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( Sometimes people make claims about being the ones who knock. Or the one who knocks. Only when they do, it's meant to be a threat, even if delivered as a lie and indicating a confidence that doesn't exist.

Collette is one who knocks because she wants to be let inside. She raps her knuckles on Saul's door, a bundled wrapped in colorful red cloth in her lap. )

Saul, are you home?

[Saul is glad Collette is the one knocking, except he doesn't recognize her voice through the door, so when he opens it he looks —

Down.

Oh. Huh.

Okay.]

Hey, kid. What's up?

( She grins, hands cupping the red-wrapped something or another, holding it up and then offering it to Saul like it's some sort of wonderful prize. )

I have something for you! As a thanks for all your help recently.

[...what is this.

Someone is giving him a present for being helpful?

He eyes the object in her hands a little warily, like it might explode or something, before reaching out to take it. Collette's nice, right? She wouldn't try to kill him.

Unless she's trying to make him laugh to death, because.

He just unwrapped it.]

Oh my god.

( Collette isn't hiding the amusement that crosses her face once he's unwrapped it. )

I had to paint it myself, got it fired down at this little kiln that a tea place I know gets their mugs from. Plus like, half the city, I swear! Do you like it?

[She made him a new mug. Herself. With her hands.

WHAT IS THIS EMOTION HE'S FEELING? Is this what people mean when they say they're "touched"? It feels like heartburn.]

Yeah. Yeah, I do. A lot. I've gotta ask, though — why a unicorn?

Why not a unicorn?

( She shrugs, still grinning. )

They're unique and kick-butt. What's not to love about a horse with a sword on its forehead?

[Saul doesn't think people look at him and think "unicorn."

...generally.]

So you think I'm unique and kick-butt?

Of course! How many lawyers do we have here? On top of that, who helped write out the terms and stuff? Cesar would have hated having to wrangle that on his own, and I can't imagine any of the rest of us doing a stellar job. But then there was you!

Uh. Three, last I counted. I think.

[Yes, he realizes she wasn't exactly asking. He's just not used to — well, this. And while he may have been fishing for compliments before, now he just shrugs, looking uncharacteristically sheepish.

The difference between Collette and most of the people who usually kiss his ass is that he's pretty sure Collette's not trying to kiss his ass.

What do.]

( She grins. )

Yeah... we used to have more, but about three sounds right for now! I think you're the only defense attorney, oo.

[He examines the mug again, turning it over in his hands.

Then he crouches down toward Collette. His voice is low when he speaks, quiet. And he looks like he's about five seconds away from laughing.]

Just don't go around telling people about the unicorn thing, okay?

( She nods solemnly. )

Got it! I'll let them figure that out on their own.

( After whcih she winks... and giggles. )

[Here, Collette.

Have the world's most awkward pat on the head. At least there's some fondness behind the gesture, so it's not entirely weird, but. Still.]

Thank you.

( She bats at his hand, wrinkling her nose and snorting in laughter. )

Hey! I'm not in dog morph!

( ... that's the sane, sensible answer, isn't it? She's laughing either way. )

You're welcome. I'm glad you like it!

[Well that sure was an odd bunch of words to string together. Saul pulls his hand away, smiles like he's not even sorry (he's not), then tilts his head in question.]

Dog morph?

( She grimaces, brushing her hair back straight with her hands. )

Yeah, when I go dog. You know, woof? I've got a golden retriever.

( She pauses, recalling that she hasn't actually gotten around to telling Saul what she usually forgets to get around to telling anyone. )

I can shapeshift, I guess? It's not like you think from any of the movies, it's a technology, and we call it morphing where I'm from, but most people recognize it as shapeshifting!

( An earnest look: believe her, Saul. Por favor! )

[She could have a neon sign hanging over her head flashing "I AM TELLING THE TRUTH" and he'd still be looking at her like she's gone off the rails. Just when he thought he's heard it all...]

Is this the part where you notice the look on my face, insist on showing me to prove it, and then I freak out a little?

Only if you need the whole dog and pony show. I don't care when you finally believe it, not really. You believing or not doesn't make it less true, it just makes you willfully ignorant.

( She sounds amused as she says this; it is her truth, afterall. )

You can't just drop something like that on me and not expect some level of healthy skepticism.

[Is "complete disbelief" healthy, though?]

Who said I didn't?

( Said with an impish grin. )

But you can ask for the show and tell sometime when I haven't been exhausted from two weeks of camping, scouting, and infiltrating, not to mention fighting giant venomed spiders and watching the people I care about get torn up, or finally getting back and thinking everyone's survived the crash just to have one of them almost die from a weird illness. I'm fresh out of expendable energy right now!

( Light, almost sing song, and hard to tell if she's joking about what, if any of what she said. )

[Unfortunately, Saul heard all about that from Stephanie, so he knows Collette isn't joking. Which is why her tone unnerves him. He frowns a little, anxiously rubbing a thumb along the mug's rim.]

Yeah, okay. When you feel better.

( She smiles, all upbeat cheer. )

Okay! I will, whenever that is. Probably next week?

Sure. Next week.

[A wild smirk has appeared!]

I'll bring a ball, too. We can play fetch.

I've never thrown a ball for a lawyer before... but it'd be interesting to try as a dog!

( She winks. )

Deal!

[exsilium] contact

action; later in the evening

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