Archive of Our Own

“So… How do they feel?”

Vaggie wasn't sure her partner knew how much weight that question held. She stood in their room, wings outstretched as she looked into her own reflection. “I'm… Not sure.” She said hesitantly, lying through her teeth as she just wanted to tear her gaze away when all she could see was the Exorcist glaring back at her. She held herself firmly however, as to not show that vulnerability to Charlie.

Charlie liked her wings.

She's just going to have to get used to it. She'll grin and bear it if it meant Charlie was happy.

Said Princess stood besides her, an unreadable expression on her face as she watched Vaggie through the reflection of the mirror

It was a bit unsettling, to say the least, as Charlie was always an open book.

“I'll get used to it again, It’s fine..” Vaggie reassured, watching her girlfriend ease up a bit more. She smiled softly, then sighed. “Charlie…”

“Hm…?”

The two turned to each other silently, watching each other's movement, cautious to step close. Charlie held out her hands, a gentle invitation. Vaggie could never say no, grabbing hold of the Princess's hands and was pulled in with light bubbling laughter.

“Are you fine?” Vaggie then asked gently, looking up into her partner’s sparkling eyes.

Charlie shied away, a swift glance towards the wall, biting her lip before sighing. “I will be.” She said firmly, looking back to her girlfriend.

“I'm sorry…”

It sat there for a moment, hanging above them as neither weren't sure how to move past it.

Vaggie knew Charlie wanted to embrace her, tell her everything was fine, everything was okay.

They both knew it was false though.

They watched everything they worked for be torn down in a mere few seconds from one man’s grand attack to end it all. Granted, that “one man” was Creation’s Favorite that had been granted angelic release. However, if that was what a human soul could do, what could the higher heavenly beings themselves do?

They've only met the Seraphims, and while they don't seem keen on fighting themselves, they had a say in the Extermination. Or, well, Sera did at the very least.

They held more power over Adam than Adam had over all the Exorcists. What about anyone higher? How far up will this go?

Will other archangels be involved?

“I'm losing you, where'd you go…?” Charlie's voice was patient, kind. Vaggie met her gaze again.

“Just thinking…”

Charlie's eyebrows knit together in concern. “What about?”

Vaggie looked away, biting her lip.

A gentle hand cupped her cheek, and Vaggie leaned into it, eye fluttering closed at Charlie's warm touch.

“I'm scared, Charlie…” Vaggie breathed out, feeling so small, having admitted that so openly to her partner.

“Me too…” Charlie admitted with a sigh. Her arms moved to wrap around the fallen angel, who rested her head on the Princess's shoulder in return.

“He could've killed you…”

“He's gone now.”

“We can't fight Heaven again…”

“We might have to…”

“I hate this… I hate feeling this helpless…”

“l know… But I'm here for you.”

Vaggie couldn't help but tear up, choking out a sob. “How do you do it…? H-How are you so put together after this…?”

“Because my only tie to Heaven was my dad, and that's a bitter path for everyone involved at that point…”

“Oh…”

Charlie moved to kiss Vaggie’s cheek. “You are more than them, hon… You've changed.”

“I… I killed s-so many souls…”

“Everyone does, it seems…” Charlie mumbled, then sighed. “Look, that's not what I was upset about, if that's what you're stuck on… I forgive you either way, I just… I need you to tell me things. I don't want secrets between us. I want to be there for you too…”

Vaggie sniffled, moving to wipe her tears. “I-I don't like my wings…” She admitted softly, trying to steady her voice. It didn't help when she could feel every faintest touch of them, every twitch that made her back itch so deeply. Vaggie wanted them gone. She would rather go through the pain of them being torn off once more rather than live with the reminder of who she was, what she was. She would have torn them off herself if Charlie hadn't been so fond of them.

Charlie's hands found their way to both sides of Vaggie's face, pulling her partner to look her in the eye. She peppered Vaggie's face with light kisses, softly smiling in between them and then giving a gentle peck on her lips. “Would you rather we bind them…?” Charlie asked gently.

Something in her tone told Vaggie she wouldn't be offended at either outcome. “Would it be wise to do so…?” She asked back.

Charlie shrugged. “I wouldn't know. But my dad might have some tips from experience.”

“I feel like it would cause more discomfort than help to have them just… Sitting there against my back.” Vaggie admitted in a mumble. “But if I have ‘em out, everyone's touching them.” Vaggie didn't miss the way Charlie winced at her words.

