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[skitter]

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[littleonewhosteals]

"Okay," he agrees, though there's a hesitation. "But - you're really okay with me going?"

[skitter]

She nods, glancing back at him as she gets settled with the book. "Yeah. You haven't had a vacation since right after you graduated."

[littleonewhosteals]

"It's not really a vacation," he says softly. "I just wish you could come. You've been - I don't know - just kind of going for a while."

[skitter]

"... Yeah," she agrees, fidgeting with the corner of the book. "Wish I could too. I don't think it'd help with me being stuck, though."

[littleonewhosteals]

"Yeah? What do you think would? You haven't been - yourself since the whole...nightmare fear thing. Not even in Flotilla."

He turns towards her, propping his head in his hands.

[skitter]

"At this point, I think it's just a new self." She lays back, resting the book on her chest with a sigh and staring at the ceiling.

"I don't know. I feel like I should be there. I don't know what's left."

[littleonewhosteals]

"Should be where? But you're not that person," he says. "You're not that - whatever."

[skitter]

"I'm not what, Rags?"

[littleonewhosteals]

"The Weaver," he answers, turning on his back and stretching his arms in the air.

[skitter]

She can't hide the flinch.

"No, that's not what I meant. But I don't think there's a way back to the person who'd never... done that." She reaches up for one of his hands, wrapping hers just lightly around his wrist.

[littleonewhosteals]

He lets her, not moving for a moment. "No. But you can still be Taylor. Taylor who learned some shit."

[skitter]

She nods, thumb rubbing over the bone of his wrist, where she remembers the webs, before she lets go.

"I did it in a dream, the other night. Ordered someone and pulled a string and they obeyed."

[littleonewhosteals]

"Yeah? How did you feel when you woke up," he asks with a frown and then takes her hand, linking their fingers together.

[skitter]

She squeezes his hand, taking a moment to think.

"I didn't realize what I'd done, and I felt good. I didn't spot it until I was thinking about it later. I told... I told a man to walk off a cliff. In a dream. Is it stupid that I feel responsible for it?"

[littleonewhosteals]

"No," he assures her. "You're one of those people who takes too much responsibility for shit that you shouldn't. So it's not surprising or anything that you felt like that."

[skitter]

She snorts quietly, shutting her eyes. "So yes, it's me being stupid, but no, it's not surprising.

"I don't think I can fix the responsibility thing. I don't think I want to."

[littleonewhosteals]

"Maybe you can start focusing more on shit that you should be responsible for and not have - everything on your plate."

He lets go of her hand and turns, draping an arm around her.

[skitter]

"I'm making progress," she protests grumpily, even as she gets comfortable under that arm. "Two deals. Not going home to do it all myself."

[littleonewhosteals]

"I'm talking about here. Short term," he explains. "Maybe letting go of some of the shit you're doing."

[skitter]

Her expression closes down somewhat, lips tightening.

"I'm not overworked. High school was more work than my jobs here."

[littleonewhosteals]

He tightens his grip on her slightly. "Yeah, and your high school time kinda sucked."

[skitter]

"Not because of the work. Six hours of school a day and two hours of homework is just normal."

[littleonewhosteals]

"Yeah, but that's trying to run your own life. Not - running shit here," he says softly. "It's not about how much time. It's - the kind of responsibility and effort and shit."

[skitter]

"The only thing I'm in charge of here is Bughell," she points out, getting farther away from sleepy, more irritated. "You run the greenhouse, Tim's got the spa, Maggie's kitchen, Hunter did the hard work on the net."

[littleonewhosteals]

"Yeah, and none of that is really helping you, is it?"

He sits up, propping his head in his hand.