[ oh yes, definitely maturation. he sticks out his tongue and her brows lifts and there's something inherently familiar about the whole exchange. a return to normal. it's also why when he says very good wine she just sort of rolls her eyes, clearly not believing him. or, rather, making her opinion clear on what he considers 'not the best' ]

Chaos for survival is still chaos. [ she says, seeing the smile and recognizing the feeling. she'd felt it not that long ago herself, the rush of excitement, of wonder at the smallest show. it had been so long since she first learned to harness chaos that it had taken her losing it all again before she felt it again, but it is still fresh to her here. ]

And healing magic is always useful. [ another sip of wine, and then she shifts, feeling the weight of the conversation shift with her. ]

A cabbage roll? You can't be serious. Why would you ever prefer a cabbage roll?