[reverse darkest timeline au] all you want is refuge

[stilljustandrew]

He goes back to his own cell, after the exorcism. And lies down, after a while.

Nita's okay. She'll be okay. There's no reason for him to feel this shaky.

Except there is. Oh, there is.

He's trying not to think about it.

Comments

[stilljustandrew]

A tiny hiss of indrawn breath --



-- and a smile, unsteady and painful but genuine.

"Thank you. Really. I don't ... that, that means a lot."

[semicharmed]

"It's not totally selfless of me."

He still looks a little rueful.

"But yeah. You're welcome."

[stilljustandrew]

(What he doesn't say: I don't know if that's ever going to happen.

But it still means a lot, that Matt's hoping that for him. And that he would say so.)



"Listen, um ... you know Brix, right?"

[semicharmed]

Why yes he does! Biblically, even.

(Eluine cyclically?)

"I do," he confirms.

[stilljustandrew]

"If you see her, could you ... maybe tell her I'd like to talk to her again? Or ... I could ask Baby to bring Bar a note for her, or something ..."

It was kind of an impulsive question, which means he hasn't really thought it through.

[semicharmed]

"Oh--probably Baby would be better for that," he says.

"Brix is a friend. But I try to stay out of the relationship you guys have. Because, you know, not my business."

[stilljustandrew]

"Oh."

It feels strange to him that it's neither crushing nor frightening, having gotten it wrong.

"I ... guess I'll do that then?"

[semicharmed]

"Sounds like a plan."

[stilljustandrew]

"Okay."

This could get awkward in a moment.

"Anyway, um ... thanks. For coming by."

[semicharmed]

"Sure," he says.

In the end, it's probably better to keep his messier thoughts to himself. Matt slips his hands in his pockets, turning incrementally.

"Maybe I'll see you around out there."

[stilljustandrew]

"Maybe," he says, and it's ... oddly hopeful.

Maybe that's a thing that could happen, and wouldn't be terrible.

[nita_callahan]

Nita spends the night in the cells -- in Baby, where she feels secure. She wakes up early in the morning and spends some time outside.

In the afternoon, she finds herself drifting back to the Security office, not entirely sure what she's looking for, or even if she's looking for anything. Although once she's there, looking down the hallway, it seems obvious.

(Deep breath, Nita.)

She wanders down and pauses at a polite distance from Andrew's -- cell? Room? What do they call it now?

"Knock knock."

[stilljustandrew]

Andrew's sitting cross-legged on his mattress, bent over an open notebook and tapping the page idly with a pen.

He glances up at the sound of a voice, and sees the figure just barely in sight in the hallway, and hurriedly sets aside the pen and pad. "Nita? Hi."

[nita_callahan]

"It's me," she says, wry, and steps forward into his line of sight.

"Hey."

[stilljustandrew]

He scrambles to his feet, and starts toward the barrier at the front of the cell.

"How are you doing?"

(It's very much not a casual question.)

[nita_callahan]

"I'm okay," she assures him. "Better." She inclines her head towards him. "Thanks to you guys."

[stilljustandrew]

"Good," he says fervently. "I ... I'm really glad I could help."

A beat.

"... d'you want to come in? Or, or I could come out?"

[nita_callahan]

"Yeah, um, I wanted to see if you wanted to get tea or coffee or something, out in the bar."

[stilljustandrew]

He starts to smile, a bit unsteadily.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'd ... really like that."

[nita_callahan]

Her own smile broadens a little, briefly.

"Cool. Good." She nods towards the door of the office. "Coming, then?"

[stilljustandrew]

"Sure, just -- let me put shoes on?"

It only takes him a moment to find and tug on his sneakers, before stepping through the barrier as though it isn't there.

[nita_callahan]

It's good to see him seeming a little more relaxed in the space.

She doesn't say much as she leads the way out to a quiet table in the bar, other than flagging down a waitrat.

"Tea for me. Uh, chamomile, I guess, not black. And whatever he's getting."

[stilljustandrew]

"Uh -- ginger tea? With honey? Thanks."

As the waitrat scurries off, he folds his hands on the table, lacing and unlacing his fingers. Seems to be trying to work out what to say.

(Clearly visible, under the sleeves of his flannel shirt, are the bands of pale and withered-looking skin where the cuffs used to be.)

[nita_callahan]

Yeah, it's -- there's kind of an awkward pause.

Nita breaks it.

"So, I'm not sure where to start, so I'm just going to jump in, I guess? And I remember you apologizing to me, and I want you to know -- none of what happened was your fault."

[stilljustandrew]

He looks down at his hands.

"I know," he says, very soft. "I mean, I wasn't sure then, but ... I do know."

A beat.

"But that wasn't what I wanted to say sorry for."