Kurogane was very much not the creative type, so naturally the nurse didn't care for his protests of having an "Arts and Crafts" time and forced him into the room
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The conversation with Kenshin seemed to have gone well, from what Ayumu could tell. She hoped that she'd convinced him that she truly was quite harmless, though she'd still have to be quite cautious not to raise any suspicion in the future. Of course, what he'd said about "petty squabbles" didn't exactly endear him to her; if that was supposed mean something about the conflict she'd recently left in Kyoto, well.
The main problem she had now was that she was no closer to having solid plans for the evening: it seemed at the moment that her best prospect would be the "aid society," no matter how much she'd prefer to be out and exploring. Normally it wouldn't be too much trouble to pass undetected, but this was certainly an unusual situation, and she couldn't count on it. If she were to run into danger or another of the prisoners here she'd certainly have a hard time explaining her presence.
She considered her options as she allowed herself to be led into the "Arts & Crafts" room, whereupon she was presented with another, entirely new and odd situation. Apparently she was expected to take these odd materials and make something out of them? Some of these things...well, she didn't even know what they were.
Ayumu would have much preferred a chance to watch the bulletin board in the other room, but for now she needed to be unobtrusive and blend in. After considering what was available to her, she finally took several pieces of the different kinds of paper and found a place to sit, whereupon she began experimenting to see which was the best for folding origami. It was a fairly harmless pastime, and allowed her to appear busy while still keeping an eye on the rest of the room.
Arts and Crafts? What was this, grade school? He let himself be led into the room, glancing carefully around for Mello but seeing very few other patients so far. He would have been fine with the Sun Room, but the nurse insisted he'd spent far too much time there recently. What did it honestly matter?
A familiar figure caught his attention suddenly and he tried not to hone in on her, instead appearing to take in his options a couple more times. The temptation quickly became too much for him, however, and he made his way over to an empty chair across from her. After all, if he didn't sit with her someone else would.
"Hey, remember me?" he teased lightly, hoping to start this conversation off on an easier note than the one he'd had with Reno.
Ah, and now here was the other one to whom she'd spoken the night before. This one, however, didn't seem to be nearly as suspicious of her - well, not in that way, at least - and was neither from her time nor place, so he should be a little easier to deal with.
Ayumu paused in her work at his approach, giving him a welcoming smile. "Robin-han!" she said, with what seemed to be genuine delight. "I hoped I'd be able to thank you for helping me last night. From what I've been told today, it appears I was in even more danger than I'd realized before I met you."
She put a final fold on her work, then almost shyly offered the small paper butterfly to him. "I haven't had the leisure time for this in some time now, but it seems I still remember how to make them."
"Oh, uh..." Matt took the butterfly with some hesitation. He didn't really care for them, and he didn't know what he was going to do with it afterwards, but the mere fact that she'd given it to him meant it had some value. The young man wasn't used to receiving any sort of gifts from women. "Thanks."
Setting it down on the table near him, he gave her another smile. "Yeah, it's crazy out in the halls after dark. Moreso the further you get away from the patient blocks." Though this wasn't always the case. He'd seen large, very dangerous cats in the patient blocks, and he wasn't even going to mention that mess with the sun room and the hall outside of it.
"You don't need to keep it or anything," Ayumu said with a faint hint of amusement, giving a slight nod toward the butterfly. "It's been a while so I likely didn't even do a very good job on it."
It was fairly clear that he hadn't had a lot of experience with women, and if he wasn't a fighter (as had been amply proven the night before) she had to wonder just how he had been spending his time. Studies, perhaps? He didn't entirely fit the picture in her mind of a scholar, but he had said he was from the future. Things were likely different.
The tidbit of information she filed away for further reference. She'd want to pay a visit to the second-floor kitchen that had been mentioned on the bulletin board and see if there were any useful weapons there before she started roaming too far away on her own. Although that wasn't very close, from what she'd seen on the maps, so there was a bit of a dilemma.
She selected another piece of paper and started to work on that one; she made a couple of folds, paused, frowned, then unfolded it entirely and started over again. "I met someone else from back home," she replied, cheerfully. "Maybe even the same time, too. And I spoke to your friend Himura-han again. It's been pleasant enough, I suppose, for being in a place like this."
"No, it's... very cute! I like it. I think you did fine." Matt picked the butterfly up again and carefully made its wings flap a couple times before setting it back down. Dinner shift would be after this one, and if he was lucky the nurses would let him take it back with him to his room. He could put it on the dresser.
He listened to her carefully, a bit more carefully than she actually deserved, perhaps, but old habits died hard. There was nothing suspicious about her, after all. "Someone from home? Was it someone you knew?" That would mean he'd probably be from the same world, which didn't tell him much of anything, but any new pieces of the puzzle would be welcome.
