if once was great, why not a second time through?

[called_lioness]

It's warm--well, hot, really--and Lucy's been tree climbing again.

Some things you don't get tired of, and hanging from a limb like a monkey is apparently one of them.

She's terribly mature, really, but she's also enjoying the pull under the knees and the rush of blood to her head.

Maybe not terribly mature.

Comments

[last_adam]

"I didn't mean to."

And then Adam's backing away, just a bit, keeping his hands and hand and oh god his hands away from her, and there's more than a frightened look on his face.


"I'll fix it. I'll make it better. I'll fix it."

[called_lioness]

"How? Shove me in the lake and hold me down til I stop breathing?!" and it's entirely possible she's entered the realm of panic because her voice isn't supposed to be that high.

"How do you fix me being alive? That's what you did, isn't it? I'm not crazy, am I? Because I think I just remembered dying, Adam, and that hasn't happened before when I had a limb healed, and my--it--"

Panic. Shock. Panic.

What now?

[last_adam]

"No. No! I can-

I did it. I can k-"





He almost chokes.

"I can undo it."

[called_lioness]

"Oh, for God's sake, just say it. Kill me, wasn't that it?" and now she's standing and pushing her hair back desperately from her face.

"Oh, Adam, what did you do?" It's the only thing she can think or say.

[last_adam]

"I don't KNOW."

He's nearly yelling, and then he's up and pacing.





"Please, I'm sorry. I just- you needed to be fixed, and so I went to fix you, and I....





god."

[called_lioness]

"Well, you fixed me damned well!" she yells back, whirling, "and now I'm alive!"

It's a moment where she just breathes and then tries that again, in a softer tone. "I'm alive."

[last_adam]

Adam flops onto the ground, burying his face in his hands.










"I'm sorry."

[called_lioness]

She sits down again, slowly, next to him.

"I'm alive?"

And she's not entirely certain she's not half-smiling.

[last_adam]

"I'm sorry."

And it's small and quiet and all he can say, because really, what the fuck do you say to your ex when you've brought her back from the dead?

[called_lioness]

...There is perhaps not an etiquette book written that covers this.

"...Adam? I'm not entirely certain I'm not going to pass out," she says calmly.

And then giggles, briefly, before biting the back of her hand to stop it.

[last_adam]

He doesn't look up at her right away. It's slow and it's painful, and he has his eyes half shut, as if he expects her to look like a zombie or something.



...she doesn't. You know. For the record.



"Don't pass out. You might hit your head again, and I'll turn you into a fucking angel."

[called_lioness]

"Wings would be exciting?" she tries, and half smiles, unsteadily.

"It's--it's okay. I'm not--I don't know. It's okay. You know?" Lucy's not sure that she knows, but she's talking, and talking means she's not passed out. Right? Right.

[last_adam]

"It's NOT okay. God, Lucy, what'll people do when they find out? This isn't exactly..."

His hands flail around a bit, trying to explain words he hasn't even brought into his head.

[called_lioness]

"--Oh bugger," the terrified look back on her face, "Caspian."

[last_adam]

"Caspian. Alanna. AZIRAPHAEL."

He nearly shrieks the last, and is suddenly utterly and completely glad that this happened here, and not back in his world.

[called_lioness]

"Can we go back to Caspian? Personally, Aziaraphael can go molt for all I care right now! I'm not s--in--I'm not dating Aziraphael!"

[last_adam]

"Right. Right."

Adam physically makes himself focus.

"Caspian. Won't he-








oh."

[called_lioness]

Lucy proceeds to bury her face in her hands.

"Oh."

[last_adam]

"Um."

[called_lioness]

"How do you bring this topic up, Adam?"

[last_adam]

"Surprise!?"







"Please let me fix it, Lucy."

[called_lioness]

She should, Lucy knows, as she lifts her head.

She obviously should. And then no one will know. And it can be over.

And she opens her mouth to say, "Yes," and says, "No," instead, staring straight out at the lake.

[last_adam]

And Adam opens his mouth, and then closes it again, and then opens and closes it once more.






. . .

Yeah, he has no idea what to say.

[called_lioness]

"No," she says again, and still doesn't look back at him.

"I won't."

[last_adam]

"Why?"