[hr][hr][center][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019bd984-45c2-76ae-a371-8394f5d01aef.webp[/img][/center][hr][hr] Andy was in fact getting a little stir crazy. She had gone on a multi-universe photo spree with America, Danni and Eli. In general though, living in New Orleans meant she didn’t have as much time with most of the others as she would have liked. She had gone Christmas shopping with Sabine and Leah. Percy and Dorian had come over for Hanukkah. But this winter break was long. She decided to see if any of the Kingston-Grey household was available to hang out. A part of her hoped it would be April. The two hadn’t really talked... ever. Even though they had been on the same starting team Andy felt like she barely knew April. Dorian and Danni were fantastic and if she wanted to be swept into the riptide that was their friendship that’d be fine to hang out with them. Andy knocked on the door, and told the door knocker who she was and looking for. She sent a text to Gideon. [hider=@Gideon][color=b71d5d]”Going to hang out with one (or more) of the K-G’s today, if you don’t hear from me in twelve hours send a rescue party lol”[/color][/hider] Andy received a reply a fraction of a second later - [hider=@Andy]10/4 my mistress of darkness[/hider] Similarly, April was also starting to suffer from a bad case of cabin fever. She’d been grounded for all of winter break - an incredibly lenient grounding that let her go where she wished in New Orleans, but still a grounding. And as much as she loved her family and spending time with them, she was starting to feel a little twitchy and ready for a bit of a change of pace. She hadn’t yet come up with a plan for what she wanted to do, however, when the door knocker informed her that [i]Andy[/i] was here to see [i]her[/i]. She couldn’t help but be surprised. She’d thought for a second that it might have been a mistake, that Andy was there to see one of the dads - or maybe Dorian. She made her way to the front door and opened it up, more than a little bit intrigued. Maybe Andy had left something here and didn’t think anyone else was home? Maybe Nimue had sent a cryptic message to the other members of the Huntresses and April just hadn’t received it yet, and Andy wanted to talk about it? [color=42A9FF]“Hi, Andy!”[/color] April greeted, a large smile on her face as she opened the door. [color=42A9FF]“What’s up - did you need something?”[/color] The smile was more genuine than any she’d given during the school year, but it wasn’t the only aspect of her appearance that had changed. [url=https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/01989665-11e8-757f-a060-eefc99d51425.webp]Her hair[/url] had been cut short and styled into a mohawk. She wore [url=https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019b820e-2981-761d-8140-f4e636392368.webp]a brown overcoat, cropped button up shirt, and baggy white pants[/url]. [color=b71d5d]”Nice hair, very punk rock of you,.”[/color] Andy complimented April. [color=b71d5d]”So, I was getting a little stir crazy and thought that, well, we don’t really hang out much. I’d like to get to know you better. I thought maybe you’d be down to go do something. I have no idea what. I just want to get out of the house.”[/color] April’s face flushed. [color=42A9FF]“Really? You like it? Thanks!! Danni did it, actually! Well, the dads fixed it up a bit later, but not too much!”[/color] She ran a hand through her hair. She loved doing that lately, even if it messed up with the product a little bit. There was just something so satisfying about how short it was now, and every time she caught a glance in the mirror, she couldn’t help but squeal a bit in delight. [color=42A9FF]“I’m so down!”[/color] She stepped out of the house, shut the door behind her, and shot off a quick text in the family group chat that she was hanging out with Andy. [color=42A9FF]“I was feeling antsy too, tbh, so this is iconic timing. Have you been to the Riverwalk Outlets? It’s got a sick view, some fun shopping options - very much your classic mall sort of vibes. And it’s not too far from here, we can walk - oooh or have you ever been to Jackson Square? They’ve got the absolute coolest art there - maybe we’ll go on our way back, if I don’t get to see the water I am going to [i]sc-reaaaam[/i]. So how’ve you been? Besides being bored?”[/color] [color=b71d5d]”Really and truly. It looks awesome. Do you think you’ll dye it? Or just leave it blonde? I think you could rock purple hair, or blue. As for Riverwalk and Jackson Square, I haven’t been to either. That sounds perfect, honestly. I just need some fresh air so some shopping and sight seeing sounds like a great idea.”