#Nate'sApartment – May 23, 2018

Pixel seizes the opportunity. The cat clambers into Tara's lap and curls up contently there, purring gently as he has now claimed a fresh throne. Yes, the perfect place for worship.

Leah furrows her brow as she's turned away from the others on her stool. It's not until Nathan begins to speak that her gaze lowers. Her immediate reaction is to remind him there was nothing they could have done, but he covers that base before she has a chance to speak up, leaving her silent as she looks to the floor. His about-face does little to bring her spirit back, however, so she simply rotates her stool back to its

Nathan does not resist the interlocking of fingers. He even shifts his weight a little to lean a little more towards her, his free hand toying with the beer bottle as he looks over Sofia, Tara and the walking ha- the cat. But he merely listens and listens and listens. And, inwardly, he snorts at the familiarity of Leah's words. He's pretty sure he overheard his pops telling his sisters that at one point. Or, well,

Sofia looks across to Tara, her lips spreading in a smile and she coos softly, "Looks to me like he's more your pet than ours. You like him a lot, don't you?" She stands to go take the seat next to Tara, leaning back and watching her idly, her mismatched eyes shining with mirth.

Tara continues to pet Pixel gently, seeming to have taken to the cat quickly despite a lack of previous experience. Her attention is elsewhere, however, thoughts drifting as her pale blue eyes study the purring creature.

Leah pulls in a deep breath before repeating Nathan's words, sounding none too pleased with it herself: "Suck it up and deal with it..." she reluctantly agrees, careful to continue keeping her voice low as to not burden the others with their conversation. As Nathan continues, she merely listens, offering only a soft: "...I know." until he's finished. "...Jason seems to think this isn't the last we've seen of them. If they come

Nathan remains quiet for a minute or two, brow knitting together as he considers her question. He then chews on his lower lip before shaking his head slowly. "No. No we are not." He looks down at her. "But we sure as hell ain't going to make it easy for them, I guarantee that." He offers her a weak smile, trying to muster up as much mirth as he can with it. "One thing at a time, though. And besides, what are the

Pixel purrs contently, raising his head towards her hand demanding to be stroked.

Sofia doesn't seem to mind the lack of response, merely chuckle as she reaches over to scratch Pixel's back. "He's a good cat."

Leah nods distantly as Nathan speaks. His words do little to comfort her. After all, they 'dedicated effort' to traveling across the galaxy for one little girl. But she wants him to be right. Desperately wants him to be right. After the chain reaction of shit that has been her life, the universe has to cut her some kind of break, right? So she puts on her best smile as she glances up towards Nathan, head still resting

Tara seems to be brought back to the present as Sofia reaches over to scratch Pixel's back. She blinks, looking a little distressed when she realizes that she didn't hear what Sofia said before that. She wills herself not to show it beyond a slightly deeper, uneven breath. "Yes." she agrees with a small nod and an even smaller smile in response to what she did hear, leaning a little to the side to study the cat more closely

Pixel looks into Tara's eyes, blinking as he seems to study her back. He tilts his head, a soft purr rumbling in his chest before he yawns, baring his teeth. Seemingly now bored, he curls up in her lap once more, quiet and content.

Sofia giggles, smiling brightly at her. She motions to Pixel with a hand and says, "You're free to come look after him or visit him, y'know?"

Nathan nods. God he hopes he's right. If they come again, he knows that they won't survive against their wrath. The ship itself was a Goliath of a vessel and their numbers seemed endless. Just wave upon wave of transformed humans and other monstrosities. He bites down on the fear, locks it away and discards the key. That can be reopened another time. For now, he needs to focus on the present and what life has in

Tara studies the yawning cat in fascination, but Sofia's comment causes her to blink, looking over at her. She seems hesitant, and glances over towards Leah, but there's an underlying excitement at the prospect. "I-..." She furrows her eyebrows. "Maybe." she says with a small nod, a brief hint of a smile flashing briefly across her lips before fading.

