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Aldaras doesn't bring up the knife with Annie again, nor his sister, or various ways she could be hurt. Annie has homework, so she doesn't stay at his apartment too long. He goes back to having nothing to do - there's some more pacing, some quiet freaking out over Annie and her safety, and then he distracts himself with obsessive preparation for taking care of the knife.
He'll - pack with the assumption that he can save his sister. There's lots of non-perishable food, packing as much as possible with the least amount of weight. Water, too, but that one's a bit harder. It's always heavy. Whatever, that's fine, he'll just - obsessively pack some more things. Pack, pack, pack.
Predictably, he runs out of things to do. Except think. Which has become something of a minefield, lately. To keep him from doing something stupid. He can't think about Zevaia, can't think about the knife, can't think about the Dean and how insanely long it's taking him to get the smallest tidbits of information out of him. He can't think too much about obsessive ways to make sure Annie's safe, for fear of becoming some kind of psychotic, controlling stalker or something.
But trying to not think about Annie is a recipe for failure or insanity, so he distracts himself with - what ifs. What would have happened if he'd met her without the necklace's and tracker's side effects combination, what he would have done if she'd asked him to kiss her...
That helps the time pass by faster.
touchedinthehead
touchedinthehead
Aldaras is the one to open the door. He grins when he sees her, and looks - kind of like he wants to scoop her up into a hug. But he's too polite to actually do so without permission. So the result is somewhat awkward.
"Hello," he says.
"Hello," he says.
cut_and_dried
Zevaia surveys this from her spot on the couch. So far, so good. She's a little bothered by the necklace making Aldaras fall in love without his permission, but if he seems happy after she's willing to let it slide.
keep_busy
"I think at this point you can have standing hug permission," says Annie, hugging him back. "Hi, you must be Zevaia. I'm Annabelline, Annie's fine."
cut_and_dried
Zevaia waves. "Yup, Zevaia. Vai's fine for me. Hey! Nice to meet you, I am being very understanding about this entire situation. Ald, you continue to have zero excuse to not get me a kickass present when you inevitably are socially obligated to get me a thing."
cut_and_dried
"Hey, I like having nice shit. You have methods to get nice shit. Therefore, you should get me nice shit."
keep_busy
"I will let you know," Annie assures Aldaras. "...Are you guys actually related, I don't think you could have possibly come across as less like Aldaras in the amount of time available without shooting at me or something."
keep_busy
"I certainly couldn't tell you." Annie is done standing up; she unhugs and finds a chair and puts her bag down.
cut_and_dried
"Aw, but if you're Aldaras's perfect person according to a piece of jewelry, you should know all of everything! And also be a magic space princess."
touchedinthehead
Aldaras lets Annie unhug with zero fuss. He does quietly mourn the loss of hugs, though. He finds another chair that's not awkwardly close to Annie and sits.
"Or, according to you, possibly be a turnip."
"Or, according to you, possibly be a turnip."
cut_and_dried
"It's not my fault that you show zero interest in anyone. I thought you were like - a mushroom! Where you reproduce asexually and if I look away for long enough there are two of you and no one has any idea how it happened. Except scientists and shit, I guess."
keep_busy
"If there are two of you by fungal or other mechanisms, this is a good time to warn me," Annie says. "Anyway, I'm not a bit magic, have never visited space, and am not a princess."
touchedinthehead
"There are not two of me, not to worry. I sincerely doubt that there ever will be. Being magic, visiting space, or being a princess are not requirements for love," says Aldaras dryly. "Neither is knowing all of everything."