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*
"I heard about these walkathons last year, Tiana! Ooh, sounds swell! It'll be like eggs in the coffee!"
Lotti signs them up, tittering and tiptoeing in her excitement.
Despite having 'two left feet'...
A $100 prize for competing over seventy-two hours... was all Tiana needed to hear before agreeing. She never earned that much at Cal's.
*
So many couples appear, dressing up on their finest, but loosest, outfits. Tiana's wool skirt flares around her knees as she spins, clasping onto Lotti's hand. Her blouse sweat-soaked. By the end of the dance marathon's first day, half of the couples leave.
They're allowed fifteen minutes, in every hour, to rest. During it, Tiana gulps water and carefully stretching her muscles.
Lotti nods off occasionally, snorting softly.
A heavy but familiar presence embraced to Tiana's chest.
Her perfume lingers.
"Ti, honey...you feelin' okay?" she murmurs, looking into Tiana's brown-gold eyes, and Tiana cannot help but grin. There's been a number of eyes on them, since starting, and Tiana ignores any confusion. Not her problem. She's only got eyes for Lotti and their prize.
Daddy's calm voice keeps ringing in her head...
Never lose sight of what's really important, sweetheart.
"I got no kick," Tiana says pleasantly, setting a kiss against Lotti's forehead while her best girl sleeps again.
*
In the distance, a sunlit tram-bell rings.
"Nearly four days! I've never been more sore in my entire life!" Lotti yawns, happily taking a bit of ice from a cafe cup. She affectionately strokes a curl from Tiana's face. They hold onto each other, grimacing and hiding away the prize money quick.
Because, after all, once they're back in New Orleans...
Anything can happen...
*