Astrid Thorsdottir + Sam Diaz-Adiyodi
PG | Complete
When the mass exodus had occurred, Sam had felt an overwhelming wave of sadness emanating off of more than half of the community at large. It was a lot to take in -- she’d known it was coming, of course. They all knew that there was a departure incoming, and that the implications of that departure would be readily felt. A month of time had given families a chance to form, relationships an opportunity to take place, and so many more opportunities. Losing everyone may’ve been expected, but it wasn’t made easier for that fact.
Sam had been terrified deep down that Astrid would get sent home. Her girlfriend was a beautiful, strong, intelligent gift, but she could see her accidentally forgetting to apply. She’d tried not to share that panic, just leaving little reminders here and there along the way, but it’d be a definite fear of hers -- she wasn’t sure if she could do this without Astrid at her side. Thankfully, those fears were unfounded. She’d been let in by one of Astrid’s new roommates, and knocked on her bedroom door before taking a step inside, a grin on her face in spite of the exhaustion evident in her expression. “Official, at last. Look at us, the time travelers.”
Astrid grinned bright back at her girlfriend. She’d been thrilled to find she was sharing a house with her father and happy to finally have the official word that she could stay. She’d dragged her feet a bit in formally applying not because she hadn’t been sure of her decision to do so, but because there had been so much to do and see here. Knowing Kyna would be going back home was a distraction, too. In the last few days, she’d tried to spend a more and more time with her sister, not knowing when she would be gone. Even though she didn’t begrudge her the decision not to stay, she was going to really fucking miss her.
A good amount of the rest of her extended family was here, though. Marce, both sets of twins and, of course, Sam. Astrid had known they’d all be staying, but it was Sam she was perhaps the most grateful for. Maybe she could have faced being without her, but she didn’t want to. It could only have been better if they’d been given housing together, but at least neither of them had woken up as a mole or something.
“Had to save the best for last, I guess,” she joked, knowing full well that she hadn’t been the only one to go through processing today who had chosen to stay. She’d seen Kára around, too and she was really glad she’d decided to stay here with them. It seemed like they’d both waited a while to make it official.
Sam felt the loss of those close friends most significantly. Having grown up in Atlantis with them, it was strange to imagine a version of Atlantis where they didn’t exist yet. She was comforted by the fact that life went on as normal in their timelines, with versions of themselves in tact -- Kyna and the others would still have everyone who chose to stay, thankfully. Still, it’d take some time for the loss to really get easier to bear.
Having Astrid helped, though.
“That’s what I was going to say,” she said, making her way further into the room to press a kiss to her girlfriend’s lips before settling on the bed. “Did they give you a job?”
Astrid’s grin grew brighter as she nodded. Despite being sad about friends and family who were gone - including the alternate timeline brother she’d barely had a chance to even get to know - she couldn’t help being really fucking pleased with her assignments in past Atlantis.
“On my dad’s team,” she said super casually, as if she wasn’t actually thrilled to know she’d be fighting alongside her father. “Kára’s assigned to the same one.” She’d notice that while checking the roster and other info intake had given her and she couldn’t be happier. Kára wasn’t technically family but she was close enough.
“How are you doing with all the departures?” she asked. Her features softened a little as she searched Sam’s face. Goodbyes were always difficult and she knew Sam would be feeling every bit of not only their own goodbyes that had needed to be said but also everyone around them. Astrid didn’t need to be an empath herself to know there was a fucking lot of sad in the air today.
“Ooooh! Even better. That makes me less anxious about the idea of you running off into battle, too, which is a bonus all around,” she said, and grinned further at the fact that Kára was staying put as well.
“I’m struggling,” she admitted, because Sam didn’t do a great deal of hiding when it came to Astrid. “But I put my walls up about an hour ago, and that helped me parse through what I’ve absorbed already.”
Astrid feigned offense at the implication that she needed her father around when she was running into battle, but she was glad, too, to be on his team and know she would be fighting alongside two of her favorite people. It made her even happier about her decision to stay.
“The cats are here, too,” she offered, pulling same closer to her in an attempt to soothe the overload of emotions she knew Sam was dealing with. “You might even convince them to give you a little extra cuddling if you want to get some takeout and stay in for a bit.”
“I’d like to pretend like I can go out and show you off in public for a dinner outside of the house,” she said, grinning and holding herself closer to her girlfriend, “but the idea of being covered in cats and Buck with you at my side and takeout in my lap is definitely winning out.” She looked around. “Do you need help getting settled in and unpacked?”
Astrid grinned. The latter sounded appealing, but she never said no to a night in and she had thought maybe Sam could use a break from people. She generally tried to keep in control of her own emotions around her girlfriend and years of practice made that almost effortless, but there were a lot of people in Atlantis without that kind of practice, many of whom had lost someone today. If Sam needed a break, she was here to give her one.
“My clothes just kind of appeared in my closet,” she said, shrugging as she looked around the room that had been magically decorated to her own tastes already. “The bed just might need some breaking in, though,” she added suggestively.
“Mine did the same when I was made official. It was excellent -- moving is the worst, so it’s a bonus when it happens automatically.” Astrid suggestiveness was met with a grin and raised eyebrows, and Sam sat back further on the bed in question, propping herself up on her elbows. “Well, we certainly ought to take care of that,” she said. “Do your worst, Daughter of Thor. I’m ready.”