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 Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2015 9:21 pm
Dari nodded. "Sure. I can do it on lunch break. We're an hour ahead, so maybe at noon your time?"
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Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2015 9:28 pm
"Okay, noon sounds good. I'm supposed to tell him to be nicer to Toby." She wasn't sure She wanted to, knowing he was avoiding her phone calls. "I think I'll just tell him about the great big fish I'm bringing him as soon as I'm home."
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Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2015 9:30 pm
Dari smiled. "I'm sure that'll make him happy. Have you been practicing your English? Met any neighbors?"
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Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2015 9:37 pm
Maia hesitated. "I've talked to the take out guy," she said. "I found this great place and it delivers food right to your house. It's nice." Cooking was hard. It reminded her of Toby. "I haven't really talked to anyone else." She didn't want to meet the neighbors. She didn't want to form attachments.
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Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2015 9:46 pm
Dari hung his head, which for him only involved a pressure release at the neck. Bah. So she wasn't cooking any more than Toby was. It made sense to not want to make friends and have to come back, though. That much he could understand.
"Promise me tomorrow you'll look at the stars and think of Toby." He wasn't superstitious. He didn't believe in black cats and walking under ladders and broken mirror, but his work had reassured him more than once that there was magic in this world and still so much more undiscovered. Maybe thoughts really could help.
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Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2015 10:14 pm
"I'm always thinking about Toby," Maia said, putting her head in her hands. "That's the trouble. It'd be easier if--" If she hadn't fallen for him. She wouldn't have had to leave Arizona. It was worth it though; Toby was worth it. "I'll look up," she promised. "Maybe I can find the constellations we made together. Do you think you can convince Toby to look at the stars?"
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Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2015 1:42 pm
Dari's lips pressed together for an instant.
"I can certainly try. Maybe it'll help, somehow."
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Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2015 1:59 pm
It had been a bit of a struggle that nearly escalated into the fight, but Dari had been able to get Toby outside with a strong beverage. The werewolf had stared up at the stars and hurt, and then the hurt turned to guilt, and the guilt turned to selfish tears that eventually led to more of said beverage. He'd ended up sitting out there for a good hour and a half before Dari heard him come inside and head up to his room.
Two days later, Maia's cell phone would ring. It was 4:13 in the morning for her and 3:13 in the morning for Toby whose hand was trembling slightly as he held it to his ear and closed his eyes.
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Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2015 2:04 pm
Maia woke, hitting the accept call without looking to see who it was. Who would call this late? "Whossit?" she asked, rubbing at her eyes. Wait. Toby? It was certainly his picture in the corner of the screen. She sat up, suddenly more awake. "Toby? How are you?"
Why was he calling so late? Was everything alright?
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Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2015 2:10 pm
"Hi." His voice was odd. Resounding. Sort of... wet? "I'm sorry it's... it's like four am, isn't it? I'm sorry. I shouldn't have called, I'm sorry."
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Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2015 2:14 pm
Toby was crying. Something had to have happened. "No, no it's fine," she assured him. "You know you can call me anytime." What was wrong? "I'm happy to hear from you," she added, to clarify, in case he was worried. "Are you alright?"
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Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2015 2:19 pm
Toby wiped a hand over is mouth and inhaled at the same time, causing a bit of an interesting sound.
"Could we do a video call? I don't want to-- I mean. In-person is better, but you're all the way out there so..." He didn't seem to have the rest of the sentence planned.
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Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2015 2:22 pm
"Sure," still concerned that something must be wrong for Toby to sound so unhappy, She frowned as she pulled up the face time program on her phone. "Okay, all set," She said, waving at the camera. She was used to using her computer for Skype. "Can you see me?"
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Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2015 2:26 pm
Toby accepted the request and appeared on Maia's phone. He was a bit red-eyed but not openly crying, at least not until he spotted the pendant at her breast. He closed his eyes hard and a single tear flowed down his cheek. ********. This was going to be harder that he thought.
"How are things?" he asked, as if nothing was up and it wasn't four in the morning.
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Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2015 2:29 pm
"Okay," Maia said, hesitating. Something was clearly wrong, she could see that, but it was clear Toby didn't want to act like it. "I went out and saw the stars a few days ago. My starchart app told me ursa major was over me. You know, the bear. It was neat. What about you?"
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