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Daraya Jonjet snuck out of the caverns at sunrise today, and now they're sneaking back in.
They made it out of the caverns without being caught, and that's probably what makes them more careless as they sneak back in, less on guard. They swing the door to their room open and turn around to close it softly.
"[] Where Were you today? []"
Daraya jumps and spins to glare at Wanshi, who's sitting atop their recuperacoon like some kind of bizarre squawkbeast. "▲▲ dont scare me like that! ▼▼"
"[] Where Were you? []" Wanshi repeats, face set in a stubborn expression Daraya recognizes very well. It's what their own face looks like when Bronya is asking them questions they don't want to answer.
"▲out,▼" Daraya answers, knowing this won't be the end of Wanshi's questions but hoping it'll at least put a damper on them.
"[] Where's out? []" Wanshi says.
Daraya doesn't respond, just goes over to the sink in the corner of their room and begins washing off their hands and face.
"[] i knoW you Were doing something you shouldn't have been, []" Wanshi says, voice wobbling slightly. "[] i'm not stupid you knoW! []"
"▲i know,▼" Daraya says.
"[] and if--and if you don't tell me What you Were doing i'll tell bronya! []" Wanshi says.
"▲you wouldn't,▼" Daraya says flatly. "▲besides, you don't even have any evidence.▼"
"[] please tell me, daraya. []"
Daraya turns back around to see Wanshi, still huddled up on top of the recuperacoon, with a blanket wrapped around her like a cloak.
"▲did you stay up all day?▼"
"[] i fell asleep a couple times... []"
"▲wow. i'm impressed.▼" Wanshi looks confused, and Daraya knows their tone often sounds sarcastic even when it isn't, so they clarify. "▲▲seriously, i mean it.▼▼"
"[] thanks,[]" Wanshi says, smiling slightly.
Daraya sighs and sits down by the 'coon. "▲okay, fine, i'll tell you. but you can't tell bronya or anyone, okay?"
"[] pinky promise, []" Wanshi says eagerly. "[] cross my heart and hope to die. []"
"▲▲well don't do that,▼▼" Daraya says, half-jokingly.
Wanshi doesn't respond, probably waiting for Daraya to speak. Daraya sighs again.
"▲i've been sneaking out and going to see a friend. tyzias. we....talk, and stuff. about, like, politics.▼"
"[] politics? []"
Daraya is quiet for a bit. "▲how much do you actually know, wanshi? about the outside world?▼"
"[] n-not much, []" Wanshi admits. "[] but only because no one ever tells me anything! []"
"▲its not great up there,▼" Daraya says. "▲on the surface. i mean, its not great down here either.▼"
"[] ....i snuck out once too, []" Wanshi says. "[] it Was scary, but...also really cool. []"
"▲yeah, that's a pretty good description,▼" Daraya says. "▲tyzias wants to make the world better, for everyone, aboveground and below. i don't know if that's possible, but...she makes me think maybe it could be. someday.▼"
"[] do you liiiiiike her? []" Wanshi says, leaning down from the recupercoon with a mischievous grin.
"▲▲▲ack no▼▼▼" Daraya says, annoyed to find themself blushing.
"[] you dooo!!!! you liiiike her!!! []" Wanshi says, delighted with her discovery.
Daraya stands up and pulls Wanshi off the coon. "▲▲lies! lies and slander!▼▼"
Wanshi screeches and flails at Daraya, who holds her at an arm's length. "[] let me go, shadoWpaW! []"
"▲▲never!▼▼" Daraya says, and immediately contradicts themself by putting Wanshi down on the floor. "▲okay, but for real, be quiet. we don't wanna wake up bronya.▼"
"[] right, []" Wanshi says, slumping onto the ground and yawning. "[] hey daraya? []"
"▲yeah▼" Daraya says, sitting down next to the smaller troll and carefully arranging the blanket around her.
"[] can you take me With you next time? i Wanna meet tyzias and--" She yawns again. "[] see the city, and maybe even...even see tirona.... []"
"▲who?▼" Daraya asks, but Wanshi is already asleep, and Daraya doesn't want to wake her. Instead, they gently pick her up and move her into their recuperacoon, so she can sleep without nightmares. They can stay awake a little longer, for Wanshi's sake.