(A-Ah, Prince Aximili I-I wasn't expecting you.) Estrid jerked up in shock when she realizes Aximili had stepped into her room. She nearly dropped the small tablet in her hands as she jerked her upper body with her eye stalk when she had noticed him. Flustered by this admittedly shocking appearance of an old interest, she thumbs the screen she was on closed before turning her attention to Aximili.

The young, sapphire pelt male was examining a pamphlet he had picked up off of one of the tables purposefully not meeting her gaze. Estrid could feel his unease at being in her presence, almost palatable in the stuffy air of her small scoop. The female nervously flicks her right ear before taking a step forward hoping to get his attention on her.

(You are teaching at the college.) Aximili observed in a casual manner while he sets down the piece of thin, paper-like, screen back into the pile with the others. Estrid felt like he was trying to avoid something, which she guess was what happened before, by speaking of her new career. Estrid was willing to go with it considering she wasn't quite ready to speak about it either. Actually, she probably never would be if she was given the chance.

Estrid dipped her stalks in confirmation of his observation before motioning towards the computers she had set up in her hovel of a home. (Yes, I am quite honored that they had chosen me to teach nano-biological construction.) She politely, yet uneasy eye-smiles at him, still waiting for him to look at her. But he continued to avoid her gaze by looking around her home which only served to make her even more uncomfortable.

Aximili places his hand on a small box that held quite a few samples of bacteria that she had formed through the process of bonding together different chemical agents. She felt the urge to move it away from him but felt like that would make this situation even more uncomfortable. What was he doing here anyway? Did he not make it clear he didn't want to see her again the last time they spoke?

(It must be fascinating for you.) The comment certainly wasn't offhanded as she would expect it to be. Nano-biological construction was just a few steps from her old field of work. He could've easily insulted her by inferring she was still doing missions for her last employer. This was surprising enough for her to blink a few times in confusion.

(Yes, It certainly keeps me busy.) She answers confidently, digging a forehoof into the dirt while her fingers plucked secretively at her left arm. Why was he being so… kind ? Especially after what happened? There was a nagging voice at the back of her mind telling her that whatever he was here for, it certainly couldn't be good. But she decided to clamp her disturbing thoughts before they got to him.

(I'm glad you managed to find something to do after we last spoke. I was afraid you would end up working as a public servant.) Aximili, having nowhere else to look that wasn't in the direction of Estrid, slowly turned his green eyes upon the blue coated female. She saw how emotionless they were as he gazed at her steadily which caused her stomachs to twist slightly in unease.

(My father helped me gain this job.) She could feel herself pulling out fur now, her nerves eating away at her insides. She would've liked to have done it herself but after her failure she would've been lucky to have a job besides working as a stand-in mother.

Aximili was silent for a few moments, blinking his eyes. For a moment she could see something within those emerald green depths flicker. Just for a moment she saw pride.

(I am glad for you.) He places a hand on a steel table, ears nervously turned to the sides giving her a small look at what he was feeling. Once again silence falls upon them, leaving Estrid to her thoughts. Estrid turns her gaze away to a computer, wondering if she should do something to break this awkward silence.

(Estrid, I admit I hadn't come here to talk about your career.) Estrid returned to looking at Aximili once he began speaking again. She was greeted by the sight of him squaring him shoulders while he stared evenly at her, a new determined light burning in his eyes. She was taken aback by this.

(I… I expected much.) Estrid admits, straightening herself as well, preparing herself for the scathing scolding she so very much deserved. She didn't want to show weakness in front of Aximili at this point. Aximili simply blinked at her before breathing out slowly.

Then he said something that threw her completely off.