Leah is quick to nod, furrowing her brow as she tries her best to avoid actually answering the question. Of course she's not alright. Her life is a whirlwind of hell. But, much like Nathan, she doesn't want to be the one to bring the mood down. Besides, she's surrounded by people she cares about and good food. After everything they've been through, now isn't the time to complain. She shrugs her shoulders. "Better now." she

Nathan looks Tara's way after nodding to Leah's answer. He knows better than to press the topic. "You can have that one if you like. Little pain in the-"

Sofia leans forward and glares at her brother. "Nate! Watch it. He's your responsibility."

Tara 's eyes widen, her attention immediately turning to Leah and sitting up a bit straighter in the couch. She's unable to keep a smile from breaking through at the prospect, and in an uncommon show of opinion she gives several short nods.

Leah snickers at the back and forth between Nathan and his sister. Her laughter is only reinvigorated by Tara's enthusiastic reaction. "Alright." she says calmly, "We can talk about it when we get home." And with that, she returns to simply enjoying the company of Nathan and watching the others. But the call of the burger is too strong for it to last and, soon enough, she nudges into Nathan. "You did say two burgers each,

Nathan pulls a face at his sister, but a smile breaks out at Tara's reaction. He's about to comment when his attention is drawn by Leah's very subtle hint. He snickers and leans down to press a kiss on her head, moving to break away from her arm. "Yes, I said two burgers each." The smile lingers as he rustles up another round of food for everyone and, if one were to look, would notice a much smaller, cat sized

Leah's cheeks turn a shade redder as an unexpected kiss is pressed against her head, but she does her best to not make a big deal out of it. Clearing her throat, she swivels back towards the counter and rests her forearms against it as she awaits her meal. "Ready for round two yet, Tara?" she calls out with a brief glance back over her shoulder, well aware that few others can keep up with her unending appetite. It's the

Tara 's smile lingers for a little while, her attention returning to Pixel as she resumes stroking his back. She seems a little caught off-guard by the prospect of more food. It doesn't exactly take a whole lot of fuel to keep her going. Regardless, she looks over to Leah and nods - turning food down is hardly in the cards, even if not hungry.

Sofia claps her hands together and jumps to her feet. "And more food means more drinks! What would you two like?" She is already walking back to the kitchen, passing a knowing grin at Leah's reddened cheeks.

Nathan dishes out another round of burgers for everyone, gathering up plates and setting them before everyone. "Enjoy," he says as he takes his spot next to Leah again, scooting a little closer to her as he takes a bite out of his food. He looks out through the window, watching as specks of snow start to drift from the sky, a smile creeping onto his face. He could enjoy living here, he muses to himself. Even if the

Leah does her best to avoid Sofia's gaze when it's clear she caught the smooch, but her cheeks turning into tomatos is more than enough to tell the story of an embarassed woman. "Umm-... Just another beer is fine!" she says, quickly reaching for her own not-quite-empty beer and taking a long swig from it. When a fresh plate of food is put before her, she sets her beer down and turns her focus to it. After a big bite, she goes

Tara furrows her eyebrows slightly at Sofia's question. She hasn't even touched the glass of juice presented earlier, perhaps unaware it was even meant for her. Uncertain what's an appropriate answer she turns her gaze to Leah in search of assistance but finds her busy making faces at Nathan.

Sofia takes out a beer and pops the top before pouring herself another glass of wine. She looks to Tara, then to her untouched drink. A small hint of red creeps into her cheeks, a little embarrassed that she's been so unaware of it. "Oh, sorry, Tara! Didn't see you still had your drink. It's yours, silly." She chuckles as she places the drink next to Leah's plate.

