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[allgotrabies]

Hey, it's Annie, you know what to do.

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[allgotrabies]

Another laugh, "Does he know he's mine?"

She lifts her shirt to show him bruises that are nearly healed. "He never punched me really. Not in the face especially. Not as hard as her could have, and... I don't know. It felt like play. It wasn't frightening."

[loveisall]

Godric sits up and inspects the bruises, running his fingers gently along the bruises, not pushing against them, only tracing them. He tsks softly. "If only we didn't have to be careful about blood," he says lightly. "You would not need to outsource for this sort of play."

He's mostly worried about either one of them losing control one day.

[allgotrabies]

"I've been thinking about that," she murmurs, turning slightly so he can see the ones still dark on her back. "Iris had to do stuff to her blood to be one of us. I know she had to, and it worked, because we're still buddies. I usually can't get near other wolf girls. But I don't know if she can change people with her blood. And... I am never going to change anyone again."

[loveisall]

"I think that's wise," he tells her, inspecting the others, placing a hand on hers, silently telling her to put her shirt down. The bruises are acceptable for him, and definitely not the worst he's ever seen in his life.

She'll be fine.

"So what are you saying?"

[allgotrabies]

She arranges her shirt back down, and tugs lightly on his to urge him to lay his head on her lap again.

"I want to ask her if she can take away the thing in my blood that can turn people." There are so many reasons for it, but the largest is what she told him: she never wants to turn anyone again.

[loveisall]

"Then do that," he says, lying back in her lap and closing his eyes. "I think it's a wise move. Especially if it's unnecessary."

[allgotrabies]

"Plus, then we can play-fight, right?" stroking his hair again. "You should let me take care of you more, bruh. You're good at carrying that whole world on your shoulders but our cabin's a total safe space."

[loveisall]

"As long as you don't draw my blood, yes," he reminds her softly, gently. "But you'd have to catch me, first."

He reaches up to take her hand. "I am not good at letting people take care of me. It is difficult for me to accept."

[allgotrabies]

"I know. But I'm stubborn, I can wait you out till you're ready to let me," she teases. Only she really will, Godric. It's best to just let her.

"You have to practice it. It's like we've all got walls up and we forgot to build a door, so you gotta just carve one in a brick at a time."

She pauses, thinking that over, decides it's close enough.

[loveisall]

"I know. I allow it with some. With Archer. With Jedao. And sometimes with you," he assures her. "But I would like to continue practicing. So, how would you take care of me now?"

He's mostly joking, but he's curious about it. "Not that I believe I need it."

[allgotrabies]

"Right now?" She looks upward thoughtfully. "I think I have a different angle than Jedao does, 'cause he gets your old person vibe, or Archer who's you know, your boyfriend." And also grappling with old wounds.

"I think I'd try to remind you that right this second, things are okay. People we love are safe. We're in a good cabin with books and things we can learn, or have fun with. Nothing behind us is happening right now, and nothing ahead of us can be touched. So we get to be right here...and if things are too stressful to be good, you at least know they're better right this second than they were before you came home."

[loveisall]

He squeezes her hand. "You don't need to be Jedao or Archer," he tells her. "You're good at this." She and Quentin are the same in this regard. It's natural for Godric to want to take care of them. So when they do that for him, he's touched. It's genuine. And he loves it.

He smiles. "But you forgot about Julia Roberts on the television."

[allgotrabies]

"Do you know why I like this one?" She pulls the blanket around them, tucking him in the way she does in the mornings.

[loveisall]

"No," he admits. "Because Julia Roberts is a brilliant actress?"

[allgotrabies]

"So close!" Her grin sobers just a touch. "Actually, because I saw this one when I was a couple years out of leaving school. And the story in this is 'you have to know yourself before you can love or be loved'. And considering the guys I ran with, it just hit home. Changed how I looked for guys."

[loveisall]

"Ah." He sits up at that. "Is that something I need to worry about?" he teases lightly, though he recognizes the seriousness of what she's saying. And, as he always does, he appreciates her candor.

[allgotrabies]

"Oh don't worry, I know myself now. No one's shaking this brain." Including the newly discovered monster part. But she meant what she told him: right now the only thing that matters is she's calm and safe.

"You know so many stories. Was there one that really changed your mind on something?"

[loveisall]

"Changed my mind? No. But I have been influenced by stories in my life. War stories, particularly, but not in any profound way, though. Not in the way you describe. It may be difficult to believe, but I have only started really and truly reading since arriving here on the barge. The other stories I've heard have been stories passed down orally."

[allgotrabies]

"You have so many books," she marvels, glancing back at his bedroom. "I thought you'd spent hundreds of years reading stuff like that musty English poet, or those little books people read on the beach. And everything else."

[loveisall]

"Oh I read here and there. But even if I spent a solid hundred years doing nothing but reading, I've lived for two thousand. It's such a small amount of time for me. And what I did read was what had already been told to me. Epics I heard over a fire, simply written down. Shakespearean plays I had already seen, now in book form. Books of magic or other artifacts that I collected simply to own."

He laughs. "And you must remember that I did not even know a written language until well into my life."

[allgotrabies]

"My favorite thing as a kid was when my teachers would read to us. And then my least favorite thing was when they'd make us read out loud," grimacing. "I wasn't the worst one. I wasn't good, but I wasn't the worst. But kids are assholes and I always felt bad for the kids who were worse than me."

But it's part of why his reading to her is so soothing, and has become such a welcome routine through their week.

"I've got a little stack of books I wanna read to you sometime. They're so dumb, but they're great before bed."

[loveisall]

"Pick one for tonight," he tells her. "It will be something to look forward to tonight." He anticipates that they will end up in his bed that night anyway. Whatever that means for them still remains to be seen, but it hardly matters. He wants to hear the story, no matter what.

[allgotrabies]

"I know the one," she agrees, wondering what exactly Godric will think of Beverly Cleary. She has deeper, more adult books in mind, but they could use something very simple after the week they've had. "But after the movie. We have to see her turn in her running shoes."

[loveisall]

"After the film, yes. And I need to work on my watercolors. And I wanted to change all the sheets."

Clearly they have a very busy evening ahead of them. But Godric's going to stay with her, which is the most important thing, honestly.

He wraps an arm around her shoulders. "I think I like them better in Pretty Woman."

[allgotrabies]

"Pretty Woman was my favorite fantasy for so long." Perhaps other women had it too, but Annie's life wasn't very far from Julia Roberts's character back then. "But I hate high heels. I saw a guy who was daring his friends to wear 'em surfing...bad idea."