"Honestly, brother, I don't understand why you don't just go out a buy a voxaphone. They are much easier for getting ones thoughts down then simple writing "
"Because, dear sister, much prefer writing my thoughts down on paper over speaking into one of those clunky contraptions," Robert said looking up from the small journal he held in his hands to see Rosalind standing over him, an annoyed look on her face , "I don't see Colombia's obsession with them. I just find them a nuisance "
"I thought you of all people would appreciate the technology behind them."
Robert put his journal down next to him and rested his head comfortably in his hand, elbow propped up on the couch's armrest.
"It's not that," Robert replied "I just wish I could leave the house without tripping over twelve of those blasted things. I don't see how so many people can lose a device that is nearly the size of their own head. How many of your recordings have you misplaced in the last year?"
Rosalind ignored his question and continued.
"Come now brother, you must admit they have some use. What if one needs to record an observation or measurement but has their hands tied up running an experiment?"
"You're starting to sound like one of Finks advertisers. Anyway, as for your question, that's what we have each other for."
"You're being stubborn."
"Only as much as you. I already bought the journal. It would be a waste to buy a vox just to replace something brand new. I don't see the problem."
"The problem is we had to wander around half of Colombia looking for the 'perfect journal' when we have blank voxes and perfectly good paper lying around the house. And you say my idea is wasteful."
"Well," he said, leaning forward, his elbows resting on his knees now, "I had to leave my old journal behind, I'd would have gladly gone back and got it to save you all the trouble-" He stopped mid sentence.
His tone had been teasing, as it always was when they were bickering, but he saw Rosalind tense and knew he had struck a nerve.
"Rosalind?" his voice seemed to break her out of her momentary trance. She got up from seat and walked over to the nearby mirror that hung from the wall.
"Yes, well, I still think you are simply acting stubborn."
Her voice betrayed nothing and to anyone else it would have seemed like that split second of faltering earlier had been nothing but a trick of the eye, so slight a pause it was. But Robert knew his sister almost as much as she knew herself, and he knew something was wrong.
This had happened before, on different occasions. He would say something and she would get this strange look on her face that Robert couldn't quite place before returning to normal and ending the conversation. And while he knew he had done something wrong he couldn't for the life of him figure out what had caused it.
He thought back, trying to remember all the instances the strange wavering had befallen his sister. There was the time when they were discussing the differences between their childhoods. Robert had mentioned how he wondered what his parents were doing and she had suddenly veered the conversation in another direction. Then there was the time, he couldn't remember how the conversation had started, but he noted that those back in his world must think that he had accidentally vaporized himself in an experiment and was now dead. He showed an idle curiosity in what\ his obituary say might, and what would happen to his lab, and if his money would make it back to his parents. A morbid thought, but the morbid never affected him nor his sister. But again the same thing happened. Then there was the conversation about the journal.
It was obvious what the common thread here was.
"Brother..." Rosalind's voice was quiet, as if she hadn't truly meant for him to hear it. But he did and he rose his head in interest. He stared at her back as she fixed her hair in the reflection, waiting for her to say something, if anything at all.
"Do you regret coming here?" She said it bluntly, not an ounce of emotion in her voice.
Robert was surprised. So this was what it was about? She was worried that he had regrets?
His first instinct was to say no. Of course he didn't regret coming here. Why would she even be worrying about him regretting his decision? They had had a long conversation about the risks and benefits of him crossing over and they had both agreed that him going to her world was the best option. So why would he have any second guesses now?
No. The answer was definitely no.
But was it really? Had he never feel a twinge of homesickness when staring across the vast expanse of sky? Had he never wished, selfishly, that the roles had been reversed? Had he never thought about all the pain and confusion and frequent nosebleeds he would have avoided had he not taken his interdimensional trip?
Robert wasn't about to lie to himself or his sister, all those thoughts had crossed his mind at one point or another. But that was all they were, passing bouts of wistfulness. Nothing more. And nothing compared to what he had felt before, back in his own world. That longing. The one that plagued him ever since that childhood dream his so long ago . That longing that turned into a career in physics. That longing to find that something that was missing from himself. That thing he couldn't understand, but need more than anything in his life. And when he finally found it, when he found a way to whisper through the wall, it was more than he could ever hope for. Yet it still wasn't enough. They needed to meet.
So through countless experiments and test, successes and failures, they found a way the chisel through that wall and meet. And he was more than happy to risk life and limb to be with his sister, and would happily go through all the hemorrhaging again. Because being together was worth it.
Robert was so consumed in his thoughts that he failed to notice Rosalind had turned around to face him. And when he did finally notice her, while her face showed only annoyance, her eyes were full of worry and guilt.
"No." He answered simple.
"I don't believe you."
"Do you regret me being here?"
"Of course not. Why-"
"Then that should be proof enough that I- no, we, don't regret a thing. Right?"
Rosalind still looked skeptical so Robert got up from his seat and walked over to where she stood and before she could protest, he wrapped his arms around her.
"Brother, what are doing?" she mumbled into his shirt.
"I believe it's what most people refer to as a hug, dear sister."
"Yes, I know what you are doing. My question is why?"
"You should have said so then."
Rosalind pulled away from his grasp enough to look up at his face. His amused expression matching her bemused one.
"It is a show of affection. A perfectly normal thing for one to do when they are trying to relieve the fears of another."
"How exactly is you hugging me relieving me of my nonexistent fear?"
"If you're going to be so stubborn about this I shan't do this again."
There was a moment of silence.
"Do you at least believe me now?" Robert asked quietly.
Rosalind responded by wrapping her arms around him somewhat tentatively.
"Yes, I do."
Authors note: This is my first fanfic let alone my first time writing these characters so I hope it is not to OOC. Because this is my first fic constructive criticism is doubly appreciated. Thanks to any of you who took the time to read this. It means a lot to me.