Day 40: Sun Room [Fourth Shift]

[clockmongler]

Well, that was... special. No wonder he was losing respect for this place--the fearful Martin Landel was coming undone, most probably with boredom. So scary. Even Nursey seemed a little exasperated, though that most likely had more to do with X's constant insistence to stay in the Sun Room rather than go inside the Greenhouse

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[tostepforward]

Of all the people who had to come and sit by her, it just had to be Himura, didn't it? He likely had a reason for it, too, though whether it was because he was still suspicious of her or because he merely wanted to make certain "Sen" was all right after the night previous, she wasn't certain. And since she didn't know, that made it more difficult to decide whether or not she should pretend to wake from her supposed nap.

The dilemma was solved for her, fortunately, when one of the cats that liked to wander the room hopped up onto the couch and padded over to investigate her curiously. Once it started to climb onto her, little claws prickling through the thin fabric of her shirt, Ayumu opened her eyes again, blinking down at the kitten with an expression of half-sleepy surprise. After a second she laughed quietly and resettled the creature a little more comfortably on her, careful not to move her bandaged right arm; it was only then that she glanced up, apparently noticing Kenshin for the first time.

"Oh! Himura-han, good afternoon," she observed, with an almost embarassed little laugh, and moved to sit up again. The movement was a little awkward, though, considering that she didn't use one arm and the other was occupied with cradling a small fluffy kitten.

[tostepforward]

"I seem to have a new friend here. He was rather insistent about meeting me, too." Ayumu chuckled softly and settled the kitten into her lap once she was sitting up again, looking amused. She was rather grateful to it, too, for giving her a reason to pay attention - she wouldn't like the idea of pretending to nap with an enemy present.

At the question she glanced down at her arm as though mildly embarrassed, then shook her head a little. "Oh, it's not that bad, really. We were attacked right before the night ended, and...well, I was back in my room again before much happened."

[tostepforward]

The strange contrast between night and day was odd and puzzling, but Ayumu had to wonder if Himura was trying to imply something by the comment. Or perhaps she was just reading too much into it? She smiled down at the kitten, who was purring as loud as it could as she stroked its fur. "I suppose so. Though I'm not going to complain - it's nice to be safe for at least the daylight hours." At least the kitten didn't want anything from her or question her motives for treating it nicely, unlike a certain bespectacled young man who was also in the room.

"You don't need to apologize, Himura-han," she replied, giving him a surprised look. "You were going somewhere and I interrupted. I shouldn't have been out in the hallways by myself to begin with, after I'd been warned, so...I consider it a lesson learned. It's really not bad at all."

[tostepforward]

[fffft like school is important no worries, I'm good with that ^^ - p.s. sorry for multipost stupid typos]

Ayumu nodded once, returning his uncertain look with a bright smile of her own. "Of course I am. I do appreciate your concern, Himura-han - it's nice to have friends to look out for me. But you can't protect everyone."

It was rather clear that there was something else bothering him about the night before, and as he continued to speak, Ayumu became only more wary. So she had pushed her luck a little too far, or just too many times; she'd clearly need to be even more careful around the man, especially considering that she had to keep the truce with him intact.

She only blinked at him, however, apparently surprised by his statement. "You're suspicious...of me?" she echoed, lifting a hand to motion toward herself and causing the kitten in her lap to protest the lack of petting. "I'm...well, Himura-han, I have to admit that I...I felt much the same about you, as well."

Given what she'd already had to tell Robin earlier, it was best to give the same story to both men in case they ever had cause to compare notes. Ayumu dropped her gaze to the kitten again as she resumed stroking its soft fur, as though now embarrassed. "I'm sure you can understand why I was wary of a strange swordsman, when I first met you, and I. Well. I'm not really from Shimabara. I'm sorry I lied about that."

[tostepforward]

"It is." Or was, perhaps, considering where or when Ayumu apparently now found herself. She still was determined that she'd return, though, so immediately dismissed that thought. That was where she belonged, and she had too much to accomplish there to dismiss it as past.

Though she knew what side the man had been on in the conflict, she had to wonder just how he'd been involved, especially since she'd never heard his name before coming here. And yet he'd admitted he was involved, and at the same time she was. Perhaps Okita knew, if she had a chance to speak to him in more than just cryptic words on the bulletin board.

She glanced up again to meet Himura's look, and a faint hint of pink touched her cheeks as she did. "I know a little more about this place now than I did then, though. And I have more reason to trust you." Not that she would, of course. No matter how much the man might have supposedly changed, for her it didn't change who he had been or the implications of it.

The fact that he found the Gion Festival significant, though, made her wonder, especially after her conversation with Honey the day before. Was that when the battle he'd spoken of had occurred? It was certainly something that would have been of interest to a man who'd been involved on the other side of the conflict, if she knew about it.

"The Gion Festival?" she echoed, looking mildly puzzled. "Well - before. It was still a couple of weeks away, the last I remember. May I ask why you wanted to know, Himura-han?"

[tostepforward]

So it seemed that his confession that he had been suspicious of her hadn't come about because the condition had changed. It was hardly a surprise, but if so, then why was he warning her of the fact? Was it possible that he really and honestly did feel bad for his distrust? That would be...strange.

Ayumu just shook her head slightly and smiled, apparently unaware of any lack in his own expression. "As you said, Himura-han, we're accustomed to more difficult times. I'm glad I had a chance to clear things up with you."

His response about the Gion Festival only made her more certain that he was referring to the same thing Honey had spoken of. Considering his particular loyalties, it would be no surprise that he'd be particularly interested in that - and "exciting" would perhaps be one way to describe such a thing. "Oh...was it?" She blinked a little, as though still confused, but just gave a slight shrug. "Then I suppose I'll have something to look forward to when I return, then?"

If she managed to see the festival after returning, of course. That she still wasn't certain of.