Time is all around, except inside my clock

[changingtheodds]

Ruvin has had several very startling realizations. The first, she's almost seventeen. In just under a week, she will be. She'd all but forgotten about birthdays.

The second--she's been in Chicago for a year, as of today. She's paused where she is, in the middle of crossing a street to look up at the sky in surprise.

Winny is standing in front of

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[neverinportland]

And where there are tears, there are Juliets. It would take a heartless person to ignore such a sweet-looking young woman crying like that.

She takes a tentatively step towards the woman, holding out a hand to rest it on her shoulder. "Hey. It's okay. Can you tell me what's wrong?" She asks, her voice soothing. It's her doctorvoice. The kind of voice she used to soothe women with when they learned they were pregnant on the island... Pregnant on the island was never a good thing.

[crossindexing]

As soon as Juliet approaches her, she tries to calm herself down.

The result is hiccups. Lots of hiccups. "I'm f--" Hiccup. "I'm--" Hiccup. "--okay--" Hiccup. "--um. Allergies?"

Hiccup.

[neverinportland]

Juliet's expression isn't quite amused, but it's getting there. She squeezes her shoulder. "C'mon. There's a coffee shop across the street. There is nothing that can't be cured by chocolate therapy."

These are doctor's orders, Winny.

[crossindexing]

Winny gives Juliet an uncertain look, but submits. Coffee shops are warm. And chocolate is good. She scrubs her face with the arm of her coat as they go inside.

"I'm really okay," she mumbles. And hiccups. Those aren't going away any time soon.

[neverinportland]

Juliet leads her inside, her hand still on her shoulder. "In my experience, no one cries that much when there's nothing wrong, but if you don't want to talk about it, that's fine," she explains, sweetly. "I'm Juliet, by the way."

She stops in front of the counter and orders a plain black coffee- Juliet has no need for sparkly coffees- and a muffin and then urges her to order for herself.

[crossindexing]

Juliet--Dan mentioned a Juliet before. The thought of him makes something warm and safe fist up in her chest. This is where she wants to be. It is.

Oh. Coffee. Right. "Um. White chocolate... White chocolate mocha, please, with only half as much espresso and can that be decaf? Sorry, I just. Sorry, I'm not very--I get. Caffeine."

Winny winces.

[neverinportland]

Juliet smiles down at her and then raises an eyebrow at the barista in a polite well, you heard the lady expression. Their order arrives in a timely fashion and Juliet selects a spot near the heater that has recently been vacated.

"Is this better?" She asks, working on tearing the paper off the bottom of her muffin.

[crossindexing]

Winny huddles toward the heater with an appreciative little mmmmf. She practically lays on the table, just about resting her nose on the top of her cup.

"Yes. Thank you." She peers at Juliet. "You're... Is this a Christmas kind of thing or do you just... do this? That? This?"

[neverinportland]

Juliet considers the question. "Both, I guess. I couldn't leave someone crying in the street if there was any way I could help." She stirs some sugar into her coffee and shrugs. "There's a lot around here that can't be fixed, so we fix what we can."