James
◇ Three knocks rang out from the second floor hallway.

□ When she'd woke up, Margo hadn't had any plans on the agenda. At best, she would have spent the whole day cooped up in her room, hanging out with her sons and reading about Minoan Crete as if she was about to crack the infamously tough Linear A writing system. Instead, it was now 3pm, and she was standing outside of her girlfriend's dorm room, a freshly rolled cigarette propped behind her ear and a flutter brewing in her gut.

▪︎ Who could blame her? She'd been so busy for weeks on end that she'd only been able to talk to Vi once in a while, the odd text fired off between meetings or going out for bodega staples and smokes with her friends. 

◇ So, she stood there, her shoulder pressed against the doorframe, a smile on her face. She was looking forward to it, nervous as she still felt.
Maria
: ̗̀➛✯ Why was she nervous? What was she fretting about? It was only Margo, after all.

: ̗̀➛✯ If Vi ever said that she hadn't seriously missed Margo, one must assume it's opposite day, as hearing of Margo's return was practically music to the short girl's ears, and hearing the knocks ring out sent an excited shudder down her spine.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder was all true as Vi patted down her clothes in front of the mirror, almost panicked.

: ̗̀➛✯ Pressure? No, why would there be such a thing? It was just that it had been such a time... She patted her dungaree dress down to perfection, no creases or needless bumps allowed! Not while Margo is about.
Once she had taken a large breath in and practiced that award winningly off beat smile in the mirror, she swung the door open with gusto.

: ̗̀➛✯ And there she was, large as life. Vi stumbled over some words, before deciding to just leap onto the taller girl with a hug, and an elated "Margo!"
Texts were enough, sure, but there was nothing like the feeling of the soft fabric of Margo's clothes and the smell of cigarette smoke drifting across her senses

: ̗̀➛✯ "Mmmmhowhaveyoubeeeeen" She mumbled into her lover's shoulder, her stance shifting wonkily as her balance on tiptoes shifted. Usually this would be difficult but... For Margo, a little discomfort in her right side was worth it.
James
◇ It'd been two or three months, yet that voice, those arms, and that endearing smile were enough to melt Margo down into a puddle.

■ "Heya, Vi. I've been... Been, i guess. I dunno how else to explain it." She warmly replied as her girlfriend wrapped her arms around her and perched up on the tips of her toes. Aware that it was probably uncomfortable, Margo knelt down slightly and, with her arms around her waist, lifted Vi off the ground just a bit, spinning her around before bringing her face-to-face. Grinning, she laid a kiss upon Vi's lips, then let go and set her down after a moment. Usually, she was stone-faced, but here she couldn't help but *Smile,* Widely and genuinely, eyes alive with adoration and happiness.

▪︎ Who could blame her?

◆ "How have you been? I, uh... Haven't been around much, y'know, so. Fill me in. What's new? Soup and Spoon establish their own little kingdom yet? Also you... You look great. I love that dress on you... Is it corduroy?"
Maria
: ̗̀➛✯ Oh, the wonders of being young and in love... Vi's grip on Margo didn't falter, and a giddy squeal and giggle encroached from her throat while her partner twirled her around. Margo's hands hoisting her up sent unadulterated electricity coursing through her system and zapping through her organs and straight to the chemicals in her brain.
Happy to indulge in a smooch, Vi pressed a kiss of mutual enthusiastic upon her girlfriend's likely slightly chapped lips. Soon, she was placed back down on earth by the heavenly hands.
As sad as she was to be out of Margo's grip, it was usually for the best. Vi picked up her decorated crutch that lay propped against the wall.
It was no doubt that even with that new accessory of sorts, Vi looked... Different. Her hair was altered into a more feathery and exciting wolf cut, and she seemed to have a bit more exciting jewellery to her name.

: ̗̀➛✯ "Soup and Spoon are still spoiled and rude, I don't... Think they'd be very good leaders of an empire yet though... I'm training them still."
Stealing a glance to the cage of the two trouble makers, she shifted her weight upon the supported walking stick. A soft pink brushed over her cheeks upon the other girl's compliment gracing her eardrums.
"And you look... As gorgeous as the moon. So brilliant I can't take my eyes away- aha- oh yes, it is cordoruy..." An idea clearly flashes across her face, and shes speaking again.

