[Potential 3. Insecure]

Dancing gingerly here. Such careful mental gymnastics. At least Anathet was a little more prepared here, more focused than last time and now entirely focused on Tia. 

[You mean the gods? Like Shamash? That's who I'm here to learn about, we need to find out about them, what they want for our world]

[i]They met right where Anathet said they should. She'd been fifteen minutes early and staring about trying to look cool and not fretful, but doing a terrible job of it by constantly glancing around the market so she didn't miss the bouncer she was supposed to meet. She hadn't been on a date like, ever, and her dreams were a mix of childhood habits (hence the fretful looking about like a schoolgirl waiting to get picked up), old reading material, Zhianku romance (which involved some very risque aura mixing), and whatever her teenage mind had made up out of desperation. She still hadn't seen the bouncer, who she learned was Oumou until she was nearly on top of her. She'd almost jumped out of her robes at the sight.[/i]

[Tia, what do you...what do you think being friends means? Does it just mean keeping me safe no matter what? I know I'm small, but I want to do stuff too, not just stay hidden!]

[i]She'd tried to settle herself in. Oumou was mysterious, but her aura didn't have any anger in it, or even much fear. Curiosity, some intrigue, some sense of trying to hold herself in check, but nothing risky. That had calmed Anathet down a lot, she had been worried she'd somehow blow it in the first ten seconds. Instead she'd said hi, tried to smile beneath her veil in that way that made her eyes sparkle. Unconsciously fixed her wide hat. After the greetings, Oumou had taken her by the hand! She had blushed so hard but tried not to say anything. She wasn't sure if Oumou just thought she was small and needed to be led, or if it was a romantic gesture, or something kind of chivalrous and protective in the market for a friend. She didn't really want to know, it was much better not knowing.[/i]

The belated sense of gratitude. [Thank you, for trying to protect me. That's important too, I really do appreciate it. Maybe, tell me how I can keep myself safe, how to stay hidden from the gods. Do they...um...are they like you? Like, where they get their powers? No, wait, you're related to the djinn, they're doing something different, right?]

[i]The fried tofu was delicious. Anathet really liked that kind of fair, and getting to eat was the one time where you didn't have to worry too much about keeping everything around your face in perfect order. Food needed to be snuck beneath the veil, but the motion didn't have to be absolutely perfect, so that was something. The shop smelled good too, and the small wooden seats were firm and let Anathet's feet touch the floor. Oh, gods, had Oumou chosen it so Anathet could sit straight that way? No, no way, she had definitely picked it for the food, this was just a coincidence. Why was she blushing again?! 

A-anyway, she'd asked Oumou about work, avoided the topic of family since she hadn't wanted to share about her own mom. Everybody knew not to ask too much about family since the invasion, there was always the risk someone had crossed the Annunaki the wrong way. They'd talked a little about food, Anathet had shared how the Zhianku learned about other cultures, watching her aura when she ate and adjusting for sweetness and spice. She'd noticed Oumou liked her tofu with chili and had added some more to her own to match.[/i]

[I need to hide my friends too. The others I was with in the library. And Oumou, she's a friend too, we just met. It's okay to have more than one friend, maybe you could meet them too? Marianne was...I think she wanted to meet you before, she seemed a bit disappointed when you left at the library.]

[i]Oumou was just a friend, right? They'd parted ways with a little sort of handshake but handhold kind of thing. Nothing tender in public even in the lower city, it might get reported. But, why did Anathet keep picturing that low rumbling laugh as Oumou moved closer and closer to her. Why did she keep imagining a hand around her shoulders pulling her close, her robes brushing up against Oumou's utilitarian pants. Why couldn't she stop blushing?![/i]

[Pierce the mask: 5+1-1=5. Now at 4 potential]