[He was a little surprised to get the invite, not that he isn’t still friends with everyone but things have been a little strained with Genie since his earlier self decided to show up and throw a wrench in everyone’s timeline, it’s not like they haven’t talked since then, they have and they’ve been fine, so being in a secluded forest, basically alone with each other was also going to be fine. Why wouldn’t it be?
For all his stress, the car ride actually was fun, it felt like being in college again, Dagny and Isaac spent half of the time ignoring each other in favor of staring into each others eyes or talking about their love(he didn’t really pay attention), something that was at times terrifying considering Dagny was driving(just because he couldn’t die didn’t mean the rest of them couldn’t, watch the road, not your husband!) but they made it there in one piece, the excitement palpable as they unpacked. The house was beautiful, the vibes were great, everything was going to be fine.
He knows there are scattered plans for the evening, dinner and smores and who knows what else but Sasha can’t help going down by the water as soon as he’s unpacked, sitting by the shore and staring out over the lake. He’s always felt comfortable outside, for a lot of his life he lived outdoors, there is something grounding about nature, about being able to just sit and breathe and not think about anything. Or at least try not to think about anything.]
[About the second she sees the lake, Imogene knows what she's doing as soon as she's done unpacking. Especially once she bugs her brothers enough to get a rough shape of a plan. There's nothing they need to do now, probably not until it's late enough to light a fire, which means there's nothing stopping her from getting in the water.
She's always loved swimming. Her time on the actual swim team only lasted about two years back in junior high before she ended up dropping it so she had room to try something else, but that's longer than anything else, honestly. She never stopped enjoying it, anyway, so she unpacks as quickly as she can convince herself to before changing into her bathing suit. She spends about sixty seconds looking to see if Isaac's come out yet before accepting that the two of them are probably going to disappear into their bedroom for a little while first, so she heads down on her own, just stopping long enough to grab a towel.
She didn't realize Sasha had come down this way already, and she hesitates for a second, hanging back. But -- they've talked since everything happened, that was fine. And it is nice to have him here. Their past relationship aside, he's still one of her best friends, she doesn't know how she'd have gotten through her college years without him there.
So it's fine. They can be normal.]
It's really nice out here, isn't it? [She's in a pretty good mood right now at least, so the happiness in her voice is mostly unforced, smiling at Sasha as she stops by the shore to kick off her shoes and find a place to leave her towel.]
[He can tell it’s Imogene just by the way that she walks up, something he tries not to think about too hard, smiling softly before she even speaks. He turns to her, already nodded, throwing a hand up over his eyes to shield them from the sun.] I was skeptical at first, I thought it’d be colder for April, but it is actually nice.
[They got lucky, although Dagny keeps saying confidently that he knew the weather would be fine, everyone is polite enough to indulge him, it’ll likely get cold once the sun goes down, but for now it’s pretty pleasant.] Did you know this is what they had planned or were you surprised? [A pause] I promise to continue telling D you were surprised either way.
[She laughs a little at the reassurance, shaking her head.] No, I just figured I'd leave them to it. I thought we'd take a day trip or something, I didn't expect this.
[She usually likes surprises, anyway, so it works out. Isaac always was the one inclined to bug people for hints about his gifts or where they were going, Imogene likes to wait. And she can get obsessive about planning if she knows where she's going, so sometimes it's nice to let things catch her off guard so she doesn't have a chance.]
Didn't know you were coming, either. [She sounds pleased about it, though, turning a little to keep an eye on him as she moves towards the water, shivering a little as she gets her feet in. It's not too cold, but enough to want to adjust rather than diving straight in.]
With those two? A day trip? That’s far too simple. [The tease is good natured, everyone in the group now has been subject to Dagny and Isaac’s love bombing, they like to spoil their friends and it shows but that doesn’t mean he’s not going to make fun of them for it, at least a little bit.
