Ky wrapped him in a tight embrace. “It’ll be here before you know it, kiddo… and you can send me all the pictures you want, how about that?”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
He brightened at that. "Okay! I can do that. But you gotta write back!"
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“Okay.” Ky nodded, ruffling his hair and forcing a little smile for his sake. “I’ll write back as much as I can. What’s the first thing you’re gonna draw me?”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
"I'll look forward to getting it." Ky kept her smile forced, but it was getting harder to maintain. She looked at Marcella. "What about you? Are you gonna draw me pictures, too?"
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"I'm gonna learn to write so I can send letters instead," she replied.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky smiled a bit more at that. "I look forward to that, too, then!" She stood up and glanced at Sara, sobering slightly. "Um... thank you for having me. I'm... sorry I wasn't the most pleasant guest, but... I... appreciate your kindness all the same." Should she hug her? She felt like she should, but was too awkward to initiate.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Sara came forward, opening her arms. "We were glad to have you, Ky. No apologies needed at all. Just get home safe, alright?"
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky walked into her arms and gave her a tight hug, nodding. "Will do. Thank you." She held the hug maybe a moment longer than she needed to. Both because she suddenly realized she needed a hug, and also because she didn't want to have to deal with her farewell to Gaius, which she knew was coming next.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
(I ascended to Nirvana tonight but the crushing weight of what I had done to get there brought me back down and now I'm wallowing)
"Write us anytime, alright? Not just the children."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“Okay.” Ky nodded and pulled away, but didn’t look up. “Will do… Aunt Sarah.”
It felt clumsy in her mouth and she blushed, afraid to see the reaction. Had that been too cheesy? Forced? It felt —
Oh gods it felt like anxiety.
Why had she done that? It’d been sweet in her brain. And then got weird out loud. Gods.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
(We ate dinner at some friends' house tonight and they're Russian. Russian people love to serve huge dinners and encourage seconds, then have dessert and tea. And everything was so unbelievably tasty that I ate large helpings of everything And then I thought I was going to explode for the rest of the dinner and right now)
(It was worth it though)
Sara smiled slightly and gave her another quick hug, then backed up.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky half-heartedly returned it, then took a deep breath and glanced up at Gaius. “Um…”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"Safe travels," he said simply, not making eye contact with her. "I'll be in touch."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“…Okay.” Gods it was awkward. She turned away with a blush. “Bye.”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Spend your days thinking about things that are good and true and beautiful and noble, and you will become good and true and beautiful and noble. — Matthew Kelly
) 