Nathan blinks and seems to only just catch on that he was openly staring at her, his own redness creeping in. Everyone seems to be going red this evening it seems. However, her most elegant display manages to snap a sense of focus into him and he snorts a laugh. He leans casually on the counter and says, "I was going to remark just how jaw-dropping you looked tonight. Y'know, before you presented me a mouthful of

Leah averts her gaze when Nathan turns on the charm, her obvious embarassment only worsening. She finds herself biting her lower lip to fight back against the dumb grin struggling to get out. "Jaw-dropping." she snorts dismissively, considering the split lip, the bruising along her cheekbone, and the low-effort loose ponytail. The prod prompts her to return fire with a soft kick to his shin with her boot. "Riiiight. I'm

Tara frowns slightly, looking over at the glass of juice. She's quick to reach for it with an apologetic expression, taking a sip. Leah and Nathan's exchange doesn't go entirely unnoticed, and another glance is spared their way before she shifts to pick up her second burger, perhaps disturbing Pixel's rest a little in the process.

Pixel stirs slightly, a slightly annoyed mewl escaping him before he settles back into his comfortable snoozing pattern. He likes this human. She's comfortable.

Sofia makes her way back to sit next to Tara, smiling brightly at her as she starts to tuck into her food, chewing contently. She swallows and idly asks, "So, has Leah sat down with you to do make up yet? Because if she hasn't I'm stealing you for that. I haven't had a day to just mess around with my kit yet." She chuckles.

Nathan grins and says, "Three years or so now! But I like the rough and tumble look," he muses with an over exaggerated waggling of his eyebrows. He reaches for his beer and, as he lifts it, is reminded that it's empty. And that Sofia completely bypassed him with the fresh round of drinks. With a level glare her way, he moves off to rumage through the cupboards, skipping the bear to go straight for a barely touched

Leah gives an unamused little smirk at Nathan's initial backhanded jab, raising her hand to flip him off. Truthfully it's a welcome change. Much more within her comfort zone. When he steps away to retrieve his whiskey, she takes a sip from her fresh beer and jams a large bite of burger into her mouth which she finishes up with at just about the same time as Nathan returns. His latest attempt at offering up compliments causes

Tara takes a small, reluctant bite of her second burger, not particularly wanting to eat more, but not willing to turn the food down now that it has been presented. She returns to petting Pixel with her free hand when he settles back down, seeming slightly dismayed at having disturbed him. Sofia's question causes her to look her way, eyebrows furrowing a little. She shakes her head slightly.

Nathan clears his throat as he catches onto her rather discomforted response. "Hibernating sounds good about now. I mean, that is what some animals do in winter." He blinks and he immediately gains an apologetic look on his face, stumbling over his words at an insult he believed to have delivered. "Not that I'm saying you're an animal or anything, I just-... you know, it was just a comment on-... you know what, I'm

Sofia makes a show of gasping dramatically. "She hasn't! Leah, how have you not done a make up day with Tara yet?" She calls out across the room, potentially and unknowingly saving her brother from further idiocy.

Leah unsurprisingly, seems to be put more at ease by Nathan's awkward stammering, causing her smile to grow a bit more genuine. "Uh huh. Smooth save." she says with a roll of her eyes, but the smile remains. Sofia's words cause her to swivel to face her and Tara, brows furrowing. "Makeup day...?" she asks, glancing from Sofia to Tara. Makeup. Yet another one of those things that just isn't her forte. Sure, she can get by. But

Tara looks between Leah and Sofia, her neutral expression betraying little as to what her thoughts are, or whether she's at all familiar with the idea. Her fingertips continue to brush gently through Pixel's fur as she listens.

Sofia stares in disbelief for a moment, switching her gaze between the two other women in the room. "Alright. Right, you two are here now." She sets down her glass and stands, steepling her fingers before her face before pointing and switching the point between the two of them. "I'll get my kit. We're doing this."

Leah's mouth goes agape and she flashes a glance back to Nathan. "No, no, no, no." she says as if Nathan might be able to put a stop to this, a bit of panic creeping into her voice. "I'm-... I'm all fine on the makeup front!" she says, glancing back towards Sofia. "Really!" she insists, in no hurry to suffer further embarassment.

Nathan holds a burger up between he and Leah, blocking his view of her. "Don't drag me into this! I'll end up with makeup getting smeared onto me."

