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After Lisa left my territory, I put the papers down. Looking at the last unopened letter, written in an unsteady hand, to Skitter.
I knew who had left it. She hadn't gone that far out of range, keeping a rat within range of my bugs. As I opened the letter, held closed with pinched paper from what looked like bites, I considered what I now knew.
Lisa was right, about distant options, chances, and relationships. People we never knew could do such things.
The handwriting never got better, it seemed to get worse as the page went on. The problem? I didnt know what to make of it. I knew my next move in the grand scheme, and this was just a new tie for after the rest of them were cut, but what did that change?
Taylor, its just the two of us now. Mother has died.
I know I have no charm to speak of, but still I must send apologies. They do no harm, and you must know, you have my heart. Worn that it is.
If my time in this world is at an end, spare me the indignity. Please, spare me some decency. I want to be close to you.
You are all I have left. I know, you might leave soon. I've felt this before with Mother. Forgive me, I'm not naive.
So please, Spare me any indecency. Give me some form of dignity. I know how we think.
If its through, my time here. If yours is through. We have nothing new to do. So let us go together.
My bugs shifted near the standing rat, coming together in a clone as I prepared to answer.
It took time, longer than I was told the clones would last on their own. But as it passed, I learned more about Chitter. She didnt have a proper name at the time, we went with Rose. We played war games with rats and bugs, ran circles around each other as we got dice involved. She found an old piano, though it was nearing the end of my stay in brockton. I listened as she learned. As she played and danced with her rats.
It was heartbreaking to think she would die soon. It was heartwarming to see someone like me be so happy with nothing at all.
Before I turned myself in, I watched as she read my own letter, written by bugs for her rats as we danced around each other.
You were right, Rose. I am leaving soon.
But it doesnt have to be forever. The ties I need to cut were from before we met. You will see me in the news, we can keep playing anywhere I end up.
Please dont cause trouble while I am gone. And keep working on your songs. When I get another chance to see you, we have to see who got better at our music.
My bugs can make any tune you can.
Your heart may be sore, but you have it in store, so let's try again with some better prose next time. Right Rose?
-Taylor
With a last look at the guttersnipe, Taylor turned herself in.
When Taylor had been inducted into the Chicago Wards, she thought she would have to send some message. Some sign, to a maybe dead body that nobody knew of.
Before the week was out, the sound of a piano at the edge of her range had her tapping her fingers and smiling along. Her Rose had found her way anyway, huh.
They started up their old pattern again, back and forth rhythms. Rose on her Piano and Taylor on her bugs.
The Wards, in particular one Katherine, took Taylor on her walks, they got to see the strange sight of the hard young woman smiling softly, skipping steps, or twirling around corners on occasion. When Taylor was asked why, she claimed it was the freedom of the thing. The walks, the runs, the jogging.
It hadn't even been a year with the wards before Taylor overheard Katherine talking about liking someone.
It was a girl.
She laughed to herself when she had heard. Its not like that actually happened in life right? Girls don't get to like girls and be happy.
When she played her unnatural music with Rose that day, when she spun with a smile and her heart raced, she looked at the girl who had her hair cut short, her arms a show of muscle, her hands a mess of scars, and her eyes a mirror of her own.
She looked at Rose and she saw, as they played their pianos, filled with rats and bugs, a Butch of a woman. Strong and Safe and Warm.
If you were to peak in on the Wards training room, where Taylor was alone, you could see her go weak in the knees at the sight alone.
Taylor knew that couldn't be the case, for Rose hated everything she loved and loved everything she hated. Rose told Taylor herself.
But still, she could never let this butch see her swoon. She may think Taylor was weak.
She had finally gotten a day free, one without a watcher. Though she had an ankle monitor. She had hid the surprise from Rose for the week up to the event. She had so much planned! It was such a surprise and she couldn't wait.
Taking in the little apartment that Rose had managed to get enough to pay for from the sidewalk, Taylor let out a small smile. A wide grin maybe.
She walked up the steps to the landing, turning to the door she knew housed Rose' she hesitated. She could feel Rose in the building. She could feel Rose cooking breakfast in fact. Her rats that she kept in the apartment were dancing to her humming voice and Taylor found herself wanting to join in.
Raising her fist, bringing it to that thin door, she thought. Just for a moment, that this would be a mistake. But before she could think of any issues further, she forced her hand to make contact.
The jolt in Rose' demeanor was sudden, the halting of her singing a crime Taylor hated herself for. As Rose yelled to the door that she needed a moment, Taylor saw that she had nothing on. It hadn't even occurred to her after all this time of seeing Rose. Taylor fidgeted in her tighter than average jeans, her boots making small scuffs. Her button up blouse under a leather was to help with the cold as she shifted and rubbed her hands together. Her face was red.
They lived in Chicago. They needed warm clothes, a simple set wouldn't cut it.
