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[ruevealing]

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[edalyn]

...Sure. [Eda does not sound convinced. Or at least, it's not a taste she wants to acquire.]

We were better and we were fifteen.

[Eda says this flatly, before eating a spoonful of icecream. It's a moment before she realises that she just, in fact, admitted to having been in Rats.]

[ruevealing]

[hehehe]

So it must have been a superior performance than, is what you are saying?

[edalyn]

Yeah, the, uh, the Hexside show was better.

[She doesn't say we this time, possibly hoping to just brush past it. Although she's not entirely joking about thinking it was better.]

[ruevealing]

[Too late, Rue knows all.]

Tell me about the differences.

[edalyn]

Well, for one thing... ability to sing. It was mostly the bard kids. And no one looked like that. Everyone had cute little rat noses.

[And she continues to comment on things between nibbling on ice cream, mostly seeming unimpressed and slightly puzzled by the additional attempts at a plot.

She reacts the most, though, when they meet a cat whose main character traits appear to be the hot one and incredibly annoying. Eda bursts out in vaguely offended laughter. There's some absolutely incoherent sputtering, but Rue might gather she seems personally insulted.]

[ruevealing]

[Eda's laughter is infectious. It's a nice time, even under the sorrowful circumstances, just a night cuddling with their bestie and making fun of theatre kids.

Though the way Eda sputters says a lot.]

Now that looks like a personal attack.

[edalyn]

[She's doing her best to find things to laugh over so she doesn't cry, but at least it appears to be working for the moment.]

I have... no idea what you're talking about. I just— I just think he's bad at this part. Not that I care about this part. [You know what, she's just gonna stop talking and eat some more ice cream now.]

[ruevealing]

Oh certainly. Of course.

[hehe, too late, eda.

But Rue is all too happy to cuddle up to their bestie and just enjoy the show, as long as it helps distract their friend from her pain.]

[edalyn]

[And it seems to, for a while. She continues to make snarky little comments as she leans against them... for a while.

Until almost all at once she begins to sniffle. Maybe it's the nostalgia of remembering her questionable highschool theatre days, maybe it's the alcohol, or maybe it's the fact that Raine being gone is really settling in. Maybe it's some combination of all of the above.

She tries to hide it, but probably not to much success.]

[ruevealing]

[Rue would not blame the woman for it being a combination of all three. Just one alone would be worth getting emotional over.

They slide a wing over Eda's shoulders and forcefully pull her close, bullied into cuddling, letting their wing feathers drape affectionately over the woman, like a feathery blanket.]

You are not alone, my friend. Nor do you need to hold back. I am here at your side through all of it.

[edalyn]

[Eda tenses up, but it's not long before she just curls up against their side and pulls their wing up to her chin like it is, in fact, a blanket. After a bit she manages to stop sniffling.]

Thanks, I just... I don't know why I didn't think this would make it worse, [she admits with a quiet snort. She really should have known.]

[ruevealing]

[Eda has full control to settle however she would like. Rue isn't about to deny her anything.]

Hush, it is not your fault. You are grieving, no one blames you for not knowing exactly what you need. You are doing the best you can.

[Better than Rue would be able to handle it, at least.]

Shall I turn it off? We could watch something else.

[edalyn]

[Eda sniffles a little more before finally just shrugging.]

Maybe. I don't know. I... [And Eda decides to more or less give up on the pretense, since she wasn't being especially subtle as it was.]

Rats was... I mean I can't exactly say it was a good experience. But it was one we had together.

[And right now, even the weird, bad, embarrassing high school theatre experiences make her miss Raine.]

[ruevealing]

We could always come back to it later.

[whether that's because Eda needs a break or if she just wants the chance to stretch her wings and focus elsewhere for a bit.]

If you'd like to talk right now instead. Whatever you'd like.

[edalyn]

Maybe... maybe we should just talk.

[The problem is, she's genuinely not sure what will help, what can help. She's not even used to accepting help to begin with. She's certainly doing better than she would be alone, if nothing else.]

[ruevealing]

[Rue only needs a moment to pause the movie, before turning to Eda, taking one of her hands in their paw and squeezing gently.]

Tell me, my friend, what is most deeply on your mind? How do you feel?

[edalyn]

I mean I'm not feeling great. [She gives a quiet snort, but then sighs.]

I just... wish I knew what happens to the people who disappear. Or what happens... happened at home. [The timeline remains deeply confusing as far as that goes, which is another thing that doesn't help!]

[ruevealing]

I so deeply wish I could give you that peace of mind, my friend. That is a terrible burden to have to carry.

[They are quiet for only a moment, careful with their words and thoughtful.]

But I believe that you shall find those answers. We will find out what happens to your home. To the people waiting for you there. I do not know how, but we shall.

[edalyn]

...Yeah. Yeah, we will.

[She doesn't know how either, but she's choosing to believe it because she has to. She doesn't want to consider the possibility of never finding out.]

And hey, maybe it's a good thing time's all weird. [It's probably not, but she can at least imagine that maybe it means they can get home... before certain things happen. With time to make better plans. She can dream, right?]

[ruevealing]

We will.

[Rue emphasizes, refusing to believe that there is any future in which she doesn't just learn of her home, but that Eda fully makes it back to her family. They will do whatever they can to make it happen.]

There are certain advantages of time weirdness, don't you think? I know it is most difficult right now, in the face of everything, but things will resolve themself, my friend.

[edalyn]

Maybe there are.

[Eda lets out a tired, slightly drunk laugh.] I used to love time magic.

Well the idea of it. Trying to prove it was real... even built a thing for detecting time pools with Lily.

[She's rambling now, but maybe that's a step up from worrying. Not that talking about her sister won't also make her sad.]