Day 43: Sun Room, 4th Shift

[euphemise]

The late-afternoon sun filled the large, open Sun Room. It was almost enough to make you sleepy, Euphemia thought, as she walked in, brushing a little glitter off her shirt. She didn't particularly feel like she was up to much - the worrying about everyone had drained her, as much as she'd tried not to think too much about it

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[dahliahasthorns]

Ah, she most definitely picked a winner with this one. She beamed him with another bright smile as she sat down next to him, giving a little giggle at how flustered he was. What a weak, nervous mess of a man. Whatever. She'd give him a chance.

Even if he was giving her Feenie-Flashbacks with just that look in his eyes. Ah well. It just meant she knew how to play this one.

Dahlia looked at the guy next to her and watched his tongue do an entertaining job of tripping over itself in front of her. Didn't he know the first thing about talking to a woman? She'd just have to teach him, wouldn't she? "Please don't be nervous! I just..." She paused, finding the words to phrase it correctly. How should she put it...? "I know this place is horrible, and it seems a little naive of me to think this, but I was always taught the best way to cheer people up is to be cheerful yourself!" There, that was it. She gave him another smile, like she was so proud to get that out. "I don't mean to be rude, but you did look very stressed. Is there anything I can do to help?"

Ugh, all this saccharine and someone was going to get sick. But not this sucker. She had good feelings about him. "Oh! Um..." She stuck out her hand and giggled again. "I'm Dahlia. Dahlia Hawthorne."

[liveforthispart]

Well, he didn't feel all that stressed until she showed up. Now he was a big pack of nerves. She was actually being really perky and friendly which was... weird, but okay. It was kind of like what Rise would be like if she calmed the hell down. She seemed more interested in making Kanji feel better than running her mouth, anyway. Though the offer kind of caught him off guard.

"No," he answered bluntly. Then he immediately re-thought that, stumbling to take it back. "Uh, I mean, don't... worry about it. Okay? It's real nice and everything, but... I'm alright." Jeez. He had to be careful. If he didn't keep his guard up, he was going to end up saying something that would make her bust out in tears, and then that would be it. "Should prolly be worrying more about yourself anyway. Uh. How're you holding up here?" No, really. How did a girl like this even survive in a place full of zombies and crap? She didn't look much like the fighting type.

He looked down at the offered hand warily. Another person wanted a handshake? Man, this place was really freaking weird. But a handshake with a girl was even weirder. Not doing it might upset her so... He stuck out his hand and very gently took her daintier hand in an awkward handshake, as though he was afraid he might break her if he did it any other way. "Uh, Kanji Tatsumi." Um. "It's... good to meet you, Dahlia-chan."

Wow. It felt so weird to be formal like this while greeting someone.

[dahliahasthorns]

Wasn't he just precious, trying to rebuff her? If he wanted her to go away, he'd need to be more forceful. If he was more forceful, he'd have to deal with her obnoxious sobbing and the hordes of upset people that came with it. It'd be for the best if he just went along with it like the good boy he was.

Not that his fate would be much better if he did so, but that's the fine print for you.

"Oh, I'll be fine..." She shook her head with a little meek laugh, then nervously twirled a strand of her hair around one of her fingers. It was so embarrassing to hide behind other people! She wanted to be useful like the rest of them, to fight and be smart and help others! At least, that's what the look on her face said. "The people here are very kind and some have offered to protect me, but I think it might be safer in my room. Please, don't worry about me. I wanted to know if you were okay!"

It might have been true, but then Kanji took her hand and had as much grip on it as a wet noodle. Hmph. This man had no idea how to shake a woman's hand. Dahlia just took it as it was, though, innocent as always. "It's an honor to meet you, Kanji." Tilt head, blush, smile. Thirty feet away, ten butterflies were trying to get through the institute doors and into the Sun Room to locate the sudden overbearing sweetness pervading the air. "You can call me Dollie, if you want."

[liveforthispart]

Was she... blushing? At him? Oh, this was all new levels of uncomfortable now, and the type he was especially no good at dealing with. He scratched a cheek and glanced away from her, suddenly fascinated by the other side of the room, and tried to hide the tinge of embarrassment coming over his own face. Sh-She probably just blushed easy. That was all. He was the same way, unfortunately. So he knew better than to dwell on it.