[/color] Andy started walking, mostly letting April lead the way since she didn’t know exactly where they were going. She hadn’t explored the city as much as she would have liked. [color=b71d5d]”I’ve gotten to do a few things this break. It has been fun, but I didn’t realize how long the break was. Going back to school in mid January is wild. I remember we used to go back to school on like the first Monday after the New Year. I know we’re going back soon, but it still feels like it has been ages. I kind of miss it.”[/color] [color=42A9FF]“I don’t know, I haven’t thought about dying it - I’ve been kind of…”[/color] She paused, biting her lip for a moment. She’d only really told family members so far. But she knew that she’d need to tell everyone at school eventually - her current plan was to text in the group chat on the first day back, giving her a little more time to figure things out before announcing [i]hello, I am this thing now![/i]. [color=42A9FF]“...having a bit of a gender moment,”[/color] she settled on. [color=42A9FF]“Been trying a bunch of stuff out, so I might try adding some color! I think some blue streaks could be fun, or maybe the tips? Have you ever dyed your hair? You’d probs have to bleach it first, right?”[/color] She nodded, leading the two of them through the streets of the quarter. It was maybe a twenty minute walk at most from their block to the Riverwalk. [color=42A9FF]“Yeah, it’s definitely wild - but after the contest and everything, I was dying for a break,”[/color] she giggled. [color=42A9FF]“Is it school you miss or just Gideon and America?”[/color] she then teased, her tongue sticking out slightly between her teeth as she grinned. [color=42A9FF]“Do you drink coffee, btw? I assume you do. We can get some at the Riverwalk, or I can show you the best spot right by home for when you need a pick me up.”[/color] [color=b71d5d]”Well if you want to try different pronouns or names today let me know and I can use them for you to test.”[/color] Andy smiled brightly. [color=b71d5d]”Fun fact this is dyed. I'm naturally a dark blonde. I don't like it so I dye it black. Happy to help if you want to test any colors. There are temp dyes you could try. Those wash out after a few washings. Or if you want something natural looking henna is the go to. I just always use cheap box dye though cause it was easy to get ahold of. I understand needing a bit of a break. Everything was very overwhelming. And yes I miss America and Gideon.”[/color] She stuck her tongue out back at April. [color=b71d5d]”We've been texting, but not the same. I have gotten to see them a bit at least. Ohh coffee I'm addicted. My biggest vice. I made a thermos that is everfilling so I always have some hot and fresh on hand. Please show me the best spots. I haven't gotten to explore New Orleans as much as I would like so it'll be nice to have a local help me out. I know you're adopted but I don't know how long you've lived here.”[/color] April gasped. [color=42A9FF]“It’s dyed?? It looks so good! I don’t think I’ve ever seen you with roots either, I had no idea! How long have you been dying it black for? Is the cheap dye bad for your hair? I know I’ve heard horror stories about hair falling out and stuff - if you want nicer dye, I’m sure Pa could get it for you - he gets a lot of stuff for Erik,”[/color] she then opened the door to the neighborhood coffee shop, stepping aside to allow Andy to go in first. It was tiny and cramped, with fresh pastries in the glass display, and a small crew of baristas behind the counter. It didn’t look like much, but every seat was taken, and the line was half a dozen people deep. [color=42A9FF]“I think temp dye could be really fun! Less commitment, y’know. Oh and hmm. I don’t know yet about names, I think April is fine for now but I might want to try on some other options in the future - I thought about maybe going by my old middle name, Rain - or Rainie could be cute? But I’m not sure. Pronouns… is it weird that it’s still kind of scary to think about? But… if you wanted to try she/they, I think that’s an okay place to start!”[/color] [color=b71d5d]”The roots come through often. But because it is a dark enough blonde to almost be brown most people don't notice. It's like this dirty dishwasher blonde. The dye probably does do damage. But I haven't noticed it yet. I've been dying it for years. We can totally find some temp stuff while we are out today. And I can help you with it.”