[At first, Oswald doesn't notice. Elijah's behind him, after all, and the pendant suddenly getting warm is more than enough distraction. He frowns, looking down at it--]
"Alright? Are you certain?"
[That is more than enough to get his attention. He hasn't heard his father's voice in so long, but he could never forget it. Oswald freezes, heart suddenly in his throat, as his head jerks around, body following, to stare, wide-eyed, at his father.
The movement gets Elijah's attention, of course, and his attention turns briefly to Oswald--though he blinks at the staring. At his son staring right at him.]
I-I...yes. For a moment, I could...I could see and hear him, I-- [this is so much. This is so much and he's exhausted, and he has no idea what is even happening right now, and he's pale and wan]
"I..." [Elijah's attention flickers from Oswald to Edward and back again, his own eyes wide.] "He can't see me now."
[both Oswald and Elijah follow Edward's gaze to the pendant on the ground]
...oh. [there's something about Oswald's voice that sounds...off. It wavers, briefly, for a moment, before going flat.] Is it...is that what you were wearing when you had a stroke?
Yeah. Yeah, I... well, I was wearing it for a bit before, too.
...I think I... I remember, now... everything was... bright? There were these colors everywhere. It was like... [He's quiet, thoughtful.] Like I could see everything...
...right. [still flat. Elijah is frowning deeply at Oswald, obviously worried. Oswald pulls a handkerchief out of his pocket and reaches down to pick the necklace up, careful not to let it touch him as he wraps it in the handkerchief, tying it off and walking over to put it in a small compartment in the duffel bag]
Neither of us are touching it again until we figure out what it is; especially you. [his mouth sets into a line] I don't want it hurting you again.
We'll have to trace where you got it from and see if we can find out any more information. Hopefully, we can find out whether destroying it will harm you further or not. If not, then we'll destroy it. If so...well, we'll figure out what to do from there.
I'm sorry, are you saying we shouldn't destroy it if possible, even though it made your brain bleed? [something in him snaps for a moment, and it's barked out, incredulous]
Why on Earth would you want to keep something that hurt you like that?!
Because we don't know anything! Maybe it doesn't need to do that, maybe it's... maybe I just used it wrong or... or had it on too long, I don't know, but...
Oswald this is the first time I've found anything!
You're right! We don't know anything, and you had a stroke! It's not like you just got a headache or felt a little sick; whatever you did with it made it so there was nearly blood in your brain, and could've possibly caused extensive permanent damage! [his voice cracks, tears, jumps up the octave--and he sputters, incredulous] A-a-and what do you mean "found anything?!" Found anything for what?
For what I am! For... For what I can do, for any of that-- I've looked, I've looked so much, you have no idea, and there's never been anyone or a-anything, but now I've got... something. And it's terrifying, but if I'm careful and can just find out some things...
Something that gave you a stroke. [hissed, through clenched teeth--why does Edward seem to be just forgetting that all of the sudden?? And he's sucking in a breath through his nose, harsh, pressing the heels of his hands to his eyes. If he's careful, is it? He wants to find out some things? Oswald feels like he might've lost Edward to this thing if Butch hadn't been there; terrifying doesn't even begin to cover it. Why would Edward want anything to do with that thing?!
He wants to scream; he can feel it battering at the back of his teeth, and he clenches his jaw to hold it back. He wants to throw something, but he's not going to do that either. Oswald takes in several deep breaths through his nose, shaking; whether with rage or terror or a mix of both, he's not sure.
He just...needs to be a lawyer right now. Look at the problem like a lawyer. When he gets home, he can smash something, but not right now.
Another several breaths, getting steadier.]
What do you mean, "find out some things." [flat. he's not looking at Edward because he can't, but he's dropped his hands to clench fists at his sides, fingers digging into his palms, and he looks down at the duffel bag]
I'm aware I had a stroke. From what I can recall of it, it was an unpleasant experience. One I don't want to repeat.
[He glares at Oswald, with all the sharp iciness from way back during their first meeting.]
That's why I'm going to do my research and try to learn more. And then, maybe, I can figure out how to use it. Or, rather, find a way that other people can use it.
So that maybe I don't have to be alone anymore, the way I've been my whole life. Because as far as I can tell, there is no one like me. But this way, other people could understand it.
[He just... He wants someone to understand. He wants... He wants to be able to talk to someone about it and have them understand what it's like.
He doesn't want to be alone.]
...I don't expect you to get that. But it's more important to me than you could ever know.
[be a lawyer. be a lawyer. He can't be Oswald right now, because Oswald would just blow a gasket, would go back to screaming, and what would the use of that be? Obviously it's not going to make Edward see any kind of sense; he's clearly to enamored of clinging to whatever it is this little thing that made him hemorrhage blood into his brain can do. Because who knows what else it can do; what sort of havoc it can wreck?