"Um, O... Okay. D-Dollie, then." He cleared his throat and faced her again. Cause he wasn't afraid, dammit. Just talk to her like she's a normal person. A normal person giggling and blushing at him. ...Goddammit. "Yeah. You're prolly better off staying in your room at night. 'Specially since things keep gettin' more messed up every day."

She wasn't the first girl he'd seen here who couldn't handle walking around on their own. Just throwing people into some mess they couldn't handle and watching them squirm before they died... It really pissed him off. It was just like what was going on back home but on a whole new level. It sucked someone like Dah-- Dollie had to be thrown into this shit. "But, um. If you ever think you need to go out for somethin' and you need an extra hand or something... you can always let me know. I can handle this kinda stuff no sweat. And, uh, I might not look it but I'm good at watchin' other people's backs."

No, he was not offering because of any feelings or anything. He would have offered the same to anyone who was no good at fighting in this place. It was dangerous here, after all, and Kanji didn't want anyone getting themselves killed. But regardless, he still felt kind of embarrassed even saying it.

[dahliahasthorns]

Dahlia had spent this entire little conversation watching this man. She watched his face, his expressions, his body language, and listened to the sound of his voice. She watched him like a hunter watched a bear inevitably spring the trap they laid right in plain sight, the trap only an idiot would fall for.

And there it went. Clink.

Of course he offered to protect her just like everyone else. They always offered. She'd take him up on it sooner or later (he was sort of muscular and could probably fight off some of the things in her way like he said. If nothing else, he was gullible and she could gouge out Achilles' tendons and leave him as bait if she had to). She couldn't say she had a set plan for this moron yet. In the meanwhile, though...

"You're so sweet, Kanji." Ugh, she couldn't cutesy his name up any. She could try. Kanny? Ji-Ji? Sumi? Whatever. "But please, think of yourself. I-I don't want to get in your way. It's too dangerous here..." Oh, the danger. The terror! Just the thought made her frail heart sink and a frown dampen her perfect features. She looked down, dejected and heartbroken about the idea of being stuck here. Woe~

After some intense pouting at the floor, Dahlia picked her head up and gave Ji-Ji (that'd work) a tiny, sad smile. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't get so upset that easily... H-how are you? Do you have any friends here?" Were they as stupid as he was? Because she'd love to meet them.

[liveforthispart]

Although he'd been doing a fine enough job of hiding the tinge of embarrassment that threatened to spread across his face (or he thought so anyway), that one comment just about did it and his face suddenly went red. Oh my GOD, she did not just call him 'sweet.' He wasn't sweet, dammit!! He was just trying to help someone out! That was all! Was that so strange?! "D-Don't call me--"

Kanji had to stop himself. Unfortunately. Because she was suddenly looking so sad that one more little thing might just hurt her beyond forgiveness. So god-FREAKING-dammit, he had to let that one go. He scratched the back of his head insecurely. "You don't... You don't gotta apologize or nothin', alright? I was pretty upset when I got here, too. Place is messed up."

God, she was just like every prissy little girl that got his blood boiling as a kid. Except she was actually nice rather than some two-faced bitch. You'd think with that in mind he might be able to force a bit of a smile for Dollie's sake, but he felt awkward enough as it was.

"And like I told you, you don't gotta worry about me. I'm kinda used to this stuff. Me and my friends kind of, um... protect people back home. It's like a... Call it a side job." Okay not really, but he couldn't think of what the hell else to call it. "Some of 'em are here, too, yeah. But we can all handle ourselves. So... it's not like it'd be in the way or anything if you needed someone to hang around with. You know?"

And then something clicked. He wasn't exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, and he could admit that. Kanji was no good at analyzing things, but he thought maybe she was bringing up the whole 'friends' issue for another reason besides just curiosity. Was she here... alone? "Um. What about you? Any of yer friends end up here, too?"

[dahliahasthorns]

Oh, he was one of those men. The ones who couldn't stand it when girls thought they were cute or sweet. Try to deny it all you want, but it still came back to the same thing; you were weak for a cute girl with a pretty smile. Though, in all fairness? Dahlia really didn't think it was cute. It was disgusting.

"Really?" She brightened up at that. "I'm so happy for you! It sounds nice to have people you know to keep you company."

But were her friends here? "...No. They're not." Poor Feenie didn't count, sadly. The things she would do to have Iris around... "But there's always room to make new ones! And I'd be happy to be yours, Ji-Ji. I-if that's okay with you, of course..."