"They didn't tell me they were going in. Think Karl knew I'd try and talk him into waiting for you. But I felt it. And figured it was better to stay here than anything else."

Anders grips ey’re hand once. 

And doesn’t say anything else. 

Cia tucks emself tight against his side, trying to give some measure of comfort.

Anders drops his head onto eir's. 

The room is quiet for sometime, and then-

-Karl stirs. 

And Blaise does as well.

It's been a while, and Raeli is perched on one of the workbenches, watching intently.

Karl grins at Blaise. "That was incredible! We will definitely have to walk there again, your home is-"

He doesn't get the chance to say much else, before Anders throws himself around him, hugging Karl with everything he has. 

Blaise twitches a little and presses his lips tight together, trying not to spill this moment.

"How could you?" Anders says to Karl.

"Love, I was never in any danger, Blaise was-"

"Stop going where I can't follow!" Anders yells, suddenly. 

He goes limp after, as if the words drained him more than he expected.

"Anders..." Karl wants to apologise, wants to make it up, but the words aren't forming. 

"No- It's-" Blaise shakes his head rapidly. "It's- You don't- it's hard to- You both- lovelovelove."

"Anders, Anders, love...I would never, you know I wouldn't-" Karl murmurs into his hair, holding him tightly. 

Anders' broken sobs are all too loud in the quiet room.

"I think perhaps we should all head to bed," Raeli says quietly.

Karl lifts one hand, a gesture for them to go.

Cia's reluctant, but ey let's Ilska steer em out of the room after Raeli.

Blaise looks at them briefly, and then slips out of the room.

Once they're gone, Karl just holds Anders, stroking along his back. 

Anders' breathing evens out a little, stops sounding like he's choking on his own air. 

"I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for."