Tara remains a silent observer, eyebrows raised ever so slightly as her attention turns from one person to the next, still chewing on her second bite of her burger.

Leah gestures towards Nathan. "That sounds like a great idea! Sofia, you can teach Tara allllllll about makeup by fixing that ugly mug of his!" she suggests, her grin returning. Just leave me out of it.

Nathan blinks and rounds on her, shaking his head fiercely. "Noooooooooooo nononononono! Leah is the best model for it! I mean, I'm perfectly good right now, y'know! So good in fact that I am going to make a retreat to the balcony and lock myself out on it! Soundslikeagreatideaokaybye!" He takes his drink, the rest of his food and beats a hasty retreat, stepping around his sister. "Have fun!"

Sofia snickers as she observes the reactions, glancing to Tara and smirking. She lowers her voice to say to Tara, "I can just demonstrate on myself. But it's fun to watch those two get all flustered."

Leah's big green eyes turn into saucers as Nathan makes his escape, assuming that puts the target right back on her. "Someairsoundsgreatrightnow!" she quickly spits out, gripping her own beer by the neck and hopping off her stool. "Youtwohavefun! Okay!" she adds before hurrying after Nathan. She only gets a few steps, however, before that delicious burgery goodness calls out to her and she walks in a half-circle to do an

Tara 's gaze turns to Sofia, a slightly perplexed look on her face. "Okay." she says quietly before nibbling her burger again, doing her best to chip away at it.

Nathan was too slow to close the balcony door behind him and is accompanied by Leah out in the crisp, chill air of the Aite evening. He perks an eyebrow as he sees the burger shoved in her mouth and he stares in silence for a moment. He then purses his lip and blows a raspberry before breaking out into laughter, the image seared into his mind forever now. He leans against the balcony, balancing the plate with burger

Sofia grins as the pair of them beat a hasty retreat and she smiles to Tara. She walks over to a bag that is sat behind the coach and roots through it before pulling out a makeup kit. She walks around and sets it on the table, kneeling in front of it as she looks to Tara. "You... have put on make up before, right?"

Leah's eyes narrow into an unamused glare as a small gust sends her bangs flapping in the wind. Her good friend 'middle finger' makes a reappearance and she waves at Nathan before getting the door. Once she's used her free hand to tug the balcony door closed she grabs the burger with it but not before biting off half of it. A muffled: "Mmmfuckmmyou." sounds out and once the first bite has been dealt with, she wastes no time

Tara frowns a little, shooting the items on the table an apprehensive look before shaking her head slightly. She still has her burger in hand, not much progress made on it.

Nathan snorts and he slugs back a large portion of his drink, now turning to look out over Freedom Falls. He reaches into his pocket and is about to pull out a cigarette, but sharply remembers that he is indeed amongst company. He inwardly sighs and pulls his hand back out, instead turning to smirk at her. "Ever the image of grace and dignity," he remarks. "You should write a book, y'know?" He spreads a hand and

Sofia flips over the kit and smiles. "Well, you're in for a treat. Go on, put the burger down and shuffle closer," she says softly, setting out the kit on the table. "I'm not that unobservant, I can see you're not that hungry." She giggles softly. "You know, if you're uncomfortable with this, I can just put the make up on myself? Just so you can see what it's like."

Tara 's frown deepens a little, and her gaze falls before she puts the burger back on the platter. "Sorry." she says quietly, keeping her gaze low as she moves over as instructed, doing her best not to disturb Pixel's rest as she does, although it's likely inevitable.

Leah rather than fighting it, decides to own it and gives a goofy little bow at the waist, as if performing for an audience. "Happy to see that you've noticed. I am a woman of many talents." she says, a snicker of her own finding its way out. She fusses with her hair for a moment, tucking a few loose strands that were taken by the wind back behind her ear as she steps up beside Nathan and joins him in watching over the town.

Sofia cocks her head, her smile wavering a little. "Sorry, that was a little rude of me." She scratches the back of her neck and rolls her shoulders in an apologetic shrug. "I didn't mean it to sound like that."