: ̗̀➛✯ "Speaking of, did you know theyre inventing a corduroy pillow?"
She holds back a snicker with little succession, just what is this girl planning..?
James
◆ "It's taking you this long? Cosmo was already committing war crimes in Laos after four months under my fierce tutelage, you gotta pick it up, babe." 

□ Margo chuckled and stepped aside, warm and lively in a way that she usually kept under wraps. Vi, however, brought out the best in her, the brightest in her, the warmth and the protective urge that she was still learning the healthy limits of. Who could blame her? Vi was the apple of her eye, the crown jewel in her life's accomplishments; of course she'd want to cherish her and keep her safe from those that would harm her, but the line between good will and harmful will was one she had to learn to walk.

▪︎ Then she noticed the cane, and the thinly-veiled snicker beneath Vi's expression of pure glee.

◆ "Noticed you got a cane. Looks nice." She hummed in quick succession, her own features dusted a bright red as Vi laid compliments upon her in return. Butterflies flitted in her chest, neutrons in a reactor fizzing against her soul's Geiger counter, and she nervously wrapped an arm around Vi's once she was seemingly steady on her feet. "Also... A corduroy pillow? That sounds... Hm. I dunno if that's a good thing or a bad thing. But, they're making one...?"
Maria
: ̗̀➛✯ "Yes well... They're only babies. They have potential for great evil, though." As common as this sort of conversation was between teenagers, something about initiating it with Margo made her heart thump with vigour and fill with a warmth of normality.
She couldn't help herself, Vi quickly made a detour to blow a kiss at the lovable, dense little rodents, of whom had made peace with the dramatically decorated enclosure in which they abide.

: ̗̀➛✯ Speedwalking back to the doorway with a grin, she found herself spending a quiet couple of moments staring Margo up and down- hopefully it didn't look too... Suspicious or weird, but it was just. So so pleasant to gaze upon Margo in real life once again; she was 3D, in front of her, and completely non fiction. If Violetta so pleased, she could approach Margo, cup her face into her hands and whisper about anything and everything.
It was beyond relieving to have her girlfriend back in front of her.

: ̗̀➛✯ Violetta toyed with the cane in her hand, soon snapping out of the trance she had managed to throw herself into. As easy as an infant deer on a glistening pond of ice, Vi could ever so easily slip into a state of daydream.
Soon enough, she felt her arm being intertwined with Margo's, like vines that will refuse to ever deattach from eachother. It felt as though Vi had almost forgotten that feeling of Margo's warmth against her over the past couple months, so the reminder of the sensation was more than welcome.

: ̗̀➛✯ Another giggle flees her lips... The shaky attempt at control seeming to be lacking.
"It's... Making head lines!-"
She bursts erratically into a fit of giggles, leaning into Margo a bit. I am so praying that you get that joke because it is always a very 50/50 split in my experience ahem.
As terrible as her jokes are... She's made it crystal clear how overjoyed she is to finally see Margo again.
James
◆ "True, I suppose." Margo hummed, content with the answer she'd received. "Nurture over nature and all that junk. Gotta raise 'em right if you want them to commit atrocities."

□ A slight utterance left her without her will as Vi untangled herself and stepped back into her room. Of course, though, the dull yearning was dealt with pretty quickly as Vi power walked back out of the door and unceremoniously looked her up and down. Part of her understood why Vi was doing this: it had been a while, she likely wanted to remind herself that, yes, her girlfriend was real, and not just a case of her parahumanity completely scrambling her sense of reality versus fiction.

▪︎ Of course, though, she couldn't help but quip back.

◆ "Like what ya see?" A smug smirk crossed her face as she flexed her muscles, striking a pose and staring down at Vi with a mix of adoration and cool confidence. She *Knew* She was buff, and she knew that Vi liked it to some degree; why not make use of it then? Of course, though, as she was hitting her pose, Vi's giggles started to make sense as perhaps the stupidest joke she'd heard all month left her girlfriend's lips. "I. I." Flabbergasted. "That's *Awful,* But I," A chuckle creeped out, "Kinda love it. Unlike you; I love you fully, I think. Now, let's get going, you dork. We got lots to get up to today; been too long since we've just had a day out.'
Maria
: ̗̀➛✯ Violetta was lucky. Very lucky.
That truth was all that could cross her mind as her utter dork of a girlfriend charmed an embarrassingly cheesy flirtation in her direction, an unsubtle flex of the muscles bringing a peach plush over her face.
Stifling a giggle, Vi approached Margo with a tilted head and a doting look. Part of the raven haired girl wanted to become strong like that but... Glancing briefly down at her noodle arms, it was all but a fantasy; to even dream of having worthwhile muscle on her bones was far fetched.

