"You know...I think I'm okay with the verdict."
Kaladin set down the box he was carrying, turning to Adolin with a look of unchecked shock. "What—Adolin...how...?"
Adolin sighed, then shrugged. "Okay, maybe that's a stretch. I can live with it, is what I mean. It's frustrating as all hell, but I can't do anything except for keep going, can I? Moping and complaining won't give me back my leg."
Kaladin met his gaze, then shrugged wryly. He was surprised by Adolin's confession, but not displeased by it. Some things you could fight...others, you had to let go of and move on. He would never be okay with his brother's death, for one thing, but if he kept mindlessly hating cops, where would that take him?
Well, he'd be single again pretty fast. Oh, Adolin wasn't a duty cop any longer, but the precinct still found plenty of work for him to do. Paperwork, research...supervising. The blond could definitely not claim boredom, even if Kaladin did know that he missed fieldwork.
The point was, Kaladin understood that sometimes you had to move on with your life, even when it sucked. It seemed Adolin was coming to the same realisation.
"I...get that, yeah."
"It's been long enough," Adolin continued, unprompted. Nearly ten months had passed since the shooting, "I can move on."
Kaladin hesitated, then moved to sit on the couch, patting the spot beside him. Obligingly, Adolin joined him, and Kaladin slung an arm over his shoulders. "You really mean that?"
"I do," he said, perhaps a touch too fast. "I mean...yeah, I do. At least, I'm going to try. It's like with my leg. I was so depressed at first, but over time, I learned to just be glad I was still alive. I can live a damn good life with one leg, got a cute boyfriend along the way, and I can make you push me around when I'm feeling lazy," he replied with a grin.
Kaladin chuckled at that, pecking his temple. "Fiancé. And any time."
They stayed on the sofa for a moment longer, before Kaladin sighed, standing. "We have more boxes to carry."
"You get them. It's your stuff."
Kaladin sighed. "Get your ass moving before I cut off your other leg."
Before Adolin could respond, the door swung open, admitting a grinning Shallan. "Come on! We're going out for supper. You two are coming too!"
Kaladin sighed while Adolin let out a soft whoop. Figured he would be happy to put off the work. Nothing like his father, there...
"Where are we going?" the blond asked her, already heading for the door.
Kaladin watched them for a moment with a small smile. She'd be family, soon, as would all of the Kholins. He looked forward to it.
"Kal! C'mon! We can get the rest of your stuff later."
He sighed, but followed. They could finish moving him into Adolin's apartment tomorrow. For now, he would accept the distraction.
"We need to pick up Syl on the way back," he called, closing and locking the door to their apartment. "She won't forgive me if I leave her alone tonight."
They were two damaged people, but perhaps together...they could move on and heal along the way.
Dalinar got them a plane for their wedding, just sayin'.
Hope you enjoyed. This'll be it for my Kadolin fics…at least until Oathbringer comes out. Then we shall see…