How did it go? Is everything okay? How's your brother?
[He's not wrong, she does like to know. She wouldn't have minded a text last night, no matter what time. For her it's only been a few days, but for him it's been longer. A lot can change when time spreads out over weeks and months.]
( it had been late enough that it seemed inhumane to contact her. he had figured he was tired and didn't do much other than go to his room. he must of been right — he'd slept in late, a rarity since he'd gotten the benefit of magic back. )
well as could be expected. three months isn't enough, really, but we did what we could. he's good. excited to see the woods again. he's off, I think he might be checking in with other teammates.
( which is hilarious and bizarre, but his brother has his own friendships in ALASTAIR. he will go see them as he sees fit. )
["I want to see you" isn't quite the same as "I've missed you" but eventually he might hear something that passes for both. It's been a few days and all of them have felt longer for knowing he wasn't there.]
( it's been more than days for him. it's been months, and they stretched on and on, in the familiar gray of emptiness had crept in on the edges. he had missed her more than he thought he would. more than he thought was possible. certainly enough that he wants to see her, now that there's no chance of waking her up to do it. )
nothing, but I'd like that to change. what room are you in? are you there now?
[ Three days and she's started to wonder whether she should have gone with him. She'd been discouraged by how ALASTAIR had resolved the magic issue in Nalawi, stuck on the question of whether they'd done more harm than good. No matter the situation, it still didn't feel right having to say goodbye to someone she'd already lost. She's glad he's back, she just hopes he is, too. ]
( insert room # here) You wanna come to me or meet up?
( he wasn't happy about how things in Nalawi had ended, either. he's tired of orders to kill, to pick up and abscond once the damage is done. at least the three months they had to re-stabilize had been to a benefit... though perhaps it was impossible to fix everything in three months. it was still a start. )
I'll find you.
( he wants to see her without the distraction of other teammates and other activities. even if the meeting won't last long. )
[ No distractions sounds good. She might like to see his brother with her own eyes, but since other people rank higher, she'll catch up to him when he's ready for it. There's no telling a wild animal what to do.]
( she'll likely see the wolf sooner or later. she might have to deal with seeing only one of the brothers to start. the wolf still isn't with him in the ten minutes it takes to get to her door. despite the fact he suspects she's waiting, he knocks anyway. seems the polite thing to do.
he looks better than he has in awhile, if she cares to notice. with plentiful magic and three months to recover from being so weak, he's back to feeling himself; even if himself is still an absence, compared to some. he's tanner than usual and his hair is a bit long again, that'll happen in three months on a tropical island, but he looks healthy. at least compared to the waning creature he'd been since she arrived.
and Emma doesn't look that different, not really. for her it's only been a couple days, enough time to get settled in Oska and look toward what might come next. yet seeing her triggers an odd reminder of something he should really get used to not having, anymore. seeing her is a relief he didn't expect, and when he sees her his reaction is absolute instinct, without remembering that particular instinct would be better earned or offered over taken.
he doesn't greet her with words. instead, he closes the space between them and tucks an arm around her to bring her closer. just a hug, just for a moment, to remind himself she's still there. )
[Emma would've been expecting a 'hey' or a 'how are you', a friendly touch at the most, not the hug he initiates. It's deceptive, hinting at emotion he's not supposed to feel. He doesn't have a heart. The entire problem with them being in Nalawi was that when it lost its magic, most of his strength went with it. She won't think about what keeps him alive or how they managed to get through the time without it. What matters is that they did, and the mission is over. One down and how many more to go?
All of this starts to feel endless after a while. It might've only been three days for her, but without the person she's closest to here, they dragged on in ways she wasn't expecting. She may hesitate when he greets her, her hands helplessly at her sides for a moment, but when that awkward moment passes, she becomes an active participant in an embrace that lingers several moments past the one he was going for.
She needs this too, and she doesn't know how long it's going to last. It's not just Regina getting in the way anymore; there's ALASTAIR and their dedication to timelines. Factor in Graham's reluctance to want to save himself and his dedication to helping people in other worlds, and yes - she has to hug him when he's here. There are too many reasons to expect his absence.]
