Catch-all: Alex

[soulus]

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[chanteuser]

Yes, I know.

[ said slightly drily. ] While they don't do bounties all the time, I do live with two people who take odd jobs and hits for a living.

[soulus]

You're rather wary of deals for someone who lives with them.

[It's said less in an accusatory fashion and more as a statement.]

[chanteuser]

It's their job, not mine. I just take their calls.

[ ... that's really all it is, at the end of the day. ]

[soulus]

An intermediary?

[chanteuser]

More like a secretary.

[soulus]

[There's a thoughtful pause before he retracts his hand, slipping away from Alex's touch. Before he can say or do anything else, something fluffy brushes along her leg as Rupe walks around her to approach Rufus.]

[chanteuser]

[ the brush of floof makes her freeze, her gaze shooting down to see what just touched her. ]

...

[ awww. sorry rufus, she's immediately crouching down to get a better look at lil' rupe over here. ]

Hello there. [ and then, directed at rufus: ] Is this your pet?

[soulus]

[The brush was a happy accident. Now that Alex has her attention on him, Rupe watches her from his place in front of Rufus.]

It seems that way.

[chanteuser]

You don't know?

[ hello rupe... floofy.... ]

[soulus]

[Hello.]

I've forgotten.

[chanteuser]

[ she holds out a hand to rupe. will rupe sneef? or just chomp her hand. please don't i've done hand check ]

You've forgotten if you have a pet or not. [ said a little disbelievingly ]

[soulus]

[After a long stare, Rupe sniffs tentatively.]

Yes.

Have you forgotten anything?

[chanteuser]

[ she patiently lets rupe sniff away, so she doesn't startle the little fluffer by moving in for a pet too soon. ]

My life from when I was born until a few months ago?

[ ... bracket text will note that alex hasn't actually overheard or been informed that they're losing memories here as well. ]

[soulus]

. . . That's too much. Did you really forget, or are those the memories you've suppressed on your own?

[Rupe sniffs some more, taking his time to examine Alex's hand. Perhaps she'll be able to pet him in a moment.]

[chanteuser]

[ she looks up from rupe, letting him continue his hand examining, only to frown a little at rufus. ]

Who are you to tell me if I've lost too much or not enough?

[ she looks back down at rupe again. ] They'll come back, they're just taking time. That's what Doctor Theo told me. I'm not suppressing them.

[soulus]

[Rupe does continue his hand examination, letting the adults say what they will.]

Who's that?

[chanteuser]

He runs a clinic back home. His patients are usually more... specified, but he deals with regular illness and medical cases as well.

[ shady doctor, but a good one. ]

[soulus]

. . . Allow me to rephrase: have you forgotten anything this week?

[chanteuser]

[ she blinks. ]

... Not... that I know of.

[ ... her hand has sort of frozen where rupe was sniffing it, and after a moment her hand drops to the ground to steady herself. ]

Would I even know if I had?

[soulus]

Yes—if it was something obvious.

[He looks down at Rupe, who peers up at Alex.]

[chanteuser]

[ her breathing has gone a little funny, like she's trying to keep it steady but it's trying to speed up in a panic. ]

But I don't... I still remember everything. I think I still remember everything, I...




What did I forget?

[soulus]

[Ordinarily, he would've let her work it out on her own. But circumstances are special this week, and it's by an urge that he reaches down just enough to touch her shoulder.

Breathe.]

[chanteuser]

[ week 0 out here making rufus nice.

coaxing rupe over for pets has been forgotten in favour of hunching herself up and pressing her hands against her mouth, trying to breathe slower and deeper against the urge to start sucking in air like she's drowning.



it's not the quickest process, but it works. slow and steady. ]

... I don't have much more to lose.

[ it's a very quiet admission, but it's followed by her hand rising up and covering rufus' -- squeezing once, before she straightens up. she presses her hands to her eyes for a few seconds, firmly, and then drops them to her sides. ]

You... know you forgot your pet, then. That's definitely what happened?

[soulus]

[It takes a while, but his hand remains in place until Alex has risen. He withdraws his hand, which tingles where she's grasped him.]

Yes. I didn't recognize him when I woke up.

[The animal in question doesn't seem to mind this. He's still dutifully following Rufus, after all.]

You should review what you know for gaps.

[chanteuser]

It's... normal to forget a little, that's just how time and memories work. But...

[ are there any significant gaps from when she joined the benriya until now?



she doesn't know. nothing leaps out as being incomplete, broken or lost in some way. she remembers faces, names, big events... ]

If I did lose a memory, it doesn't seem to be something big...?

[ she glances down at rupe, after a moment. ]

It looks like he still knows you, though.