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[sciencesquid]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, OCTAVIUS. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 015.03.020.15 *** OCTAVIUS has joined 015.03.020.15 <OCTAVIUS> You've reached Dr. Otto Octavius. Please leave a message.

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[certaininequities]

Norman laughs a little, relieved and a bit surprised, then leans over and kisses his cheek before leaving the room so Otto won't see just how red his cheeks are getting.

They're at nicknames now, he thinks, feeling a giddy sort of rush as he makes his way up to the kitchen. Things are going so much better than he'd even dared to hope for. He had thought they would crawl along awkwardly for months ... but maybe they both realized in some way that life was too short, even in a place where death didn't mean what it used to. That happiness was too important, a rare commodity when your existence depended on horrible things - both doing them and surviving them. He gives the dishes a quick rinse so the syrup won't solidify into impossible, resinous goop later, washes his hands, then grabs his sweatshirt from by the door, checking its pockets. Keys, coin purse: both there. He's still getting used to the latter - no credit cards or folding money has turned out to have an interesting learning curve.

Nevertheless, by the time Otto makes his way upstairs, Norman's ready to go, and waggles the keys - and his eyebrows - with a grin. "Wait until you see what I got Chiaki's friend to rig up for us - not for your birthday, just for -" He hesitates just long enough to realize he shouldn't be hesitating at all. "The family."

Outside is a cream and blue small bus, the two front seats modified so that they only have half-height backs. There's one less bench seat than normal in the back to allow more room for monstrous passengers, but it's still large enough that most of Hill House can pile in.