The Principal's Office

[tailor_made]

The door to the principal’s office is open at all hours, although you will only find Hester at the receptionist’s desk from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. This is primarily where you can have private conversations with her. Though there’s an actual office in the back, it is always closed and locked.

Comments

[mayavericks]

[Too late. Maya's already kneeling down beside her. This is, unfortunately, not how Maya might have fantasized about something like this happening but. Whatever. It's fine. She lays a hand against Hester's calf and tries to coax her into extending her leg.

How's it looking?]

[tailor_made]

[Hester extends her leg without protest, a small blush creeping into her cheeks.

It's grounding, having someone touch her when she's felt so out place in her own skin lately. A hand in her hair, hands on her shoulders, being hugged so tight she could barely breathe- they'd all been an anchor to keep her drifting thoughts rooted. And Maya's hands feel...nice on her skin. Yup, just nice. Nothing else to it, nope. Just two girls hanging out while one feels up the other's leg. Not wondering about anything else.

But as for her injured leg it's perfectly healed. Not even a run in her stocking.]

He, um, the Wizard fixed it right after the trial. [She reaches down to run her fingers over her shin, remembering burns and glass and blood that don't exist anymore.] He was so quick it...it didn't even hurt.

[mayavericks]

That's good, then.

[Despite her distrust, despite Nana's distrust, it's good that Hester is taken care of. The alternative of her still being injured after all of this time, is an extremely unpleasant one.

She stands up, instead reaching her hands out for Hester's.]

And... how are you feeling otherwise?

[tailor_made]

[Hester takes her hands without thinking. It's almost become instinct now, holding hands with people. She's pretty sure she's done this more in the past few weeks than she ever had in her life before.]

More solid, if that makes any sense. I actually managed to sleep for more than an hour, that'll make Peregrine happy. [She gives Maya's hands a small squeeze, peering up at her with furrowed brows.] What about you?

[mayavericks]

I'm glad to hear that. I have been... worried about you, you know.

[Maya flashes a nervous smile. She's more distracted by her thumbs drifting over the back of Hester's hands, though.]

You know, if you ever have trouble sleeping, I could help?

[tailor_made]

Yeah...a lot of people have been. I'm sorry for worrying you. [Hester returns the smile but becomes very suddenly keenly aware of Maya's hands in hers when that offer is made.]

I- oh? [Her voice certainly didn't just go up half an octave.] Could you?

[mayavericks]

You are rather deeply cared for, Hester. In case you had not noticed.

[Maya glances up rather abruptly, alarmed by the change in Hester's tone. It takes her a few moments to process why she seems so worked up. Even then, though, Maya can only chuckle.]

In only the purest and most innocent of ways, I assure you. You could spend the night with us, is what I am trying to say. We... have Broadhurst to ourselves at this point, practically.

[tailor_made]

I've gotten that impression several times. [It doesn't make it any more of an adjustment, being cared for by more than one person at a time.]

Oh! Oh, right of course. I knew you meant it that way. [Her bright pink ears didn't know.] ...do you think Peregrine and Janis would mind?

[She and Per are on, arguably, better terms now and Janis is...extremely cool...and it would be nice to curl up with someone other than a stuffie.]

[mayavericks]

I don't think they will.

But -- You don't have to be in a rush to decide. We have time and... I want you to be confident that this is something you want. You deserve to be able to make a choice.

[tailor_made]

[Hester looks at her carefully, taking in every detail. Maya, through all of this, has been frankly incredible. Beautiful, strong and caring, multi-talented, taking charge, with so many people who love her...she's everything Hester wanted to be, back in her small pond of a hometown.

Do we have time though?]

I am making a choice. I do, want to sleep with you. In Broadhurst I mean! I like...cuddling. It's nice.

[mayavericks]

Whenever you would like, then. Our doors will be open to you.

[And since Maya is feeling a little bold (especially with Hester's eyes trained so intently on her), she lifts Hester's hand and kisses the back of it.]

[tailor_made]

[Hester freezes, blood rushing from her ears to her cheeks then lighting up her whole face. Is this her first (technically) kiss? It has to be, she'd never been kissed in school. Not even during the school shows-

It's not.

She shakes off the intrusive thought, not letting it ruin the moment.]

You can hold me to you- it!

[Too late.]

[mayavericks]

[Maya tilts her head back, laughing far louder than she's been able to manage in some time.]

I'll expect you to honor that commitment. Both of them, for that manner.

[tailor_made]

[Hester lowers her chin to her chest, her shoulders shaking with barely suppressed giggles until she throws her head back and laughs right along with Maya, red-faced and uninhibited.]

Oh no, I'm stuck now. I can't just break a commitment like that, either of them.

[mayavericks]

I would hope that you would not, Hester. [She tries to choke back her laughter, tries to muffle it behind her hand.]

No, that's not quite right. I trust you will not. [A beat.] I trust you, period.

[tailor_made]

[Hester snorts, trying to recover from her Freudian slip, but the giggling quickly quiets when the concept of 'trust' comes up. Her expression goes a little soft, a little somber but she still smiles.]

...Thank you, Maya. That...it means a lot to me.