@umbragenesis has sent : “ i can look after myself, you know. but… i do appreciate you stepping in back there. you saved my life. “
It was true that Abraham himself, in spite of knowing better, was doubting Maria’s words, but it was also true that he was looking at her from the perspective of an old man that had heard these words far too many times not to believe them cursed.
“I only did what came naturally.” He simply replied. “I’d rather not loose you another time, if I can help it.”
she knows that the world has changed a lot from when she’d been... active. abraham has changed: from one of the only people like her, human and just a child, into someone that feels... more like a stranger, now. (it’s like waking up from a long, disorientating nap- the naps that make you wonder what day it is, what time it is- except this time, she’d slept well into the future.)
she has to catch herself, when she tries to talk to him like they did back then. when all he wanted to do was play, and when maria would come up with all of the games, and always be the seeker- it’s different now. it’s different now, she scolds herself internally, abraham’s been through a lot. he’s no longer the teenager she knew- he’s... 50? 60? the leader of the... g.u.n organization. (the organization that’d hurt her. that wanted to take shadow away. where is shadow? she hopes that he’s okay. she doesn’t know if she’d be able to handle the idea of him being gone. not now. she doesn’t- she doesn’t want-)
she brings her gaze up to his- maria robotnik with her sky blue eyes, as the girl who’d been stuck in time, who hadn’t aged a day. (abraham, age settling into his face, who had grown and changed.) how do you talk to the person you’d lost for good?
❝ ...i’m not going anywhere again. i promise, ❞ she says, and for a moment, she thinks to a fading light, the dirty, hot metal that was uncomfortable to be on, and- a small smile tug at the edges of her lips. ❝ as long as you don’t go anywhere, okay? i still think that you could’ve died, there. ❞