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[isawallflower]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, CHEERYCHERRY. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 019.46.820.17 *** CHEERYCHERRY has joined 019.46.820.17 <CHEERYCHERRY> It's Riley! <CHEERYCHERRY> Please leave a message! <CHEERYCHERRY> Please be someone with their priorities sorted out properly!

main: CheeryCherry
anonymous: panthera, aed
retired: gflynn (anon)

Comments

[hairday]

[ He nods.

It sure seems that way. It seems that way to him, when he has a better perspective than most. One of his last memories from their other life was of Riley purposefully skipping school to go see her favorite radio drama actress—and consequently skipping cheer practice, too.

If this Riley had even thought about doing that, he feels like her nerves would have just gone Chernobyl on her on the spot. ]

I just hope you can see that Cairo had the right idea.

[isawallflower]

I think I can?

[ A sort of half-smile comes to her lips, the sort made not when you’re happy but when you’re uncomfortable. ]

I just… I wanted to make them proud of me. Or…or even like me. My mom always said something about…how if you weren’t talented, you had to work all that much harder, and I… I guess I have to try and…stop thinking like that.

[ It’s easier said than done. But, maybe this is a start. ]

[hairday]

[ ...he really — really hates her parents. His jaw is squared and his fists are clenched like he's ready to fight even if all he's doing is sitting against a wall with a computer still in his lap.

He breathes out, pushing through the anger to give her the look of sympathy she actually needs. ]

If you try, I'll be proud of you.

cw: abuse logic

[isawallflower]

[ To her, it's just...something she didn't talk about before. Something she wasn't allowed to talk about. Something that was so natural to her that it seeped into how she did everything, how she talked to herself, but something she had enough sense to never ever say out loud—because she had to be perfect, her family— perfect.

It's scary to say right now. But Steve's looking at her in a way her own parents—or her own brother—never did. That helps. Like a soothing balm on ancient burns. ]

...Okay. Then...I'll try.

[ Steve being proud of her is better. It's better than anything her parents have ever made her feel. ]