He watches her for another few moments before standing up and moving to dip his feet in too, exhaling a little breath as the water slides up over his ankles. He knows she sounded pleased but he still asks, just to be sure.] Is that alright? That I’m here? I probably should have asked before, but…[He gestures vaguely. Timelines, travels, he only just found out about this trip this morning though he’s sure other versions of him knew. It makes it difficult to ask for any sort of permission when he’s not even aware of what’s happening.]
[Despite the fact that he chose the location, the thought of the water still makes Dagny queasy, so while everyone else has been out enjoying the lake, he’s been inside, prepping dinner ingredients for Isaac and putting up decorations, every so often staring out the window and glaring at the water like it’s personally victimizing him.
He’s got a dance playlist on while he chops up some vegetables, putting them all into different bowls so that Isaac can easily grab them once he’s ready. There are some mixed drinks on the counter but no one has really gone crazy, especially considering they are in the water, Dagny put his foot down about some things, not wanting to give himself a panic attack while they are out, and a cake in the oven, which he swears he can make just fine, though the backup from the store is already in the fridge, just on the off chance he’s wrong.
He’s singing and dancing along to Walk the Moon so he doesn’t realize anyone has joined him until he turns around, startling slightly but recovering with a smile.] Back already?
[She's been pretty diligent about it while hanging around outside, and mostly bugging anyone else who does the same. (Well, she and Isaac are in a constant not-very-serious fight about whether it actually matters for him anymore, but he mostly gives in to her when the time actually comes. One thing to say about studying this stuff, some risks just stop seeming worth it if there's an easy way to counter them.
Also she feels a little bad that they've essentially abandoned him, at least for now. She doubts it's that big of a deal, she really doesn't think Isaac would have gone if Dagny actually minded much, but still.
She's still dripping a little, so she keeps her distance to avoid getting him wet, skirting around him to go grab a soda from the fridge.] How's the kitchen prep coming?
Right. I feel like there’s something important in there about water and sunscreen. [He nods like he understands, always being an active avoider of water, it’s never been something he’s had to be concerned about.
He watches her, setting down the knife and pepper he was cutting to lean back against the counter instead. He’s pretty sure she’s just in here because he is, but he’s not going to complain about the company, even if he’d rather she be out there doing what she wants instead of making sure he’s okay.]
Good, I think. Isaac has a few different recipes he wants to try so I’m trying to prep everything, that way when we are hungry there is less to do. [It’ll also be less work for Isaac when he decides to start cooking, less time spent in the kitchen instead of sitting around hanging out with everyone.]
And waiting so it doesn't wash off, yeah. [She doesn't really expect him to pay that much attention, it's not like it applies to him. She glances back over her shoulder as she pulls out a drink, holds up a can with a questioning look, seeing if he wants anything before she closes the fridge.
She'll come settle at the other side of the counter once she does, facing him as she leans against it.]
Well, don't let him make you do all the hard work, he should pull his weight too. [She grins at him, teasing lightly.]
[It's way too early in the morning to expect anyone else to be awake when Isaac starts to get a little restless. He'd turned in when everyone else did, mostly so he could cuddle up to his husband for a while, even gotten a couple of hours of sleep out of it. But as usual, his body doesn't need much more than that, and once he drifts awake in the middle of the night, he can't get back to sleep again, and eventually he gives in and slips out of bed.
He makes himself comfortable in the cabin's living room for a while, with a blanket and a book that he doesn't really spend a lot of time reading. Mostly he just relaxes back into the couch, listening to the quiet around them, adjusting to the sounds of the woods. He'd been a little worried it would make him nervous, but it's so different here than it was there, it doesn't really register. And it helps that he's not here alone. If he gets nervous, he just has to go find someone else.
It's still dark when he rolls off of the couch, but instead of going back to bed, he lets himself out the front door as quietly as he can manage. He steals Dagny's jacket on the way, wrapping himself up as he sits on the front steps, settling himself in to watch the sun come up.]
