Work Text:
There have been a number of… strange notes around your workspace. Talking about someone going on a trip, unsure of a return date, if any. A name is never given, nor any description. You don’t remember writing them… and it seems like you’ve been having a buzzing headache every day.
You would be endlessly thankful to have a healing craft for said headache, of course, but there’s no point in hoping for something to happen.
You hear the front door open. Strange, it has a openphrase, and nobody should be able to guess it that easy…
You’re greeted by a disheveled looking person, as if a storm blew them directly into the building. Even their glasses are broken! Wait, if they got in then-
“Are you who I’ve been expecting?”
Their expression brightens at your words. “Y-Yes! You remember me?!”
You hold up a hand to cut them off. “I unfortunately do not. I only know I’m expecting a visitor. Please do come in, settle yourself.” They look downcast as you turn away to
You hear the sound of something dropping what must be its full weight onto some furniture. Nobody else should be inside… An intruder?! You spin on your heels, craft at the ready, to confront the source. If a sadness got in you won’t let it ruin-
“O-oh! Forgive me, I never heard you enter… Um, are you the visitor I’ve been expecting?”
The stranger’s face seems a little surprised, albeit not as much as you’d think when you were about to attack them. “Yes, I am. Do you know my name?”
You think… you don’t recognize them? Your headache is acting up again, but you do your best not to let it show. “Ah, no, sorry. I’m guessing I should?” You scratch your head cluelessly.
The stranger’s face seems crestfallen, as they sigh, broken glasses sliding forward with the motion. “You worked with me, do you not remember that?”
Your expression tightens, as you turn to look around the study.
Someone clears their throat behind you? When did they arrive? You whirl around, seeing an unfamiliar face, frowning as it looks at you “Oh, sorry for ignoring you! I didn’t realize you were there… Say, I’ve been expecting-“
”-A visitor, yes, it’s me.” They look tired, in a way that you usually feel after trying to study text for hours and make no progress. That bad huh?
Wait, were they expecting you to not remember? “…Something’s wrong, isn’t it? I should’ve known you were here.”
”You’re not the first. Everyone seems to forget me when they turn away.” There’s no happiness from seeing you deduce that. This is really bad isn’t it.
”If I keep looking at you, then I won’t forget right? I just have to try not to break eye contact.” You blink
-!!! Someone’s sitting in front of you?! They weren’t there a second ago!
”How did you get in front of me?”
A sigh “I am who you are waiting for.”
… You didn’t even have time to think of that. “How many times have we had this conversation?”
”I’m not counting.” Should’ve seen that coming.
”What was the last thing we were doing then? How did I forget something that easily?”
”You blinked.” You feel the urge to blink, which you cut off by trying to hold your eyelids up. A terrible solution.
”There- there should be clips somewhere, something to keep my eyes open. Can you get them for me? I’ll sit and try to stay still.”
The two of you swap places. Your eyes sting, and you have to fight hard against your body. The stranger rifles through a few drawers before finding what you need. They bring it back over, pressing the clips into your palm. “Blink a few times before we do this.”
You would regret doing this more if your eyes didn’t hurt.
Someone is leaning down in front of you. You resist the urge to jump in surprise, but they still notice. “Put the clips on.”
You… are holding them, yes. You don’t remember when. Something’s wrong. You do as instructed, and look at them.
”I’m assuming there’s a good reason for this.” You’re hoping, moreso than anything else. You really shouldn’t be trusting a stranger like this but-
“Any time you break eye contact, you forget. Even blinking. This is the best we have to stave off the effect.”
Your eyes sting, your head pounds, and you’re trusting a stranger and putting yourself through torture to remember something. It feels familiar, almost.
Your headache worsens.