so many lines that I've crossed unforgiven

To kiss in cars and downtown bars
Was all we needed

Soh scrambled around the apartment over her shop, picking up the disarray and cleaning feverishly to prepare for company. She'd received Flora's letter that morning and realized that her apartment was nowhere near suitable for visitors, and she'd been scrambling ever since. Soh was many things, but willing to welcome her friend into a home that looked like it had been hit by a tornado was not one of them. Tarak helped, as much as he was able as a young griffin, eventually leaving her to her panicked cleanup to perch on the tower she'd had built for him in the corner. Soh hardly noticed. She was too busy cleaning.

She barely finished in time, having managed to complete her tasks and take a quick shower before the doorbell chimed from downstairs, and she hurried down with her hair still damp to let her friend in. "Flora!" she cried as she flung open the door. "It's so good to see you!" And it was the truth. However much she may wish to wallow in self-loathing these days, having someone care enough to come over and check on her - or, as was likely in Flora's case, gossip with her - was a balm to her shattered soul.

She ushered Flora in and led the way up the stairs. "How have you been?" she called over her shoulder as she rummaged about in the kitchen cabinets. "Can I get you anything to drink? Tea? Wine? Something stronger?" She kept just about everything these days, just in case.

You drew stars around my scars
But now I'm bleedin'

Sohalia