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[But not something good, she can figure out.

And who can fight against memories?]

Josh...

[ The laugh that leaves him is a touch nervous.

This isn't a conversation he thought he'd be having with her. Piers maybe, because he's seen some rough things. But this is Mae and he doesn't want to scare her with the crazy shit that went on back home. ]

I think I just realized why sitting on my laurels in this blizzard bothers me.

Beyond me naturally wanting to go out there and help.

[Haven't they been through this already? Nothing she's told him has scared him away, nor Hikaru, and they should trust that it goes both ways by now.

In case he doesn't, she makes an effort to leave her coffee cup on the table and scooch a little closer.]

Why's that?

Last time I was anywhere this cold with this much snow was an op where I thought my whole team died.

[ That's much, much softer than he means it to be. And clearly he wasn't paying attention, because he does blink that you're close and he's immediately offering room at his side for you to snuggle close if you like. ]

[Funny, but she's not the one who looks in most need of snuggles here. And this is where the line can get drawn clearly, and friendship prevails over everything else she's been entertaining. She sets the sandwich down too, what's left of it at least, and after wiping her hands clean she's the one opening her arms.]

Come here. [Yesterday, it was him and Hikaru who gave that order and fussed over her for the following minutes. This time Mae would like it to be her.]

[ He blinks at her first, as if he's surprised by the gesture, but then he scoots over and settles ( if a touch awkwardly ) in her embrace: arms wrapped carefully around her torso and head set gently on her shoulder.

She's soft and solid all at once and he shuts his eyes, forehead pressed lightly against her jawline. ]

Thank you.

[ Clinging tight because he hadn't realized he needed this.

Hikaru's out, he's naturally worried. He also doesn't want to feel like all he's doing is just sitting tight. ]

Edited 2015-05-28 13:50 (UTC)

[It's only awkward the first few seconds, while he settles in, before she does; afterwards, Mae finds a position that's comfortable for both of them more or less: She turns just a little, to wrap her arm around his shoulder and draw him in, especially when he thanks her for something that comes so easily to her now.

Count it all: they've pulled secrets from her without persistence, they've welcomed her into their home, Hikaru's sang her to sleep, Josh has been the prompt provider of hugs on all the occasions she'd needed them... How could she not be tender hearted over them? Over him?

It doesn't take much to get Mae on your side, but when she's there she will stay there, solid and loyal and dependable. And, beyond warm today, generous. She doesn't say you're welcome, she presses a kiss into his hair and lets out a quiet sigh through her nose, and lets her hands run up and down his back.

He doesn't have to tell her. Death is, in itself, terrible and terrifying. He doesn't need to specify or give details, for her to know whatever remnant of it there's left in his soul, it's a trauma -- a scar, not a bruise. And much like her scars, she can only do her best to smooth it over for him too.]

We made it out, everyone okay. But at a cost. [ He whispers that, as if the memory aches like an old wound. It still haunts him: taking the compass, making that hard call knowing what he was trading off in exchange. ] I just couldn't go home a man down.

[ He settles in close, takes the comfort she gives and sighs softly, breathing in the scent that he's come to associate so strongly with her: it's sweet, whatever she uses for her hair. ]

Sorry. [ That comes a little later, after what feels like long enough silence between them. ] I guess it was my turn to bring the mood down.

[At one point, as he talks, she settles into the pattern of combing her fingers through his hair, aiming for soothing motions, gentle brushes of her nails down his scalp. All slow, careful and caring.

She listens. Leans her cheek against his forehead.

Lets him have a dry little laugh. Turning her words against her, huh?] You just never know when it's going to hit you. Something I've learnt around you. Plus, it's also good to have someone around willing to listen and hold you, which...I also learnt here.

I'm glad you're here. [ That slips out because he actually doesn't have to think too hard on it. ] I'm glad we met and that we're friends.

[ Lifting a hand now, to tuck an errant strand of bubblegum pink hair behind her ear. ]

I think the constant fall of snow is getting to me.

[ There's something sad about it. And too many associations with things back home that he's not supposed to think too long on anymore. ]

Do you think this'll blow over soon?

[The fact that he says that makes her warm up from within and she wants to kiss his forehead again. And lower, and - nope. Momentary lapse of judgement, just a tiny little bit of tension there and she's good now.

Back to petting. His hair.] God, I hope so. It's barely been a couple of days and I'm already sick of it.

