>>5564248>>5564280>>5564374"You serious? These idiots idea of hitting on a girl was asking them to blow you?" You ask incredulously.
"Oh, they offered to reciprocate, but..." Holly grimaces. "Ah, <span class="mu-i">no</span>. Not when we literally just met and have been talking for all of five minutes."
"I've kind of got to admire the brass cheek, but Arceus above..." You shake your head. "And I didn't take you for the princess type, just... sheltered."
"That's not a bad way to characterise it, but 'imprisoned' might be a better descriptor." Holly says bitterly. "My father never let me go anywhere or do anything and he was always talking with the teachers about how I was doing in class, who I was talking with... I used to have a few friends, before he set thugs to tail them." She shakes her head. "He's a control freak. Fie's dad sounds like a jerk, sure, but if you were with me, I'm pretty sure he'd actually try and have you beaten into a coma."
"Well knowing all that, I'm surprised you managed to escape." You admit.
"I wouldn't have without Checkers and some careful planning." Holly says, then fidgets.
"What?" You ask.
"...I had some help from someone else as well, but... I don't think I should say anymore." She explains. "Just in case."
"Fair enough." You say, nodding as you dry her feet off. "It half sounds like your dad was looking to marry you off or something." You note.
"He might've for all I know." Holly says tiredly, then hesitates before she finally speaks. "I didn't really have a plan post running away." She admits. "I spent three nights on the streets before I met you, Fie and Gareth and for how cold and miserable they were, they were still better than home."
"..." You're silent at this. What the fuck are you supposed to say?
"Alex?" Holly asks.
You look up to see she's smiling at you. It's got a certain sadness to it, but it's genuine.
"I know I'm a mess." She says. "And I get why you're cautious." She adds. "Bur could we talk more like this outside of my dreams?" She asks. "Just as friends? I've never had anyone I could just talk about stuff with."
"There's always Fie and Gareth." You note.
Holly nods.
"There are, but Fie still sees me as a rookie she needs to teach and guide and I'm pretty sure Gareth's scared I'll turn into an axe murderer or a nymphomaniac if we're within arm's reach for more than ten seconds." She says.
You chuckle at that descriptor. Now that you think of it, ever since the lake, Gareth has looked on edge around Holly.
>Of course.>Just please don't overshare.>What're friends for?>Other 