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Jeremiah was starting to feel a little stir crazy because of being stuck mostly at home. While he had no issue with going out with Algie there was still no way to predict when he would find himself floored by the visions of the pieces. It left him winded and his back aching, the chill spiking.

The only benefit to being at home as much as he was was that he had managed to catch up with some of the house projects. Repairs, replanting things in the garden, trying out a few new recipes, playing games ...

Except that he had done all of those things and now found himself dozing lightly on the couch while dinner simmered. A particularly strong episode had hit him earlier in the day and he was still spinning from it. (Ashdown; future?; the streets are populated with people in outfits that do not mesh with the current time period; birds roosted on power lines; they're always watching and never looking away.)

He was curled around a pillow, a light blanket pulled over him and Hellbine tucked into the nook behind his knees asleep as well.

Jeremiah was still lightly dozing but the sound of keys and footsteps had him stirring. He was pushing himself up, rubbing at his eyes and then realized Alg was calling for.

"I'll be right there, Alg," he called out, uncovering and dislodging a slightly disgruntled Hellbine and, apparently, Violetta as well. She had apparently found the nook along his back and was keeping it warm as best she could. Each cat received a scritch before he was pushing himself up to stand and meet his husband at the door.

"Hand me a bag and I'll help carry it." There was yawn he covered up with a hand immediately afterwards. Not noticing the stranger outside, not yet anyway. Though there was strange prickling sensation at his eyes but that could have simply been from waking up.

"Hm?" Jeremiah blinked sleepy blue-green eyes at Algie before he seemed to click that there was something outside. Someone outside. The detective lieutenant stepped outside entirely, his head tilting slightly as he studied the figure. There was something about them, a haze perhaps, but-

Perhaps they were simply full of magic.

"I did not," he admitted. The figure still stood waiting with what looked like two envelopes in it's hands.

Jeremiah's fingers reflexively closed around the envelope, his eyes glowing briefly in the presence of magic (the youth's sudden disappearance) while he looked down at what he now held. A response about the envelopes being for the both of them almost rolled out.

Except that the smell of burnt orange hit his nose and then the charred aftertaste on his tongue-

The silver haired man paled considerably, his stomach roiling and his envelope pressed to Algie while he moved inside. Quickly. To the downstairs bathroom.

By the time Algie had found him, Jeremiah had hit dry heaves but then that was done and he was pushing back to sit against the wall. His face was sweaty and pale but at least now the smell was gone and the taste was not on his tongue.

That there would be a day he would prefer the taste of bile to something charred was not one he expected.

His eyes were closed, only cracking open when he heard Algie coming in. "I think I would like to file a protest," he said weakly. A protest of an envelope triggering smell and taste; of a voice that could do the same.

"Precious," Jeremiah gave him a fond exasperated look at the pun. It was terribly amusing. Terribly. The glass was stolen for a moment to have a drink before he was offering it back and taking what Algie had brought him to chew on.

The cold sensation was appreciated, some latent paranoia there that somehow it would trigger the feeling into being back as well as the wheeze of breath. "Give me a moment," he said, "and we can have a look at what those things are."

A hand was held out for Algie, fingers reaching to curl around and hold onto the other's.

Algie's low level discomfort was overwhelmed by that feeling of warm comfort and it did unwind the last bit of knot in Jeremiah's stomach. Hand closed tightly around the other, he pulled himself to his feet and, once he was standing, slid his arm around Algie.

A kiss was pressed to his temple, a wordless thank you breathed out.

When they got to where Algie had thrown the envelopes there was no longer two, only one.

Algie was given a squeeze before Jeremiah went and sat down on the couch. An eyebrow was raised in question about the number of envelopes. "There was two, yes. I passed you mine."

When the other came back with a letter opener and just one envelope he was blinking in confusion. Still not entirely awake. "... what happened to the other?" Then Algie was reading what was on the letter and let out a heavy sigh as he smoothed a hand across his face.

"I suppose this is where we found our quarry." It was August and this was the ball that had been spoken up. "Adoelle will be there." The paper and key were taken into his hands. With the paper given a cursory glance, he was more interested in the heavy key. Not that either one looked out of the ordinary at the moment but that did not mean anything.

"No," he said slowly, eyes cutting back towards the text on the invitation, "but it is disconcerting that we had two invites and now only one." Jeremiah looked to Algie, a tired smile on his face. "I suppose this means we get to put some of our more unique attire to use."