[Altair was used to nightmares but last night was the worst he had ever experienced. All of his memories from Ryslig came crashing back in a seemingly unending torturous wave. Altair startled awake in a cold sweat, feeling disoriented and sick but he remembered everything. Every hellish trial he survived in that place but more importantly, the person that made all of it bearable. Peace. He barely registered Arrakis asking what was wrong as he ran out the door barefoot and wearing the same clothes he slept in. He headed straight to her room and frantically knocked on her door.]
Peace!
[His chest tightened into an anxious knot. What if he was too late again and she had disappeared just like before? The fist on her door trembled slightly as he waited for her to answer. Don't you dare take her away when he just remembered her!]
[Peace had been napping, but she heard the knock and groaned softly, tail thumping against the futon she slept in. She was still wearing her sleeping clothes, though and mumbled something as she got up.
It was Altair, which surprised her. Maybe something happened? Another set of time loops?
She yawned into her hand and answered the door, holding her robe shut to keep from shocking him.]
[Altair's eyes widened with relief. She was still here. He pulled her into a tight embrace without a word of warning. He didn't care how she was dressed. He needed to hold her, to remind himself she was real. Her hard skin now felt familiar and comforting.]
I remember everything. I'm so sorry I forgot you Peace.
[It was agonizing remembering how much she meant to him, only to remember how devastating it was to lose her and he hugged her tighter as a few tears ran down his cheek.]
I don't care if I have no idea how to do this. I love you and I want to be with you. So please don't leave me again.
[Peace relaxed and let her skin soften from its usual hardness. She pressed her face into his shoulder and held him as tightly as she could manage without hurting him. Humans were so much more delicate than he'd been as a troll.]
You remembered me!
[She pulled back and swallowed hard.]
I love you, too. But are you sure it's OK? I mean, I'm still not human... I have all these extra parts.
[Altair's chest tightened at that tragic response and he felt a rush of guilt. he should have tried harder to remember her.
It felt strange to be so fragile compared to before but he would get used to it. It was a small price to pay to be with Peace again. He could even live with being a shadow mage again. He hated to admit it, but he preferred being a troll and it was frustrating knowing he managed to temporarily escape his shackles as a shadow mage.
Altair felt a flicker of panic when Peace pulled away until Peace spoke. He knew what it was like to see yourself as a monster, even before ryslig and he looked at Peace with a soft reassuring smile before kissing one of her extra eyes.]
It doesn't matter what you look like. You're still Peace and you will always be beautiful to me. And I'm also not human. Not anymore.
Flatterer, [Peace laughs softly at the sensation and pulls him inside with her, closing her door.]
I believe you saying you're not human. You make a really cute cat, [she teases and kisses him gently.] I'm so glad you remembered me finally. I missed you so much.
[Guilty as charged and if it made Peace happy he would flatter her endlessly. Altair looked mortified when she brought up their meeting with the cat but he was quickly distracted by her kiss. He closed his eyes with a soft sigh. He missed this. He missed her and he smiled at her adoringly as he ran his hand through her beautiful red hair.]
I missed you too, which is the only reason you are getting away with bringing up that cat now.
[He could feel guilty about how he acted that day later but right now, he just wanted her and he kissed her back hungrily.]
[Peace gasped against the sudden, deeper kiss and wound her arms around his neck, pulling Altair towards her futon. She broke the kiss and panted,] Stay with me tonight, Altair. Don't go back to your room yet.
[Altair let Peace lead him over to the futon and when she broke the kiss, he rested his forehead against hers with a happy chuckle. Being with her again felt like a dream and he never wanted to wake up.]
I wasn't planning on leaving. You're stuck with me this time.
I will never, never complain about that, [she murmured. It didn't feel real. Not only did he remember, he didn't care she wasn't human anymore. Her tail swished back and forth, delighted.
Peace pulled him down into the futon and kissed him again.]
[Those words made him ridiculously happy. He really shouldn't be surprised after how many times Peace guided him out of his dark shadow but his earlier memories were just as strong and his ryslig ones. It was strange and frustrating having his old self still lingering in his mind when he worked so hard to try to move past his distrusting nature.
His blissful smile fell when she asked about ryslig and he leaned his head against her shoulder with a heavy sigh.]
Does it matter? You're here. That is all I care about right now.
[He didn't want to think about that place. Remembering everything was just as jarring as the last time when he gained back his real memories after being stuck in that fake reality and the last few months in ryslig had been particularly hard on him. He knew he couldn't ignore forever. That would just hurt Peace but he didn't want to deal with it right now. Let him be happy without it being tainted with everything else for a little while.]
