[Mukuro was well aware something needed to be done. She'd been in Avalon for nearly 6 months- and outside of the controlled environment of Junko's killing game, she was struggling to cope with keeping up the act.
And, you know, deal with her own death. And her sister Junko betraying her. And killing her.
...This was a good idea. Talking about all this would help, right? And so, she headed into the office, admiring the pretty building whilst she waited for someone to see her.]
[Homura took a long, deep breath as she sat down on the chair, waiting for Maruki to be ready. This had to be done, she constantly told herself in her mind. She wanted to get so much off her chest. She needed this, to try and return back to normal.
She soon finally entered the office, though looked hesitant. And tired. Let's just say she had trouble sleeping lately. Having to hunt and cook constantly for some parties was a big factor in that too.]
( Maruki is in the midst of writing up some notes when the main door opens. the yurt itself has a small partition between the small reception area Kaede uses and Maruki's office, and he pokes his head out of the door as he hears someone walk in. )
Hi, Enoshima-san, right? Come on in.
( when she does, she's greeted by a small room lit by all glass windows which have an odd, magical sheen to them and mismatched furniture. there's a few plants littered by the windows, an old bookshelf with several books and plenty of space yet to be filled, and no desk, instead offering a couch, a small side table with a plate of cookies, and an armchair. )
( his last patient has left, but Maruki is running behind a little bit, writing more notes than he expected in the aftermath. it ends with him yelping at the sight of a clock and rushing to the door that partitions the reception part of the yurt and the office itself.
but soon enough, he lets Homura in and gestures for her to choose between a cosy looking armchair or a small, mismatched but equally plush looking, couch. the small side table between them hosts a couple of croissants and the daylight is still streaming in through the glass which has been enchanted for privacy. )
Thanks for coming. I hope you didn't have too much trouble finding this place.
( he'll move onto a small explanation of confidentiality and how his sessions work, how they can talk about anything she feels like and how, if necessary, he may assign her small tasks to do at home between sessions. )
Thanks. I hope it feels comfortable for you. ( before Shujin, this place may have looked more traditionally "office" like, with parties separated by desks, but his time at the school showed that there's value to these more casual settings too.
there's a moment's pause, so Enoshima-san can get comfortable and he can grab his clipboard, before Maruki launches into the basic explanation: his therapy style tends to be more based around talking, that she's welcome to speak about anything she wants to, no matter how unrelated it might be to the reasons she sought counselling in the first place. he might ask her to practice certain therapeutic exercises at home if necessary, as part of her treatment. that everything is perfectly confidential and will never leave these four walls, the windows are enchanted so no one can look in or hear anything. )
— I think that covers everything. So. What would you like to talk about?
As if his heart's still considering, barely-there, uncertain knocking lands a little too softly. But... his problem's sprouting fangs again, and he isn't so stupidly proud to be claiming its bite doesn't wound him. He's willing to try things.]
Maya had found out a therapist had set up shop in Camelot, an outworlder, so he could get the added stresses that come with being here. On top of what was already dragging Maya down from the start.
And Maya knew she'd need to talk to someone, because you can't just bottle up your pain forever. She's tried.
She's failed.
Instead of knocking on the yurt door she just, tries it and comes in. Quiet like a grave. Maya was good at moving around without making noises before everything? But after, well, near silence was a thing she just did from time to time. "Um, I heard there was a doctor here?"
( she wouldn't be the first person to get tetchy about it. he understands the caution and nods once more. )
I know asking you to be open about things like this can be stressful, but everything in these sessions is kept private. I answer to no one, my assistant is under strict instructions to never handle patient files, and this office is warded to prevent break ins. ( now, if she agreed to be a case study, we might have a different conversation, but he doesn't think she needs him to get into all of that. )
If you like, we can start with something... less serious. ( and maybe once she's more comfortable and assured that the simple stuff hasn't leaked, they can touch upon the deeper issues? ) Like... um. Ah! What's your favourite dessert?
( food is generally a safe topic for most people, he thinks. )
( ah, it's time for another appointment. and it's a good job he's just finished putting away some documents relating to his last patient. the door between the small reception area and the main office swings open and he steps aside with a smile. )
Of course. Come in. Make yourself comfortable.
