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"Hey real quick, what the fuck?"
Ellie reaches out to lightly punch Abby in the arm, leaning forward so Abby can see the flabbergasted expression on her face.
"The fuck kind of books are you reading?"
Ellie reaches out to lightly punch Abby in the arm, leaning forward so Abby can see the flabbergasted expression on her face.
"The fuck kind of books are you reading?"
Abby laughs and takes the punch, tickled by the constipated look on Ellie's face. "Don't look at me! It was a thing back then!"
All those classics are always talking about women spiraling into bouts of hysteria. Must have been something they found a cure for, because it doesn't seem to exist outside of that time period. That's good.
All those classics are always talking about women spiraling into bouts of hysteria. Must have been something they found a cure for, because it doesn't seem to exist outside of that time period. That's good.
Edited 2024-05-29 03:26 (UTC)
"See, this is why I always stuck to comic books," Ellie spouts off, knowing that it'll rub Abby's fur the wrong way, only barely bothering to hide her smile.
"Space battles. People punching each other. Things blowing up. None of this falling in love with your absolutely psycho of a boss who keeps his wife in an attic somewhere."
"Space battles. People punching each other. Things blowing up. None of this falling in love with your absolutely psycho of a boss who keeps his wife in an attic somewhere."
"You know you can get those things in books too," she says witheringly, turning her head sharply so her braid flounces off her shoulder. "You'd like the Narnia series. It's about evil witches and kids doing magic and battles at sea, shit like that—
"Though," amending, softening as they reach the bottom of the staircase and Abby angles her feet toward the dining hall, "Guess it doesn't matter. Can't get them here anyway."
She sighs heavily, like this is the worst thing in the world.
"Though," amending, softening as they reach the bottom of the staircase and Abby angles her feet toward the dining hall, "Guess it doesn't matter. Can't get them here anyway."
She sighs heavily, like this is the worst thing in the world.
Edited (nukes the extra hard return from space) 2024-05-31 04:25 (UTC)
"Actually, that does sound pretty fucking cool."
Ellie starts to resist the urge to reach out and yank the braid, and decides, fuck it. She's going to live dangerously.
She reaches out and bats at it hard enough that it smacks back between her shoulder blades when gravity reasserts itself. She'll be able to hear the grin in Ellie's voice.
"Maybe you should write that book after all."
Ellie starts to resist the urge to reach out and yank the braid, and decides, fuck it. She's going to live dangerously.
She reaches out and bats at it hard enough that it smacks back between her shoulder blades when gravity reasserts itself. She'll be able to hear the grin in Ellie's voice.
"Maybe you should write that book after all."
Abby's so caught off guard by this sudden audacity that she doesn't react right away, not knowing quite what to do. Then she stops dead mid-stride and turns to fix Ellie with a single, unimpressed look.
Cut that shit out.
Once she's satisfied with having made her non-verbal point, she keeps walking. Her stomach is also grumbling, she really does want that food. Ellie, keep up.
"I'm not gonna write a book. Are you gonna draw your own comic?"
Cut that shit out.
Once she's satisfied with having made her non-verbal point, she keeps walking. Her stomach is also grumbling, she really does want that food. Ellie, keep up.
"I'm not gonna write a book. Are you gonna draw your own comic?"
This is the moment where Abby figures out something she already knew: Ellie has no goddamn sense of self-preservation. She gives Abby a shit-eating grin right back, and continues to catch up to Abby.
She restrains herself, momentarily, in order to keep up.
"Fuck you, I might."
She restrains herself, momentarily, in order to keep up.
"Fuck you, I might."
"Fuck you," Abby shoots back, amused. She's resisting the urge to look at her over her shoulder, not wanting to encourage her; her own heart is thumping a little bit, adrenaline up. Ellie never fails to make her feel off-kilter whenever they talk and Abby still doesn't know how to react to it, even after all this time. Ellie really is the only person who can make her feel this kind of awkward.
"If you only came looking for me to be annoying, go away."
"If you only came looking for me to be annoying, go away."
They still do this fucking thing where they make each other a little uncomfortable on purpose, almost to prove that they still can. And Abby trying so hard not to react to her only makes Ellie want to bare her teeth in a grin.
She won't outright bully her, but can she put her a little bit on edge? Sure.
"Please. Like you aren't just as bored out of your skull as I am."
She won't outright bully her, but can she put her a little bit on edge? Sure.
"Please. Like you aren't just as bored out of your skull as I am."
"I'm not that dependent on Clarisse for entertainment," Abby shoots back, which is a bold-faced lie. She would tell Ellie that she thinks the two of them act just like Leah and Jordan used to, if that would have any impact on Ellie at all. She wasn't there, she didn't have to deal with all the eye fucking. She'll never know.
"Are you gonna keep following me after dinner? Are you gonna come for a sleepover?"
"Are you gonna keep following me after dinner? Are you gonna come for a sleepover?"
Ellie laughs rudely, way more loudly than is neccessary, but the smile's real. She catches up to Abby's side.
"Shit," she says, shoving both of her hands in her pockets and dipping her head forward to hide a grin. She scuffs her boots against the stone as she walks.