So when Rose opened the door and Taylor stood up as straight as she could, she only stopped and stared for a bit. She only stared at the woman in the Chelsea's, in the high waisted slacks and white Henley, in the unbuttoned canvas jacket.
It only took a moment of course, for Rose to join in on the staring. She hadn't expected Taylor to ever be able to show up, after stealing Chitters Kill of Alexandria. She had expected to spend her days yearning for more as she composed her songs in her apartment, dancing when Taylor could make music just as well.
"Um, hey." Taylor's uncertain hello was accompanied by a wave, "I know you are probably busy but I wanted to ask if you wanted to spend time together today–"
"YES!" Rose let out a little faux cough, composing herself, "I mean, yes. I would love to have your company Taylor."
Taylor's beaming grin was infectious, as Rose let her in.
"Great! So, I was thinking we could go digging in the garbage areas, maybe find some neat trash to keep?" Her eyes were shining as she let out her little plan. Her little idea to spend time in places where Rose could have her friends. "And we could come back here after a few hours, clean up and eat dinner?"
The hopeful tone in Taylor's voice had Rose reaching her hand forward, grabbing Taylor's hand.
"Oh Taylor, I would love to. But I have breakfast to finish and when do you have to get back?" Rose asked with forlorn eyes, with a grip that didn't want to let go.
"O-oh! I didn't mean right this moment!" Taylor flinched and deflected, "I meant later in the day when you weren't busy. And that's the best part! Because I agreed to a monitor they just need hourly check-in's and I can stay out however long I want!"
Her face had a large grin cutting across. It had to hurt so much. But Rose was grinning just as much, so they had that in common didn't they?
"Wonderful! Taylor that's so wonderful! Come in, come in! Be careful of the rats!" She grinning so hard, her face was red, Taylor was so happy she probably mirrored that. "I'll make you some food too, today I went with french toast, a bit of bacon, and apple juice. Is that fine?"
"Of course! I don't want to impose," Taylor walked in, taking in the room with human eyes for the first time. Staring at the old piano that was still out of tune. The couch Rose thrifted with fleas and a few bedbugs that Taylor fixed a couple months ago. The papers with notes everywhere. The little music sets she could make out were such a dream, "I just want to spend some time with you today Rose. We never got to, so I need to you know?"
As Taylor finished looking across, noting the kitchen island with remains of a baguette, she turned to Rose. Looking at her face as she turned to look at the floor, though there was a sheet of paper there so probably just a musical thought.
"You are welcome anytime. I know exactly what you mean." Her voice was soft, slow. If Taylor were anyone else she would have to lean in to understand her more. "Let me just go fix breakfast and you can sit with the mischief."
As Taylor stared at Rose as she walked away, at those hips that filled out those slacks so well, she fought so hard to keep from swooning. She would kick Taylor's ass so hard if she knew her thoughts. Probably before killing herself.
Her thoughts were broken by Keller, the little queen of the Mischief today, running to her legs and pulling her along by the scruff of her jeans. "I'm coming, I'm coming Keller."
Rose watched on with a soft smile, fixing breakfast for herself and making as many crumbs as she dared for her mini warriors.
As Taylor sat in the old couch, the rats came up to cuddle her, a blanket of colors. She couldn't hold herself back obviously.
She laughed. It was the happiest she had ever been in around 6 years. She heard as Rose lilting voice joined her from the kitchen. A little giggle here and there.
It was a magical morning, the first time Taylor visited Rose at her apartment. The first time she heard Rose' music with human ears. The first time she made her bugs have a legitimate harmony with Rose.
It was a magical morning.
When they left Rose' apartment to go on the little adventure, they ran into no issues. No crowds, no heavy winds, no rain. Nobody even recognized them.
It was a miracle of an afternoon.
When they returned, hours later, the sun had gone down. Taylor had kept up her check-in's, she even called Katherine! She was being as perfect as she could be to make Rose' day better.
So when they returned, that big ball in the sky had disappeared, and they sat on that old couch next to each other…
Taylor could only try to speak slowly.
Try to speak oh so lowly.
So Rose would lean in, and maybe just maybe…
"Hey Rose," Taylor stared at that woman she may have loved, "what is your opinion on romance?"
Rose never leaned, they shifted uncomfortably still next to each other.
When Taylor asked, Rose could only barely hear that Taylor spoke, let alone that they were such careful words.
But as that silence stretched. As the shifting grew and the unnatural music in their hearts rose. Taylor and Rose Hebert started laughing.
Nearly at the same time, they leant against each other. Holding each other close as they could as they laughed and laughed and laughed.
And if anybody noticed a few tears? Well, nobody said anything. Not even Keller.
We really couldn't take ourselves seriously After all.
With a Magical Morning, a Miracle of an Afternoon, and a night to come?
They both decided, on that old couch in Chicago, it would be a night to remember.