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It wasn’t all that surprising that Wolfgang preferred quiet places to be lost in thought, so different from the busy streets and establishments she was used to. There was hardly a choice for Kala, in fact; in a city like Mumbai, buzzing with people and scents and sounds, one had to get used to the roar of the crowd. “The memorial might not be the best choice,” she said gently. Although she would want to visit someday for its history, the heaviness of a great tragedy wouldn’t go well with the brighter mood for their day.

The nostalgic childhood memories shining in Wolfgang’s eyes seemed more appropriate. “Why the tiger?” She questioned, drawn to the softer parts of his past.

“...” Wolfgang didn’t smile, though the softness in her voice made the corners of his lips twitch. “She’d take me there after a fight with my father, and we’d always end up at the tiger cage. She liked to look at them. I didn’t understand why, back then.” He rubbed his thumb along the side of his coffee cup, lips pursing slightly. “One time, she asked me what I thought the tiger would do if she ever got out. I said---I don’t remember, something only a kid would think. Something about running away to the Tiergarten and eating rabbits.” He scoffed quietly, amused at the thought. 

“But when I asked her what she thought, she just looked back at the tiger... She said that she figured she’d wait a few hours, then go back to the cage.” He raised a brow and shook his head, remembering the set of his mother’s lips as she pondered their fate. “I realized, then, why she liked looking at them. It’s not happy, but visiting reminds me of her.” He dropped his eyes to his plate, features going a little softer. “You would’ve liked each other.”

o6. cinnamon sugar

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thefuturechanges‌:

Kala almost said that she was already “wherever she wanted”. She had pushed through convincing herself that she should be happy in her situation because of other people’s expectations for her, but since the moment she had decided that her own happiness mattered, she found her place. Nonetheless, that was too deep for a casual morning conversation while strolling through the grocery store. She smiled instead and nodded. “Yes, let’s do that.”

—

Getting to know a new city as a sensate was, as expected, an unique experience. She recognized the cafe as the one she had visited once, rain pouring down on them while the sun warmed her up at the temple’s roof. There was a sense of familiarity in the streets, but at the same time she was seeing new things and different people.

“What’s your favorite place to go to in Berlin?” She asked lightly, sipping her black tea - the closest to a traditional masala chai as it could get. The food was traditional for a German breakfast, however; bread rolls and honey.

Wolfgang licked his fingers thoughtfully at the question, lips quirking. The taste of honey and warm bread lingered on his tongue, warm and familiar like an old friend, and he’d found that he loved sharing this moment with Kala. He’d thought she might want to go somewhere to get heartier food, but as always, she’d been easy to agree, glad to eat something light for the moment. 

But really, he was almost sure she’d recognized the cafe he hesitated in front of and had wanted to sit there in the sunshine with him instead of the rain. She did so many things out of that sense of sentimentality that came so easy to her, and he loved her for it. 

“It depends,” he answered honestly. “On my mood. On nice days, sometimes I like to walk by the Spree to clear my head. When I want to get away from other people and think, the Holocaust memorial. Or I just stay home.” He hesitated, eyes falling to his coffee as he took a slow sip. It was still warm, washing the taste of honey from his tongue. “Sometimes...” A beat. “I go to the zoo, and sit in front of the tiger cage.” He raised his eyes to Kala, guarded but bright, almost translucent in the morning light. “My mother used to take me there when I was young.”

o6. cinnamon sugar

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thefuturechanges‌:

Kala tilted her head at the question, a hint of a pout showing on her lips. “That makes it painfully obvious what a terrible wife I was to Rajan,” she commented sadly. As happy as she was now, it didn’t change the fact that she had hardly upheld her sworn duties. “You’re right, I wasn’t cooking often. When you’re married but don’t have any kids and both people work full time, cooking isn’t a priority.” She shrugged, pushing her cart without much thought to where they were heading next.

