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It's strange how easy it feels hanging out with Layla. Usually Steven has to remind himself to hold a certain amount back, that most people don't appreciate his random sense of humour or his interesting facts. He knows that people can be intimidated by his intelligence as well, which is compounded by social awkwardness and has made it almost impossible for him to find good friends.
Layla is different. She respects how hard he studies and asks him questions like he's an expert. She doesn't get offended when he says the wrong thing because she knows that he's trying, and sometimes she even laughs at his jokes.
He's pretty sure she flirts with him. He's not sure what's going on with that. It's not long since they got back from their big adventure, and she seems to be working things out with Marc, as far as he can tell. He's too scared to ask how he fits into the situation or whether the two of them have had a conversation about it without him. Right now he's just grateful that he has such a wonderful friend.
They're eating popcorn while watching a nature program that he wanted to share with her. She does seem to be enjoying it, but she also likes to tease him.
"What's with the creepy voiceover dude?" she asks lightly.
"Creepy-" Steven gasps. "That's David Attenborough! He's a national treasure!"
"He's kinda excited about the way those bugs go at it, though, right?"
He spends a few moments spluttering before she starts to grin. "You're winding me up, aren't you? Of course you are."
She throws a bit of popcorn at him. He throws one back. She throws a handful and laughs. He grabs a cushion and raises it above his head, but just as he brings it down there's a metallic sshnk! as she summons a wing to protect herself.
Steven freezes, half kneeling on the sofa with tiny pieces of cushion fluff floating around him. Layla brings her arm down slowly, biting her lip sheepishly.
"You still have wings," he points out.
She nods. "Yes."
"That means you're still an avatar."
"Yes. Sorry."
"Sorry? Why?"
"Well, I know you guys wanted to be freed, and I respect that because of what he made Marc do, but I kinda liked being a superhero. Having wings is awesome. And Taweret's different. All I have to do is help people, and she asks nicely."
Steven sinks down onto the couch. "That sounds pretty brilliant, actually. She's a lovely hippo lady."
Layla pauses and then giggles.
"What's funny?"
"She says you're a lovely ape man too."
His eyes widen. "She's here?"
"Uh-huh. She says she loved meeting you and Marc. Most excitement she's had in centuries, apparently. Except she's using a lot more words." She turns to the air behind him. "We got it, Tawie, you had a great time."
Steven blinks. It's strange seeing someone else talk to a companion nonone else can see. And Layla does it so casually, like she knows he won't judge her for it. It makes him feel like she understands him even more.
He grabs a bit of fluff out Layla's hair. She glances at his hand and her smile softens. Their eyes meet. She looks so tempting, but Marc seemed rather upset last time he kissed her.
And there's also the fact that he's very aware that there's an invisible hippo watching.
"Um. Sorry about your cushion."
***
Going back to his old place of work isn't the most fun outing he's had, but it's not the worst, either. He makes sure he visits on Donna's day off.
He's been thinking a lot, and if Taweret is still around, then it's a very good opportunity to show his gratitude for all that she did for them when they were dead. And, well, where else would one go to buy a gift for an ancient Egyptian goddess than a gift shop full of ancient Egyptian memorabilia?
Except when he gets there he remembers how crap it all is. She really has no need for an inaccurate poster or a cheaply made scarab or a plastic ushabti of one of her family. But then his eye catches on something shiny in a box on the floor, and for some absurd reason he thinks it might actually work.
***
As he knocks on Layla's door, gift bag in hand, he starts to feel a little bit foolish. But he's here now, and Layla's expecting him.
"You don't have to knock, you know," she grins at him. "You used to live here."
"Marc lived here. He was very careful to keep me out, I think."
"Yeah, well, maybe soon he'll move back in and I want you to feel welcome too." She wanders to the kitchen and puts the kettle on. Steven follows.
"Moving back in? You've talked about that?"
She gives a sort of half shrug. "Not yet. Not properly."
Steven makes a mental note to have a conversation. It's going to get complicated, but they can figure something out. He wants Marc to be happy. "You should ask him."
"I don't know if he's ready."
"He'll never be ready. He's a whole big ball of issues. But you should do it anyway."
"Maybe. There's a lot to think about."
