[hr][hr][center][b][i][h2][color=#DDA0DD]Annie[/color] & [color=f26522]Avery[/color][/h2][/i][/b][/center][hr][hr]
Antoinette sat on the stool with her legs crisscrossed, paper scattered around her with various sketches on them. After things had settled from their trip in space, Antoinette approached Avery about doing some artwork for their DnD campaign. It was something she had been thinking about for a long time, but as usual in the mansion, her attention had been required elsewhere. However, she was doing well in training with Guin and decided she wanted to do something fun now that Avery was back. 

[color=#DDA0DD]"What do you think, Arnold? Too angry?"[/color] She held up a sketch of a dragon with their wings out-stretched in mid-flight and a snarl on their face. The tribble merely purred on the table in contentment, surrounded by all the sketches. 

Avery hesitated slightly at the threshold, knocking twice on the door frame. Things had been different since they'd returned from space - well, [i]they'd[/i] been different. They had a new name, new pronouns, and their mind was expanding to the possibilities that life could offer them. Their body had been different for a while, but it was like they had finally come into it, had finally claimed ownership over it. [color=f26522]"Hey,"[/color] they said with a slight smile. 

Antoinette glanced up from her drawing and beamed when she saw Avery. [color=#DDA0DD]"Hey! I hope you don't mind I got started without you. Well, to be honest, I've been working on some of these for a while."[/color] Antoinette pulled some of the drawings closer and patted an empty stool for Avery if they wanted it.

[color=f26522]"Oh!"[/color] Avery blushed slightly - had they been keeping Annie waiting for a while? [color=f26522]"That's totally fine, can I see?"[/color] they then asked, sitting down next to Annie on the stool. They pulled their sketchpad out and put it down in front of them - they'd been doing a lot of digital art lately, but today, they wanted to do something in a different medium, go a little more old-school with it. They had a few ideas of things that they wanted to draw - there was a temple that the campaign would be heading to pretty shortly, so if they could have some visuals of that, that'd be awesome. But they also just wanted to draw a simple group scene, just the party at camp under the stars. 

[color=#DDA0DD]"Of course,"[/color] Antoinette laid out several pieces of paper she had pulled from her sketchbook and laid them out for Avery to peruse. Antoinette had one of her goblin character. They sported leather attire, with a club and mace for weapons, vivid purple hair, and brilliant yellow eyes. Another was of a magician, heavily inspired by Max, and another was a druid with vines like Mary's intertwined behind them. 

And there were two other pieces of paper depicting Avery. The first one was an older drawing. The date in the bottom right corner declared this drawing was made a month before Avery had left. They sported more masculine features, with their blond hair swooping to the right. Their eyes were downcast, paying no attention to the dice they had just tossed up into the air, a smirk playing with the corner of their lips. The detailing on the dice was precise, with the numbers easily read. Antoinette had drawn them in a three-piece suit, grey, with a white long-sleeved shirt, a few buttons undone to reveal the top of their chest, and they wore a long, dark blue cloak with gold accompaniments. Beside it, though was a rough, new sketch Antoinette had been working on when Avery first joined her.

A softer-looking human with no distinctive gender features looked directly at the viewer, despite their back being turned. Blonde bangs covered their forehead, some loose strands framing their face, with the rest pulled back into a short, messy, high pony. The hair looked as if it were chaotic and unruly if left unattended. Their right foot rested pointed, toes on the ground behind their left ankle --- in front of the viewer. Their right hand was raised beside their head, tossing dice down behind them towards the open, left hand by their side. There were numbers on these dice as well, but that wasn't the only thing. Each die sported a symbol instead of the number one. There was a music note on one, a wand on another, a snowflake, a candle... They were a deep purple colour with silver sparks inside and around, almost like the night sky. 

[color=#DDA0DD]"I was going to try and see if I could get those commissioned,"[/color] Antoinette pointed to the dice as she spoke. [color=#DDA0DD]"Should be easy to do. Do you think Professor X would get us a 3D printer? We could make them in-house."[/color]

They were speechless as they took in the drawings - they were all incredible, beautifully done with amazing detail. But it wasn't the drawing of the player characters that took Avery's breath away. It was the drawings Annie had done of themself. They saw the person they had once been - their old body, before things had changed - before that spell had gone awry and altered their features. An old body with an old name. It was them but at the same time, it wasn't. And as their gaze changed to the new one, the one depicting their current self, tears pooled in their eyes. It was perfect. It was them. [color=f26522]"Annie..."[/color] Avery's voice cracked. 

They tried to say something - to communicate to her how much this meant to them, how thoughtful and amazing she was, but words failed them. So instead, they slowly put their arms around her, giving her the space to say no, and pulled her into a hug as they cried softly into her hair. 

Antoinette was worried when they didn't say anything right away. She usually didn't mind if people didn't like her art. That was what art was. It evoked conversation, good or bad it didn't matter. But when Avery took a while to speak up and when their voice cracked, Antoinette worried she had crossed a line with them. Avery leaned in and tentatively hugged Antoinette until she returned the hug and then Avery started to cry.

Antoinette shut her eyes and held Avery close. Antoinette had been giving Avery some space to figure out their new space and what it all meant to them, she didn't know everything they were going through but that didn't matter. Antoinette would always be their friend, no matter who, what, or where they were.

[color=#DDA0DD]"I'm proud of you,"[/color] Antoinette whispered.

[color=f26522]"Thank you,"[/color] they replied, relaxing slightly into Annie's hold, before melting entirely. [color=f26522]"You're an incredible friend, Annie... Like a sister to me or... You've always been there, even when I'm... Sorry, I'm bad at explaining this - I just - I couldn't be [i]me[/i] without [i]you.[/i]"[/color]

Antoinette held them a moment longer before releasing them. She smiled at them, understanding clear in her eyes. [color=#DDA0DD]"I feel the same. I felt a little adrift in the mansion until you invited me to that DnD game. After that, I really connected with people. It was hard when you left, and Carolina... But I had more faith in myself. Guin has really helped me hone my powers, too. You gave me a family, Avery. I'll always love you for that, and I'll support you in any way I can, forever."[/color]

Avery took a step back once the hug finished, but there was a soft, tired but happy, smile on their face. [color=f26522]"I'll always love you two, Annie. I promise."[/color]