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

[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.

[acautionarytale]

"I wish I could remember having gotten to know you, even though I feel like I know you anyway."

Astrid reaches up to stroke his hair for a moment. She wants to kiss him again. Properly, this time. She's only been wanting to give him a proper snog for ages, now....

[tookhishand]

"I never expected to need to return your memories... I don't think anyone can."

He did too good of a job, deliberately. How could he have known the reset would fail?

[acautionarytale]

Astrid just nods, her hands resting on either side of his face for a moment.

"I understand. But... I like to think that means I can get to know you all over again."

Smile.

[tookhishand]

He nods, after a moment's thought. "There will be time, even with all we have to do."

World-saving never ends!

[acautionarytale]

Astrid's hands slip down to his shoulders, then behind his neck again. "Good," she answers, and leans in for a proper kiss.

[tookhishand]

He finds himself reciprocating, even though there are more reasons not to, logically.

Logic isn't everything.