[He doesn’t even need to set an alarm to know when the sun is about to rise, maybe it’s from all the time spent sleeping on benches, waking up at first light, or maybe it’s just that he has a really sensitive internal clock but he always wakes up just before the sun comes up. Sometimes he heads back to bed, but today he can’t resist the urge to watch the sunrise, to see the reflection in the lake, to take in the beauty. (That’s one downside to being in the city, the sunrise just isn’t the same).
Grabbing a throw blanket off the couch on his way out, he gently steps outside, closing the door quietly behind him. He’s not entirely surprised to see that Isaac is already up, has probably been up for a while, as he walks up next to him, joining him on the steps with a small smile.] Hey, birthday boy. Good morning.
[It doesn't matter how long he was gone, Sasha's approach is still familiar enough that Isaac knows who it is as soon as he steps out. He doesn't bother to turn around, but he looks over to give him a grin when Sasha sits, light and easy.]
You're out early. [Not that he's surprised. It's far from the first time the two of them have been the only ones awake. Although it's a lot more pleasant now than it was when Isaac first came back.]
You know I’m a sucker for a sunrise. [He pulls the blanket tighter around himself, scooting a little closer to Isaac for the warmth of his body as well, next to the fire the night before it wasn’t so bad, this morning the chill seems to be a bit more oppressive.]
I’m getting the strongest Deja vu, we just did this a few days ago in the when I’m coming from. [Except it was from Isaac’s house in the some semi distant future, and there was a baby on his hip. The early mornings come in handy once their kids start rolling in, as far as he’s been, Isaac never really gets a normal sleep schedule going.] It’s kind of comforting when things repeat like this.
[Other than meals and the occasional ducking inside to hang out with her brother-in-law, Imogene spends a lot of time in the lake. Their first full day, she's pretty much out there the entire time, past when the others have started heading in, and it's not until the sun has started setting that she finally pulls herself out.
It's getting chilly, but instead of heading straight in she moves towards the fire pit, enjoying the outside a little too much to want to go in. She'll go change at some point probably, the t-shirt she pulled on as a coverup is already soaked through, but for now a fire sounds like a much better way to warm up. So she just gets started on making a fire instead, figures people will probably wander out at some point once it gets dark.]
[Before it got too dark he decided to go for a walk, a bold move to do alone when he’s in an unfamiliar place but a risk he’s willing to take. The time to clear his head much needed after a full day with his best friends. He’s happy out here, always happy with them, but he can’t help feeling a twinge of regret, constantly wondering how life would have been if he lived it in a linear way, if him and Genie got more time to just be together before things like soulmates and families and kids got in the way, even if she doesn’t know them yet, it’s hard to just ignore the future that’s creeping up on them, always just around the corner.
It’s like he’s conjured her with his thoughts, the sight of her by the fireplace visible just beyond the trees as he makes his way back. He doesn’t think he’ll ever stop loving her, after all he’s seen, all he’s lived, he still hasn’t managed it yet. His love for her living in his heart alongside his love for his family, for Lyn, always just below the surface.
He clears his throat gently as he exits the tree line, trying to let her know he’s there without scaring her.] You the first one out here?
[She glances up when she hears him, grateful that he tries not to startle her.] Haven't gone inside yet.
[She smiles at him, looks away after a moment, not letting herself watch too long. It's still a little strange to be alone together. It's bittersweet being here together at all -- for all that her emotions still haven't settled since their last encounter when he was younger, that they never have at all if she's honest, it's good to see him. To have fun together. She feels so much lighter than usual, just having been with these people for the last couple of days.]
I thought I'd get the fire started. [She waves the crumpled paper ball she's holding like it's illustrative, still building it up.]
Good plan, I can already feel the chill creeping in.
[But he also always borders on just a bit too cold, probably a mental thing, residual effects of more than a few nights without heat growing up and all the times spent sleeping on a park bench, with only his jacket to warm him.
It’s hard to be too concerned about all that right now though, not when he’s had such a good day, and they still have more ahead of them.]
