[OP: "Surface Pressure"-- Encanto. AMV by Conflict Revolution]

Shine looked at her for a few seconds. Then she put the bottle down and leaned on the counter as well.

"What exactly went wrong?"

Mira told her in brief terms about earlier that day.

Shine looked bemused.

"I see...well, he was trying to do the right thing. And you led him to believe that you wanted that, didn't you? With saying, as you've been saying, that this is too overwhelming."

Mira knew she had, but she didn't like hearing it.

"It was what I thought." She was testy.

"Mira, again, I'm not judging you," Shine reminded her. "I know what it's like to not be sure what you want. Didn't I just say that? But if you know now, then isn't the answer obvious? Forget what could happen--what about what is happening? The bare facts are you're not happy with this outcome. I doubt Abby is either. You have this moment, that's all you get. I realized that the hard way, but I'm not sorry I did. Look...Wally and I don't know what our last day will be. Our lives are dangerous. We could choose not to be together to spare the extra stress...but we chose to be together and face it as a team. That made it better. I think I'd have lost my mind years ago without him. Life is...not a one-person job, Mira. It was never meant to be. I was going to do this tomorrow, but perhaps you need a preview... We're made to have companionship--it's just the way it is. Even God Himself says we need other people, not just Him, and God is all powerful. Can you conceive of a Being like Him admitting that we need something besides Him? If He would make such a concession...it must be deeply, powerfully, true, even on a level we can't fully comprehend, which I think all really deep things are. And men and women are where that is the most true. The Bible says it's a great mystery how it works. Like God, love between people is sometimes inexplicable, but it's not less real for that."

She paused. "I might have gone on too long."

"Uh...no, it's okay." Mira was finding this more interesting than she would have expected. "Keep going."

"Well...I try." Shine laughed at herself. "I'm with Raven on this one. I think you should do what she would do, in this case. We...can't know for sure. If it would make you happy, and it's not a sin, I see no reason not to do anything, really. Let alone be with someone, which is a good thing. If we didn't already know enough social evidence of that, the Bible also says it, which is my final authority on the matter. It's a great blessing to find someone who feels that way about you. Love is not that commonplace that I'd ignore it. Or treat it like it has to be on a timer. There is a time and place, of course, to wait. 'A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing'. But which time is which? Well, I think you have to work that out for yourself. But you already know, it sounds like."

Mira folded her arms. "How could I? He backed off just because he thought it was better for me. What am I supposed to say now?"

"Mira, don't be ridiculous." Shine finally sounded a bit more light. "No one who really loves, or even likes, anyone else, would mind that. If he does, I'd say to tell him off. But the message that you realized you wanted this after all shouldn't be anything but a happy one. That's what's natural. Don't be afraid of it."

"And if I am?" Mira said quietly, finally being more honest about it.

"True courage is facing what you are really afraid of," Shine said quietly. "But look at where you already are. You got this far. You care about Rumi and Zoey, about your fans, about many people. You can do this. I don't want to sound dismissive, sorry... I...I've been afraid I can't love anyone also. But even that fear is just a lie. Truthfully, it's all up to what you want. Nothing can really stop you if you want it. Love is a choice. We think that means it's a chore, but the real beauty of it is that it means that it's not something that can be taken away from you by pain or suffering or just your own hang ups. If you want to love, you can. With God's help, anyway, I think. We're all train wrecks, you know, not just you. Look at the X-men, they're a huge mess...but they do love each other. That's why we live with them. This world feels like home to us because we saw something that we wanted to have around us." She smiled. "Even Raven has caught it now. I think she told you the right thing. But if you needed to hear that from someone else too, just to be sure, I hope you feel free to follow her advice now. I think maybe you were going to before Abby changed things."

Mira felt seen through.

"You have to stop doing that," she said.

"I can't." Shine shrugged resignedly. "You know, you and Raven have had your issues, and we were going to work on them this week. I'm starting to think we don't need to now, though. Maybe somehow, all on your own, you figured them out. Maybe it just took seeing her in her natural habitat?"

"She's different here." Mira wasn't even surprised to hear this at this stage. "More relaxed, more sure of herself, too."

"She's around people who love her here." Shine gestured around. "We're a hot mess, but we do care. That's why. And you will be that way too, once you just get on your feet. Take the plunge. It's worth it, I promise." She smiled encouragingly.

She was a bit softer then Raven was, Mira noted, but they were saying the same thing.

