She walked over on shaking legs, every step feeling like walking to an execution.
"Hello..." Her voice trembled so badly the word barely made it past her lips.
"Hello...." To her shock, they warmly shook her hand. No judgment. No coldness. Just... warmth.
It confused her. Scared her almost more than hostility would have.
"You are going out?" Dimitri asked, curiosity rather than censure in his tone.
"Yes, Takoda said we should at least go out and do some shopping!" The words tumbled out too fast, too nervously. She didn't know what else to say. Didn't know what they expected from her.
"All right... Go on..." They didn't ask anything more. Didn't stop them. Didn't interrogate or lecture or demand explanations.
They just... let her go.
Dakota blinked, unsure how to process kindness from people who had every reason to hate her family.
