[...] "Alice, don't force yourself to try and remember anymore." He finally spoke up, urgency in his tone. It was not a command, though he wished she would follow it for her own sake. He knew she meant well, but it was not worth it to him to see her in pain like this. No memory, good or bad was. "The past is where it will stay. It is not going anywhere. Don't hurt yourself to find it." Lupin finally let go of her hand as she looked down. The scene made him feel uneasy, and all he could try to do was help. Carefully, to avoid the plates of food, he moved to reached across the table, cupping her cheeks as his thumbs moved to try and gently massage her temples. Lupin lifted her gaze to him, trying to catch her gaze. "Hey. Why are you apologizing? There is no need for this. Not at all. You do not have to explain yourself to me." He explains. While he had been so happy to think she remember even a bit of their past, he would rather a lifetime of new memories over a constant pain over the past. "Alice, you are you even without your memories. And, I am happy to have you, in this space. As my friend." Or whatever this was. "Would you like to take the food to go? Maybe some cold air can fix your headache."
For a few seconds, Alice’s senses went numb. There was a tide of pain that crashed down on her head and, though not lasting for long, blocked all the sounds that tried reaching her, including Lupin’s voice.
The headache rushed in like a warning, telling her to stop searching into the void of her memory before worse things happened. Despite her delicate physique, Alice had always had the stubbornness that could tackle Mount Everest. While this pain was the most severe one she felt since her memory loss, its intensity was far from scaring away her determination to seek the truth of what had happened. But for now, for the sake of the beautiful night they were having, she temporarily abandoned the memory-retrieving task.
Lupin’s warm hands on her cheeks and his pleasant touch on her throbbing temples did help to chase away the pain, his voice came back to her senses like guidance. She followed his hands to lift her head, and finally opened her eyes to see his concerned yet still so gentle face.
“Thank you so much, Lupin,” she replied, her words were simple, but she hoped her soft smile and gaze would help to express her deep appreciation for him. As if afraid that even those might not be enough, she held his hands and gave them a gentle squeeze.
Alice did not want to get them into a serious discussion, at least not when they were in public, Lupin was still concerned, and she was still waiting for the headache to completely subside. For now, she only wished to say it as a statement. “I may not need to get my memory back, but I do feel like there’s something more about this.”
His saying about being happy to have her close as a friend made Alice think, just some fleeting queries, but she knew that they would get back to her from time to time until she found a satisfactory answer for all of them.
Is it normal for friends to do all of what they have done together? Is it how Lupin would treat all his friends as well? Will she be happy to be just his friend?
There may be a couple more questions, but Alice’s tired mind failed to catch. For now, she did want to get some fresh air, and probably stay in Lupin’s gentleness for a little longer, as long as he would like to have her around him tonight. Smiling a bit more brightly at Lupin, she confirmed, her voice got back to its light tone to ease his worry.
“I’m feeling much better now, but yes, let’s take the food home.” Alice then added, a bit shyly, but she still spoke out so that Lupin understood clearly what she was expecting them to do. “And…I know you may think it is so sudden, but if you don’t mind, could we spend the night at your place? We can try talking about what has just happened, or about whatever you may interested in. I just…don’t want to be alone tonight.”
Lupin did not quite know what to do with this situation. There was a sense of powerlessness with her pain and the inability to help her regain her memories. He had hoped that he could have helped her at least unlock one memory, but now, that wish was long disappeared.
"No need for thanks." He stated, offering her a weak smile. In some sense, he felt a ping of guilt. For all Lupin could tell, this happened after he had ended their relationship. He should had fought harder to find her, not expecting that she had just no longer wanted to see him and ran away instead. But, at this point, he could only be good to her from now on to make up for this.
Nodding his head, he looked over her visage. "After what has happened tonight.. Makes me wonder if the monster I fought was a diversion to get to you." He pondered, though he did not know if he was truly heling this situation. "Anything has seemed possible since I fought out that I have a godly father." Did he care if she got her memories? Yes and no. They could always make new memories, but he hated the confusion she endured in situations that was not foreign to him. But, the core of who she was had never changed.
When she finally stated she felt a bit better, he did return to his side of the table. Lupin had raised his hand for the waiter's attention as he spoke, not thinking too much about their path forward. However, her request to stay at his place did garner a brow raise, even if he had no qualms with it. Smiling, he responded warmly. "You are always welcomed at my place. I had planned on working on a suit. We can always talk about this then. And, the beauty of my loft, there are plenty of clothes for you to choose from to sleep in."
The waiter finally arrived, and Lupin settled out the rest for her. Getting their food bagged to go and the bill settled, Lupin gathered together the bag of food before sliding out of the booth. Holding his hand out to her, he waited patiently for her. "Let's go home."



















