the zoo

[instar]

There is one visit during the day from a lady down the street who has made the girls a casserole, on the grounds that it can be hard to remember to eat when bereaved. Bella thanks her sincerely, sniffles a little, and sends her on her way. The casserole is shared around for lunch. Bella asks Ax what Andalites eat, and when she finds out, she locates a bag of grass clippings in the backyard that he pronounces acceptable. She also asks him how he eats them. By way of illustration, he steps both forehooves into the bag of clippings.

Night falls.

They can all go to the Seattle zoo and acquire everything they can get their hands on.

Comments

[aeskhyne]

Trouble cracks up.

[pandion]

"It was super-dark too, anyway."

[aeskhyne]

"True."

[pandion]

"I thought he was really polite, what scared you?"

[aeskhyne]

"It's not about how polite he was. It's just - the whole thing set me off."

[pandion]

"Yeah, obviously, what about it?"

[aeskhyne]

"If I knew, I might tell you."

[pandion]

"Huh."

[aeskhyne]

He shrugs.

[pandion]

"So you're trying to avoid getting set off again without knowing how the heck the setting-off works?"

[aeskhyne]

"Not... exactly. I know some stuff, and I'm working on what I know. It's just not all stuff that's easy to explain. And it's mostly not about what he does so much as it's about how I feel about him."

[pandion]

"Why, how do you feel about him?"

[aeskhyne]

Trouble thinks about this question.

"...It's complicated," he says finally.

[pandion]

"So you don't wanna tell me?" says Andi.

[aeskhyne]

"I don't wanna get into it right now. If you're still curious tomorrow morning you can ask me again."

[pandion]

"I'll probably forget. Whatever." Andi finishes her water and puts her glass in the sink.

[aeskhyne]

"G'night."

[pandion]

"Night." Andi heads back upstairs.

[aeskhyne]

Trouble also finishes his water, and he and his blanket head back into the garage.

[morphbox]

Ax, predictably, is still there.

[aeskhyne]

Yep.

"I think I'm gonna go to sleep," says Trouble. "I'm sorry I insulted you."

[morphbox]

<Sleep well,> says Ax, after a silence that might be surprised.

[aeskhyne]

"G'night."

Off he goes, snuggling his blanket.

[morphbox]

Ax remains in the garage under glow-in-the-dark stars.