“Sorry…” The Princess said, tone tainted with regret. “I just… They look so fluffy all the damn time…!” She whined, resisting the urge to pet them again.

Vaggie couldn't help but chuckle at that. “Reserved for you, maybe… If I'm feeling up to it.” She hummed. “But nowhere in the lobby. Or basically anywhere outside here really, got it?”

Charlie nodded quickly. “I promise! I promise! I promise!” Her words somehow spilled out faster than her nods as she grinned widely. “Can I…?” She then asked hesitantly.

Vaggie sighed fondly and stretched out a wing. “Careful, they're highly sensitive.” She warned. “And don't mess up the layers. It takes a long time to have everything back aligned.”

Charlie gave a mock salute and grinned again. “Of course, ma'am. I have experience.”

“Oh I know…” Vaggie purred, giggling at the way Charlie easily became flustered.

Charlie sputtered out nothing coherent for a few moments, trying to recollect herself. “Quite the mouth I've got on the receiver.” She then teased back. “It's a shame… If you weren't in such a fragile state, I would put it to use…” Her tone fell to a husk, eyes darkening for just a moment.

“Oh shit that was hot…” Vaggie muttered, face flushed a light yellow. “Don't do this to me, Charls…” It came out more of a whisper, already rendered breathless by the Princess next to her.

“You're cute, y'know that?” Charlie said with a light laugh, booping the angel's nose. “Anyways-”

“You- Why- You can't just…!” Vaggie sputtered out, then groaned out a few curses. “Such a fucking tease…”

“And yet you love it.” Charlie said with a smirk. “Not now, though. As much as I like the new hotel, I don't think I trust the walls just yet.”

“Christ, babe…! You're gonna kill me one day…!”

“Nah, not that rough.”

Vaggie groaned, embarrassment settling warmly against her skin. “You do a damn good job keeping up the innocent Princess act, because I doubt anyone would believe this ever happened.”

“What? That I cheered you up and made you forget about your wings for a moment?” Charlie asked in feigned innocence, batting her eyes playfully. “Sounds very much like me. I'm not sure what you mean, my love…!”

Vaggie paused with a blink. “Huh…” She breathed out. But with the realization, so came the suffocating weight making itself known once more.

“Hey…” Charlie said gently, tearing Vaggie out of whatever spiral might have been about to crash into her. “Wanna sit down? We've been standing here for… I don't even know how long.”

Vaggie nodded, and her girlfriend picked her up, walking them to their bed. Vaggie wrapped her arms around Charlie's neck, her wings following the movement and wrapping around both figures, acting like a shield.

Charlie hummed, kissing up and down Vaggie's jawline softly. “I love you so much…” She mumbled between kisses. “You're so beautiful… You always have been…”

“Charlie if you don't quit it, we really are gonna test these walls.”

Charlie chuckled, sitting down on their bed, arms still supporting Vaggie. “I can't just compliment my girlfriend…?” She asked lightly, going back to tracing Vaggie's face with her lips.

Vaggie shuddered, and she could feel her partner smirk against her skin. “I think I'll die of a heart attack before then…”

Charlie hummed. “Have you ever had angelic blood…?”

Vaggie choked on her next retort, eyes going wide. “Charlie…” She warned lowly, groaning at the teeth grazing her skin.

Charlie stilled, pulling back, a concerned look in her eye. “Do you, or do you not want this?” That bizarrely unreadable expression was back on Charlie's face. Vaggie so desperately wanted to understand it.

“Fuck, Charls…” Vaggie was able to muster out, trying to slow her heartbeat.

“It's a yes or no, hon. I won't go any further if you don't want me to. We can just cuddle, if that's fine by you.” Charlie said gently. “I want you to feel loved, I don't want you to feel forced.”

“I want you so damn bad, Charlie…” Vaggie shuddered at the ghost feeling of the Princess's fangs against her. “I just… It's so much different now…” She then said quietly. “I don't know how…” She trailed off, thinking. Charlie gave her time, she always did. “It's strange to think about now, but I don't know how I'd do this with, y'know… Wings on my back?” She was a liar. Why couldn't she just say what she actually felt…?

“Who said you had to be laying down?” Charlie replied almost instantly.