And more importantly, apparently, why would Edward care? He certainly hasn't cared much for his own safety before. Why did Oswald expect him to start caring now?]
...I can see that. [still flat. and he's moving to pick up his case files and put them away, methodically, almost robotic.]
[Edward doesn't entirely know why that tone is getting to him. The flat voice, like this doesn't matter, like this isn't even worth engaging with. It stings, a lot, coming from Oswald.
Edward keeps expecting him to be different, and yet--]
...
Never mind.
I'm clearly wasting my time trying to explain it.
[It's never worth explaining anything to anyone. He keeps having to learn that, over and over again. That's on him.]
No, I understand well enough. [dully] After all, what importance could your health and safety have in the face of such a thing.
[he lifts his bag up onto his shoulder] If you'll excuse me, I'm afraid that if I stay in this room any longer, I'll give into the urge to crush that thing in to dust, which I believe would be all too detrimental to your goals.
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"Alright? Are you certain?"
[That is more than enough to get his attention. He hasn't heard his father's voice in so long, but he could never forget it. Oswald freezes, heart suddenly in his throat, as his head jerks around, body following, to stare, wide-eyed, at his father.
The movement gets Elijah's attention, of course, and his attention turns briefly to Oswald--though he blinks at the staring. At his son staring right at him.]
...Father?
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[Except then Oswald freezes and that is hard to miss. All of that is hard to miss. And then he... and then he looks at Elijah.
Talks to him.]
Wh...
Wait, what...?
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[Oswald just...nods. Numbly. He...doesn't even know what to do, really, he just sits there, dumbly holding the necklace.]
"I...oh. My boy, I--I'm not sure--" [Elijah's glance flicker's briefly to Edward, as shocked as any of them] "Edward?"
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I... How is this...
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[and that's about what Oswald hears as the necklace slips from his numb fingers to clatter onto the floor--and his father abruptly vanishes]
"--I'm not entirely sure what's happening--" [Elijah continues, but Oswald jolts with a gasp]
Father? [he interrupts, looking around the room like he can no longer see him, brow furrowing]
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He's... He's still here.
[what the fuck is happening...]
Can-- You could see him, right...?
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"I..." [Elijah's attention flickers from Oswald to Edward and back again, his own eyes wide.] "He can't see me now."
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[He glances down. At the pendant, which Oswald dropped.]
...It's because of that. You could see him because of that, somehow, I think...
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...oh. [there's something about Oswald's voice that sounds...off. It wavers, briefly, for a moment, before going flat.] Is it...is that what you were wearing when you had a stroke?
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...I think I... I remember, now... everything was... bright? There were these colors everywhere. It was like... [He's quiet, thoughtful.] Like I could see everything...
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Neither of us are touching it again until we figure out what it is; especially you. [his mouth sets into a line] I don't want it hurting you again.
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Why on Earth would you want to keep something that hurt you like that?!
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Oswald this is the first time I've found anything!
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He wants to scream; he can feel it battering at the back of his teeth, and he clenches his jaw to hold it back. He wants to throw something, but he's not going to do that either. Oswald takes in several deep breaths through his nose, shaking; whether with rage or terror or a mix of both, he's not sure.
He just...needs to be a lawyer right now. Look at the problem like a lawyer. When he gets home, he can smash something, but not right now.
Another several breaths, getting steadier.]
What do you mean, "find out some things." [flat. he's not looking at Edward because he can't, but he's dropped his hands to clench fists at his sides, fingers digging into his palms, and he looks down at the duffel bag]
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[He glares at Oswald, with all the sharp iciness from way back during their first meeting.]
That's why I'm going to do my research and try to learn more. And then, maybe, I can figure out how to use it. Or, rather, find a way that other people can use it.
So that maybe I don't have to be alone anymore, the way I've been my whole life. Because as far as I can tell, there is no one like me. But this way, other people could understand it.
[He just... He wants someone to understand. He wants... He wants to be able to talk to someone about it and have them understand what it's like.
He doesn't want to be alone.]
...I don't expect you to get that. But it's more important to me than you could ever know.
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And more importantly, apparently, why would Edward care? He certainly hasn't cared much for his own safety before. Why did Oswald expect him to start caring now?]
...I can see that. [still flat. and he's moving to pick up his case files and put them away, methodically, almost robotic.]
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Edward keeps expecting him to be different, and yet--]
...
Never mind.
I'm clearly wasting my time trying to explain it.
[It's never worth explaining anything to anyone. He keeps having to learn that, over and over again. That's on him.]
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[he lifts his bag up onto his shoulder] If you'll excuse me, I'm afraid that if I stay in this room any longer, I'll give into the urge to crush that thing in to dust, which I believe would be all too detrimental to your goals.
[and he moves to leave.]
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