The Roof, Tuesday Evening

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo hadn't actually realized that there were stairs up to the roof. She'd contemplated trying to get up to it via ATs, but just walking was so much easier. Not that that was going to stop her from trying the harder route some day

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[that_oldsaying]

Today's explorations led her up past the fifth floor--though she'd stopped to wave hi to Kathy's door; yes, to Kathy's door, rather than Kathy herself--and up past the sixth floor and onto--

Well, she didn't quite have the bravery to do more than peek through the doorway onto the roof and, after seeing that it was the roof, she had Bubbles the giraffe poke his head out to better inspect the area.

Then they'd confer about whether it was safe.

[soniaroadsqueen]

"It was," Ringo answered with a half-smile. "I missed you." She'd wondered if she just hadn't seen the other girl, if Alluka had stayed in the calmer waters, but that question made it pretty clear that she hadn't.

[that_oldsaying]

That did get Alluka to look away from the water.

She looked at Ringo. "You did?!"

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo's expression was surprised as she turned to Alluka. "Of course! We haven't talked in a while, and I wanted to say hi." Her face softened into a friendly smile. "It's part of why I was glad you decided to join me up here."

[that_oldsaying]

Alluka could count on one hand the number of people who'd ever missed her and most of those where people she'd met in the last month. Being missed was still a novel thing for her.

She looked down, though she was smiling at the top of her giraffe. "I don't have a bathing suit," she admitted. "So I couldn't go to class."

There might have been a bit of a temper tantrum thrown that morning regarding that, yes. But by now she was pretty over it.

[soniaroadsqueen]

For a moment, Ringo was taken aback. After all, if she'd been in that situation she probably would have gone anyway, and explained to the teachers. But, well, this was Alluka.

"You should have told me," she decided to say instead. "We could have gone shopping for one together."

[that_oldsaying]

"I didn't know I would need one!" Alluka said, kissing the top of Bubbles' head. "I mean, until they told us that we would and then it was too late."

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Hmm, well, maybe we could have done an emergency shopping trip real fast," Ringo said musingly as she considered the timing involved.

She chewed on her lip, mulling that over. "Well, at least we can make sure you don't run into that problem again," she suggested thoughtfully. "Maybe we should make a list of stuff you don't have, and do one big shopping trip?"

[that_oldsaying]

Alluka had been on one shopping trip in her life. There was no way any shopping trip with her involved would be a fast one.

"Kathy got me a lot of things," Alluka offered hopefully. "I have a lot more stuff now than I did when I got here."

[soniaroadsqueen]

"That's a good start," Ringo affirmed with a grin. "But we know that you're at least missing a bathing suit. And maybe some other stuff, too, right?"

[that_oldsaying]

"Maybe," she admitted. "But I don't know what else I'm missing."

Alluka was not super great at that sort of thing.

[soniaroadsqueen]

Well, that was a good point.

Ringo went back to chewing her lip thoughtfully. "Well, maybe we should go look through my closet, and maybe a few other peoples', and make a list of stuff they have that you don't? Figure out what you need from that?"

[that_oldsaying]

Other people would not have nearly enough toys in her opinion.

"You, you'd be okay with that?"

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Of course!" Ringo's smile didn't go anywhere as she cocked her head at a slight angle. "Why would I?"

[that_oldsaying]

Alluka shrugged a little, darting a glance out at the water.

"It's your stuff," she pointed out, after a moment.

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Well, that's true," Ringo admitted, trying to look at things from Alluka's perspective. "But maybe I want to show some of it off," she pointed out with a grin. "Like, I've got this super-cute sundress that I haven't had a good excuse to wear since I got here."