[Sunday is not actually the twins' birthday. But it is the last full day they'll have there together. Wrangling Monday off was pushing it already; Gene's flight leaves late Monday evening, giving them most but not all of their birthday together.
But it's Sunday afternoon that Imogene's phone rings anyway, cutting through the conversation in the cabin's living room. The twins have been attached at the hip most of the day, the looming deadline of separation starting to feel closer, but as soon as Imogene checks her phone screen she's jumping to her feet, gesturing for everyone to stay and promising she won't be long.
She doesn't answer until she's most of the way out on the porch, but it's still possible to hear her quiet, "Hey, Dad," before the door shuts behind her -- and Isaac's face falls, goes sad and wistful.
It was a mutual agreement not to explain to their parents when he first came back, both of them unsure how to explain and everyone too busy trying to keep themselves on even keel to figure it out. And then Isaac started avoiding the topic every time it came up, and he still hasn't stopped avoiding it. Even now he schools himself after a few moments, expression blank as he reaches for his half-empty drink mostly just to do something with his hands, quieter than he was a minute ago.]
[Dagny was already standing up to take the place Imogene vacated, they had been sitting across from each other, Dagny wanting to give the twins some time since he’d basically stolen Isaac for most of the trip, but he wasn’t about to let him be lonely once she left(he always tended to get a little more clingy around this time of year) but when they heard who it was on the other end of the call, Sasha got up and settled next to Isaac too, taking up his other side. It was a smaller couch, really only sat two people, but the three of them squished together on it, Dagny and Sasha both bracketing Isaac on either side.
Sasha had trouble with this kind of stuff, knowing what to say. He imagined his older versions were probably better at it, but even Dagny seemed to be fighting for what might make this better, so instead, Sasha changed the subject, trying to go back to what they’d been talking about before.
”Maybe this summer we can do a theme park like Genie mentioned. It’ll probably be the first time she has another break.”
Dagny puts an arm around Isaac, cuddling in close to him and kissing him on the temple while he listens to Sasha’s statement, only partially listening, the other part of him very heavily focused on Isaac.]
I’m sure we could try to surprise her and visit before then. Maybe Memorial Day or something.
[To be fair, despite being attached to his sister on and off, Isaac hasn't complained yet about Dagny taking up his time. (Does he ever?) And as much as he's doing his best to ignore his own momentary lapse, he's not complaining now either, leaning immediately into his side, head against his chest when he cuddles closer. It makes it easier to squish together, and it's not like he ever doesn't want him close.
He's a little more surprised when Sasha comes around, but he doesn't mind, either, a knee knocking against his gently as he answers, voice carefully even.] Might be better to check instead of planning to surprise her. Just to be sure. But we could try to take a trip out.
[She usually comes back to them, mostly because she wants to come to them instead, he hasn't actually seen her place by school except on video calls.]
[It’s all very natural, the way that he cuddles Isaac close, arm around him, hand going into his hair, his other hand holding loosely to his arm, around where Isaac’s mark is, he’s traced it so often that he can almost find it without looking.]
Might be nice to see her place for a change. Maybe we could even visit her school.
[At Dagny’s suggestion, Sasha offers a small. ”Some of us have seen her place. But I wouldn’t mind going again.”
Pretty much everyone in the room is aware of Sasha’s visit and none of them were very surprised. Concerned, when they realized he didn’t have his phone and was out of contact for over 24 hours, but definitely not shocked by where he went. Honestly, Dagny is only surprised he hasn’t gone back, those two are nearly as attached as him and Isaac, but maybe this version of Sasha doesn’t come around as often.]
[As far as it goes with facing your fears, Dagny figured he was doing pretty well. And even though he stayed inside most of the time while they were swimming, he was still able to go out after nightfall and enjoy the bonfires, which he felt was progress. It wasn't like the lake was going to jump up and grab him, he could be normal about it.
