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Trying to be happy isn't the same thing as being happy...

[ She frowns for a moment, then reaches out to try and take his hand. It's slow, a little hesitant, and even if she can reach it, her grip is loose enough that it'd only take a brief tug for him to free himself from that, too. ]

I told you, you're not going to lose me. I'll still be here, if you want me around.

Only if you do.

[He allows her full access to his hand, but he's hesitant to reciprocate anything. Does his other self being here mean the boundaries are different than they were when she first came back with her furry new enhancements? Ugh, everything's too confusing.]

I'm not trying to keep you prisoner. [Despite the... rocky start to life in Koriko...]

And if you do, then what's the big deal? It's not like this changes anything, right?

Does it for you?

[ Be brave, Peony!! Don't run away! You can do this!

Which is to say, even though he doesn't hold her hand back, she keeps a careful grip on his hand. It doesn't feel that different from holding Maera's hand, because even he doesn't always immediately reciprocate. ]

If it does, then I want to know. If it doesn't... I'd be happy, having you around.

With you? It shouldn't. Still trying to figure out how the rest of my life's going to go with all... this.

[Doubles, Luna, all of it. He finally, slowly, encloses his larger fingers around hers, just to test.]

Just when I was trying to figure out how to bring up that thing you mentioned. With Luna.

The thing...?

[ There are several things she's mentioned, but there's one thing in particular that stands out for her, especially in the light of Icarus and Maera appearing. ]

You mean, um. The... the sharing?

Yeah.

[He presses his other forearm against his face for lack of a free hand.]

I was thinking- a decision like that is still his to make, obviously, but... no sense dropping a bomb like that with all the rest of this going on.

[He hasn't even had the chance to have his big romantic moment of clearing up the misunderstanding about his confession. BOO.]

I think, before you worry about anything like that, you should at least tell him you understood his confession...

[ Becaues the last time she advised him to Just Talk About It went... well actually, she'd still say it went pretty well. He hadn't been talking to her, and he'd gotten the return of Luna's feelings. Score one for actually talking to people! Who knew? ]

I, ah, I didn't know you'd been thinking about -- the rest of it that much.

-!

[She knows! ...Well, it's not like it'd be hard to figure out that with everything that's gone on today that it didn't leave a whole lot of time for a touching reunion scene.]

I don't know, there was a lot to think about that day! Between that and your ears and finding out there was some other version of me...

[And all this hand holding business. Which is really very nice, but it's not like he can just say that...]

Just another day in this crazy place.

[ She had a pretty touching reunion or two, okay. They involved a lot of hugging.

But that's a little advanced for the two of them right now, so she settles for squeezing Mallory's hand gently. Just to test a little, for now. At his comment, though, she smiles again -- a bit wobbly, but more genuine than before. ]

Seems like it, huh... it's not all bad, though.

[He grunts and tilts his head a little, begrudgingly.]

Not bad. Just freaking weird.

[But it could be a lot worse, it's true. He'll adjust to this someway or another. At least these new roommates are people he can feel safe around and that's the important thing. That and Peony being happy with them.

Anyway, "this is weird" pretty much sums up Mal's thoughts on the entire affair. For his part, he's content to just fall back into a contemplative silence, keeping Peony's hand in his while he watches the river. After a brief consideration, he shifts his weight to bump his side lightly against hers, just to signal that he's totally cool with not having to be alone right now.]

[ She's both surprised and not surprised at the contact; when he does that, she looks up at him again, smiling, then leans a little closer against him. While she's not yet bold enough to just put her head on his shoulder, she's maybe only a step and a half away from that. ]

Weird can be nice, too. I can live with weird.

[ After a second, she reaches up to touch the peony flowers in her hair, just adjusting them to make sure they're still securely in place. ]

...The flowers were sweet. Thank you for that.

Yeah? ...I thought you'd just put them in a vase or something, but they look better like that.

[They'll wilt a lot sooner, but maybe he should pick some up more often. Or find some kind of hair pin with a fake on it? Jeez, look at him, ready to spoil her just as much as he'd spoil Luna. Not that that's particularly new.]

I did that with the rest of them! But I wanted to keep a couple with me through the day.

[ Admittedly, she'd decided that before she'd realized what sort of birthday madness he'd unleashed on her, but... she'd still kept the flowers even after that. In fact-- ]

Honestly, I was kinda annoyed about all the glitter, but I would have forgiven you for the flowers alone.

[WELP, THERE IT IS.]

Yeah, I- I didn't think he'd bring glitter into it. I just said flowers and cute animals. I underestimated the kid's enthusiasm.

[But he's a good kid! And Mal doesn't think that often.]

Nice to know if I ever piss you off in the future I can just bring some by. [Is that cliche for real?!]

You can't always buy my forgiveness with flowers!

[ The secret is that he just has to be himself. She might have the ears and tail that has as a match to Maera, but Mallory's the same man deep down! And she knows very well she wouldn't be able to stay angry at him for very long. ]

You're secretly such a big softy.

[A big softie who's really embarrassed by having it called out! He squeezes her hand and bumps against her a little more firmly.]

Pffft. Who'd you hear that from? I'll kick their ass.

I figured that out on my own.

[ When he does that, she retaliates by actually leaning against him now. She's tiny, he could toss her off easily. ]

I know you don't like admitting it, but you can't hide that from me.

You know more about me by now than I know about you, don't you...

[She's too observant and he's hung back and wrapped himself up in his own angst for far too long. It's hardly fair.]

Well, now that the big secret's out, I guess I have no choice but to be a total softie from now on.

[And that means... soft-bodied. Oh no, his legs are jello, and now he's melting right onto poor Peony, what a world...]

You could-- ah! H, hey! Wait a moment--

[ He's meeeeeeeeeltingggggggggggggggg and Peony has to scramble a little to brace her weight when he does that, pushing herself up more firmly to try and keep them both upright. Maybe she can do this! Maybe she can hold them both up!!

Well, she can manage it for a while, but not if he keeps leaning on her like this! ]

[Whoa, she's actually got some power in those dainty-looking arms. Like, more than he already thought. But in the end, she's still tiny compared to him!]

Legs... too soft...

[Down they gooo-]

Wah--!!

[ DOWN THEY GO!!

At least, this is not the first time he has landed on her,

That doesn't mean she doesn't make an incredibly ridiculous squeaking sound when they hit the ground, and though she does lie still for a few seconds, it's not too long before she's squirming. This wasn't what she intended at all!! ]

[At least the grass makes for a softer landing than the gym floor.

He rolls off quickly onto his back next to her, uttering a short victorious chuckle. Revenge complete once again. Then he stares up at the dimming twilight through the overhead branches, his face relaxing into something a little more distantly neutral.]

[ It does, and she is grateful for the cushioning. She wheezes a few times after he's off of her, just for show, but a few seconds later, her fingers brush his again. There's a question in the touch, though she doesn't voice it aloud: is this okay? do you not want to do this? ]

...Are you going to be all right?

Yeah, I was lying about my legs being soft.

[Har dee har har. No, he gets what she means. Without thinking too hard about it, he spreads his fingers a little and lifts them, in case she's looking to link their hands together or anything. Now that the innocent touches have begun, it's surprisingly easy to just keep them going.]

I'm fine. Really. Weird as this all is, I'll take it over everything that was going on back home.

[ Ah, good. When he moves his hand, Peony does in fact lace their fingers together, squeezing. She's careful about it, as gentle as she can be, chewing quietly on her lower lip as she listens. ]

...Me too.

[ She says it like a confession, but not one she's embarrassed about. ]

I don't know that I deserve it, but if I have the chance, then I don't want to let it go.

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