( hugs are new for him. he cannot really remember getting any of particular note, not even with all his memories returned to him. one of the only ones he can recollect was an arm over his shoulder and fingers in his hair and a command to come back to bed. it was less of a hug and more a touch of possession. safe to say he bears no amount of fondness for it.
the first that meant anything to him was one he'd gotten after his induction in to ALASTAIR, and he's found in the right circumstances he likes it. it's not even the closest he's been to Emma since she arrived — surely the morning they spent a long handful of minutes sprawled on the floor was closer. it's just a simple offering, a closeness that he enjoys from the right person, and there's a warmth to it especially considering who he's embracing.
his hands seem absurdly large compared to her. or perhaps it's the other way around, under her attempts to keep people at bay and keep her armor raised, Emma Swan is not as intimidating as she'd like people to believe. either way he enjoys being close to her, more than just fleetingly, a hand still at the small of her back when he finally pulls back. the whole idea was to see her, right? he needs to be more than a breath away to do that. she looks well, the same really... it's reassuring in an odd way. )
Hi. ( he laughs, if only because that seems a lacking greeting compared to the one they just had. it must be strange to have him laugh. it's a little odd for him, too )
[ She's intimidating when she wants to be. It's a learned skill, knowing that if she speaks with confidence people will be more inclined to take her seriously. When she wants something, Emma doesn't invite the opportunity for people to take it away from her, she stands her ground. He's seen her fight, it's just harder to catch her in the gentler moments where emotion wins out over expectation. A reunion prompts that, even if it has only been a few days for her.
It feels natural though; to sink into his arms for a few moments, to be grateful. When he'd decided to stay all she could do was accept it and wish him well, but she'd be lying if she said she hadn't played out the worst case scenarios in her head. Staying in Nalawi could have been a risk. It's over now and she's glad he's back, yet that fear of losing the same person twice never manages to go away after the first loss.
She pulls back, raking a hand through her hair while she takes a moment to look him over. He doesn't laugh much, but when he does, she's reminded that she likes the sound of it.] So, you're back. [Which states the obvious, doesn't it? He's here, so he's back.] It's good to see you. [Better than she's said, to be perfectly honest - and she avoids that level of honesty on purpose when it comes to him.]
( he doesn't regret staying behind, even if the days had started to stretch. it was a reminder of what he could expect in his future, if he expected to have much of one. Emma wanted him to consider returning to Storybrooke, yet for him it felt as if she were asking more than either of them could provide. how could a man without a heart survive in a world where he'd died for the very same once? his heart wasn't just missing anymore, it was gone, and there was no getting it back.
a part of him is unsure ALASTAIR will even let him go. they claim to have a mission to preserve timelines, sending him back to one he'd already died in would be the opposite of that. if he was plucked out by accident, it was particularly lucky for ALASTAIR, who could make use of him as long as they wanted, since he had nowhere to go back to.
he pulls back when she does, hands reluctantly falling from where they've landed. a laugh is rare and paired with a smile shortly after even rarer, but she gets one of those, too. Emma is actually not the first to have proven to miss his company, another new sensation for being a part of ALASTAIR, but he likes hearing it. he doesn't hear her say such things often. ) It's good to see you, too. Three months is a long time. ( he's lived a curse for decades and still never felt a stretch quite so long. )
Three days isn't so great either. [It's not a long time, but it felt that way. She has a feeling he doesn't realize that him being here matters to her. He's the only person who's familiar to her here, a friend from a world she hasn't given up on getting back to. If he has, then maybe preparing for the future is smart. When Emma has a sense that things won't go her way, she defaults to bracing herself for the worst. She hasn't quite been able to manage that this time, because she thinks there's hope, even if he doesn't.
He asked her not to worry about saving him. It was fair, she respects it. He doesn't want her to feel like she has to be the savior for him. That doesn't mean she can give up on a friend, though. Graham might not know the difference, but Emma does. Whatever happens next, she doesn't want to think the separation is what they'll need to be getting used to.] You look good; better. [Not tired like he was without the magic.]
