"Alright then. Rest well."

Dove grabs at Lindsey's hand as she goes to get up. 

"Come back," she says. "I want to cuddle you."

"Alright," Lindsey says with a smile. "Since you asked so nicely." 

And out she goes to find a staffer, letting the door click closed behind her.

After another hour of cuddling, it's getting towards five PM, and Lindsey and Dove reluctantly leave their private room behind to have a simple supper in the il'ka front room and perhaps head home. 

Since it's Ashday, the il'ka is doing a special buffet-style meal, with sliced cheese and meats, empanadas and sausage rolls, persine wraps, and a selection of fresh fruit and cup yogurts to dip them in. 

And that specialness of the meal is what draws the next words from Dove's lips -

"You know, it's bugging me that I didn't do anything for Hearthtide. My girlfriends online didn't push for me to get presents for them or anything - I think they didn't want to stress me out further - but now I think that it might have been better for them to have. I feel the lack of it. It's still ashday... still enough time to do something real. Do you know anywhere that still does the candle-lightings for the new year?" 

Lindsey puffs out a little air. "I didn't take you for the superstitious type." 

"H-hey! I swear I'm not, usually, it's just - I want to do something to commemorate the day, and candles are the done thing, and -" 

"Relax, relax. It's a harmless enough little rite. It's when people start talking about the spark of the Asrai calling them on to greatness of whatever kind that I start to get my hackles up. I understand, especially near Hearthtide. The old traditions still have some sway. And I think... if you're doing it for yourself, and not expecting the touch of grace to descend from on high and solve your problems for you, then it's okay. Sometimes we can all use a little more hope in our lives." 

"Yeah." 

"So you do know a place?"

"There's an old shrine down in a park in East Springs that had a bonfire-lighting this year. You could go light a candle there, I'm sure they'd have some. But I wouldn't advise getting too friendly with Asrai devotees, especially in your state. Perhaps you could simply buy a candle and light it at home?"

"I've done enough things at home in the last six months. I think it'd be a good little excursion. It's not like you have to believe deeply to light a candle." 

"It's not like you need to push yourself harder either. That's Asrai theology talking in your head, even if you don't know it. You've done enough today. You should really rest."

"If you want something to do, why not shop for a present for your girlfriends? I'm sure they'd accept a late present, even if you had to send it by snail mail." 

"I... hadn't really thought of that. I guess I thought that if I missed the day it was broken for good." 

"Do you know any good shops around here? Especially... anywhere that sells nice soap? One of my girlfriends has a real thing for skincare products with nice scents and I'd like to get her something she'd like." 

"There's a gift shop down across the way called Odds and Ends that sells a variety of interesting trinkets. I could show you where it is? It's just across the parking lot in the building to the left, you wouldn't have to go far."

"Do you think they'd stock candles?" 

"Only one way to find out, I think. Do you want me to come with you, or? It's starting to get late and I have some errands to do, now that you seem to be more or less recovered..."

"I'd appreciate the company, but I don't think I'd need you, no. If you want to get back to your life you certainly can. See you tomorrow, okay? I can tell you about my adventures. And if you don't hear from me by noon, please knock on my door, okay?" 

"I can do that. Thank you for the evening, Dove. It was surprisingly fun for me, honestly."

Dove nods, slips on her coat - she'd already gotten dressed to be in the front room of the il'ka - and with a few final bites of her food, she puts her purse on her shoulder and sets out into the snow again. 

Help me out here, Sparrow?

I've got you. Rest, lovely dove. We'll handle the hard part.

She clicks her bracelet over to purple, since she's feeling more like the host than like a spark right now. 

"See you, Lindsey. And thank you for everything."

With the ellecol mostly out of her system and Dove out of front again, Lindsey's once more back to being just... a friend. Maybe a little better of a friend than she was this morning, but still. Just a friend.