[Mari kneels down beside the table, and Aubrey just crumbles. She can’t quite bring herself to turn, but she doesn’t cover her face, either; it’s her, it’s her, it’s her. Mari’s talking to her in that soft, gentle voice she hasn’t heard in so long, and it makes her want to wail like a baby. If Armin wasn’t here, and if she had just a little less pride, she might as well.]
“You’ve gotten so big…!” [Aubrey can’t even be mad she’s being talked to like she is, well, still 12. Finally she turns her head, as Mari takes a strand of pink between her fingers; that scrap of dignity is on very, very thin ice.] “And you dyed your hair…! Told you pink would be cute on you.”
[Oh, hell with it. Aubrey throws herself at Mari in a hug, blubbering.] I missed you… so much....
2/4
“It’s okay. I’m here now.”
[Mari kneels down beside the table, and Aubrey just crumbles. She can’t quite bring herself to turn, but she doesn’t cover her face, either; it’s her, it’s her, it’s her. Mari’s talking to her in that soft, gentle voice she hasn’t heard in so long, and it makes her want to wail like a baby. If Armin wasn’t here, and if she had just a little less pride, she might as well.]
“You’ve gotten so big…!” [Aubrey can’t even be mad she’s being talked to like she is, well, still 12. Finally she turns her head, as Mari takes a strand of pink between her fingers; that scrap of dignity is on very, very thin ice.] “And you dyed your hair…! Told you pink would be cute on you.”
[Oh, hell with it. Aubrey throws herself at Mari in a hug, blubbering.] I missed you… so much....