( the office itself looks less like an office and more like a lounge, decorated with a mismatched, plush armchair and couch, a small side table with a plate of cookies, and several bookshelves which are yet to be fully adorned with books or decorations, as well as a securely locked filing cabinet in the corner. the windows let in lots of natural light but glint in a way that suggests something magical to them.
like a few enchantments for security and privacy's sake. )
He isn't necessarily expecting anyone at this moment in time, but given that walk ins are always an option, Maruki doesn't try to leave the premises just yet. The lack of anyone also means he has a few minutes to catch up on reading the latest book he's loaned out of the library, flicking through pages on the finer points of touch-based memory recall — not exactly the most relevant facet of Cognitive Magic for him, but interesting nonetheless.
He's just finishing the chapter when the voice of someone just beyond the partition catches his ears and brings him to the door to the office.
"That's me. Dr. Takuto Maruki at your service. Are you here for an appointment? I'm free right now if you are."
There's an empty space, Maya doesn't respond right away, like she's taking her time to resolve how to say anything. It's clear there's a lot going on in her eyes, little shifts in her body language. But no words without a few beats. "I need a therapist. I had one at home, but now I'm here so..."
There's not a lot of emotion to it, closest term is resignation. But that's still not quite on the dot. She walks up to the door to his office. She could have pretended she was okay, put on that false smile, pretend to be someone who vanished a long time ago. But she does want to be better. "Can I sit down? This- I've been through a lot."
[Slipping right past him. His eyes drift everywhere: along the windows, across his floor, to trace the nearly-bare shelving. He sits, though, rigidly, uncomfortably alert despite their charming surroundings. Hands on knees, holding soldier-stiff posture. The strangest he's felt. Trying to relax a bit more.
[Therapy as a concept is not a thing that exists in Fódlan. Marianne's recovery from her lowest point has come instead with the assistance of her faith, friends so close that she considers them family, and the opportunity to literally face down the darkest of her demons. She considers herself fortunate and blessed to be able to finally look to the future and consider a life worth living, emotional scars and all.
Still, what happened last month with the Hall of Mirrors has left her a bit shaken. Her concerns at this point have less to do with the experience itself and more with her reactions to it. More than once, she felt like the depressed teenager she thought she had left far behind. It has her worried, and she'd much prefer to be proactive than risk backsliding entirely.
So here she is, sitting in Dr. Maruki's office and picking nervously at the edge of her sleeves. He says he's an expert, and perhaps he'll be able to use that expertise to help her keep going forward.]
[A small nod, another deep breath. Yeah. Her secret was in safe hands, right?
Of course, the icebreaker question was a welcome start whilst she got herself comfortable.]
I mean, like... there's so many options, you know? I'm not really that picky with food, but there's nothing better than ice cream or sorbet when it's been really hot outside, you know?
[Come on, Mukuro...Just drop the act. It would be okay, wouldn't it? These days she was so used to just throwing it up whenever she was around people who didn't know the truth...]
Good choices! ( whether he's noticed the act or not, Maruki isn't telling with his reaction, simply going along with what she's saying for the moment. )
Last week, I tried some coffee ice cream from a cafe near the library. ( because he's a nerd and spends too much time at the library. ) I even got a free waffle as their 50th customer of the day.
( ... he's gonna have to go back again. they were good, too.
just a little bit of small talk, hopefully he can begin to guide the conversation towards more serious topics soon, but he wants to make her feel at ease first. )
Of course, it started melting quickly. Would an ice cream connoisseur like yourself have any tips for preventing that?
( nervousness is pretty common among patients, that much he's well accustomed to, both in practice and theory. which means Maruki's smile comes easily, warm and calm, as he settles into the other available seat opposite. )
So, did you have any problems finding the place?
( it's a silence filler, really. Maruki doesn't expect that this place was hard to find, but he waits for the answer nevertheless before he begins the usual preamble: his therapy style tends to be more based around talking, that he's welcome to speak about anything he wants to, no matter how unrelated it might be to the reasons he sought counselling in the first place. he might ask him to practice certain therapeutic exercises at home if necessary, as part of his treatment. that everything is perfectly confidential and will never leave these four walls, the windows are enchanted so no one can look in or hear anything. )
This isn't unusual behaviour for a new patient, but the uncertainty in her eyes is as awful as it is in anyone. He wishes it were easier for him to do away with these kinds of problems, that Camelot would allow him the potential the metaverse does. For now, all he can do is keep plugging away, hoping that between sessions and research, he'll find the answer.