[ He's tempted to lean in a little more because she's comfortable and warm. But he doesn't want to crush her. You're such a tiny thing, Mae. ]

I lived in California. We don't really get much snow there.

But I get what you mean.

[But she can take it, she's not that crushable. In fact, lying down would be better than what they've got going on right now, comfort-wise.]

Oh - did you surf?

[ He laughs softy, peers up at her. ] California's not all about beaches, Mae.

[ Actually yeah, that might be a good idea.

Pulling back a little. ] Let me stretch out on this couch and you can flop on me instead.

[ He's got a foot on you and he's fairly broad, you're tiny by his estimation. ]

[Well. That sure draws attention to they way they're sitting, suddenly.

It's in her head, though. IT's as weird as she'll let it get. And she shouldn't let it be weird, so.] Okay. [She lets him go, so he can get up first.]

[ He's getting up and reaching around to toss some of the pillows that might be in the way.

( That's catching the attention of Naoki, naturally -- one little ball of fluff with large ears darting from nowhere to on top of the heap. He's got beef with the pillows because they need to be shown who's boss. )

Josh's attention is squarely on Mae though. Okay, there.

Leaning back, holding out a hand. ]

[She's shorter than him, that much is undeniable. She also fits very nicely, it turns out, between him and the back of the couch, even if mostly she does flop on top of him. And somehow, she manages to keep it as platonic as it can get. Score.]

This is nice.

[ He's smiling down at her at that, one arm tucked around her shoulders as they settle in. ]

It is, isn't it? [ He used to pile on the couch back in Baluerte like this, with Cindy whenever she wasn't feeling at her best. ] I think the only person I've done this with of late is Hikaru.

[ Naturally, because boyfriend-turned-husband-to-be. ]

My sister and I used to do this though, when we were kids.

Jamie and I as well... [There's that tone, the one she uses when she talks about her brother, that betrays how much she misses him. At one point, being in Eudio will stop being for him, it'll be for herself, and when that happens she won't have anything to do against missing him. She simply will.

But she doesn't have to admit it yet.

His chest is warm, she notices this when she rests her cheek against it. It's warm and she can feel his heartbeat, and that is lovely.] But I can't recall anyone else.

Tell me about him? [ He tucks her head under his chin, happy that the two of them can just be like this. It reminds him a little of Yulia, in that hall. Except there's no tears now, no grief over Marcin and apologies for crossed lines when he'd back off instead of run after her to push her to talk about her feelings. ]

Your brother, I mean.

[ He smiles, bows his chin a little, so that his lips hover sort of over the very top of her head. ]

And then we can swap and you can ask me anything you like.

[ It seems a good enough way to pass the time. ]

[Oh boy, her very favourite conversational topic: Jamie. She smiles and settles in for the story time.]

He's younger than me, but not by much. He's -- my best friend and my partner in crime in every way. [Every way.] He's witty and sweet and a little too trusting and he uses humour as a defense mechanism. [Like you don't, Mae? Who'd he pick it up from?]

He's as much against physical exercise as I am, though we like - we do this thing, it's a game. We call it where did you learn how to dance.

[ He laughs at that; a small, happy sound. His breath warm in the space between his mouth and her hair. ] He sounds like one of my friends from back home.

[ Kaz. Kaz who's always picked on and who was all-too game to let him propose to Hikaru at his engagement party. ( Gimme the song, Joshua. I'll set it up with Uncle Gids. ) Kaz who didn't understand a lick of football, who out of all the Hounds led a pretty charmed life, but who wanted to work hard and remain good and sweet all the same. ]

So, I guess this is the part where I ask: So where did you two learn how to dance -- or is this a trick question?

Ah, it actually is. See, really the honest truth is that our parents tried to get us interested in a lot of sports. Fencing, horseback riding, real plebeian stuff. [Right. Right, well - maybe she should've picked up fencing, or maybe she could do it here and honor Annabeth with it.] But dancing was the only one we liked.

The game however, was to find the strangest of responses. Ask me, I'll show you.

[ Alright, Mae Crawford: he'll bite. ]

So... where did you?

[ Let's be honest here, he'd like to know. ]

[She turns her head, props her chin in her hand and her elbow on his shoulder, not uncomfortably. Actually, she's pretty cozy right here. And a slow smile.]

At an all-girls school in France. The nuns caught me dancing with the daughter of a Duke and had me expelled for wily hips.

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