[PRP] Family Gathering (Alg & Jamie)

[iloveyouDIE]

Alg had felt compelled to reconnect, to check in with everyone to make sure his doppelganger hadn't done anything detrimental. He'd gone through his phone, been disgusted at home well the thing had played him, and now checked in with anyone he hadn't seen appear that he was overly concerned about.

The last time he'd seen everyone was the ball... and it wasn't exactly the best memory.

He'd texted Jamie, pleasantries and an offer of lunch, and they'd settled on something more of a picnic. Alg could get some of the spare cooking out of the house and they would meet up.

It was still overcast, rumblings and short showers, but no longer quite like the rainstorms that had apparently plagued Ashdown while he was gone. Alg waited, looking a bit thinner than when Jamie last saw him, holding a picnic basket and looking over his phone while he sat on a bench.

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

How they'd decided on a picnic, Jamie still wasn't sure, but he wasn't going to complain. It was a fun idea and he was excited; even the chance of showers wouldn't get him down. In the small tote he carried at his side, he'd packed an umbrella alongside mom's pasta salad and a pack of king's hawaiian rolls.

Spotting Alg wasn't difficult, but something about him had changed. He was thinner, definitely, but there was nothing wrong with losing weight. Maybe it was simply the dreary weather, but the atmosphere felt different.

"H-Hi," Jamie called as he jogged towards the bench, holding his bag so it wouldn't bounce too much. "It's good to see you again." There was always a strange feeling that followed big events in Other Ashdown, something that lingered until he was finally able to see people face to face again.

"You didn't, um, wait long, did you?"

iloveyouDIEEEE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

Alg had packed some sandwiches made up of cuts of roasted meat he'd found in the fridge. It only dawned on him after he'd left that he didn't know if Jamie was a vegetarian or vegan or some other ridiculous thing. There was also some sort of slaw, so that would have to tide him over if he had dietary concerns.

"Jamie, Hi. No no.. no wait," Alg smiled, a genuinely pleased smile. He approached and offered a hand in greeting. As always it was warm and reassuring, a bit bolstering like he had been at the ball, but there was a bit more strength to his grip that was entirely unintended. In fact he was acting a bit like he hadn't seen the young man in ages.

"How are you doing? You look well." He was given an appraising look and approving smile.

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

Luckily for Alg, Jamie was very much an omnivore. Even becoming a hare hadn't swayed that.

"Oh, good." A look of genuine relief peppered his expression, softening it. Taking his hand was comforting, too, in the same way Jamie remembered the first time they'd spoken at length outside of the bakery or when Alg had carried and comforted him at the ball. It made him smile, it made him hold his head a little higher.

"I'm pretty good. There's, um, been a lot to deal with... and it's not over yet, but I think, maybe, it's getting better. Have you been okay?" he asked, head gently tipping to one side.

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

"I've been... busy," Alg glanced around. it looked like there was some sun glaring through the edges of clouds and the park begun to fill up with students and people eager to take advantage of the break in the weather.

"School started of course so the store and classes are keeping me busy," Alg motioned for them to walk, "Let's look for a spot and I can fill you in.. and you let me know how everything is going and how Shiloh is doing?"

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[saedusk]

Without missing a beat, Jamie turned to walk as he nodded to show he was listening. For a split second he thought about what it would've been like trying to balance classes while dealing with all of this. Honestly, he didn't regret taking a short break. It allowed him time spent with Shiloh and time spent getting his own life together.

"That sounds like a good idea," he quietly agreed, playing with the strap of his bag. "There's probably a lot to talk about."

Except, well, that would have to wait. As they walked, Jamie noted first the way the sounds of voices faded and second the way the rain began to dot his face. Oh. When had it started raining? Hadn't the sun been poking through the clouds?

He stopped walking, looking up the sky covered in endless sheets of grey. He looked around the dead, dull world they'd walked into; no more students, no more sun, and no more-

"W-What about our picnic...?" Jamie asked before worrying about anything else. He sounded genuinely distressed.

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

The transition into other ashdown could sometimes be eerily seamless. The rain was nothing more than a mist right now and the milling pedestrians had simply disappeared. The older man concentrated and swiped a hand over their heads as a see through barrier that looked very much like a large umbrella spread out above them and stopped the rain.

"Strange I thought it had stopped raining here," He looked at Jamie with a reassuring smile, "We'll be fine. Though we can find somewhere indoors if it makes you feel more comfortable. I'm sure the ground is too damp to sit on."

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

The thought hadn't dawned on him immediately. Other Ashdown always spoke of rain, it had since Jamie had known of it, and though he'd seen the rain stopped here since the beginning of the month, he only remembered when Algernon mentioned it.

"O-Oh... yeah, you're right," he agreed, looking at the sky past the umbrella. It wasn't exactly reassuring to think the rain might stop soon because of it, but Jamie tried not to let it ruin his mood. "Um... yeah, l-let's go inside. Or, um, maybe find a picnic area... o-one with a shelter. I-Isn't there one nearby?"

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

"There's always somewhere to sit," Alg gave Jamie a reassuring shoulder pat with a squeeze. Thankfully his barrier was more than adequate to keep them covered for the time being.