[/color] Andy glanced around the place taking it in before she moved toward the end of the line. She looked at what people were eating and tried to see what looked the best. She'd grab a pastry and some hot mocha or a Cafe Borgia if they had it. [color=b71d5d]”Ooh I like Rainie. That's a fun name. Nice and neutral too, but evokes you in a pleasant way. What do you want to order? I'm thinking one of those fritters and a mocha.”[/color] Andy had an idea. She needed to know what April wanted so she could order and say ‘they want x.’ It'd give April a taste of the pronoun. She remembered an old way for new Trans people to test a name too and that was to order drinks under the name they were testing out. This was the perfect opportunity. Mentally, April added into their itinerary that they needed to hit up a drug store for some hair dye. It’d be fun to play around with some if nothing else, and if she hated it, it was only temporary. Plus, she trusted her brother would be able to fix it if anything really bad happened. [color=42A9FF]“That sounds really fun!! Do you wanna spend the night? Make it into a sleepover sort of vibe?”[/color] she suggested. She was having a lot of fun so far talking with Andy and she was more than happy to keep the vibes going. [color=42A9FF]“Aww, thanks! I think part of it is like - I’ve always been April, so it would feel a little weird trying out another name. I’ve asked my dads to send me suggestions if they have any, they named my brothers but I was eight when they adopted me, so,”[/color] she shrugged slightly, before eyeing the case and deciding what she wanted. [color=42A9FF]“Hmm. Probs a white chocolate peppermint mocha - I’m a little basic sometimes - and ooo… those molasses cookies look really good, too.”[/color] It was winter and it just felt [i]right[/i]. [color=42A9FF]“You’ll love the fritters, they’re so good here. Literally to die for.”[/color] [color=b71d5d]”Sure!”[/color] Andy accepted the invitation to sleep over. She had, of course, slept over during the Contest. It hadn’t been necessary, but it had been fun. She liked the idea of being there again. It felt like home. [color=b71d5d]”I understand the hesitance.”[/color] Andy paused for a moment considering. [color=b71d5d]”When I was little I wasn’t sure if Andy was my name. I was found so little and I didn’t talk much so I didn’t even know how they knew that it was my name. I got a fake ID at one point with the name Andrea on it. The name was close enough to Andy to be easy to claim it as a nickname, that was sort of the point, but it felt weird. Like a jacket that didn’t fit. I only used it a couple of times to get into a club in Rochester. I still have it, though it is very expired now. I don’t know how I got away with it at the time I was like 14, 15. How someone thought I was over 18 is beyond me.”[/color] She shook her head laughing a little. [color=b71d5d]”Molasses cookies are amazing. Also, not basic. Think about it. If you took that drink back to the 1400’s the peasants would accuse you of witchcraft.”[/color] April’s heart fell slightly as Andy told her her story. [color=42A9FF]“Do you like being Andy?”[/color] she asked. The line was beginning to clear - they’d be up next to place their orders. Luckily for them, the Kingston-Grays had helped out in the French Quarter enough that they drank for free at this shop. [color=42A9FF]“I can’t imagine you as anything other than an Andy - maybe a Thundering Champion,”[/color] she teased gently. She giggled a bit at Andy’s witchcraft analogy. It was something she’d been thinking about. Their old coach, Nimue, was the Lady of the Lake - every spell she cast was connected to water. And in the fight with the Hex Girls, she’d been awed with the way they combined elemental powers with magic. She was curious about what she could do, if she tried to combine her magic with her control over water. She’d tried scrying once with Nimue during training - but what else could she do? [color=42A9FF]“Well, my Pa is a witch. So I guess they’d be right - assuming being a witch is, like, inherited. Dorian is kinda witchy.”[/color] Andy gave April a flat look at the Thundering Champion joke, but it quickly dissolved into a smile. [color=b71d5d]”Yeah, I’m definitely Andy. I can’t imagine a different name. And since I met my mother it seems it is my name. I must have been able to tell my rescuers that much. I don’t remember it though,”[/color] she shrugs a little. [color=b71d5d]”Same. I have gotten okay at a few of the spells too. I should have used it more during the Contest, but honestly I am so used to fighting with my lighting that it felt weird to use the magic.