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Twelve Hours Later
Twelve hours and a whirlwind of introductions, facility tour and way too much paperwork later, Delia shows Gillian back to the room now in the Satyr's name. "...aaand we're back here. Don't worry if you feel lost in all these hallways at first. I sure did. And now I sweep them." She pauses, then smiles: "But I hope your tomorrow feels brighter now than it did in the morning."
Gillian sighs just a bit, but it's more out of tiredness than sadness or the despair she felt just this morning. "It... it's already brighter. Everyone was so kind, and most of all you. I... I don't know if it feels like 'home', but it feels like a new hope."
Delia smiles, then motions at the keys in Gillian's hands: "Well, if not a permanent home, at least a safe haven for now. As you heard many times today, where you go from here - or when - is up to you." The corgi does not quite dare to admit she would very much miss the satyr were she vanished by morning, though.
Gillian smiles, clutching the keys closely. "I... I don't know if I have a home anymore. Or at least, not one that I want to go back to tomorrow... not after everything you and everyone else have said to me." She swallows. "I wasn't... I wasn't abused, l-like, I wasn't hurt by the people who raised me. I used to feel like part of their family, even... but not anymore."
Delia looks at Gillian as she talks, then just nods: "I think I know that feeling. Even if it wasn't all bad, there's just no going back." She motions at the door: "Come on, let's see your room."
Gillian nods, lowering her hand to set the key into the door and open the way to her room.
Delia allows Gillian to go first, and the room is definitely qualified as 'not much', but it is something the Satyr can at least call her place for now.
Gillian steps inside, glancing around the room. It's essentially what might be considered a decent hotel room, one large room with a bed, a separate room with a shower and bathroom. With a brief psyche profile that was part of her registration, Gillian was labeled as a 'low risk', and as such, her room also has a small kitchenette with fridge and stove, a fact that seems to delight the Satyr instantly. "Oh wow... it's so nice!"
Delia can't help but smile at the faun's reaction: "It's pretty small, but has all the basic stuff you're likely going to need." She looks about the room, noting to her own amusement that it's not actually been that long since she dusted this particular unused room.
Gillian walks over and examines the kitchenette, running a hand over it with a smile. "It's more than I'm used to. I'm... a bit excited to try and cook something for myself. That probably sounds a bit silly."
Delia follows Gillian's motions: "Not... not all that silly."
Gillian opens a few drawers to examine the contents. She turns back to Delia with the widest smile she's had all day. "I... I love to cook. I just... don't get to do it that often. Not the way I like to do it anyways. Oh! Maybe I can cook you something as thank you for being my guide today!"
Delia blinks: "I... huh. I mean, if you want to? I wouldn't want to waste your time on my beh... alf." She pauses as she realizes the words she just used, then just softly sighs. "You got me."
Gillian giggles, as if only just now realizing the implications of it all, "Exactly... c-cause it's my time to waste. I've never had that before."
Delia laughs a bit: "W-well, then I best not stop you."
Gillian smiles at Delia, "Well, only if you're okay with it! I wouldn't... I wouldn't want to force you. It won't be anything special, I can't afford much, but... It's something I can do. And I can do it for you, because I want to."
Delia shrugs with a smile: "Fair enough. Guessing we need to head downstairs to that corner shop so you can grab some basics, whatever you have in mind."
Gillian nods, "Of course, but we can do that whenever, or I can do that tomorrow before... err... that is, if you're okay coming back? I know it's kinda late already, and I've... I've had a long day... so I was kind of hoping you could come back for a meal?" The faun's voice is full of some kind of hope she can't quite express, or is just far too awkward to say aloud.
Delia smiles: "I'd be happy to. You probably have a full day tomorrow if you're at all interested in all the introduction stuff, but well, I'm definitely around." She lets out a bit of a soft sigh that turns into a yawn: "But you're not wrong about today. We can continue tomorrow." She mentally questions herself as to why she's taking this faun as such a personal project, but shoos those thoughts away. It's just something she wants, needs, desires to do and that's that, dumb back of brain.
Gillian nods, "Lei said she'd upload a schedule for me... and I want to attend as much as I can. But I also want to make sure... we um... k-keep in touch, you know?"
Delia nods as she mulls this in her head: "...yes. Of course I want to see you - see how you are doing, tomorrow, too." Where did that slip come from, you silly woof?
Gillian grins widely, closing the drawer she'd been awkwardly examining in between glances at Delia. "Thank you, Delia. For... for everything today."
Delia smiles as she recovers from her brief self-berate: "It was the least I could do. Once upon a time, I needed a helping hand, so I am just paying it forward when I can." Helps that the faun has a pretty cute... tail, though.
Gillian bows her head, giving Delia a curtsey in her slightly ragged maid uniform. "It was far from the least you could have done. And I... I needed a friendly face and a guiding hand today. She steps towards the werecorgi and opens her arms up as if to give her a hug, but hesitates in the moment. "I err... y-yeah." She proceeds to hug Delia tight.
Delia pauses at the hug, but then returns it, hugging slightly upwards as she does. "Y-yeah. We um... well yeah, today happened. Let's continue tomorrow so it's not just today that happens."
Gillian bends down a bit before she releases the hug and stands back up, blushing lightly as she glances away, a small smile still on her face. Maybe she shouldn't feel quite so attached to someone she just met today, but... "Yeah... here's to tomorrow!"
Delia can't exactly stop the blushing smile on her face either: "Tomorrow. It's a day for sure." She finally gathers herself and gives Gillian a nod: "I will leave you to get all home-y up here. But I am sure our paths will cross pretty soon."
Gillian gives a wave as Delia heads back to the door, "I'm sure it will! Take care!"
Delia gives a wave and wanders out. Once well out of earshot of the hallway, she gives herself a light smack on the forehead for all the exceedingly dumb things she muttered up there, then just starts making her way home. More work tomorrow, and she's very much tired.
Gillian stares at the door for awhile once Delia has closed it... thinking over everything she'd learned today. Before she can turn back to truly consider her new room, she first has to shake the thoughts of that corgi out of her mind... and she's not really sure she wants to. But... she's looking forward to tomorrow, for the first time in a long time.
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