how u doin clover

[aididitmyway]

WHO: Clover
WHERE: Clover's barn
WHEN: after the game

[So like, hi guys, we're back, things happened, we played a lot of kid games that actually kind of sucked.

Also Lyra's still a lil guy.]

Comments

[aididitmyway]

Our whole lives. Even when I was mad at you, we still lived together...

And now it's been a couple of months. But I'm still me.

[aiwillneversmile]

I used the same word for repetition, but you have to admit you're a different person from who you were when you first arrived and who you are now.

[going to mix the milk into the rice now]

[aididitmyway]

I know I am.

Does it bother you?

[aiwillneversmile]

No, why would it? You're supposed to grow and change. I just have to play catch up for a bit longer.

[aididitmyway]

Sure, but no one expects to have to grow and chance through this kinda thing.

[aiwillneversmile]

The situation is, yes. The growing, no.

. . . Not to mention, you being out of my sight, even if it wasn't my choice, was slightly anxiety inducing.

[don't make this admission weird lyra!!]

[aididitmyway]

[she sits back for a moment, before nodding.]

I didn't like not knowing what was going on with you. I hated it. Especially when the bad things started to happen.

[aiwillneversmile]

Here with you? Or was something else happening to 'me'?

[aididitmyway]

Here with me.

Because I wanted you, even if I didn't want... you to get hurt?

[aiwillneversmile]

Ah, yeah. But it's not like there another choice, is there? If I get to choose where I am, it's going to be where you are.

[aididitmyway]

... If I got to choose where I was, it'd always be with you, too. I—I just want you with me. No matter what happens, I don't like it when you're not with me.

[aiwillneversmile]

[pauses in mixing to pat her head]

So, if Blossom tries something with me again, give her hell. You have my permission.

[aididitmyway]

I don't need your permission to give Blossom hell.

Maybe we can keep holding her body hostage?

[aiwillneversmile]

Then, I'm encouraging you. Two times is enough, no need to add a third on.

[picking some jams off the shelves along with a bowl]

That body . . . Has anyone done an autopsy on it? It's with Bluebell, isn't it?

[aididitmyway]

In the morgue, yeah. No one's done an autopsy, though.

[aiwillneversmile]

Who could here?

[aididitmyway]

[shrug...]

I don't know.

[aiwillneversmile]

[lyra please..........]

Who has any amount of medical knowledge here?

[aididitmyway]

Crois did.

I know first aid now? I can do stitches and stuff. I know what medicine we have at the clinic. Azdaja knows some stuff, too.

[aiwillneversmile]

[ew, azdaja... but good enough]

Where's Crois now?

[aididitmyway]

He went home. Like, because he wanted to. He didn't have any ties keeping him here anymore or anything.

Apparently it's something shepherds can see? You'd have to ask Zenith for more details.

[aiwillneversmile]

Not interested. It doesn't have anything to do with us, after all.

Pick a preserve.

[they're the ones she made, putting some still warm pudding in a bowl]

[aididitmyway]

Lemon.

And, well—I guess not. I'm just letting you know who can look if you're ever curious. Crois was dead before he got here, but... he was able to go home alive.

[aiwillneversmile]

[cracking open the lemon jar and putting it on the pudding, enjoy your brother made pudding, lyra]

. . . A lucky chance for him.

[aididitmyway]

I wish you could've met him. He's a good guy. He took care of me.