2025-06-27 - Favor Exchange

[TXT to Asher] Dodge: heyyyyyyyy, so just, super hypothetically, if I were to have sustained an injury that was, I will mention, totally not my fault, how should I go about getting that addressed in the soonest fashion possible?

[TXT to Dodge] Asher: Depends on the injury, and where you are. 9-1-1, Park Services, random mom with a first-aid kit incase of a toddler going FDGB? What happened?

[TXT to Asher] Dodge: A Stoneborn stole my camera and I tried to chase him up the side of a building, but I slipped and landed on my shoulder wrong and now it looks funny. What's FDGB?

[TXT to Dodge] Asher: You, Kitten. YOU are the FDGB.

[TXT to Dodge] Asher: Fall Down Go Boom.

[TXT to Asher] Dodge: Oh. Yeah. I did that.

[TXT to Dodge] Asher: Looks funny as in bruised and bumped, looks funny like the bone is on the outside not the inside, looks funny like you can't move it and it's all floppy and dislocated? Which building? Where are you?

[TXT to Asher] Dodge: I'm at the Boardwalk. The bone is on the inside, but if I had to guess, I'd say it was dislocated. It's definitely rating very high in floppiness. I'd say a 9 out of a 10 in floppiness.

[TXT to Dodge] Asher: Ok. Well. If you've got a 9/10 flop and it was broken, other folks would have found you screaming by now. Want me to radio a unit over to you, or should I grab a first aid duffle and come get you?

[TXT to Asher] Dodge: :🥺

[TXT to Asher] Dodge: Come get me ples.

[TXT to Dodge] Asher: You're hopeless. OMW.

Asher was clearly on duty when they got the texts, as once they show up they're wearing a Park Services Paramedic's polo shirt along with a pair of nice jeans and their favorite chucks. They've got a black nylon duffle bag on their shoulder, and the logo on the bag matches their polo, likely indicating medical supplies.

Spotting Dodge and her camera, Asher is looking. them over, noticing the way they wince with each shift and movement. "Damnit, Kitten." They've at least got an affectionate smile on their expression while chiding, "Didn't anyone teach you cats are supposed to land on their feet?"

Once they reach Dodge, they shrug the duffle bag down to the ground, and they're looking over that interesting make-shift splint. "Why do I feel like that's Hayle's work you're sporting? Why'd you get left behind with whatever all this must have been that went down, babes?"

Dodge looks relieved to see Asher. "I was unlucky," she insists immediately, and whether true or not, she certainly sounds like she believes it. "The railing was wet and I slipped. Now I've got a bent wing." And she lifts her arm gingerly by less than an inch, then wrinkles her nose and sets it back down just as carefully.

"Hayley got my camera back from the mischievous little thief of a Stoneborn that took it; she traded some moss for it, and then made this little temporary makeshift sling out of plants before she had to leave for her shift. At first I thought it was fine..." She looks down at her shoulder and doesn't bother trying to move it again. "And then I realized--not fine."

Asher is looking Dodge over as they listen about their friend's string of bad luck. They clearly notice the look of pain when Dodge tries to move their arm and mostly fails. "Ok, babes. I'm gonna have to feel around, and move you a bit to see how and where everything in there is before I can try putting it back where it belongs. It's going to hurt a lot more before it hurts a lot less. So. There are a few ways we can do this..." Asher is more a fan of some versions than others, but they leave the choice up to Dodge. "But I'm glad Hayles is ok, and that it was just work that left you alone and abandoned. Trying to outrun park security never ends well for anyone." If Dodge had been left behind after falling to also take the fall, Asher might have to have words with folks. Ohana means family, and family means no one gets left behind.

"Choice one, I just do what has to be done and you try to cope with the ouchies and probably end up screaming and cussing a lot about it." Choice one is probably the one that Asher least wants to go with. "Option two, I start filling out paperwork and we make this an official medical issue, that way I can give you the good drugs before I start causing you more pain. It'll still hurt, but it'll be way less awful than you being sober. But it will go on your medical record, and you'll need to have a babysitter for the next few hours until the drugs have worn off." Asher likes option two, but has a feeling Dodge is the type to balk about having a sober sitter attached for the day out of whatever random tech is assigned clinic duties for this shift.

"Last pitch," Asher says of the third option, and the one that Asher is pretty sure Dodge is going to want to choice, "I fix you using magic rather than medicine, and you never mention how ugly it looks when some of our powers come with teeth. You walk out of here feeling like none of this ever happened, and you owe me a favor one of these days when I'm the one to have gotten in over my head and I need a bail out?" Asher lets Dodge think the options over before deciding what the next steps should look like.

Dodge listens carefully to the options that Asher lays out, though she starts by protesting the point that she was abandoned. "No, no, nothing like that, you only just missed her," she assures with a little shake of her head. "Hayley wouldn't have left unless she absolutely had to, and she took time off the last week that had her in a bind with the schedule."

"And gosh, you make that first one sound so appealing." Ouch. "And option two doesn't sound that much better. But door number three..." she says, tipping her head from side to side in consideration. She chews on her lip and eyes Asher.