"Of course. Make yourself comfortable." Hm. The plate of brownies is almost empty but... "I think I have some madeleines, if you'd prefer." It's a good job it was buy one get one half price at the store.
( it's strange, still, to be counselling so many people from so many different worlds. it challenges his approach to mental health and the assumptions he's always held. it's a good thing, even if this wasn't exactly where he'd hoped to be in life by this point.
he hasn't touched the pain au chocolats on the side table masquerading as a coffee table between the two seating options, one leg crossed over the other as he looks over the paper on his clipboard, still mostly empty but for her name. )
So—
( he gives, more or less, the same explanation to every patient: this is a talking based therapy where she can talk about anything she wants. it doesn't have to be related to the reason she decided to come in the first place. if she wants to sit and talk about her favourite snacks for an hour, he's happy to do that. sometimes, he might give her "homework" — exercises he wants her to try and incorporate into her daily life — but that will be talked out as necessary. lastly, everything is confidential, there are enchantments on the windows that obscure people's view in and soundproof the yurt, and nothing will leave these four walls.
"I'm not hungry," Maya's used to being offered snacks as a way to get her to visit her councilor or therapist. She was easily bribed with food, but at the same time she was a bit too nervous to eat.
Because where does she even start. At the beginning, or where this started. With what she did, or she's been through. She just sits, eyes closed, trying to gather a series of thoughts that could be considered at least sentence-like. Running her hand over her arm, feeling the difference between the small scars and the more responsive skin. "I've been in therapy for the past three years. I was good for a while, but there was a bus crash and-"
No, that's not the detail to start on. The bus crash barely did anything. Yes, you got a few new scars on your arm but so what. And yes your best friend was in a coma. "I mean- four months ago I tried to kill myself. Thinking my friends would be better off without me."
No longer in the way of their happeness, screwing their lives up.
[Between the two, she opts for the couch, figuring she may eventually need to lay down given the storm approaching that were her feelings. Even takes a croissant too and scarfs it down; overall not bad for the first time eating one of those.]
I tend to get exercise running around this place. Helps me scope out places.
[Mostly to know where she could run to for certain stuff. Knowing the area was important for emergencies, and fighting. She listens carefully to the explanation. Back then, she would have been more wary. Now though...screw it. She didn’t abide by either side in the shinobi battles anymore. Those rules didn’t affect her, and she already revealed herself publicly.]
I guess I can start at the beginning, so you can at least know where I come from. Already stated it on the network before, but I can say it again.
[She took a long, deep breath. Time to explain this crap again.]
I was a born to a family of good shinobi, powerful ones too. Don’t really remember anyone beyond my parents. It wasn’t the strictest life, I could still play games and have fun. But they demanded absolute perfection, and I couldn’t always keep up. If I did that, they rarely cared what I did, so long as I didn’t ruin my chances of getting into a good shinobi school. But...well I’m not good at schoolwork, and I couldn’t even have a social life anymore. As I started to approach high school, things grew more difficult. Enough so that they wanted to hire a tutor.
He...helped make me feel at ease. Kinda liked the guy over time. With so much pressure, I stupidly spilled the beans about my family, hoping he’d return my feelings. Turns out, he was a sadistic son of a bitch who wanted to torture me before killing me, mocking how my heart was broken. From then...I don’t remember a thing. All I saw was red before I was on top of him, all his bones broken.
Turns out though, I wasn’t exactly a queen of stealth, so this attracted a lot of attention from the good shinobi. Breaking so many rules, they banned me from ever even going to a school, claiming I was far too unstable. And my parents? Kicked my ass to the curb with a family sword they sure as hell couldn’t use, and left me to die.
[As she explained a rather dark past, she seemed mostly composed, not even looking at Maruki. Truthfully, she was mostly over this. But mostly was the keyword thanks to the soul pool.]
[Marianne listens to the explanation attentively, occasionally nodding to show that she understands. The idea of speaking about herself to an absolute stranger like this is still a bit of a strange one, even as she's already decided that it would be helpful for her.
The biggest hurdle at the moment, however, is that she has no idea where to begin. Dr. Maruki's open-ended approach doesn't make that decision any easier.]
Should I start by telling you about Fódlan? Or do you already know about it from one of the other people from Fódlan who are here?
