[There's a pause; she still feels weird saying this when so much is different now, but she doubts Steph will pick up on the significance of it. There's a small laugh.]
My father would've just about killed me if he found out I was doing something like that!
[And Steph, apparently, finds that so hilarious she can't talk, since she's too busy covering her mouth with a hand in the interest of not waking up the rest of the houeshold.
[Behind the concern that immediately comes, there's respect for how easily Steph can admit things like that. She knows if it were her, she'd be terrified to tell anybody something like that, even close friends.
Still, there's worry in her voice when she speaks.]
W-What happened? I mean, um, unless it's too personal, and then you can tell me, like, don't ask stuff like that!
[Oh, duckling. Steph didn't mean to make her worry, she does really think it's funny, just like her and Cass thought it was hilarious when they compared their dads.]
Hey.
[Steph catches Ahiru's hands in her own, giving them a light squeeze as she tries to catch her gaze and offer a reassuring smile.]
He's a loser who's in prison where he belongs, I'm fine. He wasn't a very good supervillain.
[She looks down, considering carefully before she speaks. When she does, it's as casual as she can make it; if humor is Steph's defense mechanism, hers is pretending things like this don't really bother her.]
Well, we met in the last world I was in, and we were both there for a long time, enough to get pretty close. Close enough for adoption and stuff. I'd never had a family before, so it was pretty nice.
[There's a reason she keeps throwing herself at the world with a smile and a laugh, and it's not because she thinks the world is good. It's because she refuses to let the bad stuff win.
That's not really important, though, and while Ahiru might try to pretend it doesn't bother her, Steph knows that must have hurt.]
[She shakes her head, brushing a stray strand of hair out of her face absentmindedly.]
No, it's fine. I mean, people left that place all the time just like they do here, but we were both lucky. We got to stay long enough to say goodbye to each other, so it wasn't like it was unexpected or anything. Besides, I kind of think about it like... I mean, when people leave, I try to think of it like...
[She pauses, trying to think of how to best phrase this.]
Getting to meet so many new people who I care about in both of these worlds has been a gift. And, you know, if the price of that is losing them eventually, then... Even if it hurts, that's something I'm willing to pay. Besides, it's not so much a price when you think about how most of them are much happier back home. I mean, he didn't talk about it much, but I knew how much that place was hurting him.
[All of that, somehow, is completely sincere and honest. Well, for the most part — she doesn't include the fact that he's here now. That's something that's still too close to her heart for her to share.
A shrug.]
By that point, though, I'd been there for around two and a half years, I think? So, I don't want to say I'd gotten used to people leaving, but... I guess you learn to accept it after a while. So it's alright.
Well, it's like... I can't change that people leave, and I don't want to change that I'll miss them. But I control how I deal with losing them and missing them, you know? I can either mope around about it or use it to try and remember how lucky I am.
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controlledvariable) wrote2014-02-02 07:59 pm
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She worries, but she knows that it's what I need to be doing, and she trusts me to stay safe.
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My father would've just about killed me if he found out I was doing something like that!
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One moment, please.]
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Um, did I say something?
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[Okay she's good. Maybe.]
My dad's a supervillain, so. I can understand that.
[He nearly threw acid in her face.
Good times with the Brown family.]
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Still, there's worry in her voice when she speaks.]
W-What happened? I mean, um, unless it's too personal, and then you can tell me, like, don't ask stuff like that!
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Well he doesn't approve of my career choice, that's for sure.
[Maybe one day she'll stop using humour as a defense mechanism, but it's not happening any time soon.]
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T-That's not funny! Is he... I mean, did you, are you okay? I mean, did he ever hurt you? What did he do? What about your mother?
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Hey.
[Steph catches Ahiru's hands in her own, giving them a light squeeze as she tries to catch her gaze and offer a reassuring smile.]
He's a loser who's in prison where he belongs, I'm fine. He wasn't a very good supervillain.
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Okay. Still, I'm sorry you had a father like that. It doesn't sound easy.
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[Speaking of Cass..
But more importantly:]
Don't think I didn't miss you mentioning your father.
[And she has a feeling Ahiru didn't mean her duck dad.]
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[She looks down, considering carefully before she speaks. When she does, it's as casual as she can make it; if humor is Steph's defense mechanism, hers is pretending things like this don't really bother her.]
Well, we met in the last world I was in, and we were both there for a long time, enough to get pretty close. Close enough for adoption and stuff. I'd never had a family before, so it was pretty nice.
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[There's a reason she keeps throwing herself at the world with a smile and a laugh, and it's not because she thinks the world is good. It's because she refuses to let the bad stuff win.
That's not really important, though, and while Ahiru might try to pretend it doesn't bother her, Steph knows that must have hurt.]
I'm sorry, duckling.
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[She shakes her head, brushing a stray strand of hair out of her face absentmindedly.]
No, it's fine. I mean, people left that place all the time just like they do here, but we were both lucky. We got to stay long enough to say goodbye to each other, so it wasn't like it was unexpected or anything. Besides, I kind of think about it like... I mean, when people leave, I try to think of it like...
[She pauses, trying to think of how to best phrase this.]
Getting to meet so many new people who I care about in both of these worlds has been a gift. And, you know, if the price of that is losing them eventually, then... Even if it hurts, that's something I'm willing to pay. Besides, it's not so much a price when you think about how most of them are much happier back home. I mean, he didn't talk about it much, but I knew how much that place was hurting him.
[All of that, somehow, is completely sincere and honest. Well, for the most part — she doesn't include the fact that he's here now. That's something that's still too close to her heart for her to share.
A shrug.]
By that point, though, I'd been there for around two and a half years, I think? So, I don't want to say I'd gotten used to people leaving, but... I guess you learn to accept it after a while. So it's alright.
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Steph really hopes that it's true, and that Ahiru isn't too hurt by everything that she's been through, but just in case...]
You know it's okay if you're not alright with it? This situation isn't easy, and you're allowed to be upset or angry or think it's unfair.
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Well, it's like... I can't change that people leave, and I don't want to change that I'll miss them. But I control how I deal with losing them and missing them, you know? I can either mope around about it or use it to try and remember how lucky I am.
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[Feelings, she means, since she worries that Ahiru tries to ignore any negative feelings.]
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No, I'm not.
[And it's true enough; she's just trying not let it bury her.]
Um, thank you for listening. I don't want to keep you up! You must be tired.
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[She pulls Ahiru into a loose hug, kissing her hair again.]
I'm used to running on a few hours sleep, I'll be fine. Are you ready to go back to sleep?
[That's what really matters; if Ahiru needs to stay up longer, Steph will stay with her.]