BECAUSE TODAY, I AM THE COMMANDER OF DEATH.

                                                                    I WOULD,    I F   I   H A D   A N Y.

       “oh, well if you’re not sure what to do---” his arm curls around her before she can finish her statement, before she can push herself up and crawl away from him, and she sinks into his side and lets her gaze flick up to his face. “nice save.”

       “that was when you were eleven. that could have been anything--- you could’ve been experimenting and he just happened to be the boy you were closest to.” a pause. “i’m not saying he doesn’t know. i’m just saying you should tell him, so you have to confront it.”

       “oh, i’m sure i grabbed a beer,” she says, waving the bottle with a grin before popping it open. “don’t act so surprised. i’m surprised he hasn’t said anything for you.” she settles down into the chair--- she looks so small in it--- and takes a drink from her beer, closing her eyes. “why can’t you just say it?”

       “you know,” she says, climbing into a oversized, ratty recliner that john’s always had in his apartment, “if you like him, you should say something. the worst he can do is say no.” her crush on john is OBVIOUS--- she flirts with him constantly--- but she’s not about to get in the way of some love that’s been brewing for years if finn really is interested.

      “---so you’re the little girl john’s been telling me about.” she kneels in front of her, smiles brightly, and rests her chin in her hand. “ponyo, right? how hard is it going to be to look after you? tell me the truth.”

       she reaches out, shoves his chest with the fingertips of her good hand, then steps close enough that she’s got to tip her head back to look up at him. “why don’t you say that again?” she urges, raising her eyebrows and trying to keep her lips from curling into a grin. “i’d like to see you try.”

       “---john.” she moves from her position at the edge of the bed to press herself between him and the wall, leaning against his side as she tucks her knees against her chest. “it’s cold.”

       “---i don’t think you want your fingerprints on that.” it’s a genuine concern--- she’s trying to look out for her--- as she reaches out with her own gloved hands to lift the laptop she’s been working on.

SINCE @savetoday IS A TRUE HERO AND MADE ME A MILLION AND A HALF MODERN ICONS, LIKE THIS FOR A MODERN EMORI STARTER.