“It's just… It's a whole new counterbalance to get used to, and I don't know how much weight I can put on them without damaging anything.”

“Once again, you don't have to be laying down.”

“Damn you for always finding an answer to my worries…” Vaggie grumbled lightly, giving a flat laugh.

“I have a feeling it's more than that, though…” Charlie hummed, still looking concerned. A glint of recognition flashed in her eyes as she considered Vaggie’s reactions.

Vaggie bit the inside of her cheek, looking away.

“Vaggie…” She sounded so sad, it broke Vaggie on the inside. “My love, are you uncomfortable with being an angel?”

“Guilt…” Vaggie rasped out. “I feel guilty… I…” She shut her eye tightly, biting her lip as she fought back more tears. “Fuck, Charlie… I don't know…” She admitted. “I don't know why I feel like this…! I-I… I don't know why…”

“Hey, hey… It's okay. Vaggie, look at me…”

The angel followed as commanded, she always did. It's what made her the perfect weapon…

Charlie's soft gaze slowly melted away the worry, but the thought still prickled the back of her mind.

“You're not doing anything wrong, Vaggie. It's okay… Take a deep breath, alright?”

Vaggie nodded slowly, matching Charlie's breathing to the best of her ability.

“We don't have to do anything tonight. I'm sorry if it felt like you had no choice. Please, I want you to let me know… I won't be hurt, I promise.”

“I-It’s not that… I just… Maybe you were right… I think I'm ashamed…”

“Honey, I won't judge you. They won't judge you. And if they do, they aren't welcome in this hotel.” Charlie said. “If I seem put off by you, it's not me and you should kill them swiftly.” She then joked.

“I'm no match for you…”

“Ah… I see…” Charlie hummed, getting a raised eyebrow from Vaggie in return.

“What's running through your head…?”

“Just the fact that I see you pushing yourself down.”

Vaggie’s cheeks flushed. “W-What?”

“Nothing like that! I meant self-doubt…!” Charlie corrected herself quickly. “Though… Now you've put the thought in my head… And it's definitely a beautiful sight.”

“You're way too horny sometimes, Morningstar…” Vaggie mumbled jokingly, not able to stop the amused smile tugging at her lips.

Charlie grinned in return. “You’re the one to misinterpret my words. Though, do you wanna do something about that?”

“Not tonight.” Vaggie answered.

Charlie nodded back, but there was no disappointment. “Is cuddling gonna be different now?”

“Probably…” Vaggie admitted, though gave a shrug on top of it.

“Well, make yourself comfortable, my love. You've been tensing your wings this entire time.”

“Ah shit… My back's gonna ache tomorrow anyways whether I got laid or not…” Vaggie grumbled with an irritated huff, but let go of Charlie to lay down, back facing upwards. She grabbed a stray pillow, putting it under her neck, ignoring the immediate strain in her lower back at the position. It wasn't an unwelcome presence, it brought a sense of familiarity.

In the past, it took Charlie always nudging her to correct the posture issue after her back healed, but now she's right back where she started as if it were second nature.

It was, probably…

“Can I still cash in my offer to touch your wings…?” Charlie asked meekly.

“Yeah.”

Charlie was quick to move back over to her girlfriend after Vaggie heard something fall on the floor. Possibly just Charlie's shoes, she realized. Neither of them actually got ready for bed. “Fully sure?”

“Mhmm.”

“Like… A hundred percent-”

“Yes, Charlie…!”

Vaggie heard her girlfriend let out a sigh of relief and felt hands on her wings, brushing through the tips of her primaries but not moving deeper to the root of the feathers.

It wasn't unpleasant, she realized.

“How far from the scapular feathers am I allowed?”

Vaggie blinked, not expecting the question. “Uh… I don't mind. Whatever you deem necessary, babe.”

“I'll start with your primaries and work inwards then. Tell me where you feel like your limit is, I won't pass it. Promise.”

“Sure.” Her tone held an edge of fondness to it, not used to someone being so cautious, so knowledgeable and yet still so gentle of her wings.

“Would you say you have more passive soaring wings, or high-speed wings?”

“I… Don't know…?”

“Hm… Can you stretch out your primaries?”

Vaggie was quick to do as asked.