(Estrid, I am sorry for what I had said back on Earth. I was… I wasn't completely right. You were being manipulated and I was far too angry to have realized this. I… I lashed out.) Aximili's words were spoken with pain while he gazed at her with a pitiful look. (Estrid I… I still do like you… Quite a bit actually. I just…)

Estrid stood in shocked silence at his words, ears pricked towards him as she stared at him with a slightly trapped look. Was he asking for her forgiveness? But that wasn't right was it? No, no it should be her asking him. She was the one who betrayed him! She had made the choice to make the virus even if it was Arbat who had led her to it. She was guilty of creating the genocide of the yeerks…

Even as much as she hated to admit, perhaps even the whole earth if her calculations had turned out to be wrong. She did not deserve to be asked forgiveness.

Wait a second, did he just say that he still liked her?

(Aximili I... ) Estrid slowly shakes her stalks, still sifting through her racing thoughts for the proper answer. All she wanted to do at this point was to run and hide away so that she didn't have to deal with all of this information at once. But her knees shook and legs felt too weak to even take a step.

Estrid flinches hard as he closes the space between them and grabs her fingertips in his hand. She almost yanked her hand away in shocked but stopped by his begging gaze. She released a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding, her mind swirling.

Heat gathered around her face as she realized he was holding her fingertips like some Prince from a performance who was holding the fingertips of a maiden. She struggled from the maze of her mind in an attempt to actually speak to him like she properly should.

(Aximili, what's… I should be asking you!) Estrid's slipped her fingers from his trembling hand, acutely aware of the pained look that was quick to cross his lovely face. Shamed, she looks away while picking at the fur on her arm again. There she went again, making himfeel bad when she shouldn't have.

(Estrid, please .) She heard him beg while grasping for her finger tips again. She couldn't find the right thoughts to mend this situation but at the same time she couldn't just let him accept responsibility for what happened. So as a compromise, she allowed him to grasp her finger tips again barely flinching as they tightened a bit.

Estrid sucked in a breath through her nostrils while shifting her front legs. His scent wasn't quite of an adult male in his prime but he certainly did not have the scent of an adolescent anymore. She quickly stopped her thoughts there before they started to wander along with her panicked mind. She had no right to even begin thinking that way of him.

Estrid came to the realization that she had been breathing rather heavily for the last few moments, almost hyperventilating even. She hadn't had a break down like this since she had left primary school. She was always aware of her anxiety levels and kept control of her thoughts. But she had nearly lost it twice since then, both times with Aximili in her presence.

(Estrid?) Aximili's worried voice echoed in her anxiety addled mind, momentarily snapping her out of her thoughts. (Are you well? You look like you're about to faint.)

Estrid took the chance to start focusing her thoughts on somewhere else… Yes Aximili's hand on her fingers.

They were rather soft for one who worked for the military huh? No rough fur patches nor signs of calluses under the fur. It was rather lovely how his hand warmed her own cold fingers. She even enjoyed the almost child soft texture of his fur. Yes it was a rather… lovely hand.

(Estrid, what's wrong?) Aximili was gripping her palm now, squeezing to get her attention. Andalites in general do not make that kind of contact, at least not often, which was enough to make her jump in the physical manner.

(Aximili!) Estrid shouted, ears forward and eyes wide in shock. She jerked back onto to knock into the table behind herself. The small female jumps as a pile of tablets tumbled over with a metal clatter. Estrid felt her mental barrier cracking once again as embarrassment flooded over her. Why did this always happen around him? Just him!

(Aximili… There's nothing to forgive. I was the one who betrayed your trust.) Estrid finally sucked in a breath through her nose, trying to steady her pounding hearts. Estrid was quite aware of how clumsy Aximili made her but she hadn't a single inkling why.

Aximili closed his main eyes at her, a sign that he didn't not like her answer. (Estrid you didn't release the virus and you even refused to once I spoke to you about it. It was Arbat that took the virus and tried to release it.)

Estrid felt her hearts clench as she stares helplessly up at him. Every fiber of her being did not believe that. She created the virus in the first place! She should've known better after the example the Electorate made of War-Prince Alloran. But yet she still created it, even if she was supposedly told to by her own government.

