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large swig of coffee. They’re almost to the park, which is item one on Snow’s jam packed list.] Also, we’re going to need some future Twins Peaks binging sessions. I can even make themed snacks!

Ruby is complaining. Her best friend plans out what is essentially a marathon date. Obviously without being a /real/ date.] This has the makings of the perfect day. [Red’s enthusiastic smile transforms her whole demeanor into one of such exuberance. Just to have something to do, she takes a ~

[Ruby’s head is spinning as she absorbs Snow’s declarations. A cascade of thoughts come at once. What a tragedy she hasn’t seen Twin Peaks yet! That must be rectified with some serious binging. Snow’s previously unknown playfully possessive side has made quite the audacious appearance. Not that ~

[Ruby laughs, careful not to jostle her coffee cup.] Kidding! I’m all yours for the night.

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people prefer watching it before the series, unless they’re Lynch purists. [They might need to watch the series together at some point, purely to broaden Snow’s cultural horizons.] Yes, let’s do that. I can’t be lured back to the diner by the trappings of responsibility if we have tickets. ~

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Wolfnapping? Sounds serious. [Her words belie the sentiment behind them, which is evident in the grin she’s barely repressing. That Snow lays /claim/ to her widens her eyes, but Red knows they must have different interpretations of that word.] Oh, the Twin Peaks movie is so good. Some ~

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they even had a movie night in this realm?] I know it's been forever since we hung out. [The lanky brunette sports an apologetic look with a slight tilt to her head.] Things at the dinner have been kinda crazy since Granny asked me to take more responsibility. But I promise we'll make it up!

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retrospective. [The specific dates elude her, but there's still a good chance they can catch part of it.] Not sure if he's your thing. Kind of on the head trippy side, but definitely worth your time. [Is Ruby a fan of his? Absolutely, but she has no idea where Snow's film preferences run. Have ~

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As if. [The very idea of some hot date she’s been keeping under wraps evokes a hearty laugh. Have there been offers since the curse broke? Yes, but Ruby responded by graciously declining. Her interests remain true to one particular person.] Last I checked, they were running a David Lynch ~

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making the most of their free time. Everyone in Maine is accustomed to the crisp air this time of year.] We really do live in a beautiful area.

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like it's remedy time because I could really use a theater do-over. [Ruby bobs her head enthusiastically, adding an emphatic "yes" for good measure. At the last second, she stops herself from blurting out that it's a date, which it is not. Luckily, Snow's attention has turned toward picnickers ~

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[It would take little other than Snow's company to make a movie night infinitely better than that painfully awkward experience with the doctor. The smell of theater popcorn, soft crackle of the old school projector, and glimpses of Snow's features illuminated by the cinema screen.] It sounds ~

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Last time I went was with Whale. [Her expression says everything about how uncomfortable that experience was.] It was pre-curse. [Not that she needs to justify her poor choice of date, but a lot of awkward things happened under the influence of Regina's magic.]

pajamas sounds suspiciously like a sleepover, and they haven't had one of those in years.] Oh, speaking of movies, we should go the Storybrooke theater! [Ruby is a sucker for film marathons, and nothing beats the cinematic experience seated in a darkened theater full of anticipation.] ~

[‘You’ve always been a part of my happiness.’ Hearing that from Snow fills Ruby with warmth that suffused her skin even on this chilly day. In an effort not to overthink, Red elects not to guess what part she plays . Her friend's next proposed activity sets Ruby's mind into motion. Movies in ~

Let's add hot cocoa at night to the list of future good things we must enjoy together. Everyone needs a list like that.

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right?] You're my... [Person?] touchstone in the good and the bad, lady. [Once again, the brunette adopts her trademark playful persona so Snow doesn't deliberate too heavily on her word choice. It's more loaded than might be comfortable.] ~

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together free of the latest crisis. Oddly, Snow reacts with surprise to the revelation that /she/ is one of Ruby's good things. Did she ever doubt that for one moment?] For me, that includes you. [No, it /is/ Snow, but that's highly inappropriate to share with a friend. Even a best friend, ~

I'm a sucker for the sweet stuff but this is the kind of day where I could use the coffee boost full throttle. Black coffee would be perfect. Hanging out with some of my favorite people. [It warms Ruby’s heart to see Snow reunited with her family and finally reaping the rewards with time ~

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love to run right before the sun disappears. [Nudging her friend playfully with her shoulder, Ruby nods in her direction.] Your turn. Something that makes you happy.

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careful not to spill the heated cup of coffee, as if to absorb the few rays of light peeking through thick cloud cover. Finally, she takes a couple more slow sips. The bitterness mellows with each successive taste.] I’ve been cooped up in Granny’s this week, but in the evenings, I ~

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[Ruby’s wide smile is irrepressible, and she doesn’t even bother to hide the effect Snow’s words have, although the effervescent woman might not understand /why/ she has that effect on Red.] I am all for pairing two good things together. You and the outdoors. [Ruby spreads her arm out wide, ~

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but more so at its bitterness. Her features contort momentarily into an expression of discomfort before she shakes it off.] I don’t know how Regina takes her coffee like this every morning. It’s so bitter! [Leave it to the evil queen to enjoy hot beverages that bite back.]

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aura about Snow that piques Red’s interest. Maybe these days have brought some new joy into her life. They’re interrupted by their completed order, and Ruby gleefully accepts her black coffee. She takes a tentative sip of the scalding coffee, wincing slightly at the temperature ~

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Neither am I. [The moment to collect her thoughts allows the brunette to really look at Snow with her alabaster skin and pink cheeks from the cold weather, the familiar green in her compassionate eyes.] Maybe we start with something that makes us happy? [Perhaps it’s trite but there’s an ~

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this is the kind of day where I could use the coffee boost full throttle. [Maybe step one of unscattering is being fully awake though the fresh air is already helping clear the mental cobwebs.] Black coffee would be perfect. Thank you. [Ruby’s warm smile accompanies a gentle squeeze of Snow’s hand]

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[The mysterious coffee cart owner eludes Ruby as well. It’s a place she’s breezed past on a run, never quite paying attention to who was running it.] Storybrooke mysteries abound. [Pausing a few paces away, she deliberates over an appropriate drink order.] I'm a sucker for the sweet stuff, but ~

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off? Metaphorically speaking. [Ruby laughs at her own remark, aware of the wolf inside her clamoring for freedom at times.] Or maybe literally in my case on occasion.

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you put it that way. [A piercing question would be why exactly has Ruby found herself in such a state. Could it be the absence of certain woman in her life?] Do you ever get that itch to…I dunno, stretch your legs and take +

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[Fresh air, caffeine, and Snow—the makings of a recipe for the perfect day (date). Absolutely no persuasion is required as the lanky brunette falls once more into the steady rhythm of their friendship and Snow’s leisurely walking pace.] Unscattering sounds like a far less painful process when +

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after what seems an eternity apart.] … a bit scattered but so happy to see you. Can I steal you for a while? [or far longer?]

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[Funny how warped her sense of time is when it comes to Snow. Their last conversation happened years ago but only yesterday, right? Their decades spent together swirling into an amalgam of moments.] I feel… [anticipation? Excitement? All of that at even a glimpse of Snow ~

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Hey! [a single word becomes a squeal of delight that extends beyond the bounds of what constitutes friendship…though this is /just/ a friendship…] I missed your hugs. [slender arms wrap around Snow’s petite frame]

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