It got to the point where he was starting to act so confident about being able to handle the water, that Sasha rented them a boat. A small little thing, barely even a boat, just to take out sailing for a little bit and enjoy the day. Dagny took one look at that thing and decided that he definitely wasn't ready to face his fear that much. Everyone said they could stay back with him, but he didn't want to ruin the fun, so he just told them he'd prep lunch and make sure it was prepared for when they got home.
But after about ten minutes of prepping all he could think about was what if something happened to everyone while they were on the boat, and how maybe he should have just gone on it anyway because it was probably worse if they got hurt and he wasn't there to protect them and it was just water anyway, it's not like it was going to attack, and -- prepping turned into pacing, which turned into worrying and wondering and thinking that maybe he was wrong to even plan this trip in the first place.]
[Honestly, Isaac feels bad enough about abandoning his husband half the time already. If it was anyone else they were here with, he probably would've just spent this trip inside with him, and not minded all that much to begin with. The lake's nice, being outside is actually a lot more soothing than he expected it to be, but Dagny's a priority over almost everything else.
It's just that his sister is kind of the exception that rule. (He loves Sasha dearly, he's Isaac's best friend outside the two of them, but if he had to choose -- there's really no competition.) So he's been splitting his time instead, which is easy enough to do when they're not swimming very far out in the first place and he can find an excuse to duck inside for a while whenever he feels like it's been too long. Not so easy to do when they take off for the day. He's already a little hesitant as soon as Dagny turns it down, and by the time they're actually heading out, his mind's pretty much made up. The two of them will be fine out there alone, anyway.
He hovers for long enough to see them off -- partly just to make sure things start out smooth, partly so that there's no longer the option to turn around and join them even if Dagny tries to convince him to go. It's not very long, maybe twenty, thirty minutes altogether before he turns around to head back up the short path to the house, letting himself in the front door and calling out just so it's less of a surprise.] Hey, are you still in the kitchen?
[Enough time has gone by since they left that Dagny is able to work himself up enough that he's borderline panicking. He doesn't know what he was thinking, he should have gone. Who cares if he gets stuck under the water and just drowns forever? That is a better fate than never being able to see Isaac again. Or his sister. (Or Sasha) Why would he think it was worth staying behind? Now he'll never know. How long has it even been? They could be capsized already, and what if this is just what the rest of his life will look like, pacing in the kitchen of a rented cabin just waiting for his family to return.
He's so caught up in the spiral that he almost doesn't hear it when Isaac comes back, only catching the tail end of his sentence. His breath catches slightly as his whole body goes rigid, freezing so that he can better hear if someone is actually here or if he is just hallucinating. He stares at the entryway to the kitchen, waiting, and ventures to let out a shaky,] Hello, are you guys back?
[He hesitates halfway to the kitchen when he doesn't get any answer, footsteps pausing as he glances back towards the bedrooms, wondering if maybe Dagny went to take a nap or something. It's a little bit of a relief when he hears him respond; it'd be more of one if it wasn't for the tone of his voice.]
Just me. [His steps quicken, heading straight for the kitchen, only pausing once he gets there, leaning a little against the doorjamb as he takes in Dagny's state.] It's hot out. I thought I'd stay in.
[It's not a very convincing lie, especially given the way Isaac's wearing his worry on his face, but then again, he's not trying very hard, either. He really doesn't care if Dagny knows he stayed back for him, figures he'd guess as much anyway.]
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For all his stress, the car ride actually was fun, it felt like being in college again, Dagny and Isaac spent half of the time ignoring each other in favor of staring into each others eyes or talking about their love(he didn’t really pay attention), something that was at times terrifying considering Dagny was driving(just because he couldn’t die didn’t mean the rest of them couldn’t, watch the road, not your husband!) but they made it there in one piece, the excitement palpable as they unpacked. The house was beautiful, the vibes were great, everything was going to be fine.
He knows there are scattered plans for the evening, dinner and smores and who knows what else but Sasha can’t help going down by the water as soon as he’s unpacked, sitting by the shore and staring out over the lake. He’s always felt comfortable outside, for a lot of his life he lived outdoors, there is something grounding about nature, about being able to just sit and breathe and not think about anything. Or at least try not to think about anything.]