Estrid raised a shaky hand to her ear, giving it a uneasy rub. (Aximili… you were completely right to hate me. I created something abhorrent.) She sighs heavily, suddenly feeling weary. She hadn't felt so many negative feelings in such awhile. It was far more mentally draining than she'd like.

Aximili's shoulders slumped as he gazes at her with an expression of dejection. His stalk eyes swiveled behind him for a moment then switched into two directions as if he was unsure of what to say next. It dawned on Estrid that he probably thought that she would sway with that single argument. It didn't make her feel any better that she had practically destroyed this entire conversation.

(Aximili, I…) Estrid sucked in a breath through her nose, knowing that it wasn't her place to be saying this. (I am glad you have already forgiven me but that doesn't mean you were the one who did wrong. Perhaps it would be best if we perhaps start again if we are to try to make a friendship or at least some sort of relationship out of this.)

Aximili twitches an ear, lifting his head higher ever so slightly. (I-I… I believe I would not be happy with friendship Estrid.)

Estrid started at him blankly for a moment, not processing what he had said. Not happy with a friendship? No, he couldn't possibly mean romance? Her mind refused to accept that as a possible answer.

Perhaps, it reasoned, he really was here just to ask for her forgiveness. Perhaps to clear his conscience?

(I understand,) Estrid said with a dip of her stalks, deciding that was it. (Thank you for coming today to speak with me. I am sorry I couldn't alleviate your mind of what troubles ailes it.)

(Ah…?) Aximili both looked and sounded confused as he gazes at her, head tipped to the side. His gaze then grew disheartened as he spoke again, (I thought you wished for some kind of relationship with me?)

Estrid's eyestalks shot up to full height as she stared back at him, trying to figure out his confusion. She was trying to figure out what kind of relationship they could have beyond friendship and romance. But a business partnership couldn't possibly be it right? She didn't have the skills as a trained warrior nor the right kind of field to work on a military ship. So what was he trying offer?

(Aximili… I believe I need an explanation.) Estrid huffs lightly, eyes focused directly on his own.

Aximili's fur ruffled around his shoulders for a moment before he replied with a great amount of confidence, (I wish for you to become my wife Estrid.)

Estrid's hearts jumped before starting to pound in her chest while her thoughts came to a full stop. (Your… wife?)

(Yes Estrid, that is what I want. I want you to be my wife.) Aximili nods his stalks with the same amount of confidence as before.

(...me?) Estrid's tone was one of disbelief, still not processing what he had said.

(Yes, you.) Aximili rolled his eyes which Estrid did not quite get why. Was that something he learned from the humans?

(Are you sure?) Estrid was nervously plucking at the fur on her arms, gaze shifted to the ground. She could not quite believe what her mind heard.

(I am quite certain.) She could hear the slightest hint of irritation in his voice, though he kept it mostly light.

Estrid breathed in deep, realizing that this was happening. This was certainly happening right in front of her now. Aximili really was asking her to be his wife. As much as she thought she didn't deserve him or even his forgiveness, that didn't mean he didn't just say he wanted her. She couldn't deny him at this point lest she hurt him and herself again. Though she was mostly worried about hurting him.

Estrid flinched as she pulled out a few strands of hair from her arm, waking her up. (I would love to…But perhaps it would be better if we got to know each other, don't you think?)

She did not want him making the mistake of choosing her if it ended up that he didn't like her. At least if he decided that if he didn't like her during courting then he could simply break the arrangement.

(You wish for me to court you?) Aximili looked slightly amused as he gazes at her though she could not miss that pleased look glittered in his lovely eyes.

(W-Well… I believe that would be a fantastic idea.) She scuffs a hoof into the floor of her scoop, firmly settling her eyes upon the male in front of her. She wasn't going to ruin a second chance at being with him. She was determined to at least make it up to him for the trouble she had caused him.

Aximili's eyes curled into a warm grin that sent her pulse racing once again. (Then I believe we are 'dating' now Estrid.)