[/color] When Andy was finally at the front of the line she started to order. [color=b71d5d]”I’ll have a Cafe Borgia,”[/color] it was available, the heavens smiled down upon her. [color=b71d5d]”An apple fritter. They’ll have,”[/color] Andy hooked her thumb over her shoulder indicating April. [color=b71d5d]”The white chocolate peppermint mocha and a molasses cookie please.”[/color] April couldn’t stop the huge smile from appearing on her face. It hadn’t occurred to her that Andy would use the pronoun so soon. And they liked it. More than liked it. They loved it. They wiggled their toes in their boots, resisting the urge to jump up and down for a moment. A they. Maybe they wanted to be a they. They pulled out their phone, and shot off a text message to their family - [hider=@Too Many Queers]andy suggested i try out some pronouns today while we’re out and i really like being a they!!! can we try they at home? 💖💖💖[/hider] Their phone then started aggressively buzzing as messages came in - keyboard smashing from Danni, and love and support from the dads. They couldn’t resist doing a little hop. [color=42A9FF]“I really really really liked that,”[/color] April confessed, once the order was placed. [color=42A9FF]“Like that felt incredible? Is that how pronouns are supposed to feel? Like she always feels so… ugh, y’know?”[/color] Andy had caught the first look of glee on April’s face. Gender euphoria. She had heard some of the other fosters talking about it back in San Francisco, and she was happy to see it on April’s face. [color=b71d5d]”I honestly don't know from personal experience. What I do know though is if it hurts, or feels uncomfortable it isn’t for you. The fact that it did feel so good is a great sign. Don’t be afraid to try other pronouns too. Some people use ones that are from other languages. Or if you’re daring you can try he. Everyone is different. I know I am comfortable with she/her. I don’t get giddy from it but that is probably because I’ve never felt like it was wrong. I’m glad you like it. I’ll use they for you from now on unless you say otherwise.”[/color] Andy stood off to the side waiting for their drinks and food. [color=b71d5d]”Gender is weird and complicated and super personal. Sometimes it even changes as you get older and you become more settled in who you want to be. Just like who you are attracted to and how you feel that attraction. Your understanding will change too. It’s been years since I really did any discussion on the subject so keep in mind all my stuff is like twenty years out of date at this point.”[/color] April nodded, listening to Andy attentively. They didn’t know if they were ready to try out he just yet - it seemed almost stressful. And they felt really good so far. They were content to just keep on trying out they, and if it stopped feeling as good, then maybe they’d switch to another one - or even a neopronoun. Their drinks came out a moment later, along with the food in pastry bags. April passed Andy’s drink over to her, before grabbing their own and taking a sip, sighing contentedly. [color=42A9FF]“Y’know, sometimes I forget you’re secretly an old lady,”[/color] April stuck their tongue out. [color=42A9FF]“So. You obvi knew my parents. Got any crazy stories about them? The more embarrassing, the better. What was it like in the Underground? And the island?”[/color] Andy laughed at the old lady comment. [color=b71d5d]”I sometimes realize how much time difference there is from when I was born and when the rest of you were born. Like I met Danni when he was an infant. I wasn't there when he was adopted but I met him shortly after. As for stories, hmm. I wasn't with the MU for a super long time before the island. Like twenty-four hours. It was kind of a whirlwind of bad things happening. I will say though Casper did tell me to punch my prom date in the dick. He also claimed to be the god of waffles. I think that was all in the same conversation too. James was, well, not too different from how he is now. Solid, quiet, caring. I hid in his room the first day. He came in and chatted with me in this quiet caring way. Ben I barely knew. I think I met him like twice and that was mostly during the final battle. Max I didn't know well before the island, but once we were there he sort of took me under his wing. He got me a house warming gift because I moved pretty quickly into Magneto’s. That was kind of him.”