That? That was adorable. So maybe he wasn't entirely hopeless, just inexperienced, and mildly prone to fits of tactlessness. That she could deal with.
Ayumu shook her head lightly and held up the partially folded sheet of paper, turning it around in her hands thoughtfully as she considered the next step. Ah, that was right. She set it down again and resumed folding, while carefully still watching Robin from her peripheral vision. "Oh, no, I didn't know him before. I was quite surprised when I found out where - or when - he was from."
She kept her attention apparently on her little project as she continued, ever so innocently, "It's starting to get later in the day, though, and I'm...not entirely sure what I'm going to do after it gets dark. One of my new friends suggested the "Arts and Crafts" club, but they're apparently not doing anything tonight."
That didn't tell him too much, and it wasn't all that surprising either. They had come from a rather important period of time in Japan's history - one recreated quite often in animanga or other forms of Japanese storytelling. If what Mello had been saying about fictional worlds was true, then it would make sense to find people from this era.
Of course, this led to an uncomfortable train of thought he really didn't want to be hopping on just yet, so he shoved that matter aside for now.
Her comment about nighttime activities reminded him that he hadn't yet checked the bulletin for what was going on with the History club. He'd assumed he might be working with Kenshin again, but if the man had other plans... "Arts and Crafts, huh? They seem to do a lot of things around here. They suffered a loss recently, though, so I guess that's why they're on standby." He hadn't known the man at all, but apparently he'd been someone very important to that group of people. "I might be doing something with the History Club, but their tasks are generally a bit more dangerous."
And the last thing he wanted to do was drag a poor girl like this into a dangerous situation.
"Yes, that's what I was told." Pity, really, for the History Club admittedly seemed the most interesting of all of them. But she'd rather not affiliate herself with that one, not only for the danger but for the fact that both Okita and Himura were members and she had reasons to avoid both of them.
Ayumu finished the last fold and examined the finished piece of origami, a small frog, for a moment before setting it on the tabletop with a triumphant air. "From what others have said, it seems the "aid society" might be the safest option, but..."
She sighed quietly, giving the back of the frog a light push to make it jump a little. "I know I can't fight, but...no, never mind." Ayumu shook her head slightly, looking a little embarrassed that she'd even started to bring whatever it was up, all the while carefully keeping watch on Robin's reaction.
"But... you don't think the healing situation is for you?" Matt could understand that. Not everyone was the sort of person who could handle dealing with the wounded. He knew he wasn't. It was a bit stereotypical to send her to that sort of group as well, but where else could she go, really?
One of the nurses gave him a look that made it feel like she wanted him to do a bit more participating in the actual 'arts and crafts' portion of this shift, and he pulled over a sheet of paper of his own just to appease her. Not being the most artistic of people, he drew a big fat smiley on his paper with the tongue sticking out and left it at that.
There was always whatever Mello was getting together. He was sure the blond would appreciate any new people to give him a hand, but the real question was whether or not he trusted Mello not to get this girl involved with something she didn't need to be involved with.
Ayumu hesitated, then nodded slightly, allowing her hair to fall forward as though she were trying to hide a blush. "I mean, I suppose I could, if there was nothing else," she replied, forced cheer overlaying the reluctance in her voice. "There was a note that said they could use help...."
She trailed off again, poking at the paper frog once more before nudging it to one side and taking another sheet of paper. For a moment she paused to see what it was that Robin was drawing, but it didn't really look like much to her so she didn't comment on it.
"I did see something about a 'patient possessions room', though." Here she had to be careful, choosing her words with great care even as she spoke them casually. "It said there might be, ah, sentimental belongings there. If I had...well, I'm sure it's too dangerous."
"It is," Matt answered quickly. He'd been upstairs more than once. He knew these things. A poor girl like Sen didn't deserve to be attacked by whatever roamed those halls. "Look, there are creatures up there that can sap your very will. You can ask Kenshin - he's been attacked by one before. I wouldn't want to see anything happen to you.
He tapped the fingers of one hand on the edge of the table. This wasn't even like him, wasting energy trying to help out some random patient he'd only met the night before - cute girl or not.
All the same... "But I... do kinda know the guy in charge of that group. If you'd like me to talk with him."
"You do?" Now there was a very fortunate coincidence indeed, almost as fortunate as her "accidental" meeting with Okita would have been if it were actually an accident. It was almost suspicious, but she couldn't see why Robin would have any reason to lie about it. Ayumu refrained from displaying just how very interested she was in that bit of news, though, lifting her head to give him an only faintly hopeful look. "If you'd...I mean, I know it's dangerous, but what if something of mine from home is here?"
She brushed aside her papers and slid her hand closer to his, hesitantly reaching to touch his just lightly. "I don't understand why they would have brought me here," she said, turning up the 'hopeful' a little and adding in some 'wistful' for good measure. "If there's something there that could explain - or even just...well, there are some things that I would love to have. To remind me."
