#chastrid

[enkelimagnus]

Wife Goals™

[enkelimagnus]

I just want to read Charlie and Astrid having a small awkward conversation while remembering cute times spent together and making love.

[poisonous-sheep]

fanservice much?

[stardustastrid]

Honey, I'm home

Much Ado About Nothing

It had been a hard day. Every had seemed to go wrong all at once, and by the end of it, all Astrid wanted to do was crawl into bed and pull it in after herself. She went through the evening rituals almost mechanically. A sandwich sufficed for her supper and she lit a short stick of incense for the daily offering. Still, when she settled before the altar for her meditation, the tears welled up and try as she might, she couldn't get them to stop.

Footsteps in the living room. She hurriedly scrubbed her face on her sleeve as Charles knelt beside her, the book he'd been reading still in hand.

"My lady, have you wept all this while?" Shakespeare then. Trust Charles to know she'd balk if approached directly.

"Yea," she replied. "And I will weep awhile longer."

"I will not desire that."

"You have no reason. I do it freely." They sat in silence for a moment. At length, he took a handkerchief from his pocket and gently wiped the tears from her face.

"I do love nothing in the world so well as you." A slight smile. "Is not that strange?"

You've skipped a fair amount of lines, she thought, but responded to the cue just the same.

"As strange as the thing I know not. It were as possible for me to say I loved nothing so well as you, but believe me not! And yet I lie not. I confess nothing, nor I deny nothing. I am sorry for my cousin."

"Astrid, you don't have a cousin." His eyes were laughing softly.

"Are we breaking with the script then?"

He chuckled. "Come here, sweetheart." It was only a hug. No fancy telepathic calming techniques, just the circle of his arms and the warmth of his shoulder and his fingers gently combing through her hair as her sniffles died down. "It's going to be all right. Shhh..."

"Charles?"

"Hmm?"

"Did you mean what you said?"

"Do you think I was trying to distract you?"

"It's not fair to answer a question with another question."

"I confess nothing, nor I deny nothing."

"That's my line."

"So it is."

"Charles..." She felt his smile as his lips pressed against her forehead.

"Thou and I art too wise to woo peaceably. Yes, my Beatrice. I meant it."

"Why then, God forgive me."

"Back to the script, I see. Very well. What offence, sweet Beatrice?"

She shifted back a bit, dabbing away the last few tears. "You have stayed me in a happy hour. I was about to protest I loved you."

It wasn't often she managed to surprise him. This wasn't even close to one of those times.

"Then do it," he replied softly, tracing her mouth with his thumb. "With all thy heart."

"I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest," she whispered back. Then his lips were on hers and there were no more tears. Just happy endings.

[EDIT: Fixed to include the ending that got cut off. -.- BECAUSE IT'S FOR THE SHIPPERS.]

[stardustastrid]

[FUCKING CHASTRID NOW AND FOREVER I WANT HIM TO STAY WITH ASTRID FOREVER AND MAKE HER REALIZE SHE IS WORTH IT]

*loves on you like WHOA*

NGL, I can't help shipping them. They're so cute together. Charles has that sweet, down-to-earth charm, and he genuinely cares for her. I think if things were different, or if things somehow changed, they could be very happy together.