“To be honest, I’ve never cared much about it.  I used to help at the restaurant sometimes, if they seriously needed it or for the joy of family bonding. I’m not a bad cook, but some people, like my father, have a true passion and gift for it. It’s their calling, I believe.” Her smile returned at that and she looked down approvingly at her cart. “I’m done here. Are we having breakfast back at home or stopping at a cafe?”

He hadn’t meant to call her a terrible wife, but Wolfgang didn’t protest. It wasn’t worth pushing the point. He’d only meant that he’d been surprised she hadn’t been pushed into more wifely things---though maybe that was just his impossible-to-avoid dislike for Rajan. But he wasn’t complaining. He gave her cart a cursory glance when she said she was done, and couldn’t help a bit of a smile---it was so much more colorful and well-stocked with food than the one in his hand that it was almost comical. 

“Wherever you want,” he said as he led them to checkout, shrugging as he began stacking their purchases on the conveyer belt. “It’s a nice day outside.” A little colder than it had been in Italy, but still nice. Honestly, he’d do whatever she wanted---and he could already sense that it was going to be a common theme in their relationship. He wondered, idly, if Rajan had thought Kala was hard to please because he’d kept trying to make her happy and missing the mark with all his wealth. It seemed to Wolfgang sometimes that Kala was much too easy to please---a woman like her, glowing like the sun just because he’d listened to her rambling or held her hand. Or found a brand of chai she’d like. 

Life really was fucking strange. “Let’s drop the food off and go to a cafe,” he suggested after a moment. “We can walk after. I can show you Berlin.”

o6. cinnamon sugar

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thefuturechanges‌:

“Well, if we consider the extent of how our condition affects us, I like everything you like, just as I know everything you know. Or perhaps the part of me that’s also you, likes and knows everything you do…” Kala was rambling, lost into such technicalities. She perked up and smiled. “But that’s not what this is about. I wouldn’t oppose to trying out an uniquely flavored beer,” she conceded softly as she pushed her cart, while letting Wolfgang bring her attention to the sweets.

“Oh, they have chikki here,” she called out and made him pick up the box. It was as easy as breathing now, the way they reached out through their bond and turned the most boring tasks into a team effort. “What else do we need?”

“You’ll like these,” Sun suggested from behind them, pointing to a bright-colored pack of chewy apple candy.

Wolfgang dutifully added Sun’s choice to his basket after Kala’s, pausing to give his cluster-mate an approving glance. He couldn’t remember ever seeing her look so polished and pretty, what he’d seen glimpses of her working towards in the past few days with the police on her side. 

Still, he was on a mission. By the time he was physically next to Kala again, he’d added a couple German sweets to his basket as well---because he’d be damned if he didn’t find a couple things for her to enjoy in cold, rainy Berlin. “So,” he said idly as they walked together through the remaining aisles, “I know you can cook. But I don’t remember ever really seeing you cooking in the past year,” he observed. “Not until we were together in Positano.” 

Did it give away how often he had his eyes on her since their connection had started? Yes, but he was far beyond feeling embarrassed about it.

o6. cinnamon sugar

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If  I told you the whole truth… if  told you that you’re the last thought I have before I sleep… if I told you that you’re the first thought I have when I wake… if I told you how much I love you… would it have done any good?

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thefuturechanges‌:

The scene was very normal and domestic – except maybe for the fact that Wolfgang wasn’t physically beside her, standing in another aisle as he visited her through the bond. She raised an eyebrow at his question before looking down to the cart and chuckling quietly. “Oh, Wolfgang,” she sighed, a mix of exasperation and fondness. “I can deal with cold, rainy Berlin, but not with bland food. Don’t you trust the skills of a girl who grew up in her father’s restaurant?” She said warmly, putting a hand on his arm.

She went to him as well, checking the chai blends on the shelf he was looking at. “You’ll like sulaimani, it’s black tea,” she explained as she picked up a box and put it in his cart. “Don’t feel like you have to know everything, I want to see what you drink here in Germany too.” She paused, frowning. “It’s beer, isn’t it?”