"You're not ready either," he guesses.
"I'm enjoying my own space. Hanging out with Taweret. She's nice."
"She is. I'm happy you're getting along. I um… is she about?"
"Of course she is. She likes it when you visit."
He follows her gaze and waves in that direction. "Hi, Taweret."
"She's waving back," Layla says.
"I brought her a present," he holds up the bag. "Which might not have been such a good idea thinking about it, seeing as she's incorporeal and that."
"Well, I'm her avatar. Maybe I should open it on her behalf."
He passes her the bag. She stops to check the tag, on which he's written the hieroglyphs for Taweret's name and a semblance of his own, simply because he could. Layla's face lights up when she looks inside. She's biting her lip as she pulls out the soft hippo plushie. "Oh, my goddess! Look Tawie, it's you!"
And then she starts giggling and doesn't stop.
"Layla? I'm sorry! This was a bad idea." He walks up and pats her on the shoulder. "Are you okay?"
She gasps for air and shakes her head. "No, Steven, I'm fine. She loves it so much she's squeaking. It's gorgeous, she's so happy. Wait what?" She takes a deep breath and gets the laughter under control. "She wants to know if she can possess me so that she can hold it. And thank you properly. Are you okay with that?"
"Am I okay with that? Are you okay with that? It's your body."
"I've got a constant stream of please please please in my ear and I don't think it's going to stop until I agree to it. Besides, she's my friend, I don't mind."
"I don't mind if you don't."
"Okay, Tawie, you're up." She puts the toy on the counter and closes her eyes. The change in her posture is subtle, her back straightening and her chest puffing out, her head raised just a touch.
This must be what watching a switch looks like, Steven realises. And now he understands how easily Layla can tell them apart from just a glance. But his thoughts are interrupted by a long, high-pitched squeal, which only stops when Taweret picks up the little hippo and gasps.
"It's so soft! I've never felt anything like it! Look at her- she's positively adorable! The cute little black eyes, and the swirly nostrils! Eeee!" She taps her finger to its nose with a giggle and then hugs it into her neck. "Oh, that's nice! She's just right to hold. Like a little baby. A soft, baby hippo!" She bounces with excitement and then looks at Steven. "Thank you so much, my dear. It was so thoughtful of you. This is the first offering that I've received in centuries, and it's perfect. You have no idea how much this means to me. It's wonderful. You're wonderful."
Steven is almost dumbstruck, but that's okay because so far he wouldn't have been able to get a word in edgewise anyway. He grins back at her. "You deserve it. I mean, I bought it as a thank you present. For everything that you did to help us in the Duat. We would never have made it out of there without you."
"Oh darling, you don't need to thank me for that. It was my pleasure, honestly."
"Anyway. I'm glad you like the present. I was worried you might think it was a bit silly."
She holds it up to look at it again. "It is a bit silly. But in the most adorable way. I mean, look at her little hat. And the shiny gold in her hair. She's just like me." She puts it next to her face as if for comparison, but of course she still looks like Layla. Steven can imagine, though. You don't forget a face like that.
"She's very cute."
"I'm just so grateful that you've brought me an offering. And such a personal one, too." She reaches up to cup his cheek. "Your worship will not go unrewarded, I promise."
"My- what?"
"Worship. Is that not what this is for? But you inscribed our names. Oh dear me, have I misunderstood?"
He shakes his head as her hand drops. It's not what he had in mind, but he thinks back to everything he knows about her culture. Of how the gods were said to take sustenance from their worship and offerings. He thinks about a real life Egyptian goddess standing in front of him, and the way her face went from pure delight to utter disappointment. "No, of course it's worship. What else would it be? You're a goddess and you protected me and Marc, and you helped us, and you've looked after my friend Layla. You're fantastic. You're everything that I've spent years dreaming about come to life. Of course it's an offering."
"Oh, goody!" she squeaks, and with the plushie hanging from one hand, she flings her arms around him.
It takes him a minute to get over the surprise, then another minute to come to terms with the fact that it's Layla's body and she can probably still feel it, and to her he feels like Marc's body and the whole thing gets frightfully confusing.
And then he finally understands that he's being held by a deity. Taweret has accepted his offering.
It's only going to get more complicated from here.