finn !
&& — “ WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU … ” and before they can even protest , she’s off of the counter , standing directly in front of him. “ i , what ?? ” and now she’s hugging them , their arms raising as her arms wrap around them before finally , they give in , giving her a small pat on her head rather than reciprocating the hug. they can feel their heartstrings being pulled , gaze adverting to the wall as they collect themself. “ portia , it’s fine , really - it’s nothing i can’t handle , and i don’t think … ”
they swallow hard. “ just … ugh , kid. you’re really doing this to me today ?? ” they laugh , finally going to uncoil her arms from around them before taking a step back. “ let’s go out back. ” they don’t really want to talk about their feelings , however , but with portia… there simply was no backing out , it seemed.
they walk over, gently kicking the door to the kitchen back open and leaning against it to keep it open before motioning for portia to go first. “ don’t tell anyone you were back here , i’m almost positive this is probably some sort of health code violation , ” they follow behind her before walking over to the back door , pushing it open before motioning for her once again.
PORTIA KNOWS THAT finn isn’t the most affectionate of people, but she knows that sometimes hugs can do what words can’t. she has been in their shoes, after all, and while a hug doesn’t fix things — can never fix things — it can make someone feel just a little bit better. she considers it a victory when they pat her head. when they try to tell her it’s fine, however, she clings just that little bit tighter, both as support and as a warning. she doesn’t want them to run from whatever problems they’re facing right now. she knows how terribly that can turn out.
it’s another victory for her when they tell her to come out the back. she knows that she shouldn’t be out there, or in any part of the diner aside from where all the customers sit, but she has already overstepped her bounds by crossing the counter, so she sees no problem with pushing things a little further. besides, this is for finn, who she would gladly break a million rules for.
she darts out the door when finn tells her to, nodding when they speak. ❝ of course !! my lips are sealed. ❞ she makes a motion as if to zip her mouth and throw away the key as she exists out the second door. ❝ besides, if i were to tell anyone, that would make it less fun. ❞ she mostly says it to give finn a reprieve from their worries, if only briefly, considering it’s her fault that they will be talking about them in the first place.