#ptrodactyl: 01.

[sabortooths]

“ sorry about her, ” trini breathes out the moment her mother's out of earshot, ignoring how warm her face feels, avoiding looking at @ptrodactyl as if that might help at all. “ she's not used to me having people over. ” already, she's dreading what june might say the moment kimberly's gone, if she'll approve of their friendship or if this is just going to be another disappointment in her eyes— either way, it won't change what trini thinks of kim, but she's not looking forward to hearing about it anyway. “ i didn't think she was going to be home. she was supposed to be at my brothers' soccer game. ”

[sabertiger-a]

for once,   being home doesn’t feel as suffocating as usual,   and she can’t figure out whether it’s because her parents aren’t here or because kimberly is.    (  because kimberly’s present is suffocating,   but in a way trini can manage.   most of the time.  )     she’s more relaxed than she often allows herself to be,   thumbing through a textbook she’s supposed to be reading,   if only she weren’t too distracted.   when she allows herself to offer a glance at the reason for her distraction,   all that relaxation comes to a halt,   gaze zeroing in on the picture in kimberly’s hand.   she forgot she still had it,   honestly.   originally kept as a reminder of why she shouldn’t get attached,   why she should be more careful with her heart,   only to be cast aside when she was given a reason to change her mind.

she’s not sure why kimberly finding it feels her with so much dread,   but it does.   there’s no real reason to panic,   she knows;   after all,   they’re just friends.   that’s all they’ll ever be,   so she shouldn’t feel uncomfortable talking about a past fling.   her heart just hasn’t gotten the memo,   beating faster than usual,   even about her.    “  oh,   uh —-     that’s just...    some girl i knew in texas. ”     /     @ptrodactyl

[constantwar-archive]

“  you,   uh    —     you called me over to look at a jacket?  ”    /    @ptrodactyl

[sabortooths]

“ yeah, i wouldn't. ” that's probably the main reason she hasn't bothered to draw the five of them yet— because trini doesn't want to draw herself, even in armor. “ zack would make himself taller and buffer than everyone else. especially jason. ” she sounds confident for someone who's only really known him for a few weeks, but she thinks she's right. trini only glares at her in response, but it's just for show, not out of genuine annoyance.

the question makes her uncomfortable, because she's spent most of her time trying not to think about what happened with rita at all. it's not just the attack that bothers her, but the complete invasion of privacy— her room was her only escape in this house, the only place where she felt like she could breathe, but rita tainted that, too, making her feel unsafe, watched. that, and some of the things she said to her still linger in her mind, no matter how hard she tries to tell herself rita was only trying to get in her head. “ she's the one who got bitch slapped into space, not me, ” she shrugs, avoiding the actual question, trying to maintain her usual stoic composure, like nothing could touch her.

kim's suggestion catches her off guard, panic briefly flickering across her face, but it only lasts for half a second before she gets a hold of herself, jaw clenching. they're friends, she reminds herself. that's what friends do. trini just has to ignore the fluttering feeling in her chest she gets whenever kimberly is around, to shove that all down— she can't like her, not like that. “ do people even have sleepovers past middle school? ” it's half invading the suggestion, half genuine, because trini wouldn't know— she's not used to having friends.

kim's amused by the insult,  a smile instantly forming over her features as she lets out a small laugh.   "probably.   she totally gives off the same fake smile,"    she mutters,  matching trini's tone—    not because she thinks her mother might hear,  but clearly,  it's what trini's most comfortable with,  and she doesn't want to cause any other anxiety for her.   she frowns at the mention of rita,  something she's been dying to ask trini about,  though  she's still trying to figure out if that's actually something she wants to discuss.   she hesitates,  instead focusing back on the drawing,   her smile growing again.   "I didn't really think of you as someone who would hype yourself up that much, anyway,"   she teases,  face scrunching up for a moment as she pretends to think it over.  "but zack, maybe,"  she teases,   features softening after a moment.   "it's cute.  even if inaccurate,"   she adds,  glancing back to trini with a smile,  showing her she's only teasing.  

her tongue clicks against the roof of her mouth as she tries to brace herself to ask,  eyes glancing around the room momentarily again before she finally  goes on.   "hey, are you okay?  I mean—  like, with all of that,"   she says,  nodding back to the wall.  "we never really talked about it,"   she says,  as if it's something they've always done,  as if this friendship isn't still new to them.   "because if sleeping in here is ever,  I don't know,  hard—    you can always stay with me,"   she offers,  words spoken quickly,  not allowing herself room to chicken out.

[sabortooths]

“ i'm sure she was also the school bitch a hundred years ago, ” she mumbles under her breath, far too quiet for her mother to possibly hear, but she's tense about it nonetheless, like she's going to get called out for the insult. trini dumps her bag onto her bed, glancing over at the wall as if she'd forgotten all about it. “ had to do something about the me-shaped hole in the wall rita left. ” she has to resist the urge to touch the scars left on her neck, scowling down at her bag instead, fishing her biology book out of it. “ my brothers helped. clearly. ” she nods toward the painting of the power rangers in the corner of the wall, a small smile starting to spread across her lips now that the annoyance of being around her mother is starting to finally fade. “ at least they seem to think i'm the same height as the rest of you. ”

she doesn’t know much about trini’s family,  but she knows enough to know that her mother wasn’t exactly mom-of-the-year.   she tried to be polite,  answer as many question as she could— but she’s just as relieved to be alone with trini now.   “it’s cool,”   she says, shrugging her shoulders.  “she does kind of give amanda clark a run for her money, though.”  an attempted joke,  corner of her lip hinting at a smile— but it fades seconds later,  because as much as she wants to be petty,  she knows that amanda’s not wrong for hating her in the first place.   she doesn’t want to dwell,  finding it obvious enough that she’s not trini’s favorite subject anyway,  so her eyes start to wander around her room as she tries to understand who trini really is—  but they land on the wall that looks to be freshly painted.  “what… a little home improvement?”