the fact that he's faltered. he still doesn't look up] I'm sorry, Doctor...

[bit_impossible]

[pours himself some tea] Well, I didn't help. I pushed you. I had to see what was wrong.

[oliverplus]

[looks up at him, his expression anguished] But I said that you... [trails off, shaking his head, unable to make himself repeat it] It wasn't true. You've done everything for me!

[bit_impossible]

Well, I did a fair bit more than that. You did point that out as well. You can't argue that what you said, even while in possession of the watch, didn't have a grain of truth in it. [takes a sip of his drink, thinking back on that conversation and how much it hurt him deep down]

[oliverplus]

But...! [it did. he knows it did. but he doesn't want the Doctor to know that--to think he blames him for all the horrible things that happened] It wasn't your fault! None of it was!

[bit_impossible]

And you're still running away from it. [which is highly hypocritical considering how much running away he does.] And come on, do you think you would have attacked me if I hadn't said the things I did? Either time?

[oliverplus]

[looks back at the teacup, taking another sip to delay his response] I wanted to attack everybody. I...I wanted to hurt people!

[bit_impossible]

You only think you did. And you didn't see the two others who I ran into in that maze. They felt the exact same thing, but do you know why?

[oliverplus]

I did! You know I did!

[fidgets] The watch.

[bit_impossible]

Yes, exactly. The watch. [he leans forward] Ollie, the others said they had to protect the watch and couldn't let anyone pass. You did the same. That entity used you all, as well as clockwork warriors and insects inside the maze, to protect it and fight for it.

[oliverplus]

[nods mutely. then he looks up at the Doctor--specifically, at his shoulder] You only got stabbed once.

[bit_impossible]

[tries to catch his eye] I only moved into it once.

[oliverplus]

[looks away, still unwilling to meet the Doctor's gaze] The other two people you saw--did you see them break free, too? They're okay?

[bit_impossible]

[he nods, smiling slightly] I did. I couldn't leave them behind without seeing them break free. [or in Riku's case, talking him down to the point where he could help him via knocking him out.]

[oliverplus]

[smiles a little at that] 'Course not. That's good. [takes another sip of tea]