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The Mirrorskin -- back to being a Mirrorskin -- has barely spoken to anyone since the end of the fight last night. They haven't let their Icon out of their reach: they carried it into the bathroom with them and put it next to Baby on the vanity while they showered. They slept holding it, when they slept, restless in Downtime. Now, they're curled up in the pillow pit in Downtime, slowly rubbing their thumb over the lead cowboy's half-melted face.
Laura is still moving a little stiffly. Even with healing efforts having taken the worst of it edge, she's not healed entirely from the explosion she was caught in. Limping into the room in sports bra and shorts, several burnt patches are visible in her fur. Green eyes focusing on Teagan, she heads their way, a small bag in her paw releasing the scent of freshly baked scones. Looking them over she says nothing for now, carefully settling into the pillow pit next to them and reaching out to lightly brush fingers over their shoulder.
The thing with Teagan is that it's impossible to tell where they're looking. They lay curled up, petting the toy, and take a deep breath in, letting it out. Long and shuddering, that breath. Calmly, they sit up, folding their hands around the Icon tightly, and their lips flatten into a line. They don't seem to actively react to Laura, but it can be hard to tell, with Teagan.
A slow blink from Laura as she rubs at her eyes briefly then holds up the small bag she was holding. "Do you want something to eat hun?" She asks, in as soft a tone as the hyena can manage. "They're still warm." She doesn't touch them further, but does rest a hand near theirs in quiet invite. For now she watches them carefully, tosee how they might react.
They look down at their hands, holding on to the Icon, and then their face turns up toward Laura. It's only now that they seem to notice the smell of food, sort of folded in on themself, folded into the past somehow. "I should eat," Teagan offers back. The half-melted lump of lead is left to rest in their lap.
"You should." Laura answers in a quiet voice, pulling one of the scones from the bag and holding it out. "Got raisins in them, hoping it's taken well." A slight smile. "And I ad to make sure I didn't guzzle them all down myself."
"Raisins are very sad grapes," answers the Mirrorskin, but they extend one hand to take a scone from the bag anyway. They take a bite out of the scone, turning their face off toward the wall. It's sort of an awkward expression on Teagan's face, not quite daydreaming, but almost. They're clearly detached from the conversation.
"I will get you grapes next time." Laura promises, settling back and chewing her lip. "Anything you want, really. Any excuse to sort some food." A quiet nod before she nods again, having the air of picking over her words. "I'm glad we helped you find it, take it back."
A soft laugh. "I don't like grapes that much either. I like craisins though. They weren't really a thing before." Teagan slowly chews their way through the raisin scone, just sort of staring off blankly. Closed off. It's a look that hasn't happened on the Mirrorskin for a long time -- one that Laura hasn't really ever seen but some of the older DA folx may have. Who's to say? "Hmm?" They look down at their lap. "Oh. Yeah. They won't let me keep it, but."
"Won't let you keep it?" Laura asks with a slightly puzzled tone. "Crasins, mm.." A nod to acknowledge this, but she remains focused on Teagan's thoughts, her own expression an anxious one. Her fingers flex, but she works to keep calm, getting anxious herself won't help Teagan here.
"Mmm," agrees Teagan quietly, shoving the last bite into their mouth. "The next time I get called, they'll take it away. It's not like they can let me take it on a mission." A small twitch to the corners of their mouth as they chew and swallow, and they flop back onto their back, letting out a soft breath.
A pause, then Laura curls up next to Teagan, patting their side carefully. "Teagan, hun. It's yours. Nothing changes that." She doesn't mention their reference to being called or to missions, this is tricky ground to walk on. She rubs at her muzzle, taking a quiet breath.
A weak smile. "Look, I know what they're trying to do, here, but, no. I know how this works." Teagan reaches out a hand and sort of pats the air next to Laura's arm. "It's a good try. Thank you. They'll be impressed."
Laura shakes her head, reaching out to run her fingers over Teagan's own arm. "I know you're still finding your way. And I don't know for sure whether it's better to give you time to, or to offer more of a lifeline to help. But I'm.." A pause. "If you know me by any sound.." She opens her mouth, letting a quiet hyena cackle roll out.
The touch isn't shied away from, but the look on Teagan's face just gets a little bit more -- smooth, and calm. The sound shudders through the surface of the Mirrorskin, and Teagan closes their hands around the icon, shrugs. And then mirrors the sound right back to Laura, clean as a recording.
Laura blinks before she pulls back, curling arms into herself and breaking off any physical contact. When Teagan reflects the cackle back at her she closes her eyes, taking several deep breaths to collect herself. "Teagan.." Another slow breath. "Love you. Even if you can't see me right now."
What can you say to someone who can be anyone to convince them that you're the real you? The corners of Teagan's mouth twitch, and they answer quietly, "You're good," in a way that sounds like it's meant to be a compliment, and they close both of their hands protectively over the icon, laying down and folding themselves up small around the reclaimed item.
"I didn't always think that I was." Laura answers, staying to the same quiet, careful tone as she works to draw Teagan out, though trust is going to be a hard thing to earn in this situation. "When you met me I thought I was ugly and hid my spots. Several people helped me realize I was wrong, and you were very much one of them. You saw me. And I stopped hating myself. You saw me at my worst and at my best and you accepted me regardless."
At that, the Mirrorskin sits up; Baby is sitting next to the edge of the pillow pit, within reach, and they reach out to touch the blade, as if reassuring themself that the machete is still there. "Look," they say, softly. "I know what you're supposed to be doing. And I'm not going to sell you out, okay? Whatever they ask, I'm not going to sell you out. You don't have to try so hard."
Eyes dart to Baby and then close for a moment before Laura lets out a pained sounding whine, pulling back and sitting up to put more distance between them, moving slowly and carefully. "I hear you. I understand. I believe you. I'll stop. I'll leave you for now. I know you won't sell me out."
In silence, the Mirrorskin curls back up around the Icon. "I'm sorry," Teagan offers quietly. "It's a shit mission, I wouldn't wish it on anyone." And that, apparently, is all they have to say.
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