The little frown made Wolfgang laugh to himself, picking up his cart and heading down the aisle. There wasn’t much else there for him, so he was physically heading towards Kala while he poked through her (much larger, rolling) cart through their bond. “Mostly beer, yeah. But I know I’ll be able to find one or two that you’ll enjoy.” 

He smiled at her when he stopped by the international candy at the end of the aisle he’d been heading down, turning her attention to them in case she wanted something. “And coffee. It goes good with something sweet,” he said gently. He’d never really eaten many sweets himself, but he knew she had a sweet tooth---and if he could make her smile with something as simple as indulging it, he’d do it. “Any of these?”

o6. cinnamon sugar

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wolfgang smiling, part 2 (requested by @shir-n)

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thefuturechanges‌:

With sweet kisses peppered along her skin, Kala couldn’t care less about Wolfgang’s poorly-stocked apartment. She had to cut him some slack for how long he’d spent as BPO’s hostage, the place would seem more like a real home after they inhabited it for a few days. “We’ll get everything we need,” she said lightly, skimming her fingertips along his wrist. “And if we delve into technicalities, I could enjoy black coffee as you do, but… I’d rather not to,” she chuckled, turning around in his arms.

“Don’t worry too much, Wolfgang. We’re going to get things on track around here,” she said confidently, pressing a kiss to the corner of his lips. “But first, two steaming cups of coffee. And then we can stop to eat after going to the store, how about that?”

“I don’t worry. I just want you to have everything you want,” he murmured unconvincingly, the corner of his mouth tingling from her kiss. (He worried, just a little, sometimes, that he wouldn’t be able to offer everything she deserved.) Blue eyes smiled down at Kala, Wolfgang’s hands feeling along her back as he nodded. He would agree to pretty much anything she liked, really. 

“You know me well,” he said with a smile as the coffee machine gurgled. 

---

“Really?” Wolfgang muttered to himself, frowning down at four different kinds of chai tea sitting innocently on their shelf. He stepped over to Kala through their bond, nudging her hip with his---and pausing when he saw what was in her cart. “Are you planning on cooking up another bomb?” he asked incredulously, looking at the various spices she’d selected---some of which were slightly alarmingly-colored. 

o6. cinnamon sugar

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thefuturechanges‌:

There was evidence that Wolfgang had tidied up the place while she was in the bathroom and Kala couldn’t help but smile to herself as she walked around the apartment. The morning air at this time of the year was already colder than she was used to in Mumbai, prompting her to put on a pair of jeans instead of the summer clothes she favored. She wanted to be casual and comfortable when they went out, feel like a local.

She was hanging by the kitchen cabinets when he came back, trying hard not to judge the lack of… well, everything. As always, the sensate bond allowed them to speak up when the others didn’t want to and she suppressed a chuckle at Nomi’s comment, turning to look back at Wolfgang with amused eyes.

“Be nice, the two of you, we know you’d both live off of coffee and takeout if you could,” she commented without any real heat as she went to grab the coffeepot.

“I’d take it, but it is still too early.” Nomi turned her head and offered a glimpse of Amanita’s sleeping form, tangled in the sheets. Kala felt a surge of affection that definitely didn’t come from herself. “Maybe I’ll be back later for Kala’s cooking,” Nomi continued and just like that, she was gone.

Wolfgang’s mind lingered with Nomi’s for a while, a little smile lighting his face at the peace of it, the glow of Nomi’s laptop screen illuminating Amanita in the late of night---

But he returned to the daylight to step up behind Kala, hands sliding over her hips as he kissed her shoulder. Just touching her inspired the same tender feelings Nomi always kept at the forefront for her own lover, but he liked to think they were slightly less sappy about it. Not that he cared much. “We don’t have milk,” he murmured, thinking of the milky coffees and teas she’d always favored. “But there’s sugar.” It wasn’t much, but it was something. Wolfgang pressed another soft kiss a little higher on her shoulder, closer to her neck. Surprisingly, there was little heat in the action---just affection. “And the store’s not too far away.”

o6. cinnamon sugar

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thefuturechanges‌:

Kala hummed quietly. The truth was that she didn’t know exactly how she would put her life back on track after all the things she had seen and learned. One day she would have to face the consequences of her choices in her personal life and career, but it was so tempting to accept Wolfgang’s suggestion, even if it felt like hiding away from problems. “I could never say no to a tour through Germanic cities, when we have the time,” she agreed softly, then pouted slightly when he mentioned the empty fridge.

