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Riri's house has always felt a lot more like a home than Jules' own does. Standing before it today is no different.
Maybe not a home to Jules, specifically, although she knows she is welcome there, but a home nonetheless, pictures of the family that inhabits it occupying every wall, vestiges of a childhood lived in there noticeable if you are looking for them. It looks like a home loved and full despite it's size. It will never cease to make Jules want to stop and close her eyes just to soak in the feeling.
She doesn't, though, because Riri is walking in front of her and she doesn't stop so Jules has no reason to do so.
"You always do that," Riri says, almost softly.
"I always do what?" Jules asks.
"Look around," She replies as she gets to the staircase. "Like you haven't ever been here before."
"Oh," Jules stops at the foot of the stairs, "Sorry."
Riri only hums in response and keeps walking, prompting Jules to rush slightly through the first steps so as to keep up.
There's a jacket, a hoodie that was once a light grey and was now covered in paint, which Riri picks up on the way, scrunching up her nose. It is likely her younger sister's, although Jules doesn't ask
When they finally make it to the room, Riri turns around to look at her just outside the door and gives her a smile. Not her normal one, soft on her face, just nice enough to make it look genuine. Not her "Jules" smile, usually the one for moments like these when it's just the two of them, full and bright and undeniably happy. No, this is her "Please don't be mad" smile.
"Do you know Danny Quinn?" She asks as she pushes the door open.
"Who?"
Her room looks exactly the same as it always does. Neat to every last detail, the things not in their place somehow still looking nice and orderly, bed perfectly made, not a hint of dirt anywhere. Exactly what Jules would expect. Except there was a boy on her friend's bed.
"This is Danny Quinn," Riri gestures towards the boy who quickly stands up and extends his hand to Jules.
"Danny," He says as he does it, then he pauses, cheeks reddening, "Which you know, of course, she just told you."
Riri laughs. Actually laughs, not in a polite way, but like she's genuinely amused. This friendship (and, some traitorous part of Jules' mind says, is that all they are?) is most definitely not a new development. Riri doesn't laugh like that just for anyone. He laughs with her.
She realizes then that she's been quiet for too long as silence has settled into the room.