Made sense--Shine was her mentor...but it was something Raven had learned on her own too, from the sound of it.

Maybe that was behind their friendship? People who thought this way just understood each other intuitively.

[In my experience, that is how it works.]

She drew a deep breath. "Okay...I...I will try...but how...?"

"Wait till tomorrow," Shine advised. "You try it now, and Baby will likely hear you and interrupt. He's got a problem with girls. Sleep on it--that might be for the best anyway. By the way, Zoey and Mystery was a nice surprise also."

"Okay, how...?" Mira stammered.

"Emma can read minds, and she's very eager to share it." Shine shrugged. "She knew all day. Told us just a little bit ago. She thought we might like to know. I was sure Zoey would have told you by now."

"And if she hadn't?" Mira said.

"It would happen soon enough anyway. I thought it was low risk." Shine thought Zoey wouldn't even care that much.

She probably wouldn't have.

"Did she tell you about me also?" Mira asked.

"Nope, though she likely knows, but she's not that foolish." Shine chuckled. "She knows who would attack her for spilling their secrets. I'm just good at what I do. And you told me yourself. I'm flattered though... I had thought you didn't really like me that much at first."

"You're okay, I guess," Mira said.

"I think you could do better than that." Shine shrugged defiantly.

"Fine, I guess I like you okay," Mira amended, slightly.

"I will take that from you," Shine accepted. "And perhaps you like Raven a little more too?"

"Is she listening or something?" Mira looked around.

"Good chance," Shine said, shameless.

"What?!" Mira said.

"I mean, I can't really...stop her. This house is easy to snoop around in," Shine said. "Maybe she wasn't though. I didn't check. But doesn't she know all this anyway? What's the big deal?"

"It's the principle of it. You just...you just accept that she's spying on you?"

"Oh, I really am used to it, and I don't say anything usually I wouldn't be okay with other people hearing." Shine shrugged again. "Sorry. I should have warned you, since it's a given around here. But, like I said, she may not be."

"I'm not gonna wait and find out." Mira left right away.

"Raven?" Shine called.

Raven looked in. "I swear, I was only there for the last few minutes. I thought you'd be done by now."

"You answer to her for it if she asks. I wash my hands of it." Shine literally washed her hands in the sink as she said that.

"Hmph, I heard what you said about me, so I don't need to have that awkward conversation?"

"I think so. I think you handled it yourself," Shine said. "And you had such little faith in your abilities. Not that you still couldn't work on your communication skills, but I think you'll get there without such a fuss over it."

Raven supposed this was high praise from Shine.

* * *

Day 6:

The next morning everyone wondered what would be in store for them after the day before.

Emma, not very tactfully, asked them again about her offer.

This was at breakfast.

The boys were still nervous.

"I thought about it, but we just don't know," Romance said.

Emma drummed her fingers on the table--she turned them to diamond first, so it was a sharp sound.

"What about a trial run?" she asked. "I'll try to recover one memory for you. If it works, and you don't die, then we'll try the rest."

"We have work for them today," Shine spoke up. "So you will have to pick it up tomorrow if they agree, but you can do the trial run now--I was going to wait till afternoon. Grace and I need some time together. I'm taking her for her check up today and then taking a breather... I had a long day yesterday." She winked at Mira.

Mira looked at her food.

"But I thought you wanted to supervise the mental probing," Raven said.

"Don't call it that, please," Jinu winced.

"Just for one memory, it's not risky, so no need. Xavier is enough if you need help," Shine said. "The full process might be more strenuous, so, yes, for that... Anyway, I gotta get going."

"Why did you come here at all if you had to leave?" Baby asked.

"I like to see all your faces first thing." Shine smiled and picked Grace up. "Motivates me to remember why I'm doing this at all. And I like to check in with my own students too. I mean, we eat breakfast here half the time even on a normal week."

She left.

"She says the cheesiest things like they're nothing," Romance said.

"I hope I never become that sentimental," Raven said.

"Deep down, I think you already are," Morph said.

He got a kick under the table.

"I think a test run sounds okay," Abby said. "It won't hurt?"

"It doesn't hurt, you nitwit," Emma said.

"Emma," Scott (alternate Scott) said.

"Forgive me...but I grow tired of your doubt in my powers," Emma said, with a peeved look.

Abby was weak to women acting like he'd hurt their feelings, perhaps unfortunately.

