——- She remembers this one.
It was not a warm day. There’d been sun, gracing L.A with light befitting of summer, but she’d worn a coat -- one of the few moments of her and mom leaving the space centre, together, for a frivolous occasion, that she remembers with clarity. She is small again and the world is loud, but her hand is warm, held in a calloused palm.
This is where she whines of the coat being heavy on her back, and it is. This is where she chooses not to, swallowing her discomfort down. ( The urge remains. ).
I miss you, She says, this time upon impulse. No doubt misunderstanding, Metis frowns; explains it’s just been busy, promises to spend more time. Both little and present Athena know it’s an empty promise, and neither speak of it.
As per script, she leans down, unbuttoning Athena’s coat. As per script, a hand ( nail-bitten, she realizes now, of stress and habit ) brushes against her cheek in a rare form of physical affection. Her lips part to ask a question -- the memory ends.
And Athena is no longer small, despite feeling no different. In the absence of everything that held her happiness in the memory, a tiny feline shadow appears in her sight.
“Well, I don’t remember you being a part of this,” She crouches, giving his fur a stroke. Her eyes flutter shut. It doesn’t matter. “but I appreciate the company.”