Mun starts looking at apps, guess what happens?

[ozren]

[Someone is giving her mun the silent treatment. Sort of. While Wren sits in the middle of the floor with her arms crossed over a sketchbook, two stick figures that she's animated hold up a sign that reads 'I won't go and you can't make me. I can learn to control this on my own. And I don't want to be an X-man, thanks.' ]

[She then scribbles out something else on another piece of paper and switches it with the first. It's a drawing of Godzilla eating a stick figure, with an arrow labeled 'Mun' pointing to the monster's lunch. She hopes the point is taken]

Comments

[christopher_kelly]

Rennie? I mean, Wren. What's wrong?

[ozren]

[Well, she's not talking to her mun, but Christopher's different. In fact, her face lights up when she sees him]

Christopher!

[She dumps the sketchbook on the ground and nearly tramples her stick figures, who flee for their little chalky lives. About two seconds after that, she's hugging him]

I'm happy to see you. [She steps back and the smile fades some]

She's actually giving the game thing some serious thought, and I don't want to go to either, that's all.

[christopher_kelly]

What game, Wren? [He asks it as he has his arms around her, holding her in what he's kind of sort of sure is maybe a comforting way. God, this was awkward, but he really didn't want her to be upset. Should he rub her back? No, that would be weird. He'll settle for holding her close and thinking hard.] Is it that Institute game? The one I can't go to?

[ozren]

[The hug's nice, but she's thrilled he used the nickname Robin told her about. Speaking of, she wonders if he passed on that she's not ten.]

Yeah, that one and another, Marvel Next Gen. She likes that one better, she thinks she could maybe manage, but she also has a friend in the other one who thinks I'd do well there and-

[Rambling, must stop the rambling. Okay then. Yeah, the hug's definitely good, but she wonders if she's embarrassed him to death]

Want me to let go so you can breathe?

[christopher_kelly]

Right. Right, sorry. [Hands off, face red. Um.] Well, neither are about to let me in, although Robin's been invited to Next Gen and has valid prospects for the Institute. It's my parentage; I'm just not feasible to most places.

But we could find memes. I'm still your friend, after all, even if you make new ones.

[ozren]

No, I didn't mind- [And now he's not the only one blushing. What a pair]

Some rules are just stupid.

[Wren shoves her hands in her pockets and looks up at him] Yeah, I met Robin. I hope it goes well for him, whatever he chooses.

[After a moment of silence, she smiles] We could. And of course you are! Best friend, even. I could even count Robin as my second friend, I think, though when we first met I wanted to kick him in the shins. He thought I was ten. Though I didn't want to kick him for that!

[Yes, must make that clear]

[christopher_kelly]

They're right to be wary of my father. I love him, but God, he's got the wrong views on a lot of things. I can't blame the mods of these places.

Robin is a broken bird. I try not to let things get too heated or personal with him. I mean, I'm not exactly perfect. I smoke, I have panic attacks, and I lose it when my grades are bad. So it's not like I'm perfect. But I can understand wanting to smack some sense into him.

Now, if only there were memes that weren't so inappropriate... [Wren is attractive. She is not sexy to him. Ew, thanks, memebells. Not everyone is emotionally or mentally ready for that.]

[ozren]

I guess not...but I might be more willing to go to a game if you were there. But like you said, memes.

[Her expression saddens as he talks about Robin. She still wishes she could've hugged him] I gave him a cookie to try and cheer him up. A real one. I've still got some for you, actually. Next panic attack you have, maybe you can try and focus on how weird they look? Taste better than chalk though.

[She pulls out a bag with a fresh batch and holds out a very lumpy, almost square chocolate chip cookie]

There has to be a meme somewhere that's not so...um...yeah. [Wren, embarrassed discussing this kind of stuff? You bet]

[christopher_kelly]

Thank you. I'll be sure to hold onto them. And thank you also for being so mature about Robin's situation. It's... messed up.

We'll find a meme. Don't worry.

[ozren]

Welcome. Let me know if they need more sugar?

[Wren moves away to retrieve her sketchbook from the floor. The chalk figures, having been forgotten, are back to their original state. She focuses on them while she talks]

I know what it's like to hurt like that. My parents died in a car wreck the night before my seventh birthday. [Night, not day. She never uses the word 'day' when she talks about it] So...

[After a few seconds she seems to shake herself, then turns back to Christopher with a smile]

I'm sure we will. And I've been practicing my drawing skills! The mice are looking less like balls of cotton with tails and more like not-quite-triangles with tails.

[christopher_kelly]

[He nibbles on one, and nods.] A little more sugar, but not much. Pretty good. You made this?

[His expression grows serious as she talks.] Wren, I... I didn't know. I'm sorry. Do you wanna talk about it?

[ozren]

Uh-huh, all by myself. [She's proud of that] They might've turned out better looking if I'd asked my aunt for help, but she was sleeping. It was a good way to spend a Saturday, anyway.

[Wren frowns a bit and shakes her head] There's not much to talk about, really. It was raining, they decided they wanted to pick up my cake early so we could go to the zoo the next day and not worry about it - you know, just come home and have the party - and...

[She's clutching her sketchbook to her chest and looking at Christopher, because if she just keeps looking at him she won't cry. She'll cry if she looks away, and she won't. Not in front of anyone] They never came home.

[She shifts the sketchbook as if it's suddenly become too uncomfortable to hold, before she opens it facing toward the ground. About a dozen animated sketches of mice fall free from the book, drawn with pencil and ink and charcoal. They scatter as soon as they hit the ground, and Wren bites her lip as she watches them flee. There's usually a price to pay when she won't cry]