Chapter Text
“And again, I’m so sorry about two weeks ago. One of the pipes burst and I just couldn’t reroute myself in time, I promise next time, now I know what can happen—”
Celia raised a hand. “River, it is entirely fine. If I believed you had intentionally been at fault for mine and Abel’s, ah, state, then we would be having an entirely different conversation. Namely, one two weeks ago, back when it happened. Have… you been worrying I was going to reprimand you for this long?”
River flushed, raising a hand to cup her own purple cheek. “I… I mean, yes. I knew I did something wrong, but you know. It’s quite hard to judge these things when you, yourself are in quite a state of flow.”
River had a funny way of filling the room with her emotions, much like water trickling into a cup or bathtub. Bubbles began to form, foaming up around her neck and shoulders in her nerves. In her own body, Celia felt that curious popping up around her own neck, along with a seasick-like anxiety swirling in her stomach. There was something curious about how concepts and objects differed – where Celia could sit comfortably and proudly in front of Abel or Daisuke or even Luke, being around beings like River introduced an entirely new feeling. Something about them affected every molecule, the vibrations of each object attuning to them in ways yet undocumented. Perhaps something Skylar could explain, if she found the time.
But Celia took in a deep breath, quelling that washy feeling in her stomach and dismissing all analytical thoughts from her mind. Her focus should be on River herself. “I understand completely, my dear. I do apologise for not addressing it sooner – but I digress. Ignoring the incident with the pipes, how have you been?”
Her stomach seemed to settle as River smiled, clasping her hands in her lap with a soft splash. “Amazing! I mean, honestly? Like... the best I’ve ever been.”
Well, that was a surprise. Meetings with River were normally a case of twisting the spout until the droplets eeked out, not a willing deluge of information. Celia set her pen down, content to ignore notes in favour of just listening. “That’s lovely to hear.”
River nodded eagerly, sighing happily. “I’ve just felt so much more… happy in who I am! Whoever I am. You, uh… you know I asked you a while ago what state you preferred me in?”
Indeed, it had played on her mind for the entire week afterwards. “I do.”
“Well… I don’t care anymore!” River laughed cheekily, the purple trailing down her collarbone and down to the neckline of her dress to betray her apparent carefree nature, although not enough to diminish the glow in her smile. “I do care. I mean, enough to not want people to hate me. But… I’m me! And… and I’ve been really happy about that lately. Whether I’ve been freezing ice-pops or washing crumbs off plates or fogging up Amir. It’s all in me!”
Celia was familiar with the works of Aqua Khan, although not comfortable enough to start reciting lyrics in front of an evident fan. “I see. Well, I am glad you’ve come to terms with… ah, yourself? Forgive me for not fully understanding.”
River deflated slightly, the raft Celia felt herself metaphorically standing on cresting down the wave and onto smoother waters. “It’s… yeah. I guess it’s a little hard to describe to someone who doesn’t get it.”
“I am still interested in hearing about it though.” Celia smiled. “Tell me what you’ve been up to this week. Anything at all, anything that was prompted by this revelation.”
The flush reappeared over River’s cheeks, disappeared, came back along with a softly bitten lip, and faded again. “Well… I’ve started talking to more people. I was so used to being what people needed that I forgot how to be… well, me! So, when I accidentally got on one of Barry’s face-cream tubes, I decided to say hello! And Barry said hello back, and it turns out he’s really interesting. I fogged up the bathroom mirror and we were drawing on it for hours, just seeing what we could do with fog and pressure.”
Ah, yes, Celia now vaguely remembered that coming up in Amir’s latest complaint. But she smiled through it. “I’m glad… and yes, I can absolutely see you and Barry becoming fast friends.”
River sat up even straighter, even more energetic. “I can see it too! I think the things he just knows off the top of his head are… I mean, amazing! I can barely even remember who I was yesterday, let alone the names of thirty different glitter eyeshadows.” She then frowned a little, twisting her hands together. “But… I worry about him, just a little bit. I think… can I say this?”
There was a worry in her voice, carried along in the current like a piece of debris. Celia leaned forwards, picking up her pen once more. “Of course, anything you say is strictly confidential.”
With a quick, satisfied nod, River spoke once more. “I… I think he’s quite lonely. Which is such a shame, because… well, he’s lovely.”
Celia sat back. Truth be told, she could see the similarities in both Barry and River. Both the need for connection and the loneliness they both held, entwined with both of their beings in a way that she could never quite address as a mayor. No, they needed friends, and she would always have to be behind that veneer.
So, Celia nodded in approval. “He could do with someone like you.”
River raised and then lowered her eyebrows like ripples on the surface. “Someone like… me?”
Bless her. “Yes. Someone who is coming into themselves – he himself can be quite… nervous about how he comes across. This is not an official request, but…” Celia paused, working the words across her tongue and teeth before saying them. “But I would encourage your friendship. You both could be good for the other. In terms of finding an honest, valuable friendship, in being objects and concepts close to each other, and in learning how to be yourselves.”
River’s smile was like the sunlight speckling, dappled and sparkling over a shivering pond. She nodded. “I can do that. I can absolutely do that! I’d… I’d love to do that. Talk to him – talk to everyone! – and stop them from… from being as lonely as I had made myself.”
Celia felt a stab in her chest that was distinctly unwater-like. She swallowed back the rush of emotion at her throat, replacing it with a small, clear smile. “I think that is a very worthy endeavour. Much like, I am assuming, someone did for you?”
And she was purple again. “I—well, I—I don’t think I’m ready to—talk about—”
Celia raised a hand. “And I apologise for bringing it up. How unprofessional of me.”
She did not feel very apologetic. But River nodded at the apology and the meeting soon wrapped up, the waters settling down and Celia feeling a lot better about the plumbing in the house.