“Definitely high-speed wings.” Charlie hummed to herself as she ran a gentle touch through the primaries, correcting any bent or misaligned feathers. “Passive soaring has slots between their primaries, alongside longer secondary feathers. The primary function of the slots is for taking advantage of rising hot air columns so they can soar without any wind currents. I think Husk has those ones.” She explained, moving her hands up to the primary coverts to preen.

Wait… When did Charlie start preening through her rambling? And why wasn't there any discomfort from herself about this? “What about high-speed wings?” She asked, silently cursing herself for not asking about the preening. It wasn't on the forefront of her mind however.

“Well, while it may look similar from afar, passive soaring wings create a round arc shape when out, while high-speed wings create a more triangular but also parallelogram-type shape I suppose…?” Charlie moved to the marginal coverts. “It's not… The best shape example I could give, but whatever. Anyways, high-speed wings are built and optimized to sustain speed. It makes sense you have them since you're-” Charlie cut herself off, feeling Vaggie tense under her hands, seemingly already knowing the end of the sentence. An Exorcist. “Uh… You have a very swift flight pattern…!” She corrected, laughing nervously.

“Tell me more.” Vaggie's tone didn't hold any anger, so Charlie took that as a win as she worked back down the feathers, hitting the secondary coverts next.

“My dad has active soaring wings. I'm not sure how effective they actually are in Hell, but he's a shapeshifter. I'm sure it's just for looks. He probably realistically has elliptical wings, considering how easily he can shift his direction and how much he flaps his wings while flying.”

Vaggie hummed to signal she was still listening.

“Active soaring wings are long and narrow. They are utilized for long soaring as long as wind currents are in their favor. Not to be confused with passive soaring, which doesn't rely as heavily on wind currents. Active soaring wings are seen in ocean birds the most.” Charlie moved down to the secondaries. “Elliptical wings are probably the most circle-ish shape of wings, hence the name. I think… Don't quote me on that…!”

Vaggie chuckled. “Maybe I will, considering I know nothing about wings it seems.” She joked.

“How much did you learn? From…”

“Heaven…? It's not… Well, It wasn't bad persay, but… Maybe it would've been nice to learn about other wing types? I don't know… I think Exorcists were picked very strictly, if my memory serves me correctly. I think that's why it was important to me at the time… I was part of something so important to… To Adam. To Heaven…”

Charlie hummed, motioning for Vaggie to continue as she inched towards her scapular feathers slowly, giving time for Vaggie to stop her there if she wished.

“I just… I guess I was devoid of anything before then. It felt like I finally had something for myself, even if it came with losing my autonomy…” Vaggie continued, not giving any signs for Charlie to stop preening. “I don't quite remember a lot about it though, strangely enough. Which is why it baffles me as to why it affects me so damn much. The environment was toxic and always fast paced, and if you were anything just shy of perfect, you were dogpiled with everyone else's own gloating.”

“Hm…” Charlie hummed in return, and Vaggie could tell from the tone alone she was tucking that information away for later. “Tell me about your life.”

“What…?”

“When you were alive. You're a human soul, right?”

“Ah… I gave that away joining the Exorcists I think… My memories, not my soul…” Vaggie mumbled sadly. “It's a precaution for everyone, or so I've been told. So that if you, in your life, were attached to any sinner, you can still perform to your highest potential or some shit…”

Charlie hummed out an “Oh…” as she slowly trailed over Vaggie's scapular feathers, watching her melt further into the bed at the touch. Charlie picked at the base, letting loose the hidden debris and making sure all the fallen feathers were out. She tenderly ran a hand over the stretch of skin between the two wings, feeling the angel shudder at the contact, then pulled away, quietly giggling at how Vaggie pushed herself up to chase after the touch.

“Charlie…” It came out as a breathy whine, and Vaggie quickly buried her face in the pillow below her, grumbling to herself.

Charlie couldn't help but chuckle at the sight, sighing lovingly. “Yes, dear?” She asked.

“Please, Charls…”

“What, honey?”

She watched Vaggie's jaw clench, hands dug into the pillow below her as she seemed to consider her next words thoroughly. Charlie smiled fondly, realizing she had opened Vaggie up to a vulnerable position and she wasn't shying away instantly, that she considered saying something for herself for once, rather than asking what Charlie wanted.

Charlie knew damn well Vaggie deserved to be a little bit selfish. She definitely still hoped it was more than just a little sometimes, but some was better than the nothing of throwing herself away constantly in an act of protection with no regards for her own safety.

