Ah, there we go, [ she visibly relaxes, ] I was starting to worry you'd been possessed by someone nicer. But no, not gonna offer for you to murder me this time. I'm just glad you're not dead.

[ Asking if he means that she's alive or that he's alive will absolutely without a doubt ruin the moment, so. Temporarily cured of her insufferable need to know everything, she just lets that sit. It's a nice thought. There's more sentiment she wants to share, but maybe not all in a row, just to be safe. Instead- ]

Did you see I finally punched Rita?

[ Just gonna skip right on past the feeling that hits her when the Captain grins- ]

It felt a little too easy, ehn, like for how big her mouth is I expected her to be able to back it up. Or to be able to take a hit without bawling. I did say I wasn't going to start shit with her again, but, [ with her own grin, wide and vicious, ]

Next time she talks shit again, and she will, she'll need to drink through a straw for months. Wonder how many parts I'll need to break before she finally gets the message.

Ehn. I don't think it'll start much of anything. Everyone's tired of Rita. Even Natsuno just asked me to knock off my side of it, didn't ask for an apology or anything. And the fact is, I'm a bigger fish than Rita is. Whatever blood feud she wants to start, she won't be able to finish.

[ She does sort of bob her head a little though, considering his observation. ]

Clarke does seem kind of... depression-y at the moment though. Not that anyone isn't. I figure the only people who know what's going on in her head is Clarke and God and neither all the time, but what... a year and they're no closer to a way to kill you? Must suck for them.

[ It's not a difficult couple of dots to connect- no ghosts means the old fashioned way of generating power- but Darcy flops back on the roof with both hands on her face, saying too quickly and a little too loudly- ]

Thank God, I've been so fucking bored.

Yeah. Well. Don't know what you've got 'til it's gone and all that. No excursions means all there's left to do is read and self-actualize, and I'm tired of both.

[ From a gap between her hands, she looks in his direction, ]

Don't go easy on me, yeah? Or. Us. I guess I mean, [ looking back up at the sky, ] I miss actually being challenged.

Good to know you can still be ominous about how you're planning to kill us. I was worried you were out of practice.

[ Things back the way they were when they arrived, more or less. But more like a spiral than a complete loop- certainly by the way she's a little excited as opposed to outright terrified. Hopefully there'll be zombies to stab again. ]

Whatever challenge it is, I won't disappoint. But if you want to give me a hint as a late birthday present...?

[ Better than nothing. Even if it means she has to actually stick around instead of helping set up and then bailing after ten minutes. Ugh. ]

I'll keep my eyes out. Thanks.

[ Handing over the plate, ] you know I made the whole thing for you, right, I don't eat this much sugar. You could've just taken it.

[ Darcy blinks for a moment in confusion, then scoffs, standing herself back up again. Dismounting from the roof, ] thanks Darcy, see you around Darcy, I liked what you made for me Darcy, prick.

[ Still, feels like some sort of progress. ]