[seven feathers cautious]

[danicashardae]

[If you're out at night, you'll see an oddly intelligent-looking hawk perch on the edge of town, glance around, then swoop in toward the food area. It'll then shift into human form (yes, clothed), revealing itself as Danica. She's pretty much hiding for her dignity's sake, but she got hungry, so she came back to town to get supplies

Comments

[Action]

[inuzuri]

[ And here comes the guy who would bet a chunk of his salary back home that he is probably the one person in all of Luceti she wants to see least right now.

Unfortunately, he's been out doing something entirely different, and isn't really paying attention to his surroundings as he walks. He notices Danica when he's already closer to her than either of them are probably prepared for.

He freezes mid-step. ]

[Action]

[danicashardae]

[She froze even before he did, using all of her willpower to keep her face entirely expressionless for when he did notice her back. By the time he freezes, she's already recovering and slipping inside the food shop without a word.]

[Action]

[inuzuri]

[ He doesn't unfreeze until she's totally out of sight, chiding himself mentally for losing his edge to the point where he didn't notice her. He's going human, he thinks idly, which is actually a huge deal, but there's a more pressing issue at the moment.

He can't just... let her run off, now.

Does he know what he wants to say? No. Does he even know what kind of result he's aiming for? No. But he'll be following her into the shop anyway. Someone certainly leaps before he looks. ]

[Action]

[danicashardae]

[And she senses his pursuit (or at least someone's), but she's totally not gonna acknowledge it. Instead, she's reaching for some food of the non-fragile variety.]

[Action]

[inuzuri]

[ He stops at about ten feet away, only just then realizing he has no idea what to say. All he knows is that something needs to be said.

He's fidgeting, though his weight is rested quite easily on one leg - mostly it's finger movements. Give him a second, he'll think of what to say. ]

[Action]

[danicashardae]

[Well, here's your chance, 'cause she's filled a small bag with food and she's turned to leave. She's ready to brush right past you, you'd better do something.]

[Action]

[inuzuri]

[ Aw, shit. ]

Oi, Danica, wait-- [ As she aims to brush by, his hand reaches out to touch her arm and slow her, a totally automatic movement. ]

[Action]

[danicashardae]

[At the touch to her arm, she's freezing again, right about at his shoulder. She's listening now, whether or not she says anything.]

[Action]

[inuzuri]

[ What do you say about something like that, anyway? ]

We can't just keep avoidin' each other fovever, ya know. [ It sort of comes out before he thinks about it, but it's probably better than anything else he could have come up with. ]

[Action]

[danicashardae]

[She's quiet for a minute, deciding how to answer. Then, eventually:] ...I know.

[Action]

[inuzuri]

[ Something in him is telling him he has to keep talking - has to, or she'll leave and he'll never have the guts to try this a second time. ]

Then why're we even doin' this? [ His mouth seems to be running off with the conversation before he can overthink. ] Just kinda wanna have my friend back, eh?

[Action]

[danicashardae]

Last week was... ridiculous. [That was the first word to mind to describe it, though it probably wasn't the best word.]

[Action]

[inuzuri]

[ He laughs once, without humour, and it sounds like a dog bark. ] Yeah, guess ya could call it that... was gonna call it somethin' more like a fucken disaster, but yeah.

[Action]

[danicashardae]

[She doesn't see how to respond to that. They're basically saying the same thing, in different words. The question is, how do they deal with it?]

[Action]

[inuzuri]

[ Okay, humour fail in this situation, Renji you should have predicted that. Even bleak humour. Doesn't do much to help his confidence in this situation.

He lets out an audible breath; on anybody else it might have been a sigh, but on Renji it somehow isn't, not quite. ]

Look, at least find yerself a real place ta stay? The forest works fer a hawk, but probably ain't the best place fer a girl. [ Oh yeah. He knows. ]

[Action]

[danicashardae]

Where I stay is none of your concern. [Though her voice isn't acidic, as it would be if she were speaking to an enemy.]