She should be in bed, but being in bed is hard when you have gotten so very used to there always being at least one other person that you care about nearby. Sure, she has her cats with her - one of them, a orange and white tabby, sits on her shoulder right now and jumps down when she stops, presumably to check out this playground - but it's just not the same.
Despite how bad this area is, she always seems to be drawn to its streets. But the woman sitting on the swings strikes her as... not odd, more like someone who maybe needs an open ear. And someone who maybe needs another woman nearby to be safe. Sure, technically a woman out alone at night applies to her, too, but... she feels a lot better equipped to deal with the dangers of that than most people are, so it's not the same.
"Do you mind?" She gestures to the second swing right next to Lirael's, asking if she may sit down.
IV
Despite how bad this area is, she always seems to be drawn to its streets. But the woman sitting on the swings strikes her as... not odd, more like someone who maybe needs an open ear. And someone who maybe needs another woman nearby to be safe. Sure, technically a woman out alone at night applies to her, too, but... she feels a lot better equipped to deal with the dangers of that than most people are, so it's not the same.
"Do you mind?" She gestures to the second swing right next to Lirael's, asking if she may sit down.