[/color] It was a little weird how important those in the MU had become for Andy when she had barely known them to be honest. [color=42A9FF]“Did they used to be cool? Or were they always lame dads? Sounds like at least Pa and Pops were already dad material. And Appa was a ghost for most of it, right?”[/color] April laughed slightly. They knew how much their Papa loved waffles. It wasn’t surprising to hear that he’d proclaimed himself the god of them. On the subject of prom, though, their eyes lit up again as they motioned for Andy to follow them, continuing on to the Riverwalk. [color=42A9FF]“You are going to go to prom, right? Well, junior prom. I’ve already started looking at stuff that might be fun to wear to it - I decided absolutely not a dress. I’m kinda thinking some sort of a tux, but that feels a little basic, y’know? So I want to go for something a little more elevated… I’m thinking I want to practice my ice control a little more, maybe suspend like ice crystals from my ears or something all night. Mutant fashion and all. Do you have ideas yet?”[/color] [color=b71d5d]”Casper came off as cool,”[/color] she shrugged and followed April toward Riverwalk. [color=b71d5d]”I honestly haven't given it much thought. I figure I’ll go with America and Gideon to their prom but we haven’t talked about it. Guess I should send them a message about that.”[/color] Andy sent a quick text to the group chat with the three of them [see The Text Log of Andy & Gideon & America]. [color=b71d5d]”As for outfit, hmm, I think I would love to wear a proper prom dress. I’ll probably do the same dress for both if I go to both. It has to be black though. Oh my god, do people still do dresses made of duct tape? I remember that being a big thing for a while.”[/color] [color=42A9FF]“Wait, people did that?”[/color] April screeched. [color=42A9FF]“Like taped onto their skin? That had to be so painful! But a black dress - a black dress sounds good. Did you want to go prom dress shopping with some of us? There’s this fashion house in Paris that our family goes to, I bet we could get you something there. Unless you wanted to go with America and Gideon to get something.”[/color] [color=b71d5d]”Oh god no!”[/color] Andy yelled back, thankful they were outside. [color=b71d5d]”Like duct tape wallets. Hold on I’ll show you.”[/color] She pulled out her phone and did a quick search for duct tape dresses. Once she had some results she showed it to April. [color=b71d5d]”See, they'd like layer it.”[/color] She hummed in response to going to Paris. Her immediate response was ‘impossible, too expensive’ and then she remembered she still had a sizable chunk of money even after the Christmas shopping trip, and her investment and savings things she had done. It was weird to just have an allowance basically. [color=b71d5d]”Hmm, I’ll see what they are thinking about wearing, but that sounds fun. I’ve never been to Paris. I’ve never even been out of the country, except to Genosha... and technically all the times I’ve left the universe. But I don’t know if those count.”[/color] Andy sent the group chat with her girlfriends a text. [color=42A9FF]“Ooo, actually… That’s kinda sick. I love that,”[/color] April studied the photo. They’d been playing a lot with the sort of things they wore lately, gravitating somewhat towards things that were both retro and oversized. But the slight shine of the duct tape was interesting, as was the texture. It didn’t look comfortable at all, but they could see the appeal to it. [color=42A9FF]“I mean, I think leaving this universe counts as leaving the country - unless you just went to another universe’s version of America, but even then… that feels different enough, y’know?”[/color] They then grinned, as the water came into view. There was a patio area of sorts outside the Riverwalk Outlet that ran for a while, in addition to an actual trail right up on the water. For a moment, April closed their eyes and just breathed in the air, feeling a little calmer. There was something to the feeling of connection to a large body of water, something that brought stability to them that no other sensation really could. If they’d been by themself, they would have jumped into it, soaking it in and breathing it like it was air. [color=42A9FF]“We can walk right up by the water, or we can hop on up to the outlet and start shopping. Up to you!”[/color] Andy turned her phone from ringing to a vibrate, as texts started coming in from her girlfriends. [color=b71d5d]”Maybe I should have waited...now I have to explain what the heck Paris and France and Europe is.”