(Untitled)

[sai_delgado]

She's cold, even in the green sweater with its pattern of roses. And so she deliberates for a bit, then retrieves a coverlet from her and Cuthbert's room

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[b_hawkins]

There is a Ben, who for now has abandonned his new radio.

"Hey." He was smiling.

[sai_delgado]

"Wei, Ben," she answers, smiling softly back at him. "How do'ee fare?"

[b_hawkins]

He nodded. "Fine."

His smile increased a little, producing a package from his pocket- plain paper, wrapping something far valuable. A cross, slightly smaller in length than one's thumb, but intricately engraved; St Michael destroying the Devil. It was mounted onto an unextroadinary, regular chain.

He'd found a gift for her.

[sai_delgado]

She blinks, startled-- and then remembers.

"Oh, Ben-- thee didn't have to, truly thee didn't--"

[b_hawkins]

"I wanted to. Everyone gets gifts on their weddin'." He paused, shifting and indicating the engraved designs. "That's Michael, the Archangel." And if she were to follow the line of his spear- "That's the Devil.

[sai_delgado]

She traces the engraving lightly with a fingertip.

(angels rebelled - the Fall)

"The archangel's winning."

[b_hawkins]

He nodded. "It's supposed to be the fight over us, when the end comes." The Revelations of that wacky St John.

"Is it okay?"

[sai_delgado]

"It's beautiful, Ben," she hastens to assure him, smiling. Susan pulls the chain over her head, letting the cross come to rest near the jade rose pendant that's clearly visible.

"Thankee-sai."

[b_hawkins]

He smiles. "Yer welcome." Beautiful gifts for beatiful women. "How's Cuthbert?"

[sai_delgado]

"He's well enough also," she answers, even as her smile fades a little.

"...Ben?" A pause. "We-- we're to be leaving soon."

[b_hawkins]

He paused and sighed. "Good. Good, you'll get your rest soon." He's ignoring the fact that one of his closest friends is leaving forever and focusing on the fact that one of his closest friends will be getting the rewards of her suffering.

He rubbed at his left eye with the heal of his hand, perhaps trying to fend off sadness. "Good."

[sai_delgado]

"Soon, aye," she agrees softly, and holds out a hand to him.

"Thankee-sai." A beat. "For-- for understanding."

[b_hawkins]

He took her hand like it was a gift.

"Don't mean I won't miss you." He said.

[sai_delgado]

"I kennit," she says, squeezing his hand gently. "And-- and I'll remember ye, until we meet again."

She refuses to believe it could be otherwise.

(let me do the remembering)

[b_hawkins]

"We'll meet again. Folks like me, we Ascend." He paused. "When it's done."

"Sound's stupid when I say it, but y'all growed up." He remarked, smiling. Although he considers himself an adult, Susan is the more mature of the two. Ben was a young man who blocked out all the boyhood that maturity grows from, so he's somewhat hollow in that aspect.

[sai_delgado]

"When it's time," she says simply, and then starts, looking surprised.

"Of course I am," she adds, a little amused. "I've been a woman grown for some time, Ben."