AS MUCH AS SHE ACTED ANYTHING BUT, Cat thrived off having connections. Not being extroverted or the like, just having people near, of knowing she wasnât ENTIRELY alone whether by the sight of another or by the mere concept of their existence. She was not fearful of such a situation â being a l o n e was a state of being she endured often â but she did better when it wasnât consuming her. Being by herself in body and mind allowed the voices to grow too loud. Her paranoia, her anxietyâŠÂ and the sadness would settle into her bones, leaving her struggling to rise each morning.
     She still managed, focused on getting food and surviving. Finding shelter, having water, maybe evening showering if she had the will for it. All these things kept her from spiraling into disaster. Yet, it was p e o p l e who did the most. When her mind turned away from her own needs to those of others, she could ignore her own pains, as well.
          Seeking out the companionship of those who didnât spurn her was to keep her drive going as much as to fill a lonely heart. Though that was hardly known to her, other than the fact she dared to reach out in greater kindness to those she gave even PARTIAL trust to. Hence the invitation she had provided to Angel. The blonde was not a threat so far as Cat was concerned, and though the ring and juvie and a number of other instances had proven to her that even allies couldnât be trusted, it didnât stop her in some cases.
    No one had ever given her reason to provide benevolent behaviors. Not since Scott, Amy, and Jon. Freddie wasnât so bad a person himself, but he wasnât exactly reliable. JustâŠÂ not one to take advantage of others. A KIND, if not muddled soul she rarely saw.
         Perhaps Cat was an oddity from the streetsâŠÂ Or perhaps just an oddity in general. By all definitions, she should have lost her empathy ages ago. Yet there was s o m e t h i n g she clung to that kept her from sinking beneath the waves. Most likely the image of Scott when she checked up on him on the television. He had once sought her out⊠but juvie and the ring had kept her from running to him.
      And now she was not the girl he had once been looking for.
         ( But oh how she longed to be )
          Whatever Angel was thinking of, Cat didnât pry. She only briefly caught sight of the other starting to make a face, but the brunette would have just considered it to be based off the situation. The place was lousy, after all, and cold soup and an apple was barely a meal. Yet it would do, and Catâs stomach was e a g e r for whatever she had to offer. At least soup and an apple would be much easier than greasy, fast food.
     Fingers pried off the lid ( thank heaves for cans now having the pull off ones these days ), laying it to the side as she carefully sat upon the aged piece of furniture. Long sip was taken, trying to get at least a few vegetables in the mouth other than the brother. Then she placed it between them whilst going for her apple, figuring they could take as they please. It would work out ONE way or another.
             âFair enough.â The response was delayed, but she finally found the willingness to speak, caught between thinking of food and just feeling too tired to process conversation. Trying to go on, however, she knew she was bad with small talk, but there was an attempt, âGood tâknow thaâ you⊠can do it.â
       ( Did it count as an attempt if she turned it into a pun? )
Angel just couldnât help but snort into her apple as Cat cracked the pun. It wasnât even that funny, all things considered; but it was so rare, in this kind of life, to find any humour that she had learned to take what she could get. Wiping juice from her chin, Angelâs glance at the other contained a small sparkle of of her amusement.
Could she have replied with something equally as jokey? Probably; but Angelâs brand of humour was more steeped in sarcasm and teasing than wordplay, and she just didnât feel up to that right now.
Still, her smile was enough to tell Cat that she appreciated it.
She took another bite of the apple; then as she chewed, began playing with the fruit in her hands. Tossing and catching it deftly, even putting a slight spin on it... showing off a little, one might even call it. Angel wasnât really looking to impress Cat, who probably had much the same skill-set as she did, but...
It was kind of her way. The girl was a little bit of a show-off at heart, though the streets rarely gave her the opportunity to demonstrate that much - except to the occasional wide-eyed kid who found her lifestyle âneatâ rather than repulsive. She loved wowing them with her so-called slick moves, even as she hoped theyâd never find themselves in her shoes.
And those show-off ways occasionally manifested themselves in such simple actions as, well... this.
Catching the apple again after a particularly trick throw, Angel paused before taking another bite, looking at her companion.
âYou know... youâre really different from anyone else Iâve met on the streets.â Her voice was softer than usual, more sincere. Between the genuine kindness, the willingness to share... and not to even mention the puns now... Angel found Cat constantly surprising her.
A part of her wanted to ask further; but prying into someoneâs past was usually a no-go out here. Heaven knew, Angel would be reluctant to talk about her own; so instead, she settled for a different sentiment.
âIâm glad weâre friends.â