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Roxie listened as Liv explained that her dad said she could go to the show, but Elizabeth - who Roxie had to assume was her mom - declined. Then she'd grounded Liv, but her dad promptly said the ground was lifted and allowed her to go hang out with a friend. Liv claimed it was her fault that her dad had been kicked out, before another sob rang out. The blonde gently hugged Liv tighter, running her fingers through messy hair. "Aw Liv, it wasn't your fault, I promise." She wanted to add that it sounded like it was entirely her dad's fault, but figured that would only make things worse. Thankfully Liv changed the topic a bit.

When Liv mentioned going to bed, Roxie yawned and nodded. "Yea, sorry. I go to bed like an old man. Here, let me put the tea on to steep and we can go into my room." She put the bags into the two mugs, lifting them in hand as she stepped toward the door. "C'mere, follow me. You can share my bed, if you're cool with that. Otherwise there's a couch in the other room." The blonde led the way into her room, pink walls dotted with art, sheet music, family and friend photos, and a few band posters. From a record player in the corner, soft jazz seemed to dance about. Roxie set the mugs on her bedside table and sat on her bedspread, trying to hide another yawn. "Get dressed in your jammies, then we can have tea before bed. Maybe some sleep and snuggles will help you feel better."

Roxie was having a pretty boring summer thus far. She'd saved up some money from babysitting FOUR kids now between her two "gigs", which granted her some additional freedom. Plus, she'd be seventeen in like... 6 months. So with that, she'd presented her dad an argument on bodily autonomy and safe choices before getting permission to get her nose pierced. For now, it was just a silver hoop, but hopefully it'd heal up soon. That afternoon, she was in her living room with her lyric notebook out. She was strumming her guitar (don't tell Liv!) and singing along. As long as dad was downstairs, her singing could be raunchy as heck, so she allowed it.

When there was a knock on the door, the blonde hurried to slam the book shut before pushing start on the little record player. Her screaming words had been replaced by a soft jazz. What if it was one of her nieces?? She quickly pulled open the door, seeing Liv standing there. Flashbacks to last winter stirred up, causing her to just sigh. "Liv, please tell me you didn't run away again. Last time it caused your mum to show up with the Aurors! That was so hard to explain to da---..... did you get your eyebrow pierced?" She cut herself off upon seeing her friend's new accessory. "Another Seb Moon special? Did you at least use sanitized equipment? We don't get back to school for a month!" As much as she loved the healers, she did not love getting scolded by them.

What... in the name of hell was happening? Liv was here, unannounced, and grinning a bit too big. Roxie immediately questioned if she'd run away again, her worry for her friend's wellbeing in her tone. She wasn't stupid. She knew Liv was fighting with her mom (even if Roxie thought the argument was a bit.... silly, but she couldn't say that, she was on Liv's side!) and that there was no way she was just... let her off the hook after being angry at her for a whole year. Liv sighed really heavily, causing Roxane to then jump into her new piercing and how it was (hopefully) sanitary.

Buuuuuut after her little speech, Liv questioned what had given her that impression. Roxie was about to answer, but Liv finished the thought. She then said her mum brought her??? The blonde glanced over at the woman and kid, then back to Liv. Then Mrs Elizabeth asked if they wanted any treats. "Ah.... no? N-no thank you? I've got plenty." They were way, way too chummy. Liv then said she and her mum got their eyebrows done..... together? The blonde set her hands on Liv's shoulders, green eyes staring directly into Liv's soul. "Who are you and what've they done with Liv?" She shook her friend a bit, before pulling her into a hug.

When they parted a second later, Roxie sighed. "So clearly I've missed about a million steps. What the hell happened? You and 'Elizabeth'," she said, adding finger quotes for emphasis before continuing, "were about in a war of wills last week. Why the sudden about face? Do I need to be concerned about someone passing on?" Seriously. They went from absolute hatred to... best friend piercings?

Of course Liv just laughed about Roxie's shaking her. In Rox's defense, Liv was being super weird. Last time they'd talked, one would think her mum the antichrist, and now... they were best friends? It was absolutely backwards. Thankfully, Liv volunteered to divulge the information, though only inside. "Okay, yea. Don't mind the music. I thought you were my nieces." She walked back in, plopping in her favorite armchair. With a small wave of her hand, Roxie turned her attention on the younger teen. What could possibly have happened?

As Liv began to explain, Roxie nodded along, though a frown settled on her pink-glossed lips. Her dad had finally been the one to break through by calling her a brat and told her to read her mum's letters.... which sounded like something Roxie had been saying all year. Oh well. At least it seemed on the mend. Liv said she'd read the letters and finally realized everything that had been going on. Since then, she'd learned a lot her mum's past, discovered a connection, and made friends. "I'm glad you two made up. Especially since like... I know what it's like to lose a parent. Don't... don't do that, Liv. It'll never go away." Roxie sighed, shaking her head.

But then Liv called her out on her new piercing, causing Roxie to laugh. "I sure do! There was a sale at the shop in Diagon and I've got spending money, so I had to do it. Plus, I thought it looked cool. It hurt like hell, though, but with magical healing, I can already change it." She laughed, eternally glad that she had family who knew healing. She couldn't wait to turn seventeen, though it would be after winter break. It was so annoying having to ask others to do magic for her. Reaching over, she grabbed a pink scrunchie from the table, tying her hair up in a twisty bun. "It's cool that you get to see your dad again, though. Even if the location is kinda lame." She looked over at Liv, offering a small smile.

After all their giggles about getting various piercings, the conversation dropped off. Liv had more to tell, but for her, Roxie always had ears. Though, whatever this one was... it seemed like it was going to be intense. Sure enough, she explained that something else had happened, but that she didn't want to talk to her mum about it. That spelled trouble, especially now that Liv and Elizabeth seemed to be all buddy-buddy. "I do know you pretty well. What's up?"

Aaaaaaand then Liv dove in. She mentioned her muggle friend, Benson.... and Benson's older brother! As she explained that he'd more or less duped her into sleeping with him, then left her and broken her heart. Roxie handed over a small box of tissues, then sighed. What was she supposed to say to that? She'd had... romantic encounters, but only with girls! She'd never had a boy even try something like that with her. Before she could try, Liv was crying. Roxie pushed to her feet, hurrying over to pull her friend into a hug. She continued on, trying to explain how she'd messed up and now just felt... off. "Hey, hey.

Liv, I'm so sorry that happened. But you need to know it wasn't your fault. That guy... he's a jerk! A-a grade-A arsehole!" She gently pet Liv's hair, before pulling back a bit. She used a tissue to gently help clean up the brunette's messy face, trying to help things a bit better. "And Benson'll come around. She's just mad, but I'm sure she'll realize that it was his fault, not yours." She wanted to add more, to say that Liv should've known that brothers should be off limits..... but that probably wouldn't be helpful right now. Instead, she just kept her friend close, trying to keep Liv from some of those more difficult feelings.