Hanna sat down at the table with a hot cup of coffee, alone. She set to braiding her hair, trying to keep her mind occupied. She began interweaving her dark hair so it would fall over her left shoulder, an old style, one that she didn't usually use, but she liked it. The last section was just being completed as Ethan walked into the room.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg6Y8c5i2R1
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"Could we talk for a minute?" Hanna asked politely.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs7ovd91bqN
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"Sure." Ethan sat down at the table, sitting across from her.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu6wneSe6P6
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Hanna quickly added an elastic to finish her braid. "I was thinking about what you said earlier, about pheromones."92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY5tuISLOfJ
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"Okay," Ethan said, slightly nervous about the topic of conversation.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jqVxfubpH
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"I have a friend, she's pregnant, and I was thinking if you met her, that might help. Maybe trick your brain," Hanna proposed uncertainly.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBFnADdDRbk
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Ethan's brow creased. He was reluctant to get his hopes up. "You think that might... work? Stop the heat early?"92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Zyuryrfrz
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Hanna shrugged, she had zero expertise in this area. "From what you told me, it seems like it might."92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc3VE4CyMyv
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Ethan turned to look out the window, his expression hidden. He was reluctant to get his hopes up, it seemed like a long shot, then there was the inherent risk of letting another person know their location.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgXJ0wX5FZk
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"It's just an idea. You don't have to. It might not even work," Hanna babbled. She stared into her coffee mug, as if the dark, bitter substance had all the answers. "I know you're not very comfortable with people coming here. And I know it's risky, but Penelope isn't the smartest and I don't think she'd figure out your identity."92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡclQ14n9m8U
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Hanna stopped talking, allowing the room to settle into an awkward silence.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmTXwtCsGX4
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It might be worth it, Ethan thought, weighing the options. He really did not want to spend another three weeks in heat. "It's a good idea. We should try it," he stated finally.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN8Hcc6sNPe
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Hanna slowly set her mug down on the table. "Oh. Um, I'll see when I can convince her to come out here then."92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcsnUbUgS31
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Ethan nodded, gaze still fixed on the dreary forest outside. Hanna got up quietly and went outside to make the phone call. A few minutes later, she came back in to find Ethan sitting at the table, a half empty glass of water in front of him.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb4KdZfRLFD
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"Alright, she'll drop by in a few days," Hanna informed him, picking up her half drunk mug of coffee again.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRzIrmFz8B6
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"What did you tell her?" Ethan asked.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Se3kZkJcl
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"I didn't tell her you're Charax, for obvious reasons," Hanna paused, starting to realize she might have been a little presumptuous with her cover story. "I told her I wanted her to meet my new boyfriend."92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHqd8J8Ln6L
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Ethan shifted nervously. "Is this just a cover story or..."92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPRtR8Ortkw
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Hanna chewed her lower lip nervously. "That's up to you. But make your decision later."92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFCKoFE0f0A
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Ethan frowned slightly, somewhat confused. "I don't need time to decide that."92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEUxoxM39vr
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Hanna resisted the urge to sigh, his hormones were probably still messing with his brain. She had no clue how much of his behaviour was really his and how much was caused by the heat. Even if he said he wanted to be in a relationship... she wouldn't be convinced until he confirmed it out of heat. If he didn't want to be in a relationship... she didn't want to hear that right now either.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjpQbALd5hT
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"Wait until after the heat to make your decision," Hanna repeated firmly.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8NeYbCYe8B
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"It won't change how I feel," Ethan protested mildly.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDkKZhHUFPj
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Hanna took another sip of coffee. "Then there's no harm in waiting. Boyfriend seemed like a good Terran term."92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzf61l8sD96
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Ethan shrugged. "Okay, I'm not up to date on inter-species relationship milestones."92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUGb65mWBAv
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Hanna laughed, a light and carefree expression of joy. "Wait, I thought the scientists agreed we were technically the same species?"92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX8tUxPK2Nh
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Ethan smiled. "I think they're still debating it."92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCIztxaPutu
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"And they probably will be for the next hundred years or so," Hanna added jokingly.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3TqfzYMNN
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"...and what do you think?" Ethan asked tentatively.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfAemNlMJrf
