(Untitled)

[theblindguy]

The switch in weather - and pretty much everything else - is going to take time to get used to. It was always bad enough when things were moved around in places he was used to by carelessness, but this - the entire landscape is different to him now, and it felt a little like he's back to square one because of it. It was a bit disorienting at first

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[farmgrown]

"True. Between the cane, the hat and the coat, you'd look right at home in the middle of any period movie. Maybe even Muppet Christmas Carol," Annie muses out loud, grinning slowly as she curls a gloved hand around his forearm. It's cold enough for her to need them, and she'd managed to find a pair of leather ones in the clothes box - the entirety of which, frustratingly enough, had been filled with nothing but Victorian-era clothing. Seeing as how jean shorts and bikini tops wouldn't exactly be weather-appropriate, though, she figures it's best just to grin and bear it for however long this lasts

[farmgrown]

"Yeah, sure. Sounds good," Annie murmurs, her voice slightly faint before she decides that maybe it's best for them to have a brief respite from each other, if only for a few moments, just for the sheer purpose of allowing each person to think and dwell and consider everything. Not to mention the fact that she still feels fairly flushed, and having him here in front of her is doing nothing to quench that particular fire in her cheeks.

"I'll snag us a table," she decides, skirts swishing audibly as she starts to move again. "Unless - do you need any help?" It only just dawns on her that the kitchen might be completely changed since everything else has, and she doesn't want him to fumble or burn himself from not knowing the new layout. She's willing to set aside her own feelings on everything to help him, and she steps close to him again, cocking one elbow out in force of habit.

[theblindguy]

"I'm fine," Auggie promises, and he can't help but grin - of course she'd worry after him, even now. He's not even lying, too - the first thing he did the day everything changed was to relearn the layout of the important rooms of this place. "Go, sit. I'll find you."

He turns then, moving toward the kitchen, using his cane for any extra guidance he might need. It's a little busier than usual, though on the bright side of that, at least it seems like the coffee's always flowing for people coming in from the cold. Still, he deliberately takes his time, if only to try to clear his head.

Not that he actually manages to do that very well. He's distracted as he puts together the two mugs of coffee, trying to at least sort his thoughts out. The thing is, he's been casual with that aspect of his life for a long, long time. It's always easier that way, because everything is complicated enough without adding that to the mix - been there, done that. And he was fine with that, accepted it, and he never was left wanting

[farmgrown]

"Okay." Annie's still hesitant, though, as she watches him hover there for a beat or two, but when he insists on it, all she can do is drop her arm, standing there and watching him head into the kitchen with barely more than that assurance. She turns then to find a table, barely remembering to pick up her long skirts with one hand before she manages to trip over them in her distracted state. Luckily it's only a few steps to the closest table, lucky for her own coordination and his ease at finding her later on, whenever it is he returns from making the coffee

[theblindguy]

If he hadn't heard the quiet sniffle - which he had, for the record - the slight unevenness in her tone of voice would've been more than enough clue that she's upset. A fresh wave of guilt hits him the second that realization hits him, even though he knows he could have never guessed this place was able to lock them in place like that.

Still. He knows he didn't show restraint and he gets a sinking feeling he should have. Nothing like that is worth potentially ruining things, and he has to wonder if that's already happened. Hell, even the light brush of her fingertips conjures up something in him now, which he very quickly ignores. Once she takes the cup, he feels around for the empty chair next to her, sitting down in it and putting his cane aside

[farmgrown]

Annie knows she's probably given herself away by even that much - that slight sniffle, that sharp intake of breath as she tries to summon up enough volume in her voice to sound convincing, but it helps that he starts talking before she tries to force another topic of conversation. She takes advantage of her own break to draw in a breath, exhaling in a soft blow across the surface of her cup of coffee, gently holding the cup in both hands

[theblindguy]

It's the exact sound he's hoping to hear. A laugh that isn't forced, the smile in her tone. The last thing he wants is for her to be completely uncomfortable around him now, and it looks like that might not be a problem. Or at least it's something they can get past. When she relaxes, he does too. Whether this is just a prelude before the actual conversation or they just aren't going to bring it up, it's kind of a relief to feel like things are normal - if only to give him a brief break from the thoughts swirling in his head.

"Should I have gotten you tea instead, in that case?" he asks, amused, lifting an eyebrow up in her direction, his smile a little more sure now. He takes a sip of the coffee he'd poured himself before adding, "I just hope you're not planning on using a fake accent to 'add to the atmosphere'. I'd hate to have to pretend not to know you around people."

