nealuchi | put the kadosh on that

Title: put the kadosh on that
Fandom: Lobotomy Corporation
Character(s): Evangeline (OC), Plague Doctor
Pairing(s): Evangeline/Plague Doctor
Genre: Humor
Word Count: 700
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Summary: Evangeline does attachment work with Plague Doctor. Results are much better than expected.
Notes: Part of "these eldritch horrors are beyond YOUR comprehension. i get them though."

Ah, Lobotomy Corporation. Face the fear, build the fuck-all.

That's not the most charitable of stances on Evangeline's work, but she doesn't feel particularly charitable towards the company that killed so many of her coworkers. She keeps working, because the only other option is 'retiring', but the Sephirot can shove it. As for the other humans, there's no point in getting close to them when they'll die any day now.

She talks to Abnormalities instead. At least she can be guaranteed that they aren't going anywhere, and most of them aren't that thrilled with their captors either. They're not that different in that way - an agent's enclosure is just bigger than an Abnormality's, that's all.

Evangeline's willing to chat with any Abnormality (aside from the obvious, why do they even have Don't Touch Me?) but the ones that can answer back in words are definitely her favorites. Laetitia's a good girl, the Queen of Hatred tells great stories, and…

Plague Doctor is a new one. Evangeline isn't sure how to approach him, but to her surprise he addresses her first.

"Be at ease. I have not come to do you harm, but to heal you." His voice is an ordinary one, if more soothing than most.

Huh. "Most Abnormalities I talk to don't have a choice about being here." Some came here and then were trapped - poor Funeral of the Dead Butterflies, honestly, he's a better person than some of her coworkers - but they rarely choose to stay of their own volition.

"I will go where I am needed. In this dark place, many souls are suffering." The eyes of his mask seem to see right through her. "You are in pain."

"I…" She could deny it, but who here isn't in pain, really? If someone really wants to hear her troubles… "It's rough, you know? Seeing all your coworkers die, be replaced, the replacements die… It's hard to get attached to somebody you know probably won't last a week. I do still do attachment with the Abnormalities, so it's not like I don't talk to anybody, but…"

"You have given up on human attachment, and try to fill the void in your heart through your work," he says, painfully gentle.

"Yeah. I know it's a bad idea, I've heard it a million times." Her captain can lecture with the best of them. If her Sephirah was anyone other than Netzach, she probably would've been retired by now for instability.

Plague Doctor shakes his head, and - beckons? it's hard to tell with wings - her closer. "Not every soul will respond to your sincerity, but one is enough. I will be by your side and grant you my blessing."

"That's very kind of you." This is the part where the Abnormality gives her a gift, so she steps forward, ready to hold out her hand to receive whatever it is.

Instead, his wings fold around her and his head bends to meet hers. His mask is solid and unyielding, but as warm as any human.

Even after he's pulled away again, she's left dazed. "Oh… oh wow…" Very intelligent, Evangeline, he'll definitely want to keep talking to you now.

"I will be here when you have need of me." His voice gives the impression of a smile.

"Y-yeah! I'll be back as soon as I can!"

"What do you mean I can't work with Plague Doctor again?! We got along really well! The numbers say I got us a ton of energy, right? Right?"

"They do say that, but you should know who's allowed to work on Abnormalities and with what type of work is more complicated than just 'big number good', Evangeline." Her captain folds his arms across his chest.

"At least tell me why I'm not allowed to! Will he make my head explode? Will he make the rest of the facility breach if I work on him again?" Evangeline can't imagine either coming from him, but-

Flatly, the captain says, "You're not allowed to work on him because whenever he comes up you start blushing and giggling. You cannot make out with the Abnormality. Other people have to review that camera footage, you know."

"…okay, yeah, that's fair."