[/color] Andy mumbled under her breath, but she was smiling. She wasn’t actually annoyed. She looked up at the water and snapped a photo of it. She liked the water. She missed the ocean. [color=b71d5d]”When I was a kid I lived near the ocean. It was the Pacific, but I loved it. I’d go to Half-moon bay all the time. I almost drowned in that ocean, didn’t care. I still loved being in it and around it. Let’s go down to it.”[/color] April paused for a moment. [color=42A9FF]“You wanna go in it?”[/color] they offered. The last people they’d brought into the water with them had been Leah and Sabine, back when things had been different between them all. They’d promised then it would be a secret place, one where they could be safe from any threat posed by Leah’s father. [color=42A9FF]“I can take us down, bubble you so you can breathe and all still.”[/color] [color=b71d5d]”Yes, please.”[/color] Andy started for the way down to the water. She hadn’t been in an ocean in so long. Sure, this didn’t seem to be ‘swimming’ and that was okay. She didn’t need to do that. She just wanted to enjoy it all. She hadn’t gotten water powers, but she had loved the water since she was little. For a long time she told herself that it was because her family had been sailors, or she was part mermaid, or a dozen other things that orphaned kids tell themselves when they don’t know who they are. Now that she had answers... She looked at her phone again. [color=b71d5d]”What the fuck Gideon? How do they even let you stay at the school?”[/color] Andy rubbed her temple. She shook her head, responded to the texts that had been buzzing in and slid her phone back into her pocket. [color=b71d5d]”Sorry. I think I understand now why Gideon never graduated. What I don’t understand is how she still attends the school.”[/color] April had been about to sprint to the water, their heart beat syncing slowly so that way every other beat matched the gentle pulse of the waves lapping at the shore. They had one foot off the ground as they spun around, staring at Andy with wide eyes as she claimed she’d solved one of the great mysteries of Margaret Carter. [color=42A9FF]“Okay, spill. I gotta know. Coulson said we all got A’s for the semester - what did she do??? Did she hack into the computer system and change her grades to F’s??? Did Coulson forget she was part of the Arcade stuff??? I know sometimes people forget Gideon’s around because she’s always like - obsessively cleaning her sword and shit and she’s a super senior - like a senior who was held back, not one with powers, although she’s that too so she’s a super super senior but… what the fuck happened there???”[/color] [color=b71d5d]”Well that is to say, I don’t know the exact reason, but,”[/color] her phone buzzed again. Andy sighed and took it out. [color=b71d5d]”She doesn’t know Europe is a continent and just called Coulson, Coulsmith.”[/color] She laughed. [color=b71d5d]”The doubling down on that.”[/color] Andy’s laugh was so intense that she had to put her hands on her knees. This was just too ridiculous. She started coughing from the laughter. Andy showed her phone to April. On the screen was a photo of America crashed into a tree. [color=b71d5d]”I’m sorry. I know it is rude of me to be on my phone right now since I’m hanging out with you. But, this is just too funny.”[/color] [color=42A9FF]“Pshh, it’s fine - if I was annoyed, I would tell you,”[/color] April brushed off, as she studied the photo on the phone - and the laughter was quickly infectious. She had to reprocess everything Andy had just told them. Gideon didn’t know Coulson’s real name or that Europe was a continent - and evidently, America had died from laughing too, crashing straight into a tree. It wasn’t long until the giggles were forcing their way out of April too, bringing tears to their eyes. [color=42A9FF]“What the actual fuck, Gideon…”[/color] April shook their head. [color=42A9FF]“I don’t know which one is worse - like you’ve been at this school for five years now and you don’t know his name, but clearly you’ve heard it because you’re half right?? Or the fact that she’s been on this planet presumably her entire life and doesn’t know what Europe is??”[/color] She didn’t know how Andy could date someone so head empty. Gideon had to be incredibly talented with kissing or something. Andy sighed a little relieved. She didn’t want to upset April, especially not the first time they were hanging out just the two of them. [color=b71d5d]“Like I said, I think it makes sense now.”[/color] She shook her head a little exasperated. [color=b71d5d]”Hold on, mind taking a photo with me?”