Unmasked

[brave_heart_verity]

Verity's sitting on one of the benches around the Forum, all pink braids and French stripes and soft jeans, idly fingering a new ring and studying a brochure someone handed her. Not the Brochure, just a flier for a temporary costume shop. (Both the shop and the costumes being temporary, one of those things is very important when the other disappears.) The pictures are bright and cheerful, almost inappropriately so. This is a highly sanitized, 'safe' for 'children' sort of Halloween being peddled. Meanwhile, Bobbi sniffs around to check for changes to the area and signs of adventure. She's a pupper of valor and courage, ready to take on any strange sniffs and mysterious smells.

"Is your Halloween tradition to put a mask on, or take one off?" The question begins when she lifts her attention to the wider worlds and does the now-habitual mental and visual sweep of her surroundings. As casually as it's asked, she knows this is a deeply probing question, so she'll give anyone wary of answering an easy out. "You coming to the Ball?"

Comments

[twelve_not_fourteen]

Since he still doesn't think all that much of Matt, he won't. He can't get comfortable around him because there's just something that doesn't line up. And it's annoying because he can't figure out what it is. Con's don't like being conned, but then, they're hardly the only type of hypocrites in the multiverse.

"I could." He intonates that he's considering it, but really he's not all that sure. He doesn't feel convinced by the description. Regardless, since his presence around her still seems to be appreciated, he'd rather be a pleasant surprise than an expected disappointment. Keep expectations low and they're easier to meet.

Her comment about costuming Bobbi gets a raised eyebrow. "They make costumes for dogs?"

[brave_heart_verity]

Verity doesn't exactly expect Han to like Matt. She's inexperienced at being stuck in the middle of these situations, but she's not entirely stupid. Another thing to never talk about. That doesn't mean she doesn't miss him.

That's as close to a promise as she's likely to get from him; she's learned not to push. Life always pushes back. So she'll take it and wonder. (Hoping is a little too much effort to put into life right now.) "If you come just to laugh at my costume, I shall be very cross with you, and then you'll miss out on the magical surprise."

Okay, maybe she hasn't learned not to push a little.

"Yeah, people dress dogs up in all kinds of costumes. Some people get dogs instead of having kids," she admits in a tone that suggests that's not what she's doing because she doesn't understand it. "The costumes are cute and all, though."

[twelve_not_fourteen]

He wouldn't enjoy feeling like the wool was being pulled over his eyes no matter who Matt was or wasn't with, to be fair. And no, he can't see him talking romance with her. Does that mean they can't be friends? Or that the friendship they might find would be less valid? Sincerely he doesn't know. He's not the type with many friends.

"Oh, magic." He says. "I'm well known around these parts for how much I like magic." It might be teasing, but she has piqued his curiosity a little. He's not going to suggest that he's incapable of laughing at her costume, though.

Han listens. Tries to picture in his mind what a dog in a costume would look like. And then tries to picture others, because apparently this is 'a thing'. He ends up shaking his head. "You earth people are kinda weird sometimes. Or is this a Nexus thing?"

[brave_heart_verity]

It's not a feeling anyone really loves, true, and she can't blame him for feeling that way. Maybe someday Matt will be comfortable talking about it, but until then, it's not entirely hers to discuss. Their friendship may be less, but still valid, despite the barriers and boundaries. Maybe because of them.

As if she could forget how much he dislikes magic. She gives him a minute to really appreciate that smirk aimed his way before countering with, "You like flying."

And that's all the hint he's getting.

"Yes, we're very strange," she agrees. "But we're a lot of fun once you give us a try." Wait when did she become a cheerleader for the human race? She kinda hates people. Oh, no, she's not turning into one of those people now that she's in love... is she? Okay okay no need to panic she can still find plenty of things to grump about.

Later.

When her lap isn't full of the cutest puppy ever. Has Han seem that tum? Puppertum is adorable and needs lots of attention.

[twelve_not_fourteen]

She's at least in good company with every other friend that he'll ever have. There are some things he just doesn't talk about; even with the people that he loves. Though, Han's admittedly a little more open with them. It's been said by some people that he's difficult. Those people aren't wrong.

He's only known her in the time that he's been here, so he can't call her out for her attachment turning her into a sap. Besides, it would make him something of a hypocrite to do that - not that that would stop him. He's noticed the tendency in himself too.

"Really?" That's the response she ends up getting. It was selected carefully from a couple of options.

Tummy rubs he feels like he can participate in. Less danger of being licked that way. Have some scritches from a large course hand, lil pup. "Is Bobbi's costume a secret too?"

[brave_heart_verity]

The problem isn't that he's difficult. The problem is that he's difficult and still somehow so fucking charming. That's where the trouble comes from. It's a burden for him, to be sure.

They could be saps about their sweeties together, in a snarky too-cool-for-school kinda way. It might benefit them both to have someone to talk to about these things. Given that they're not great talkers to begin with, they'd be on equal footing when they start, which is another bonus.

She's not sure what he's responding to there. Probably not the flying, she decides, so she gives him a smirk. "Must be some reason so many kinds of aliens kept coming 'round to my planet."

Tummy rubs! Bobbi so so meltingly happy. Pure pupper pleasure. "If it is, it's a really good one, since I don't know yet either."