Playing House (Porter) - Alterations While U Wait

"The risk is the reward, my dear. A beautiful flower placed under glass will surely wither and die. Trust is a kind of abandon, a sort of informed recklessness."

She smiled.

"How can I feel like the ground is falling out from underneath me, yet that I have finally found a solid anchor?"

"Every astronaut praises his tether." He smiled.

She leaned her forehead into his chest for a few moments, then looked back up into his face, eyes sparkling.

"My love, will you show me the stars?"

"Anyone can see the stars. You, loveliest, shall touch them."

She was unable to speak. It was as if something was in the way of her words. Or she just didn't have them. Right there before his eyes, it was as if something healed within her. Something that had been broken and scarred over. She looked up at him with wonder.

Finally, after almost a full minute, she was able to speak. But it was a barest whisper.

"Why did you take so long to come into my life?"

Porter played absently with a lock of her hair.

"We met in the hospital, love. We both had to be wounded to get there. That is the only 'why' I can understand, and it is perhaps the simplest and least cruel conclusion. I've no wish to live in a cruel world, so the logic pleases me."

She reaches up to gently run her fingers along the side of his face.

"I've spent too many years living in a cruel world. It would be nice to finally be in a world that wasn't out to punish me for some crime I can't remember committing."

"We cannot control the world, my muse. But we can huddle together whilst the storm rages outside. That is enough."

"Do not take this the wrong way, but I will do everything in my power to make sure that no one can take us from one another. I do not think I could survive it if you were ripped from me."

"I think you are far stronger than you suspect. But let that never be tested. I'm not going anywhere, Raz0r."

She sighed, deeply.

"And I will never leave you. I promise. You're stuck with me now."

"Stuck?" He chuckled. "Gladly."

She smirked.

"You've only seen my good side."

"I don't believe in good sides and bad sides, Raz0r. Only whole people. Beautiful, complex, flawed, people."

"Then I hope you can love every facet of me. I can be a cruel and heartless creature if those I care for are threatened."

"Good." He said, matter-of-factly. "As well you should be."

She smiled.

"You truly don't mind? I won't be bouncy and blue. More cold and red. Probably with blood."

"Darling, why should that bother me? I'm the one with desiccated corpses in the front room, remember?"

She laughed.

"Good point."

She paused.

"Why do you have desiccated corpses in the front room? Not that it bothers me, but unanswered questions bug me."

"They keep me calm. Centered. A child of the forest is more comfortable around trees. I spent a long time in the catacombs."

She nods.

"Logical. I like it. Want me to try to come up with a way to keep them from rotting as quickly? Or is that smell part of the comfort?"

"My companions are fairly well-preserved as it stands. The odor is more must than stench. Rather like a library."

She nods.

"Well, the offer stands. They can only last so long. And I wouldn't want any unnecessary questions being asked."

"I am a cautious collector of such objets d'art." He smiled wanly. "Sometimes I am an artist."