[closed]

[bythewaves]

Who: Arnold & Aaron
What: So Aaron has a question about the ring of his
Where: a coffee shop somewhere
When: EDITED: LAST WEEK sometime
Warnings: DEPENDING ON WHAT ECHO (S) POP UP possibly mentions of werewolves and blood and people dying?

Arnold wonders why Dr Aaron asked to meet him. He is very grateful that Liam is well, and extremely thankful for all of the good Doctor's work, but unless something terrible has come up in later bloods? He sits at the coffee shop and tries not to wring his hands in worry as he waits, settling for fiddling with his pen, and eventually starting to sketch on a napkin while waiting. He is early. But.. what if something is wrong?

Comments

[bythewaves]

Truth.

"Mm, that is true." Arnold nods thoughtfully. "Well, perhaps he wished, like so many do, to be the hero of the story, to find his love and win the princess. Perhaps he had an impossible love! And one day hoped to win her."

And then he grins. "Or maybe he just likes really really really long poems."

[elfstoned]

"Both are distinct possibilities," says Aaron cheekily.

Then, he changes the subject. "Have you remembered anything else so far?"

[bythewaves]

"Hah! And no, not really - I have a few things - the first echo I could identify actually as an echo was the one I got when I saw Julien - a lady with a star on her breast who jumps from a tower and turns into a bird. I thought... it was just some sort of artist inspiration, at first, but I am pretty certain it was an echo, now. The language, and the ears, of course, and now this. Very little! It makes me curious. What about yourself?"

[elfstoned]

Aaron nods. "Elwing," he says, slowly. "The poem mentioned her.

"But as for me -- I was at this echo game for eight months before I forgot it all for a year. I've gotten memories, abilities -- a lost-and-found's worth of high-fantasy junk," he adds with a hint of a grin. "Most of it was absolutely filthy."

[bythewaves]

Elwing and the names reverberates, like a bell that echoes, the cry of a gull, and Arnold gulps back sudden tears.

Give it to me Elwing!

Never!

"I... I know ...knew, that name. She. She was definitely the lady in the tower in my first memory. She ... left behind twin boys."

I think I pushed her? he does not say.

[elfstoned]

He notices how uncomfortable Arnold is.

"--I'm sorry," he says, and genuinely means it. "I didn't mean to bring up something uncomfortable."

[bythewaves]

"'Sok." Arnold's smile is shaky. "You didn't mean it. I begin to think other-me was... not a very nice person."

[elfstoned]

"First memories can be misleading," says Aaron soothingly, with the confidence of personal experience. "The first things I remembered of Aragorn convinced me he was a conscienceless murderer. I only learned later that it was more complicated."

[bythewaves]

"Haha" Arnold's laugh is shaky but he smiles gamely

"Well, hopefully I'm mistaken then, although its pretty um. Condemming."

What reason would I have to push a mother off a cliff?

"At least yours worked out in the end!"

[elfstoned]

"So was mine," Aaron admits. "My first memories were of hunting sentient monsters in a forest and of killing a sea-captain."

[bythewaves]

"Oh" Arnold blinks at him and admits softly. "I... I dreamt of a lady... Elwing, I realise... that I ... chased off a cliff. She ... had something I wanted. And she refused to give it to me."

[elfstoned]

Here is where Aaron's brows crease.

Something I wanted...

It can't be what he thinks it is. But the story of Elwing --

Aaron makes a quick executive decision to tell Arnold exactly none of his suspicions, at least not yet. He's been trying to be less secretive lately, it's true, but looking at Arnold, Aaron can't bring himself to shake the man up further.

"It may help," he says, "to remember that no matter who you were in your last life, you are not the same. There will always be differences, whether they are great or small."

[bythewaves]

Arnold grins back, bright an clear but his hands are fretful and restless, betraying his unease.

"Yes... that is true. Hopefully they will be great ones, or... at least, ones properly distinct."

He shrugs a little. "I... thought it all such fun at first. To learn a new tongue, to maybe pick up new skills and ... well. I should have known better, shouldn't I? The bitter always comes with the sweet."

[elfstoned]

Aaron looks at Arnold and lets a breath out, and the look in his eyes is understanding -- understanding, and something that is too sympathetic to be pity.

"It's true," he says. "Having these memories is not always easy. Some of us have it easier than others--" Like Julien, he doesn't say, "--but it changes your life in a big way. Change always brings difficulties."

[bythewaves]

"Yeah." Arnold grins back at him gratefully. "I know. I should really be grateful that ... I can still function in society, right? It's not... as bad as it is for other people. Mother and Father would be so disappointed in me. Lisa too, I'm sure. Thanks. You're really good at this reassuring thing, you know."

[elfstoned]

Aaron smiles and shakes his head. "No, no," he says gently, "it's not about who has it easiest and who has it hardest. One person's problems don't invalidate anyone else's. Don't discount your own feelings or feel ashamed of them." His voice is quiet, and if Arnold's hands are still fidgeting out on the table, Aaron will reach out and take one in a steady grip. "It's not that you shouldn't feel bad because others have it harder. It's that you can learn from those who are dealing with greater things and both admire and take strength from their example."

It might be that Aaron is good at being reassuring when he means to be. It might also just be that he gets along very naturally with Elves. It's remarkable, honestly. Usually, Aaron Strider is the opposite of reassuring.

Elves, man.

[bythewaves]

They tremble, but they settle under Aaron's touch, calming, as Arnold himself does.

"Well yeah, but it always feels like... I'm being ungrateful, you know? But... Yeah, yeah, I can do that. Thanks."

Arnold grins back at him. "You sure you aren't a psychologist, doc?"

[elfstoned]

"Absolutely, Mr. Benedict," he replies, humor tinging his smile. "I won't touch psychology. Bodies are way easier to heal than minds. It's just that I have some experience in this area. In my line of work, I've seen an incredibly wide range of problems, with the Numbered events on top of that. All this is nothing I haven't thought myself, at one point or another." He gives Arnold's hand a brief squeeze, then retreats, content that Arnold is calmed.

"Feeling ungrateful helps no one--neither you, nor the people worse off than you. Take care of yourself first. Then, maybe, you can worry about others."

[bythewaves]

"You say that, but you're doing a pretty good job, from where I'm sitting!" Arnold laughs, the last of the tension going out from his shoulders.

"But I suppose all doctors are a bit - you guys must see so much. Hardest job in the world, I think sometimes! But yeah, I will. Got my kids to worry about, and I don't want to upset Lisa. What about you though? Can't be good, you suddenly looking so much younger?"

[elfstoned]

Aaron shakes his head, his gentle smile becoming a half-laugh. "As if I have anything to complain about!" he replies. "The clinic already knew about my numbers, and I've not got a whole lot of reasons to use my ID. The upsides of this particular Echo outweigh the complications."

[bythewaves]

"It must be nice to be young again" Arnold laughs in agreement. "Maybe that will hit for me too, one day. At least you did not get so young as to be pulled over if you tried to drive or something."

[elfstoned]

"If you are one of the Elves, as your ears and your language pulses suggest," says Aaron confidently, "there's a very good chance of it."

[bythewaves]

"Well, I'll just have to hope I echo it sooner rather than later then." Arnold chuckles.

"And that I stop at a reasonable age!"

[elfstoned]

He laughs in return, then stands and extends his hand.

"Well, it's been a pleasure speaking with you, but I'm afraid I'd better be going. You have my number -- both of them -- so if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

[bythewaves]

Arnold stands as well and shakes hands firmly.

"It has, and I would be glad to do this again, whenever it suits. Thank you, I will, but only if you do the same, eh? Any trouble, just let me know."