[farmgrown]

"You know that I could totally pull off a convincing British accent if I didn't think it would backfire on me somehow," Annie replies, gently easing into her next sip of coffee. The china feels so dainty in her hands that she's paranoid about even drinking it too hard - and then she starts thinking about how ridiculous that concept even sounds, especially in her own head, and pretty soon she's smiling for a different reason, shaking her head slowly as she lets her hands fall, loosely gripping the cup in her lap

[theblindguy]

Auggie catches the meaning in her words. Of course he knows they'd be okay. They had to be, he wouldn't accept anything else, and he can be pretty damn stubborn. But it also makes him want to apologize when he's hit with a fresh bit of second guessing. He'd been so sure at the time she liked what was happening, especially with how she acted right before he'd pulled away. Now it feels like it might just end up being filed away as not a big deal. He nearly asks if that's what she wants for clarification - if this is how they're going to work things - but he can't quite bring himself to do it. He isn't sure what he wants the answer to be

[farmgrown]

There's a flood of relief that accompanies his words with the knowledge that they're going to be okay, will be, no matter what. Even if nothing else comes of this, she can walk away with that comfort alone and the assurance that she'll always be able to depend on his friendship. When his hand moves to cover hers, she squeezes his knee again, reflexively, trying to say everything without saying anything

[theblindguy]

When he feels her hand start to shift, he expects she's pulling it away. His smile widens a little more when he realizes that isn't the case at all, and he feels any lingering doubt dissipate. It isn't actually the first time they've held hands - she's done it more than once when dragging him along somewhere - but this is different. It strikes him how soft and delicate it feels against his own admittedly rougher one. If he didn't know any better, he'd never guess the kind of work she used to do.

It's hard not to be distracted by the simple touch. It's hard to ignore the fact he wants to kiss her again, actually, which is going to take getting used to acknowledging. He knows it's crossed his mind before, but there's no stamping them back anymore. Not when they're like this.

"Harry Potter? You're such a geek," he snorts quietly, his thumb idly running along the back of her hand in a slow, lazy back and forth motion. He's well aware of the gigantic amount of hypocrisy in him calling her that, and he's already expecting her to call him

[farmgrown]

She can't help but notice the tiny thrill she gets from this, more than and slightly different from the race of adrenaline that would probably be pulsing through her right now if she was using her hold on his hand to pull him along somewhere, if they were running to or from something. It's been a long time since she's felt something like this, so long that she doesn't know what to call it at first. It's almost bittersweet, the fact that what she's experiencing now from this tiny little thing is an emotion she's positive she hasn't felt since - Ben.

Should she feel guilty for this? It's difficult to reason, but she knows now that Ben had pulled another disappearing act shortly after recovering in the hospital. She can't help but think that he would've done the same thing, over and again, if they had actually tried to make things work after the mission, continually disappointing her. And she doesn't want a relationship that sustains on short bursts of passion followed by the ultimate cool-down period. That isn't a relationship,

[theblindguy]

Overthinking things is the last thing Auggie's looking to do. The thoughts are actually creeping in already, little by little, and he knows later on, when he's on his own, he's going to start debating how good an idea something that technically hasn't happened (yet?) really is. It's been a long time since he's even considered doing something beyond a casual hook-up here and there. He'd honestly thought that's all he'd ever really need, but now?

He doesn't know. Hilariously, the argument that it's Annie could be used for or against the idea of whether or not this is a good idea to push toward. He knows how much she's been through, and the idea of even possibly adding to that - even without meaning to - is probably what's going to make him pause to consider the most

[farmgrown]

Annie could take this a step further, try to one-up him and get the last laugh, figuratively or literally speaking, but at the last second, she decides against it. It'd be a loaded move, for starters, multi-layered, with undertones of something that she's positive neither of them are completely ready for at this particular point in time. That's not to say that neither of them want it, but she'd just prefer to wait until there's no doubt in anyone's mind, no reservations and nothing standing in the way to trip them up. She'll be able to think about this a little easier when she's by herself, when she isn't being thoroughly distracted by the warmth of his hand in her own and along her side, by the way his smile takes on a touch of mischief, spreading wide until there's that little crinkling in his eyes that proves its genuineness

[theblindguy]

If not for the light squeeze, the question of if he might've just said something wrong would've come up. He doesn't think he did though, not with the gentle way she's pulled away and links her arm up with his after. He figures she's putting the distance he nows he should've put between them himself.

"You know, if I for one second thought you couldn't handle it, I would have never suggested teaching you in the first place," he points out, his tone growing more sincere. He knows he's said it before, but if there's one thing he doesn't want her to ever doubt, it's the amount of respect he has for her. Probably more than any other fellow agent he's met in his career beyond maybe Joan, and that's saying a lot. "There's a reason I never offered that kind of help to anyone before you."

[farmgrown]

"Okay, are you sure you're not just saying that?" Annie replies, instantly checking to be sure. It's not that she doubts her own abilities, but she can't help but wonder if he's just saying it to be sweet, to be assuring in the aftermath of that potential fumble, treading lightly so as not to upset her in any way.

But one look at his face proves otherwise, that he wouldn't dance around the subject just to spare her feelings - even if he's the kind of guy who wouldn't be deliberately hurtful - and so she nods slowly, her thumb absently running along his arm, feeling the muscle of his bicep beneath the jacket. "You know, this is a good look for you," she absently comments.