#bergen_county

Pacing, Lupe thinks again on the kiss. I didn't 'hate' it that much she could admit

But did she like it?

Why did she have to do that? another thought. Things were so simple.

She had been raised to believe that wasn't right ish, but also raised not to make it the core of her belief. As she'd gotten older, she started to disregard the idea that was a sin, or at least a big sin, then she started to think maybe it was just a stupid restriction in modern times? Fine and dandy , who cared what others did right? Yeah. And when she learned how the universe really worked, at least for Garou and it became down right silly to care about it all . That was good. She was all progressive now.

And then, one of her best friends, kissed her.

The Barn looks so serene, it's cheery yellow clapboard dappled by shade. Odin is in a window, finding the spot where the most sun makes it through the trees. Inside, Tove is singing, and her voice carries.

Damn. Her mother sings like our best Galliards, better An admission.

She walks up to the door, her knuckles ready to strike wood and announce herself.

Then stops . If she knocks, if she blows this. She could ruin everything and lose one of her only friends. If she doesn't, then everything might just go back.. over time, right?

A nervous swallow

“Hi!” Connor chirps!

She jumps, "AH!"

and Tove's singing stops

“You’re Sam’s school friend. Or is it Dagmar’s wolf friend today?” Curious.

The Latina girl makes a sniffing motion, ragabash? Why do I feel like this kid is... no he's not one of us "Yeah, I'm Lupe, and keep hte Wolf talk quiet until you're sure we're alone okay?"

Tove peeks out the window, and smiles ,and calls upstairs "SAM! Lupe is on the porch!"

He sniffs back, similarly. “We’re like cousins, you n me. And I work for Dagmar now.” He snaps to attention and salutes the house.

"COMING!" She thunders from upstairs.

"Yeah, she's.. she's a good person" Lupe says hearing Tove's voice call out and up, and sighs. Well, it's happening now

“Daaaaaag-maaaaar!” Connor yells. “I brung your friiiiiieeeend with meeeeee.”

Heavy footsteps running down wooden stairs.

She opens the back door (all the people who count come to the kitchen, not the front!) "Hey, Lupe!" A grin.

"And Connor!"

His tail flashes. He seems to Trust Lupe- she’s not a muggle, after all. “I found her out lost in the woods. Can we keep her?”

A laugh, "Uh, probably. Come on in. You guys hungry?"

"Hey, Sam I... not that hungry" She says "But could we.. talk?" Unsure what to say

“I’m just making Liveries.” And he offers out a basket of muffins. “Miss Kerri was testing to see if the cauldron works on things what ain’t soups. And now we have muffins for DAYS.”

Indeed, he has several parcels, that smell good!

“Next is Mr. Torrin and he sometimes has bacon for breakfast so I have to hurry if were gonna trade.”

"Oh.. uh.. sure?"

“YOU don’t need to trade.” He announces to Dagmar. “You get paid in fealty. So it’s muffin delivery at no cost, it’s the law.”

"Thanks, Connor. I get it, go get bacon."

He beams and waves as he darts off on his way.

"I... he's an ODD boy" Lupe observes

A wave!

"He is, but most of us kind of are. Heart of gold, though."

"Yeah," she says , and says "Okay. those muffins are smelling pretty good"

She holds one out for Lupe.

"If they're Kerri's, then they should taste as good as they smell."

She does take it, and bites in "mmm god, I feel like such a traitor. It's even better than what My Abuela makes"

"I won't tell!"

She checks the fridge. "Uh... milk, lemonade, iced tea, OJ, Dr. Pepper..."

"Dr. Pepper?" She doesn't sound sure but says "I..."

Tove peeks in "Hey you girls need something cooked?"

"Oh, no, we're munching Kerri's goods, Mrs. King. Thank you" Lupe says

"Need a muffin, Mom?"

She threatens to lob one at her.