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[ The expression slips from her face as easily as ice cream melts. The mention of Tifa is enough to wind Aerith up, and immediately she's stepping forward, excited and a bit confused. ]

You know Tifa?

[ Of course, Aerith muses, looking aside to glance at the moon shaped fruits that had held her attention moments before. She can picture her cooking up a new cocktail easily, and then it strikes for the second time in a few precious moments just how homely this place is. She thinks of little Marlene, crying beneath the bar of Seventh Heaven, over the loss of her house.

A fond smile coaxes it's way onto Aerith's lips despite herself. ] She must really like this place.

[ There is a curious tilt of her head as Susato nods. Tifa has even told her about Seventh Heaven. Despite the glow of recognition on Aerith's face and the way she closes in on her, however, it doesn't occur to her immediately that they share a home world. After all, Tifa's name was broadcast to all of Reverein.

. . . Right along with her own. ]

She helped me a lot when the men couldn't be here.

[ A pause, and Susato laughs. ]

She makes for an excellent king.

[ Of course, Aerith remembers that. A little bloom of fondness in her eyes tattles on her, but she turns back to the moon fruit, thinking of Tifa. ]

She does! She's a great friend, too. [ We found you, she'd said. Aerith remembers it: that confident, caring smile that disarmed her immediately. Somehow, she thought, Tifa knew what she needed to hear. ]

I knew that she'd like it here. [ It's only a little louder than a whisper. Still, it's confident. ] She did the drink menu, didn't she?

[ Susato smiles her agreement, but even so, she can sense something behind Aerith's words. Almost like she knows more than she is letting on, and Susato normally doesn't like that feeling, but for now, she doesn't seem to mind it. ]

Mr 76 helps, I think. We tend to change things up from month to month. [ Food and drink both. Though this is all said dismissively at best. ] You seem to know a lot about her. Being from the same world is cheating, you know.

[ She speaks in jest, but then asks more seriously: ] How did you two meet?

Ooh. [ That's a delighted little hum from her. It reminds her of her favorite places in the slums, where the people in the kitchen care more about feeding people with good, hearty meals than just the pay. ]

No fair, Susato! You've been sharing the same world with Tifa for longer, I bet. [ Even if Aerith had a jumpstart on their friendship... maybe. Secrets, secrets. ]

How'd we meet? It's kind of a long story, honestly. I guess the easiest way to say it is I went after her.

[ Aerith definitely had a jumpstart! Unfair advantage! ...Didn't she?

Honestly, it's so hard to tell. They've only known each other for a couple days, and yet it feels like... if Aerith were to talk to anyone about Susato, she might give off the same vibe. She's starting to get the sense that she's just one of those people who worms her way into your heart, and then acts like she has always been there. ]

You went after her?

[ Forgive her for repeating. ]

Where? Why? [ SO MANY QUESTIONS. ]

Like I said, long story. [ How to make this concise? With her hands behind her back, Aerith speaks lightly as she turns to face Susato head on. ]

The short version is she was trying to get in somewhere but needed backup. So, I went after her. It was me, Tifa, and a friend. [ This is a very abridged version of their adventure in Wall Market and don corneo's mansion. Extremely so. ]

[ That's fair, though in Susato's defense, she rather enjoys long stories. Normally the ones she likes involve murder and intrigue, but she doesn't think she'll be disappointed by this one. ]

Well, perhaps someday I will be regaled with the long version by one of you. I'm sure she had a very good reason for wanting to get in.

[ . . . ]

One day, over a hot meal... and tea. [ Because this dork does not drink alcohol. ~~Yet.~~ ]

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back at it again at krispy kreme

just for a little longer...!

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