The conversation flowed with ease as the meal slowly came to an end. Plates that had once been full were now nearly empty, cutlery resting against porcelain as the rhythm of eating softened into something slower, something more intimate.
Clara found herself leaning slightly forward, her elbows tucked close to her body as she spoke, the stiffness she carried earlier long gone.
"And then my supervisor just looked at me and said, 'figure it out,' like that solves anything," she muttered, shaking her head lightly.
Ruby snorted, leaning back in her chair with her arms folded.
"That sounds about right. Throw the problem at the most responsible person and disappear."
Hazel chuckled softly, her fingers tracing the rim of her glass in slow, absent circles.
"It means they trust you," she said calmly. "Or they know you won't let things fall apart."
Clara blinked, clearly not expecting such a grounded answer.
"I… never thought about it that way."
