According to my research, there are many creatures that can fuck with people through dreams. And more than a few entities not unlike the King in Yellow.
"Well that's heartening," he commented wryly. "But I'm not sure, actually. It only came up because we were talking about David- since they got paired- and I offered your assistance to talk to David where he could speak freely, and he looked like I just told him I was going to take his other arm as well."
Despite the grim humour, the concern is real. "The parishioner's sister isn't even its first victim, her husband got killed over Scratch possessing him, so. My first instinct is that it simply wants freedom, but obviously we don't know what that would even mean. Oscar thinks it's more powerful than you were, within me, but probably not more than you are now."
"You've never controlled my mind, only my body." He pulls his left hand away a little, just to regard it briefly. "And even those you got under duress. But this Scratch can completely control people just based on proximity, it seems, even if only temporarily. Even holding them asleep to maintain it."
If they held you asleep, in a dream, there's not much I could do. My access to dreams is through you. If that pathway was blocked, I wouldn't be able to get in to do anything.
"Maybe he's trapped in a location, rather than a person?" he muses. "Otherwise he wouldn't need other targets to free his, er- primary host, I suppose? Or have access to them, like how you couldn't affect anything outside your own control in me."
"Wherever it is, it can't be in that parishioner's home," he concludes readily. "Given that they were trying to be released. And I can't find anything else useful right now, not without asking Oscar more first, and he seems..." He sighs, as he scritches under John's ears. "Quite shaken, by the whole thing. He's sturdy, for sure, but someone's first real supernatural experience can be..."
He leans into Sheehan a little, squishing John in a small hug. "Well, it's a lot regardless."
He gives a huff that can only be described as petulant, as he squishes John's face gently.
"Right. So all we've got is another half-started mystery to solve, where the only person who knows how to actually do anything about it is our own damn selves."
Kitty is a rag doll in Sheehan's arms until he's properly snuggled against him and then there's a warm glow of affection that neither of them could miss.
"You know, I wouldn't mind going back to simpler cases like- bloody missing persons again," he grumbles, leaning over so he can wrap an arm across Sheehan's lap to keep patting John.
"That's a good goal to work towards," Sheehan says with a smile, turning to press a kiss to Arthur's temple, keeping his cat close enough for Arthur to pet.
"You're right. And it's... easy to lose track of that," he admits, resting his head on Sheehan's shoulder. "We're trying to make sure Faroe lives in a world where she never has to worry about anything happening to us. Where we don't have to live in fear of something threatening her. Or us."
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timeasmymeasure
Re: Back on the 15th
Date: 2025-05-26 12:47 pm (UTC)A pause.
What did it want?
Re: Back on the 15th
Date: 2025-05-26 12:52 pm (UTC)Despite the grim humour, the concern is real. "The parishioner's sister isn't even its first victim, her husband got killed over Scratch possessing him, so. My first instinct is that it simply wants freedom, but obviously we don't know what that would even mean. Oscar thinks it's more powerful than you were, within me, but probably not more than you are now."
Re: Back on the 15th
Date: 2025-05-26 01:10 pm (UTC)He doesn't sound rankled or defensive, just curious.
Re: Back on the 15th
Date: 2025-05-26 01:14 pm (UTC)Re: Back on the 15th
Date: 2025-05-26 01:29 pm (UTC)Oh.
If they held you asleep, in a dream, there's not much I could do. My access to dreams is through you. If that pathway was blocked, I wouldn't be able to get in to do anything.
But... proximity is interesting.
Re: Back on the 15th
Date: 2025-05-26 01:51 pm (UTC)Re: Back on the 15th
Date: 2025-05-26 02:08 pm (UTC)Which John knows perfectly well is practically a non-comment. All things are possible.
It's also possible that their power is tied to a location, even if they aren't.
Re: Back on the 15th
Date: 2025-05-26 11:25 pm (UTC)He leans into Sheehan a little, squishing John in a small hug. "Well, it's a lot regardless."
Re: Back on the 15th
Date: 2025-05-27 12:57 am (UTC)Hopefully by the time we get back, we'll have a lot more answers.
Re: Back on the 15th
Date: 2025-05-27 11:27 am (UTC)"Right. So all we've got is another half-started mystery to solve, where the only person who knows how to actually do anything about it is our own damn selves."
Some of these mysteries were frustrating.
Re: Back on the 15th
Date: 2025-05-27 11:32 am (UTC)Re: Back on the 15th
Date: 2025-05-27 12:35 pm (UTC)Kitty is a rag doll in Sheehan's arms until he's properly snuggled against him and then there's a warm glow of affection that neither of them could miss.
Re: Back on the 15th
Date: 2025-05-27 12:46 pm (UTC)Re: Back on the 15th
Date: 2025-05-27 12:47 pm (UTC)Re: Back on the 15th
Date: 2025-05-29 03:24 am (UTC)Not just to solve the problem. But to be able to go back to a life you enjoy. Where we can live together doing what we like.
Re: Back on the 15th
Date: 2025-05-29 03:42 am (UTC)"You're right. And it's... easy to lose track of that," he admits, resting his head on Sheehan's shoulder. "We're trying to make sure Faroe lives in a world where she never has to worry about anything happening to us. Where we don't have to live in fear of something threatening her. Or us."
Re: Back on the 15th
Date: 2025-05-30 01:34 am (UTC)