( his strategy for dealing with a potential — perhaps inevitable — loss is a bit different. he's lost so much in his life that he's lost his faith that he is capable of holding onto anything. and that didn't bother him as much as it could. that was the way of life; coming and going, starting and stopping. he was alive when he could have remained in the ground. every extra minute after that was a gift, not a curse. it would have been easy to resent the idea that he only had a limited amount of time with someone he cared intensely about. instead, he just wanted to make the most of the time he had.
Emma didn't seem to like that perspective. she found it akin to giving up, and maybe it was. if she was right and they could find a way for him to return to Storybrooke, the time he spent trying to enjoy her company wouldn't be a waste, so why should he stop?
his smile stilts and falls at the reminder of how unwell he'd been without magic, nodding and looking at the floor. for a man who had never cared much for magic, it was ironic that he was bound to it so closely now. ) I feel quite well. Don't worry about that. ( quite well for a heartless man might not be as well as anyone else, but it was enough for now. ) it went about as well as could be expected. We did what we could, I can only hope we put it to good use. ( he pauses, glancing not up again, as if he's considering his next question. ) were you off for breakfast, before I got to you?
( they don't have to go together, but what about in parallel? )
[ Emma did worry about him, there's no telling her not to. He seems normal now, but she has to wonder what else ALASTAIR might have in store for him. They need to be careful about where they send Graham, or all they'll be doing is hurting him instead of working their way through their next mission. Recruits are already taking guesses as to what they're about to face, but Emma won't waste her time on what she probably can't imagine.
It doesn't matter where they go. If it isn't Storybrooke, it's as much of a problem as every other world. At least the people of Nalawi had someone like Graham to teach them. She'd like to think they were able to do some good there, overall.]
The thought had crossed my mind. [Breakfast, together on in parallel. Although given that it's been three months for him, together might not be too much to ask.] Would you like to join me for breakfast? [Just this once, she'll actually ask.]
( he doesn't suspect that ALASTAIR will learn from their mistakes, or even that they remotely care that many of the team had been weakened, dying, and powerless thanks to the world they'd been dropped in. Graham does not think that the force they are trapped working for cares about them in the slightest. if he was gone, they would replace him. hoping ALASTAIR will learn to be more considerate is perhaps an even more lost cause than hoping to see Storybrooke again.
the most he can do is try to learn from it on his own. he just isn't sure what can be done, despite Sieglinde's insistence on finding something. how can a crushed heart be replaced?
he's... well, he's surprised by the suggestion, as apparent by lifted brows. he was going to suggest they head that way, as if being a bit more unspecific might improve his odds of getting her to agree. maybe that is silly to think, it is just breakfast, but he is talking to the woman that attempted to return a hot chocolate he didn't even send her on the pretense it could have been flirting. ) I would be happy to. I don't suppose they've doughnuts, do they?
( there weren't any last time he was in Oska, but a man can dream, can't he? )
[It's just breakfast. The least formal, supposedly most important meal of the day. They can have breakfast together without either of them reading too much into it, while hot chocolate flirtation would be a different thing entirely.]
I heard they go all out for celebrations, but I wouldn't hope for a donut at breakfast. [ALASTAIR knows how and when to party. It probably doesn't apply to a regular morning.] You might have to settle for a scone and a cup of fruit.
[Or some similarly non-threatening baked good. She knows he's not much for meats these days, and she won't push it.] Come on, we'll find you something. [She'll even lead the way. It's good that he caught her as soon as he thought he could, but they can eat and catch up. They've always been good at multi-tasking.]
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winterfish
no subject
Date: 2016-06-14 12:12 pm (UTC)How's your brother?
[He's not wrong, she does like to know. She wouldn't have minded a text last night, no matter what time. For her it's only been a few days, but for him it's been longer. A lot can change when time spreads out over weeks and months.]
no subject
Date: 2016-06-14 12:24 pm (UTC)well as could be expected. three months isn't enough, really, but we did what we could.
he's good. excited to see the woods again. he's off, I think he might be checking in with other teammates.