: ̗̀➛✯ Violetta quietly whistled, grinning ear to ear, her arm interlinking once more with Margo's
"Maybe I do. Would that be so wrong?" She gently squished Margo's bicep, amused at the power that could likely end her very bloodline within seconds (not that Vi would probably ever end up in a situation like that ever...). Vi found an enjoyment in interlocking arms with Margo, there was something very pleasant about albeit very cliché position; despite the way her girlfriend's arm basically crushed her's in the interlocked embrace. 

: ̗̀➛✯ The laughter continued to tumble out of her jaw like a punctured keg, the joyous melody of her amusement with her own joke flooding the hallway with gusto.
At this point, Vi had spun around to be in front of Margo, giggling and sputtering into her girlfriend's chest, her forehead resting against Margo's collarbone. Her body heaved to an unstrict and irregular rhythm, and somewhere along the line she was just laughing for the sake of laughing.
A minute... Maybe two passed and the girl was over it- at least it was apparent that Vi was in more than a sunny mood. It was uncommon, Margo especially should know that, what with the short girl's mood swings but...
Fuck, it just made Vi's serotonin levels sky rocket to have her girlfriend there again.
.

: ̗̀➛✯ She planted a smooch on Margo's cheek and returned to the redheaded girl's side with a pep in her step.
Exciting exciting... They were going out once more, a little more casual, for sure, yet... It made her giddy like a schoolgirl to be back hand in hand or arm in arm with her beloved.
"Awh, I love you fully too. You're the dork here though" She teased, interlocking their hands.

Soz for taking ages concert and dnd happened
James
◆ "It's a sin to ogle," Margo tutted jokingly, "But since you're so cute I'll let you have a li'l squeeze."

□ Clearly, she'd begun to adjust to having her flirts regularly reciprocated, firing off a smooth in content yet awkward in cadence flirt right back. A hand running up her bicep, tingles shot up her arm and into the back of her skull. How someone managed to cause her to melt so easily was beyond her, but... Did she even really care to know? She knew she loved it, and she knew she loved Vi, and that was enough for. So, as she giggled profusely next to her in a fit of youthful glee Margo simply stood by, smiling as well, like a mother watching her child graduate high school.

▪︎ Once Vi had removed herself from her girlfriend's chest Margo let out an amused, somewhat flustered snort.

◆ "What told you that?" Clearly sarcastic, she began to walk with Vi's arm wrapped around hers, a genuine swagger and pep in her step that usually only came out in Brooklyn like the street rat she was at her core. "Was it the dead languages? The reptiles? The obsession with religion? Ah, fuck am I saying, it's nerd shit all the way down. So what'd I miss while I was gone?"
Maria
: ̗̀➛✯ "I figured it out one way or another." Vi payed careful attention to Margo's steps, beginning to fall into the same pattern of left-right-left-right that her partner did. It wasnt a habit that Violetta noticed until she actively scanned the area for patterns. The rhythm of water droplets on a window in the hallway, the wallpaper and cieling tiles aligning in such a way that spent a shot of dopamine straight to the brain.
What a strange thing connection can do, maybe soon their wavelengths would fuse too... Freaky.

: ̗̀➛✯ Honestly? Having Margo hold her like this as they walked was assistance whether she intended it or not. The less tumbling over the better, and the grip between their arms alongside the cane had Vi at a balance level far more impressive than previously.
That and the muscle... Oh mamma mia...
"Awh, you're my nerd though. Not a load has happened around the cradle in your absence. Your reptiles seem to like me a little more though and I think I've befriended a couple people."

: ̗̀➛✯ Well and truly, she was somewhat at a loss for words in that short moment- 
"And how was boston? Did you see your old friends again? Do tell them I say hello."
Violetta spun the question back on at Margo, smoothing a thumb over the sweet girl's forearm.
James
◇ All Margo responded with was an amused snort.

□ With Vi's arm wrapped around her own, she kept on walking the pair down the hallway, pushing the call button for an elevator conveniently located at the end of the hall and tapping the toe of her boot softly against the linoleum tiled floor. "I see," She hummed out, nodding thoughtfully. "Good that you found more friends, babe. Happy for you, really... Also I knew they'd grow to like you. Hell, Cosmo's already been to your room, and met your little fuzzy tyrants, so... I think he's fond. I dunno." She continued. "I'm not precisely a reptile whisperer, I just know I love them and I know how to keep them from dying early or some shit."

