@madefate:
“Hey. I hope you don’t mind me getting you something,” Shiro says as he sits quietly down beside Krolia, a thin, carefully wrapped package in his hand. He offers it with all softness and affection, the smile at his lips much the same, and waits until she takes it from him before he explains.
“I’m sure you have access to pictures already, but the more I look through my old stuff, the more I find. And I figured it might be nice to have to have them all in one place."
It had been a – worried decision. Collecting the pictures of when they were growing up, primarily the ones of Keith, with some of the both of them in the mix, and putting them all in one tablet. Years documented that Krolia had not been present for. But they are years that Shiro still remembers fondly – still wants to share. ( still, despite wanting at all a fledgling thing that he continues to fuss over, not wanting to overstep his boundaries or cause more pain than joy. )
So – he compromises. By qualifying the present with, "I’ll understand if you don’t want to look through them. But if you do, I thought you might want to hear some of the stories that go along with them. – Merry Christmas, Krolia."
Krolia can’t help the smile tugging at her lips as she watches Shiro sit. I hope you don’t mind, as if she ever would. When will he stop worrying? She takes the package with a small nod for him to continue, curiosity mixing in with the amusement in her gaze that she hangs upon him as he talks.
And then… she finds that words would elude her even if she tried now. The idea of him going through all those memories, gathering them and putting them together for her… it should not be shocking, but it still touches a part of her she did not expect to be touched – especially because, as much as she’s kept track of Keith’s birthdays, Christmas is one Earthen holiday she hasn’t really been thinking of until it rolled around.
And, of course… there is the whole idea of this as a reminder, which seems to be what Shiro is worrying about. All those years that she wasn’t around for, when she should have been – sure, it’s a thorn, a little bit. But Shiro knows Krolia better than this now; she is not the kind of person to dwell on regrets. And even if she did, in what world would that mean she wouldn’t want to learn of everything she’s missed?
Without thinking twice, she puts the tablet down next to her, just to make sure it’s out of the way while she wraps her arms around Shiro and pulls him into a hug. “Thank you,” she says, and as much as she is an expert at hiding everything she thinks or feels, she is exceptionally careful right now to do the opposite, saturating her voice with her gratitude and love and happiness, to make sure Shiro can hear it. “I’d love to look at them together – and the stories, too. I definitely want them all.”
As she pulls away, she takes a moment to smooth some hair out of his face; she’s not sure why she loves it so much that she can do this, but she cherishes it, that much is for sure. “I have something for you, too, but – later.”