meadowlark inbox

[fledges]

@kate.bishop | ■ ▲ ◌ ▼

Comments

[overrate]

pssh.
i already talked to damian.
i finally talked to red.
one of those went better than the other.

so consider that my break.

[fledges]

At this point I honestly can't guess which one went better.

[overrate]

yeah, i could see that.
look, if you want a break, there's a noodle stand that's halfway good

[fledges]

Ooh, halfway good. You know how to sell it.
I'm not busy.

[overrate]

halfway good is like a ringing endorsement for this shitty future

[ and then he pings her a location ]

[fledges]

See you soon.

[overrate]

[ he doesn't reply to that, assuming she knows he'll meet her there.

he's at least not wearing his hoodie up anymore. light isn't making his head hurt.

but he'll be milling around out by the stand, people watching idly. ]

[fledges]

[Kate's easily spotted in her purple as always, and she gives him a little wave as she approaches.]

Hey. Hanging in there?

[overrate]

[ he pushes away from the wall, and offers a mild shrug. ]

Yeah. Got a little too touchy-feely in the catacombs, but whatever.

[ but hey, he glances over her, appraising if she's just emotionally exhausted or if there's actual exhaustion there. ]

[fledges]

[It's both—she didn't lose an arm, but watching it happen to Damian was still traumatizing, even if she hasn't really been talking about it. She shoots him a smile anyway, though.]

Touchy-feely, huh? You should probably elaborate on that.

[overrate]

Empathy bond bullshit.

It was awful.

[ enough so that he's gonna breeze past it entirely. ]

Anyway, the vegetable noodles aren't bad. I just don't question anything crunchy or "off" tasting.

[fledges]

I'm learning that's the best way to deal with the food here.

[So she'll follow his lead and trust his judgment.]

How are you doing now? Giving yourself a break?

[overrate]

Something like that.

[ he glances back at her, a half amused smirk on his face. ]

Basically, I'm hungry. C'mon, stop worrying.

[fledges]

[She rolls her eyes.]

The only thing I'm worried about is that cowlick you're getting.

[Her worrying switch is kind of locked in the "on" position right now, unfortunately.]

[overrate]

One, stop lying, especially about my hair.

Two, you seriously need a break.

[ yeah, he freaked out at her. he knows. that's why he's just gonna get her some noodles. aggressively tell her to chill out.

totally normal apologies. ]

[fledges]

We all need a break. Although—

[She flips her sunglasses down from her head over her eyes. She gets that he's apologizing, in that "I don't know how to apologize" way.]

Your family is going to give me ulcers.

[overrate]

Yeah?

[ there's a beat. ]

Well, we give each other worse.

[ which he won't explain, and instead will turn to just order two of the vegetable noodles.

he has a job now.

he can just afford this.

and he will not-so-subtly make sure he doesn't have a cowlick in the reflection on the menu. ]

[fledges]

[Kate's lips quirk up a bit when she realizes what he's doing.]

Yeah? Did something else happen?

[overrate]

Nah, just a general observation.

[ of course she was lying.

of course.

but that's okay, he's lying too. ]