"Oh, uh, sorry. I'm sure you're very good at what you do. I guess it can't hurt, right?" He looked at the others.

Romance gave him a squeamish look.

"Not me," Baby said. "If one of you wants to try."

"Why not two of them?" Emma said. "The idea is to stir up your mutual memories. I can try to find one thing you both remember."

"Cool," Zoey said. "Can you help me remember my password for A03?"

"Don't you save all those on your phone now?" Emma asked.

"I'd like to know still," Zoey said.

Emma leaned forward and looked at her intently for a moment. "Isn't it Franklinzfan9000?" [I hope this is not a real password. I made it up.]

"Whoa..." Zoey gaped.

"Franklin?" Rumi said.

"Like that turtle in those kids books," Zoey said. "I read the crap out of those in elementary school."

"Zoey, just how far back does your turtle obsession go?" Jinu asked.

"I got hooked around the same time my parents started fighting a lot." Zoey overshared a bit and then regretted it.

Jinu wasn't sure what to say.

"I'm sorry," Romance said, supposing it was the right thing to do.

"Oh...yeah, um, it's okay," Zoey said vaguely.

"Hyper-fixation is a common way to deal with difficult situations," Emma remarked. "Yours have lasted a long time."

"Can we not?" Mira said. "Zoey doesn't need you probing into her private business, Emma. Stick to the boys."

"Is that any way to talk to me, young lady? I helped you, you know." Emma was mad. "If not for me, that boy would have probably died before you ever--"

"Emma!" Morph cried.

Abby winced.

Emma regretted her words, you could tell.

Mira got up.

"Mira, don't," Rumi pleaded. "She didn't mean it, right, Emma?"

"I shouldn't have said that," Emma said.

"Yeah...right, whatever," Mira said. "I'm done anyway."

"But don't you want to see the test?" Zoey asked.

Mira hesitated.

"Then stay outta our heads and focus on theirs," she said, crossing her arms.

Emma frowned but didn't say anything else snarky.

"You really just have to pick a fight with everyone," Baby told Mira.

"Look who's talking?" Mira said.

"I didn't pick a fight with her," Baby said. "Kinda insane to do that with someone who can learn all your secrets without you even knowing it."

Mira stiffened.

"She has none worth knowing." Emma waved her hand. "I'd venture. She's an open book... You, on the other hand, I could find out many things, I have a feeling."

"Don't bother me, lady, and I don't bother you," Baby said.

"Can we get on with the testing part?" Mystery was starting to get stressed by this arguing.

"Do you volunteer?" Scott asked.

Mystery shook his head. "No."

Silence.

"I can't do it," Jinu said. "Not my memories..."

"Baby won't do it," Romance sighed. "So it's down to me, is it? I knew it... Well, you promised it won't be too strenuous?"

"Oh, you won't even feel it," Emma said. "In and out."

"Please don't say it like that," Romance said.

Emma smirked.

"She has a side," Raven said.

"Maybe since she's a diamond," Morph said.

"If she is, she's one in the rough," Raven said.

"That might be the sweetest thing you've ever said about me," Emma said. "I think I like you as a teacher."

"So when do we start?" Abby asked.

"We have started." Emma glanced at him, and then she put a hand to her temple. "I suppose I could try harder. There are some memories in your minds that seem very close to your consciousness. Perhaps they would return in the next few weeks, even, but you want me to save you time, right? Just a little push ought to do it."

"Yes, an alien woman pulling things out of my mind is not a normal thing to hear at the breakfast table." Romance felt a little sick.

"Buck up, Romance," Abby said. Which he had to have heard from Rogue. "It's not so bad. I don't feel a thing."

"That's because your brain is numb, Abby," Romance said. "You always were like that. Thoughtless."

"And you always were one to whine over absolutely nothing," Abby said. "Remember when you got a bad grade?"

"That was important!" Romance snapped at him.

"What grade?" Mystery asked.

They looked at him strangely.

"Yeah, what grade?" Baby said. "Since when do you get grades as idols?"

"No, in school...." Abby trailed off.

"You knew each other in school?" Rumi said.

"We went to the same school," Romance said.

"Oh, so you knew each other before you were idols," Jinu said with interest.

"Long before," Emma said.

"How long?" Zoey asked. "Were you childhood best friends or something?"

"No, no, we're cousins," Romance said automatically.

Then he blinked. "Wait...what?"