"Okay," she decides after not much time thinking it over. "I'm going to go with the magic. Screaming and cussing is very 2024," she quips. "And I don't want to be doped up. And the prospect of a no-questions-asked favor sounds exciting," she adds, bumping her dark, meticulously manicured brows playfully.

"I'm just glad you're both ok," Asher assures Dodge. But they're really glad to know that Hayley is all right and did not abandon Dodge so much as just had to get to work. "I can't imagine how overworked Bunny has to be with the flower festival having been so popular this year. She's got to be exhausted."

As Dodge thinks through the options on healing, Asher just patiently waits, not trying to pressure or push her into picking any of them, letting her make that decision for herself. Option one is passed up, and then so is option two. They aren't surprised when Dodge picks option three, but. They're still a little nervous about it. "Ok. Magic it is. But it's not pretty, and we're not going to talk about what it looks like ever." And, just to be sure, Asher adds, "And no photos."

There's a grin at the bump as that favor gets mentioned and Asher promises, "I'll try to save it for something good." But then Asher is reaching to put both their hands lightly on Dodge's shoulder with the promise, "This shouldn't hurt at all." Their pale skin shows the dark of their veins almost as clearly as paper draw on the backside when a light is shining through, black lines tracing beneath their skin as their blood grows dark. Their silvery eyes are all the more uncanny as dark circles show beneath and then around them, black eyes shadowing their face. But Dodge's shoulder slips back into socket and the pain the camera-woman is suffering should be drawn away, the dislocation fixed up and leaving Dodge put back together again as good as new.

"Working a lot, and the breakup took a toll on her, too, I think," Dodge says of Hayley before nodding her head at Asher's terms of the deal. "We do not speak of it, and no photos. I'm unarmed, I won't shoot." Technically she is locked and loaded with her camera, not that she can lift it with her dislocated shoulder.

Despite the promise that it won't hurt at all, Dodge tenses a little bit when Asher puts their hands on her shoulder, a protective instinct for an injury, but she wills herself to relax. She does, of course, observe the changes to Asher's appearance, dark eyes widening though she maintains her composure, for the most part. Asher did warn her, after all, that it wouldn't be pretty.

She doesn't feel anything, which comes to her as more of a surprise than feeling pain would have been, and when Asher is finished, she looks down at her arm and lifts it experimentally, relief washing over her when the pain seems to be gone and her shoulder is back in its socket. She pulls the makeshift sling off her arm and shakes it out, testing the range of motion, rotating the arm and lifting it.

"Whoa," she chimes quietly. "That's crazy. Thank you, thank you so much," she enthuses. "I don't think I've seen anything like that before."

Asher never did get all of the details about Hayley's ex. But they're also not going to go prying into it, either. But they're hoping the date at Port and Portal might help cheer her up as she moves forward anyway. And it's not like Asher has any room to talk about those who throw themselves into their jobs when maybe they should be trying therapy instead. Even off the clock, Asher is almost always at least ready to be working, even if they aren't quite on any official duties.

It's not possible to miss the way Dodge tenses up, but at least she didn't outright flinch. It's easier to do when the person Asher wants to help isn't fighting them about it. There's the faintest wince to Asher's expression as the ball of Dodge's shoulder re-fits into its socket, but the microexpression is brief, and potentially not spotted. But there is that ever so faint hint that while Asher was telling Dodge the truth, Dodge shouldn't have felt any pain... At least in the briefest of moments, Asher may have.

When Dodge goes through the ranges of motion, the shoulder holds, it should feel strong, it should feel as good as if she'd just walked out of an excellent massage. Dodge's shoulder is simply good as new. Asher moves similarly, stretching their arms and neck, their shoulders and back. They don't look like they're hurting, so much as a little stiff, the gentle stretching limbering out the tension that knotted up in the medic as they took that injury away from Dodge. There's no need for Asher to tell Dodge that the injury had to be put anywhere else. And thanks to the magic of Spellbound hitting them with a double-doozy, not only can Asher leech away someone's injuries, but they're insensate to the pain that would maybe give warning when they're taking too much.

But Asher isn't worried about too much with Dodge's shoulder. It was a basic dislocation, and Asher will be a little stiff, a lot tired, and maybe a touch hangry until they get a snack. But it's nothing that's going to slow them down or cost more than they're willing to pay if it means Dodge is fixed up and not having to suffer about it. The black in their veins fade, most of them gone entirely, but a few of them faintly blue beneath their pale skin just like normal. The heavy black rings beneath their eyes linger, though. They'll disappear eventually, but for a few hours it's going to look like Asher lost a fight. But as to Dodge's thanks? "You're welcome. I'm glad I could help."

It would have been easy to miss the microexpression, the wince, but perhaps because Dodge is already attentive to the changes that Asher's undergoing physically when they heal her that Dodge notices, pinching and lifting her brows in a mixture of curiosity and concern.