[Peace's claws in his hair felt nice and Altair closed his eyes with a content hum as her soothing touch chased away the terrible memories from that hellish place.]
We did.
[He hesitantly opened his eyes and his eyes narrowed as he looked down at his shadow. One prison anyway. But for now that was enough. He didn't want to think about how uncertain everything felt on this new world as he waited for it's darker secrets to be revealed, or how he left friends behind on two worlds now. He found Peace again and everything else could wait for once. He lifted his head off of Peace's shoulder so he could see her face and his uncertain smile grower brighter as he caressed her cheek.]
I'm glad you did, too. It was terrible confessing to you and then just... not being there. I was so upset when I remembered. You were the first person who was important to me that way... but I guess now I have the chance to explore that. We have the chance.
[She put her hand over his, rubbing her nose against his.]
[Altair's chest tightened when he thought about how devastated he was when she left. He hated himself for letting his fear ruin his chance with Peace. But she was here now and he felt a flicker of hope at her words. For whatever reason, fate had given him another chance and he wasn't going to make that same mistake again. He chuckled happily as their noses touched.]
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Peace!
[His chest tightened into an anxious knot. What if he was too late again and she had disappeared just like before? The fist on her door trembled slightly as he waited for her to answer. Don't you dare take her away when he just remembered her!]
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It was Altair, which surprised her. Maybe something happened? Another set of time loops?
She yawned into her hand and answered the door, holding her robe shut to keep from shocking him.]
Hey, Altair, what's the matter? Something happen?
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I remember everything. I'm so sorry I forgot you Peace.
[It was agonizing remembering how much she meant to him, only to remember how devastating it was to lose her and he hugged her tighter as a few tears ran down his cheek.]
I don't care if I have no idea how to do this. I love you and I want to be with you. So please don't leave me again.
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You remembered me!
[She pulled back and swallowed hard.]
I love you, too. But are you sure it's OK? I mean, I'm still not human... I have all these extra parts.
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It felt strange to be so fragile compared to before but he would get used to it. It was a small price to pay to be with Peace again. He could even live with being a shadow mage again. He hated to admit it, but he preferred being a troll and it was frustrating knowing he managed to temporarily escape his shackles as a shadow mage.
Altair felt a flicker of panic when Peace pulled away until Peace spoke. He knew what it was like to see yourself as a monster, even before ryslig and he looked at Peace with a soft reassuring smile before kissing one of her extra eyes.]
It doesn't matter what you look like. You're still Peace and you will always be beautiful to me. And I'm also not human. Not anymore.
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I believe you saying you're not human. You make a really cute cat, [she teases and kisses him gently.] I'm so glad you remembered me finally. I missed you so much.
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I missed you too, which is the only reason you are getting away with bringing up that cat now.
[He could feel guilty about how he acted that day later but right now, he just wanted her and he kissed her back hungrily.]
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I wasn't planning on leaving. You're stuck with me this time.
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Peace pulled him down into the futon and kissed him again.]
What happened? When I left?
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His blissful smile fell when she asked about ryslig and he leaned his head against her shoulder with a heavy sigh.]
Does it matter? You're here. That is all I care about right now.
[He didn't want to think about that place. Remembering everything was just as jarring as the last time when he gained back his real memories after being stuck in that fake reality and the last few months in ryslig had been particularly hard on him. He knew he couldn't ignore forever. That would just hurt Peace but he didn't want to deal with it right now. Let him be happy without it being tainted with everything else for a little while.]
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[The Peninsula had been a nightmare, living and dying, and Peace was glad to be away from it. Her claws were gentle as she ran them through his hair.]
Best not to think of it when we have each other.
[She pressed her lips to the top of his head, and let herself relax.]
I'm so happy, Altair. We escaped.
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We did.
[He hesitantly opened his eyes and his eyes narrowed as he looked down at his shadow. One prison anyway. But for now that was enough. He didn't want to think about how uncertain everything felt on this new world as he waited for it's darker secrets to be revealed, or how he left friends behind on two worlds now. He found Peace again and everything else could wait for once. He lifted his head off of Peace's shoulder so he could see her face and his uncertain smile grower brighter as he caressed her cheek.]
I'm so glad I found you again Peace.
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[She put her hand over his, rubbing her nose against his.]
I'm going to take up all your time, you know.
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Such a terrible fate.