“Well, if we must,” she sighed, then smiled as she pulled away from his warm embrace. “I suppose we’ll get our breakfast along the way.” She paused to yawn and stretch out her arms above her head. “Just give me a moment to look presentable,” Kala added, running a hand through her unruly hair before standing to go to the bathroom.

“You always look presentable,” Wolfgang muttered, the words somewhat lost as he laid back in the bed and aimed a faint smile up at the ceiling. His mind replayed how beautiful Kala had looked as she’d stretched, the wild tangle of her hair and the sway of her hips as she’d walked away from him---and he chuckled, shaking his head. He was becoming so lovesick that he made Will look aloof.

---

The place looked a bit better with the windows opened so that some fresh air could get in. Wolfgang had taken the chance to clean up a bit while Kala was in the bathroom, knowing she would likely take a while. BPO had covered their tracks so at least he didn’t have to do much, but the place had been abandoned for a long while. Food had gone bad, dust had accumulated, trash had been left under the sink to spoil. Not exactly the scene he would’ve wanted when Kala started poking around. 

But the place was reasonable-looking once she stepped out of the bathroom as beautiful as ever and he took her place, ready in considerably less time. “We should buy stuff for you,” he said as he stepped into the living area, straightening out his shirt. “I have coffee, but nothing to make chai.” 

“You have practically nothing at all, really,” Nomi pointed out helpfully, casting an unimpressed look at the single salt and pepper containers in his cabinets. She wore only a tank top and underwear, and looked awfully sleep-ruffled. “Do you own any spices?” Wolfgang rolled his eyes. 

“Why are you even awake?” 

o6. cinnamon sugar

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thefuturechanges‌:

“We can buy a guidebook,” Kala suggested simply, unbothered. Wolfgang had a way of belittling his own worth at times and playing overconfident in others and she could always see right through it. Besides, there wasn’t anything like getting to know a place through the eyes of someone that lived there. She knew the Berlin of rain and snow, of a vibrant nightlife and dangers lurking in the shadows.

Nonetheless, they were enjoying the privacy of his room for the time being. She smiled at his gentle words, the tone of wonder in his voice, as if he couldn’t believe she was really there in flesh and blood. “I like being with you, wherever we are,” Kala replied, grazing her fingers along the back of his shoulders. “But fitting into each other’s lives… it’s special. How silly we were for thinking that it was impossible.”

Wolfgang hummed and closed his eyes, not protesting that one of them had come around much sooner than the other as far as that matter was concerned. It all seemed so long-past now, so insignificant after everything they’d been through together. What did he care that she’d waffled a bit when she’d saved his life so many times over, when she’d been able to love him in spite of what he was? He was a selfish man, keeping a woman as good as her for himself, but he didn’t care. He made her happy. They were happy.

“It might be good to stay here a while,” he said after a moment of just enjoying her gentle touches, blue eyes opening to regard Kala. “To wait everything out before we move on. I’ll show you the whole city, take you anywhere else you want to go.” He wasn’t much of a traveler, but he knew she was---she’d like Cologne and Amsterdam and Vienna, all the food and culture. He was just happy to follow. “But first, the fridge is empty,” he added, voice teasing as he gave Kala’s hip a squeeze and hid a smile against her forehead. Why did being with her make something as boring as grocery shopping suddenly seem like a nice way to spend his morning? 

o6. cinnamon sugar

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thefuturechanges‌:

It seemed like forever ago that she had been denying herself this, Wolgang’s lips, now familiar and welcome against hers. They shifted again on the bed to face each other, always moving together, always pulled by the gravity that kept them close. Kala ran her thumb over the back of his hand before letting go to drape her arm over his waist, fingers trailing along his naked back.