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She's always loved swimming. Her time on the actual swim team only lasted about two years back in junior high before she ended up dropping it so she had room to try something else, but that's longer than anything else, honestly. She never stopped enjoying it, anyway, so she unpacks as quickly as she can convince herself to before changing into her bathing suit. She spends about sixty seconds looking to see if Isaac's come out yet before accepting that the two of them are probably going to disappear into their bedroom for a little while first, so she heads down on her own, just stopping long enough to grab a towel.
She didn't realize Sasha had come down this way already, and she hesitates for a second, hanging back. But -- they've talked since everything happened, that was fine. And it is nice to have him here. Their past relationship aside, he's still one of her best friends, she doesn't know how she'd have gotten through her college years without him there.
So it's fine. They can be normal.]
It's really nice out here, isn't it? [She's in a pretty good mood right now at least, so the happiness in her voice is mostly unforced, smiling at Sasha as she stops by the shore to kick off her shoes and find a place to leave her towel.]
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[They got lucky, although Dagny keeps saying confidently that he knew the weather would be fine, everyone is polite enough to indulge him, it’ll likely get cold once the sun goes down, but for now it’s pretty pleasant.] Did you know this is what they had planned or were you surprised? [A pause] I promise to continue telling D you were surprised either way.
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[She usually likes surprises, anyway, so it works out. Isaac always was the one inclined to bug people for hints about his gifts or where they were going, Imogene likes to wait. And she can get obsessive about planning if she knows where she's going, so sometimes it's nice to let things catch her off guard so she doesn't have a chance.]
Didn't know you were coming, either. [She sounds pleased about it, though, turning a little to keep an eye on him as she moves towards the water, shivering a little as she gets her feet in. It's not too cold, but enough to want to adjust rather than diving straight in.]
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He watches her for another few moments before standing up and moving to dip his feet in too, exhaling a little breath as the water slides up over his ankles. He knows she sounded pleased but he still asks, just to be sure.] Is that alright? That I’m here? I probably should have asked before, but…[He gestures vaguely. Timelines, travels, he only just found out about this trip this morning though he’s sure other versions of him knew. It makes it difficult to ask for any sort of permission when he’s not even aware of what’s happening.]
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He’s got a dance playlist on while he chops up some vegetables, putting them all into different bowls so that Isaac can easily grab them once he’s ready. There are some mixed drinks on the counter but no one has really gone crazy, especially considering they are in the water, Dagny put his foot down about some things, not wanting to give himself a panic attack while they are out, and a cake in the oven, which he swears he can make just fine, though the backup from the store is already in the fridge, just on the off chance he’s wrong.
He’s singing and dancing along to Walk the Moon so he doesn’t realize anyone has joined him until he turns around, startling slightly but recovering with a smile.] Back already?
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[She's been pretty diligent about it while hanging around outside, and mostly bugging anyone else who does the same. (Well, she and Isaac are in a constant not-very-serious fight about whether it actually matters for him anymore, but he mostly gives in to her when the time actually comes. One thing to say about studying this stuff, some risks just stop seeming worth it if there's an easy way to counter them.
Also she feels a little bad that they've essentially abandoned him, at least for now. She doubts it's that big of a deal, she really doesn't think Isaac would have gone if Dagny actually minded much, but still.
She's still dripping a little, so she keeps her distance to avoid getting him wet, skirting around him to go grab a soda from the fridge.] How's the kitchen prep coming?
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He watches her, setting down the knife and pepper he was cutting to lean back against the counter instead. He’s pretty sure she’s just in here because he is, but he’s not going to complain about the company, even if he’d rather she be out there doing what she wants instead of making sure he’s okay.]
Good, I think. Isaac has a few different recipes he wants to try so I’m trying to prep everything, that way when we are hungry there is less to do. [It’ll also be less work for Isaac when he decides to start cooking, less time spent in the kitchen instead of sitting around hanging out with everyone.]
