Chapter 51: Closer

*"Still recovering from recent events, you have one more day of rest with a few familiar faces."*

## Major Events

### Dream

* Ten wakes up laying on grass and in a familiar garden (similar to her previous dreams).
* The sky is at a sunset while she realizes she's in a bush maze. After walking around, she's led to a very grand house that looks very vivid to her despite not seeing it before. In front of her is a pathway that leads her into a ballroom
* The ballroom appears to be grand and sees a couple of clothed round tables scattered about. The sound of the piano comes to Ten's awareness.
* Suddenly the ballroom is populated:
	+ The Boss and Marcellus sitting together - fixated on a table in front of them
	+ Yosuke and Mom dancing together on the dance floor
* Ten listens in on Yosuke's and Mom's conversation:
	+ Mom says she's glad to see Yosuke and that she was there and not "her" (referring to Ten - as if she wasn't there)
	+ She clearly knows what Yosuke had done previously and Yosuke suspects Marcellus is already aware
	+ Mom asks Yosuke about attending school - which Yosuke implies that Mom had slept around to get her research off the ground
	+ Yosuke mentions missing being naïve
	+ Mom teases about going to their Boss about Yosuke's actions however, he knows she's still too attached to him to snitch
	+ Mom manages to convince Yosuke to kiss her as payment for before - Yosuke relents but clarifies that he was not doing it out of care but out of returning a favor
* Mom bumps into Ten and apologizes
* Marcellus looks over and after a nod from the boss, he gets up and draws his pistol towards Yosuke. In a panic, Ten cries out before she's pushed to the ground - Marcellus' gun now pointing towards her

### Current

* Ten wakes up to Cyrus and Lav in the rec rooms (Lav learning how to meditate). She recalls her dreams to the numbers while they give her food
* Cyrus says they were worried Ten had disappeared until they over head Sven and Mom mentioning she had her injection
* At the mention of waking up randomly, Cyrus fears that there might come a point when Ten might accidentally learn too much and would be deemed as too much trouble
* Ten moves on to explain her date and previous visit with Yosuke
* Six comes in an asks why Lav was wearing Two's pants (yoga). Six says she was on her way to her music lesson with Five and Eight
* Ten asks Six about her favorite hobbies and she responds that she dabbles but didn't have a focus. Ten hints if she was into writing (probably referring to her journal)
* Cyrus opts to teach Ten and Lav how to meditate
	+ After a couple of positions, Ten is told this is to help manage stress and to keep themselves in check
* Violet enters the room and asks to speak with Cyrus alone. Cyrus takes her up on it and excuses himself
* Ten and Lav talk about the concept of boundaries and being opened about speaking of sex. They also speak on how some of the numbers stay afloat. Lav hints at knowing of Two and Three's incestual relationship
* Lav defines the difference between "strategically giving up" and "complete surrender" during hard visits
* Lav's name is called on the intercom but Ten notes that it's a different voice than Mom's
	+ Lav explains to Ten that she was a new doctor that showed up while she was recovering from her shot
* Ten walks over to the hall and looks at the "Call Doctor" button. Mom cuts in and makes small talk with Ten - she brings up the topic of her file and how she's been slipping through the effects of the anesthetic
* The voice of another doctor comes and she makes her way to Mom - Mom seems visibly irritated. Mom introduces her as Monica Santos
* Ten questions Monica if she was a new doctor to the Facility before she gets cut off by Mom. She questions why Monica hadn't visit any numbers despite being here for "awhile"
* After the encounter, Ten opts to go the library and reads a book - falling asleep midway though
* She awakes to Yosuke shaking her awake. As he carries her out of the room, they run into Mom at the door way. After a bit of teasing, Mom mentions Yosuke "compensating" her - confirming that what Ten overheard in her dream was her listening into a real conversation
* After tucking her in bed, Ten brings up overhearing their earlier conversation and that she knows what he did.

## Trivia

* First chapter to hit 20k wordcount
* Lav jokes about how she and Cyrus "Have both taught you a thing or two by now" - being cheeky about teaching Ten how to self pleasure
	+ Ten notes that Lav's been picking up innuendos since hanging out with Blue more often