It's that same curiosity and concern that leads her to inquire. "More than better," she admits, testing the range of motion again. "It's like it never happened, but, hey, uh, how does that work, exactly?" She flickers her dark eyes down and up over Asher, giving them a perfunctory onceover. She might not have been so cavalier or clear in her choice if she knew the full cost.

When asked how it works, Asher has to decide if they really want to fill her in or not. More than a few have seen them use their talents. They know that the MSD is aware, and that Asher isn't the only one who has them. But letting someone see it, knowing someone knows it, and telling someone who has seen it and then will know it who is actually a friend you're going to see again and maybe have to deal with the fact that your magic likes to bite is a step Asher hasn't taken yet, at least not on purpose. Chase and Zeke put the pieces together themselves. This is different.

Asher sits on the ledge next to Dodge, and their sigh is as heavy as their eyelids. They look like they need a nap. "I can take away an injury, or an illness. I can't heal people, it's not a cure. But I can take it off or out of whoever has it." The problem isn't the ability to take it away, Asher struggles with what happens after. "But I can't get rid of it. The sickness, the pain, the whatever it was that was broken, it can be taken away. But it has to be given to someone else instead. Not always in the exact same ways. But an equal amount of health, or energy, or a combination." It has to be given to someone else. But outside of the exception to the first time they'd done it not knowing they could, Asher refuses to put it onto anyone else but themself.

"Oh," Dodge realizes with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach as Asher explains. That was about as bad as she was expecting. The expression of curiosity on her features wanes, overtaken by the totality of concern. "So... what you're saying is that you ate my dislocated shoulder, sort of, or at least the injured part of it, and now you're all banged up instead. And it can be lobbed on other people, but of course you wouldn't do that," she smiles ruefully.

"I wish you would have told me before," she adds, quieter, leaning over to amiably touch shoulder to shoulder. "And I know you wouldn't offer it if you weren't already at peace with the consequences, but still. Thank you, a lot, for that. You'd better cash it in on one hell of a favor," she adds.

Asher shakes their head as Dodge apologizes. "Really, Kit. I don't use it all the time, not when it's something someone can deal with and not over-suffer about. But you need that arm whole for you camera." Zeke needed his hand unburnt for his piano. Leon needed to be able to hold up to the onslaught of the brass babies.

"Usually, I don't even feel it. I don't feel yours, save for how badly I'd like a nap, and maybe a snack before I take it. I may feel like the next day or two is allergen heavy, but it's not going to be anything awful." It won't be like the time with Chase. "It's only been bad enough to have actually hurt me once. And once was plenty of warning to make sure I don't try to take away anything more than I can carry." Chase was almost more than Asher could recover, and they learned from that one a lot. But even now, knowing what they didn't then? Asher still would fix up what they could of Chase in the same situation all over again.

Asher leans into the shoulder bump and nods. And their voice is soft, slightly hesitant as they know what favor they want to cash in already, they just don't know if they're brave enough to ask it. "I'm glad yours was minor enough not to carry regrets so I could help. But..." Asher will be brave about this. "I'll turn it into two favors, if you'll let me." Asher doesn't wait for permission. "The first one, either way, you have to help me figure out what I'm wearing on a first date that I actually know ahead of time is going to be a date." Asher hasn't done that in a handful of years now. "And, if I get a second, you don't get to mock me mercilessly about it, because if you do, I might chicken out. And I'm pretty sure that for once, I'm hoping I won't chicken out."

Dodge runs her tongue over her teeth as she listens to Asher, and dips her chin in an undertanding and acquiescing nod. She lofts her brow when they start to inch up against the subject of their favor, and a small grin starts to upturn the corner of her mouth. But when Asher lists the second part of the favor, the No Mocking Addendum, Dodge wipes the smirk off her expression and raises both hands, palms out, as if to show her innocence.

"First, that's a nothing favor. I'd do that for free," she chirps. "Second, where is the date going to be? Context informs content. No one wants to overdress for coffee." Well, some people do.

"Third, would this date happen to be with Zeke, by any chance?" she asks, lifting a quizzical brow. "Not mocking!" she adds. "Just asking. I noticed you two had a vibe going on when you came back to hang out at mine." Point of fact, Hayley had noticed it, too, but Dodge fears that if she divulges that just now, it might make Asher feel awkward.

"I don't talk about it a lot," Asher says, about their magic. "The languages no one minds, it's honestly usually pretty useful and folks have no issues asking me to help with translations." It's how they got to know their hooks with the MSD and occasionally get looped in on the weird stuff. The weird stuff always needs someone who can tranlsate it. And when the translator is a skilled medic, Asher often can fill two roles with one stone when they have to go looking outside the department for help.

"But the black veins and bruising and the fact that it doesn't take long for folks to figure out that if I can take it away and put it into me means it's probable I can take it out and put it into someone else instead..." Asher looks at Dodge, their silver eyes shimmering like mercury, pleading almost to be believed, "Even if I never would...." They shrug a little. "It can make people nervous. And I can't blame them, it makes me nervous, too." Especially because Asher can't feel the danger lines until they've already crossed them.

