Sorry, the apology is out before she can stop it, along with a slight flinch when she realises she's just apologised, but she doesn't apologise for apologising.

She's still not entirely sure the poem makes sense, but she is...less unsettled than she was when her brain was trying to twist it into a punishment. But she is certainly too unsettled to think about it any further, so she files it away for later pondering.

Does this mean the roasting is done?

Yep, they're smelling pretty tasty. Pradnakt goes to get the tray out of the oven and put it on the counter. They need to cool, and anyway we should eat dinner, we can pick this up again after sunset.

She nods. (She isn't entirely sure she's hungry any more.) But she will see if there's anything she can do to help with dinner.

I've got it. You liked bread and cheese okay, right?

She remembers the bread, it takes her a minute to remember the cheese covered fries, but when she does, she nods.

All right. Grilled cheese sandwiches it is. She sets about making them, again making sure Rhoda can see.

She seems to relax as she watches Pradnakt cook, attentive and nearly back to smiling.

Good.

And, shortly, dinner.

The smell resurrects her appetite some, but she still only picks at the sandwich for the first few minutes. Then the taste of the cheese gets her attention and she manages to finish half of it before she feels too full.

Are you done? asks Pradnakt, when it's obvious that she is.

She looks at the remains of the sandwich before nodding. Sorry, she says almost helplessly, not even sure why she's apologising.

Sigh. Rhoda.

She freezes, tries to figure out what she got wrong there. Realises it might be the apology. Goes to apologise again and realises that is not the best course of action, quashes the instinct. She ends up watching Pradnakt's hands. It's...okay to leave food? She remembers being told that - the goat will eat it.

It is, yeah. I was asking because if you aren't going to eat it, I will, cheese isn't great for goats.

She pushes the plate towards Pradnakt, filing away the information. She still seems tense, but less like she's worrying about having done something wrong. She does curl her legs up to her chest and rests her chin on her knees.

She takes it, but doesn't give it her attention.

Do you need a hug.

The answer is not the immediate visceral no that Rhoda would have anticipated from her normal dislike for contact. The idea is, in fact, quite appealing, except...

You- Eating is important? she points out quietly. She certainly doesn't want to distract Pradnakt from eating just for a little comfort.

Won't hurt me. C'mere.

She shifts so that she's next to Pradnakt, slowly, but not quite cautiously, leaning slightly into her.

She's not nearly so hesitant, putting an arm around the girl and giving her a squeeze. It's okay that this is hard. I'd be surprised if it wasn't. You're doing really well, especially for only having been here a few days.

There's that small warm, pleased glow at that, and Rhoda cuddles slightly more against Pradnakt's side, leaning her head on her shoulder. And after a moment, hesitantly wraps an arm around the woman's waist to hug back.

Awwwwwww. She impulsively leans down to kiss the top of her head.

Rhoda freezes. It takes her a moment to realise what that motion actually was. And then she remembers the last time someone kissed her. (Somewhere in the back of her mind, she is aware that it was nowhere near as pleasant, or gentle.) Being crowded against the wall, a hand gripping her jaw hard enough to bruise, preventing escape. And then Ma'am's psychic forcing what that man had wanted to do to her into her head (the things he hadn't got a chance to because Ma'am had stopped him).

And she doesn't think Pradnakt wants that, because she's as close to certain as she can get right now that Pradnakt would be more clear about it if she did (even if that thought isn't conscious enough to let her relax). She doesn't pull away though, although she's still stock-still, not even breathing.

Yeah that's going to be two of them, frozen.

No., Pradnakt sends, almost instantly. Not - No. Aghast.

She's aware that Pradnakt has frozen as well - but doesn't seem quite aware that she, herself, has stopped breathing. But Pradnakt's response reminds her, sharply, that Pradnakt can read her mind, which had been something she'd been managing to avoid the implications of (Ma'am psychic hadn't liked seeing things like this from anyone).

Sorry, didn't mean for you to see- she's practically babbling in her mind. (And very subconsciously, is managing to press somewhat closer to Pradnakt.) I don't think you'd- Which she realises is true, she doesn't think Pradnakt would do that, not like that at the very least. (She still isn't breathing.)