■ "As for Boston, though...? You've got your cities mixed. I've been to Boston precisely once and hated it." She casually spoke, her voice rumbling with the depth and power of a V10. "But Brooklyn was... Honestly really nice to be back to. Got to visit my favourite food carts..." Margo began to recount her tale, digging her phone out from her sports bra and holding it so Vi could see. "That's Tacos El Bronco. Proper taco cart, dirt cheap, fucking crazy good. This one's one of the Halal Guys' carts; my absolute favourite place back home. I dunno how the fuck they cook their chicken, Vi, but it's bust-in-your-pants levels of delicious." She chuckled. "That's Omar, deepthroating a foot long hotdog, and that's Anton in the back recording him. Missed my boys, honestly... We did a lot of shit when I wasn't busy with court and shit. Jammed out, smoked hookah, went out and loitered at our old haunts... Got drunk. And then..."

○ The elevator dinged.

◆ "Fuck, there's the elevator. Need help getting in?"
Maria
: ̗̀➛✯ a spark of tingly ecstasy brewed at where Margo's arm lay against her body "Mhm, I've befriended Owen and Uri- maybe Sigrún? I'm... Not sure, I painted her, that should count for something." Defeated by her girlfriends correct inhibitians, Vi allowed herself to be walked down the corridor via Margo, a grin embellished her face.
She loves her girlfriend, man!!
"I play animal crossing with Uri and Owen. They confuse me sometimes." She's dead silent for a moment, finger tapping at the crutch handle idly.
"Are they... You know... Nevermind-" Shaking her head, Vi changed the topic. It wasn't her business, after all.
"I'm surprised Cosmo didn't just eat Soup and Spoon- though, they are a bit big, that seems more of a snake thing."

: ̗̀➛✯ "Oops. America is all the same to me."
Turning her head to plant a lazy kiss on Margo's arm, Vi lingered for a moment, her spine tingling at the excitement of her girlfriend being about once more.
But anyways, moments later, Vi's face went from quaint pleasure to a look that spelt bamboozled in capital letters. Tilting her head, Vi's brows furrowed and raised to convey her absolute astonishment.
"Did you just... Pull your phone out of your bra? Is that not uncomfortable?" Vi allowed an abrupt and puzzled laugh to erupt from her throat
Soon enough, Vi's vision was locked onto the screen in front of her.

: ̗̀➛✯ "Woah.. I've never actually had tacos before, are they any good?" She questioned with an unsubtle hint of intrigue, eyes widening at the truck, and the food that im assuming there were pictures of.

"Bust in your- ohw gross!" She couldn't hold back her quiet laughter despite her scolding, snickering and chuckling all the while.

: ̗̀➛✯ Once she had came back to her senses, Vi's stone gaze laid on the image of Omar for a bit longer than it maybe should have. Her expression showed amazement? Horror? Admiration? Just about every emotion in the package rolled up into a perfect dessert of shock and awe.
"...How is Omar real?"
Good question, Vi. She could feel herself gagging even *Imagining* Trying to do that!- Though still, she was glad that Margo had seemed to have had such a good time back home.
It almost made Vi jealous- there truly was nothing more she wanted than to return *Home*... Masterfully, she shook those feelings off, she could lament about home later, now was date time ‼️ I mean... She had dolled herself up especially for it and all.

: ̗̀➛✯ Vi almost flushed a peach pink once the elevator reached their level. In the name of chivalry, she wanted to let Margo help her in.
But then again, she didn't want to seem too helpless...

: ̗̀➛✯ "Ehe, why yes please, my redhead in shining cargo pants" She noted, allowing Margo to almost shuffle her along or... However she planned on doing it.

: ̗̀➛✯ "Oh and- I'm glad you had fun at home, even with all the legal stress and uh... Weird staircases, you deserve a break like that."
James
◆ "I wish I knew their deal." Margo scoffed, tapping her foot. "I've asked, but Uri doesn't seem to want whatever them and Owen has going on to be labelled, so... Who am I to prod?"

