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[adamantlyardent]

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[forgeabettertomorrow]

... ... ...

[Darin slides off the sofa so he can kneel in front of her.]

You don't have to say anymore.

[He places a gentle hand atop her head.]

I'm not gonna go anywhere again. No more journeys of self-discovery. I got what I needed and now I'm back where I'm needed.

[adamantlyardent]

[after a sniff, she lets her hand slip away from her face.]

Y-yeah, well...I'll be the judge of that, I guess.

[there's not a lot of ire in that, try though she might.

after a beat.]

...Sorry for throwing...things at you.

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Hey, I deserved it.

Besides, even I'm aware that it's impossible to stay mad at me for long~

[adamantlyardent]

[with a pinched expression:] Don't test me.

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Come on now~!

I bet I turn that pout into a smile...

[He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small assortment of coins. Loose change, really. A pulse and crackle of blue magical energy courses through his fist as he clenches it briefly, then opens his palm to show a small metal rose blossom with a butterfly on it.]

How's that?

[adamantlyardent]

Wh-?!

[she sits upright, startled.]

Wait, what? Excuse me? [she catches her impulse to reach out and grab it just shy of touching it, retracting with a grimace.]

Hang on, this is what you were talking about, right? When you were asking me about...inherent magic and stuff a while back?

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Yeah! I never showed it to you? Because I was able to do other stuff, but never anything this detailed, this quickly.

[Nevermind the glowing lavendar marks under his eyes that are fading away as they speak.]

[adamantlyardent]

[not minded at all; her eyes are on the trinket.]

Yeah, no, you were...just feeling it out, weren't you? Is this part of what you were off sorting out? With your inner-whatever?

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Yeah.

I wanted to learn how to become more in control of myself. Of my abilities. This way I wouldn't run the risk of...well, of hurting anyone. As much as I hated not being able to see or talk to you guys, turns out the isolation helped in a way.

With no one left to talk to...I tried meditating. Talking to Diomuhr.

[adamantlyardent]

[peering up, warily:] ...And?

[forgeabettertomorrow]

...And I think I finally feel comfortable with what I am.

Enough to actually embrace my abilities rather than let my fear of them govern how little I use them.

[adamantlyardent]

[huh.

what's it like having so much self-esteem? don't know her.

glancing past him:] Good. That's...definitely for the best...I think.

[forgeabettertomorrow]

...What is it? Something bothering you?

[adamantlyardent]

[wearily:] Oh, what isn't bothering me at any given time of day? [she huffs, uncurling and scooching on the couch so she can get up without stepping all over him, smoothing out her gown.]

I'm going upstairs. Go tell Allura you're back.

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Oh, she knows I'm back. I ran into her at the robot attack.

...You're forgetting this. [Darin holds out the little metal sculpture.]

[adamantlyardent]

[she hates how much it irritates her to realize that, of course, she's last to know. but she's going to swallow back that feeling and turn back, frowning down at the offering.]

...Thank you. [she still looks doubtful even in carefully plucking it up and cradling in her hands.]

[forgeabettertomorrow]

...Is there anything I can do for you?

I'm not planning on jumping back into things for another day or two.

...We could always watch a movie or something...?

[adamantlyardent]

...

[she lingers in place quietly for a beat, fighting the first impulse in her to just dismiss him outright -- some passive-aggressive better things to do snip or somesuch she'd lean into and regret almost as quickly.]

I wouldn't mind. If you want.

[forgeabettertomorrow]

...I'd really like to.

I haven't watched anything in months.

...Any recommendations?

[adamantlyardent]

...A few.

[most definitely an understatement, but hey. regardless, she does sit back down.]

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Yeah? Anything I absolutely have to see?

...Anything where I'm gonna be upset about the pairings?

[He knows what she's about.]

[adamantlyardent]

[yeah he do.]

Gods, you don't even know.

[at which point, she'll take charge of the remote and the rest of this late night.]

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Well, I do know how much I've missed this.

So queue me up something good and let's get to shippin'~