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just try to keep yourself out of trouble. i'd hate to be the one they send after you one day. mostly for my own sake, but, you know. i prefer you flexible, too.

talking with, i mean.
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you're really not as bad as people think, red. you're just fighting for what you believe in. something about that passion is kind of . . .

⠀[ stopping herself from the end of that one. a little pause lingers, furthering the delicate shifting of gears. hues drifting aside. ]

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while i think bats is sometimes too grumpy, i also don't think he'd do that on purpose. pretty sure. kinda kept at wing's length.

⠀[ oh, she shouldn't doubt harper's notice of all the little things sprinkled in there. just that last time she dove a little too far in the deep end first. ]

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⠀
⠀[ there's a little snort before a full-on laugh, turning back down. ]

yeah, i've seen those, there's actually a couple. as bad as it might seem, think it at least means there are people that see you as a comfort. standing up for them. almost like a hero, yourself.

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⠀
⠀― folding arms over as head rolls back, maintaining sight upwards. ]

well, i don't get that many to begin with. & it was special, in more than a 'if i don't take care of this i'm getting turned into fertilizer' kind of way. you're interesting to talk to.

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i'm probably over-explaining again. the ones with you are . . . yeah. they're pleasant, i think. exception being the one we're in little shop of horrors.

⠀[ tilting head towards shoulder, lopsided bemusement grown to black-painted lips. she's joking. mostly. ―

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⠀
⠀[ arms fold over, unsure which part of the last bits to tackle first. stay down? maybe that was a pandora's box left closed. ]

could imagine worse ways to go than a date. but, i . . . yeah. know when i'm beat, there. even if it didn't last, i'm glad you got some peace, too.
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no, i ⸺ oh. cute. think this is why even you guys can't stand kaye, either. running bodies, the environment, & my search algorithms with her xo punch crap.

it's not really the 'why' people get hung up on. but already said i don't do the bat-lectures. just don't disintegrate any in front of me.

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⠀
⠀been too used to the punchlines of the world to really think that'd be possible of someone that spends as much time with the original prototype.

⠀furrowing her brows a bit at the insinuation of misspeak, eyes drifting to aside as mumbling a recollection to herself. ]

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⠀
⠀[ her typical unfounded bravado was slightly more drained than usual, having already lost this little gamble once. as fortunate as ever ivy wasn't as particularly enraptured with blind maleficence these days. almost made just talking to her nice.

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yeah, well. sometimes dreams are just things to have at night. if anything, i kind of figured it'd end at becoming mulch for one of your gardens, so i guess a flower is nice, comparatively.

i did look it up, also. what it means? so. thanks, you know.

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⠀⸺ turning head with a light 𝘵𝘤𝘩 even damian could be envious of, covering the bit of growing heat from embarrassment felt. )

already told you i probably don't taste good, anyway. which isn't something i thought i'd have to reiterate in my life. it really wasn't weird, to do that?
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so maybe the bar isn't incredibly high, but it's something. you care about something than just yourself. it's admirable. just a message that gets drowned out a bit when you mulch someone.

⠀( considering how . . . invested she got last time, the teasing feels a bit more pointed. ⸺

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⠀
⠀( it was special, for better or worse. even if there's a paranoid part of her that assumes the flower is relaying secrets back to its 'mother'. )

it's a bit different. maybe still not always the best of methods, but you know. you're not selling poison energy drinks for kicks.

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