[oopfsb / undarkest timeline] fretting

[stilljustandrew]

[Between this and this.]

Matt's asleep in the infirmary; Andrew's got a couple of promises to keep.

First things first. He takes a seat at the bar, orders a breakfast to replace the one he abandoned, and starts composing a warning poster for the bulletin board between bites.

Comments

[nita_callahan]

"Well, it's probably something worth keeping in mind if you're dating him," rueful.

"It's not a two-way street. I think evil is attracted to him because he's genuinely trying so hard to be good. I think that's usually how it goes." She looks down at her coffee -- gone lukewarm by now. "I mean, I know that, that striving to be good or do good, can be turned on itself, but it's not just that. There's nothing darkness craves more than light."

[stilljustandrew]

He's remembering a few lines here and there, from the books he's never told Nita he's read; he's remembering the First smiling at him with Warren's face, glowering at him with Jonathan's.

"Yeah," he murmurs.

(What he doesn't want to say: maybe that's only true in your world.)

[nita_callahan]

She raises her eyebrows at him.

[stilljustandrew]

"... sorry. I just --"

An unhappy sigh.

"It's just I know that's not what attracted it to me."

[nita_callahan]

"Bull, Andrew. Or if that was true once, it's not anymore."

[stilljustandrew]

"No, I -- " Looking up. "I meant originally."

Now I'm the one that got away.

[nita_callahan]

She gives him a wry look.

"Okay, fine, I didn't know you back then, but I'm still calling bullshit. A being whose M.O. is taking on the shape of your dead loved ones to manipulate you sounds exactly like something that'd target people who are mostly good with some flaws."

[stilljustandrew]

There's a pause.

That's a new thought, and it shows on his face.

[nita_callahan]

Hopefully, it's a thought that'll sink in a little.

She sips her coffee, wrinkles her nose, and quietly asks Bar for a refill.

[stilljustandrew]

Unconsciously reminded, he takes one of the last remaining bites of his breakfast sandwich. It's gone cold too, but that doesn't really bother him.



"I just want it to leave me alone," he mumbles. "Leave us alone."

[nita_callahan]

That -- gives her a bit of a pang, but she nods.

"You'll be okay," she says, gently. "And Matt's smart. He's pretty powerful, too. He'll be able to help."

[stilljustandrew]

"Yeah." He lifts his head again, looking at least a little reassured by that. "I hope so."

[nita_callahan]

"How long did you say you've been seeing him?"

[stilljustandrew]

"Um," and there's a faint embarrassed smile all of a sudden, "like a few weeks? Maybe a month and change?"

[nita_callahan]

The corner of her mouth quirks up.

"If it gets serious -- make sure you really talk, okay? And really listen. Like, really. Don't assume anything."

[stilljustandrew]

He glances at her. "Like ... about what?"

[nita_callahan]

"I mean, like, about everything, he's a good conversationalist, he's good to talk to. But especially about the relationship."

She kind of also wants to tell him not to expect commitment, but -- that's not exactly what the problem was, and she's pretty sure it'd sound like she was just being That Bitter Ex.

[stilljustandrew]

"... okay," he says, a little tentatively. "I mean, we're already sort of doing that some? Because I've got like zero experience and I don't even know what to take for granted."

[nita_callahan]

"Good. I mean, I think. That seems like a good place to start from."

She shrugs, wrapping her hands around her coffee. "And it's been a few years. He's probably gotten better about communicating."

She has! ... She thinks. She should ask Coyote, probably.

[stilljustandrew]

Sobering: "I hope so."

Considering how quick the First has always been to take advantage of failures to communicate.

[nita_callahan]

She nods, and shrugs a little.

"You'll be okay."

She gives him a close look. "And make sure you are okay. Don't -- put yourself second."

[stilljustandrew]

"... Okay," he says, uncertainly. "I'll try."

Putting himself first doesn't feel like the right thing to do, at all. Especially not when Matt's the one who's injured.

[nita_callahan]

"Seriously. I know people like us do that thing where everyone else comes first, but you do deserve to come first when it comes to, like, love."

She pokes him in the shoulder, gently. "You, specifically, Andrew Wells, not the editorial you."

[stilljustandrew]

He flushes, just a little, at people like us.

(Because Nita's a hero; and something in him still resists being in that category. Or at least being comfortable there.)

But her concern is still comforting, and it gets a small smile, wan but genuine.

"Thanks."