“They ache… And your touch feels soothing on them…” Vaggie got out hesitantly, turning her head to the side and looked back towards her girlfriend. “I… I can't really explain it…”

“No, no, I get it. Fully.”

“Really…?”

Charlie smiled sadly. “There weren't any bonds in the ranks of the Exorcists, were there…?”

Vaggie looked away. “No… Nothing serious ever…” She admitted quietly.

Charlie didn't know why that pissed her off, and she especially didn't know why she felt so damn possessive over Vaggie at the moment. She bit back a snarky remark about Heaven’s poor treatment, opting to sigh instead. “What am I to you?” She couldn't stop herself before the words had already fallen. She watched Vaggie's wings twitch after the question, and the angel was pulling herself up off of her spot on the bed.

She turned to her girlfriend, gaze full of concern, but muddled with sincerity twisting through it as well. “You're my girlfriend, Charlie. You're my partner, you're… Shit Charls, I don't think I wanna spend any life without you by my side.”

“Take that, find the connection between that and your wings.”

“Huh…?”

“You don't like your wings touched by anyone besides yourself and I, I've gathered. At first, just earlier, I wasn't sure if that was because you didn't want to say no to me.”

Vaggie looked away guiltily. “It… Was like that actually… At first… But it seems different now. I-It's not a bad touch, it's… I like it, Charlie.”

“I know, Vaggie. I'm not mad at you.” Charlie reassured. “It’s fully environmentally based. This room, our room, is a safety zone to you. Like we've stated, I will not touch your wings if we are anywhere outside this zone. It's your home base, your nest.”

“My nest…” Vaggie parroted, humming in thought.

“Me? You said it yourself, you see me as your lifelong partner. In your mind, in simple terms, I'm your mate.” Charlie continued. “I've pieced together a lot of avian qualities in you as of late, with the new perspective on you being an angel and all, and you may just only allow mates to touch your wings. There's nothing wrong with that, and it's a completely natural response to feel defensive when someone else does so, especially if they're sensitive to the touch.”

“I feel like I'm being given the birds and the bees talk…” Vaggie grumbled, making Charlie giggle, which in return made Vaggie smile softly. “Thank you though… For understanding…” She hummed, leaning against her girlfriend.

“Of course, hon. You aren't going through this alone, alright? Even if I don't have the answer to your question, Husk or my Dad might. Besides, you might start a flocking instinct so you may as well interact with them more anyways.”

“Charlie, sincerely, I want you to kill me before I get a flocking instinct. Absolutely no way. And another note, if I even remotely act motherly to any of the residents or staff, you have full permission to gut me with my own spear.”

“Aw… You don't wanna pick up a random person and be their caregiver? I for one think it would be nice to raise an imp even. They always deserve much better than what they actually get, and I feel bad for them all the time.”

“If this is your way of telling me you want kids, I'll store that away for a later time. Though, right now, I think I have a lot to work through before being a parent.”

Charlie hummed, nodding. “As do I… But maybe in the future we can live a happier life, where this unneeded feud between Heaven and Hell doesn't exist. We could get married in all the free time we would then have, travel together and see more than the pride ring. You can meet my family…! Well… I'm not sure about the actual connections, but we're like family at least. I might need to ask Dad about that… Anyways…! Gosh, Vag… We could have a family of our own…” Charlie sighed fondly at the thought.

Vaggie hummed in return. “You'd make a great parent…”

“Don't give me all the credit.” Charlie shot back playfully.

The angel just sighed with a mutter too quiet to hear. Charlie hummed back, leaning back against her partner.

“I love you, Vaggie… More than anything I've ever felt before. I live for you and I will die for you. You mean so much to me… Forever and always.”

“Fuck Charlie… I love you so so much too. I've never felt like this before I met you… I want to hold you forever, I don't want to see you hurt. I want to give everything to you. I would destroy the entire ethereal realm top down if it meant you'd be safe forever in my arms…” Vaggie muttered out, sighing. “I want you to take everything from me and never give it back, because in some sick way, it makes me feel whole.”

Charlie could feel Vaggie freeze next to her, tensing up at her own words. “I've never… Said that out loud before…” The angel mumbled. A light chuckle bubbled from her chest anyways. “It's… Shit Char… Shut me up before I spill everything I've held onto for the past few years…”

Charlie picked herself up, turning to meet Vaggie's eye. “I will always listen to you, no matter what.”

