Yeah?

Necklace thing is reciprocal and apparently doesn't go away. We're thinking of maybe asking the Dwarves to figure out a way for Annie to not die on me. Please don't stress about it too much, it was the right thing to try.

You okay?

Fine. Freaked out, but happy and talking with Annie and everything's okay. 

...okay. 

"Told her," she says aloud. 

"How'd she take it?"

"Stressed, but she'll be okay? She's probably thinking about whether to reverse it if somehow a way to do that manifested."

Nod.

"I would've wanted her to? I think if she asks I'll say I still want her to but just so I can reconsider with more information - like, if I could be in love with you without the preference-altering that'd make me happier, there'd be less of a nagging -"

"Yeah. ...I assume you wouldn't be without it though -"

"I'm pretty sure I'd put it back, definitely if I couldn't be without it. Right now it feels like I would be even without it because you are so evidently extraordinary that how could I fail to - well, I failed to notice it because I was crazy and grieving and in a state of total despair but once I'd noticed it how could I not care - but maybe that wouldn't stick either -

- we don't need to worry about it, anyway, it's probably not possible."

"- oh, since the love thing doesn't come off do you want the opacity back on -"

"...yeah, good idea. I wonder why the love doesn't come off."

"I guess it's more like how you kept your hand even when you didn't have the healing factor active any more -" Annie holds her hand out.

She takes it.

And Annie supplies opacity.

Annie is amazing. "Can we cuddle - I will still probably panic if you move but I really really want to -"

"I can hold still."

She lies down and holds still.

And she curls up next to her. Annie Annie Annie Annie - what's your full name -

Annabelline Merry Svane. The last name means 'swan'.

Annabelline Merry Swan. We are going to figure out how you can not die and then I am going to love you forever and ever.

I love you too.

How can I - if we'd met somewhere else, if the world didn't need saving and I hadn't killed so many people - how could I have done it right -

- where else?