Most of the things she would really like to have involved sharp edges, but he didn't need to know that part.
Matt very obviously didn't like the idea of her joining up with anything Mello was currently involved with, though her hand on his caused him to blush just slightly. "I don't think anything that could be gained from just a trip upstairs would be all that useful."
It was true, he had seen some patients wearing what could only be their actual clothing at night, but he had no way of knowing how they'd gotten it. Somehow, a simple romp to the second floor seemed a bit too easy.
"I'll... take you to him, I guess. I'd just rather you stay out of anything that might put you in harms way, if that's possible."
Ayumu noted the blush and kept her hand where it was for just a moment longer before drawing back again with careful shyness. After his reaction last night she needed to be careful not to push too much; he could still be useful, especially since he seemed to know the right people. Himura last night, now this mysterious individual who was apparently forming some kind of new group.
She seemed to have arrived at a time when alliances were shifting or re-forming. The effects of the "loss" the Arts and Crafts group had suffered seemed to run a little deeper than merely cancelling their nightly activities, and she'd seen evidence of new clubs being formed on the bulletin board. It was unfortunate that she was missing a lot of background information on them, else it would be much easier to see what was happening and predict where it would lead.
For now, though, she could watch and wait. She was good at that.
"I don't want to put myself in harm's way, either," Ayumu replied, with complete honesty. "I just..." She paused, picking up a sheet of paper and toying with it for a moment before starting to fold it. "This place is so strange, and...I don't quite know what to do." Her voice trailed off a little at the end, sounding a little uncertain and worried.
Matt swallowed. "I do understand that. I do." He leaned forward. What he decided he had to say now needed to be worded very carefully. Otherwise, he might end up getting himself into some serious trouble. Still, he couldn't just send this girl to Mello without some sort of warning.
"It's just that... this person. He means well." This was true in a way, but not where it really counted. "But..." he swallowed again. He couldn't just come out and tell someone not to trust Mello. That could mess up the blond's plans something royal. "You're just going to have to take care of yourself, okay?"
The main problem she had now was that she was no closer to having solid plans for the evening: it seemed at the moment that her best prospect would be the "aid society," no matter how much she'd prefer to be out and exploring. Normally it wouldn't be too much trouble to pass undetected, but this was certainly an unusual situation, and she couldn't count on it. If she were to run into danger or another of the prisoners here she'd certainly have a hard time explaining her presence.
She considered her options as she allowed herself to be led into the "Arts & Crafts" room, whereupon she was presented with another, entirely new and odd situation. Apparently she was expected to take these odd materials and make something out of them? Some of these things...well, she didn't even know what they were.
Ayumu would have much preferred a chance to watch the bulletin board in the other room, but for now she needed to be unobtrusive and blend in. After considering what was available to her, she finally took several pieces of the different kinds of paper and found a place to sit, whereupon she began experimenting to see which was the best for folding origami. It was a fairly harmless pastime, and allowed her to appear busy while still keeping an eye on the rest of the room.
[Matt~]
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A familiar figure caught his attention suddenly and he tried not to hone in on her, instead appearing to take in his options a couple more times. The temptation quickly became too much for him, however, and he made his way over to an empty chair across from her. After all, if he didn't sit with her someone else would.
"Hey, remember me?" he teased lightly, hoping to start this conversation off on an easier note than the one he'd had with Reno.
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Ayumu paused in her work at his approach, giving him a welcoming smile. "Robin-han!" she said, with what seemed to be genuine delight. "I hoped I'd be able to thank you for helping me last night. From what I've been told today, it appears I was in even more danger than I'd realized before I met you."
She put a final fold on her work, then almost shyly offered the small paper butterfly to him. "I haven't had the leisure time for this in some time now, but it seems I still remember how to make them."
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Setting it down on the table near him, he gave her another smile. "Yeah, it's crazy out in the halls after dark. Moreso the further you get away from the patient blocks." Though this wasn't always the case. He'd seen large, very dangerous cats in the patient blocks, and he wasn't even going to mention that mess with the sun room and the hall outside of it.
"So, uh... How has your morning been?"
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It was fairly clear that he hadn't had a lot of experience with women, and if he wasn't a fighter (as had been amply proven the night before) she had to wonder just how he had been spending his time. Studies, perhaps? He didn't entirely fit the picture in her mind of a scholar, but he had said he was from the future. Things were likely different.
The tidbit of information she filed away for further reference. She'd want to pay a visit to the second-floor kitchen that had been mentioned on the bulletin board and see if there were any useful weapons there before she started roaming too far away on her own. Although that wasn't very close, from what she'd seen on the maps, so there was a bit of a dilemma.
She selected another piece of paper and started to work on that one; she made a couple of folds, paused, frowned, then unfolded it entirely and started over again. "I met someone else from back home," she replied, cheerfully. "Maybe even the same time, too. And I spoke to your friend Himura-han again. It's been pleasant enough, I suppose, for being in a place like this."
