'Fun' and 'Mental' is Fundamental
 

Paige kept her umbrella pulled down tight over her head as she stood outside. Or rather, crouched outside, trying to keep the box next to her as dry as she could. It was pouring rain, and her umbrella could only shelter so much. Cautiously, she looked around for her friend.

Crystal didn't have an umbrella, so she'd tossed her rain jacket over her box of books. Everything else could get wet, but the books would be ruined if they got wet. They were likely ruined anyway, but Crystal could hope.

So she was standing in the rain, shivering as she flagged Darwin down with the car and led him over to where Paige was guarding their stuff.

"Hey," Darwin said softly to them as he got out of the car. "Come on, let's get your stuff into the car. It should all fit. I know a place you can stay."

Paige couldn't even muster up a smile as tiny scales rippled up on Darwin's skin in response to the rain. She just folded her umbrella, picked up the box, and put it into the trunk of the car.

"Thanks, Darwin," she said.

"Just for tonight," Crystal said quietly as she put the other two boxes in the trunk as well and then shut it. She willingly went to huddle in the back seat, trying to keep her shivering to herself.

Darwin eyed the girls worriedly as they all got in and he headed back towards home. "So what happened?"

"Landlord," Paige said. "He found out." She didn't have to say any more than that, she knew Darwin would know what she meant.

Darwin grimaced. "That sucks." He was quiet for a bit. "Well, you can stay with s until you're back on your feet. We've got room."

"We don't want to impose," Paige said. "Really, I'm sure we'll be able to find a place..." She trailed off, though, not at all certain of her claim.

"At least for tonight, we can get you both all dried off." Darwin grinned at them. "Papa will be happy to meet you both."

Crystal looked less than sure about staying at that.

Paige was also a bit apprehensive, but didn't say anything. She just huddled a bit further into her jacket and tried to ignore the fact that she was soaked.

Darwin parked under the carport attached to the mansion and got out, going to get their boxes.

"Welcome to the house, ladies."

Crystal couldn't help but gawk a bit at the house and swallowed, going over to take a box so she could try to ignore the trembling in her hands. This was such a bad idea...

"You live here?" Paige squeaked as she looked up at the mansion. It seemed both looming and inviting at the same time. "Jesus, Darwin, what do your parents do?" She knew he was adopted, he'd told them that himself, but it was still a legitimate question.

"Stuff. The mansion Papa inherited." Darwin shrugged. "Come on. Inside. Before you both freeze." Because he'd noticed them shivering.

Paige was definitely shivering, but she was reluctant to step into such an obviously expensive place while she was dripping water and tracking mud.

"Come on," Darwin said again, nudging them both. "Really, it's fine, we've all done worse than track some mud inside."

Crystal was nervous too, but she was more worried about accidentally damaging something. So she kept herself tightly leashed as she stepped inside cautiously, looking around. She could hear people farther down the hall, but she wasn't eager to go investigate.

Darwin looked in the direction of the noise for a moment before ushering the girls towards the stairs.

"Leave the boxes here," he said. "Let's go, upstairs, hot showers for you both."

Paige hesitated in setting her things down, but eventually did and let herself be herded up the stairs.

Crystal didn't say anything, instead following the other two up the stairs. Dry clothes would be nice but oh well. She stopped once in the bathroom, though.

It was huge and expensive looking and somewhere she should never be allowed. She looked at Paige, her panic clear in her eyes.

Paige was instantly next to her.

"It's okay," she said softly. "You'll be fine, nothing will happen."

Crystal shook her head a bit but stayed quiet as Darwin gave them space to shower and get warmed up.

"We should just go before I damage something."

"We have nowhere else to go for the moment," Paige said quietly. "And it's still pouring rain out, we wouldn't get far." She bit her lip and glanced around. "We may as well at least get warmed up for now."

Crystal sighed but nodded, stripping without a hint of modesty (around Paige anyway) and went to go turn on one of the showers to get warmed up.

Once Paige was sure that Crystal was alright, she also took off her wet clothes and went into one of the showers. The hot water was heavenly, and she lingered for a while to just enjoy it.

Crystal ended up staying under the spray for longer than she'd intended, and when she emerged, she'd found that someone had left clean, dry clothes for both of them. Crystal frowned a bit but dressed slowly.

Paige found the dry clothes that had been left for her, as well, and cautiously put them on. She didn't know whose they were, but she was grateful she didn't have to put her wet ones back on.

"I suppose we should go find Darwin now," she said to Crystal. "Ask what the plan is."

"I suppose," Crystal agreed quietly, opening the bathroom door but letting Paige take the lead as they headed towards the noise.

Paige quietly padded down the hall, sticking to the lush carpets rather than the cold marble, and headed for the source of the noise. She paused in the doorway of a massive library, having found the source. The library (which looked more like a playroom than anything else) was full of people. She could see Darwin in the room alongside several others, ages ranging from Darwin's age all the way down to an adorable fuzzy blue boy who couldn't have been more than four or so. Supervising them all (or egging them on, she wasn't sure which) was a man not much older than she was, with fluffy brown curls and a brown and green sweater-vest on over a white shirt.