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Hanna shrugged, obvious to the changing tone of the conversation. "That there will probably never be a consensus so it doesn't matter what they say." She went to fill up her mug from the pot on the counter. "So, anyways, 'boyfriend' was the closest Terran label I could think of, if you're alright with that."92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZw2y16NVWW
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That's an interesting take on Charax-Terran relationships, Ethan thought, unwilling to push the subject further. "It fits. What's our cover?"92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHrmeSxlu1D
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"The same one as before? Vacation?" Hanna suggested.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdFofhBae8p
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"Is that believable? Out in the middle of the woods in the off season?" Ethan commented skeptically.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0GsmED1FEs
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"It was cheap?" Hanna suggested dubiously. "Alright, do you have any better ideas?"92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOJsgbPIVNn
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Ethan opened his mouth, then shut it again.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9IrFNl4z9B
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"I thought so," Hanna said smugly.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQrpxfX70ln
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"Renovations," Ethan suggested cockily.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdmjVrvKE30
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Hanna glanced about the large room. The place certainly did look like it needed a new coat of paint. The counter had chips in it, the dinner table was scratched, the sofa was stained and the lounge chair was falling apart. But that was all typical of a well-used cottage. "Don't you think she'd notice no supplies around?"92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3jpucnUX3F
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Ethan walked over to the front entrance, gesturing at the large front window. "She doesn't need to come inside, we could hang up some sheets..."92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrrXJDIdQK0
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"That sounds like a lot of work," Hanna said, still doubtful. "I like the outdoors, I think she'd buy the vacation line."92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT6owFi6sYx
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"You like the outdoors?" Ethan asked suspiciously.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4YcRrjaS1
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"I do, I like hunting," Hanna fibbed. She didn't like hunting that much but it was her typical excuse for why she had a bunch of guns and knew how to use them. She'd used it enough as a cover for enough of her missions that almost no one questioned it anymore.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb30ZUEveOW
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"Really?" Ethan asked skeptically.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCyqACfAKVw
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"Yes." Hanna stuck firmly to the lie. "But it's the off season so we'll just pretend you don't like hunting or something."92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwiPzc2VXrD
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"I don't like hunting," Ethan said honestly.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVl4T0YjqsT
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"Perfect, you already know your lines," Hanna said, laughing lightly.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRv8rocwsIO
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Ethan smiled slightly. "So, given we aren't hunting, what are we doing out here?"92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQGvmOoCL8U
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"Hiking? Fishing? Sexy picnics? Getting bitten by millions of tiny blood sucking insects?" Hanna suggested jokingly.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGX5aJ8mcT
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Ethan scowled. "The fourth option is at least true."92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6HgdIb5FA6
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"It just has to be mildly believable, not actually true," Hanna suggested. "Even if she thinks we're actually doing something else, she won't mention it."92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAnvM98Ri18
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Ethan shrugged. "You know her best, pick whatever you think will work."92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOxBNUb3et
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Hanna finished off her coffee. "Okay, I'll think of something... better. Later."92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ85eyT7J2wW
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Ethan smiled slightly. "Good luck with that."92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA8qxujcJgh
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"Hey! Have some faith in my ability to come up with a believable excuse," Hanna protested jokingly.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2YnoaWkKhn
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Ethan flashed her his typical overconfident smile. "I'm sure you'll be able to come up with something if you put your mind to it."92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNw9gJzDtRW
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Hanna resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him and bit back the sassy comeback that was on the tip of her tongue. I've been good enough to fool you so far, she thought smugly. She put a small smile on her face. "I'm sure I'll manage," she said sweetly.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKDqKpPRCB4
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"But, all joking aside, I don't want my cover blown if this doesn't work," Ethan said seriously.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIDpv0b5RpF
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"It won't be," Hanna promised. "Penelope isn't the brightest bulb in the shed."92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4RIdSPBZd
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Ethan gave her a skeptical look, already questioning if this whole plan was one big mistake. He decided to let the matter drop and picked up the crossword puzzle book instead, hoping to distract himself from this new problem, at least until he had to deal with the usual one.92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYhA1RYUsAW
Penana
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