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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Apr 2

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

with a small huff, caroline stops in her tracks.

“fuck, you’re right.”

arms cross over her chest instead, releasing the skirt.

“you want me to mess up my hair?”

𝓢𝓪𝓰𝓮 @bardicsage.bsky.social · Mar 26

"Oh, you know I wasn't serious. Come on..."

Well, freedom to speak one's mind did come with ramifications, if exercised too freely. She sighs and slows her pace, barely.

"You're going to cut your foot on a rock."

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

“no, but — god, that’s fucked ( up! * )”

a huff, skirt pulled up above her knees so that she can walk a bit faster.

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

“no, but — god, that’s fucked ( up! * )”

a huff, skirt pulled up above her knees so that she can walk a bit faster.

𝓢𝓪𝓰𝓮 @bardicsage.bsky.social · Mar 26

"Am I wrong?"

She's still walking by. Trying to get used to the open air of daylight.

It's a process. Trust the process.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

she’s already getting back out of the lake. she entirely disregards her boots.

“what did you just say t’me?” she shouts back.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

you wouldn’t weigh me down. even if you did, i wouldn’t mind being weighed down by you.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

she’s already getting back out of the lake. she entirely disregards her boots.

“what did you just say t’me?” she shouts back.

𝓢𝓪𝓰𝓮 @bardicsage.bsky.social · Mar 26

Passing by, she idly remarks,

"If you walk to the bottom, I'm sure you won't hear anything."

Well. Less idle, when she's shouting to someone far from the shore.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

thank god.

[ long pause. then, kicking her boots off. into the lake she goes, and good god, is it cold. she endures. ]

this sure is lake water.

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

yessir. don’t have to tell me twice.

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

i’ve had that damn ring on for ten years now but i am very much over it

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

sometimes i feel like those single widow in your area things

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

and where’d you say this was? sounds beautiful.

if it ain’t horribly dangerous, maybe we could head that way one day.

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

really? damn, maybe i oughta travel more. i’ve seen snow a handful of times, but not that much.

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

thank god.

[ long pause. then, kicking her boots off. into the lake she goes, and good god, is it cold. she endures. ]

this sure is lake water.

Lorelei Gumede @nucleartempest.bsky.social · Mar 26

Probably does! We're south of the mountain, and it's just barely spring now.

(It's not long before they're there.)

Well. Go ahead, I guess?

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

. . . i’m sure it’ll be fine. i’ll be fine.

sun might hit it.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

hm. circle junction, if my memory’s servin’. what about you?

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

left california. tried to get some footing with showgirl shit. got engaged. was in the middle of his route so i stayed. shit hit the fan, so i left for vegas. nothin’ crazy.

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

ah. that’d make sense, i suppose. sorry you’ve gotta go up to reno — haven’t been that way in a real long time.

that’s real sweet of you to take him, though.

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

i’m fine with your folk, rest assured. he’s not an issue — i just really don’t get his current fixation with grindin’.

promise it’s not a problem.

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

. . . i’m sure it’ll be fine. i’ll be fine.

sun might hit it.

Lorelei Gumede @nucleartempest.bsky.social · Mar 26

Could be, yeah. Not as bad as the ocean though, I bet. Kinda hard to tell when it's at the foot of a mountain.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

hell yeah.

you think the water will be horrible and cold?

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

nah, he’s fine. i know of ‘im. he doesn’t bother me at all. just says stuff that i raise a brow at, ‘s all.

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

hell yeah.

you think the water will be horrible and cold?

Lorelei Gumede @nucleartempest.bsky.social · Mar 26

Sure! Need a break from all this anyway.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

hm. lake might be smarter. could get deeper.

wanna walk with me, then?

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

yeah, and i don’t think anyone could even get up to my room even if they tried.

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

i ( suppose. * )

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

it was the other one. i’m not gonna complain about your voice, anyway.

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

true. i’m sure i’d be fine, though. at least i ( hope * ) that i’d be, i dunno.

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

hm. lake might be smarter. could get deeper.

wanna walk with me, then?

Lorelei Gumede @nucleartempest.bsky.social · Mar 26

Maybe longer? Or you could try the lake.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

true.

[ pause. dunking her head again. ]

really? fuck, this isn’t working.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

i don’t think they’d kill me over all that, baby.

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

true.

[ pause. dunking her head again. ]

really? fuck, this isn’t working.

Lorelei Gumede @nucleartempest.bsky.social · Mar 26

Well, I could have said no.

(Leaning on the wall, watching)

Think I still hear them.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐑. @platinumchipped.bsky.social · Mar 26

it feels rude.

[ dunking her head in the comedically large bowl of water that she keeps for this exact reason. ]

the ones talking about grinding. or were, i guess.