( it doesn't matter that it doesn't answer the question, they're talking, and the conversation is flowing. that's a great start, and hopefully she'll relax soon enough and feel willing to share more about herself. )
Oh, I agree. I don't often have the time to make my own in the morning, but I do enjoy them. Did you always make your own?
( just a slight change in wording to see if he can prod at her past in any way yet. )
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
It begins... (tw killing game/sororicide ment)
Date: 2021-06-27 06:19 pm (UTC)And, you know, deal with her own death. And her sister Junko betraying her. And killing her.
...This was a good idea. Talking about all this would help, right? And so, she headed into the office, admiring the pretty building whilst she waited for someone to see her.]
cw: possible mentions of murder, abuse, etc
Date: 2021-07-04 05:36 pm (UTC)She soon finally entered the office, though looked hesitant. And tired. Let's just say she had trouble sleeping lately. Having to hunt and cook constantly for some parties was a big factor in that too.]
no subject
Date: 2021-07-18 05:15 pm (UTC)Hi, Enoshima-san, right? Come on in.
( when she does, she's greeted by a small room lit by all glass windows which have an odd, magical sheen to them and mismatched furniture. there's a few plants littered by the windows, an old bookshelf with several books and plenty of space yet to be filled, and no desk, instead offering a couch, a small side table with a plate of cookies, and an armchair. )
no subject
Date: 2021-07-18 05:34 pm (UTC)but soon enough, he lets Homura in and gestures for her to choose between a cosy looking armchair or a small, mismatched but equally plush looking, couch. the small side table between them hosts a couple of croissants and the daylight is still streaming in through the glass which has been enchanted for privacy. )
Thanks for coming. I hope you didn't have too much trouble finding this place.
( he'll move onto a small explanation of confidentiality and how his sessions work, how they can talk about anything she feels like and how, if necessary, he may assign her small tasks to do at home between sessions. )
no subject
Date: 2021-07-24 04:19 pm (UTC)[She'll follow Maruki into the room, taking a look around. So this was his office?]
I'm seriously liking the decoration in here- it's like, totally aesthetic, you know??
no subject
Date: 2021-07-24 09:29 pm (UTC)there's a moment's pause, so Enoshima-san can get comfortable and he can grab his clipboard, before Maruki launches into the basic explanation: his therapy style tends to be more based around talking, that she's welcome to speak about anything she wants to, no matter how unrelated it might be to the reasons she sought counselling in the first place. he might ask her to practice certain therapeutic exercises at home if necessary, as part of her treatment. that everything is perfectly confidential and will never leave these four walls, the windows are enchanted so no one can look in or hear anything. )
— I think that covers everything. So. What would you like to talk about?
no subject
Date: 2021-07-25 04:46 pm (UTC)She was definitely relieved when he said it was confidential- but she had to just double check.]
...So it's definitely confidential, right? There's- there's a lot, and it's important nothing leaks out of all this, you know?
I know you said that but- I need to make sure.
[After all, she was meant to be undercover.]
[Pretending it's Thursday]
Date: 2021-07-27 03:25 pm (UTC)As if his heart's still considering, barely-there, uncertain knocking lands a little too softly. But... his problem's sprouting fangs again, and he isn't so stupidly proud to be claiming its bite doesn't wound him. He's willing to try things.]
Maruki-sensei? It's Shoto.
Content Warning: Talk of Depression and Suicide.
Date: 2021-07-28 03:54 am (UTC)And Maya knew she'd need to talk to someone, because you can't just bottle up your pain forever. She's tried.
She's failed.
Instead of knocking on the yurt door she just, tries it and comes in. Quiet like a grave. Maya was good at moving around without making noises before everything? But after, well, near silence was a thing she just did from time to time. "Um, I heard there was a doctor here?"
no subject
Date: 2021-07-28 09:09 am (UTC)I know asking you to be open about things like this can be stressful, but everything in these sessions is kept private. I answer to no one, my assistant is under strict instructions to never handle patient files, and this office is warded to prevent break ins. ( now, if she agreed to be a case study, we might have a different conversation, but he doesn't think she needs him to get into all of that. )
If you like, we can start with something... less serious. ( and maybe once she's more comfortable and assured that the simple stuff hasn't leaked, they can touch upon the deeper issues? ) Like... um. Ah! What's your favourite dessert?