"I'm not sure where we're going," Asher admits, in regards to the date. "He's going to surprise me. I'm supposed to text him when I get off shift later today." It's the not knowing what to plan for that leaves Asher totally unprepared to pick an outfit. But it's doubly intimidating when they admit, "But I know he's got a far better wardrobe than I can dream of putting together, so. I just don't want to look like a totally awkward rando standing next to him, whatever or wherever we end up."

Asher isn't surprised when Dodge guesses the who. They nod that yes, it's Zeke. "We don't really know from either of our ends what we're hoping it will or won't be. But it's really easy spending time with him, and he has a way of muffling all the static in my brain to a point I can actually hear the softer threads of music. We had a while to talk while he was walking me back from yours, and then a little more time after. It was nice, and he asked if I'd try doing that hanging out with him thing on purpose, like an actual date instead of just accidentally. I told him as long as there are no burnt hands involved, I'd really like that."

"Lots of people have abilities that would be harmful if they were used irresponsibly, or if they were turned on a colleague," Dodge reasons thoughtfully. "But I can still understand why you don't bring it up very much." She shakes her head. "I know you wouldn't do that, but yeah, I get why you keep it mum." She does that, too, with her feelings-detection.

"And well, I don't think he asked you out so you could floor him with your ensemble, but we're going to see what we can do anyway," she notes as the conversation pivots back to Asher's date with Zeke. "It sounds like you two have a good connection," she adds, more sincerely. "That's nice, that's a nice thing to have with someone else. And Zeke is awesome, so, you know I approve."

"When's the date, how long do we have? Is it today? We can start rifling through your clothes right now."

Asher nods about the ways folks using their abilities can be good or bad, and it's all dependent on the users. "Most of magic seems to be kind of like a tool. We can use it to build things, or to destroy it, but, in the end... It's usually our choices as to what and how we're going to do that." Not always, but at least often enough. "That guy the other night, he didn't have to use his fire to threaten. If he'd set a blaze outside, controlled and cozy and brought marshmallows, maybe a lot more folks would have been willing to listen." Asher shrugs.

As to Zeke, though... Dodge is nearly certainly right. Asher highly doubts that he asked them out just to get a great OotD FitCheck. But still... It's been a while since they've wanted to look nice for something. And they want to look nice for this. Dodge mentions the connection, and Asher's soft voice tries to figure out how to put it into words. "My brain is always chaos. Just, loud and interrupting and hard to hear myself over all the static." They're pretty used to that. What they aren't used to, "But when he's around, it gets quieter somehow. And he's patient enough not to rush it. He's just kind of quietly there, waiting until I can hear what it is I'm trying to suss out of it all. Hanging out with him just feels peaceful."

There's a shrug about when the date might be, and Asher tells Dodge, "No idea. I said I'd text him when I finish this shift. He said he'd surprise me on the first date. I agreed that it's only fair if that means I plan the second one." They shrug again. "That's all I know so far." As to rifling through their closet, though? "I've still got another two hours on the clock. If I still had my single, I'd give you my key, but I don't know that you've met any of my roomies yet. Lex would just feed you if you walked in and scared her, but, Jake and Rhea are a little more private about their personal spaces and I doubt would take it well if I just let you go waltzing right in without an escort."

"Okay, so no need to startle the roommates. I can just meet you at yours when you get off shift?" she supplies. "I'm done for the rest of the day, I was just finishing my shift when that little gargoyle robbed me," she adds with the emphasis of reproachfulness on that word, looking around just in case one of the Stoneborn might overhear her incriminations. Good. She hopes they do.

"And that sounds really nice," she adds more sincerely. "Being able to find someone who can silence the brain goblins is rare. I also like how you two have already decided there will be a second date, too, that's adorable," she grins, just on the borderline of being playfully teasing, but she walks it back. "It's sweet, that's all I mean."

Asher laughs as Dodge declares the pre-decided second date to be adorable. "It just seemed smarter. The worst part of a first date is the pressure of trying to convince the other you're worth a second one. This way, we don't have to worry about that part, and we can just have fun." At least, that's the theory they're hoping to work from. It could all go horribly even without that pressure and date two might be cancelled prior to date one's end. But. Asher actually has a really good feeling about this.

"It's weird," they admit to Dodge. "Usually, a date scares the hell out of me, and it's one of the last things I'd be looking forward to. But. He knows already I don't really do follow-through in the traditional sense. And he's ok with that. And he's easy to hang out with. It's all new, and really not at all like anything I'm used to off any of these weird islands, but. I'm not nervous about this, other than simply wanting to look cute on purpose. He feels like the kind of person worth making a bit of effort for. I just want to figure out how to convey that without it seeming over the top, you know?"

A chime pings in Asher's pocket that they have a new text message on their phone. They pull it out and check it, and there's a soft laugh that falls as they tell Dodge, "Speak of the devil..." But. It does give a bit of info. Asher texts off a reply and puts the phone back in their pocket as they tell Dodge, "Ok. So. It's tonight, and the dress code is casual." At least now they know what it is they're aiming for along the way. "But they've already seen my only casual blazer about a jillion times. So..." As to meeting after shift, "I'm done at three, you can root through my closet while I'm grabbing a fast shower?"

