[ it's always amusing to see the "d'aww shucks" look on his face so she takes it in while she can. as he speaks, she notices that he's trying not to fidget and wonders if that's because of her — or because he's worried that people will cut down his goal? ]

Come on, Joey.

[ she shifts her footing, sticking her hip out slightly as her palms come to rest on them. ]

Don't let anyone take away the dream you've built up, hmm? And if anything or anyone is waiting in the wings to ruin what you've accomplished so far then I'll just have to step in and take them down a notch or two. You deserve to have things go right.

[ she chuckles when he realizes the "depth" of her remark about teachers and pupils. mai is really just too good at flirting which had been a defense mechanism for a rather long time and a means to get money, among other things. she just ends up laughing at his blushing response to her teasing but simmers down when they fall onto a more serious topic once again. ]

Joey...

[ she's touched, really. no one has ever called her their "ride or die," she's pretty used to being abandoned and retreating into herself rather than let herself have a glimmer of hope for things to go right. she had tensed up but he hadn't done anything wrong. she was just having a moment to herself and it passed as swiftly as it had came to her.

mai shakes her head when he asks her about whether or not she has somewhere to lay her head down at night. ]

Am I that transparent?

[ she jokes. ]

I haven't found anywhere yet, no. I was just gathering myself from having appeared in a room that isn't mine and talking to a "mom" that also isn't mine. Got any tips?