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She'll come settle at the other side of the counter once she does, facing him as she leans against it.]
Well, don't let him make you do all the hard work, he should pull his weight too. [She grins at him, teasing lightly.]
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He makes himself comfortable in the cabin's living room for a while, with a blanket and a book that he doesn't really spend a lot of time reading. Mostly he just relaxes back into the couch, listening to the quiet around them, adjusting to the sounds of the woods. He'd been a little worried it would make him nervous, but it's so different here than it was there, it doesn't really register. And it helps that he's not here alone. If he gets nervous, he just has to go find someone else.
It's still dark when he rolls off of the couch, but instead of going back to bed, he lets himself out the front door as quietly as he can manage. He steals Dagny's jacket on the way, wrapping himself up as he sits on the front steps, settling himself in to watch the sun come up.]
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Grabbing a throw blanket off the couch on his way out, he gently steps outside, closing the door quietly behind him. He’s not entirely surprised to see that Isaac is already up, has probably been up for a while, as he walks up next to him, joining him on the steps with a small smile.] Hey, birthday boy. Good morning.
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You're out early. [Not that he's surprised. It's far from the first time the two of them have been the only ones awake. Although it's a lot more pleasant now than it was when Isaac first came back.]
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I’m getting the strongest Deja vu, we just did this a few days ago in the when I’m coming from. [Except it was from Isaac’s house in the some semi distant future, and there was a baby on his hip. The early mornings come in handy once their kids start rolling in, as far as he’s been, Isaac never really gets a normal sleep schedule going.] It’s kind of comforting when things repeat like this.
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It's getting chilly, but instead of heading straight in she moves towards the fire pit, enjoying the outside a little too much to want to go in. She'll go change at some point probably, the t-shirt she pulled on as a coverup is already soaked through, but for now a fire sounds like a much better way to warm up. So she just gets started on making a fire instead, figures people will probably wander out at some point once it gets dark.]
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It’s like he’s conjured her with his thoughts, the sight of her by the fireplace visible just beyond the trees as he makes his way back. He doesn’t think he’ll ever stop loving her, after all he’s seen, all he’s lived, he still hasn’t managed it yet. His love for her living in his heart alongside his love for his family, for Lyn, always just below the surface.
He clears his throat gently as he exits the tree line, trying to let her know he’s there without scaring her.] You the first one out here?
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[She smiles at him, looks away after a moment, not letting herself watch too long. It's still a little strange to be alone together. It's bittersweet being here together at all -- for all that her emotions still haven't settled since their last encounter when he was younger, that they never have at all if she's honest, it's good to see him. To have fun together. She feels so much lighter than usual, just having been with these people for the last couple of days.]
I thought I'd get the fire started. [She waves the crumpled paper ball she's holding like it's illustrative, still building it up.]
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[But he also always borders on just a bit too cold, probably a mental thing, residual effects of more than a few nights without heat growing up and all the times spent sleeping on a park bench, with only his jacket to warm him.
It’s hard to be too concerned about all that right now though, not when he’s had such a good day, and they still have more ahead of them.]
Need a hand?
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throwing in some angst just because I can.
But it's Sunday afternoon that Imogene's phone rings anyway, cutting through the conversation in the cabin's living room. The twins have been attached at the hip most of the day, the looming deadline of separation starting to feel closer, but as soon as Imogene checks her phone screen she's jumping to her feet, gesturing for everyone to stay and promising she won't be long.
She doesn't answer until she's most of the way out on the porch, but it's still possible to hear her quiet, "Hey, Dad," before the door shuts behind her -- and Isaac's face falls, goes sad and wistful.
It was a mutual agreement not to explain to their parents when he first came back, both of them unsure how to explain and everyone too busy trying to keep themselves on even keel to figure it out. And then Isaac started avoiding the topic every time it came up, and he still hasn't stopped avoiding it. Even now he schools himself after a few moments, expression blank as he reaches for his half-empty drink mostly just to do something with his hands, quieter than he was a minute ago.]