"I can see the logic," Dodge decides on the notion of pre-planning for a second date. She gives her shoulder another experimental roll as if she's not convinced the pain is fully gone, but it is.

While Asher is checking their phone and texting a reply, Dodge plays around with her phone, too, swiping through a few screens and sending a message. "Hayley's date is tomorrow, so I should be getting back-to-back summaries of How Dates Went, that's exciting," she chirps brightly.

"And okay, casual, but not the casual blazer," she ticks off, bobbing her head in an easygoing nod. "Definitely, I can work with that. Sounds like a plan. I'll make my way back to Crescent Island and meet you at yours a few minutes past three."

Dodge's shoulder is as good as new. Asher has work still to be done. Too many people who are bad at dating are setting out to do just that. What could possibly go wrong? So when Dodge tells Asher she'll meet her at their place at three, Asher's nodding. "Sounds perfect. At least the company will keep me from being beside myself with nerves getting ready. I'm meeting him at Central Square at four." And with that, Asher gives Dodge a quick hug and then heads off to finish up the rest of their shift, telling Dodge as they leave, "I'm glad you got your camera rescued, though. I expect lots of Koda pics to celebrate!"

---

Two hours later

---

Dodge had gone straight home after parting ways with Asher, sitting down at her computer to review the photos of the day. It's all pretty normal fare until the end, which consists of a photo of Dodge laying on the ground taken from several stories high -- the Stoneborn's cheeky work. Then there are some selfies Hayley had taken after rescuing the camera, grinning and throwing up the peace sign, and that's the end of the day's shots. She showers, she changes her clothes, she cuddles Koda on the couch and sends texts to a couple of people, and then the hours is nearing three, so she hops up and prepares to head to Asher's.

Once there, she lingers outside of Asher's place, sans camera, messing around on her phone while she waits.

Asher's end of shift was remarkably easy, and she's able to actually be clocked out on time, catches the early ferry back to Crescent, and is meeting Dodge out front of Silver Point Apartments. "Hey, babes. How's the shoulder holding up for you?" They push open the door and hold it for Dodge as the pair head inside, and as they're waiting for the elevator in the lobby, Asher admits, "Other than having no idea what I should wear, is it weird I'm oddly calm about this? I feel like I should be more nervous."

Asher hasn't dated in years, at least not on purpose. They're really hoping that Dodge has some clarity on it. But they've also been meaning to follow up on other things than just their upcoming meeting with a guy that for the first time in a while doesn't seem to spook them. "That critter that came out of the Cluck, were you able to figure anything else out about it? I still need to get the info over to Momo and Dilly to see if they have any ideas, but with all the portal trips lately, they've been way too over-worked to answer my texts."

"Good as new," Dodge chirps on the point of her shoulder, heading inside with Asher. "And there's no reason to be nervous. You're hanging out with someone whose company you already know you enjoy," she buzzes. "That eliminates the nerves part, according to my math."

She shakes her head. "Oh, I might have forgotten to mention the weirdest part about the creature that came out of Cluck. It straight up vanished," she elaborates. "Like, I was holding it in my sweater -- because he was a really squirmy little guy -- and it just disappeared after a few moments. Gone. All it left behind was some mucus that ruined my sweater." She wrinkles her nose reproachfully.

The pair exit the elevator on the second floor, and they walk down to the fifth door on the left. "I have no idea if anyone's home or not, but, if they are, the blonde is Lex, the brunette is Rhea, and the cinnamon roll golden retriever is Jake. If he's home and he offers you food, you want to say yes. If Lex is there and offers you food, you want to say yesser." As to Rhea? "If Rhea offers you food and it isn't takeout, run." There's a reason Rhea and Asher grab so many after-shift meals at the diner, neither of them can cook worth a damn, even if Asher is a pretty amazing baker. One is a science they can handle, the other is an art and they are just not that crafty.

Asher gives Dodge the run-down of the inhabitants of Apartment 205 as they unlock the door and let it swing open, gesturing Dodge to go first. "Mi casa es su casa." The comment is something even monolinguist English folks could provide. But Asher's pronunciation is flawless. The apartment opens up into an open floor plan, kitchen at one end, living room at the other, a large countertop island dividing the space. There's a small balcony, but it's not a unit with a fireplace. At opposite ends of the room there are two bedrooms, separated by a bathroom. Judging by the initials on each door... Rhea and Lex share one end. Jake/Asher have a hyphenated shared door with BP at its other end.

Listening as Dodge talks about the creature just vanishing into goo, their silvery eyes get a little wide. "Ewww." Asher deals with a lot of mucus at work, but that doesn't make it any less nasty. "You didn't cross a boundary with it or anything, did you?" Was there a plausible reason for why it would do that? Would a plausible reason make it any less weird? Probably not to both of those rhetorical queries. Asher points to the door marked J-A and tells Dodge, "My closet's in there. The dresser is Jake's, but he's about four times my size, so raiding his won't help."