( which is hilarious and bizarre, but his brother has his own friendships in ALASTAIR. he will go see them as he sees fit. )
no subject
Date: 2016-06-14 12:45 pm (UTC)["I want to see you" isn't quite the same as "I've missed you" but eventually he might hear something that passes for both. It's been a few days and all of them have felt longer for knowing he wasn't there.]
no subject
Date: 2016-06-14 01:01 pm (UTC)nothing, but I'd like that to change.
what room are you in? are you there now?
no subject
Date: 2016-06-15 01:52 am (UTC)( insert room # here)
You wanna come to me or meet up?
no subject
Date: 2016-06-15 03:16 am (UTC)I'll find you.
( he wants to see her without the distraction of other teammates and other activities. even if the meeting won't last long. )
no subject
Date: 2016-06-15 03:46 am (UTC)[ No distractions sounds good. She might like to see his brother with her own eyes, but since other people rank higher, she'll catch up to him when he's ready for it. There's no telling a wild animal what to do.]
A C T I O N
Date: 2016-06-15 04:44 am (UTC)he looks better than he has in awhile, if she cares to notice. with plentiful magic and three months to recover from being so weak, he's back to feeling himself; even if himself is still an absence, compared to some. he's tanner than usual and his hair is a bit long again, that'll happen in three months on a tropical island, but he looks healthy. at least compared to the waning creature he'd been since she arrived.
and Emma doesn't look that different, not really. for her it's only been a couple days, enough time to get settled in Oska and look toward what might come next. yet seeing her triggers an odd reminder of something he should really get used to not having, anymore. seeing her is a relief he didn't expect, and when he sees her his reaction is absolute instinct, without remembering that particular instinct would be better earned or offered over taken.
he doesn't greet her with words. instead, he closes the space between them and tucks an arm around her to bring her closer. just a hug, just for a moment, to remind himself she's still there. )
no subject
Date: 2016-06-15 04:54 am (UTC)All of this starts to feel endless after a while. It might've only been three days for her, but without the person she's closest to here, they dragged on in ways she wasn't expecting. She may hesitate when he greets her, her hands helplessly at her sides for a moment, but when that awkward moment passes, she becomes an active participant in an embrace that lingers several moments past the one he was going for.
She needs this too, and she doesn't know how long it's going to last. It's not just Regina getting in the way anymore; there's ALASTAIR and their dedication to timelines. Factor in Graham's reluctance to want to save himself and his dedication to helping people in other worlds, and yes - she has to hug him when he's here. There are too many reasons to expect his absence.]
Hi.
no subject
Date: 2016-06-15 05:21 am (UTC)the first that meant anything to him was one he'd gotten after his induction in to ALASTAIR, and he's found in the right circumstances he likes it. it's not even the closest he's been to Emma since she arrived — surely the morning they spent a long handful of minutes sprawled on the floor was closer. it's just a simple offering, a closeness that he enjoys from the right person, and there's a warmth to it especially considering who he's embracing.
his hands seem absurdly large compared to her. or perhaps it's the other way around, under her attempts to keep people at bay and keep her armor raised, Emma Swan is not as intimidating as she'd like people to believe. either way he enjoys being close to her, more than just fleetingly, a hand still at the small of her back when he finally pulls back. the whole idea was to see her, right? he needs to be more than a breath away to do that. she looks well, the same really... it's reassuring in an odd way. )
Hi. ( he laughs, if only because that seems a lacking greeting compared to the one they just had. it must be strange to have him laugh. it's a little odd for him, too )
no subject
Date: 2016-06-18 07:33 pm (UTC)It feels natural though; to sink into his arms for a few moments, to be grateful. When he'd decided to stay all she could do was accept it and wish him well, but she'd be lying if she said she hadn't played out the worst case scenarios in her head. Staying in Nalawi could have been a risk. It's over now and she's glad he's back, yet that fear of losing the same person twice never manages to go away after the first loss.
