FLUFF BREAK

[acautionarytale]

Astrid hadn't been kidding when she said this house had plenty of room. It's a big, sprawling, two-storey... thing on a corner in a residential district that's slowly putting itself back together. Sure the place looks a little worn on the outside....

...But on the inside she's managed to make it an actual home. The place used to belong to a Loyalist couple who, sadly, no longer need it. Astrid has, interestingly, made a habit of appropriating abandoned Loyalist property, mainly because the current provisional governmant considers them forfeit. First come first served, and it seems the Fringe team won't ever have to pay for anything again in this area. So she moved out all the Loyalist propaganda and managed to get in some real furniture and decor. It's a warm and inviting and roomy place that needs explored.

Comments

[tookhishand]

"Are you sure you don't know where she is?" He always liked her. She did save his life once, before they were actually friends.

[acautionarytale]

"I wish I did," Astrid answers, her voice small. "I haven't heard from her lately, not even about the sightings."

"I hope she isn't going after them."

[tookhishand]

"Surely she won't react as Peter did..." Angrily.

[acautionarytale]

"I... I don't know," Astrid stammers, stepping back. Far from being afraid of Donald's anger, she's afraid, instead, of the concept that Olivia would be going after the other Observers. She digs in her pocket for her comm, casting a guilty glance toward October, before dialling the number. She chews her lip as it rings.

After a few beats: "Olivia? Olivia, don't hang up." She paces away from them. "Yes, Peter's here. No, he's not in the room... Olivia... I know you asked me not to call you but--" A few beats. "Yeah. Yeah, listen, Donald says that-- Well, yes... no, I'm not--Olivia... Olivia... Olivia." A breath. Well, at least one thing hasn't changed--Olivia still steamrollers conversations. "Okay. It's all I wanted to know. Thank you. Wh--okay. Bye."

Beep. She lowers the phone.

"Well... she's not." Astrid steps forward and leans against Donald.

[tookhishand]

He breathes a sigh of relief, somewhat, and feels awkward patting her arm. Whatever that was... Well, part of him sympathizes with almost everyone.

"What was she saying?"

[acautionarytale]

Astrid curls her arms around him in a clear indication she wants held for a bit. She usually doesn't get this physically clingy with a person, only... it's Donald. Something about him feels nice. And comforting.

"She isn't going after the Observers and isn't going to, either, doesn't want to hear about Peter, she'll tell me where she is, later..." A very quiet sigh. "Things've been tough for her and Peter."

Hasn't been a day in the park for you, either, Astrid....

[tookhishand]

"I know. He's not... himself--which isn't his fault." Etta.

She is being held, as he feels a little less... awkward. It takes some getting used to again, all this cuddling.

"I wonder who left who."

[acautionarytale]

Snuggle cuddle.

"Olivia left. She said she couldn't deal with the state Peter is in and that she had to go clear her thoughts."

Astrid glances at October again. She has to be strong for him and the others, now; Donald, Peter, anyone else they might manage to gather. But... she's not as good at it as Olivia is.

"She was always the strong one..."

[tookhishand]

"No one has to be 'the' strong one, singular." Besides, he's... dealing with it, he thinks. He couldn't do much in the hospital, but he's out now. Free for cuddles and whatever else must be done.

[acautionarytale]

When he says this, Astrid looks up at him, her eyes warm, a slightly wibbly smile on her face.

"Thank you, Donald," she answers softly.

After a beat she goes up on her tiptoes, and he sees a shy look cross her face before she drops a quick, gentle kiss on his lips.

Then she drops down onto her heels again and resumes snuggling. Inwardly, though, she's very very carefully watching his reaction.

[tookhishand]

"Thank me for--" Oh.

Oh. ... Dear. Older men, is it?

His reaction is... complicated. Most noticeably of all is the hug tightening. It's been such a long time since he's gotten to know anyone, and she hardly knows him... except subconsciously. Which is partly why it's so shocking. And what if it does more harm than good, if he has to leave...?

Tiptoes probably weren't necessary.

[acautionarytale]

Astrid smiles when his arms tighten around her, glad that he wasn't scared by that next step.

Sometimes you don't have to have known someone for ages to be attracted to them. She places a hand on his chest and closes her eyes, listening to his heartbeat.

[tookhishand]

Scared, no, not exactly. Unsure and lost as to what to do that won't make things worse... well.

"How long?"

[acautionarytale]

Astrid doesn't move. Don't distract her from her close little moment or she'll kiss you again.

Still, she's not sure what he means. "How long what?" she asks quietly.

[tookhishand]

"How long have I not been noticing things, I suppose...?"

For shame, Donald.

[acautionarytale]

"I'm not sure, myself," Astrid murmurs. "I only realised pretty recently that I..." her arms tighten a little around him. "I have the feelings for you that I do, but... I think they were there for a while. I didn't notice them, either."

Silly Astrid. Silly both of them.

[tookhishand]

"You didn't remember I was alive until the day Walter and the others found me, I don't see how...?"

[acautionarytale]

She makes an amused sound and then reaches up to loop her arms around his neck. Looking up at him, her eyes are warm.

"Maybe some of it is subconscious. And even though it was a short time between when we found you and when Walter and Michael left, I felt something for you even then. You were so brave and so alone and it touched my heart." Here, she smiles.

"Besides. I got to know you pretty well during your time in the hospital, too, but maybe you don't remember all of the conversations."

[tookhishand]

He's smiling a bit, letting her cling...

"It doesn't seem so brave from the inside. And you're right, I... probably don't."

Painkillers are fun. Non-addictive, much safer than they used to be, which means higher dosage. Joy joy.

[acautionarytale]

She'll hold onto him as long as he lets her.

"They say being brave isn't not being afraid; it's being afraid and doing what has to be done anyway. You knew all of these things had to be done and you did them, despite the things that happened to you because of them. And maybe you believe you didn't have a choice, but you did. You could have run away. But you didn't."

She remembers telling him this a few times while he was stoned out of his gourd on painkillers. She also remembers wishing there were drugs like that when she was recovering from a gunshot.

[tookhishand]

"It... never crossed my mind to run away from it all." He's honest. "There was too much at stake."

[acautionarytale]

Astrid hasn't moved, still looking up at him with a fond smile on her face.

"Not even once?" she asks softly.

[tookhishand]

"Run away to what?"

A life without Michael, watching the world slowly die? He hopes he's made his point in four words, anyway. That's no kind of life.

[acautionarytale]

Astrid may not know the extent of Donald's attachment to his son, but she can at least understand that there really wasn't anyplace to run to. The rest of the world had been pretty much the same, after all.

"You're right," she answers softly. "There wasn't really anyplace to go, was there?"

[tookhishand]

"No. I'd always be wondering... what happened. And missing this life."

It's stupid, and petty to wish he hadn't destroyed his home. But he misses his things. He'd never been one to throw away anything.