"That sounded almost like an invitation."
"Shit," she says, shoving both of her hands in her pockets and dipping her head forward to hide a grin. She scuffs her boots against the stone as she walks.
"That sounded almost like an invitation."
Abby splutters, can't help it. Her mouth is open to tell her to fuck off and of course it's not an invitation. They've been sharing a tent! She's had more than her fair share of Ellie Williams all up in her space, but... fuck if it doesn't feel like some weird dare. Ellie doesn't ever push her like this either, she's usually the first to back off. Are they still teasing?
This is confusing, but she'd like to understand.
Abby can't quite look at her when she asks, "What are you doing?"
Her voice is steady and quiet.
This is confusing, but she'd like to understand.
Abby can't quite look at her when she asks, "What are you doing?"
Her voice is steady and quiet.
The smile falls away.
It's not the first time Abby's asked her this, and she didn't have the answer back then either. She falls to silence, still walking with her, hands in her pockets, her hair brushing the back of her neck.
Something crazy occurs to her, but then she can't. Shake it.
"... Abby? Are we friends?"
It's not the first time Abby's asked her this, and she didn't have the answer back then either. She falls to silence, still walking with her, hands in her pockets, her hair brushing the back of her neck.
Something crazy occurs to her, but then she can't. Shake it.
"... Abby? Are we friends?"
Abby snorts, even though nothing about this is funny.
"I dunno."
Her relationship with Ellie is unlike any friendship she's ever had before and, honestly, she wouldn't call it being friends. At the same time, it isn't nothing. They hang out. Have conversations, even about things that are hard. Ellie used to be so frustratingly opaque but now Abby knows things about her, what she reads, where she goes during the day, songs that are stuck in her head. Abby has laughed at her dumb jokes. She can't slap a label on it any more than she could explain why she'd be so upset if she ever lost this.
She hates the way she sounds when she asks, "Do you want to be friends?" Halting, awkward. Vulnerable.
"I dunno."
Her relationship with Ellie is unlike any friendship she's ever had before and, honestly, she wouldn't call it being friends. At the same time, it isn't nothing. They hang out. Have conversations, even about things that are hard. Ellie used to be so frustratingly opaque but now Abby knows things about her, what she reads, where she goes during the day, songs that are stuck in her head. Abby has laughed at her dumb jokes. She can't slap a label on it any more than she could explain why she'd be so upset if she ever lost this.
She hates the way she sounds when she asks, "Do you want to be friends?" Halting, awkward. Vulnerable.
"Abby. Hey, Abs."
The nudge to her shoulder is too worried to be gentle. It's more of a yank, and then another follows for good measure. As soon as she stirs, Clarisse draws her hand back, but she stays where she is, crouched next to Abby in her pajamas, her hair a mess.
It's morning. Barely. Pale light is bleeding in through the gap in the tent flap, and though they’re in Clarisse's new temperature-controlled tent, the quality of the light suggests fog and a slight chill in the air, at least until the sun gets a little stronger a couple hours from now.
It's not strange for Clarisse to be up this early. (Unfortunately.) It's not even weird for her to be waking everyone else up, on purpose or by accident.
What's strange is everything else, the sense of something being slightly off. Wrong.
The nudge to her shoulder is too worried to be gentle. It's more of a yank, and then another follows for good measure. As soon as she stirs, Clarisse draws her hand back, but she stays where she is, crouched next to Abby in her pajamas, her hair a mess.
It's morning. Barely. Pale light is bleeding in through the gap in the tent flap, and though they’re in Clarisse's new temperature-controlled tent, the quality of the light suggests fog and a slight chill in the air, at least until the sun gets a little stronger a couple hours from now.
It's not strange for Clarisse to be up this early. (Unfortunately.) It's not even weird for her to be waking everyone else up, on purpose or by accident.
What's strange is everything else, the sense of something being slightly off. Wrong.
It's like a switch is flipped on Abby: she was asleep and then isn't, from the moment Clarisse yanks her shoulder a second time. Her eyes open and squint through the dim light. "What," she whispers. She's not really looking at Clarisse, more holding utterly still and listening. It takes a moment to place herself. She stares at the canvas of the tent over her head, feels the lumpy bedroll underneath of her, hears Clarisse shifting her weight restlessly beside her. Later, she'll realise what she was listening intently for was the sound of the Venatori attacking—
But they aren't. She pushes up onto an elbow.
"What's going on?" Her voice is thick, tired.
It's only the two of them in the tent.
But they aren't. She pushes up onto an elbow.
"What's going on?" Her voice is thick, tired.
It's only the two of them in the tent.
"Ellie's not here."
Clarisse sits back on her heels and watches Abby as she blinks the sleep from her eyes and props herself up on one elbow. As soon as it seems like Abby is coherent, she continues, "Did she wake you up? Did you see her leave?"
The tone of her voice is accusatory and impatient, but not Clarisse's usual waspishness sparked from embarrassment or hunger or boredom. She sounds like someone who's snapping at their kid because they ran into the road and almost got run over and now they don't know what to do with all the adrenaline shot through them.
