coppelganger | ic contact; MoM

Wait here.

[ Sarah disappears into the guest room for a minute, and when she returns, she's holding three packages wrapped in kangaroo-themed paper. ]

Let me know if Mendel likes his.

( For a moment Sarissa hesitates, and nods her acquiescence.

And then... kangaroos. She can't help throwing Sarah a very amused look. )

Uh oh. You tryin' to tell me I got a few 'roos loose in the top paddock?

Yeah, maybe. Or I couldn't find anything with Tasmanian devils.

I'm from Victoria, mate.

( False snippiness, but she's still smiling, as she carefully holds the packages, running her fingers reverently along the creases and tape, before taking a step closer to Sarah and holding an arm out - the offer of a hug, rather than presuming to just step into one, the way she's gotten used to doing.

More quietly, ) Thank you.

[ Sarah hugs her, tucking her chin over Sarissa's shoulder and briefly closing her eyes. They'll be okay. She can feel that. ]

Of course.

I'm—

( She pauses a second, and hugs Sarah a little tighter. )

Sorry about the words stuff. I'll try ease up. ( Communicating is hard, and she's not good at it - it's all too much or too little, too sincere or too sarcastic, but she'll try. )

You don't have to do that.

[ She hesitates, biting at the inside of one cheek. ]

I'm sorry you think I only care about you when we're the same.

If it's bad for you, yeah, I gotta. I didn't mean it like that.

( Well. Did and didn't. )

I'm terrified of letting you down. Seems like I do that all the time.

You don't. Really. S'just—

[ She looks down for a moment. ]

It's complicated when it's family shit. I'd kill anyone who fucked with them, or you. Even a kid.

( Easing back, Sarissa carefully sets down the presents, and brushes Sarah's hair back with both hands, so she can let her hands cradle Sarah's jaw and fingers rest on her skin, very gently. Sarissa makes no move to try and make Sarah look up, but she does rest her forehead against Sarah's for a moment. There are mythological protectors she could talk about. She could compare Sarah to a lioness, because that's what she seems like, she could talk about Bast who was a lioness and a protector and linked to the Sun, but she can't mention a one of those things because her words, they hurt Sarah. They're too much and they burn her, seems like.

Sarah is gold and sunshine and lions and fire that holds back your enemies and burns them. She's terrible, when she must be, but she's warmth and comfort, too. Sarissa bites the inside of her cheek and stays close. Van Gogh painted sunflowers, just sunflowers in some of his works and they were extraordinary because of how they used new pigments and explored the whole spectrum of a colour, and Sarah was like that but with fire, and Sarissa can't say a word of it. It's hard, keeping words locked up, but she'll try. )

I know you would. I'd do the same for you.

I know you would.

[ Which is why the situation with Kavinsky bothered her so much. But it's over now, done. They can't go back and change what happened. ]

Okay.

( Good. As long as she knows that. )

I love you. ( And, with a slightly more playful tone she adds, ) You bloody drama queen.

Love you, too.

[ There's no way she can deny being a drama queen, so she just smiles and kisses Sarissa's temple. ]

You gonna open that shit or not?

( Easing back from the embrace, Sarissa roughly rubs over her eyes with the heel of her hand, an oddly reckless seeming gesture, with a kind of childishness woven into it. Sarissa is too old sometimes, but mostly she just seems far too young. )

Which one should I open first? You seem most excited about Mendel's.

[ Sarah shrugs, smiling as she breaks the hug and leans back against the wall. ]

Doesn't matter. I just like giving people things. [ Maybe contrary to appearances, Sarah Manning is a huge dweeb. ]

You big sook.

( Spoken with the utmost regard, btw. Sarissa scoops up the smallest parcel dramatically and shakes it a little, Seeking Clues. )

Is it a pony?

You're such a good guesser!

[ The package rattles when she shakes it. It's a mini beer pong set for their mutual enjoyment. ]

Maybe don't shake the bigger one, yeah?

It's why you like me so much. And why I was such a good cop.

( lololol

But omg she laughs as she opens up the beer pong, beaming at it. )

This is fucking epic. Jesus. Friday nights are sorted.

( :D :D :D ) Thank you.

Aw, shut it. I know you must've been a good cop. It's not an easy thing.

[ She motions for Sarissa to open the second present. Inside is a fancy plankton aquarium to serve as both a nightlight for the apartment and to appeal to Sarissa's terribly hidden geeky/animal loving side. ]

( Excuse her, Sarissa's just going to take a seat on the floor, more careful with this one after Sarah's instructions. And when she gets it open, she just stops for a second, folding up the paper and setting it to the side, as she lifts the aquarium onto her lap. )

No way.

( She sounds so quiet and so awed, running her fingers over it, like she has to confirm that this thing is real and solid and actually in front of her. Her eyes are wide and her mouth parted, and she opens and closes her mouth uselessly before looking at Sarah. Speechless for a few moments, before she manages. )

This is so cool! ( TOO HAPPY TO ARTICULATE, MUST KEEP INSPECTING THIS MAGICAL AQUARIUM KIT )

ic contact; MoM

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject