"and just how exactly am i supposed to know which worm is you?"

moses let out a long, soft sigh, pressing a hand against her forehead as her brows drew together. the look on her face made it abundantly clear that she had already accepted this as yet another one of your harmless — albeit utterly nonsensical — antics.

for a brief moment, she seemed genuinely inclined to dismiss the question altogether; yet the instant your cheeks puffed into an unmistakable pout, the resolve she'd so carefully maintained gave way.

"fine."

it wasn't as if humoring you would cost her anything.

". . . yes," she answered simply, the corners of her lips softening ever so slightly. "i'd still love you if you were a worm."

". . ."

rather than answering immediately, erza folded her arms and furrowed her brows with the utmost seriousness, looking as though she had been tasked with solving the greatest mystery known to mankind. you merely watched in silence as she remained completely still for a while, painstakingly searching for what she believed to be the perfect answer.

"erza?"

at once, her eyes suddenly lit up, sparkling as though she'd just uncovered the greatest revelation of her life.

". . . we could be worms together," she shyly pressed the tips of her index fingers together, looking oddly proud of her conclusion.

the surprise on your face soon softened into fond amusement, which the blonde-haired woman readily took as all the encouragement she needed.

"i'd even fight all the other worms for you ! then everyone— everyworm would know you're my worm !!" she declared it with such wholehearted conviction that neither of you could suppress the laughter that followed.

"if you were a worm, that would complicate matters."

"a worm wouldn't be able to communicate properly. you'd be vulnerable to predators, incapable of defending yourself, and. . ." his voice remained calm and methodical as his thoughts wandered further. "i assume your dietary requirements would also change."

"i'd need to look into proper care." he closed his eyes for a laconic moment, only to reopen them and meet your thoroughly bewildered gaze, your head tilted slightly to the side.

". . . i believe i've misunderstood the question."

you answered with nothing more than a small nod.

a deliberate cough escaped him as the realization settled in. for the first time that day — or perhaps week — a faint trace of embarrassment crossed his otherwise composed features.

he had, after all, devoted an astonishing amount of thought to the logistics of caring for a hypothetical worm.

"whether you were human or a worm wouldn't change who you are to me."

"so yes," his eyes found their way back to yours. "i'd still love you if you were a worm."

HOHENHEIM looks at you, then at Hurting Teddy Bear stomping its foot like a child throwing a tantrum.

“Manager, it seems that your actions have upset Hurting Teddy Bear,” he states as his gaze remains on the abnormality. He doesn’t hug you back but he doesn’t push you away either; waiting for you to pull away instead so that he may engage in combat.

If you wanted to hug him then you should’ve waited until you were at a safe place. That said his exact thoughts on your sudden embrace depend on the situation, such as whether you brought a bleed team to the mirror dungeon or not.

DULCINEA freezes up on the spot. She has never been in this kind of situation before nor was she really shown this kind of affection, especially with her past in the parade where her role was to be admired but never to be touched. If it weren’t for her ability to keep herself composed no matter what the situation is, then her face would’ve burst into a shade of red.

“…Manager, this isn’t the time,” she speaks with an ever so slight tremble to her voice as she places her hand on your shoulder and hesitantly pushes you way.

She will refuse to speak to you about this afterwards, however if you ever hug her again then she may let your embrace linger for a little longer. Maybe.

LUCIO tenses up the moment he feels the smallest hint of your touch. “Manager,” he utters out, his voice usually devoid of emotion now tinted with a plethora of them. “I doubt this is the appropriate time to be hugging someone.”

Yet he can’t bring himself to push you away, and if you keep hugging him then he’ll eventually find himself melting into your embrace and letting his guard down; hesitantly embracing you back.

Do note that he will probably have to bandage you up later as Hurting Teddy Bear will be able to ambush the two of you while you’re busy hugging one another.

VESPA does not respond, not at first. His eyes stay on Hurting Teddy Bear as the abnormality throws a fit the moment it sees your arms wrap around him.

For a second, he considers pushing you off him both for his safety and as a way to calm down Hurting Teddy Bear, but if you’re hugging him here in the first place then you likely knew what you were doing and it wouldn’t be wise of him to go against your plans.

“Manager, I doubt this was a smart choice,” the words escape from him anyway.

JIA QIU looks at you questioningly but sees what you're going for a moment later. He wraps one arm around you, holding you close and secure as he adjusts his grip on his staff; ready for the upcoming fight.

Though he has his own thoughts regarding your decision, he trusts and believes in your capability as a manager enough to go along with whatever you're planning.

What he doesn't trust, however, is for you to stay a safe distance away from the abnormality considering your decision to egg on its jealousy. So he'll deal with that issue by keeping you by his side.

CATHERINE hugs you back without hesitation. She got the same idea as you when she saw Hurting Teddy Bear but didn’t have the authority to act on her own to test her idea nor did she want to act on her own without any input from you. So when you give her the opportunity to do so, she happily accepts it.

“Looks like it’s jealous~” she sings as she pulls away from the hug, her eyes focused on the abnormality and a smile attached to her lips. She gently nudges you to the side before taking on a fighting stance, ready to beat the jealousy out of the abnormality and reap its rewards.

QUEEQUEG believes that your judgement is best — you are the manager after all — so when you hug her, she doesn’t hesitate to hug you back. Besides, maybe you just wanted a hug despite your current location and she wasn’t going to be the one to deny you a hug.

She’ll wrap her arms around you tight and give you the best hug that she can offer. She’s not ignorant of the seething abnormality behind her but she’s not concerned about it either. Protecting you comes first, and with you here in her arms like this, protecting you is easy. Hurting Teddy Bear would have to get through her before it can hurt you.

SONYA chuckles, his eyes flitting back and forth between you and Hurting Teddy Bear; glimmering with amusement.

“Was this what you wanted, manager?” he teases, wrapping his arms around you and giving you a small squeeze. Happily playing along with your plan to make the abnormality jealous.

DEMIAN floats away from your grasp before you can even open your arms to hug him. “Eyes on the abnormality, manager~” he lightly chides you with a teasing tone.

If you only wanted a hug then he would’ve let you, but since the reason you wanted to hug him was to make something else — Hurting Teddy Bear — jealous, he plays around with you instead.

Don’t worry though, he’ll come to hug you on his own accord later since he doesn’t want you to feel too bad about not getting a hug from him earlier. Preferably at an inconvenient time as well so he can scare you.

MOSES lets out a sigh, yet she wraps her arms around you nonetheless. “I doubt this was a wise decision, manager,” she speaks quietly, hoping to avoid Hurting Teddy Bear hearing her words in case they might escalate the situation.

“However, if you decide to go through with this then I’ll be by your side,” she adds as she pulls away. Though she’s more than aware of the fact that the abnormality will attack sooner rather than later after your hug.

YURI’s face immediately bursts into shades of red. “M- Manager!!” she protests, hurriedly placing her hands on your shoulders and lightly pushing you away from her.

It’s not that she wants to reject your affection — it’s something she hasn’t felt in so long and there’s nothing more she craves than a proper hug, or even a pat on the head — but she doubts that doing this in the mirror dungeon, and right in front of an abnormality at that, is a smart decision.

🫧a relationship is far from her highest priority. it usually isn't something that crosses her mind. maybe she doesn't believe that she deserves it, maybe she thinks she'll do something to ruin it, or maybe she just doesn't have the time. whatever it may be, it's going to take a long time before she's even willing to entertain the idea, feelings be damned. to her, it couldn't be a worse idea to let you in. but moses is selfish, and you're more than capable of deciding if she and all of her baggage are what you want

🫧but even before that point, she's softer with you than she would be with just anybody, in ways that are likely only noticable to the few who know her the best. she's more willing to put up with your nonsense, she keeps a close eye on you, watching and memorizing your little quirks and habits. she never calls attention to just how well she's gotten to know you, but she always shows it in ways you never realized she was aware of. you don't point out your favorite color, but she knows it. she recalls some plans you talked about having on this particular day a few weeks ago.

🫧you have absolutely no shot of hiding anything from her. if something is going on, she can tell-- even if she doesn't know right away what it is. the fact that she can see your distortion makes things a little more complex, but unless it starts to get out of control, she trusts you to come to her if you need it

🫧loyal in a "you've actually earned it and i choose to stick with you" way. she's seen the issues and faced the consequences of mindless following, and it's not a routine she'll ever fall into again. the fact that she stays with you is intentional, the way that she looks out for you and values your input is a sign that you've got it. it means more coming from her than you might initially realize

🫧more "traditional" terms of endearment like dear, usually only in private or if you're upset/hurt. doesn't often initiate physical affection, but when she does, it's in little ways. if you're taller than her, she might either lean up or wait for you to sit so that she can more easily kiss you on the cheek or forehead. likes giving your hand firm, brief squeezes when she can tell that something is going on. otherwise, she likes your touch more than she lets on

🫧she doesn't really bring it up or express it in a conventional way, but she does enjoy seeing you and ezra get along. they're sort-of a package deal in a way, and while she knows ezra can be odd and may even act a bit distant with you at first, she'll come around. if not because she wants to, then because she wants moses to be happy

🫧i can't really see her having much relationship experience at all. she's typically very busy, always remembering that despite whatever feelings she may be developing, her absolute loyalties lie elsewhere and she can't let herself get too distracted. for all of her upbeat energy and confidence, it would probably take a while for her to take the next step. she would psych herself out too much every time. anyone can see that there's something off about her in those moments, no one is used to seeing her act quite so... girlish.

🫧ezra is a very protective woman by nature. she tries not to smother you, but your safety is her priority. she's not about to beat anyone who looks at you the wrong way senseless or anything, but she does have to be reminded that you're capable of handling yourself.

🫧likes it when you wear something of hers, particularly her coat. it scratches a somewhat possessive itch, but she also thinks that it looks absolutely adorable. she's very proud to not only call you hers, but to call herself yours. she can use discretion when she wants to, sure, but why would she for this? she brags about you to anyone that will listen, even if it's just about the smaller things like how you picked up her favorite food yesterday, or how you brought her fake flowers on account of remembering she was allergic. but on a more grounded note, it feels good to belong to somebody in this way

🫧physically affectionate, typically in a much louder and more sappy way, especially when she's trying to be playful or get a smile out of you. loud kisses on the cheek, great big bear hugs, and personalized nicknames. but there are times when she settles down too, where it's not quite so... not performative exactly, but it's definitely quiet. she'll just approach you, wrap her arms around you, and rest her head on your shoulder. these are the times outside of combat when it's the easiest to remember who exactly ezra is and what she's been through, what she's capable of doing. and you can tell that she recalls those things at those moments as well

🫧you and moses don't have to be best friends or anything, but at the very least you have to show her respect, and she has to be at least neutral on you. ezra values her judgment more than she can put into words, and after all of these years, nothing is going to change that. like moses, she does enjoy seeing the two of you get along, though she'll own up to it and maybe get a bit mushy over the whole thing

🫧he doesn't confess. or really even formally ask you out at all. he didn't really see a point in it? you two are spending more time together, you're getting closer, and so naturally he would find comfort in your presence and seek you out. it didn't feel like something that needed a label, since he clearly wasn't looking into seeing other people before or after the two of you met, and you didn't seem to be either. so if you really want to make it official for real, you're going to need to be the one to initiate it

🫧acts of service is a big one for him, and yet he never expects to be on the receiving end of it. he'll do just about anything to make your life easier, to take some of its burdens of your shoulders, but will always be caught off guard and touched when you do the same for him when you can. doesn't always know how best to express his appreciation; he isn't the best with words that aren't direct and objective. but it's likely one of the things that made him fall for you in the first place

🫧vespa also just really enjoys quality time together. whether it be cooking together or sitting and enjoying some tea, he's glad to just have the opportunity to sit and enjoy your company. he's busy a lot, so he doesn't get to spend as much time with you as he'd like, and when he does he may be worn down from a long day of work. even if he can just listen to you talk about something, he's content. it almost feels shockingly domestic? he gets to know your routine, your preferences, the things you need the most help with. there are moments where he considers himself lucky to be able to get close enough to become familiar with these things

🫧not always the best at physical affection, but he does enjoy a kiss on the cheek, or having your arm linked with his. also likes to rest his head in your lap if you'll let him. he's not about putting on grand displays or anything like that, but he's not exactly opposed to smaller things. will let you sit on his lap in private though. no objections there

Moses as well as her office is often very preoccupied with requests. From whole businesses reaching out to them to small wealthy families, there’s little free time that she has. For this reason, I doubt she would be the one to come across you.

With the rampant rate in which distortions began manifesting in the city it would only be a short time before you learn about her office. Of course with the peculiar skill of your own that no one else seems to have it’s only natural that the advertisement of her ability to see the distortion caught your eye.

Of course it very well could be exaggeration, or a scam, or some other misleading information but you couldn’t risk the chance of passing up in meeting someone who has the same ability as you.

I wouldn’t be surprised if she was a bit skeptical at first. While you don’t seem to have any distortion in you, it doesn’t really prove anything. For this reason the first thing she’d have you do is walk outside, and begin listing off what you see in the people of the streets.

It’s a bit headache-inducing to focus so hard, but when you do things begin to become more apparent. From crocodile leather forming on people’s skins, to an almost translucence in their appearance, to some just having no facial features.

It begins to become apparent that you really do share her skill when every description you tell lines up with what she sees. It’s now that some of her own curiosity shines through, one of which she can’t really ask others because they just don’t experience things as she does.

She’ll ask for how long you’ve been able to sense distortion, when/how you figured it out, if you’ve manifested some kind of E.G.O. The questions can at first seem like an interrogation but they really aren’t, she’s just trying to get a better understanding.

If you have manifested E.G.O in some form or way then I feel like she’d link that to seeing distortion. Perhaps it has something to do with someone’s mentality or history? While she’s not ready to delve into her past to a stranger there are some questions she may ask in the future.

If you haven’t manifested your own E.G.O then she’d be more perplexed than before. What could the cause be then? It couldn’t be its own form of distortion because she has her smoking pipe, and that rules out the possibility of her distorting. So if it’s not E.G.O then what is it? Something new altogether? What allows someone to be able to see distortion?

Though I don’t think Moses would want to leave your interactions there, she wouldn’t really think of taking you on as an assistant unless you asked her. Her line of work is grueling, and though there are so many answers to explore she’s not going to pull you into it unless you ask yourself.

If you are taken as an assistant I am just warning you that Ezra might be a bit standoffish at first. She just fears being replaced or left behind, but don’t worry she’s rather quick to warm up when she realizes you’re a nice person! She’d probably be really grateful and find it cool that you can also see distortion.

Where you start off depends on if you’ve previously been a fixer, and what your grade is. Distortions can be heavily violent and depending on the incident she may have you stay back in the office and perhaps do some paperwork or try to hone your skill.

If you need some form of training then she’ll probably ask Ezra to assist you, for the taller woman is better in fighting than she is. If you also have some form of outside help, it’s encouraged you take it to improve so that you don’t have to be stuck back at the office the whole time.

Already have a background in fixer work? That’s perfect then. Ideally anywhere from 6 and above would be the most efficient when coming along with her. The detective herself isn’t really the highest grade, so I don’t think she’d expect you to be some grade 1 either.

Seeing the distortion before it manifests is one thing, but in order for it to really be helpful you have to understand why people are distorting in the first place. She’ll walk you through some pretty basic elements and popular forms of distortions like bloodfiends, water representing sadness etc.

You’ll have to think of a lot of things in a more metaphorical and abstract way. For someone who’s already a person that enjoys metaphors and such it shouldn’t be too difficult to remember. If you’re someone who’s on the more analytical side it can be a bit more difficult to pick up on themes, but it’s definitely not impossible.

In the start of your apprenticeship it’s easy to hear Moses’ conclusions about the trauma one is going through and think ‘how in the world did she get to that?’. As you’re exposed to more and more distorted people, you’ll start to pick up some patterns.

It’s actually quite hard to explain the steps of figuring out the root emotional problem, she’s never really had to. It’s something that’s better learning with experience instead which can unnerve someone who might feel like they lack preparation.

When faced with a distortion she’ll ask you what you believe the reason for them distorting is. There’s clues not only from appearance but also perhaps the surroundings that can help with this.

I don’t really think she’d consider there to be one right or wrong answer. Of course there are far fetched ideas and ones that are closer to the mark, but it feels wrong to say your idea is false. After all, neither of you know the person nor the trauma they endured, so you can’t determine a completely true answer about their life.

She’ll actually take your suggestions and ideas into account! It can suck when a mentor refuses to acknowledge they can be wrong, or that the way they’re acting isn’t the most efficient, and she knows what that’s like. Like I said previously, it’s all really speculation and just because you’re new doesn’t mean you can’t give compelling answers.

Now, how to pull someone out of a distortion is something that’s sort of up to your personal method? You have to have some form of sympathy because a lot of the time distortions don’t take too kindly to being told flat out that they’re in the wrong, but it’s not really a specific style you need to follow.

Moses tends to be a bit more on the blunt side, directly reaching the problem to put an at least momentary pause to it. You however might be someone who’s more empathetic in your actions and attempt in holding some conversation to snap them out of it. It’s not easy but you’ll eventually find your way.

You’ve likely joined her office with the intention of helping people who have been overtaken by their emotions. Unfortunately just like many other organizations, it’s fallen prey to the calloused ways of the city. A lot of the time you’re hired not by people who care about the suffering of others, but who want the problem to stop so they can continue making profit.

It’s a lesson that she had to learn quite early on. You’re being sent there to deal with a momentary issue, not fix what’s causing it in the first place. Whether it’s through murder or being able to resolve the distortion, the outcome doesn’t matter to organizations. What matters is that it’s dealt with.

It can feel a bit unfulfilling to have to walk away when it hardly feels like you’ve scratched the surface. You may feel satisfaction in what you did, but it still feels like you could have done more. She feels a bit guilty for not telling you to expect this at the start, but it’s something that’s just become so routine and normal that she forgot she’d even have to.

MOSES

🫧moses' touches are always fleeting yet intentional. it's rare that she lingers long. a hand on your back as she walks past, a brief squeeze of your fingers under a table, or when you seem on edge. when she stands just a bit closer, enough that your shoulders touch, and acts like it isn't happening. at first you couldn't always tell if she meant to be that close or not, what with how naturally she did it

🫧she observes you, commits you carefully to memory. she takes in the way your fingers look laced with hers, runs her thumb over each knuckle again and again as if she expects the sensation to change. sitting on the couch beside her, or lying in bed on an early morning just as the sun starts to come up.

🫧when she's dead tired, she lets her head rest on your shoulder once the two of you are alone. and she's not opposed to letting you lay your head in her lap, even if she huffs and acts like she's ignoring you when you insert yourself into her space. her hand-- the flesh and blood one, she wants to feel your skin on hers-- always finds its way to your hair, or brushes along your cheeks and the bridge of your nose.

EZRA

🫧she's like an over excited puppy sometimes. after a long day of handling distortions, as much pride as she takes in her work, she couldn’t be happier to finally get into something cozy and cuddle with you. she'll mellow out, little by little, until she appears much more grounded. her touches shift from great big bear hugs or slinging her arm around your shoulders and pulling you in, to letting her head rest on top of yours or hiding her face in your shoulder

🫧there are days when she's much more down to earth, where she makes her appreciation a lot more obvious. when she needs you the most and she can't keep up that cheerful, brave disposition and just has to get a break. you're practically a battery pack for her; letting her recharge in the safety of your arms, her body curled around yours or her head on your chest. ezra can either be the big spoon or the clingiest little spoon

🫧after she gets over the initial butterflies the first few times, there's a flash of pride on her face whenever you nod off on her shoulder. you trust that she'll keep you safe, enough that you let your guard down so much, even if things aren't all that dire at the time

VESPA

🫧vespa runs hot. he's like your own personal furnace, and you can't say that he seems particularly displeased with how desperately you seek him out in the colder months. if anything, he seems a bit too accustomed to opening up his jacket to you and wrapping it around you, keeping you sandwiched between him and the thick fabric

🫧he isn't the sort to initiate an actual cuddling session all that often, nor is he the most physically affectionate in general. he tries to give you your space, but unfortunately, once you get him started, he actually gets pretty clingy. there's no whining or anything when you try to pull away, he just holds you a little tighter and makes a face like a grumpy cat.

🫧you'll get no complaints from him if you sit in his lap so long as its in private. he's incredibly casual about it, but he's happy to be exactly where he wants to be. also likes to rest his head on your lap, especially when you run your fingers through his hair, even if that messes it up. if you do it long enough, he might fall asleep

MOSES

🫧arguably the most normal about it of these three. she feels a bit spoiled, honestly. especially if it were to become a regular thing.

🫧her insistence that you don't have to is pretty quickly dropped. she's gotten accustomed to it now. you've dug your own grave.

🫧won't ever outright request that you make it, but you'll catch her lingering in the doorway of the kitchen to see what you're doing. thinks she's being sneaky

🫧if you didn't do a very good job... well, it's the thought that counts. but maybe, uh, just some takeout would be fine next time

EZRA

🫧absolutely delighted

🫧if you make it for her to bring to work, the first few times she runs around making sure that everyone sees that you made it for her. after that, she just not so subtly makes it very obvious that you've brought it by making sure to place it front and center. she's very proud

🫧just touched that you thought to make her anything at all, whether it's her favorite or not

🫧if it's bad, she will still try to eat it depending how badly you messed it up. ("no, no! it'sh sho good!" she says, retching)

VESPA

🫧wants to know when you're doing this again? like he’s trying to be nonchalant, but... when can he expect it? and he's going to ask you this outright. fully serious. he wants to know.

🫧if it wasn't obvious, he likes it. he's just not the best at showing it. but, well, he's eating it, isn't he?

🫧even if you have messed it up in every possible way, he'll just try to give you some pointers. he's not picky, but there's always room for improvement

Selfishly, Moses notices right away that you aren't as delighted to see her as she's come to expect.

There’s no thinly veiled excitement at greeting her on yet another morning, or even so much as a fond look and a wave of your hand before you get sucked back into whatever you have to attend to. It isn’t just Moses expecting your undivided attention where you’re usually more than happy to give it to her, it’s just that it’s less… you.

“Do you need something from me, detective?” You ask. that soft smile is more placating than genuine this time around, half concealed by the stack of papers you're leafing through.

With a downward twitch of her brow, Moses doesn’t give much of a reply.

It started off small.

She could have almost missed it, that almost miniscule shift in your appearance that so quickly caught her keen eye. It wasn't quite possible for her to write it off, not when it was so difficult for her not to notice. Moses tried to discern the cause by herself, tracing your steps throughout the day, then the last few days, and even the past week. But nothing stood out to her, and your distortion became clearer.

Ever since, she's been watching you closer than usual. Moses usually watches you pretty closely, but she admittedly tends to have the tact to look away when you catch her. She knows that you can feel her eyes burning a hole in the back of your head, and that from the previous times you've turned to confront it as of late, you’re aware she isn’t going to bother with anything so polite as telling you not to mind her.

Moses runs her fingers along her pipe, letting it rest against her bottom lip as she watches each move you make. Not much had changed in your presentation yet, and though you were ‘off’, you were still responsive. In the same way that she's staring at you more, you seem to be increasingly sensitive to her gaze– more so than ever. She can see the unease like a prickle traveling up your back, then over your scalp. Spreading out across your shoulders, tensed and weary. It was as though you were trying to hide it, subconsciously or otherwise, just beneath your skin.

“Detective?” Your voice rings out again, your head tilted and eyes still dulled and hazy with exhaustion settling on her, and it makes her feel uneasy. Not afraid, not yet anyway, but certainly displeased.

“Is everything alright?” She asks plainly, unwilling to mince words or tiptoe around the subject any longer.

Surprise paints your features, like you really hadn’t expected her to question you. “I could ask you the same thing.”

Moses crosses the room, settling on the sofa beside you rather than in the chair at her desk. She's just close enough that her leg touches yours, and when you don't shy away, she doesn't make any move to pull back.

It's not a pleasant topic to bring up. Somehow, with you, it feels so much harder than her average client– perhaps because she isn’t typically called until it's far too late, until it's time to clean up. She also isn't usually quite so close with a distorted person. Even with Ezra, she hadn't had the chance to talk her down beforehand, though that had ripped her apart more than she let on at the time. This is a muscle she hasn't exercised as much, but a little discomfort is worth it for you.

She couldn't say that she wouldn’t know what to do with herself if anything happened to you. The distortion would be dealt with, and she reassures herself that her office would be successful not only because they were competent, but because it would be for you. Yet she didn’t want that to happen. She didn't want to see you suffer, to put you through all of that, reversible or not. But with the nature of these things… that much was unavoidable.

Unless she could stop it before it was too late.

It wouldn't be entirely truthful to say that she's tried everything. But, in her defense, she has tried a lot. So much that YuRia has been giving her some serious shit for “coddling” you. Moses was always decent to you, at least by her standards, but she had been a lot closer to you as of late. Sticking nearby, choosing to pick up lunch from your favorite place rather than hers. Helping you with things you could very well do on your own, ignoring your protests and huffing. Surely Ezra has noticed, but that's all well and fine because aside from making it very obvious that she's noticed, she never says anything. Discretion wasn't her strong suit, but her respect for Moses did occasionally weigh out her need to meddle.

“What’s going on, Moses? You've been odd lately.”

Where she would have hit you with a half-hearted glare, a claim that you're one of the strangest people she knows, she frowns instead.

“Your distortion. Recently, it's…” Moses trails off, unsure of where to start when you're looking at her like that.

Once or twice, you'd expressed to her that it must be lonely to be the only one to see some things until it's too late. It had been a sentiment that she was unfamiliar with, and the subject had been brushed away quick enough that you hadn't had the chance to elaborate much further. She hadn't wanted you to. Still, you asked what she saw sometimes. Out of curiosity, for the sake of the case, to better understand. At first, she’d thought nothing of it beyond that. But then she came to find it endearing, because you wanted to better understand not just the distortion phenomenon, but her. And so now, she wants to try to understand you. She owes that much to you.

She puffs on her pipe now, peering at you through the cloud of smoke that rises when she exhales. “I'm worried about how clear it's getting. It's only been a week.”

“I'm–” Your impulse is to assuage her worries, your hand half-raised to wave them away. But then you seem to remember who you're talking to, that this isn't something you can cover up so easily with her. There's a moment where you look trapped, like you've been backed into a corner as that realization hits you.

Your shoulders droop, and she relaxes alongside you when she isn’t immediately brushed off. She hadn't realized just how wound up you had been until you practically shrink beside her, like all the tension was just too much to keep holding onto.

Even now, she can see it shift. Only little by little, but still there. Always there. Just not normally like this. To where if you aren't careful, soon she'll see more of it than you.

The mere thought is unpleasant. So she doubles down; Moses asks a question she doesn't get to very often. 

“...would you like to talk about what happened?”

You look at her, then at your shoes, then you settle on some splotchy spot of paint on the wall over her shoulder. Your fingers find a loose thread on the outer seam of your trousers, tugging limply at it like subconsciously you were afraid of the damage it would cause, in spite of your fidgeting.

“It’s just…”

She perks up a bit, almost imperceptibly, her head tilting just so. It feels a little odd to not be able to do much to help, to not have to do much to help, but she could listen. She could pet your hair while you rested your head on her shoulder, once you'd worn yourself out talking everything through. She could continue to treat you the same as she always had.

In the end, you never ask what your distortion presents itself as. Something about it must be too confronting, too real. Knowing that she could perceive such an intimate part of you. Yet at the same time, you trust her with it. 

And selfishly, Moses lets herself feel touched at such a thing.

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