Nathan rolls his eyes good naturedly, smiling to her as she joins him at the balcony. With his free arm, he reaches over to lay it across her shoulders and pull her in for a sideways hug, gaze returning to the sight set out before him. "You know," he says softly, smile lingering, "I never thought I'd end up in the ass-end of the galaxy and enjoy it. Freedom Falls, for its faults, is a damn nice place to hunker

Pixel meows.

Pixel purrs, bleary eyes blinking as Tara shifts. The cat stretches out in her lap, digging his claws into the fabric of her trousers before circling on the spot. Eventually, he settles back down, but now peering around with curious mismatched eyes.

Tara 's confusion only seems to grow as Sofia apologizes. She blinks, studying her silently. She doesn't seem to mind Pixel's unrest beyond an almost imperceptible flinch, going to stroke his back again once he settles down, looking down as if to make sure they're still good.

Leah leans in closer as Nathan's arm falls across her shoulders, once again pressing her head against his shoulder. The height difference means it's more up against the side of his shoulder than atop it, but still. When her and her father first came here, it had mostly been to just... get away. It was quiet and her father needed that quietness after her mother passed. That solitude. The silent truth was that she had thought

Sofia smiles at Pixel and Tara, turning to pluck up her fibre brush and the foundation. She looks to Tara and holds them out for her to see. "Would you like me to do your make-up for you?" She asks quietly.

Nathan chuckles and smiles down to her, a great deal of warmth behind it. He wasn't too dissimilar to her reasons for coming out here. A place to 'hide' from her past, from what he did. The destruction of that city block, his failure to protect Jasmine... they will always weigh on his mind, a set of chains dragging behind him as he kept marching forwards. And it has taken him a long time to start realising that they

Pixel 's fur bristles at the gentle petting, the cat turning to look up at her with a modicum of fondness in his gaze.

Tara 's apprehension remains as she studies the items in Sofia's hands, but eventually she gives a small, hesitant nod.

Leah continues to stare out over Freedom Falls until Nathan begins to shift. When he leans in she makes no attempt to pull away, silently thankful that he made the first move. Eyes open, she presses her lips gently against his. Nothing steamy. Just a soft, brief kiss before breaking it off with a small half-snicker-half-embarassed-giggle as she once again rests her head against him. "Well that was-... nice." she decides.

Sofia nods and dabs the brush into the foundation. She starts to get to work on Tara's skin, applying the foundation evenly and blending it down onto her neck, a small smile on her face. "I haven't done this for a while. Not since my sisters were deployed," she explains, grinning at her.

Nathan grins at her initial compliment, about to leave it there and just settle into a moment of comfortable silence. But, of course, she immediately kicks off into one of her overdrives. He laughs softly as she goes on, turning to peer down at her and just let her run her course. His eyebrow perks at the mentioning of how awkward the wedding was, but that only elicits a further laugh from him as she emits a whine.

Tara flinches slightly as Sofia starts to apply the foundation, her expression still uncertain, but she remains perfectly still so that Sofia can work. The burns that emerge in places from her damaged hairline, as well as the brand on her forehead, provide plenty of challenge when it comes to the whole makeup thing. Hardly the sort of things that are easily covered up.

Leah scrunches up her nose once again, nudging into Nathan with her elbow. "I didn't mean it like that!" she says defensively assuming he took her rant as an insult. "It was nice! Really!" she assures before repeating herself a bit more softly, "Really. It's been on my mind ever since..." she admits quietly, a bit more red creeping into her color. A frustrated sigh escapes her and she seems to lean a bit more heavily against

Sofia does her damndest to make it an even coat and to try and cover up what she can. A look of concentration passes over her for a moment before she nods and sets away the brush. She then takes out the concealer and applies it in little triangles below Tara's eyes before blending it in. "They taught me how to do this... mum did too."

