foolishwren | 015, Action

_{[So aside from a few fleeting times she's run into somebody in town or popped up on the 'Gear's network to sass someone, Heather's been a little scarce lately-- ever since the aftermath of her drinking escapades with a certain clone and dweebish scientist. Where's she been? Not far, just... not really around anybody. Why? Well, she sure hasn't been talking about it, whatever it is-- though it wouldn't be too hard to imagine that she'd want to keep her head down after likely incurring the wrath of owners of kicked-over trashcans and whoever'd had to deal with the mess made after Liquid took out a line of lawnchairs while trying to flip over them.]

[But today, instead of being off by herself in the woods or wherever it is she's been staying, she's sitting off out on the water, legs dangling off that long wooden boardwalk that lead to Sprout Tower. Boots and bag are discarded, sitting off to the side in a jumble. Her Pokemon aren't out-- apparently company is not on her chosen menu today.]

[She's not wearing her usual array of cheeky grins or pissed-off-teenager expressions today, either. In fact, her face is somber .... almost blank as she stares down at the water while pondweeds wrap around her ankles and the occasional curious Goldeen ventures up to investigate her toes.]

[Should anyone actually decide to approach the brooding blond kid (although she couldn't be called this much longer-- her black roots are starting to show through OH NOES), the reception they'll get... depends.]}

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_{[She reached over and gave his shoulder a half-hearted shove.]}

I figured that out on my own two seconds ago, dorkwad. Anyway, if you're so knowledgeable, why don't you help me?

Because you hadn't asked yet.

[He started fishing through his pack for the bottles.] But since you're in such desperate need of it, I'll help you.

_{[She stuck out her tongue like the mature human being that she was.]}

I'm not THAT desperate! But hey, it's always better if someone else does it, anyway.

_{[Harry had always helped her do it at home (not that he was that good at it), at least until she'd started going to an actual hairdresser for it. ... And. Y'know. Until he died.]}

[Liquid was a lot better at it than Harry was-- he actually knew what he was doing.]

[indulgently] Of course you aren't.

[He mixed the chemicals in a spare cup, and took out a brush that he had gotten to use specifically for dyeing hair. He was able to judge the ratio of liquids he needed to match her shade of blond with just a glance.]

_{[... All of which just led Heather to further believe that he was a prettyboy. C: ..... seriously was that a specific hair-dye brush.]}

So-- right here, on the docks? _{[CITY-GIRL WAS USED TO AT LEAST HAVING A TOWEL AND A CHAIR OR SOMETHING. But hey, she could dig it.]}

It will work faster if you expose it to direct sunlight.

[So yes, right here.]

All you'll have to do is rinse it out after... hm. Maybe twenty minutes or so.

[And yes, it was a brush specifically for hair dyeing. Like the kind you find in salons.]

... Guess it beats sittin' in front of a mirror. _{[Heather hated mirrors...]}

And guess after twenty minutes it's the end of my quiet introspection time, then. _{[Which was all for the best, she'd carried on brooding long enough by this point.]}

... Hey, is that a salon brush?

If you'd like it to.

[He started to get to work on her hair, brushing the mixture into her roots.]

I wouldn't know. [Actually, that was truthful-- he'd never been into a salon in his life.]

_{[She ducked her head to make it a little easier. Not that she really needed to-- he was quite a bit taller than her.]}

Hnn hn, sure.

Anyway, it's handy.

If I didn't know better, I'd think you kept stuff like that around for your OWN hair.

_{[SHE'S ONTO YOU LIQUID.]}

You're unusually pensive today.

[HE'S ONTO YOU TOO, HEATHER.]

[To his credit, he didn't miss a beat. He could come up with a lie right on the spot and deliver it like gospel truth.]

Not at all. My hair is naturally blond, though perhaps I'll admit that the sun has bleached it a shade or two lighter. I have the peroxide for my med kit and the ammonia for purifying water.

_{[O-OH SHIT-- SHE WON'T TELL IF HE WON'T! ... naaaah she totally would. But still.]}

I was just thinking out here. Nothin' epic. I can't be kickin' ass 24-7 after all. _{[She injects that usual playful tone into her voice, but it is definitely a little more subdued than normal.]}

Still doesn't explain the brush. What's that for?

[DON'T MOCK HIS GLORIOUS HAIR]

Of course. I often get a thousand-yard stare when I'm thinking of nothing important. [/sarcasm. But it was mild sarcasm.]

...

[Fuck.]

...a brush is a generally useful thing to have. I didn't have a specific purpose in mind for it.

[That was probably not the best lie he'd ever come up with.]

Uh-- I'm just a .... very thoughtful person?

_{[And that probably wasn't Heather's best, either, so she and Liquid were matched there. But she couldn't resist a grin at his brush claim-- it was probably obvious what her expression was even with her head ducked.]}

I'm sure you are. You could always be a very thoughtful person out loud, if the mood struck you.

[If there was anyone who knew about the kinds of family problems that she was having, Liquid... wasn't it. But he liked Heather, and if she had a problem, he would help with it if he could. Even if the only kind of help he was qualified to give was punching things until they stopped being problems.]

[And she got a flick to the ear for that grin.]

It's... really not worth talking about.

_{[She wasn't sure he'd understand-- or that he'd even take it well, because-- well jeez if anyone was a poster child for Daddy Issues (tm), it was Liquid. And she didn't want to alienate one of the few people here she'd grown fond enough of to call a friend (even if he was batshit).]}

It's just... personal. Family stuff.

_{[The flick made her duck her head but it didn't make the grin go away.]}

If you say so.

[One of the things about Liquid was that he wouldn't push family issues. His weren't exactly good for subject matter either ~~Daddy didn't love him~~, so he understood, at least, not wanting to air out that dirty laundry.]

[He finished up with the bleach.] Wipe that smile off of your face.

_{[He would probably hear about them someday-- possibly even by accident. But Heather had gotten so used to... well, having real friends here for once, she was now kind of afraid to lose them. She hadn't even told Otacon the whole story.]}

Can't, it just looks that way permanently.

[Liquid would be hard-pressed to say he had friends, but he did have people that he didn't completely despise.]

[~~Maybe a little bit fondly~~ it's totally your imagination] Tch, prat.

That's me~.

_{[She didn't lean over to check her reflection in the water as some girls might-- though she did kind of angle her head around as though checking how it FELT.]}

Thanks for helpin' out.

[Hey, whatever floated her boat.]

[Liquid took off his boots and sat down beside her, letting his feet hang in the water.]

It's nothing.

_{[Heather had a weird thing about reflections.]}

Still. I appreciate it.

[Liquid had a weird thing about them, too. Every time he looked at them, they showed him his father's face.]

Anytime.

015, Action

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