“I could stay here all day,” she replied sincerely, watching him with warm brown eyes and a soft smile. “But perhaps we shouldn’t, I have only seen a few parts of Berlin and I know there’s a lot to explore. Would you like to be my tourist guide when we go into the city later?” Emphasis on later, as she wanted to go out, but not yet.

“As long as you know I don’t know shit about building history or anything,” Wolfgang replied, enjoying the easy way Kala wormed closer and let it be known that she didn’t feel like going anywhere just yet. Neither did he, with the loving way her fingertips were tracing along his back. It made him feel lazy and content, even though the room smelled faintly of stale air from the windows being closed for weeks and the sheets were due for a wash. She didn’t seem to care, and neither did he.

“I like having you here,” he said, softer, voice still low from sleep. He fingered the point of her elbow thoughtfully, his touch making its slow way up to her shoulder. “Never thought I’d actually see you like this. With me, in this bed.” 

o6. cinnamon sugar

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thefuturechanges‌:

What had she done to deserve such happiness? Kala had braced herself for the days following Rajan’s visit, waiting for a punishment from the gods or news that she had disgraced her family by breaking off a marriage that seemed like the perfect match. No such disaster had come; the gods were merciful, and apparently so was Rajan. They would tell as few people as possible at first and for now the plan was to explain Kala’s absence as a possible relocation to an European facility.

She had told her parents, however, feeling like she owed them the truth - or as much of the truth as she could tell. She explained all about the divorce and the need to find her own path, although she couldn’t bring herself to mention that she had already found it with Wolfgang. They could make a story up later and it would all work out, she was certain of it because she was certain of their love, even when she doubted her own morals.

Beautiful as it was, Positano had nothing to offer them anymore. The memories with Rajan were too fresh and strong and she longed for something that felt more like home. Kala had never been to Berlin apart from sensate visiting, but it was Wolfgang’s home and that was more than enough for her, being together in a place that mattered to at least one of them.

Upon their arrival, there hadn’t been time for much more than a few glimpses of the city and then the apartment that had become familiar to her. Funny how one’s perspective could change, she used to consider that place a den of sin before the night they finally fell into each other’s arms, and now…

The bed was comfortable and warm, Wolfgang’s solid presence behind her through the night. Kala woke up slowly, with a ticklish light touch along her skin that beckoned her to smile and open her eyes. She turned her head back to find him gazing down at her and right then and there she knew that it was a sight she’d like to wake up to every single day.

The light made her close her eyes again as she shifted onto her back with a quiet hum, moving a hand up to take his and lace their fingers together. She could feel her own, delicate fingers sliding between his.

“Good morning,” she mumbled with a lazy smile, and who knew if she had said it in Hindi or German or not aloud at all, it was too early to pay attention.

“Morning,” Wolfgang replied quietly, not wanting to break the happy stillness of the morning. The first thing she’d done upon waking up was turning and shifting around so that she could face him, chocolate-brown eyes peeking up at him from under heavy lashes. Wolfgang wasn’t a liar so he was never going to claim that women looked better without makeup, but Kala... 

God, Kala was gorgeous just like this, bare-faced and sleepy-eyed and holding his hand in her warm grip. He especially liked how that warm grip was lacking the bite of the wedding and engagement rings she’d worn for as long as they’d known one another, the ones that’d been slightly too big for her. Never a perfect fit.

The thought had him leaning down to give her a soft kiss, a greeting without heat. They still hadn’t slept together again since she’d broken things off with Rajan, and he’d surprised himself with being patient. There was no need to rush it. They had as long as they wanted. “What’re we doing today?” he asked, settling back down beside her and drawing her closer.  

o6. cinnamon sugar

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o6. cinnamon sugar

It had taken longer than they’d expected to pry themselves out of Positano. 

