Abby swallows a laugh when Wags tilts his head from side to side at the sound of Loki's voice, staring intently at him- he immediately darts off, as they start to hit more open and empty space, longing for a good run. She lets him go this time, he'll come back if she shouts.

Besides, this deserves her full attention.

And he's told her off for being self-deprecating. Abby's smile slips. "I do know," she says, after a beat. "S'why I like you." People with monstrous pasts should stick together. Remind each other not to make the same mistakes.

She isn't sure if he wants her advice, or her ear, but he's getting the former. He'll always have the latter anyway. "Kinda sounds like you're trying to talk yourself out of it. Why do you think you're going to fuck it up?"

Honest question. Gonna... circle back to this 'native variant' thing.