She pulls back, raking a hand through her hair while she takes a moment to look him over. He doesn't laugh much, but when he does, she's reminded that she likes the sound of it.] So, you're back. [Which states the obvious, doesn't it? He's here, so he's back.] It's good to see you. [Better than she's said, to be perfectly honest - and she avoids that level of honesty on purpose when it comes to him.]
no subject
Date: 2016-06-19 09:31 pm (UTC)a part of him is unsure ALASTAIR will even let him go. they claim to have a mission to preserve timelines, sending him back to one he'd already died in would be the opposite of that. if he was plucked out by accident, it was particularly lucky for ALASTAIR, who could make use of him as long as they wanted, since he had nowhere to go back to.
he pulls back when she does, hands reluctantly falling from where they've landed. a laugh is rare and paired with a smile shortly after even rarer, but she gets one of those, too. Emma is actually not the first to have proven to miss his company, another new sensation for being a part of ALASTAIR, but he likes hearing it. he doesn't hear her say such things often. ) It's good to see you, too. Three months is a long time. ( he's lived a curse for decades and still never felt a stretch quite so long. )
no subject
Date: 2016-06-19 10:10 pm (UTC)He asked her not to worry about saving him. It was fair, she respects it. He doesn't want her to feel like she has to be the savior for him. That doesn't mean she can give up on a friend, though. Graham might not know the difference, but Emma does. Whatever happens next, she doesn't want to think the separation is what they'll need to be getting used to.] You look good; better. [Not tired like he was without the magic.]
Did everything go as planned?
no subject
Date: 2016-06-20 01:43 am (UTC)Emma didn't seem to like that perspective. she found it akin to giving up, and maybe it was. if she was right and they could find a way for him to return to Storybrooke, the time he spent trying to enjoy her company wouldn't be a waste, so why should he stop?
his smile stilts and falls at the reminder of how unwell he'd been without magic, nodding and looking at the floor. for a man who had never cared much for magic, it was ironic that he was bound to it so closely now. ) I feel quite well. Don't worry about that. ( quite well for a heartless man might not be as well as anyone else, but it was enough for now. ) it went about as well as could be expected. We did what we could, I can only hope we put it to good use. ( he pauses, glancing not up again, as if he's considering his next question. ) were you off for breakfast, before I got to you?
( they don't have to go together, but what about in parallel? )
no subject
Date: 2016-06-20 02:52 am (UTC)It doesn't matter where they go. If it isn't Storybrooke, it's as much of a problem as every other world. At least the people of Nalawi had someone like Graham to teach them. She'd like to think they were able to do some good there, overall.]
The thought had crossed my mind. [Breakfast, together on in parallel. Although given that it's been three months for him, together might not be too much to ask.] Would you like to join me for breakfast? [Just this once, she'll actually ask.]
no subject
Date: 2016-06-20 09:08 am (UTC)the most he can do is try to learn from it on his own. he just isn't sure what can be done, despite Sieglinde's insistence on finding something. how can a crushed heart be replaced?
he's... well, he's surprised by the suggestion, as apparent by lifted brows. he was going to suggest they head that way, as if being a bit more unspecific might improve his odds of getting her to agree. maybe that is silly to think, it is just breakfast, but he is talking to the woman that attempted to return a hot chocolate he didn't even send her on the pretense it could have been flirting. ) I would be happy to. I don't suppose they've doughnuts, do they?
( there weren't any last time he was in Oska, but a man can dream, can't he? )
no subject
Date: 2016-06-21 12:13 am (UTC)I heard they go all out for celebrations, but I wouldn't hope for a donut at breakfast. [ALASTAIR knows how and when to party. It probably doesn't apply to a regular morning.] You might have to settle for a scone and a cup of fruit.
[Or some similarly non-threatening baked good. She knows he's not much for meats these days, and she won't push it.] Come on, we'll find you something. [She'll even lead the way. It's good that he caught her as soon as he thought he could, but they can eat and catch up. They've always been good at multi-tasking.]