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[rosarianoath]

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[noburden]

Jill smiles and relaxes, holding his arm more comfortably. A gamble won.

"What if I think I see something in the water?" That doesn't count.

[rosarianoath]

“Perhaps we just stay on land for your safety,” he says, leading her down the steps.

[noburden]

She laughs softly.

"That's not fair. I've been looking forward to it."

[rosarianoath]

"You can enjoy the water without going into it," he says. "Isn't it nice, to sit by a river and watch the stream move by?"

[noburden]

"But nicer to put your feet in. I've seen the look on your face after a long day's trek on a warm day."

Don't deprive her, Clive.

"Do you think I've forgotten how to defend myself from monsters?"

[rosarianoath]

True.

“Of course not,” he says, fixing her with a mild look. “But it has been some time.”

[noburden]

"Then you'd best come with me into the water. Just in case."

She wins.

[rosarianoath]

“We’ll see what it’s like when we get there,” he says, but it’s something of a concession. There are at least a few months until then, he figures.

[noburden]

She'll take it. Jill is quick to keep the conversation going.

"What about you, Clive? Is there anything you're looking forward to?"

[rosarianoath]

The question makes him pause, even though there’s nothing to think about. He has no plans.

“Warmer weather, I suppose.”

It’s something.

[noburden]

"Longer days," Jill agrees. "We can spend more time in the yard that will, hopefully, have some beautiful flowers to look at."

[rosarianoath]

“That would be nice,” he agrees. He reaches for her hand to squeeze it again. “Whatever you choose will be beautiful.”

[noburden]

"You're helping me choose," she reminds him with a soft smile. "It's our home. I want you to leave more of a mark on it than the basement, Clive."

And whatever damage done when he hauled that sewing machine up the stairs.

[rosarianoath]

It’s odd to hear her refer to it as their home, no matter how many times she says it. For a long while he’d felt he’d manipulated her into it, between Torgal and his risk of injury and whatever lingering feelings she had. Now, for the first time, he realizes he believes it.

“Red gazanias, perhaps?”

[noburden]

Like home. One home, at least. Jill's smile widens at his suggestion.

She prays they have them here.

"That would be perfect, Clive."

[rosarianoath]

It’s good to see her smile so genuinely.

“What kinds of flowers do you want?”

[noburden]

"I'm not sure," she admits. "I at least know I want them to go well with red... something pink? Purple?"

She can't say she knows many types of flowers, let alone what grows in this world.

"Just nothing with any extra surprises."

[rosarianoath]

“No Morbol sprouts, then?”

[noburden]

She laughs. When was the last time she laughed so much with him?

"Those I would let you have the honor of handling. Though after what we just collected in the yard, I wonder if my senses have been burned away."

[rosarianoath]

"That may be," he says. "But on further reflection, we would need to bathe Torgal far more often than he'd tolerate or we'd enjoy."

[noburden]

"What, are you saying that after all this time you don't enjoy being caked in wet fur and dirt after wrangling that massive hound into the water?"

Jill might enjoy it less than she enjoyed picking up all his shit.

[rosarianoath]

"I don't care for it, but I do not dislike it," he clarifies.

[noburden]

"I was going to say... sometimes you laugh as if you're a boy again, when you're trying to keep Torgal still and wash him off."

Torgal seemed to bring it out of him.

[rosarianoath]

"I suppose it is boyish," he replies, amused. "But how can I help it? It's a good time."

[noburden]

"It is. I'm always happy to watch the two of you," Jill tells him, but surely he knows. She's sat and watched the two of them wrestle and roll around in the grass more times than she can count, and yet not enough.

"I'm glad he's here with us."

If he wasn't, she's not so sure they would have bothered to try and salvage their friendship.