#writing without plot for the sake of conversation is haaaaaaaaard but also kinda fuuuuuuuuun uhgouggohhghgh...

[spotsupstuff]

"Ah. You again."

"You hush!" Three Sparrows aggressively points towards the abnormally sized blue Iterator puppet leveling her with an unimpressed look since she made it through the chamber hatch. "You knew I was coming over before I even started packing back at Caper's. And I know for a fact that you've known about me since I got through your retaining walls."

Oh, and he has the nerve to puff unconcerned at that, glancing back to the endless neon screens displaying manufacturing demands, asking him to deal with that and that accident occuring in the multiple levels of Desaevio. He just swipes those away. Not even betting an eye at someone losing their life in a crash.

That still sends shivers down her spine and settles an uncomfortable weight in her stomach. Even though it's been a long while now, that Boreas' Blessing has accepted her into his family.

"Yes, I have. And I have attempted to prevent you from progressing further into my factories as well-," he shoots her a warning look without any threat in it over his shoulder, "-intruder."

"Ha! Please." Three Sparrows exclaims, rather directing her attention to her goal- the umbilical arm. She needs something to ground against after all, and at this point she knows better than to ask the ancient Iterator to turn off the antigravity. Blessing doesn't like doing that- the pull of the umbilical arm on his back hurts.

Not so subtly, the arm moves to meet her as she swims to it.

"You call *that* 'preventing'? You've got to be growing rusty. You gave me a harder time while trying to get to my apartment back during my school days than now."

"Hm. Yes, well... You are pulling on your 81st birthday. I have thought you would be appreciative of me being considerate of that fact." She settles on one of the last segments of the arm at its base and with the wave of the puppet's, all the screens close. "...what with being fully organic and all. Have your joints not been bothering you?"

As he brings himself closer, she pays him no mind. Rather eyeing her knee from her perch. And... yeppp, extending it properly produces a crack. It hurts a little. Blessing glares at the thing as if it just personally offended him.

"You *are* aware I could produce you a prosthe-"

"No." She quickly waves her hand in denial. "No- I mean... thank you, Blessing. For the offer. I do appreciate both it and you being considerate. I may not... like to hear it, but I guess I really am getting old. But I'd like to stay as much myself as I can the whole way."

"..." And the so-old-that-it's-hard-to-comprehend thing gives her this look. On the outside still twisted in anger- Three Sparrows is sure his face actually got stuck that way- but buried underneath... worry, pity, confusion... fear... all that plays there in the back. "...very well. I will stop asking then."

She gives him a little smile from behind her rebreather mask. "You said that last time I visited, too. You are just a big ol' carebear, B."

Huff, cross of arms. "What are you doing here this early anyway. You are scheduled to come by in a week before departing for Zephyrus."

Three Sparrows only gives him a shrug at that, averts her eyes. "I dunno. This might... be my final outing. To Zeph especially. I don't know when I'll start greying, I don't know when mom will die back home, the next few years seem..." her hands clasp each other, fidgeting, "They seem..."

His touch is strangely light, when his hand settles on top of hers. Hiding them both away effortlessly. He's cold.

But his voice is gentle and warm, the deep tone of it reassuring. "Uncertain."

Sigh. "Yeah... Uncertain. I'm scared." She shrugs again, trying to play that vulnerability off. "Either way, I might not see you guys in person again. I thought that was... horrible. I may have cried. A little bit." She eyes him, trying to force some play through the pain. "Only a teeny tiny bit."

"Right, yes." Blessing decides to indulge her, "Because every time I have seen you cry it definitely had not felt like I was close to witnessing a river for the first time."

That at least gets her to giggle a little. "You are the meanest person ever!"

"I will be sure to take that as a compliment, little sister." And he makes a show of rolling his eyes in total exasperation.

Through little laughs, she continues: "So I'm here to stay the week. Hang out with you a little before I'll go."

When he takes too long to reply, seemingly surprised, she adds a little unsure with one of her hands worming out from underneath his to put it over it. "You can still... send me on my way, though? If you don't want me."

Oh and there's such hurt in that statement. How could he, anyway? She's his responsibility, for the last twenty or so years. And his responsibilities are precious to him. Either by their value, as his work to manufacture parts- or by how cherished they are. How beloved they've become. And just like little Eurus, Three Sparrows has managed to become dear to him too.

With a soft squeeze of her hand, Blessing indirectly answers. "Are you going to stay here now? I shall fix the air for you, if so."

There's that smile again. So easy to paint on her features, yet not any less loved for it. "I'd like to. Thank you."

As the process starts, she tells him of her plans. Motions to the guitar case on her back, points to her media player apparently containing new songs she thinks he might like.

They shall sing, they shall watch a movie and then they shall talk some more. While Boreas' Blessing indulges her, he shall look for a place for her to stay for the week, too. It must've slipped her mind.

It's alright. He's here to look after her.