nineteen fancies

[ann_withane]

[Anne hadn't pushed the button. And though she knows it was the right thing to do -- or not to do, rather -- she still can't help feeling that maybe, if she had, she would have been reunited with Arthur and Merlin, even if only for a bit. She feels empty without them around; her life is a perfect graveyard of buried hopes, but she cannot take

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[freckleddoll]

[Tiger was running ahead, sniffing at everything and then running back to Doll's heels, barking at her as if to ask her to hurry up. She often took him out for walks, the puppy being too energetic to be cooped up in an apartment all day. When he noticed Anne he ran at her, wagging his tail as he recognized the girl who'd petted him the other day.

Doll grinned when she saw Anne, recognizing her as well, waving.]

Hey!

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[ann_withane]

[Seeing Tiger gave Anne a pang of conscience -- she really should have brought poor Sir Gawain out on this walk. But then she would have had to tell Todd and Neil where she was going, and they might have insisted on coming with her.

She didn't let her conscience keep her from petting the excitable puppy, and hte smile she gave Doll was considerably more friendly than many people had gotten that night.]

Hello again.

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[freckleddoll]

You alright?

[She stood close by, hands in her pockets, smiling back at the girl but looking a bit worried too.]

S'cold out 'ere, after all.

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[ann_withane]

[Anne scowls.]

I don't understand why everyone keeps asking me if I'm all right. I'm fine.

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[freckleddoll]

[She's taken aback for a moment, but then she just smiles again.]

S'normal t'worry 'bout the people you like, yeah? Wouldn't you ask yer friends if they're alright, if you found 'em wandering 'round in the cold an' not lookin' warm enough?

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[ann_withane]

[Anne is silent. Doll just made her think of Arthur and Merlin. She wonders how they are doing, whether they're cold. Her own comfort doesn't matter much when she doesn't know what theirs is.]

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[freckleddoll]

...'ey. What's wrong?

[Just reaching out to touch the girl's shoulder. She doesn't like seeing her upset.]

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[ann_withane]

[Anne shakes her head, but she does not recoil from Doll's touch.]

You just reminded me of my friends.

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[freckleddoll]

Oh...an' they ain't 'ere?

[Because she knows that look, has had it on her own face often enough lately.]

My family, they ain't 'ere either. My brothers an' sisters...an' I really miss 'em an' worry 'bout 'em. But I know they'd worry 'bout me too, so I just try an' get along with things, look after myself an' everythin'.

They wouldn't want ya t'get sick from walkin' 'round in the cold, would they? Just like you wouldn't want 'em t'be.