“Just kiss me you beautiful idiot.”

Charlie didn't need to be told twice, grabbing her girlfriend by her hips while crashing into her with a few stray giggles. “All for me… All mine…” Charlie hummed, kissing the angel. “All mine, my beautiful… You're mine…” She mumbled out in between another kiss, falling back into needy lips. “I love you… You're so amazing… You're beautiful…” Charlie continued to mutter sweet words to her girlfriend, punctuating each and every one of them with yet another kiss.

“All yours…” Vaggie whispered back in between Charlie's flurry of kisses. “I'm all yours, everything, all for you, forever…” She could feel Charlie's kisses trail downwards, shivering as her fangs traced each dip of Vaggie's skin. “Fuck…” She let out in a groan, lolling her head to the side for her girlfriend. “Please… Charlie please- Fuck…! Charlie.”

“What, Vaggie? Please what?”

That fucking tease…

“Forget it, don't rile me up, asshole…” Vaggie muttered, though held no true annoyance in her tone.

Charlie grinned. “If you insist. It's hard to ignore when you're in front of me telling me you're completely mine…” She teased. “Now… On a different note, how's tonight gonna look? Are you sleeping on top of me? Or off to the side?”

“You're warm… I'm not giving that up just because I'm burdened with damn wings once more.”

Charlie was quick to find her place on the mattress, pulling Vaggie down on top of her. “At some point we're gonna have to address the whole giving yourself away thing in full seriousness, but it's definitely giving me some ideas… Which, probably isn't the best time to indulge in if I'm trying to be all fluffy.”

“You're insatiable, babe…”

“And you love it.”

A fond sigh. “I do…”

“Gosh… I didn't know angels could fall for someone so deep in sin…”

“That's why I'm fallen, baby.”

Charlie gave a toothy grin in return. “I love you.”

“Love you too, hon.”

“G’night darling…”

“Night, love.”

A beat of silence, then snickering between the two.

“We're never gonna fall asleep at this rate, huh?” Charlie hummed.

“Ah whatever. I don't mind… Not if I can see your beautiful face.” Vaggie responded.

“Vaggie you have no idea how much I wanna ride your face right now, holy shit…” Charlie muttered, her grip tightening for just a moment.

Vaggie breathed out a laugh. “Big tonal shift, calm the fuck down, jeez… I'm tryna cuddle here, not get fucked to oblivion and back.”

The Princess whined, a playful pout on her lips. “I am holding everything back to not just take you now. Gosh, Vaggie… I think this is the only time you get power over me, you should relish in it.”

“Good night Charlie.”

“Vaggie…!”

“Good night.”

Charlie huffed lightly. “G’night my dear.”

“I would never hear the end of it from Angel if he knew you dommed all the damn time…”

They both giggled at that.

“We would never hear the end of it if he learned we fucked in general.”

“True…”

“They won't know. Not unless I'm especially rough…”

“I'd take it.”

“If you're trying to get a reaction out of me, it's definitely working and I think you should be careful.”

“I feel bad for Al if he has to put up with this energy with Lucifer.”

“Firstly, what is going on between those two? Secondly, please don't talk about my dad having sex with my hotel host, thank you very much…!”

Vaggie chuckled. “Fair point.” She hummed. “I dunno though, their fighting doesn't seem… Genuine, anymore.”

Charlie nodded. “Something's definitely changed. I'll probably get nothing out of them if I ask though.”

“Should we just let that happen? Like… Isn't Lucifer still married?”

“He's… It's complicated, really. But! He needs someone… I'm a bit nervous that the said someone is possibly Alastor, but Dad can hold himself strongly too. If anything truly bad happens, I think Al would be dead before we know it.”

“I'm not sure how comforting that's supposed to be, considering most of their fights happen here in the hotel.”

“Fair point.” Charlie hummed. “Is tomorrow a day off?”

“I wish…” Vaggie bit back a groan.

“I can make it a day off. We need one desperately.”

“Make it a week off at that point…”

“You're the manager.”

“You're the boss.”

“You got me there…! Erase our entire schedule for the next week. We'll tell the rest about it in the morning during breakfast.”

“You’re too kind.”

“I certainly try.”

“Love ya…”

“Love you too, hon…”