There’d been the matter of Felix healing up, of course, but there’d also been Will and Riley, who’d been the last to still linger at the villa with them. As nice as it was to be able to visit anytime, it was even better when they were in the same place; it felt warm, Wolfgang figured, like being surrounded by a family who loved you. And Kala had needed the distractions after what had happened when Rajan had come by to see her. 

It wasn’t easy or pleasant, watching the woman he loved second-guess her own morality. Wolfgang wasn’t sure she knew he noticed, but there were a number of times when she got a faraway look in her eyes and a firm set to her lips, and he just knew she was reprimanding herself for some sort of imagined selfishness. But he pushed her through those moods, the same as the way she tucked herself up against him whenever she noticed he was getting lost in bad memories. Silent communication had always been something they excelled at.

And no matter what lingering guilt Kala had felt, she’d still been excited at the prospect of going back to Berlin with him and Felix. By the time they’d left it had been late, and when they arrived back home all they’d had the energy to do was drop Felix off, collapse in bed, and curl up under his sheets. 

And now... 

Now Wolfgang was awake, keeping quiet so that he could admire Kala as she slept. Her back was to him but he was propped up on his arm so that he could admire her, all wild curls and soft skin as the mid-morning light crawled up the sheets. Unable to resist, Wolfgang trailed the backs of his fingers along her soft arm, smiling to himself at how warm she was. 

[thankgodforgraxity-blog]

“I know what love is because of you.”

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thefuturechanges:

Kala could argue that she should have done more, but no matter how she felt it was impossible to change the past. In a perfect world, she would have been brave enough to cancel the wedding and maybe Wolfgang wouldn’t have tried to push her away… but that was the life they had. When she thought of the happy moments they’d had together after rescuing Wolfgang, she was glad that things were getting better in every way.

There would be a long way full of confronting her past, she just had to look towards the future to find the strength she needed.

“Yes, please,” she sighed, nuzzling against his shoulder. She pulled away slowly and got comfortable on the bed again, her back to Wolfgang and hand reaching back to bring his arm around her.

Perhaps it was stupid of him after all the times Kala had made it clear she loved him, but after the rocky road that it took them to get to where they were Wolfgang had almost expected her to quietly tell him that she wanted to be alone for a while. He looked almost relieved as he tucked himself behind her, fitting his knees to the back of hers and tucking an arm around her waist. 

“You’ll feel better when you wake up,” he murmured, something his mother had used to tell him when he’d been a boy. He pressed a kiss behind Kala’s ear before closing his own eyes as well to silently savor their freedom. If nothing else, he knew that his even breathing would be enough to slowly lull her to sleep---and as his mother had told him, things always seemed a little better in the morning.

o5. crashing down

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thefuturechanges:

Kala could feel herself pouting stubbornly, as if she could prevent sadness and frustration for everybody she cared about. Deep down, however, she knew that things didn’t always work out the way they wanted them to. “That doesn’t mean I have to be alright with breaking his heart,” she said quietly, looking down. It took her a moment, but then she moved closer to Wolfgang, resting her head on his shoulder.

“I hope he finds someone who truly loves him.” It sounded more optimistic, but a hint of misery and exhaustion still lingered in her voice. “I can’t stop thinking that he had no idea I was with you. The times we kissed and touched and…” She let the sentence hang in the air. “I was only thinking of my own desires.”

Wolfgang relaxed a bit when Kala’s head rested on his shoulder, the pressure soft and welcome. He unlaced his fingers and rested a hand on her knee, frowning to himself as she spoke. She sounded... tired. Wolfgang couldn’t quite relate---he’d never had a spouse to leave, had never cheated on anyone, but then again that was because he’d never had anyone of his own until very recently. 

“And now he knows. He knows the whole truth and he’s forgiven you.” Wolfgang gave a little shrug, careful not to dislodge her. “You’ve done all that you could.” He turned his head to press a kiss to the top of her head, closing his eyes. It made him remember how just a couple short hours ago, they’d been tucked in bed together without a care in the world. “Do you want to rest?” he asked quietly. “This has been a lot for you.”

o5. crashing down