(Untitled)

[bright_burning]

It's a while later that she returns to the apartment. A long while

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[_to_the_bone]

"Come in," he says, speaking completely confidently and normally, but with an undsiguisable tremor in his tone that he can't quite swallow.

[bright_burning]

She enters, after a second, closing the door quietly behind her. The click of it shutting still sounds too loud, and she's tense as she takes another step forward.

"Are you all right?"

[_to_the_bone]

"Of course" not.

He looks up, and he has ice on the back of his head, where he fell when that thing- Jack. Frost. It. -tried to speak to him.

"Oh, you're hurt."

He fights to stand, and the world spins distressingly.

[bright_burning]

"I'm okay," she says, and winces at the sight of him holding the ice to his head, moving forward and then hesitating before reaching out.

"May I see?"

[_to_the_bone]

"My dear," he says, sinking back into the chair and lowering the ice. It's not bad. Just a bruise.

"Se- Fire."

[bright_burning]

He's never called her that before. She's not sure she likes it.

"He told you." It's not a question.

[_to_the_bone]

"You should have."

It's not an answer, either.

"No wonder Jack is how he is."

[bright_burning]

"Yes, well."

She looks away.

"What would you have said?"

[_to_the_bone]

"I'd have asked you again if you could stand to be tied to someone like me. Not as an older man, but as just a man."

He stares at her.

"I'd have let you know then, as I am now, that it's not a chain I'm asking you to forge. That if Fire wishes to roam the world and take lovers and move mountains and scourge skies, then she may, and whenever Sera needs a bed to come home to she has one."

[bright_burning]

"And you would stand that? You could live with that, with not knowing where I am or what I'm doing or if I'll come home to you?"

If she'll forget him.

[_to_the_bone]

"For you? Yes."

His eyes are fierce.

"You shouldn't have doubted me."

[bright_burning]

She wants to say you're human, you're flawed, I couldn't not doubt you.

"I'm sorry."

[_to_the_bone]

He can feel it, superiority rising up and choking him. He stays silent too, and lifts the ice back to his head.

"I love you."

Perhaps he hasn't said that before. Not in those words.

[bright_burning]

That was unexpected and she starts, blinking in confusion.

"I - oh."

[_to_the_bone]

"With the little that I am. If that is still enough for you, then my door is always open.

What happened with your brother? Did you follow him?"

[bright_burning]

"Thank you," she says, awkwardly. She's not exactly sure what to do. Everything's different again.

"Yes. The body is dead."