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[Sometime during the afternoon, a simple text makes its way onto the network, no picture or video attached.]

I'm back from vacation.

Don't worry. It was boring.

-Frisk

[None of which is, precisely, a lie. Thankfully, considering Frisk is just about the worst liar they know.]

[But it's good to be home.]

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[A little from column a, a little from column b, to be quite frank. Norma doesn't even grace Frisk with a response - she's too nervous and excited to just lay her eyes on them again. To just be certain this isn't some sick prank being pulled by the Queen or anything. It's not above her to pull mind games like this, but even so, she hurries to where Frisk indicated. Her feet slap against the stone as she throws herself down the stairs (and nearly cartwheels down them for real, a-ahaha...) and through the corridor that houses the living quarters of the castle's heroes.

Room seven, room eight, room nine...there it is. She's a little afraid to push the door open, but after a few minutes of hesitating with her arm held out, Norma taps her knuckles against the door first. May as well be polite first. And, if this really is some sort of lucid dream or a figment of the Queen's wrathful magic, she'll at least be a little prepared.

Hopefully.]

[No reply comes, and Frisk waits. And waits. And eventually allows the phone to slide from their hand onto the covers, maneuvers themself over the side of the bed, drops carefully down to the floor. Sits on the bottom bunk and doesn't stare at the door.]

[Nobody came.]

[Until she did, the rap of knuckles on wood against the other side, and somehow Frisk knew she would, because now - somebody always comes. Then, they're shooting to their feet and making their way over, a flutter taking hold of their stomach. They're not sure why they're so nervous all of a sudden. Her text sounded... surprised?]

[Upset?]

[It doesn't matter, since Frisk pulls open the door and stares up at their visitor, their posture heavy with something that doesn't break through their guarded expression. Quiet, because like everyone else...]

[She must have gotten hurt by this, too.]

[The wait behind the door feels like far longer than it really is, and the swell of anxiety that fills Norma's stomach is nearly sickening, but it deflates upon laying her eyes on Frisk after so long. So, so long. They're just a kid - a kid she barely knows that much about, but when has that ever stopped her from getting attached? There's just something about Frisk that makes her feel so at ease. So natural, and...heh, normal.

It's just a minute spent staring, almost in disbelief, before Norma's face turns up into a big smile, and she folds just enough to scoop Frisk up into her arms and hug them tight. Her laugh is a little watery, because she did hurt when they wet on "vacation", but it's nothing to the joy she feels at having them back. Does it make sense? No, not really, dead don't come back - shouldn't come back, but does she care about all that?

Not one bit.]

That vacation better have stunk because I'm not ever letting you leave again, got it?! [She hiccups a little sob, and tightens her grip on their sweater.]

[Frisk hadn't really noticed, until Norma pulls them in and their arms automatically navigate up to fold around her back, that they almost aren't surprised by this anymore. This... type of greeting. It unravels the ball of anxiety in their belly; lets them relax into her embrace, exhaling lowly into the cloth of her garment. If their breath is a little shaky too, well...]

[It's been a long couple days.]

[Yet not nearly as long as the last couple months have been, Frisk is sure. They pull away from the embrace, just enough to get a good look at her face. Mouth pulling into a smile, Frisk rests the side of their index over their lips in a quiet, shushing gesture.]

[... which then migrates upward to pull their lower eyelid down, making sure they look properly ridiculous for their very serious response.]

Got it.

[The hug last for as long as Frisk allows, though Norma is a little hesitant to break contact. They're probably not that much younger than she is, but even so...they just seem so young, too young, to have to have dealt with something so scarring. It's not fair that people have to die, but kids? That's plain cruel. She has so many things to say, to ask - I missed you - being the first that's ready to spill over from the cauldron that is her emotions, but Norma abides by their shushing gesture and waits. Waits for what she expects to be an explanation.

What she gets is so much better.

She laughs, hard and openly and honestly. The first time she's ever laughed that hard in a long time - several months now - and wipes at the tears that are spilling down her face, both from her laughter and from just how happy she is to see her little friend again. She's lost too many people in her time to keep that awful trend going. It's...refreshing to get another chance.]

It's good to have you back, Whispers. [She ruffles their hair, grinning.] I hope you're ready for some serious spoiling!

[Heh, nailed it. Frisk is delighted at her laughter, their own face practically beaming as she tousles the unkempt mop on their head. No sadness, not over them; there's no need. They'll always come back. They know how important it is.]

[Especially, um... now.]

[They can't think of a way to tell her that without it sounding weird, though, so they simply make a half-hearted attempt at smoothing their hair down while pulling another face - a genuine reaction this time. They get it, they do, but they can't help but feel like some of their friends and family are going overboard.]

I just want everyone to feel normal again.

[Norma grins, though she's not quite at the emotional capacity to play Facemaster this time around. Not yet, anyway. Sadly, things aren't quite normal just yet, and Norma's still bothered by the fact that Frisk had to die and...and come back like this. That they have to live with that memory. It must be so hard for them, to remember it. Remember that they died - that there'll always be a statue in the memorial hall to remind them of that. To remind everyone.

Still, some normalcy does sound ideal right about now, even if it seems such a long ways off. But walking on eggshells isn't going to make anyone feel better, so why not just try to walk on by? It's not like they're making light of what happened, or ignoring it. They're just...continuing on.]

Well, what can I do to help out? Did you eat anything yet? I dunno if you know, but Swoonji's been helping me learn to make a few dishes. [Not baked stuff, and a few baked dishes she didn't know.] Can I tempt you with a lunch date~? ♥

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