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Sasha had trouble with this kind of stuff, knowing what to say. He imagined his older versions were probably better at it, but even Dagny seemed to be fighting for what might make this better, so instead, Sasha changed the subject, trying to go back to what they’d been talking about before.
”Maybe this summer we can do a theme park like Genie mentioned. It’ll probably be the first time she has another break.”
Dagny puts an arm around Isaac, cuddling in close to him and kissing him on the temple while he listens to Sasha’s statement, only partially listening, the other part of him very heavily focused on Isaac.]
I’m sure we could try to surprise her and visit before then. Maybe Memorial Day or something.
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He's a little more surprised when Sasha comes around, but he doesn't mind, either, a knee knocking against his gently as he answers, voice carefully even.] Might be better to check instead of planning to surprise her. Just to be sure. But we could try to take a trip out.
[She usually comes back to them, mostly because she wants to come to them instead, he hasn't actually seen her place by school except on video calls.]
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Might be nice to see her place for a change. Maybe we could even visit her school.
[At Dagny’s suggestion, Sasha offers a small. ”Some of us have seen her place. But I wouldn’t mind going again.”
Pretty much everyone in the room is aware of Sasha’s visit and none of them were very surprised. Concerned, when they realized he didn’t have his phone and was out of contact for over 24 hours, but definitely not shocked by where he went. Honestly, Dagny is only surprised he hasn’t gone back, those two are nearly as attached as him and Isaac, but maybe this version of Sasha doesn’t come around as often.]
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More Kinda Angst, Cause I want it
It got to the point where he was starting to act so confident about being able to handle the water, that Sasha rented them a boat. A small little thing, barely even a boat, just to take out sailing for a little bit and enjoy the day. Dagny took one look at that thing and decided that he definitely wasn't ready to face his fear that much. Everyone said they could stay back with him, but he didn't want to ruin the fun, so he just told them he'd prep lunch and make sure it was prepared for when they got home.
But after about ten minutes of prepping all he could think about was what if something happened to everyone while they were on the boat, and how maybe he should have just gone on it anyway because it was probably worse if they got hurt and he wasn't there to protect them and it was just water anyway, it's not like it was going to attack, and -- prepping turned into pacing, which turned into worrying and wondering and thinking that maybe he was wrong to even plan this trip in the first place.]
Always here for more angst :D
It's just that his sister is kind of the exception that rule. (He loves Sasha dearly, he's Isaac's best friend outside the two of them, but if he had to choose -- there's really no competition.) So he's been splitting his time instead, which is easy enough to do when they're not swimming very far out in the first place and he can find an excuse to duck inside for a while whenever he feels like it's been too long. Not so easy to do when they take off for the day. He's already a little hesitant as soon as Dagny turns it down, and by the time they're actually heading out, his mind's pretty much made up. The two of them will be fine out there alone, anyway.
He hovers for long enough to see them off -- partly just to make sure things start out smooth, partly so that there's no longer the option to turn around and join them even if Dagny tries to convince him to go. It's not very long, maybe twenty, thirty minutes altogether before he turns around to head back up the short path to the house, letting himself in the front door and calling out just so it's less of a surprise.] Hey, are you still in the kitchen?
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He's so caught up in the spiral that he almost doesn't hear it when Isaac comes back, only catching the tail end of his sentence. His breath catches slightly as his whole body goes rigid, freezing so that he can better hear if someone is actually here or if he is just hallucinating. He stares at the entryway to the kitchen, waiting, and ventures to let out a shaky,] Hello, are you guys back?
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Just me. [His steps quicken, heading straight for the kitchen, only pausing once he gets there, leaning a little against the doorjamb as he takes in Dagny's state.] It's hot out. I thought I'd stay in.
[It's not a very convincing lie, especially given the way Isaac's wearing his worry on his face, but then again, he's not trying very hard, either. He really doesn't care if Dagny knows he stayed back for him, figures he'd guess as much anyway.]
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