□ Casually speaking, she felt a spark race up the back of her neck. Bristles of a brush, goosebumps followed in its wake, alongside an utterly whipped expression for a few moments before Margo snapped back to. "Oh yeah, America is... It's actually pretty varied. Each region's got its similarities, sure, but every place got its own culture and fair share of wackjobs. And food too; like, southerners? Fuck they know how to cook good soul food." She laughed. "And then New York is like a culinary singularity. It's nuts."

◆ "What?" Margo laughed as Vi scolded her, silently noting that the elevator had arrived. "I said what I said, and you can kiss me about it." She continued, light bubbles of roasty laughter fizzing from her throat. As the elevator opened up with a telltale ding she had a choice to make: did she act like the knight in shining armor? Or did she take a practical approach? The former won out in the end, culminating in Margo scooping Vi up with her crutches and all, carrying her through the door with a proud stride.

□ Then she had a moment of clarity.

◆ "Fuck. How am I gonna set ya down?" She awkwardly chuckled. "Like, I thought I'd be sweet and romantic and sweep you off your feet, but now I dunno how to set you down without... I dunno, dropping you? But that seems mean. Is it?"

◇ What a dork.
Maria
: ̗̀➛✯ "Eww no way why would I everrr" Vi teased, moments before placing a delicate kiss on Margo's cheek anyways, She was learning to tease, Vi realised that and man, it certainly was quite the pass time. Something that she would hate to have directed at her (in the name of harmless misunderstanding) was something she was inclined to dish out with ease.
She waited a moment for Margo to make a decision, she expected to just be sort of... Hopped in once more, but to her surprise a pair of toned arms lifted her from the floor
Letting out something of a surprised yelp, Vi wrapped her arms around Margo's neck, her crutches still attached to her hands, and her face now a bashful, giggly smile.

: ̗̀➛✯ "Margo!-" She cried, leaning her head onto her girlfriend's shoulder, the short girl was positively beaming, and even if just for a few moments, it felt as though even if she were to rummage and dig through the depths and folds of her brain, she would never be able to find a piece of information, memory or emotional media, she would never be able to find *Any* Reason to stop the practically giddy smile that stretched across her face until her cheeks hurt.
"...I can see the eiffel tower from up here." She joked, kicking a leg out of habit.

: ̗̀➛✯ Mutual awkward realisation, how exactly *Would* Margo put her down? This was certainly an unfamiliar situation
"Uhhh..." She snickered, resting her head on Margo's shoulder

: ̗̀➛✯ "Who said anything about putting me down?" She chimed, obvious joy upon her face. Theyre so... Silly and domestic, her fingers drummed against the back of Margo's neck, a quiet hum escaping her mouth.

: ̗̀➛✯ "I'm kidding. Uh... Probably just put my feet down? Or drop me but I am fragile cargo."
James
◆ "Damn, and I thought I had good eyesight." Margo chuckled in turn. "You could probably spot a fly in a bowl of soup from a mile away, huh?"

□ Kind of an awkward utterance, but what else could it have been? It was tagged on, an afterthought almost, trailing off as Margo began to set Vi down. "I dunno about you, but... I think it'd be awkward playing air hockey if we're on the same side of the table, babe." One strong steady motion at a time, she swung Vi down, making sure her crutches had made contact with the elevator floor before setting the her feet down, also taking her toll in the form of a light smack to her butt before pressing the ground floor button.

▪︎ She couldn't help herself from being a little playful at times. Who could blame her?

◆ "Anyways, like I was saying, it was nice being back in New York, especially now that I'm a little older and a little more... I dunno, seasoned? Mellowed out? Still felt my blood boil whenever we were in Father's study working on the case, but... It wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be. Still wish I could've slipped away and just..." She flung a punch at the open air. "Tied up some loose ends. Y'know?"
Maria
: ̗̀➛✯ "Suit yourself" Vi stated, making sure her feet were properly smack on the floor before she could regain her balance, the light crutches propping her up correctly
The light thwack elicited a mocking gasp from Vi, who turned around to properly face Margo with an open mouth of offence, she flicked her girlfriend's nose with a smirk. Vengeance is her's hehe.
"Yeah, take that... Hehe" She uttered, living definition of >:] emoji in that moment. Once the button had been clicked and the elevator began to make it's descent, Vi lightly clasped Margo's hand within her own.

: ̗̀➛✯ "Yeah, I think I get it... You've matured since being there last I suppose." She stated, thumb brushing against the back of Margo's hand.
"I'd love to visit home again for a bit... As in Korea, not Russia. That place... Is a shithole. No one is happy in Russia." Vi chuckled, head swaying subtly from side to side.
"Though... Tied up some loose ends, what do you mean?"

