InsaneJournal

Who: Athelstan & Eli
What: Athelstan tells Eli what she needs to hear
When: 9/26
Where: Eli/Logan/Velma's house in Anaheim
Rating: PG
Status: Complete!



Athelstan double-checked the address again before ringing the bell. Eli had given him directions to their new house, but he never trusted his memory. He was pleased that she was closer to his apartment now, and since she’d come over so many times, he’d showed up on her doorstep after dusk to see if she wanted a nice walk. Hopefully she would be the one to answer the door.

She was. Freshly scrubbed from her shower, hair still wet and wrapped in one of her father’s robes, but she was the one to open the door. “Athelstan!” Appearance be damned, she wrapped her arms around him and buried her head in his chest. “You came to me.”

Athelstan blinked at her appearance, and then at how damp she still was, but he let himself be hugged. “Of course I did, my dear.” He smiled. “I’ve missed you; I wanted to apologise in person for how busy I’ve been.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine, you’ve got your studies. Come in.” She was fairly vibrating with happiness, but it stopped when she realized how she looked. “I - let me go put on clothes.”

Athelstan blushed. “Per - yes. Erm. Thank you. Just in case your father gets the wrong idea.” He still worried about the man.

“He would not, it is not as if you knew I had showered. I will return!” Eli toddled off to her room, leaving Gardar to sit and look up at Athelstan, tongue lolling happily.

Athelstan was left with the dog, who he did like. He knelt and offered scratches to Gardar, and maybe even a kiss to the top of his head. The vallhund licked his face in reply.

When Eli returned, her damp hair was pulled back off of her neck and she was wearing a blue dress. Her feet were still bare, and she never wore makeup. “I’m still glad you and Gardar get along.”

“He’s a fine fellow.” Athelstan smiled. “And we both want the best for you.”

That made Eli tiptoe up to kiss him again. “Did I tell you? One of Logan’s other strays, I guess my ... pretty much sister? She wants to try to find a cure for me.”

“ ... Is that possible?” Athelstan blinked. He’d prayed over it, but he hadn’t imagined that God would hear his prayer so soon.

“I do not know.” Eli hoped so. She wasn’t religious, not by half, but she had prayed over it as well. “I hope so. She thinks if I can infect other people then perhaps I can be cured.”

“I don’t quite follow, I’m afraid. How does that prove anything?” He went to go sit down, the dog following them both.

“She thinks it may be like a disease.” Eli shrugged. “If it can be acquired, perhaps it can be discarded. It is too much to hope for. I am trying not to get them up.”

“Oh. I see.” Athelstan shook his head. “One can hope, of course, but I agree with you; best not to have them cruelly dashed.” He wrapped an arm around her. “You know how I feel about you, Eli, regardless of what happens in that regard.” He smiled a little bashfully, kissing her cheek. “I only hope you will feel the same way when my parents come for a visit around Christmas!”

“Will they?” Eli’s blue eyes lit up. She curled up closer to him, still happy. “That will please you. I hope they will approve of me.” She bit her lower lip and exhaled a breath she didn’t need to take. “I am just glad you still care.”

“Of course I do. Did I give you the impression I didn’t?” Athelstan’s face fell.

“No, not at all! I simply marvel about it every day. I speak to your Lord sometimes. I ... thank him for sending you to me.” She would’ve blushed if she still could have, but she did duck her head.

“I’m not exactly heaven sent.” Athelstan settled back, letting her curl up on him, Gardar on the other side. “I’m just a man.” A boy, really.

“We will have to agree to disagree,” she smiled. “Come, let us go to my room. I do not want Papa to sneak up on you and scare you.” She rolled her eyes.

“All right. Gardar,” he said, turning to address the vallhund, “you are welcome to join us.” The dog yipped, trotting behind his mistress.

Eli giggled. “He’s such a little ham for his mama.” She was all too excited to have Athelstan around; she was smiling more in that one day than she’d smiled in the week prior.

“He likes pleasing you, of course. And for some reason, it pleases you for him to be nice to me.” Athelstan held out a hand to the dog, who nosed at it. “He’s a good fellow, like I said. A stout friend.”

“Oh, he is his mama’s brave warrior. I think he would defend me if he had to.” She sat down on her bed, sprawling out and smiling at how Athelstan and Gardar were getting on. “My sweet boys.”

