update from sparkleup
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<p>“Love?” Katrin’s voice was muffled through the glass.</p>
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<p>Winter looked dully out the window at the vixen, unseeing. Some part of her knew that she should get out of the car and head inside, should at the very least lift her head from the steering wheel, and yet she lacked the executive function required to even do that.</p>
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<p>“Winter, can you come inside?”</p>
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<p>The lynx took a deep breath. Perhaps it was the lack of something that was keeping her trapped here rather than some unwanted presence. The lack of oxygen. The lack of will. The lack of motivation.</p>
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<p>When the breath did not bring any further energy, she let it out in a rush and, through force of will, sat up straighter and unlocked the door. She may have sat there longer, but Katrin didn’t give her the chance; the door she was leaning against angled smoothly away from her.</p>
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<p>The lynx took a deep breath. Perhaps it was the lack of something that was keeping her trapped here rather than some unwanted presence. The lack of oxygen. The lack of air. The lack of motivation.</p>
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<p>When the breath did not bring any further energy, she let it out in a rush and, through force of will, sat up straighter and unlocked the door. She might have sat there longer, but Katrin didn’t give her the chance; the door she was leaning against angled smoothly away from her.</p>
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<p>No helping it now.</p>
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<p>Winter unbuckled her seatbelt and accepted her wife’s paw to help lever herself out of the driver’s seat. Together, they shut and locked the car and made their way inside.</p>
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<p>Only once she was settled at the kitchen table with a small plate of dill-heavy dumplings — some new recipe Katrin was testing out — was she able to loosen up.</p>
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<p>“I’m sorry, Katrin. I just…long day.”</p>
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<p>The fox nodded, frowning. Never quite able to cease working, she seemed to be dissecting one of the dumplings she had made and was poking at the insides of it with the tip of a knife. “You’ve been having rather a lot of those lately, sötnos.”</p>
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<p>The fox nodded, frowning. Never able to completely cease working, she seemed to be dissecting one of the dumplings she had made and was poking at the insides of it with the tip of a knife. “You’ve been having rather a lot of those lately, sötnos.”</p>
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<p>Winter frowned. “I suppose. I know it’s not exactly ideal.”</p>
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<p>“It’s okay, don’t get me wrong. I’m glad to see that you’re out and about doing work. I just worry.”</p>
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<p>“It’s okay, don’t get me wrong, I’m glad to see that you’re out and about doing work. I just worry.”</p>
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<p>“Yeah…”</p>
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<p>Katrin, apparently satisfied with the internal texture of the dumpling, popped half of it in her mouth and chewed thoughtfully. When she had finished enough to do so, she continued. “Tell me about your long day, love. I want to hear, because it sounds like it was more than simply the length.”</p>
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<p>“I suppose.” Winter stalled for time by eating a few of the dumplings. They were quite good, though perhaps saltier than she would have liked. “Just had a really gross ride partway through and never quite recovered.”</p>
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<p>“Gross how?”</p>
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<p>“‘Gross’ how?”</p>
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<p>“He was just really adamant about sitting up in the front seat with me.”</p>
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<p>Some inner part of her smiled, despite the competing emotions. She knew she had Katrin’s full attention when the fox finally put down her silverware. “I…see. Are you okay?” she asked.</p>
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<p>Winter nodded. “He didn’t do anything super gross physically, but it was just everything else he did.”</p>
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<p>Katrin blinked slowly, ears tilted back. Winter was never quite sure what emotion went along with such an expression, but this time, she was certain it was one of concern or worry.</p>
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<p>Katrin blinked slowly, ears tilted back. Winter was never quite sure what emotion went along with such an expression, but this time, she was certain it was one of concern or worry. Perhaps anger.</p>
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<p>“I’m alright, though, I promise. He just got really pushy about sitting up front and kept saying all these vaguely…uh, sexy things, I guess, and kept staring at me.”</p>
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<p>“Did you report him?”</p>
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<p>“Yeah, I mentioned it on his review.”</p>
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<p>The vixen nodded.</p>
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<p>“It just made the rest of my shift feel extra long, is all. Every time I’d go to accept a ride, I’d get nervous. I drove to the other side of town just to be sure he wouldn’t request another from me.”</p>
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<p>“And did he rate you well?”</p>
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<p>Winter winced. “No. He complained that I was unfriendly, and I got a note from the system about unacceptable behavior.”</p>
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<p>Winter winced. “No. He complained that I was unfriendly, and I got a note from the system about unacceptable behavior, like it was somehow my fault.”</p>
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<p>Katrin reached out a hand to tug one of Winter’s over for a squeeze. “I’m sorry, love.”</p>
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<p>Winter returned that squeeze of the fingers distractedly. She couldn’t drop the topic, though. Not now. Not after the dam had burst. “It’s just so humiliating. I can’t keep myself safe or I risk their ire. I can’t look for jobs that pay well because I know they’ll just recall the tip after and I’ll be out a bunch of cash.”</p>
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<p>“It’s been a month,” Katrin said once the flare of anger died out. “Do you think you might look for something more traditional job again?”</p>
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@ -139,11 +139,11 @@
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<p>“It’s still worth looking, perhaps.”</p>
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<p>Winter bit her tongue to stay silent. It must have been evident to the fox, whose frown deepened.</p>
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<p>“Winter, you know that I love you and won’t push too hard, but this is not healthy. You have been having ‘long day’ after ‘long day’ for the last few weeks. I’m glad you can get paid for stuff like this, but I don’t know if it’s worth it long term, at this rate.”</p>
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<p>“You’re right, Katrin,” she said after a long, deliberate pause. “No, you’re right. I’ll finish these and then start searching again.”</p>
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<p>As expected, referencing the food immediately drew the fox’s attention away from the problem at hand. “Do you like them?”</p>
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<p>“You’re right,” she said after a long, deliberate pause. “No, you’re right. I’ll finish these and then start searching again.”</p>
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<p>As expected, reference to the food immediately drew the fox’s attention away from the problem at hand. “Do you like them?”</p>
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<p>“A bit salty. Maybe more lemon?”</p>
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<p>Katrin smiled ruefully. “The salt is high, yes. I think you’re just a sourpuss, though.”</p>
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<p>Winter swatted at her wife and laughed. It had been a calculated gesture, getting her to talk food, but one that she knew would work well for both of them.</p>
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<p>Winter swatted at her wife and laughed. It had been a calculated gesture, getting her to talk food, but one that she knew would distract them both. “Not as salty as you, though.</p>
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<hr />
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<p>“Surprised to see you in today, Winter, and for so long.”</p>
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<p>The lynx looked up from her laptop, gratefully accepting hot chocolate number three from Malina. “I suppose I’ve been here for a while, yeah.”</p>
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