"Jake, yes, Lex, yesser, Rhea, run, got it," Dodge parrots back after the roommates have been explained (at least as it pertains to their cooking aptitude), slipping inside once Asher opens the door and shaking her head again as she looks around, taking the measure of how different the Silver Point apartments are from Deer Hollow.

"Did not cross a boundary with it." She's sure. "It was on Castle Island, pretty late," she recalls. She ambles over to the door marked J-A and knocks on it just to be sure before pushing it open and heading into the shared room. "Closet, closet, closet--ah, closet," she chimes, padding over towards said closet and opening it up wide, starting to rifle through a variety of items and garments.

"You said casual, right?" she calls out. Casual could be tricky; casual could mean a lot of different things. "Did he give you any other hints?"

Ok. So the critter from the Cluck buffoon didn't have to cross a boundary to go all gooified. Glorious. It makes Asher think of Cream Puff and the black sludge that animated him, "What color was the slime?" Yes. The color is the to be focused on part of all of this, Asher definitely is asking all the important questions here. Once they're in Asher's room, it's pretty straight forward in its setup. There is a large bunk bed on one wall, the bottom either able to be folded like a futon, but currently laid flat into a queen bed, the top a single. Judging from the black and purple and glittering fairy lights strung around the top one, that's Asher's. The bed beneath is just basic and generic Tarjay Millennial greys.

The closet is actually fairly large, but it's also mostly empty. Jake's dresser is tucked against its back walls. The shelves hold mostly jeans, scrubs, and pajama pants, though there are a few pairs of dress slacks hanging on the rack as well as a couple pairs of overalls in various colors and patterns. A vast majority of the tops are fake band tee shirts and other soft, comfortable choices. There are also a few button downs and some work polos, too. There are a few jackets, and an array of hoodies. But there are a few items Asher's picked up and not worn yet, incluing a few bodysuits in light summer fabrics, a lilac and a dark purple each. There is a hand-knit sweater-style snow-white hoodie with a cropped waist. There's a pair of dove grey palazzo pants, and another pair of sheer black gauchos. All of them still have tags from the thrift store on them. Also. Still in its packaging from Amazon there is a tuxedo-themed onesie. There are lots of things to be mixed and matched, but Asher doesn't know where to start. "Play around, try to make something that looks like I made a little effort, but not too much effort? I'm going to scrub the clinic off real fast." And then they head to the bathroom to do just that. They leave the door cracked enough for conversation, though.

What color was the slime? "Like... kind of clear? Translucent, grey-ish, I suppose." Yuck.

Dodge starts arranging garments into little piles: first she pieces a light lilac bodysuit with the dove grey palazzo pants because floaty wide legs balance well with a bodycon fit, and adds a fake band tee as an option, potentially knotted at the waist for layering or casual slouch, and the hand-knit snow-white cropped hoodie for if it gets dark and chilly, as temperatures often do dip at night time.

Then she pieces together a pair of patterned overalls that feel the least like workwear with a dark purple bodysuit, and digs out one of the jackets, either denim or a soft bomber, to pair with them.

And finally she drags together the sheer black gauchos layered over leggings, a slightly oversized fake band tee, and a hoodie for tying around the waist.

The tuxedo onesie is tempting and has just enough 'in on the joke' energy but she restrains herself. "Alright!" she chimes loudly enough to be heard over running water. "I think we've got a few options here, and none of the include tux onesie, or tux-sie." She's pleased with that portmanteau; Asher can tell by the sound of her voice.

Ok. Clear slime. Clear slime is good. Asher is turning on the water in the shower to heat up while they get ready. "Ok. It's still gross, but clear is way better than black. Trust me. Avoid any black ooze, it's not pretty, and it wants to go down your throat." Black slime is no bueno, and nothing will change Asher's mind on that.

Stepping into the shower, Asher makes a quick job of it, though getting all the conditioner out of their curls takes a moment. The scents on steam through the cracked door hint that while Asher may not wear makeup, they don't mind a bit of a splurge on body products. That, or they're stealing Jake's... Or maybe whomever BP's might be. It's citrus and spice and woods, entirely androgynous, but absolutely classic.

By the time those outfits have been arranged, Asher is turning off the water and wrapping their hair up in a towel before they shrug into a floor-length purple terry cloth robe, an actual wearable towel. "The Tux-sie is Lex's doing. But it looks comfy af, so. I'm not going to argue with her about it." Everyone needs a formal onesie now and then, right?

Dodge pulls a disgusted moue across her features. Black ooze that wants to go down your throat? No thank you.

"My onesie game is seriously lacking," she admits, turning the subject over and away from the ooze as she swings back through the closet for a secondary raid, pulling garments out and sizing them up, putting them away, or setting them aside to see what they can be paired with. "Everything I know about fashion, I learned from Karla Welch and some 19 year old on Instagram," she muses.

