I didn’t realize she had regained her memories; as far as I was concerned, we were on a clean slate relationship-wise, and all that past stickiness was up to me to keep in the past. So like…objectively I ain’t really have a solid to be against her living here. For the most part.

Doesn’t mean I was impervious to petty shit: I couldn’t stop my ears pinning briefly even as a tight, bitter smile scowled my face as Tembovu so very nearly called her a name that was completely different from any I’d heard. Iso. Not very much like kis hollo at all (what the fuck, Volterra?) Seemed like even Tembovu was in on the ongoing joke, the Keep-Ros-From-Knowing-Her-Name running gag that I didn’t really mind at first but now for some reason I found really really hurt--uh, stupid. “Still ain’t allowed to know your name, huh?” I said in a mocking tone that was too easy and flippant for the semi-formal event of welcoming someone home--but I couldn’t stop myself. It just fell outta me. Like, after all this time, after all I done, all we done--but nah, nope there’s still some shit too personal to share apparently.

Yeah, whatever. Fuck it.

I didn’t realize where the tension was coming from--I figured it was just from my own outburst. And it wasn’t that big of a deal, not really--I just wasn’t able to reign it in before it came out like that. The stiffness fell out of me almost at once, and when she confessed I didn't know you'd be here, my eye-roll was ironic at the very worst. “Me neither a year ago,” I said with a shrug, “but it...it works here. It does.” I didn’t feel like gushing about it at that moment; it was already an encounter filled with too weird things.

I wasn’t so hot on the idea of telling her of my position (it still didn’t sit right on my shoulders, the prospect of responsibility but that couldn’t stop the hot streak of duty sneaking its way in the convo. “If you really wanna help, we’re currently fucked on warriors right now,” I told her, hearing that she was open to anything and everything career-wise, “We’re severely short-staffed--and considering the current...uh…events--” I wasn’t good at being subtle, “--we especially need extra patrols just to keep our head afloat. But--uh,” I glanced at Alysanne and Tembo, seeing if any of their toes were in danger of being stepped on, “don’t...don’t think you have to be a warrior or anything, do whatever you want, man. The Edge is your apple now, too.”


"talk"