( food is generally a safe topic for most people, he thinks. )
you mean it isn't? time is fake.
Date: 2021-07-28 09:37 am (UTC)Of course. Come in. Make yourself comfortable.
( the office itself looks less like an office and more like a lounge, decorated with a mismatched, plush armchair and couch, a small side table with a plate of cookies, and several bookshelves which are yet to be fully adorned with books or decorations, as well as a securely locked filing cabinet in the corner. the windows let in lots of natural light but glint in a way that suggests something magical to them.
like a few enchantments for security and privacy's sake. )
no subject
Date: 2021-07-28 10:52 am (UTC)He's just finishing the chapter when the voice of someone just beyond the partition catches his ears and brings him to the door to the office.
"That's me. Dr. Takuto Maruki at your service. Are you here for an appointment? I'm free right now if you are."
no subject
Date: 2021-07-28 04:50 pm (UTC)There's not a lot of emotion to it, closest term is resignation. But that's still not quite on the dot. She walks up to the door to his office. She could have pretended she was okay, put on that false smile, pretend to be someone who vanished a long time ago. But she does want to be better. "Can I sit down? This- I've been through a lot."
F... facts...
Date: 2021-08-03 10:38 am (UTC)[Slipping right past him. His eyes drift everywhere: along the windows, across his floor, to trace the nearly-bare shelving. He sits, though, rigidly, uncomfortably alert despite their charming surroundings. Hands on knees, holding soldier-stiff posture. The strangest he's felt. Trying to relax a bit more.
He's eyeing the sweets.]
Are these for anyone?
[Small but hopeful.]
cw: probably talk of depression, previous suicidal ideation
Date: 2021-08-04 05:24 pm (UTC)Still, what happened last month with the Hall of Mirrors has left her a bit shaken. Her concerns at this point have less to do with the experience itself and more with her reactions to it. More than once, she felt like the depressed teenager she thought she had left far behind. It has her worried, and she'd much prefer to be proactive than risk backsliding entirely.
So here she is, sitting in Dr. Maruki's office and picking nervously at the edge of her sleeves. He says he's an expert, and perhaps he'll be able to use that expertise to help her keep going forward.]
Um, thank you for being willing to see me.
no subject
Date: 2021-08-08 08:38 pm (UTC)[A small nod, another deep breath. Yeah. Her secret was in safe hands, right?
Of course, the icebreaker question was a welcome start whilst she got herself comfortable.]
I mean, like... there's so many options, you know? I'm not really that picky with food, but there's nothing better than ice cream or sorbet when it's been really hot outside, you know?
[Come on, Mukuro...Just drop the act. It would be okay, wouldn't it? These days she was so used to just throwing it up whenever she was around people who didn't know the truth...]
no subject
Date: 2021-08-11 06:04 pm (UTC)Last week, I tried some coffee ice cream from a cafe near the library. ( because he's a nerd and spends too much time at the library. ) I even got a free waffle as their 50th customer of the day.
( ... he's gonna have to go back again. they were good, too.
just a little bit of small talk, hopefully he can begin to guide the conversation towards more serious topics soon, but he wants to make her feel at ease first. )
Of course, it started melting quickly. Would an ice cream connoisseur like yourself have any tips for preventing that?
no subject
Date: 2021-08-11 07:42 pm (UTC)( nervousness is pretty common among patients, that much he's well accustomed to, both in practice and theory. which means Maruki's smile comes easily, warm and calm, as he settles into the other available seat opposite. )
So, did you have any problems finding the place?
( it's a silence filler, really. Maruki doesn't expect that this place was hard to find, but he waits for the answer nevertheless before he begins the usual preamble: his therapy style tends to be more based around talking, that he's welcome to speak about anything he wants to, no matter how unrelated it might be to the reasons he sought counselling in the first place. he might ask him to practice certain therapeutic exercises at home if necessary, as part of his treatment. that everything is perfectly confidential and will never leave these four walls, the windows are enchanted so no one can look in or hear anything. )
no subject
Date: 2021-08-11 08:01 pm (UTC)"Of course. Make yourself comfortable." Hm. The plate of brownies is almost empty but... "I think I have some madeleines, if you'd prefer." It's a good job it was buy one get one half price at the store.
