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[allgotrabies]

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

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[allgotrabies]

"It feels like a lot of the time I make the wrong choices." She turns onto her back, looking up at him, and the ceiling. "Do I seem better than I was though? A little?"

[loveisall]

"You do," he admits. "Of course you do."

He puts a hand on her shoulder. "What choices do you feel have not been right?"

cw drug reference

[allgotrabies]

Phrased like that, it's hard to dig up specific moments. At least not recent ones.

"Maybe it's more being afraid all the time. And jumping around, into things, out of things, because of that."

[loveisall]

He hums softly. "And now?" he wonders. "Do you jump around?"

[allgotrabies]

She thinks about that. "I broke down when Sariss was training me. But..." She should not feel any pride about this next part but, "I did fight back against mind controlled B. I tried to help us. You. And that's more than what I've done before."

[loveisall]

"I know," he tells her, not wanting to relive that memory. "And I think that's good. That you did that. That you fought when you wouldn't have before. That was a good decision."

[allgotrabies]

She can tell and she frowns slightly in apology. So she offers something brighter: "I haven't showed you my dress yet. The one Ulla made for me."

[loveisall]

"You don't need to distract me from sad memories, Annie," he tells her. "Sit up, sit with me a moment. Let me live in them for a while. It's the only way to learn from them."

[allgotrabies]

She does, holding onto him lightly against the mild dizziness she still has. "I've never been very good at that. Just letting the bad memories be bad," she confesses, so she watches him, sits with him, listens.

[loveisall]

"I know," he assures her. "I know you haven't because it's uncomfortable. But sometimes it's necessary. Now...show me the dress?" he wonders.

[allgotrabies]

"I have to set the stage first, okay, so. I've been saving it for something special. It's a gown--a real gown. I never wore one before. I never even tried one on before. She made it with magic and rose petals."

[loveisall]

"Magic and rose petals," he smiles. "Alright. Show me?"

[allgotrabies]

She bites her lip against the thrill of wearing something she had frankly always wanted, only found it's even better now, and gets up. She has to carefully make her way to her room, and it takes extra time to get it on. But she makes her way back to him wearing the pink and purple gown Ulla had crafted. When she moves it still smells of roses and orchids.

[loveisall]

Usually, Godric is a fairly composed person. He's able to contain his emotions, keep them down, let them sit somewhere safe until he's able to express them appropriately.

But seeing her in that dress, looking exactly as beautiful as he's always imagined her, breaks that. He grins.

"Oh, Annie," he breathes. "You look exquisite." He stands up, blanket wrapped around him, and can't help but reach out to touch it. "It's beautiful."

[allgotrabies]

She takes that little half-step closer so he can see that it is made of petals, that the fabric still feels like them but stronger. "I never went anywhere I needed a gown, I don't even know what on the Barge would have that I could wear it too but sometimes I put it on just to feel like a queen."

[loveisall]

"There was a Halloween party last year," he explains. "It would have been fantastic there, I think. Perhaps someone will do that again this year and you can really shine."

[allgotrabies]

"Did you dress up?" Someone needs to have dressed up with him.

[loveisall]

"I wore a red shirt and a blazer," he laughs. So yes. For him. "But I was very new by then. I didn't know many people.

[allgotrabies]

"I missed seeing you in a suit?" That's unforgiveable, Admiral. "It's weird to think you haven't been here that much longer than me."

She takes his hand and settles back on the couch, spreading her skirt over them and then topping it off with a blanket.

[loveisall]

"Don't ruin it," he warns her. "And I can still wear a suit for you. When I am feeling better."

He closes his eyes and leans his head back, taking her hand.

[allgotrabies]

"We could waltz," she whispers, like a revelation, but also because his head has to be hurting about as much as hers. "You think we could get people to like, play a band or something? Maybe learn to dance, too? No one around here does."

Her eyes are closed though, she's talking steadily more drowsily.

[loveisall]

"Uh huh," he tells her. He can't actually sleep until morning, but he can at least let her rest. "Whatever you want."

He keeps his voice soft. Soothing.

[allgotrabies]

She's quiet a while, slowly dozing off, listening to the tv. "When you get tired will you take me to your bed too?"

[loveisall]

"Yes," he promises. "But not in that dress." He'll make sure to put it away properly first.

[allgotrabies]

"I'm really glad you like it." She never went to school dances, and like she said, never wore anything extravagant, but his reaction is everything she might have hoped for.

"You should make friends with Ulla. She's good person."