[/color] [color=42A9FF]“Yeah, let’s do it!! Or…. do you want to take it when we’re in the water? I can keep us from getting wet, and it’ll be a killer backdrop. You should see the photoshoot Danni, Dori, and I did freshman year. We got some of those mermaid tails you can wear, and with Danni’s flames under the water… chef’s kiss. Some of our best work.”[/color] They couldn’t help but beam. They’d never spoken much to Andy, despite having originally been assigned to the same team - and they were surprised by how easy Andy was to talk to. They should have been hanging out much sooner than midway through the school year - but at least they were talking now. [color=b71d5d]“Oh, that’s a fun idea!”[/color] Andy’s eyes lit up with excitement. [color=b71d5d]“I did a photo shoot with Danni, America and Eli a bit ago. That was chaos. Danni is demanding during those. But it was fun too. I’m sure he told you all about it.”[/color] Andy started walking toward the water line. April giggled. [color=42A9FF]“Yeah, he gets really into them - but it’s always so fun - and so worth it!”[/color] they agreed. Once the pair of them hit the water line, April extended their hands out, taking a deep breath. It took a moment for them to connect with the pulse of the waves, but slowly, the water began to part - a small opening that they could walk into, almost like a tiny little cave in the water. Once Andy was safely inside the pocket, April closed it behind them, a bubble of air maintained as they walked down and down, the light around them dimming as small creatures and life came into view. [color=42A9FF]“Isn’t this so fucking cool? We’re in the Mississippi river!”[/color] They then wrinkled their nose, as some debris came by. [color=42A9FF]“We’ll grab that on our way back up - people keep putting their stupid fastfood wrappers in here, it’s so annoying.”[/color] Andy looked around with wonder as they entered the water. It was neat. She had done some of the zoo things where you go in the water in a plastic bubble, when she was little, but this was way cooler. She reached up, not quite touching the water. [color=b71d5d]“Yeah, sounds like a good plan.”[/color] Andy wrinkled her nose at the debris. Some things never changed. She held up the phone for a selfie with April. Once that was done she sent it into the chat and then put her phone on silent mode. [color=b71d5d]“Before starting dating them I basically never paid attention to my phone. That is tempting to go back to.”[/color] [color=42A9FF]“You’re from, like, before phones were really a thing, right?”[/color] April asked. [color=42A9FF]“What was that like? How’d you know where your friends were or how to get places? Or if the new restaurant in town is any good? And when you were just lying in bed, what did you do… did you just lie there?”[/color] [color=b71d5d]“I’m not that old.”[/color] Andy laughed. [color=b71d5d]“We had phones, but I was a poor foster kid, or a runaway. I didn’t have money for a phone really, not until I was living with the Drummonds, shortly before I met your dads. That was the first phone I ever owned. Before that I didn’t lay in bed much. I’d watch t.v. or play some video games. One of the first foster homes I was in had a Wii. I watched a lot of movies. Or I played outside. I also didn’t have a ton of friends, really I didn’t have any friends. So I didn’t talk with them. And I didn’t have a lot of freedom to move around on my own when I didn’t have a phone. If I did go somewhere we would use this thing called a computer.”[/color] Andy said the last part while waving her hands in the air and using a silly voice. April snorted slightly. [color=42A9FF]“Well, you have friends now,”[/color] they grinned. [color=42A9FF]“Even if you hail from when dinosaurs roamed the earth.”[/color] Andy laughed. [color=b71d5d]“Yes, I rode them into battle. And I’m glad to have friends now.”[/color] Andy bumped into April lightly grinning. The rest of the day April and Andy hung out. They went shopping for a bit, grabbing some school related things and a couple outfits for days they would have out of uniform. After that they grabbed some food. The options in New Orleans French Quarter were varied enough they both were stuffed silly. Then after grabbing a box of temporary hair dye the pair of them went back to the Kingston-Grey household. There Andy helped April dye their hair. They then played WhaleFall, the ocean themed board game Andy had given April for Christmas. The rest of the evening they chatted getting to know each other better.