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[abrightboy]

This is Bright. Leave a message.

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Re: Action

[stressingwitchface]

"If yoga is a human drug, no thank you." She pulls out a step stool to reach the counter, hauling out a milk carton half as big as she is. Nothing is ever sized right in these places.

Re: Action

[abrightboy]

It’s what he keeps the step stool around for.

“It’s a form of exercise and… mindfulness.”

Re: Action

[stressingwitchface]

She rolls her eyes, pouring the milk with care.

"If it will get you to shut up about it."

Re: Action

[abrightboy]

"In that case, I'll get a two mats out and you can come over here when you're done over there," he tells her cheerfully.

He does, indeed, go to the cupboard and retrieve two yoga mats and lays them both out in the open space between the living room and the kitchen.

Re: Action

[stressingwitchface]

Kikimora finishes making her cocoa first. Damn her warden for getting her to like this stuff, she can't get this back in the demon realm.

She clutches her mug, walking over and experimentally prods the yoga mat with her chicken foot.

"Do I need to change clothing?

Re: Action

[abrightboy]

He glances over. "Is that clothing comfortable and stretchy?" he asks.

Re: Action

[stressingwitchface]

She's wearing a t-shit that can fit a ten-year-old, going down to her knees. It has a train on it.

"It's stretchy." The train is a bit much.

Re: Action

[abrightboy]

The train is the best part.

"Then it's perfect."

He props his phone up on the credeza under the window, which the yoga mats are pointed towards and stands in the middle of one, looking to her to do the same on the other.

Re: Action

[stressingwitchface]

She sighs, but sets her mug down beside her mat to copy her warden in his stance.

Re: Action

[abrightboy]

The phone plays a soothing voice instructing them when and how to breathe, and then tells them the name of a pose in a different language. Malcolm moves into downward dog, like the lady on the little screen, still following the breathing.

Re: Action

[stressingwitchface]

Kikimora copies appropriately. Her limbs aren't long enough for a lot of things, so certain poses give her trouble. When she inevitably collapses, she takes an angry bite out of the yoga mat and sets herself up again.

"This is foolish."

Re: Action

[abrightboy]

“It feels that way at first, but the more you do it, the more relaxing it becomes,” Malcolm promises with a laugh, rolling up onto his knees.

Re: Action

[stressingwitchface]

This part is at least easy. She settles down in the same position, palms on her thighs.

"I am not relaxed."

Re: Action

[abrightboy]

“Okay, well maybe we’ll try something a little different. When in your life have you felt the most relaxed?” Malcolm asks.

Re: Action

[stressingwitchface]

She thinks back, and then shakes her head.

"All the times I can think of are tainted now. They were all with Belos. I prefer this...as ridiculous as it makes me feel."

Re: Action

[abrightboy]

“What if we take Belos out of the equation? What was it about those times that made you feel relaxed?” Malcolm asks.

Re: Action

[stressingwitchface]

"I was doing a good job." Kikimora answers immediately. "Being praised, instead of scolded. I could see the possibilities of my future opening up. Becoming a powerful witch, secure and looked up to."

She pauses, then lowers her arms back down.

"There's nothing now."

Re: Action

[abrightboy]

“If you can’t see any version of that in your world without Belos, what about starting here and becoming a respected Warden, looked up to for your wisdom and experience graduating inmates?” Malcolm asks.

Re: Action

[stressingwitchface]

She shakes her head:

“I don’t like people. Here OR in my world. Most of them are irritating or annoying and chances are I will get an inmate I can’t stand.”

Re: Action

[abrightboy]

"Has that ever happened to anyone here?" Malcolm asks.

Re: Action

[stressingwitchface]

"I'm sure it has! But you - you like everyone."

She says it like an accusation.

Re: Action

[abrightboy]

He frowns faintly. “That hasn’t been my experience at all, actually. What makes you think so?”

Re: Action

[stressingwitchface]

"Because you're irritatingly nice to everyone." She stares back hard at Malcolm's phone, wishing now she wasn't so quick to give up yoga. This conversation is so much worse. Kikimora decides she needs to stop having conversations this early: it leaves her vulnerable.

"You would have liked any inmate that fell into your lap."

Re: Action

[abrightboy]

“Being nice to everyone isn’t the same as liking everyone. And everyone certainly doesn’t like me. Off the top of my head, I can think of…. Five inmates I would have been miserable being paired with. But I didn’t get paired with them. They put me with someone I already liked who needed me. I think pairings are one of the things the Admiral actually seems to get right,” Malcolm concedes.

Re: Action

[stressingwitchface]

Oh.

All right, well. It's too much for her to say the appropriate thing back - I like you too - even if it's the truth. She pretends she's rubbing sleep from her eyes, flushed with embarrassment.

He likes her. He doesn't have to, per his own admission, but Malcolm likes her. She hadn't been sure until this moment whether it was him doing his wardenly duties or whether his feelings had been genuine.

"One of the few things.." She mutters, to turn the conversation away from the ache in her chest.