"...I mean. I can try and explain. Do you want me to try and explain."

"Sure. Pitch me."

Yeah! Okay! As it happens, Terrence has recently written a whole essay about why people should read The King In Yellow.

He leaves out the part which was most of the essay, about the importance of reading banned books, since it's not particularly relevant here, and goes to the other sides - its use of language, its use of metaphor to get at fundamental truths about art at the constructed nature of reality, the beauty of its world, its nigh-infinite allegorical depths. How it conjures ideas with words in a way unique to it among texts. 

Unique? That's a strong claim. Is Terrence prepared to defend it? 

He's ready to try. I mean, he's read a lot of books, and a lot more about the history of thought around language. He can quote sections of it but they don't make a ton of sense outside of the rich context.

"And it's not - it's not everyone. You read some of it, didn't you, Oscar?"

"I did. To be honest I thought it was mired in turn of the century cliché."

Terrence giggles a little at Oscar's remark.

"Well, there you go. Not infatuated, then."

"...that's true. Not infatuated."

"I'm not going to lie, I think it still looks really bad. But thank you for thinking about it."

Two days later--

A knock comes at the door to Ruby's house.

Technically it's not his house, but there's no sign of Ruby answering the door, so he may as well make sure the postman or whoever isn't left waiting.

Evie throws herself into his arms.

"Jing Yi-- you disappeared-- I was so worried-- I thought Parker had got you--"

She's crying.

Fuck. "Didn't Terrence let you know where I was?"

"I'm just-- still feeling a bit off from my hospital adventures. I didn't want to get in your way."

"No! He hemmed and hawed about it-- you know how he gets--"

"I always want to spend time with you, no matter how off you feel. You wouldn't want me to disappear if I was feeling poorly, would you? You'd want to be able to take care of me."

"And I want to take care of you."

There is no way Ruby is going to come save him, is there? And there's no way he can easily just send Evie away.

(And... Does he want to? Everyone is so convinced he's under a spell, but people fall in love and act stupid for mundane reasons all the time.)

"I know, I just-- didn't want to interfere with your work. I'm sensitive to noise right now." 'I am... Allergic to sewing machines and also people walking around' is one of his stupidest lies to date, but it's the only one he can think of.

She whispers. "I can visit you and be quiet."

"Jing Yi, I love you."

"I know, I just-- need a week. I don't want to be poor company for you."

"I would rather see you."

"...this means you can't help with Chris Parker, right?"

Jing Yi feels a brief impulse to say something about keeping her safe from Parker, then the impulse passes.

And he notices it this time. It could be something that came from his own head-- it's not implausible -- but it's eyebrow raising.

"Evie, I keep randomly fainting. I may as well walk up to Parker covered in honey with an apple in my mouth."

"I'll try to see what else I can set up..."

"I don't want anything to happen to you."

"I'm sorry, I want to help, I just-- can't right now. Not till I'm sure I've recovered." What he's recovering from isn't something she needs to know.

Evie enters the house. "What happened?"

Any attempt at subtly blocking the door fails, and she's in.

(The thought flits across his brain: how did Evie find him? How does she know about Ruby.)

"I honestly don't know. I get to be a Medical Mystery. I went to bed in one place, and woke up several days later in a hospital feeling like death warmed up."

"I know some doctors. Maybe they could help."

"Who are they?" (He's definitely saying that because he's curious, and not because he's suspicious.)

"Family friends."