@amberly
Angel blinked. She suddenly stopped in her tracks. She looked back at Andrew for a moment. She sighed.
"I am not sure yet."

What was he trying to ask her? to tell her? She was beginning to wonder that.

Andrew found the words sticking in his throat. He cleared his throat and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Well, you're welcome to stay at the castle as long as you like. I'm not exactly sure if I'll stay around here myself. What with the villagers being unsure of me, and I miss being able to travel. I spent a lot of time abroad before.. Before I was cursed. I might go back to traveling. You could come do that too, if you wanted to, until you find something else you want to do." He swallowed again. "Do you want to be around me?"

@amberly
Angel blinked. She was silent for a time. She didn't know what to say. She looked away, thinking. The moments passed. Soon enough, she took a deep breath. Then, she looked at him again.

"Well...."
She paused for a brief moment.
"You are....not that bad to be around."

She turned away again in case she started to blush.

Andrew reminded himself in the waiting that relationships and cooking were not strengths she has developed. Buy the disappointment still hit him harder than expected. Maybe that was a good answer from her. Buy he wished it was more positive.

"Well, thanks. I hope. I'm heading up to the castle, check on things." He took a few steps and turned around. "Angel you are brave and one of the most determined people in the entirety of the world. You saved my life, on so many occasions, and so entirely. I just want to tell you thank you. Wherever I go from here, the rest of my life, is thanks to you. And I genuinely hope that your life goes well. That you overcome every hindrance and find a way to live that helps others and you. And I hope even as you struggle that you find peace. Because- I'm so glad you're in my life, and come or go I know I'll never forget you."

@amberly
Angel blinked. She looked like she was about to fight a blush. Anyway, she took a deep breath. She nodded once. She paused as he continued with what he was saying. She fought blushing more and more.

Anyway, she was not sure what to say, at least at first. She took a deep breath.
"I...may stick around....at least for a while."

She found herself biting her lip for a moment.

"Good." Andrew held his hand out to her so they could hold hands and walk back to his castle. He hoped her actions would be more definitive than her words.

Neither of them had made any plans yet. But the possibility of having Angel around was worth pursuing.

@amberly
Angel blinked. She took a breath. She allowed him to hold her hand. She did not stop him from doing that. She simply nodded at his one word response and said nothing. She simply walked next to him after that.

Andrew didn't let go of her hand until they were back at the castle and he was trying the front door, which had been left locked. They went around to the kitchen door instead. The dishes were still on the table, towels piled on the counter. Just as they had left them. Andrew turned at the door and whistled. Where was the dog? The was no response. "Hopefully he found food somewhere." Andrew mentioned quietly before coming inside and straightening up. He filled buckets with water and started a fire. When the water was hot he delivered hot water and towels to each of their bedrooms.

"Anything we can get you for your leg? I'm planning to get cleaned up and sleep in a real bed for a bit. I'll make dinner when I wake up. Call if you need anything, otherwise I'll see you later."

@amberly
Angel followed him. She blinked. She sighed a couple of times. She simply nodded when he spoke. She took a breath. She simply sat down somewhere and watched as he went to bed. She sighed again. she blinked when she thought that she saw a dog enter the room. She raised an eyebrow.

Andrew enjoyed warm water for the first time in ages. Warm water to wash with. Then he lay in his bed thinking happily that Angel was here, would be here when he woke up. He slept very well, exhausted with all that had happened recently.

Hours later, when Andrew finally woke up the sun was getting low on the sky and his stomach grumbled. Andrew put on socks and enjoyed the knowledge that it was too keep his human feet warm on cold stone, not because he had to make sure his foot didn't bump angel's under the table.

He emerged from his room whistling a tune and looking around for Angel as he made his way to the kitchen.

@amberly
Angel had been content to just stare out the window the entire time. The dog remained nearby. Angel barely looked at the dog either way. She sighed a bit. She was rather silent at the moment, simply thinking. She did not notice when Andrew entered the room.

"Something on your mind Angel?" Andrew asked.

Then noticing the dog he crouched down on the floor and held his hand out calling to him excitedly "Bruno, here you are! Come!" He hadn't gotten to pet the poor dog properly in years, he worried the dog wouldn't come.

Bruno came to the familiar voice, tentatively smelling Andrew's hand before the tail started wagging so hard his entire back end swung from side to side. Andrew pet his back and chin and scratched behind his ears "Good dog, yes. Good Bruno." Andrew stood up with a beaming smile and the dog stuck to him like glue so glad to have his human back.

@amberly
Angel blinked. She slowly turned her head and saw Andrew there. She had just simply shrugged when the dog went to him and he got excited and such. She almost sighed...almost. She started to turn her head away a bit. She fought a smile, and it was showing. That much was for certain. She tried to keep silent though.

"I'm going out to the garden to see if the weeds have totally taken over yet. Come out and help me carry tomatoes?" Andrew asked Angel. As excited as he was to see the dog, Andrew was more pleased to see the smile on Angel's face.

The garden was lovely, it has been his main project all year too get food for himself without being a monster. Weeds had posed an interesting problem. He didn't want to whither them so they litered the ground, but an especially tough weed could of course be shriveled instead of being left to take nutrients from other plants. He was going to have to take care of things the normal human way now, and he couldn't wait.

And he might even walk in the grass. It might bend and leave footprints, but it would survive his footfalls. He would walk barefoot in the grass. Or lay down and look at the clouds above him and not worry about a thing for a few minutes. Yes, he was ready to be outside in the sunlight for days. He hoped Angel would join him out there at least gathering ingredients for dinner. But she could come and go as she wished, she was no prisoner. Not even really a guest, someone he hoped would choose to live here. He'd marry her if she'd have him. But one step at a time.

Andrew jaded outside, hoping she'd follow.

@amberly
Angel blinked. Tomatoes? She had not picked vegetables since she and her parents stayed with her mothers' parents, her grandparents, all those years ago. They had a garden and a small farm. Sadly, the small farm and such had to be sold after they passed away, her grandparents that is, and she had not been wanting to go near any sort of thing ever since, not wanting anymore bad memories.

Anyway, she sighed and shrugged.
"...Very well."
She stood up. She waited for him to lead her to his garden on the grounds.