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

[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.

[cutting_edgex23]

"It is convenient to have more room," X offers, after a few moments of thought.

"Bruce takes up space. When he is here."

[ellectrical]

Elle doesn't say anything.

For once, perhaps, she doesn't know how to talk to X about something.

[cutting_edgex23]

"I do not mind it."

In case that is what Elle is --

Worried about?

[ellectrical]

"Mind what?"

[cutting_edgex23]

"Sharing," X says.

And after another few moments --

"Space."

[ellectrical]

There's a pause.

And then, Elle agrees. "You don't usually."

[cutting_edgex23]

"No," X agrees.

"But it is -- good."

Beat.

"Sometimes."

The fact that it only happens sometimes is helpful for that, too.

[ellectrical]

Elle leans back against the couch.

"I couldn't do that."

[cutting_edgex23]

X hesitates, shifting to press her shoulder against Elle's, if only for a second.

"I do not think you have to."