sometimes, daphne feels alone. and it’s not hard to do – in comparison to her brothers, or to her family, daphne has been on the outskirts. never one to have many friends, never one to be someones first choice. she tries not to blush — always does, when people are not. not exactly a punching bag .. but someone who could never really take a compliment. it’s kind of embarrassing. “aww,” with a mixture of affection and annoyance. bradley’s not annoying. daphne’s just annoyed with herself, never being able to take someones kindness or compliments in a normal way. quite the opposite, actually. “alright, alright, that works for me – but i’m watchin’ you, canter, just to be sure that you’re not doing it on the low.” it’s nice to have a friend who’s friendship doesn’t feel like a transaction.
and, really, she feels like they’re some kind of weird two sides of the same coin scenario. not entirely, they don’t fit perfectly like a puzzle, but that’s fine with her. the best things in life are never perfect. daphne knows what it’s like to be lonely in a room full of people, crowded but no one sees you. a comparable see-throughness that feels a bit more abstract than she’s comfortable sayin aloud, so she tries to show up in her own way. even if it’s going with bradley’s ideas that sometimes .. leave her brow raising. “well i wouldn’t say it’s putting up with you. you’re not a bad person, you know,” despite what she thinks the other might think about themself. “you don’t have to thank me.” her arm touches the others, gingerly, as if like a stray cat – bradley is adorable, cat-like and all, but knows her boundaries. and daphne would never want to cross from comfortable to not if she could help it. “i wouldn’t be around if i didn’t want to be, you know? like – it’s not like i don’t get it,” her head shakes, swallowing down her own feelings of slight indignation of family dynamics. if the two of them go to talking about that, daphne feels like they’d be here for hours more. “and you’re not a bitch – “ eyes roll at the inevitable pushback on that, but blonde knows she’s right. “don’t say that about my friend and i mean it.” as if she’s a real tough girl and not some 5’1 person, 100lb soaking wet or something.
she laughs at the move, her head shaking again. sometimes, daphne gets a little too in her own head – making a mention note to stop shaking her head so much, people are going to think weird things. “see, and this is why you’re the sporty one and i’m…not.” not anymore, at least. those days were long gone, even as the idea of it twinges sadness in her chest. “remind me to never challenge you to something sporty. i’m too prideful to get my ass beat gracefully.”
“well if you can handle it – why not?” her cat is her best friend, sans people, obviously. but that creature is the light of her life and daphne’s most prized possessions. embarrassing, maybe, but she’s unabashed by it. “are you sure i’ll be able to handle it? don’t want you to dim yourself down for me.”