Work Text:
Amelia comes home tired, exhausted, depressed. Her latest case was a failure. She failed to stop the death of hundreds of people, she managed to save some, but to her it wasn't enough. This isn't anything new, but no matter how much death and destruction she's seen, it always takes a toll on her. Amelia's job may entail her to investigate and solve cases, but she knows she can do much more than just that.
Amelia looks down to her side, where her watch is hanging from. It reminds her of how much power she holds and the responsibilities that come with it. To her, even a single blade of grass burnt down is a failure.
Amelia reappears in the present in front of the entrance of her house. She sighs deeply to herself before opening the door. She checks her watch while entering her home.
12:41am
To anyone in the current timeline, Amelia has been gone for only half a day, but to her, it's been four whole months of going through multiple timelines hoping that one of them will be better than the last one. Hoping to find the one where she could've saved everyone, but it's never as simple as that
The time travelling girl tries to clear her mind as she walks through the entrance hallway into her living room. Breathe Watson. Amelia tells herself. This isn't your first rodeo and this won't be your last. As much as she wants to just sleep and forget about everything she went through, she's reminded her job still isn't done by a stack of papers waiting for her. I still have to document this
Amelia usually enjoys documenting her findings after a job well done. Aside from the usual investigative notes and summaries of her job, she writes down details about the places she's been to. The stories that come from idle chatter from the locals, the little nuances that makes each place unique, the vibrant cultures she's experienced. Amelia takes it all in and treasures it. The detective's mind is always curious, wanting to know more about each place and time she's been in.
The detective considers solving cases and preventing any calamities that may affect the places where she's needed in as a way of giving back, as thanks for the opportunity to satiate her curiosity and wanderlust. Every single soul saved, every smile retained, every thing that is in the right order (as how she sees it) gives her her pride and satisfaction.
This time it's different. This time she's writing about a tragedy, one that she tried rewriting countless of times but failed every single time, and unlike dramas, she's dealing with real people and real places.
Amelia shakes her head, I'm just distracting myself. Amelia just wants to get this over with. The sooner I'm done with this the sooner I can forget about this. She sits down an starts working on her paperwork, but she quickly realizes that this isn't working. She's way too tired. Fuck, I need something to wake me up. Her eyes immediately lock on to the coffee maker sitting on the kitchen countertop. Coffee. Amelia nods to herself. That'll do the trick.
For a second, the detective stops and considers another option.
No, she'll hate me if she catches me in that state again.
The visibly overworked girl gets off her chair and starts walking to the kitchen. She takes delicate steps, going through her house as if the world would end if any sound was made. Wouldn't want to disturb anyone, right?
Amelia manages to reach the kitchen without disturbing anybody, or at least that's what she thinks. Unbeknownst to the detective, there is a small figure in the shadows that is excitedly approaching the preoccupied girl.
Hehe, I'm making a Watson Concoc- "WOAH!"
The small figure jumped into Amelia's arms causing her to drop everything she was holding and reflexively catches a small dog with both of her arms. A loud sound of ceramic breaking and the detective's surprised yelp resonates throughout the house.
"Bubba! What the fuck?" Amelia shouts as she cradles the dog. "You could've gotten both of us hurt!"
Bubba looks at his owner with sad and apologetic seeming eyes and Amelia can't stay angry for too long, she misses her dog as much as he misses her. "I miss ya too buddy"
Amelia spoils Bubba with hugs and kisses before a sound of footsteps coming from the stairs interrupts the two's reunion.
Oh fuck. Amelia lost in her own world with Bubba forgot that she wasn't the only person in the house. She turns around and sees a girl with disheveled purple hair looking at her. The dog noticing the sudden change in atmosphere jumps off the arms carrying him and scurries away leaving the two of them face to face.
Amelia just stops and stares at the sleek figure staring back at her hoping that not moving somehow makes her invisible from the other girl. They both look at each other until the smaller girl tilts her head and looks at Amelia with eyes screaming 'explain now or else'.
"A-ah" Amelia awkwardly greets the newly awoken girl while scratching the back of her head. "G-good morning Ina... Nice morning we have here right?"
"It's 1:27am." Ina bluntly replies, clearly not satisfied with Amelia's response. The priestess slowly walks towards the detective.