Nathan pulls her in, although it's a rather pointless effort since they can not physically get any closer. He gives a bashful smile and a soft chuckle, passing her a quick glance and a soft nod. "It's been on my mind too," he says softly, finishing off his drink. "Look, I'll be upfront with you... I am useless at this kinda stuff. Like, completely out of my depth. So if I do anything stupid or wrong, just attribute

Tara almost looks like she's going to ask something as she listens to Sofia talk about her family, but no words come, and instead she just sits there, letting her work. The hand petting Pixel is barely moving now.

Leah gives a soft, somewhat distant snicker. "It's fine-... you're fine. I'm the problem." she says. With a sigh she shrugs her shoulders. "I've got a teenage runaway slave with a bounty on her head that I'm desperately trying to give a life, a job that puts me in life-or-death situations on a regular basis, and more anxiety than I know what to do with." And that's not to mention the powerful current of biotic energy

Sofia then starts to apply highlighter and contour, chewing on the inside of her cheek. “I... visit her in the hospital. Help her put on her make up too when she wants it.” She briefly falters, blinking hard.

Nathan listens, as he always does when she starts to speak. But this time it isn’t a ramble, but an admission. But, oddly, her reassurance about it not being him does little to placate his unease. He does spare a chuckle at her elegant way of describing their lives and a genuine smile spreads at her compliment/insult combo. But as she finishes, his smile turns into a thoughtful line and he hums softly. “I wish I

Tara 's eyebrows furrow slightly as she studies Sofia, listening intently but not daring speak up.

Leah remains right where she is, leaned up against Nathan as another small sniffle slips out in response to his words. To his understanding. She brings up the hand holding her beer and wipes at her eye with the back of it, unwilling to allow any tears to escape. It's a good day. A day surrounded by friends. Not a day for tears. So she pulls in another deep breath to calm herself and shakes her head softly. "No, it's freezing."

Sofia clears her throat, biting back against the emotions welling in her. She smiles at Tara, starting to apply the blush lightly. “Sorry... rambling.”

Nathan lets out a small, “Oh” before clamming up. He remains silent for a minute more before setting the glass on the banister, sharply turning to capture Leah in an encompassing hug, pulling her in tightly. He doesn’t say anything, just settling into the embrace for a moment if she doesn’t show any signs of minding it.

Tara seems distracted from her discomfort with the whole makeup procedure by Sofia's surfacing emotions, blinking as she speaks up. Her head turns slightly as she looks at her, uncertain what to do and afraid of stepping out of line. So she ends up sitting there in an uncomfortable silence, her reaction no doubt easily interpreted as uncaring or confused.

Leah is quick to press her head against Nathan's chest when he turns to pull her into a hug, hiding her face away from him as both arms wrap around his waist. It gnaws at her that he somehow thinks this is about her deciding whether or not this is something she wants. Like that was even something that factored in. Standing there in his embrace, she's well aware that there's nowhere else she'd rather be. It's everything

Nathan simply holds her tight, offering her brief sanctuary from the world around her that seems so adamant on crumbling upon her, burying her beneath a myriad of emotions and demons. He can only know so much, understand so much and help so much. He’s somewhat aware that what weighs on her isn’t just them as his head turns to glance inside at Tara. A flash of that plaque before his eyes. The name Cerberus

Sofia smiles weakly. “Close your eyes,” she instructs gently. Should Tara do that, Sofia begins to apply a faint dusting of eye shadow, careful with her motions.

Tara gains a brief, almost imperceptible frown, but she does as instruct, eyes closing as she continues to remain perfectly still.

Leah turns her head to the side so her cheek is pressed against Nathan's chest, releasing the hug for only the briefest of moments to wipe at her eyes before locking him right back into a hug. A period of silence follows as her mind drifts. The cold Aite air continues to greet them with a few small gusts of wind, sending her ponytail horizontal, but she doesn't seem to mind. It's long overdue when she seems to realize part of

Sofia finishes application of the eyeshadow, even neatening up the blending a little around. “Open your eyes please.” She takes out the mascara and smiles at Tara. “Try not to blink as I apply this to your eyelashes,okay?”

