Aug 04, 2010 13:00
Is anyone missing a cat? This one won't leave me alone.
[Slight pause.]
Castor, you around?
☄Asuka [Hinamori Momo],
he's keeping the cat,
this should end well,
just wants to talk,
srs bsns time,
just another day in the life of a hobo,
event: virgins get kitty ears,
animals really like him,
*quicklog,
the cat's name is adashino,
❧Castor [Aragaki Shinjiro],
❧Mindelan (Peachblossom) [Keladry]
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The question drew him back to the conversation, though. His only reaction was to tense faintly, shoulders moving back as he lifted his head-- though the way the fur on his ears and tail bristled, ears moving to lie flat was probably more telling than anything else.]
...It ain't important, is what it is. [He didn't snap the words as much as he wanted to- Cloud was a friend, right? He deserved at least some sort of explanation. But the fact was that losing control of his Persona like that was both embarrassing and frightening. Why couldn't he control it? And how many people could have been hurt if it happened again? He forced himself to relax after a moment, ducking out of eye contact again.]
[After a pause, he forced himself to exhale, shaking his head.] ...I'm not gonna let it happen again.
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[Cloud's eye followed the kitten as he trotted back to him, losing interest in Castor's tail. He butted his head against Cloud's leg, and Cloud held out one hand to the little animal, welcoming the excuse not to look at Castor. His ears flattened halfway down on his head--drat the things. Casually, as if he hadn't seen Castor's reaction and ignoring his own, he continued.]
Maybe not. But what was it? Where did it come from? [Cloud wasn't really sure where he was going with this line of questioning, aside from a vague feeling that if he knew more about the thing, maybe he would be able to help.]
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...My head, [He answered the question after an extended pause, brows furrowing as if he felt stupid for saying it.] I mean... I can call him. Usually we can't do it on our own, though. It's... called a Persona, best as I can tell. In my dream I called myself a Persona User. [Instinctively, the tail moved to wrap about himself, remaining on the ground and looping securely close to him as he drew his legs in, hands resting uselessly at his ankles as he stared down at the floor.]
He's Castor. [he spoke as though admitting to something before growling.] I just named myself after him. [Another head shake.] But it don't matter, okay? It ain't gonna happen again.
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[Now Cloud glanced up at Castor, and his ears flattened all the way at what he saw. The guy looked oddly... small like that. Almost child-like. For maybe the first time, Cloud found himself wondering just how old Castor was.]
You named yourself after him? [Not that odd an idea, really... something that much a part of Castor, no wonder he had picked that name. Cloud fingered the bangs over his left eye for a moment, wondering if he should ask Castor if he knew his real name, before deciding he had pushed the guy enough. So he settled for a silent nod instead.]
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...It was the only name in my dream, so I went with it. It felt close enough. [He jerked a shoulder uncomfortably, the shrug too forced to feel natural. He hated this-- Castor always remained collected, fairly composed, and able to distance himself-- except for when it was all about him. At least Cloud remained casual about it-- it made the words easier, just as Lin's lack of caring made it easy to admit to her his death and prior drug addiction.]
I figured everyone named themselves like that. Picked somethin' important and went with it.
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Well, maybe not everyone. [His name was hardly something he would really hold as important... except maybe it was. After all, he had told (or at least had heavily implied this idea to) several people that he might have been a drifter in his past. Careful not to show his frustration on his face, he realized yet again his thoughts had circled back to the same idea that had plagued him for months now--wanting to leave.]
[His tail started to twitch more agitatedly. Damn, he wished he had more control over the thing... he scooped up the kitten when he started getting interested in Cloud's tail and put him in his lap. Maybe he'd stay there for a bit.]
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Gonna give the little runt a name? [It was easier to talk about the cat than anything else after all, right?] or you gonna hand it off to someone else?
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...if nothing else, the kitten certainly seemed to like him. A name, huh... he tilted his head slightly to one side, still regarding the cat in his lap, ears up and pointing forward now in interest.] Maybe... Adashino...?
[...where had that name come from?]
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[A rough laugh was the only hint that it had been a joke, as well as the way his lips faintly twisted upwards. He wasn't a cat person-- he really wasn't. Castor preferred dogs anyday, especially with the way the kitten--Adashino-- seemed to delight in clawing and biting up Cloud's hand. But that didn't make it less. Well. Cute. And it deserved a home just as much as the next thing, right?]
If he sticks close t'you, it won't be hard to keep track've him.
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[His thoughts were rudely interrupted when Adashino, getting a little bolder at Cloud's lack of reaction to his biting, finally managed to draw blood, sinking one of his claws into the ball of Cloud's thumb.] Shit! [Now Cloud reacted, flinching violently enough to dump the cat out of his lap and onto the floor. Adashino gave him a startled look before sitting and beginning to lick his paw.]
Tch. Acting like you had nothing to do with it... [Cloud fished in his pocket for a second with his uninjured hand before he came up with a spare scrap of cloth, wrapping that around his bleeding thumb.]
Somehow, I'm not too worried about him following me. Not sure what to do about him when I'm at work, though.
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Good luck with that one. Maybe you can get someone to watch him. [The "Someone else." went unspoken.] Or maybe he can hang around the Adventurer headquarters 'til you get back for the damn. [Castor shrugged.]
Can't be too hard.
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I'll see you around, probably.
[He moved toward the exit. After a moment, Adashino abandoned his wash and trotted after the man, tail curling up into a question mark as he went.]
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Alright. Take it easy.
[A hand was lifted as a goodbye as Castor went his own way]
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