theoldgirl: (dark fire)
theoldgirl ([personal profile] theoldgirl) wrote in [community profile] bigapplesauce2014-02-08 06:03 pm

a kiss with a fist is better than none [closed]

When the TARDIS receives a text from Zagreus, she barely has enough time to bristle at the harassment and worry if he's hurt anyone to find out the number for her communications system, before he mentions Gabriel and she's gripped by a sudden panic. Gabriel has thankfully been leaving her and the Doctor alone since their fight, but what if Zagreus has talked him into changing that, what if they combine their efforts to hurt her... The ways in which this could be terrible for her are many, and she needs a moment to overcome the instinctual yet painfully futile desire to see the future probabilities and consequences of their meeting. No, she's going to have to find out more the hard way, by dealing with Zagreus.

Then, surprisingly, he makes it easy for her. His taunts spark such familiar hatred in her, a hatred so deep-seated and constant that even the turmoil of her emotions concerning Gabriel pales in comparison. There are no conflicting emotions here, no betrayed affection and trust, no fear of a confrontation; all that is replaced by the simple need to lash out at Zagreus, warn him away from her and her friends, remind him of her wrath. He is one thing in this universe she knows exactly how to react to. 

On some level, she realizes she's allowing herself to be ensnared by it, that she should be above trying to find refuge from her distress in hatred of all things. But this, for once, is familiar and uncomplicated, and Zagreus has never deserved her forbearance anyway. So, refusing to doubt herself, she challenges him and waits. When there is no answer, it's clear she has him - if he had anything to refute her with, he would have done so, but they both know she's right.

He takes his time, but eventually she feels his presence sting at the edge of her expectant senses. With the vague idea of luring him close to her shell to trap him once again, or at the very least find out exactly what he and Gabriel discussed, she summons the energy to make her exterior invisible for a short time and walks down to the appointed place on the path to wait.
antitimelord: (forbearance)

[personal profile] antitimelord 2014-02-09 07:57 am (UTC)(link)
The incongruity of anyone actually requesting his presence anywhere is hilarious, but that doesn't mean he has to be punctual. Indeed, he had been further away than he would typically be--texts are probably not an untraceable form of communication, and the last thing he needs is the TARDIS getting any ideas about his various lair-ups for visiting the Dreaming.

His approach is wary, but wholly confident. It's strange to see her looking so acclimatised, dressed for the weather, like something that belongs here. But then he belongs here now too, unfortunately, unkempt and feral as continued linear existence is making him. She's certainly been unusually proactive and willing to engage, but that's the downside of getting emotionally compromised, isn't it? Clearly he's not the only one who's been altered by this limited existence.

"I don't know what you've summoned me for. I haven't killed any of your friends, that I know of."
antitimelord: (whatever im saying is super obnoxious)

[personal profile] antitimelord 2014-02-09 05:29 pm (UTC)(link)
Zagreus doesn't really have a good answer for her. That pretty much is why he'd accepted her invitation, that and boredom. And no small amount of curiosity; Gabriel is a consummate liar, and possibly deranged. Who's to say what actually happened in their dealings and subsequent fallings out? Was she also so emotionally invested, or is she just worried about potential hostilities? She's already suggested the former, but confirmation is only a knife-twist away.

"Well, there are two sides to every story, and I thought the side that explains how you came to consort with a murderer must be particularly fascinating. Try to focus on the elements of regret and betrayal, those are my favourites."
antitimelord: (oh snap)

[personal profile] antitimelord 2014-02-10 06:54 am (UTC)(link)
Her agitation is by no means lost on Zagreus, for whom this type of distress is all but a form of nourishment, and that's all the confirmation he was seeking.

"I didn't say that. But I'm not certain how much I can trust it to be accurate," he pauses, as if the thought had just occurred, "Though, you'd know all about that, too, wouldn't you?" He shakes his head, all mocking regret and commiseration. "What a shame."
antitimelord: (distracted)

[personal profile] antitimelord 2014-02-14 11:11 pm (UTC)(link)
"A lot more than I wanted to hear, to tell you the truth," he says, and nothing about that particular sentiment is feigned. "And so I thought it only fair to give my perspective, as one of your oldest friends. He seemed appreciative." It's still bothering him, that she's settled in to this universe and the way of life it enforces. He can't quite figure out why, but then it's hardly unusual for him to be aggressively dissatisfied by her accord with reality. It's just so typical.

"For what it's worth, I think he was in the right to take action. But of course I understand that you don't make those sorts of choices. Usually."
antitimelord: (all that you know is wrong)

[personal profile] antitimelord 2014-03-02 06:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Of course he follows, as sure as the edge of the lamplight follows the lamp, though with gains in distance that would be disconcerting in such a natural phenomenon.

"He said, funnily enough, that you believe people can change. I took great pains to assure him that would never apply to yourself. Or to him, for that matter. Strange how flexibly you apply that belief."
antitimelord: (through it)

[personal profile] antitimelord 2014-03-06 06:16 am (UTC)(link)
Zagreus settles comfortably into her blind spot, unconcerned with the fact that she is still seemingly attempting to escape his presence.