"Yeah, what?" Mira exclaimed, and Rumi and Zoey echoed it.

"Oh, right," Baby said, as if it was nothing. "I totally forgot that you two were related..."

"Come to think of it, they do look alike," Morph said. "I mean, ignoring the height difference and the hair style, their faces are almost the same."

Mira cocked her head a little. "He's not wrong. Oh crap..." She leaned on the wall.

"I can't believe you didn't remember that already." Emma put her hand down. "It was a strong memory. Barely hiding anymore. Perhaps it's just too inherent to you for it to seem strange. It must be, since you've never been apart, you had no sense of losing the memory at all."

"We're related." Abby was in shock. "Wow...right, cousin Minsu... It's all coming back to me now. We lived in the same part of town, right? So..."

"Yeah, we must have," Romance said. "It's still fuzzy for me, but...yeah, we went to all the same schools... That must be why we both tried to be idols, but...I can't recall anything else around that time. But then, we have the same family... We don't remember them."

"There's a chance we could." Abby looked at Emma in wonder. "Both of us together, maybe?"

"It's a better chance," Emma said. "I might draw that memory out of either of you alone, but together it would be stronger and have more information. There's also a good chance we could uncover where you used to live then."

"It's possible...our families could still be alive," Romance said, looking shell shocked. "I...wow... I know we talked about this, but...it wasn't ever real. Somehow I never thought I'd actually remember enough to find out...but... Miss Frost...you have to help us."

He grabbed her by the hands.

"All right, all right, calm down." Emma extricated herself. "Shine said to wait till tomorrow. You'll be too distracted if we attempt it today, and there is more to cover. Perhaps some more will come back on its own, now that I started the process, so just take it slow. I'll talk to Xavier about preparing for it. And...are you girls also interested in doing the mind meld?"

"Us? But why would we need to?" Rumi said.

"My dear, as I remember it," Emma said, "you found out these boys were fans of your mother's group. Don't you think there's the slightest chance they ever went to one of her performances? Met her, even? Some reason they were so affected by them breaking up? I didn't forget all the stuff you told me the first day I arrived, you know. You might learn something about her if you could see what they knew. They were there, unlike you."

Rumi had some not thought of this, and the idea staggered her.

"Rumi..." Mira put a hand on her shoulder. "Would you be able to handle that? I mean...it would be like seeing your mother's ghost, almost. Through someone else's eyes...right?"

"Yes, but it's real," Emma said. "Or at least as real as they would be able to remember, but it happened. That's not something you could possibly replicate in your world. You should at least think about it."

"The chance to see my mother, hear her...like I was actually there..." Rumi said strangely. "I... need to think about this. Excuse me." She got up and left the room.

Jinu got up and followed her a moment later.

"I think I need some time to compose myself also," Romance said faintly. "That was a lot... Thank you, Miss Frost."

He left.

"If it worked," Mystery said, "it could work for me also, and you, Baby."

"I remember enough to know that I don't really have anything pleasant to remember," Baby said.

"Not even how you met them?" Zoey asked.

Baby was silent, like he wasn't sure.

"You don't have to do it," Scott said. "But if you all want to...Emma is good, trust me. I think she can help you."

"So far she already has," Raven said. "I'm almost impressed, Emma. You found important memories that quickly. Maybe you're not so second rate to the professor after all."

"You incorrigible ninny," Emma said. 

"She's kidding," Morph said.

"I know that, but it was still brash," Emma sniffed.

"I guess mind reading would make it easy to know if someone was serious about what they said," Abby said. "I...uh, I think I need a minute too."

He got up and left.

Mira waited about a minute before she followed.

Zoey wasn't sure what to do.

"So, uh..." She looked at Mystery. "Did you know Mira and Abby almost had a thing?"

"You mean his crush?" Mystery said.

"But it goes both ways," Zoey said.

"Ew," Baby whined.

"Zip it, Short Stack," Zoey said.

"You're shorter than me," Baby said.

"I don't care. Zip it, or I'll drop heavy bars on you," Zoey said.

"You mean rapping bars or real bars?" Morph asked.

"Either or," Zoey threatened.

"Here we go." Raven leaned on her hand. "I knew it was too quiet yesterday..."

* * *

Abby had gone outside to sit by the fountain, which seemed to be the go-to place to be upset around the mansion.

He didn't even notice Mira walking up, and she was surprised to see he had tears in his eyes when she came around the edge of it and saw him from the front.