Tara can't help but make a bit of a face as the eyeshadow is applied, the sensation a bit odd. When instructed, she opens her eyes, making a concentrated effort not to blink as she looks at Sofia, awaiting the next step with her usual lack of input.

Nathan chews on the inside of his cheek. He doesn’t answer immediately, playing with the decision about how much he should exactly disclose. In the end, he settles for a gentle shake of his head. “No. Not really.” He doesn’t add to it, exhaling softly through his nostrils. His hug loosens a modicum so he can lean back, looking down at her for a moment before saying, “It’s getting cold out. We’ll end up

Leah seems to interpret Nathan's brief response as an implication that he doesn't want to talk about it. Something she's more than capable of understanding. His follow-up comment and change of subjects only seems to cement that stance. So she reluctantly releases her hold on him and takes a step back, looking up at him with reddened eyes. "Yeah-... Okay. Go ahead and head inside." she says with a gesture towards the door and a

Sofia gently, but almost expertly, applies the mascara to each eye. She nods at Tara and, as the finishing touch, applies a subtle layer of lipstick to the young woman’s lips. “And... there.”

Nathan nods softly, his reluctance to break the hold shining through. But needs must and he makes to give her hand a brief squeeze as he passes, plate and glass an after thought. “Okay. Hey... nothing to say we can’t all curl up on the couch and watch a crappy movie together, mm?” He offers a small smile before opening the door and stepping through, glancing over his shoulder at her.

Tara flinches slightly as the lipstick is applied, but does a good job of staying still. When done, she blinks again, bringing a hand up to briefly poke a finger against her lips with faintly furrowed eyebrows. She's still silent. Not exactly the most engaging companion, perhaps. When Nathan starts to come back inside she turns to look his way, craning her head to glance out at Leah.

Leah's smile widens ever so slightly as she gives a small, somber snicker, nodding her head at his suggestion. As he goes to step through the door, however, she puts a hand up, urging him to wait a moment. "I just-... Thanks. Again." she repeats with a wince. "And-... And if you need to talk. About all this-... About work-... About your mom-..." she speeds right through that one, not wanting to linger too long as she's

Nathan pauses, looking back to her and listening to her offer. He remains silent for a moment before smiling gingerly, nodding. “Right back atcha. Don’t stay out here too long, alright? I think Tara might throw me over the balcony if I let you freeze out here.” He tries to add a little light hearted ness to the situation.

Sofia glances at her brother before looking back to Tara. She takes a small mirror from the lot and holds it out for Tara, nodding to it. “Have a look. How’d I do?”

Leah gives a small snicker, his comment causing her to glance back inside towards Tara and Sofia. When she finds Tara looking back at her, she lifts a hand, giving a small wave with her fingers.

Tara returns the wave with an even smaller one of her own, before her attention is drawn to the mirror. She seems startled as she first spots herself, pulling back a little as her eyebrows furrow again, staring at the reflection. There's uncertainty in her face as she continues to study her own face, not quite sure what the expected reaction is. After a while she tilts her head in respectful acceptance, although an underlying

Nathan nods to Leah and heads back inside, pulling the sliding door closed. Archaic, yes, but fitting. He heads back to the kitchen to refill his drink, looking Tara’s way with a smile. “Hey, looking good. Almost didn’t recognise you!”

Sofia nods, a bright smile on her face. “You look beautiful, Tara. I’m glad you like it.” At least, she assumes Tara likes it anyway.

Leah remains outside, turning and leaning against the railing to pull in a few deep breaths and clear her mind as she looks out over the town she calls home. She doesn't remain outside for long, however, not wanting to give the impression that something is wrong to the others. A few more dabs beneath her eyes with the back of her hand and she turns to head back inside, holding her beer loosely by the neck. Once greeted by the

Tara doesn't seem all that comfortable with all the praise suddenly heaped her way, and she remains sitting in place, looking from Nathan, to Sofia and then to Leah as she re-enters the apartment. She blinks, letting this go unsaid as the others start to talk movies.