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[ Sarah's walking around Wonderland, device in hand as she talks, hair in a pony tail. She's in running gear, and though she's not winded, her cheeks are pink and it's clear she's definitely been exercising outside. ]

So, whoever said jogging is good for you? The worst. It's so bad for your knees. But sometimes it feels like running is the only way to get far enough past the latest...implosion of this place.

[ She sits now on a bench in the garden, sighing and looking at the camera. ]

Other than drinking, what do you do to take your mind off of how this place works? Some people, for example, run. Some people read, some people eat, even. I don't know. So what do you do when you need an escape when we can't go anywhere?

[ After she's posed her question to everyone at large, she wanders around the garden, wondering if she's allowed to pick the flowers or if it isn't that kind of garden. It's all beautiful, in any case, and she winds up finding a sunny spot and sitting again, stretching out on the grass and closing her eyes. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You know, there are a lot of great options, and I wanna say the bar, but how about the coffee shop instead? We can save the bar for when I look cute or something.

[ Because apparently, the coffee shop is an okay place to not look her best or something. If haggard moms can struggle into a Starbucks at 7 am, Sarah can stroll into the coffee shop after a workout. Her logic is sound, don't question it. ]

Since our good friend Ray's not here to do it, I'll be his stand in and say with great conviction that you look cute even in exercise clothes.

_{[Gotta keep the ladies feeling good about themselves or else what kind of gentleman would he be? (Spoilers: he's not a gentleman at all, don't let him fool you.)

Pausing, he turns to look at her, tapping his staff against his shoulder. He's used to lugging the weapon around--granted, more so at home than here when there isn't as much need for it during the day-to-day--but for moments of just hanging around the mansion, he's probably better off storing it away before he swipes a coffee pot off the counter with the end of it or something.]}

How about I run my things back to my room and meet you there? You can pick something out on my tab.

[ Sarah laughs because that was adorable and so nice of him. ]

You're a pretty good stand in. And sounds good, see you in a few minutes. I'll get the most expensive thing they have.

[ She thinks she's got jokes, or something. ]

You can tell him he owes me one for that.

_{[And please, feel free to make use of his non-existent tab in the place with non-existent currency. They're both a laugh a minute and don't let anybody tell them any different.

Dropping off his training gear takes hardly any time at all when he only lives a few floors above the coffee shop. He takes the time to tug on a clean shirt and pet the kittens, then he's out the door again, retracing his steps back downstairs.]}

I hope you picked out something sugary. Running deserves a treat.

[ Sarah holds up a bear claw and has hot chocolate to go with it so, so much for whatever that run did for her! ]

I'm pretty sure by eating this I'm supposed to run again afterward, but. Then we just start a vicious cycle or something and I'm not committing to that.

That's only with the added booze. I think you're safe if it stays just a hot drink.

_{[There are rules for this sort of thing. Probably. And he's probably making them up, but oh well--got to live when you can, right?

Before he joins her, Anders goes for a crème brûlée latte. It's worth the slightly longer preparation process. Nothing like a layer of burnt brown sugar to make you appreciate the virtues of sugary, calorie-laden drinks.]}

So what's got you on the exercise kick? Just needed a change of pace? I promise, that wasn't an attempt at a pun.

[ Sarah is completely honest and shrugs with a smirk on her lips. ]

I saw Ray with his shirt off, and uh. That was both inspirational and motivational.

[ That's a great reason, right? Right. ]

_{[Wow, okay, we're going there. That's fine. Anders did ask, and it's not like he's not a little curious about the whole thing, honestly.

If someone were inclined to assign a proper noun to him, he could probably be classified as a bit of a voyeur, or someone who lives vicariously through the others, whatever the clinical term is for someone who's been barred from healthy, happy relationships for so long that he's curious what it's like for actual healthy, happy people.

That curiosity may also include the bare chests of people he considers friends--or if not the closest of bosom buddies, someone a step or two removed from being a friend. Is Ray really that impressive underneath his shirt? Really? This is Anders propping his chin in his hand with the earnest attention of someone engaged in the latest gossip.]}

Don't tell me he's smart and pretty. That raises the bar for the rest of us.

[ Sarah's never actually had a person to gossip to about a relationship before. She was so young with her ex-husband, and she'd had friends in the beginning until she had a baby. Not that she faults those friends for drifting away when they were still living the single life while she dealt with an infant. She had work friends, sure, but no one she'd dish out all the details of her love life too. So this is fun and new and she enjoys having a couple people in Wonderland she can relax with and simply have a fun conversation. ]

He's definitely both. Honestly, I don't know what I expected but I didn't care. So it was a very pleasant surprise.

[ She grins a little, and it's true. By the time she and Ray were to the clothes off stage, she honestly didn't care about anything else. ]

_{[There's no hiding it: Sarah is smitten. It has him smiling, amused.]}

I wouldn't have pegged him as the body building type. The scholarly, science-minded shut in type, maybe.

_{[No offense, Ray!]}

Take it from a fellow man with eyes: I'm sure he felt the same way about you.

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