falling ill

[keep_busy]

A few months after the business with the chalice, Annie (with a gold engagement stud in one earlobe, now receiving mail at Aldaras's apartment, and thoroughly comfortable with Being Necklaced, to the point where she's helping mold the thing towards more exacting standards for real-world-practical as well as theoretical compatibility) is in bed with some unidentified sort of head cold or flu. Aldaras doesn't have it so far, so she is snuggled under the covers while he makes her spicy soup to help clear her sinuses and because she's having a little trouble with non-liquids. He's worried, she's mostly just groggy. Zzzz.

Comments

[namesthesky]

Nod.

[darkest_evening]

"Okay. I feel as if you're the victim here, and that this is a no-win situation no matter what I do. If I politely tell you that we can never be a couple, I break your heart, which I would rather not do. If I don't, if I do absolutely nothing, I leave you in a permanent, uncertain middle-ground. And, if I try to start any sort of relationship with you, I'm taking some sort of advantage of you, because your consent was stolen by a disturbing conspiracy love necklace."

[namesthesky]

"If none of the options is a win - which do you want?"

[darkest_evening]

"I - don't know, yet," he sighs. "I do rather like to win. I'm still trying to find a way of winning."

[namesthesky]

"I'm - trying very hard not to try to do that."

[darkest_evening]

"... Why?"

[namesthesky]

"Usually when I want things I try to - cheat and get them all at once without compromising, and that - would not be a good idea right now."

[darkest_evening]

He blinks at her, and then understanding dawns.

"Oh," he says. "That. Makes sense." Pause. "... That's - I'm - thank you. Sincerely. I'm genuinely touched."

[namesthesky]

Lean.

Notice.

Unlean.

[darkest_evening]

"I'm still holding out hope," he says carefully, "for a fourth option of, 'and then we win,' but I'm currently leaning towards the third option, if winning is entirely impossible."

[namesthesky]

Aya makes a thin high sound in the back of her throat.

[darkest_evening]

"That probably made your life a bit more difficult, sorry."

[namesthesky]

"I - it's fine."

Squirm.

[darkest_evening]

"Do you - mm. No, that's a bad idea, I should speak to your alts first."

[namesthesky]

"Do I what?"

[darkest_evening]

"Safer if I reword. Would it be at all helpful for me to offer to hold you?"

[namesthesky]

"Helpful towards what, uh, goal?"

Squirm.

[darkest_evening]

"Making you feel better?"

[namesthesky]

"Yes."

[darkest_evening]

"Do you want me to?"

[namesthesky]

"Yes."

[darkest_evening]

He nods, and then without another word scoops her up into a gentle, snuggly hug.

[namesthesky]

Into which she utterly melts.

[darkest_evening]

"I'm going to try to find a way for us to win," he promises.

[namesthesky]

"I," she starts, and then she stops and burrows her face against his shoulder rather than finish the sentence.