Satisfied with her piles after a second run-through, Dodge cannot suppress her curiosity enough to not survey the rest of the room: the bunk bed with fairy lights, the basic Lad Special grey hues of the bottom bunk, what other decor there is to look at.

"Ok, that seals it." If Dodge's onesie game is lacking, there is a singular solution to that problem. "You're going to have to hang out with Lex. Her onesie game is on point." But more than just the onesies, "Also, she's about the sunshiniest lady I've ever known. You literally can't be in a bad mood around her." Well... "Unless it's because you're going to stab someone who talked her into a bad idea. That can be a side effect. I'm trying to convince her she needs to not let anyone but me talk her into arrestable ideas, but..." Asher shrugs. "It's a work in progress." But it is clear they absolutely adore their sweet but gullible roomie and likely would stab someone about it if needed.

As Asher is looking over the outfits, Dodge takes in the room. There are two desks on the wall opposite the bed under the windows. Asher's is covered in medical journals and notebooks and enough color-coded stationery supplies to keep a local Office Depot in business. Jake's is mostly clean and empty, though a few pieces of Lego are scattered across one corner. They both have book-cases, most of the titles on Asher's are not written in English, and the shelves are over-stuffed and double stacked, cramming as much reading material onto them as they can hold. There's the cords for a laptop coiled beneath Asher's desk, and a decent set of stereo speakers are sitting around it, ready to be plugged back into the audio jack. But the laptop itself isn't in view.

Asher points to the outfit with the grey linen overalls and the light-weight berry hued quilted velour bomber and absolutely loves it. "I'm saving that for the second date!" It's cute as heck. But they're looking at the bodysuit with the palazzos and the hoodie. "I don't know that I'd have thought to do the wide pants and the sleek top, but, with the jacket..." It's a really cute silhouette. But the tee shirt seems a little more casual than Asher is wanting. They don't want to be too fancy, but, they wouldn't mind Zeke being able to notice that Asher cared enough to try and make a bit of extra effort. "Do you think it would work without the tee?"

"Aw, well, she sounds lovely," Dodge surmises of Lex. "How did you two meet, on the roommate exchange or some other way?" Dodge had a roommate once, but has lived by herself for the better part of a year, and seems to prefer it that way.

She takes a look at the desks and the book cases, tilting her head to the side to scan some of the titles; most of the ones in non-English sail over her head, but she reads them all anyway, giving Asher enough time to scan her selections before she swings back over. She grins when Asher says they like one of the ensembles for the second date, and then looks over the other.

"I think it works just as well with or without the tee," she answers with a definitive little nod. "The tee just adds some more texture and noise, but I like it without it, too. Great silhouette, plays with shapes, ten out of ten." Her phone vibrates in her back pocket and she pulls it out, laughs under her breath at something, and sends a text back before Operation Wardrobe has all of her attention again.

"Hayley says hi. What shoes are you going to wear with it?"

"Roomies wanted postings." It's at least how Alexys got hooked into it all. "It all started when I had a shift partnered up with Jake, he's in fire rescue and a lot of times on the roaming shifts they'll pair one of them with one of us to cover all the basics. We're both sending parts of our money back home to help out, so figured cutting costs would help. So we put up ads looking for other folks in the commons and at work. Rhea's at the clinic as well, an actual knows what the heck she's doing doctor. Lex also is a healer, but she works with the animals. I'm trying to convince her we need to sneak a capybara into the ball pit once it's done." It's probably also the BP initialled on the spare door, and the reason that they've set up bunk beds with Jake.

When Dodge checks her messages and mentions Hayley, Asher tells her, "Tell Buns hi! And wish her luck tomorrow. Liam's can be a little on the serious side, but, from where we've overlapped on the occasional security things, he seems like a decent guy. I hope they have fun." Asher gives Dodge time to pass messages back and forth, and then when it's pronounced that the 'fit would work without the shirt, they scoop it up and head back to the bathroom so they can get dressed.

As to what shoes? Asher calls through the door, "I don't know why you think I have any shoes that aren't my chucks." The hand-decorated ones that look about half as old as Asher is, the ones they're always wearing in all moments and with all outfits. "I mean. I guess, technically, I do. I've got a pair of waterproofed black sneaks for actual in clinic full dress code shifts. But otherwise?" Nope. Asher owns one singular pair of shoes. And the fact that they were canvas made their first winter in Spellbound absolute torture.

"So it sounds like this is the place to be in case of an emergency," Dodge chimes after Asher relates how they met their roommates and what they all do. "And don't mention the capybara to Hayley. That's her nemesis. Apparently they get into all the foliage and tear up the plants and it's like, they've become her personal adversary. And don't tell her I said that is hilarious," she chuckles. "I'll tell her you said hi and luck and all." She fires off a few more texts while Asher gets dressed in the bathroom.

When Asher yells back they only own the one actual pair of shoes (besides clinic shoes), Dodge slaps her palm to her forehead. "We need to get you more shoes!" she calls back. So says the person who is almost always wearing her white Vans slip-ons, although she can be caught in strappy heels and such when the dress code calls for it. "But those will work great with what you're wearing." Fortunately!

