[And once their palms have made contact, they're standing on the road closest to Brianna's home. No lights are on, of course: everyone in there is asleep.
He doesn't let go of her hand, even as he's walking her to her doorstep. Have a kiss to the cheek, daughter, once you're there.]
[ Sounding genuinely sad for Brig. She...might have done something similar in the past, although on a much lesser scale. She used to be a huge bitch after all. ]
I didn't know that. Have you at least asked her why she did that?
[ Suddenly, she feels like she doesn't really want to thank her... ]
[ Brig never thought about that really. He just suddenly felt like all the warmth was gone. Like suddenly she was a wall. ]
Actually, I haven't. [ His shoulders hunch ] She was just so curt with me at the end that I was too afraid to ask.
[ OOC: If Brianna verbalizes or let's a vibe like that on, Brig will jump to Kasumi's defense. He really does think it must have been him who did something wrong. Couldn't have been Kasumi, in Brig's mind. ]
[And he's watching Aria nod and offer another smile in farewell to the third girl he's ever adopted as his daughter before moving off. On his end, he's killing his cigarette and moving over.]
That looked... pleasant.
[He had been curious about how Brianna and Aria were getting along now.]
[And he doesn't say anything, not until he's gotten the both of them good coffee, a pot, and an ashtray. Not until he's bringing the two of them out into the garden out back, and finding a quiet and secluded bench that they can plop down on, and setting the ashtray and the pot between them.]
So.
[Erm. How does one start with this? (Why is it so hard? It really shouldn't be, Blade King.)]
[ Chuckling now, in spite of himself. The heaviness of the earlier topic replaced with mirth because -- no, on second thought, never mind. ]
Hey Bri? Can Stanley and Yulia come over to join us for dinner?
[ He'd show you the photo, but Yulia doesn't know you quite yet and he doesn't want to put her in the awkward position that the mage is clearly putting her in by having taken that picture. ]
I mean. We are a blade now. And... it might be a good idea for you to get to know them a little better.
[ Brig notices the sign. And wonders at the implications behind Brianna's statement. He doesn't really know much about how she integrated back into her life after Arcadia. He's taken the time to read on Changelings. ]
Your old friends left you when you came home from Arcadia? [ There is a lot of caution and care in his voice when he asks. ]
[ Weirdly, that thought makes her cough out a laugh. ]
No, no. It's nothing like that. We still talk from time to time, but I guess I'm just used to seeing them and hanging out with them everyday. It's just that our lives are really different now, so I guess there's not much to talk about anymore... [ She trails off. ]
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