"Wait I can explain-" Amelia braces for the worst as Ina reaches arms length from each other, but is met with a big hug.
"I missed you so much." Ina mumbles into the taller girl's shoulder.
Once Amelia hears those words, her body relaxes into the hug and immediately feels guilty.
"I'm sorry, I didn't think that the case would take that long. Just another a bit of a bump in the road that I had to take care of as well."
Ina notices the slight change of expression in Amelia's face. She sees her eyes change from tiredness to a certain look of sorrow that Ina is well too familiar with.
"Had an... extra thing I didn't account for, so I had to deal with that as well, you know?"
Ina notices the hesitation in the detective's voice. Ina becomes frustrated with the blonde. Why do you do this to yourself, Ame? I'm right here.
Amelia notices the frustration on Ina's face. "Sorry for waking you up. Come on, you can go back up and wait for me while I clean the mess-"
"No." Ina interrupts the other girl. "Watson, we've been over this already. Tell me everything, please."
Amelia is taken aback at first, but she composes herself and acts perplexed. "Huh? What do you mean? Just a regular day at work. Really!"
Ina puts both of her hands on Amelia's shoulder, staring at her with pleading eyes. "Please, Ame, for me and for you."
"I-I..." Amelia stares back at Ina and it takes less than a moment before she breaks. "T-they shouldn't have had to die"
"3 months, Ina, 3 months of fucking trying and I still couldn't fucking save them all" Amelia explains while fighting back tears. Her tone of voice a combination of guilt, anger and pain.
Ina grabs the detective again and rubs her back. "It'll be alright, Ame" she whispers "I'm here for you". Ina feels the pain from Amelia's grip tightening on her shoulder, but she ignores it, for her lover.
"Even the best timelines had so much damn death and destruction, and I couldn't do anything. I have this watch and yet I still watched people die. And, and-"
Amelia's legs fall out from under her. She's too tired to do anything but sob uncontrollably into the priestess' shoulder.
"Thank you, Ame, for being honest" Ina whispers then gives a kiss on her girlfriend's forehead. "Just let it all out." Ina continues to comfort the crying girl.
Nothing is heard in the house aside from soft sobbing. Once the sobbing stops, they stay in each other's comfort. The chill from the early morning breeze is warmed by each other presence. To them, it's just the two of us in their own little world.
Eventually, they both release their embrace. Ina wipes the tears that are still on Amelia's face with one hand and then cups her cheeks with another.
"Thank you, Ame, but I'm still not done with you."
"Seriously?" Amelia chuckles "I'm kinda sore here."
Ina is glad to hear the detective's laugh and smiles at her, but she still needs to say something. She grabs both of Amelia's hands and looks at the girl opposite of her.
"Ame, I love you and I know you love me. You know that I don't like it when you look sad or troubled, but I hate it even more when you hide your problems from me."
Amelia grimaces in guilt. "I'm sorry-" Ina interrupts by putting her finger in front of Watson's lips.
"Shh, I'm not done yet." Ina puts both her arms behind Amelia's back and connects both of their foreheads together.
"We're here for you, we all have our regrets and burdens. You of all people should know that. Me, Gura, Calli and Kiara, we all have burdens that we bear, everyone does."
"You don't have to go through it alone, there's five of us remember? We're here to lend a shoulder to lean on." Ina stops for a moment and kisses Amelia on the lips. "I'm here for you, I'm your girlfriend for a reason."
Amelia is caught off guard and turns bright red. Ina chuckles softly at her girlfriend's reaction.
"I've known you for so long and have seen you first hand that you work so hard. Your hard work and dedication is inspiring, but sometimes you need to know that sometimes, maybe your best is best, even if it isn't the ideal ending you are seeking."
"Without you there, it could've been way worse than what happened. Your efforts aren't in vain at all. You did your best and sometimes, that's whats matters the most."
Ina gives one last kiss to Amelia, before standing up and reaching out a hand to her. "C'mon, let's get some sleep, I think we both need it."
Amelia accepts the gesture and stands in front of the priestess "Alright, but I have to do one more thing."
The taller girl pulls the smaller girl into a hug and showers her with kisses. "I love you so much, Ina." Amelia whispers to Ina.
"I love you too, Amelia."