"Mira?!" Abby was immediately embarrassed and rushed to hide it.

"What...what's wrong?" Mira didn't know that she'd seen a grown man cry before.

"Nothing." Abby looked way. "I was just... It was weird, that was all...remembering that. Kind of a relief...but..."

"Why? Because you're not alone?" Mira said.

"I guess I wasn't before, technically, but...there's...so many possibilities." Abby shook his head. "Don't know if that's scary or exciting...or both. I mean, at least I know why it always felt like I knew Romance (or Minsu) better, but..."

Mira was silent.

"You're judging me, aren't you?" Abby took it to mean she was feeling awkward.

"No." Mira sat down. "No...makes sense. You and Romance were always closer. We all noticed that... And that does explain why I also thought he was kinda hot."

"What?!" Abby fell for that so easily.

Mira smirked. "Got you."

"That was a joke?"

"Duh... That was payback for all the stuff you said about those other women." Mira was still not over Zoey's remark of the night before about how easy it would be for Abby to move on if he so chose.

"Is this the time for jokes?"

"Yeah, maybe not." Mira wasn't that childish. "I just came out to see if you were okay, but...I guess I can leave, if you want to...have time to let it sink in."

There were more important things than her feelings right now, she guessed. This was a pretty huge thing to find out...or find out again.

"You can stay, if you want." Abby didn't suppose he had any dignity left to lose now. "Just don't make fun."

"You are surprisingly sensitive when it comes to stuff like this."

"And you're not?"

"Fair enough I guess," Mira fiddled with her bracelet. "Want to talk about it?"

"There's not that much to talk about... Emma made good on her word, now we have to deal with it. I'd rather not think that hard about it."

Mira was quiet.

"What did you want to talk about?" Abby said a few seconds later.

"Oh...it can wait," Mira said. "This was...a big thing."

"You're so weirdly sweet when you're not trying to be."

Mira blushed.

"But no, a change of subject would be good." Abby clearly was starting to get stressed.

Mira didn't think her subject was any better, but, after failing to think of anything else to talk about, she swallowed.

"I don't know if this is the best time for this, but I've been thinking about what you said yesterday."

"Oh...?" Puzzled.

"Yeah, you're really starting to tick me off." Mira made a fist in her lap. "Trying to be nice and friendzoning me, like that's some big favor."

"I thought--"

"Shut up--look, I was trying to work up the nerve to talk to you about it, and then you just bulldozed in there and didn't even give me the freaking chance." Mira managed to sound almost convincingly angry, but since she didn't make eye contact, clearly she was more flustered. "I had...things to say."

"Okay..." Abby wasn't sure what to make of that. "So say them."

"Don't rush me," Mira said testily.

After a pause, she then went on:

"Look...we really don't know how much time... I mean, there's no perfect time for anything. It doesn't make any sense, but maybe it's worth a shot. Anyway, I don't like to be afraid of things. Just doesn't really fit me."

"Wait, what are you saying?" Abby blinked.

"What do I sound like I'm saying, idiot?" Mira finally looked up.

Abby stared at her blankly.

"Oh, for crying out loud--" Mira worked up her nerve and leaned over and kissed him instead.

Maybe the adrenaline of the moment had finally gone to her head. 

Abby was surprised but not displeased by this turn of events.

 "Are you going to slap me again?" he asked.

Mira frowned. "Should I?"

"I don't know... You're not just saying this to make me feel better, are you?"

"Oh gosh." Mira began to lose her nerve or her patience, she couldn't tell which. She started to get up. "I don't know why I--"

Abby caught her hand before she could walk away. "Hey, come on...don't be like that. I'm just confused. First you said it's not possible, then you acted like you were interested, but then you ran away...now this?"

Mira couldn't really blame him for being confused.

She sank back down. "I've...been at war with myself about it."

"That's just why I said it was fine not to talk about it right now."

"Yeah, but I wasn't...happy with that decision," Mira finally admitted, in a low voice.

Abby was surprised yet again.

"It sounded like the right one, but it feels wrong," Mira went on, after a pause. "I don't know what it is... Maybe it's that this stuff doesn't completely make sense. I guess...maybe it does feel kinda wrong to treat it like it's something you can just calculate. Maybe that's what was bothering me--weighing the pros and cons...like that's all there is to a person. I don't like doing that. Honestly, reminds me of my parents too much anyway." She rubbed her face with her free hand.