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He listened to her carefully, a bit more carefully than she actually deserved, perhaps, but old habits died hard. There was nothing suspicious about her, after all. "Someone from home? Was it someone you knew?" That would mean he'd probably be from the same world, which didn't tell him much of anything, but any new pieces of the puzzle would be welcome.
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Ayumu shook her head lightly and held up the partially folded sheet of paper, turning it around in her hands thoughtfully as she considered the next step. Ah, that was right. She set it down again and resumed folding, while carefully still watching Robin from her peripheral vision. "Oh, no, I didn't know him before. I was quite surprised when I found out where - or when - he was from."
She kept her attention apparently on her little project as she continued, ever so innocently, "It's starting to get later in the day, though, and I'm...not entirely sure what I'm going to do after it gets dark. One of my new friends suggested the "Arts and Crafts" club, but they're apparently not doing anything tonight."
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Of course, this led to an uncomfortable train of thought he really didn't want to be hopping on just yet, so he shoved that matter aside for now.
Her comment about nighttime activities reminded him that he hadn't yet checked the bulletin for what was going on with the History club. He'd assumed he might be working with Kenshin again, but if the man had other plans... "Arts and Crafts, huh? They seem to do a lot of things around here. They suffered a loss recently, though, so I guess that's why they're on standby." He hadn't known the man at all, but apparently he'd been someone very important to that group of people. "I might be doing something with the History Club, but their tasks are generally a bit more dangerous."
And the last thing he wanted to do was drag a poor girl like this into a dangerous situation.
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Ayumu finished the last fold and examined the finished piece of origami, a small frog, for a moment before setting it on the tabletop with a triumphant air. "From what others have said, it seems the "aid society" might be the safest option, but..."
She sighed quietly, giving the back of the frog a light push to make it jump a little. "I know I can't fight, but...no, never mind." Ayumu shook her head slightly, looking a little embarrassed that she'd even started to bring whatever it was up, all the while carefully keeping watch on Robin's reaction.
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One of the nurses gave him a look that made it feel like she wanted him to do a bit more participating in the actual 'arts and crafts' portion of this shift, and he pulled over a sheet of paper of his own just to appease her. Not being the most artistic of people, he drew a big fat smiley on his paper with the tongue sticking out and left it at that.
There was always whatever Mello was getting together. He was sure the blond would appreciate any new people to give him a hand, but the real question was whether or not he trusted Mello not to get this girl involved with something she didn't need to be involved with.
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She trailed off again, poking at the paper frog once more before nudging it to one side and taking another sheet of paper. For a moment she paused to see what it was that Robin was drawing, but it didn't really look like much to her so she didn't comment on it.
"I did see something about a 'patient possessions room', though." Here she had to be careful, choosing her words with great care even as she spoke them casually. "It said there might be, ah, sentimental belongings there. If I had...well, I'm sure it's too dangerous."
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He tapped the fingers of one hand on the edge of the table. This wasn't even like him, wasting energy trying to help out some random patient he'd only met the night before - cute girl or not.
All the same... "But I... do kinda know the guy in charge of that group. If you'd like me to talk with him."
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She brushed aside her papers and slid her hand closer to his, hesitantly reaching to touch his just lightly. "I don't understand why they would have brought me here," she said, turning up the 'hopeful' a little and adding in some 'wistful' for good measure. "If there's something there that could explain - or even just...well, there are some things that I would love to have. To remind me."
Most of the things she would really like to have involved sharp edges, but he didn't need to know that part.
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It was true, he had seen some patients wearing what could only be their actual clothing at night, but he had no way of knowing how they'd gotten it. Somehow, a simple romp to the second floor seemed a bit too easy.
"I'll... take you to him, I guess. I'd just rather you stay out of anything that might put you in harms way, if that's possible."
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She seemed to have arrived at a time when alliances were shifting or re-forming. The effects of the "loss" the Arts and Crafts group had suffered seemed to run a little deeper than merely cancelling their nightly activities, and she'd seen evidence of new clubs being formed on the bulletin board. It was unfortunate that she was missing a lot of background information on them, else it would be much easier to see what was happening and predict where it would lead.
For now, though, she could watch and wait. She was good at that.
"I don't want to put myself in harm's way, either," Ayumu replied, with complete honesty. "I just..." She paused, picking up a sheet of paper and toying with it for a moment before starting to fold it. "This place is so strange, and...I don't quite know what to do." Her voice trailed off a little at the end, sounding a little uncertain and worried.
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"It's just that... this person. He means well." This was true in a way, but not where it really counted. "But..." he swallowed again. He couldn't just come out and tell someone not to trust Mello. That could mess up the blond's plans something royal. "You're just going to have to take care of yourself, okay?"
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