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[manscruff]

I suppose it will become tradition for Anatole to follow each disaster with a celebration. [ he's not one to judge. he is from 15th century italy. poorly timed parties are not unheard of. a slight pause. you can almost hear the wry smile in his voice. ] Madonna, your little shadow is having trouble deciding whose feet to follow.

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video;

[thenobledie]

Is that so?

video;

[manscruff]

Davvero. Would you like her returned?

[ because annalee totally wandered away from the clinic because she thought she saw ezio? ]

video;

[thenobledie]

[SPEAK ENGLISH. look, there is even the slightest furrow of her brows at the newest foreign word.]

If she troubles you.

[...child.]

video;

[manscruff]

Not at all. [ you can actually hear annalee in the background... "Ezi, Ezi, they have sweets!" ] However.... I have my patrol shift in an hour.

video;

[thenobledie]

[sdkfjs ezi. yeah, she is smiling more genuinely.]

Bring her to the clinic, then.

video;

[manscruff]

I shall.

[ as he begins to close the feed, you hear, "Are you a knight today, Ezi? Where is your horse? All the knights in the stories have horses!" and he smiles amicably. guess he's in his patrol equipment already. you know, sword and armor and all... ]

action;

[thenobledie]

[shirley chuckles, the slightest noise, as she switches her forge off. if there is a sure sign the city is recovering, it's that annalee is herself again: energetic and imaginative. the memory of a girl, crying and clinging to her, is not one shirley wants to see again. (but she knows well enough.)

her day is slow, at the moment, and she's sitting next to a man who lays in a clinic bed. one of the chronic patients that shirley has made a habit of checking often enough. by the time ezio arrives, the book she had been reading is balanced on her knee, as she listens to a younger woman finish updating her about other patients.]

action;

[manscruff]

[ annalee is there first, bouncing on the balls of her feet with barely restrained excitement-- he'd told her to try and keep quiet-- as ezio follows a short way behind, boots quiet. there's a flower in her pocket, along with a smooth stone and a little white feather, treasures which she is eager to share. she may or may not have gotten one of the sweets you overheard her telling ezio about... ]

[thenobledie]

[ezio, you don't give already energetic little girls sugar. it's a headache for her foster milf, who does not feel like taking her to the park or some other place today. (the noise outside gives her terrible headaches, and the clinic is quiet again; she'd like to hold onto to that for a while.)

still, shirley is uncrossing her legs and leaning forward to listen to her, chin balanced on her knuckles. the other woman dismisses herself, but not without annalee greeting her excitedly.]

[manscruff]

[ he can't help it, foster dilf likes to spoil her... it wasn't much anyway! just a sticky bun thing....

shirley gets a special greeting, a little "Salve!" and a bow, obviously trying to copy ezio, who only half hides a smile as he gives a half-bow himself. italians are contagious, you know! spend enough time around them, and you'll start picking up their habits. ]

Buongiorno.

[ that gets him a confused stare from annalee. he gives her a mild look in return. ]

[thenobledie]

[you know that slight brow furrow she made earlier? it isn't so slight now, but unlike annalee, she catches the meaning. ...after a pause. SPEAK ENGLISH. because for some reason, it doesn't occur to her to ask what he is saying.]

Good morning. [and then, she looks to annalee.] Did you manage a dessert for breakfast?

[oh, that's a laugh and "sì," before explaining this sticky bun thing...]

[manscruff]

[ satisfied and almost running late, he turns to leave, but the littlest shadow has other plans!

"You should take Ezi to the mask party!"

that halts his exit. certainly, he'd answered questions about the flyers, told her he was not planning on going; no one to escort, something vague like that while purchasing her sweet and his own breakfast. this is clearly a plan of her own. annalee, piccina, why are you so infuriatingly cute... ]

[thenobledie]

[...oh. shirley pauses, tilting her head the slightest. she doesn't have plans on going, but she hasn't ruled it out yet, either; she certainly has enough admirers and knows well enough it's a matter of time before she's asked.]

Me? Why not take him yourself?

["because!" which is totally not a reason and she doesn't really pretend it is, either. annalee, why are you playing match maker?]

Because. [she feigns thinking about this. "he could be your knight!"]

Quite a convincing argument.

[manscruff]

Ehi, am I not getting a say in the matter, piccina?

[ he only gets hushed in return, but that's okay, because he thinks this sudden turn of events is... kind of hilarious? ]

[thenobledie]

Certainly, you should!

[and it's almost laughed out, as annalee waves her hands and says something about "knight ezi and lady shirley, they'll become the king and queen!"]

[manscruff]

I suspect someone would like to crown herself principessa.

[ this might be the most hilarious thing he's heard his entire time here... and of course annalee can figure out that cognate. ]