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[ He can't... really... knock her on the privacy thing.

Okay, setting Naoki down and feeling the kit hide behind his foot. He steps gingerly, picking up that mug and letting the warmth seep into his hands. ]

We-- [ take a breath, this is delicate ] --honestly don't mind.

[ Looking down at the cup. Yeah, he'll just say it. ]

But I suppose I get the apprehension.

[ It's probably weird, right? Knowing your almost-married friends could be going at it in the next room. ]

[What? Don't be ridiculous she most certainly doesn't think about THAT AT ALL.]

I could offer to help pick up, but I'm bad enough at keeping my own flat clean. And let's not even start on cooking, I might accidentally poison you.

[ That makes him laugh. ]

Food is easy, there's always something in the fridge and the flat doesn't actually need much cleaning. You don't... actually have to do anything, Mae.

[ He means it. You don't. ]

At least stay close until the blizzard let's up. I think Hikaru and I will breathe easier then.

Edited 2015-05-24 16:23 (UTC)

[Surely he could've worded that differently, too, right? Somehow, so as to not make it sound like she's so vital to their ability to breathe. Still, she doesn't have to wonder if our Mae still holds true, at least?

She stops biting her lower lip, and turns to lean back against the counter opposite him, and so they stand; facing each other but with the whole space between them, hiding behind coffee cups. Almost mirrored. She takes a sip out of her coffee, and looks up at him from under her lashes.]

Wouldn't want you two to be out of breath on my account. [Yes, Mae. You've thought about it often enough yet, you so would. Of course, what he doesn't know...probably lets her keep staying here, and doesn't ruin a very solid friendship.]

[ It's odd how he... he actually doesn't have a comeback to that. At least not a witty one, nor a response that won't be spilling secrets that are strictly his to keep.

So he'll stick to the parts that ring true: ] We'd just like you safe.

[ Because he's fond of you. He likes that it's easy -- this friendship, the exchanges. He likes that whenever things seem to escalate to awkward fast, the both of you can laugh about it after. ]

I guess... if you feel uncomfortable with us having you over, I don't want to force the issue.

I...[If she saw something in his pause, she hasn't read it quite yet. So there's a pause, and a moment of inner-reflexion.]

I do like your company. Both of you. [It's important to underline that, it feels important.]

And we really love yours.

[ No matter the subjects that get skirted around. Honesty Hour is rarely ever easy after all.

Before Josh can fumble over what to say next though, there's a blessedly quick interruption from Naoki, who has rolled on his side to tug at the hem of his pants.

Setting the mug down, picking up the kitten again and passing a small, shy smile at Mae. ]

Lemme just go put new food out for tiny and we can go flop on the couch.

Just not all of you. [Laughing uncomfortably because your cat doesn't like her. This is life, now. She rolls her eyes and waves him away to go feed tiny.

Flopping on the couch sounds -- like not much of an activity at all, actually. What'll they do? There's nothing to do when couching except for maybe snuggle up together. And there's a buffer, when the two of them are together, they act like a buffer for Mae's moral code and logical thinking to work.

But as her time at the club has proven, she's shit at it if they come at her individually.]

[ You and Naoki need to sort your stuff out, but it's okay, nobody's judging.

He doesn't take long. Naoki's a tiny thing and they make sure not to overfeed him so down into the basket he goes with a refilled bowl.

Coming back round now and dropping into the empty space beside you as he lets his head fall back on the rest. ]

Wanna split? [ He snagged one of the sandwiches he didn't bother to wrap. It's nothing fancy: just a double-decker of ham, mayo, cheese. ]

[You're judging and blame the STUBBORN CAN over this. She didn't ask for dislike. She did not.]

So long as you don't make me run afterwards, yes.

[ He's honestly stupefied by it. But he admits it's ridiculously cute. You're like two children all NU at each other.

On that comment though. ]

I didn't say a thing. [ Giving you a significant Look now, because of what you did. ] Besides, I don't think my heart could take another one of your falls.

[She takes half of the sandwich and retreats with it in the corner of the couch, watching him carefully from behind it.]

You fret too much. Or you would've seen through the plan for what it was.

You're squishy and I'm allowed.

[ Making a face for a bit. Okay, biting into that sandwich. ]

I nearly slipped myself, and you were barefoot. It wasn't too removed a possibility.

[Excuse her just a moment, but,] I'm squishy?

Human. [ Licking a bit of mayo that got on his lip and wiping the rest away with his finger.

Looking over and biting back a smile. ] It's a turn of phrase, okay.

[Nope, didn't glance.

She waves the sandwich at him,] You know you don't look so unsquishy yourself.

[ Haha. Ha. Hm. ] To be fair I'm pretty squishy these days.

[ Frowning a bit, looking over. ]

Remind me again how much I mentioned about being pretty much a supernatural?

[ Before he came here and realized, well: no Coach in his head. ]

[Yeah, she'd squish you but her hands are busy. She tilts her head.]

Well, there's the part where you were risen from the cold arms of death, but...[Hesitant,] There's more?

Powers, [ he might be looking wistfully out that window. He put in a request to the Administration if he and Hikaru could request for their armor from back home. ]

Ones that made me a damn good tactician on the field. [ He still likes to think he is. Even if he can't do much beyond function like a hunter with a mundane skillset. ] And which gave me the handy ability to self-heal.

[ Or be resurrected in the event that he did die -- which is something he doesn't feel like he should tell you just yet. Because, well. That tea-time conversation. ]

[He's a big damn tactician who couldn't even see her plan for what it was? And got scared? That's saying something.

She unfurls from her curled up, drawn away state, and shifts a little towards the center of the couch.]

That does sound useful. To have on a field. [Is it wrong that she worries for things that happen to him way way out of this world?]

[ There's a quiet look in his eyes for the next part. ]

Given the scrapes that me and the Hounds have been in. [ He takes a breath. ] Yeah.

Some things hit back pretty damn hard.

[A longer pause, giving him time.] ...you alright?

[ Blinking for a bit, and the sheepishness creeps over his features like he's a little bit embarrassed that his thoughts strayed.

( This blizzard makes him think of Hell, the Darkest Pit. He knows it's done and over with but things like that creep up on you unexpectedly. ) ]

Y-yeah. Try that again, LaRue. I... I just remembered something, that's all.

[But not something good, she can figure out.

And who can fight against memories?]

Josh...

[ The laugh that leaves him is a touch nervous.

This isn't a conversation he thought he'd be having with her. Piers maybe, because he's seen some rough things. But this is Mae and he doesn't want to scare her with the crazy shit that went on back home. ]

I think I just realized why sitting on my laurels in this blizzard bothers me.

Beyond me naturally wanting to go out there and help.

chuuuus

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