: ̗̀➛✯ Vi knew of the phrase, of course she did, yet... Something about the context baffled her. Just what sort of ends did Margo have to knot up and forget about back home? Outside of the obvious case...
James
◇ And all Margo replied with was a chuckle, alongside the involuntary dusting of crimson along her mottled cheeks.

■ "Oh, I'm never gonna recover, am I? My poor, poor nose... What a brute." She groaned in turn, a fit of melodramatics just for the hell of it. Leaning against the door of the elevator, she slid down it a touch, then stood back up straight and roamed back over to Vi, letting her hand be clasped. "But anyways, I guess so. Maybe I've grown up a bit here; it's been six or seven months since I got shipped here, that's lots of time for it." She continued. "How long's it been for you, again?"

□ She mirrored Vi's thumb against the back of her hand, also craning her thumb out to rub the delicate skin on the back of her hand. Veins protruded, little bumps like braille only meant for a lover's touch, and she rubbed her thumb against these peaks and valleys for a few moments as Vi spoke. She let out a hum, a grunt, the occasional utterance, mostly to show she was listening and processing what she was talking about. Once the question turned back to her father her thumb went still.

◆ "I wish I could have just... Put Hiram in the dirt. For good. No joggers, no cops, no God to save him. Honestly, it isn't enough for him to be in jail; I want to be able to piss all over his grave." She spoke, quietly, an undercurrent of anger lining her voice. "He doesn't deserve the dignity of prison. Wealthy people get sent to nice prisons; he should be in fucking Rikers, if not worse. I... Sorry." A huff followed. "Not trying to drag you down too much. I've just got a lot of unresolved feelings about this whole situation with him..."
Maria
: ̗̀➛✯ Vi giggled at Margo's splendour of dramatics, blowing away imaginary smoke from her finger like a wild west gun in a cowboy movie.
"I think it's been... Maybe... Agh, I don't know, I lost count a little while ago" She murmered, shrugging amidst her response.

: ̗̀➛✯ She was happy to watch Margo's expression shift as she listened, pangs of jolty, ecstatic love tingled across her skin as Margo's thumb brushed against her hand.
Was it normal to still have a crush on the person you're dating? As weird as it was to say, Vi was somehow still in that honeymoon phase... The one in which every little thing Margo did sent signals to her thoughts. Sure, assuming they make it that far, some of the things Vi now finds endearing may be minor annoyances but... For now, Margo seemed so *Perfect*

: ̗̀➛✯ That was despite all the morbid fantasies such as the following. Vi nodded with a similar hum, it made enough sense. Delicately, her head bumped against Margo's shoulder (or, around that general area), a small, gentle sigh erupting.
"Well, on the bright side you'll out live him. Your very existence is spiting him, allow that to be a motive." She stated the bedt advice she had at hand, flicking through the filing cabinet of her brain folds.

: ̗̀➛✯ "He'll be in the dirt soon enough, then you can piss and dance on his grave. Probably in the opposite order though, it would be gross the other way."
James
◆ "Yeah, I guess so." Margo huffed as if venting steam from the anger-fuelling boiler in her chest. "But sometimes spite just doesn't *Feel* Like it's enough."

□ Quiet came over the elevator like a cloak as it slid down the shaft. As the whirring of the overhead belts punctuated the silence Margo couldn't help but wrap her arm around Vi's waist. Unlike her girlfriend, who was thinking mushy gay thoughts, Margo's own thoughts were fixed squarely on home, and on the work she'd been doing in therapy. "Not to keep on being glum, but... I didn't realize how badly my upbringing had scrambled me in some ways." She broke the silence as the elevator came to a stop on the first floor. The door slid open, but she didn't move initially. "Like... I had this huge problem where I'd bottle things up before, and... Apparently that's because I was never afforded a safe space to whine at home. I'd... Y'know what Hiram did to us if we bellyached. I've been working on it though, so... I guess therapy is handy."

▪︎ "Now..." Pushing off the wall, she made her way to the door, unfazed as they began to slide closed around her. She stretched a hand out, leaned in slightly, and let a small, self-assured smile spread across her face. "Shall we get going, babe? Day's young and I'm looking forward to the arcade even though I don't usually play video games. Maybe it's because you're with me; I dunno."