Interdimensional gate-crashing is a physical impossibility

[cutting_edgex23]

X slips in through the front door of her apartment, ducking down to bar Steve McQueen's passage out into the hallway.

Farrah makes her own break for it several seconds later.

Apparently she is learning from the best.

X does not sigh.

There would be very little point.

Comments

[ellectrical]

But Elle stops Farrah at the door, moving without pause to scoop her up in one smooth motion.

It happens seems quickly that both Elle and Farrah seem caught a little off-guard by it. But the cat doesn't protest much as Elle brings her back over the threshold.

[cutting_edgex23]

X takes that opportunity to slide in between Elle and the door, gently pushing it closed.

Then she lets Steve McQueen go. He makes a beeline for the cat tree, adopting the loaf position as he declares himself king of his domain.

X tolerates it.

Pleasantly.

She also takes this opportunity to untie her boots and begin removing them. It will be more comfortable that way.

[ellectrical]

Elle dips down to return Farrah to the floor, as well.

When the cat doesn't run off, but instead rubs her head against Elle's jeans, Elle just asks, "Do I have to feed her?"

[cutting_edgex23]

"You can," X offers, after a moment of silent study. "It will not hurt if she eats early."

Beat.

"But you do not have to."

[ellectrical]

Elle watches the cat for another moment, making no movement either way.

Then, she takes a step to move across the room toward the sofa. Farrah seems to get the picture, bolting to join Steve McQueen on the cat tree.

[cutting_edgex23]

X flicks a quick glance from the cats to the fishtank and back again, then follows Elle toward the couch.

Hostessing happens to other people.

[ellectrical]

Elle leans back into the couch, waiting for the shift in weight that lets her know X has joined her.

Then, apropos of nothing: "I don't know if I should cut my hair."

It's grown about an inch past her shoulders - not nearly as long as it was before.

[cutting_edgex23]

X considers that for a second or two, tucking one leg up beneath herself while she thinks.

"There are relevant criteria?"

Maybe Elle has an upcoming mission?

[ellectrical]

"I used to like it."

The truth is she's not thinking of things like missions, or jobs, or even not being found.

"Now I don't know."

[cutting_edgex23]

X pauses, thinking that over, too.

She isn't frowning.

"There is something else you like?"

[ellectrical]

"I don't know."

It's the most honest answer.

After a pause -

"Yours is long." Except when it's burned off.

[cutting_edgex23]

"Yes," X says. "It is."

Beat.

"It is relevant?"

[ellectrical]

She shrugs one shoulder.

"Do you like it like that?"

[cutting_edgex23]

X has to think about that for a few long minutes.

She's never thought about her hair in those precise terms before.

But there is probably a reason that she does not rigorously cut it short.

Which means --

"Yes. I do."

Beat.

"For me."

[ellectrical]

Elle draws two fingers through her hair, holding a lock between them for a moment.

She still doesn't know.

So she simply answers, "That makes sense."

[cutting_edgex23]

"You can try things, too," X offers, after a long moment.

"Nori dyes her hair. Blue."

Others, like Pixie, are just naturally gifted with pink hair.

[ellectrical]

The thing is, while she's been feeling a new level of clarity in how the world around her pieces together, she's become all the more confused about how she fits into it. She can see X, see her long, dark hair, and see that it looks good this way.

But at the moment, Elle herself is feeling like she'd never so much looked in a mirror; that doing so would just be like deciphering an unfamiliar script.

So it's entirely honest when she asks, "Do you think that'd look good?"

[cutting_edgex23]

X gives this question all due consideration, tilting her head slightly as she studies Elle.

Hmm.

"You are worried about color coordination?"

It is the most obvious criterion X can think of for 'looking good'.

"With your clothing."

[ellectrical]

Beat.

"I wear blue a lot..."

She tries ticking through what she would have thought before. Her father wouldn't have liked it. It would have drawn attention. There were some places where she knew, though didn't understand why, it wouldn't be so welcome.

None of these reasons are bothering her so much now.

[cutting_edgex23]

"You do," X agrees.

And after a few more moments of study --

"Some people have streaks of color, too. I do not know if you would like that more."

[ellectrical]

Elle pulls up a lock of her hair again.

This is starting to seem complicated.

"Maybe I should just cut it."

[cutting_edgex23]

"You can."

If X sounds a little hesitant as she says that, it's only because she is not sure what the most useful response might be.

"I think it will -- "

She pauses, looking for the right words.

"Look good."

That's right, right?

[ellectrical]

Elle twists the lock of hair around one finger as she listens to X, releasing it at the last word.

Then she blinks up, and after a pause -

"We can talk about something else."

[cutting_edgex23]

X stays silent for a few seconds, expression gone blank.

Then --

"Okay."

Beat.

"You have been okay?"

[ellectrical]

Elle's expression isn't too different.

"I haven't been bad."

She's feeling pretty sure that's different.