(no subject)

[last_adam]

The remnants of the hot afternoon are fading as the sun sets, and Adam watches from nearby the lake, idly skipping stones across the surface of the water.

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[last_adam]

He narrows his eyes at the formal language, at the look of lucy, and he nods, standing and wiping his hands on his pants before again offering one to Lucy.

[called_lioness]

She takes it and smiles at him, a little, again as they walk.

"Everything changes, doesn't it?"

[last_adam]

"It's the only thing you can be certain of."


He watches her, as they walk, and smiles.

[called_lioness]

"I think there are a few other things."

[last_adam]

"Oh?"

[called_lioness]

"Love."

[last_adam]

That gets a soft smile, and a nod.


"The other one, too."

[called_lioness]

"Everything else, though--"

(like the)

"--is up for grabs, I suppose," softly.

[last_adam]

"You'd be surprised how many people don't realize that."

[called_lioness]

"I've had to accept it recently, whether I like it or not."

[last_adam]

He squeezes her hand lightly.

[called_lioness]

"I don't know how long I'll be here anymore." Softly, looking straight ahead.

[last_adam]

Adam nods a little.

"As long as you need to be."

[called_lioness]

"Not as long as I want, mayhap, though. And yet--it's only mayhap. I don't know. And I can't seem to stop dreaming and planning, anyway."

[last_adam]

"Dreaming isn't the same as happening."

[called_lioness]

"Sometimes it is."

[last_adam]

"Sometimes."

[called_lioness]

"Whatever happens, I can't--"

She stops.

Tries again.

"I have to keep going like I'll be here forever. It's like being alive; you can't stop living for fear of dying, y'ken?"

[last_adam]

If Adam notices the changes in cadence and language, he doesn't say anything.





"I know."

[called_lioness]

She nods, and looks ahead and not at him, and not back, because ahead is the only thing that matters.

"Do you love me, Adam?"

[last_adam]

That wasn't the question he'd expected, inasmuch as he'd expected anything.


He swallows.



"Not like-


Of course I do, Lucy."

[called_lioness]

"I know. Not like that." And now she does look at him and smiles. "That wasn't what I meant."

[last_adam]

He simply nods.

[called_lioness]

"I have to ask you something. And because you love me, I ask you forgive me for it."

[last_adam]

He wants to say don't ask, he wants to let go, but he doesn't.

[called_lioness]

There are lots of things she's wanted to say to him.

Let's admit it now.

She wanted to say, How could you? when he kissed Edmund, she wanted to rage at that, and the night he said no more, and she wanted to say she was sorry, and she wanted to say, I love you before she did.

She didn't do those things.

And that's okay, but she's past, a little, not doing things, so she says, gently, "It doesn't matter what you say, it matters that you say something. I know you can. If you don't--I understand. Would you help us, if I asked you to help us have a child?"

[last_adam]

There was a time when Adam would have done anything to make Lucy happy. There's still very little that he wouldn't do.












"No."

[called_lioness]

She smiles at him, and it's not upset.

It's not surprised.

It's actually rather peaceful, and her eyes are still clear and bright, as she leans over to kiss his cheek and then rests her head on his shoulder.

She says nothing, just walks, and squeezes his hand.

[last_adam]

He feels the need-




no. He closes his eyes and he breathes, and he feels Lucy's hand against his, and he hears her words, her thoughts, and he squeezes, and he knows it'll all be okay.


Maybe not happy, and maybe not best, but okay.



And sometimes that's best.