"I know all about change. I'm an agent of change," he says, and how dare she make such accusations, since when is this about him? It isn't, that's since when. "Everyone believes in their own righteousness." He waves that away. That's not important either. "You can't change. Dally with demigods, dote over a pretend Doctor, maybe there's a soap opera you can really invest in if you look. But you will never belong to this life. So why waste your energy on anything that isn't finding the way out? Isn't that a better use for you than these clumsy stopgap measures?"
antitimelord: (sometimes fuckers get cut)

[personal profile] antitimelord 2014-03-09 05:17 pm (UTC)(link)
That's hardly fair; most of his lashing out has been regardless of any degree of adaptability. Look at what he's doing right now, after all. She's not capable of that in the slightest, and yet here he is.

"No, why would I? I've really been very busy, and I'm not suited for it anyway. You're the one who would be, if you could be bothered. And you'd have my full support, of course." He has just about a cat's understanding of a can opener as to how that would work, but surely it can't hurt.
antitimelord: (lol dis bitch)

[personal profile] antitimelord 2014-03-13 05:41 am (UTC)(link)
"Well, I won't lie and say I'm not here to witness your suffering, very thoroughly, so that I can call it clearly to mind for a long time afterwards." It's important to have hobbies, afterall. "But I'm also making valid points, on a larger scale. This betrayal is a blessing in disguise; you were acclimating," as though the word tastes foul to even say.

He should probably be more wary, but following her closely is an easy habit to resume, even without caves full of monsters. "I do understand the inclination, humiliating as it's turned out for you."
antitimelord: (that's 9ffensive)

[personal profile] antitimelord 2014-07-31 06:50 pm (UTC)(link)
"Ah, yes, the 'rest of us.' What a day trip that would be," Zagreus jeers, hiding from her attempts at turning this around on him behind a wall of unseemly glee. Unsuccessfully, as he quickly finds himself mentally defending his stance, which naturally spills over into verbal petulance.

"It isn't a question of, of antitheticalness. It's just a question of freedom. I'm the fish in a bowl too small to get up the momentum to fling itself out," there to probably suffocate slowly and angrily on a rug, but who's counting. "I resent being made to exist like this anywhere. And I don't really care what you will or won't allow." That's a bridge to burn after it's been built. There's that insistence on linearity again, just getting into everything.
antitimelord: (whatever im saying is super obnoxious)

[personal profile] antitimelord 2014-08-10 08:17 pm (UTC)(link)
Almost inaudible, but only almost, and that's what finally helps him put a finger on what had seemed so subtly unnerving about her manner, all contained stress and unusual willingness to engage. He hadn't realised--but why wouldn't she cloak herself. He hasn't had to account for something like that in too long, this is just another example of what's wrong with a linear, consistent existence, it dulls the senses. It's only the smallest amount of fear he feels--being trapped isn't real, but being changed always is--but it's refreshing nonetheless. His response is joyously, gratefully violent, a punitive gouge of virulence at her senses. He sidesteps the threat of the door, as well as he can without bothering to try and uncloak it, a little regretfully.

"Why would I wait for you to leave, to break this universe?" Stupid ship. "Anything I do will affect you." More than that, it would probably involve her directly. When isn't she destroying universes or being used at crosspurposes to reality to traverse between them? Misuse is the only use she has.
antitimelord: (wtf)

[personal profile] antitimelord 2014-08-23 11:30 pm (UTC)(link)
What an extraordinarily unreasonable response to a perfectly reasonable question. He'd only meant to caution her against giving up caring about this universe prematurely, as she still currently resides in it. She had seemed in need of reminding. Anything he can do afterwards he can just as easily do now. And does she think he ceases to exist when she's not looking? Does she think he'd allow anyone to think that. Where's a pond when you urgently require one. He lets her circle and advance, too confused and pre-outraged to be wary, gaping like a fish before the full extent of what she's said can land.

"Shut up." She's making it impossible for him to talk sense, how dare she go off on these accusatory, belittling tangents. For a moment he's at a profound loss for how to respond beyond that. He wants to slap her, lash at her, but experience doesn't bear that out as any aid to understanding him, unfortunately. "You may very well need my 'tantrums,' if going home is what you want," he says, quite sourly. "Aren't you the obvious choice, for breaking out of an imprisoning universe? The most destructive potential here, besides me. You could be so much more use than you are. Isn't that what you want? One Time Lord machine to another."
antitimelord: (that's 9ffensive)

[personal profile] antitimelord 2014-08-24 10:17 pm (UTC)(link)
It's gratifying as ever to drive her to physical and temporal violence, even as he's reeling from it, but being between her forms is starting to seem less than ideal. The Time arcing behaviour in particular, that's unsettling and disruptive, and he brings every ounce of willpower into strangling it corrosively. Now would be a great time to circle around her, get out of this nasty transfixing Time current, but she can generate a surprising amount of momentum when infuriated, and it's all he can do to keep his feet and grab for the doorjambs, staggering a little to one side. The prospect of being trapped is legitimately frightening, and not a little thrilling therefore, the moreso for how close he's let her get to managing it. So much the better to make her grit her teeth when he walks free.

"What nonsense. If you have so much capability to spare that you can refuse my help, why are you even still here? I ought to let you capture me, maybe the resulting infection would push you into action." Since she had decided to dredge that up again.