"That wasn't what I was trying to..." Abby certainly had never had such a thought.

"Not you, me." Mira finally had some clarity as she spoke. "I've been trying to protect myself from making stupid decisions by thinking of every possible reason it's stupid, but...it felt wrong. I think...I think I got so ticked off because I knew it felt wrong. I just didn't know why. All of it...I mean even from the start, maybe with all of you, the trying to figure out if we should trust you all or not. But everyone acted that way, so I couldn't figure out what it was that kept stringing me out about it. I think...I get it now."

She suddenly felt calmer, as if she knew she'd hit upon something true. 

Abby was intrigued by this conclusion, since it was unlike anything the others had said to this point. So he didn't interrupt.

"I mean, like you said, there are reasons to be cautious," Mira said. "It would be dumb not to be, but at some point, you have to pick a lane. Once you've decided to help, or to let someone be around you, you can't keep weighing and measuring them all the time. That's how I grew up, and I hated it...but I turned around to do the same thing. Maybe that's ingrained somehow. Like Rumi has the same problem...with Celine. I guess we're shaped by our past whether we liked it or not. But all of you want that to change, and I think I also want that. I'm not sure how this is going to turn out, but I don't like the idea of acting like the same people who made me feel like crap." She closed her hand again, thinking. "I thought I was mad at myself for having sympathy towards people Hunters aren't supposed to, but I wonder if it actually was that I was mad that I wasn't supposed to have sympathy for people who I could clearly sympathize with. Like that didn't seem fair..."

"Is that why you kept saying the Hunters were different?" Abby had a light bulb moment.

"Yeah, maybe," Mira said slowly. "But maybe we're not. Or if we are, not like that. What if it was that simple the whole time? I don't know, it never clicked with just Raven and Morph because they were so unsure too. I mean, they wanted to help you all, but they always second guessed how far it could go, so we did too. But seeing their mentors, Shine and Wally, it's been slowly clicking for me. They don't doubt it. They're willing to help those psychotic Morlocks just because some of them aren't as bad. I can't imagine being that forgiving, but, at least you can see who really believes that anyone can and should be helped--and that they don't think that having weird powers or being controlled by some demonic overlord makes you irredeemable. Rogue was telling me how it was with her, too..." She paused again. "Well, anyway, I get it now. I see why Morph and Raven were trying to copy them. Maybe they were too new at this to explain that to us in the same way. I guess that's why they brought us here, so we could see it instead. And now that I do, I'm tired of keeping this distance..."

Saying all that in such a rush was like jumping off a diving board. Mira half didn't know what the impact was even going to feel like till she was hitting the water.

So when she finally stopped talking, she realized she'd just said some pretty wild stuff and wondered how she'd had the nerve.

Abby, on his side, actually was thinking it was making a lot of sense, and that maybe he and the guys should have noticed the same thing too.

Maybe it was stupid to think the Hunters would have to keep drawing a line between all of them.

Was Mira trying to say in her way that she didn't want to see them as two different kinds of creature anymore?

And if that no longer mattered, then was there any reason not to...be together? If she'd already decided this debate was over...then there was no pressure on her to make up her mind.

That seemed almost too easy after all the uncertainty, and maybe a different person would have gotten mad at Mira for flip-flopping so much.

However, since Abby could understand pretty well the uncertainty people feel when they have to have a paradigm shift, after going from being a demoniac to a normal human--well, almost normal--again, he was not so ready to dismiss her as just being inconsistent.

This was hard stuff to accept, wasn't like he didn't know that.

It sounded like, though, she finally had.

"When you put it like that," he said out loud, "it does sound pointless."

Mira glanced up.

"So does this mean you like me?" Abby then had the gall to ask.

Mira gave him a classic annoyed look.

"Didn't we go over that the other day?" she said.

"I remember a list of reasons you didn't, actually."

"It's called sarcasm."

"I think you're just too afraid to say it."

Mira bit her lip. "I don't hate you."

"Is that the same thing?"

"After everything I just said, you really want to push it?"

"Maybe I just like seeing you get flustered."

"Shut up!"

"Make me." With a smirk.

Mira glared. "Make yourself."

"Okay." Abby took that as an invitation to kiss her again.

Mira did not slap him this time, so maybe he was correct.

[I can't tell whether they're weirder than Zoestery or the same.

But I do support.

Now, we just need Rumi and Jinu to have a real moment again instead of always being sad about something.]