Asher looks absolutely appalled as they stick their wet head out that crack in the door half dressed. "She thinks what?!?" Hayley has put disrespect on the capybara's name? "We can't be friends any more." They're probably joking. Maybe... "Tell her I still love her, but her opinions are horribly wrong. And if she says anything mean about the manatees I really am quitting her forever." Asher ducks back into the bathroom to finish getting dressed.

"I don't need more shoes," they yell out, though it's a little muffled as they're pulling on the sleeveless, boat-necked bodysuit and trying to get it situated. They even wore the sneakers to the super fancy influencer thing with their make-shift suit. It was fine. They'll be fine with this outfit, too. They'll even be cute on date two despite the purple shoes and the bomber jacket having a little clash in their colors. When they come back out again, their hair has been towel dried and the knots combed out, and the strands are glossy beneath a thin coating of oil and serum, the wet strands shifting all the more clearly like spilt oil now that they're wet.

"I couldn't sleep after he walked me home last night," Asher admits to Dodge. "Is it too much to take him a combo of his favorite pie and cookie? Like. I was inspired and he already knows I'm a stress baker, but like. Is a custom recipe on the first date a little too try hard?" Ok. Maybe Asher is a touch nervous about this after all.

"Capybara--capybaras? How do you pluralize that?" Dodge wonders aloud. "Either way, they're always getting into the gardens and eating everything. It drives her mad. But I've never heard her disrespect a manatee, so I think you're in safe harbor." She can't resist a tiny water pun.

She turns to have a look at Asher when they walk back in, nodding in satisfaction. "Solid," she praises. "You look great. Zeke'll be stoked. Or I'll kill him," she adds sweetly, winking. She's joking! Of course she's joking. Of course.

"It would only be weird if you hardly knew him, had stalked his Instagram for his favorite pie and cookie, and then had put together a custom recipe based on what you'd gleaned," Dodge supposes.

"That..." she nods slowly in big, long bobs. "That would be trying too hard. And a little creepy. But you know the guy, and I think he'll be really touched. I would be. My dates lately are with someone very good at pulling out his credit card, which -- don't get me wrong -- I don't mind at all. But if he baked for me, that would win a lot of points." She nods again. "A lot."

Asher has no idea how you pluralize multiple capybaras. They don't care, all they know is that those literal friends to everything to ever live are perfect and have never done a single thing wrong a day in their lives. "She can stay mad." Asher stands by it. They're fuzzy little delights. But at least the delightful sea cows are safe.

There's a hint of a blush as Dodge declares that they look great, but the confidence boost helps. "Don't stab him about it." It's not so much for Zeke's health Asher is asking. Dodge has seen their veins go black. They've still got hints of shiners beneath both their eyes from earlier. "I'm too tired to soak up any stabbings today." But they're not so tired they're going to cancel anything Zeke might have planned over in Central Square in under an hour.

"No stalking involved," Asher promises. "I asked, and he told me. He knows I stress bake, and that he's left me fore-warned about the best ways to bribe him." Asher isn't fully sure what they're hoping to bribe him into, but, they are kind of hoping to show off a bit of their own talents to the Donut King. They feel like other folks might not bake for him all that often. They have zero experience about what it's like to just hang out with someone good at dropping cards for tabs rather than cobbled together thoughts on the cheap. But it sounds like a pretty great problem to have. "I tell you what. If you convince him to pay for something fancier than supplies from the baking aisle of Tarjay, I'll sneak him a basket of all your favorite things and tell him to take the credit." Of course, that would neccessitate, "At least if you dropped a name or anything about him other than willing to buy dinner."

Asher's phone starts to buzz from the countertop in the bathroom, the sound of their alarm. "Fuck!" They grab their phone and silence the alarm. "I'm so sorry, sweetness. I didn't mean to steal a favor and run, but if I don't get my ass on the next ferry, I'm going to be late. Help yourself to the kitchen, lock up behind yourself?" They point to the bathroom, "Ball Pit is the other side of the bath, but, it's not even a full layer yet." But there are more than a few dozen starting to roll around between bribes and purchases and the occasionally rare and random one nicked.

"You're such a cute blusher," Dodge purrs through a vulpine grin. "That was how I cottoned on to the Asher-Zeke connection. Your blushing gave you away. Betrayed you, totally," she confirms. "And no stabbings. I highly doubt Zeke would do anything to warrant something as severe and personal as a stabbing. Most of my retaliatory crimes are at range," she jokes.

"And I'm not going to turn down an offer like that, either. Expect a delivery of high quality baking supplies as soon as I see him next. And his name is Shaun, he's a football player, a tourist. He's staying at the resort. We'll sort it out -- get out of here, don't be late!" Dodge grabs her phone and stuffs it back into her back pocket, ready to walk out behind Asher, where their paths will diverge: Asher's, to their date, and Dodge's, back to Deer Hollow.