"Do you find it awkward to have to come back here so much?" He knew the were had to come back for the moons but he hadn't seen Jamie around much. Especially since the ball.

Ahead there seemed to be some sort of pavilion, though the park didn't look quite the same as it did in the 'real' world. It wasn't dilapidated and would serve a good enough spot to lunch.

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[saedusk]

"Oh-!" There was a notable uplift to his voice then, a surprised exclamation, but a happy one. "We can sit there!" Enthusiastic with the idea, he actually ran from beneath the umbrella, hardly bothered by the light misting of rain that coated him before he made it to the pavilion. As he turned back he asked, "Is this okay?"

Gripping his bag, waiting for the go ahead to start unpacking, he considered the question. "Well... I guess I... kinda sorta got used to it. Um, I wouldn't say I-I'd wanna be here more than Ashdown, but..." Trailing off for a moment, he glanced off towards the emptiness, the lifelessness, the utter greyness of the surrounding area.

"It... does kinda suck when you just... w-walk into it. Sucks about as much as making sure you have a way to get here once a month when you can't get in on your own." Sheepishly, almost tiredly, he laughed.

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

Alg had a folded tablecloth that he'd planned on throwing down for them to sit on but fit nicely under the pavilion which had a small table and a pair of benches.

"It's certainly quiet," Alg glanced out at the desolation, knowing full well it wasn't quite as dead as it seemed, "And I don't mind that."

He unpacked the containers of food and even set out some of the leftover baked goods from their fridge. Anything in the fridge had the possibility of being cooked by the fetch that had replaced Jeremiah which meant both of them were eager to rid themselves of the food, no matter how tasty.

"You know Jeremiah can detect entrances," Alg finally sat, "If you need help."

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

As he joined Alg at the table, Jamie unpacked his bag, too, adding pasta salad and rolls to the nice spread. It was going to be a good picnic, he was determined to make it so, even if they'd wound up in Other Ashdown for their attempts at having a little fun. At least the rain was beginning to subside, even if it didn't quite matter now that they had the comfort of the pavilion. Then again, the rain stopping was actually a touch worrisome. Whenever something was different like this, Jamie couldn't help searching for a very unfortunate answer they'd all likely have to face.

"I wonder why it's not raining here anymore..." he mumbled under his breath, popping the lid off the container his mom had packed. From the looks of his expression, he was trying not to let worry get to him. "S'weird."

Undoing the twist tie on the rolls, he finally looked back up at Alg and said, "Can he...?" Wait, he'd learned that about Jeremiah before. It was when they were dealing with the outbreak of moonwalkers ravaged by their pain responses. He shuddered slightly. It was a time that was undeniably blurred in his mind now for good reason. "Oh yeah, I kinda forgot."

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

Plates came next, plastic cutlery, and finally Alg (with a bit of a growling stomach at this point) was serving himself up small bits of everything.

The mention of the weather did have his eyes lifting over the rim of his glasses to scan the grey sky. It didn't look much different than usual besides the odd pattern of precipitation.

"I think it's because of the cage," because of what was done. But it dawned on him that Jamie may not know of Heliodora's demise and he was then very unsure about whether to tell him. "What with the rift in the forest they said they found. And whatever weird things are going on with the ocean..."

Algie was increasingly sure, from things working themselves out, that the Ashdown they knew wasn't totally real. He couldn't explain it, but when one side changes and the other doesn't.. with ripples outward.. well they may have been living in a ripple. It wasn't an idea he enjoyed - to think his life wasn't quite real.

"Haven't discovered any of your own new magical powers, have you?" Algie sounded interested, diverting the conversation slightly to more interesting things.

"I feel like once it starts," the magic, "it all sort of snowballs."

word count to here: 909

saedusxk

 

[saedusk]

Scooping a healthy helping of coleslaw, Jamie smiled, but there was no warmth to it, only sadness. It wasn't something he wanted to let take over their afternoon, but he recalled his talk with Gloom as Alg mentioned the cage. He wouldn't have to tell him, Jamie already knew.

"You're probably right," he agreed, resigned. He served himself smaller helpings of the rest of the meal. "They're all gone and the cage is broken. It's... kinda scary." Though he didn't look at Alg right away, he did take a few bites of his food. It was good and it settled his stomach. Being strong wasn't easy, but he finished with, "Things are getting weird, but... we'll just have to do what we can."

Now he glanced up and this time when he smiled it was warmer, softer, it melted away the look he had before. "Even though I'm a moonwalker I guess maybe magic comes slower to me or something," he said with a shrug, "The only thing I've noticed is, um, that I've got these flower buds on my head and sometimes they bloom."

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

"Maybe we are doubting too much.." Alg shrugged. Doubt wasn't good when it came to the magic. Confidence and will were key. They had to trust themselves and the decisions that led them here or they'd fail themselves as well as everyone else.

"Oh just like the cats!" Alg got way too excited about sharing cat pictures. He slid his seat a bit and unlocked his phone. His wallpaper was actually the cats asleep on top of Jeremiah on the sofa.

"Have you met our cats?" The gallery was opened and there was a fat white longcat with violets behind her ears sleeping on a mossy windowsill, "This is Violetta."

saedusk

let catdad show u his children