The tent isn't that big, that's all. Not with three people sharing it. There's room for their bedrolls and some of their stuff and not really any free space, and she's been sleeping in the middle so it's not as awkward for any of them, and it's weird that she wouldn't have woken up when Ellie basically climbed over her to leave the tent. One of them would have woken up, surely. If not her, Abby.
So.
Clarisse sits back on her heels and watches Abby as she blinks the sleep from her eyes and props herself up on one elbow. As soon as it seems like Abby is coherent, she continues, "Did she wake you up? Did you see her leave?"
The tone of her voice is accusatory and impatient, but not Clarisse's usual waspishness sparked from embarrassment or hunger or boredom. She sounds like someone who's snapping at their kid because they ran into the road and almost got run over and now they don't know what to do with all the adrenaline shot through them.
The tent isn't that big, that's all. Not with three people sharing it. There's room for their bedrolls and some of their stuff and not really any free space, and she's been sleeping in the middle so it's not as awkward for any of them, and it's weird that she wouldn't have woken up when Ellie basically climbed over her to leave the tent. One of them would have woken up, surely. If not her, Abby.
So.
"What?" This is a lot for having just woken up. Abby sits up, legs crossed, blanket pooled at her waist. She kneads her knuckles into the side of her neck and looks over Clarisse's hunched body at Ellie's bedroll: empty, sheets pushed back. "... Clarisse, she probably went to the bathroom."
Clarisse's frantic energy isn't completely misplaced. It has been really strange being in the tents, not unlivable, but not entirely comfortable either. The three of them are sharing with little tension, the weirdness having more or less dissipated over time. It is what it is. Abby still wants their rooms back but right now, she can live like this.
She looks at Clarisse. There is something undeniably off about her. It's giving Abby a sort of tummy ache, a strange nausea. "You okay?"
Clarisse's frantic energy isn't completely misplaced. It has been really strange being in the tents, not unlivable, but not entirely comfortable either. The three of them are sharing with little tension, the weirdness having more or less dissipated over time. It is what it is. Abby still wants their rooms back but right now, she can live like this.
She looks at Clarisse. There is something undeniably off about her. It's giving Abby a sort of tummy ache, a strange nausea. "You okay?"
[maybe like 20 minutes after the ellie-ing:]
Hey. Let me know if you want some other company. Or need some kind of distracting work to do. Or- [if she wants help tucking herself into a space in the library? but maybe don't suggest that outright] -anything.
Hey. Let me know if you want some other company. Or need some kind of distracting work to do. Or- [if she wants help tucking herself into a space in the library? but maybe don't suggest that outright] -anything.
You guys are welcome anytime. Obviously. [Since Abby works there. And--look...] See you when I see you.
Yeah.
(She was going to leave it at that, but a couple of minutes later something occurs to her, an abrupt postscript:) I don't want to talk about it when I come in. I just want to work.
(If Mobius tries to draw her gently aside, however well-meaning it is, Abby can't promise a good reaction. It seems better to address this now.)
(She was going to leave it at that, but a couple of minutes later something occurs to her, an abrupt postscript:) I don't want to talk about it when I come in. I just want to work.
(If Mobius tries to draw her gently aside, however well-meaning it is, Abby can't promise a good reaction. It seems better to address this now.)
[That...actually is a good warning to have. Because Maker knows he'd at least make the offer.]
You know if you need something a little more physical as a distraction, there's plenty of construction and rubble clearing and the like that could use doing. If the library's not gonna cut it.
You know if you need something a little more physical as a distraction, there's plenty of construction and rubble clearing and the like that could use doing. If the library's not gonna cut it.
She's overreacting and Abby's right. It's a relief to hear someone say it out loud, even if it makes Clarisse feel a little stupid. Yeah, Ellie is probably, like, peeing. Or trying to take a bath. Or she couldn't sleep and decided to take a walk.
She exhales, "Yeah," all in a rush, and pulls her legs out from under herself so she can sit properly.
It had just been so weird to wake up like that. Her body had known something was wrong first, and she'd woken up with one arm stretched out and reaching for someone who wasn't where she should be. The blanket had been pulled up most of the way. Clarisse had crawled to the tent flap and looked out and there had been Ellie's boots next to the entrance. Further down, Artichoke, asleep with his head tucked under one wing. Nothing outside had moved, aside from the slow, smoky coils fog just above the ground.
It had felt really strange. It had felt really wrong. But she's a little better now, a little less anxious.
"Maybe I had a weird dream," she says, like that excuses the way she woke Abby up. "I can't remember it."
She exhales, "Yeah," all in a rush, and pulls her legs out from under herself so she can sit properly.
It had just been so weird to wake up like that. Her body had known something was wrong first, and she'd woken up with one arm stretched out and reaching for someone who wasn't where she should be. The blanket had been pulled up most of the way. Clarisse had crawled to the tent flap and looked out and there had been Ellie's boots next to the entrance. Further down, Artichoke, asleep with his head tucked under one wing. Nothing outside had moved, aside from the slow, smoky coils fog just above the ground.
It had felt really strange. It had felt really wrong. But she's a little better now, a little less anxious.
"Maybe I had a weird dream," she says, like that excuses the way she woke Abby up. "I can't remember it."
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