<3 mariiiii
Date: 2021-08-11 08:37 pm (UTC)( it's strange, still, to be counselling so many people from so many different worlds. it challenges his approach to mental health and the assumptions he's always held. it's a good thing, even if this wasn't exactly where he'd hoped to be in life by this point.
he hasn't touched the pain au chocolats on the side table masquerading as a coffee table between the two seating options, one leg crossed over the other as he looks over the paper on his clipboard, still mostly empty but for her name. )
So—
( he gives, more or less, the same explanation to every patient: this is a talking based therapy where she can talk about anything she wants. it doesn't have to be related to the reason she decided to come in the first place. if she wants to sit and talk about her favourite snacks for an hour, he's happy to do that. sometimes, he might give her "homework" — exercises he wants her to try and incorporate into her daily life — but that will be talked out as necessary. lastly, everything is confidential, there are enchantments on the windows that obscure people's view in and soundproof the yurt, and nothing will leave these four walls.
uh.
well. metaphorically speaking. )
no subject
Date: 2021-08-11 10:28 pm (UTC)Because where does she even start. At the beginning, or where this started. With what she did, or she's been through. She just sits, eyes closed, trying to gather a series of thoughts that could be considered at least sentence-like. Running her hand over her arm, feeling the difference between the small scars and the more responsive skin. "I've been in therapy for the past three years. I was good for a while, but there was a bus crash and-"
No, that's not the detail to start on. The bus crash barely did anything. Yes, you got a few new scars on your arm but so what. And yes your best friend was in a coma. "I mean- four months ago I tried to kill myself. Thinking my friends would be better off without me."
No longer in the way of their happeness, screwing their lives up.
no subject
Date: 2021-08-12 08:03 pm (UTC)I tend to get exercise running around this place. Helps me scope out places.
[Mostly to know where she could run to for certain stuff. Knowing the area was important for emergencies, and fighting. She listens carefully to the explanation. Back then, she would have been more wary. Now though...screw it. She didn’t abide by either side in the shinobi battles anymore. Those rules didn’t affect her, and she already revealed herself publicly.]
I guess I can start at the beginning, so you can at least know where I come from. Already stated it on the network before, but I can say it again.
[She took a long, deep breath. Time to explain this crap again.]
I was a born to a family of good shinobi, powerful ones too. Don’t really remember anyone beyond my parents. It wasn’t the strictest life, I could still play games and have fun. But they demanded absolute perfection, and I couldn’t always keep up. If I did that, they rarely cared what I did, so long as I didn’t ruin my chances of getting into a good shinobi school. But...well I’m not good at schoolwork, and I couldn’t even have a social life anymore. As I started to approach high school, things grew more difficult. Enough so that they wanted to hire a tutor.
He...helped make me feel at ease. Kinda liked the guy over time. With so much pressure, I stupidly spilled the beans about my family, hoping he’d return my feelings. Turns out, he was a sadistic son of a bitch who wanted to torture me before killing me, mocking how my heart was broken. From then...I don’t remember a thing. All I saw was red before I was on top of him, all his bones broken.
Turns out though, I wasn’t exactly a queen of stealth, so this attracted a lot of attention from the good shinobi. Breaking so many rules, they banned me from ever even going to a school, claiming I was far too unstable. And my parents? Kicked my ass to the curb with a family sword they sure as hell couldn’t use, and left me to die.
[As she explained a rather dark past, she seemed mostly composed, not even looking at Maruki. Truthfully, she was mostly over this. But mostly was the keyword thanks to the soul pool.]
no subject
Date: 2021-08-12 09:50 pm (UTC)[As for the question...well, it wasn't an answer, but hey.]
Ice cream seriously melts too fast, especially if you're standing out in the sun, huh?
...There's nothing quite like a cute home-made bento though.
♥ she's finally here!
Date: 2021-08-14 03:36 am (UTC)The biggest hurdle at the moment, however, is that she has no idea where to begin. Dr. Maruki's open-ended approach doesn't make that decision any easier.]
Should I start by telling you about Fódlan? Or do you already know about it from one of the other people from Fódlan who are here?
[Maybe she's not his first patient from home?]
no subject
Date: 2021-08-27 05:40 pm (UTC)Oh, I agree. I don't often have the time to make my own in the morning, but I do enjoy them. Did you always make your own?
( just a slight change in wording to see if he can prod at her past in any way yet. )