#bergen_county

"Hey Piper!" He gives her both a hug and a kiss.

"Mmm... oh, my pleasure Professor." With a grin at the double meaning.

They contain (messy, unstructured) notes, bit a valid premise for discussing how music in the civil war affected the politics of the time, eith the ways Southern Armies/politicians re-wrote songs with changed lyrics for their own agenda and how that reflects on current media interpretations of modern times... and maybe a bit too much focus on the songs, but there is enthusiasm!

“Though now I’m worried that “I wish I were in Dixie” will be in my head forever.

“Mind if we head up to my room?”

"These are.. this is excellent research" Her Uncle says "Well done"

Adam beams.

She blushes a little, enjoying the praise and a little surprised that she cares about the opinion on something she had thought was pointless. “Ah, thanks. I’ll work on the actual writing later, it’s not due until next week.”

"Plenty of time." Adam assures her confidently.

"Yes yes... I'll offer an editor's eye" He says "You two have fun."

She tugs at Adam’s arm and heads upstairs. Her bedroom is usually untidy, but right now it looks like hurricane Piper went through. How can it be so messy when she doesn’t HAVE that much stuff?! Is everything she owns tossed about? A suitcase and a duffle bag are on the bed, both roughly half full.

Adam follows her up, closely, and doesn't seem bothered by the state of her room. He takes her in his arms. "Hey....."

She beams up at him, giving him a squeeze. “Glad you could come over? You wanna go first- how’s your talk go? I get the impression that maaaybe it was iffy, since Uncle said that Your mom called him...”

Adam starts. "Mom called your uncle? Shit...." A scowl. "Yeah, well, it went ok. I told 'em I was going. They wanted some time to talk it over, which was fine. We agreed to talk again later."

she gives him a squeeze. “Well... maybe my good news will be a bit of a silver lining? Uncle- Ah. He... he didn’t like the idea of the trip either. Not for a month or longer. He thinks the moms will worry too much if I go MIA... but we made a compromise... and I think you’ll like it...?”

He nods, willing. "I'm listening."

She bounces lightly on her hooftips. "I got an apartment!" Her voice almost squee-ing with excitment.

"You did!?!? WOOOHOOOO!!!!" He grabs her up and spins with her, nearly stumbling on the clutter underfoot and staggering slightly.

She DOES squeal then as she's spun. "To be honest, it's not MY apartment, not really-truly on the lease. But I was talking with Unc' Neely and he said they had rented one out for guests and the like, and about how I've been feeling so.. stir crazy and all, and he said I could stay there!"

Adam beams at her. "That's -awesome!!-"

"And... in trade I have to buckle down to pass the rest of my classes." A small pout. "I might still be in danger of summer school for Civics, but we'll see. But... maybe we can still take a summer trip, just a couple weeks - would that be more, like, amenable to your parents?"

"Not really worried about that, but if that's what you want I'm cool with it." Adam nods, having set her down. "You know I'm not a great student or anything but if I can help with school, let me know."

"You really did. You know... you have a different perspective, and it really helps to have someone to talk to." She shoves some clothes out of the way and pats the bed for him to sit if he likes. "And... honestly, if not for the idea to take a trip that we had, I might never have gotten the opportunity for a new change of scene."

Adam slides onto the bed. "Glad to help; wasn't a big deal. I'm stoked you got a place though."

"Do you think we can still take a trip together? There is that trod here that goes to Tijuana. That's far south enough to be..." Pause, almost seamless. "...to have nice weather this time of year. We can finally go to the beach..."

Adam nods, curling around her. "I've been to Mexico, but never Tijuana. I'd love to go. Take you to the beach, eat tacos, drink... whatever they let us." He grins.

"You could check out the hold there. I bet there are sidhe you could oogle, I know how you like to elf-watch." She gives him a poke to show that she's joking, and a smile. "But it's run by one of the Chief's daughters... so it's not like, a NOBLE court."

He blinks. "It what?"

"I heard someone chatting about it. Fenix is run by.. um, what was it. A troll Countess - they call her Flame Free, I think? Another King."

"King like Sam King, not like ... King-king. So a Countess King? Jesus, this is confusing....."

She laughs. "I know, right? Yeah, like -last-name-King not like High-King. Call it a learning experience in courtly ettiquette, too - they can't really deny a wilder that, can they? Kinain especially need to learn how things work, because you're on the outside so often, but keeping things working smoothly with the cold world."

"Exactly! I want to learn all the Courtly stuff. I've been reading about it. And all the Courts seem so different....."

She nuzzles him. "Well, this might be a good opportunity. AND it can't be that far from the beach... you need to meet a Selkie or three. Or a mer... and smell the salt air, and swim with someone with seawater in their blood." Her voice longing now.

He watches her a moment "Hey....."

"You want to try and see if we can go by EarthRunes on the way to Tijuana? See Siv?"

She blinks. "If you want, we could. I've had chances to travel that you haven't... so I'll leave the destination up to you, though I DO like the idea of the west coast. You pick, if you can get your parents on board?"

"We're -going-." He says firmly, surely. "You said you wanted to catch up with her, and she's got a boat, and you were talking about seawater in the blood so.... If -you- want, we'll try it. Or yeah, the west coast sounds cool. I'd like to see where you call home." A grin. "Maybe meet your friends, your moms?"

She looks out the window for a few moments. "I think they might plan on coming to visit, maybe for the holidays. Uncle said that was one of the reasons he wanted the apartment, for a potential guest lodging. You could meet them if they came then? Nah, I'd rather go somewhere new?"

"Ok." Easily. "You said west coast, so.... but yeah, it's a big coast, right? And Tijuana..... that's gotta be a wild time, right?"

He strokes his fingers down her back, along her spine. "You ok?"

She leans over and nuzzles him lightly. "Mmm, gonna need to get some furniture. Find me a weekend job..."

He kisses her arm, since it's right there. "I'll help. If you want. I mean, it's your place."

"Mmm, we'll figure something fair. Maybe... I can find a bedframe, and you can help me pick out sheets?" A mischievous grin. "I've seen how you like your silks..."

Just a flash across his face, an expression of loss and longing.

It's gone, but he nods. "Oh! Hey!" Sudden realization.

She catches him flinching just a touch, and rubs his arm. "What's wrong?"

"No, nothing, but.... so you remember the sheets on my bed? After all the weirdness at the house and with my family and Nadeen's father and all?"

"Of course I remember the sheets, they're delightful... but I didn't know theywere tied to... all that? Or if I did I forgot... I'm sorry. Is that important? I thought you just liked them. They ARE nice."

"I did. But they went away when everything else did, when it all stabilized. But you remember? They were red and silver?"

She nods. "The colors look good on you."