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]

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.

[cutting_edgex23]

"Oh."

X falls silent again, just for a second.

"But people are not looking for you?"

[ellectrical]

She shrugs one shoulder.

"I'm pretty good at hiding."

[cutting_edgex23]

"I know," X says.

She does.

"It is okay, if you are not worried."

[ellectrical]

Elle goes quiet for a moment.

Then, quite abruptly: "We're talking about me too much."

Maybe this is a hint, X.

[cutting_edgex23]

"Oh."

X does not exactly sound startled.

"Okay."

Beat.

"I got a new bed."

[ellectrical]

Beat.



"Do you like it?"

Among these Elle has never done: bought herself a new bed. She might be sleeping on a sofa in her world. Maybe.