So first off, not digging for sympathy so no reason to offer platitudes and the like, I'm just stating this as an explanation.

My favorite aunt died, like an hour ago, my mom is falling apart, my drunk of a father is no where to be seen, likely at a bar, and I just needed something amusing to keep me focused for what is turning out to be a very long week. Yes, I punched this out in a half hour, but I did the best I could to focus on the whimsy of my aunt's sense of humor in this thousand words, if you don't like it, well, your lose.

Taylor was not in a good mood when school let out, namely because she knew for a fact no matter what she was going to get an earful about last night's poorly thought out misadventure from her dad and Hannah when she got home if what her friends were saying was being plastered across PHO was true, and that was just…so goddamn unfair.

Not that she had ever been delusional enough to even contemplate, much less take for granted that there was anything resembling 'fairness' in this life.

If there had been her mom would still be alive, Nazis being the most reasonable alternative to the legitimate government wouldn't be a fucking thing, and Lord's Port would be a thriving commercial hub rather than a rotting ship graveyard.

So even though she was rather self-assured that she had in fact been in the right to intervene on the Undersiders behalf when Lung had completely and utterly lost his shit at the docks the night before, well…

"Stop moping."

Taylor grinned, and then glanced towards one of the few people who actually got her in this life while simultaneously forcing herself not to let out a tired sigh.

Amy was…a gift. Seriously she understood the expectations that were dropped on her shoulders, knew that no matter what she did they were unobtainable, and never condemned her for her lapses in judgment.

Honestly, Taylor didn't think she deserved the young woman as a friend.

"I'm not moping it's just that… Well…"

Amy rolled her eyes as she drawled out, "You've been lurking on PHO every moment you can get an outside internet connection and you are quite aware of the fact that there is no hiding what you got up to last night and thus are freaking out because you know you're getting grounded for taking on Lung."

Taylor scowled a moment and remained silent for a time before muttering, "I should not have taken that selfie with Armsmaster…"

Amy scoffed, sighed, and then hugged Taylor before letting her go, "No, you really should not have, but it's in the past. Look I have to get going to the hospital, see you tomorrow?"

Taylor sighed and nodded as she turned towards the bus stop, her fingers lingering on Amy's as she broke their embrace while muttering, "Yeah, alright… Be safe, please."

"Always," Amy whispered as she turned away from the only true friend she had ever managed to make on her own while being silently thankful for the fact that Vicky wasn't around to air express her to her destination, she needed the time to think.

Amy huffed and muttered, "Hormones suck…" as she lost sight of her friend walking away into the distance.

The walk to her bus stop and following ride had been boring, the walk to her house more so, and when she got home Taylor managed to hop and skip across the walkway and the poorly repaired porch steps easily avoiding the booby traps Hannah had set up for any fool dumb enough to tail her.

Taylor grinned at that thought while shaking her head slowly, sometimes your dad dating your childhood idol whose super power was guns caused weird shit to be a rather constant background thing you had to accommodate for.

Life was fucking awesome/weird like that.

Ditching her bag at the door Taylor plopped down on the couch, turned the TV on, and then promptly proceeded to ignore what the talking head on the screen had to say while dozing off. A bit later she faintly noticed the front door opening, and after a tense moment did not bother to track the intruder in her sanctum of solitude once her bugs, pardon, SWARM OF DOOM, got sight of them and remained silent as they passed her and entered the kitchen.

Trying to remain in something resembling a Zen state Taylor cracked an eye open when a weight landed next to her head on the couch and the scent of lunch meat and lavender wafted her way. Tilting her head slightly she noticed a pair of plates bearing sandwiches landing on the table before her with a brief clatter, turkey and mayo, no cheese, she had to go shopping again it would seem.

Sighing she tilted her gaze upwards to view the intruder in her sanctum of solitude as they laconically chewed on the bite of sandwich in their mouth before swallowing it while very obviously doing their best to remain calm.

"So," the redhead in the Imaculata school uniform drawled out, "Lung huh?"

Taylor groaned as she shifted her glasses up and threw her arm over her eyes while muttering, "Et tu Emma?"

Her childhood best friend poked her forehead a moment causing Taylor to wince as she drawled out, "Yes, now, seriously hero, Lung? What the fuck?"

Taylor blindly reached out for the sandwich Emma had made for her, and once her friend had properly guided her hand to retrieve the white bread clad bounty took a large bite out of it to dragging on her part in the conversation via chewing slowly.

It was childish, yes.

"Stop stalling."

All while proving ineffective...

Taylor didn't pout, but it was a close thing.

Swallowing her mouthful of bread and turkey Taylor dropped her head into Emma's lap and quickly stated, "Ok, I was minding my own business wh-"

"Bullshit," Emma interrupted.

"I was!"

"Right, what happened whilst you were minding your own business?"

Taking another bite of her sandwich Taylor eventually cleared her throat and continued with, "Well I was patrolling the docks and my bugs overheard Lung talking about killing some kids, one thing led to another and I ended up in a running fight with a rage dragon and it sorta kinda all sorts of sucked. I won though! That counts, right?

Emma was quiet for a few moments before letting out a tired sigh, "Was there a cute girl involved?"

Taylor scoffed, "I don't see what that has to do with anything."

Emma dropped her head to let it rest on the back of the couch while muttering, "OK not cute, hot, Christ. OK what happened next?"

Taylor pouted, and then sighed as she began her explanation; honestly having friends who understood and anticipated your thought processes was just…tiresome...and amusing.

"OK on a scale from one to ten, her ass? Totes a twelve."

"Of course," Emma stated while rolling her eyes, "and at what point did that orphanage catch on fire?"

Taylor blinked in honest confusion while muttering out, "What orphanage?"

"Goddamnit Taylor..."