Athelstan chuckled. “Is he ever in your dreams, out of curiosity?” He had just randomly showed up at the pet store, after all.

“No. I wasn’t allowed any sort of creature comforts such as a pet,” she murmured. “I think it was why I wanted him so terribly when I saw him.”

“I’m glad your father allowed you to get him.” He sprawled out next to her, smiling. He was less nervous now about sharing the bed with her, especially fully clothed.

“Me too.” She curled up close to him, letting her head rest on his chest. “How have your studies been?”

“Good. Very good. Did I tell you about my prayer book?” Athelstan looked down at her, hoping he had. It was that important to him.

“You did.” She closed her eyes. “I told you to keep it.” She’d wanted him to read it; he’d appreciate it in a way that anthropologists and museum curators couldn’t.

“I had an expert come over and assess it, and she said it’s near priceless. It’s written with carbon ink, which is astonishingly rare. I find myself at a loss as to what to do.” Athelstan looked down at her.

“Give it up when you are ready. You are under no obligation to do so before then.” She looked up at him in return, smiling a little. “You have lovely eyes.”

“Thank you. And I am torn, in truth ... part of me never wants to give it up, and part of me wants to donate it to the British Museum tomorrow so I don’t have to live in fear of damaging it!” Athelstan chuckled, arm resting on her back.

“You could take a course on how to maintain it.” Eli moved quickly so he wouldn’t notice, but soon she was pressing a kiss to his lips.

He wasn’t about to object, in fact wrapping his free arm around her, hand on her back. “Perhaps.” That was a very good idea, really.

Kissing Athelstan always made Eli feel deliciously normal, and she curled up closer to him. “I am sure there are anthropologists or museum curators who can help you.”

“An acquaintance of mine came over to assess it, as I said. Perhaps she’ll know something.” Athelstan smiled, going for another kiss.

“I hope so,” Eli murmured. “Have I said that I missed you?” She pulled him closer, laughing at herself.

“I understood it.” Athelstan sighed. “I feel bad. I just get so confounded busy.” He loved his job and his studies, but still. “Perhaps we could, I don’t know, take a day trip somewhere. Go down to Catalina Island or go camping up in the National Forest.” Just him and her.

“I know you do. And I would like that very much. I know a friend who has a cabin in the forest, she says there is a room there that has no windows for me. We could stay for a weekend if you like.” Eli closed her eyes. She just wished that she were normal for him.

“What’s wrong?” He’d gotten to know her well enough to read the nuances in her tone, the shifts in her demeanor that weren’t necessarily obvious.

“I just wish you did not have to change your schedule so for me.” She looked up to gently run her fingers through his hair.

“Bah.” Athelstan didn’t frankly care. All his classes were offered at night, and he worked the afternoon shift, so what did it matter to him?

“You deserve someone wonderful and normal.” She kissed his neck gently.

“I have someone wonderful.” Athelstan shrugged.

“You say the sweetest things. I just ... worry. You will get older, and I will always look this way. If you stay with me, what will we do when you are fifty?” She sat up, knees to her chest.

“I will get an extremely improper reputation in our neighbourhood?” Athelstan said, wanting her to laugh.

Eli did laugh. “You will not be embarrassed of me?”

“No.” Athelstan looked at her, face somewhat careworn, and he spoke softly. “Eli. The more you speak, the more I worry that you are trying to push me away. I won’t allow that, I’m sorry.”

“I do not want you to go away. That is the problem.” She sniffled a little and let her head rest on his chest once more. “I am ... you know I care for you.”

“Of course. And hopefully you know I love you just as much.” Athelstan sat up a bit, pulling her close.

Eli’s eyes went wide. “I - what?” She bit her lower lip, grinning. He’d never told her that before, and it made her light up from within. Few people had ever seen her smile so openly, so freely.

Athelstan hadn’t realized what he’d said, but when he did, he didn’t mind. Her smile was beautiful, and he kissed her forehead. “You heard me.”

“I did.” She closed her eyes, nuzzling closer to him. “Thank you for telling me.”

“It is self-evident.” Athelstan smiled. “Just ... you are so hard on yourself, my dear. Don’t be, please. You’re speaking very ill of someone I care about.”

She didn’t answer in words, instead choosing just to kiss him. It was a better way to answer everything he was talking about anyway.