Characters: Bell (
grab_my_bells) and Kagerou (
weaver_girl)
Date/Time: [BACKDATED] April 23, after the tiny epidemic of dream-dustings
Location: The House of Ninja and out from there
Rating: G for Kagerou, PG(-13) for Bell?
Summary: Kagerou comes to check up on Gai after some concurrent dream-dusting, and has a follow-up walk with Bell and the dogs. Quicklog format.
(
I have watched you find the places hidden by the snow )
[There was a slight sigh in his voice, like the tone he might use to mention that Gai liked sparkles: it was tired and long-suffering, but with an overlay of fondness.] Yeah, he's always up for exercise.
[He thanked her for holding the door, letting Tenzou lead the way out of the house and down the path once she was following. They started off slow, even though Tenzou was eager to run around everywhere.]
[While Bell knew Kagerou wanted to talk, and could guess what about, he wasn't sure about having that discussion and, if not for having agreed to her company and the fact that he enjoyed her company, he might have avoided it all together. But, trying to be polite and friendly (Gai's efforts to get Bell to make friends hadn't worked a whole lot so far, but Bell could still approximate gentlemanly behavior), he led in with something safe. He wasn't much of a casual conversationalist.]
Do you have any pets of your own?
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[She settled to walk beside Bell, quite used to finding a pace with people who were taller than her. It had made her a fast walker, but that was useful when she was on a tight schedule, which was often these days.]
We have a cat, a calico one. She goes on adventures a lot, though--it didn't really seem right to keep her inside all the time, and it's not like she can be run over by a car here. She's very small, though. Tenzou could probably eat her in a bite--not that he ever would, of course.
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[She did seem to be a busy young lady. There were times when they hardly seemed to see her around the journals. Bell didn't envy a schedule like that in the slightest, even if he did sometimes feel like he should be doing more himself.] Cats seem to be naturally adventurous, not unlike a few people I know. [Kagerou among them.]
Tenzou actually likes cats. [The dog's ears seemed to perk up at the mention, but he was too busy inspecting just about everything with his nose.] They just don't generally like his brand of affection. [The few cats Bell and Tenzou had met around the Sphere on their walks did not seem to appreciate Tenzou's bark of greeting or slobbery and abundant affection.]
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[She walked in silence for a few moments, mostly watching the dog weaving excitedly from one scent trail to the next. It was comfortable enough, just sharing company and the walk, and she almost didn't speak again--or at least was planning on switching the topic to something more neutral.
However, some things needed to be said, and she couldn't very well balk now, could she?]
I... wanted to apologise. Or maybe just check if everything was all right. I hadn't really thought it through, the whole thing with... asking people to go on a date with me, and then it became this big mess and I really didn't mean to do that. So, I'm sorry.
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[Even though he had expected her to bring it up at some point, he was still surprised by the concern and thoughtfulness. He was always surprised by those kinds of gestures when directed at him and Bell shook his head and waved off the apology, not really sure how to handle it. Kagerou was a wonderful girl. She didn't need this; had Bell's pen just not landed on her page, she wouldn't be in a position to apologize for something she didn't do.] It's fine.
[He fell silent a moment.]
Given the reputation I've built up ['Built up', not just 'have,' implying it took some conscious effort on Bell's part to put himself into the role of pervert.] I'm not surprised someone objected to my asking you out. I'd have been surprised if your friends didn't. [He just hadn't anticipated the heatedness of the objections and thus hadn't been prepared to deal with them. It was an off week...month...whatever.]
Your friends are very protective of you, Kagerou. I can't fault them for that.
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Is it fine? Really? [That was bold of her. Maybe she needed to be bold, at least for a moment more.]
Yes, my friends are that, that's true. And... I would expect them to interfere if I was doing something that was actually stupid or dangerous. This was neither. I know every person who wrote to me then. Maybe not well, but well enough.
So... I think I should apologise. At least for myself, even if... others won't.
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