OS   ♡ What? I’m, like, super busy right now.

OS   ♡ Walk around the garden or something.

Yawning, she seats herself on the other side of the armoire.

RS   Don't be like that. ♡

RS   At least tell me what you're watching. ♡

OS   ♡ Just some Program paparazzi garbage.

OS   ♡ You can really turn your brain off for this stuff.

RS   Then, wouldn't you rather spend some time with me? ♡

OS   ♡ No way.

OS   ♡ I LOVE turning my brain off.

RS   Mmm. ♡

RS   Then, is there anything interesting going on, at least? ♡

RS   Please. I'd like to know. ♡

OS   ♡ Well...

OS   ♡ The yellow guy... Castiel, I think?

OS   ♡ He was seen with that... diamond-y lady... and that glasses person.

OS   ♡ Seems like they've started appearing more in public together.

OS   ♡ Even if it seems like, uh. He doesn't get along with Glasses.

RS   You never know. ♡

RS   The bonds you make during the heat of competition are forged strongly. ♡

RS   Passion takes all forms. ♡

OS   ♡ Like you and Uncle?

She laughs, covering her mouth with her hand.

RS   One could say that. ♡

RS   Has he appeared, by the by? ♡

RS   I haven't indulged myself in the rumor mill for a while. ♡

OS   ♡ Besides the usual?

OS   ♡ I guess there are some weird pictures people snapped of him in the woods again.

RS   Mmm. That’s not news. ♡

RS   Goddie takes little nature trips all the time. ♡

RS   I’ve told him. There are some spectacular gardens I know. ♡

RS   And he enjoys them just fine. ♡

RS   But it’s the survivalist in him. He wants action, not just a view. ♡

OS   ♡ Maybe.

OS   ♡ I think it's Mr. Lockewood.

RS   Mmm. You might be right. ♡

You've seen the way they talk to each other. No Value necessary.

RS   I should drop by those little woodlands too, then. ♡

RS   Lincoln is such a gentleman. ♡

RS   Painfully earnest, at times. ♡

OS   ♡ Honestly. What's up with him?

OS   ♡ How did he make it so far back then?

OS   ♡ And I'm surprised that season hasn't, like, corrupted him or anything.

You should visit Mr. Lockewood sometime, too. He can be a bit grumpy, but he gives really good advice on target-practice. The literal kind.

RS   Mmm. No, he's too strong for that. ♡

RS   A good apple in a barrel of rotten ones. ♡

OS   ♡ Don't say that.

OS   ♡ You're not rotten, Rosie.

A smile curls up on her lips.

RS   Oh, Wally, you mean that? ♡

RS   I'm touched. ♡

OS   ♡ Yeah. 'Course I do.

OS   ♡ You just have really scary thorns.

OS   ♡ And sometimes you make that face like you're going to drown someone.

OS   ♡ But, like. Family.

OS   ♡ Which means I guess I'm sort of like that too.

She crawls over and practically drapes herself over you. Your cape and her robes are starting to become indistinguishable. You adjust yourself, mostly so that she can’t see what’s on the screen.

RS   Wally... ♡

RS   You're my sweet little bud. ♡

OS   ♡ Mmmph.

RS   And there's no heart I know better than yours. ♡

OS   ♡ Ob-vie.

RS   So, if there's ever someone else in there... ♡

RS   I would know. ♡

OS   ♡ ...

RS   Don’t you want to know what I know? ♡

OS   ♡ ...

RS   Wally? ♡

RS   Can you be a dear and engage in some conversation with me? ♡

OS   ♡ ...mmeh.

Reluctantly, you put down your phone.

OS   ♡ Maybe the answer is no.

OS   ♡ I would prefer not to know what you know.

OS   ♡ It’s better for, like, my health and all that.

She hums, continuing in that sing-song voice of hers.

RS   You know I only want what’s best for you, Wally. ♡

RS   And if someone’s caught your eye, I would know how to approach things. ♡

So that's why she decided to make an appearance. It shouldn't surprise you. Not at all.

You love Rosalyn, you really do. And there are a lot of things you like, together. But what you really like has to be kept close, locked far away from her. Otherwise, she’ll find a way to make it an ‘our’ thing, not a ‘my’ thing.

So, you move to stand up, but Rosalyn grabs your cape.

RS   You don’t deny it? ♡

OS   ♡ Why would I? Since you're, like, the knower.

OS   ♡ Maybe that’s why I don’t want to talk about it.

RS   Ooh. What's wrong with a little whisper? ♡

RS   I promise I won't judge. ♡

That's just a lie. But you can't keep rebuffing her so strongly. Otherwise, she'll get suspicious. Or worse.

So, you reluctantly settle back down.

OS   ♡ You first.

OS   ♡ Maybe start with what you know, then.

OS   ♡ Then, maybe... I can talk about it a little.

Wearing a victorious smile, she rests her head on her arms, which are crossed over your legs. And she closes her eyes. To the passive observer, it might look as if she was fast asleep.

RS   Someone your age. At school, perhaps? ♡

RS   Oh my. There's a wide range of people there. ♡

RS   Though there are few as illustrious as an Anthemusa, certainly. ♡

You exhale. Her Value can’t identify specific people, not unless she knows them just as intimately. You can try to tell her as much as you can, just to satisfy her.

OS   ♡ It's just a little crush.

OS   ♡ Don't worry about it.

RS   Worried? Wally, I'm absolutely intrigued. ♡

RS   I've never felt such... smitten energy from you. ♡

RS   You've been thinking quite a bit about her. ♡

RS   At least tell me what she's like. ♡

She's nothing like Rosalyn. If she was, you shudder to think of the kind of envy she would feel. But the opposite is scary, too. Her seeing you adore someone so dissimilar to her.

OS   ♡ She's...

Breathtaking.

OS   ♡ Really special, is all.

RS   Mmm. ♡

RS   I can tell. ♡