Subaru ☆ Fresh air for clear thoughts.

[marked_as_prey]

Who: Subaru & anyone out walking
Where: Espoir, near Serenity's Manor
Style: Beginning in third, but either is fine.
Status: Open

Comments

[hastablemanners]

So just how well trained is that puppy? Because not too far away there's a four foot cat that's stopped in his tracks, watching it warily.

Even though it's only small the sight of it makes the hair on the back of his neck stand up somehow.

[marked_as_prey]

Subaru feels the tug of the leash as the puppy begins lowering itself and then hopping up playfully as it barks. It would bark and then hop from side to side before barking though after a moment or two it hid behind Subaru's legs as he squatted down. "Come on Kou, don't scare them. I'm sorry he just hasn't had a chance to come outside much lately."

[hastablemanners]

It wasn't fear, exactly. There were just certain things he couldn't help but react to. It was hard to describe. He sighs.

"S'fine. Poor thing's probably been bouncin' off the walls cooped up inside."

[marked_as_prey]

"Yes he has been, but I brought him out today since the weather seems to be a little more agreeable." It was just then that Subaru realized that he was talking to a cat. He blinked a moment, still petting and holding the puppy that started tugging at the leash once again, his tail wagging back and forth.

[hastablemanners]

He is indeed, a cat. In fact, someone like Subaru may recognise that he resembles a very specific kind of cat, even if he doesn't have any of the associated powers.

"Y'know... he's actually kinda cute! How old is the little fella?"

[marked_as_prey]

A Bakeneko, this was Subaru's first time actually seeing one; though his grandmother of course had taught him about them. He had seen plenty of ghosts, shikigami and inugami so he figured it was happen eventually. "Oh, he's only a month or two. I got him as a present for the holiday."

[hastablemanners]

"That's a big responsibility to give to someone unexpectedly, ain't it?"

A lot of animals got abandoned after Christmas because they were unwanted presents, didn't they? ...Not that he thought Subaru was going to do that!

"Ah - But I'm sure you'll take good care of him!"

[marked_as_prey]

"Oh well Kamui-san offered to be the one to take care of him so that it wouldn't be that way. But I really like him and I've always liked animals." Which is why he had dreamed of becoming a zoo keeper, that way he would get to work with animals all the time. Subaru picked the puppy up, playing with it while he spoke with the other.

"I'll be certain to take care of him the best I can. I hope that we didn't disturb your walk Bakeneko-san."

[hastablemanners]

...He probably didn't mean that the way it came across, but Jubei can't help being just a little bit offended.

"Hey. No need for name callin', kid."

'Bakeneko' or 'Grimalkin' was almost invariably an insult in the world Jubei had come from.

"Name's Jubei."

[marked_as_prey]

"O-oh, I'm sorry. Sorry, I didn't know." Subaru set the puppy down bowing when the other responded that way. He hadn't thought that it would be bad, though know he wondered if his shikigami took offense each time that Subaru spoke to it. The puppy though now tugged on the leash once again since it had been sat down.

"It's nice to meet you Jubei-san, I'm Subaru Sumeragi."

[hastablemanners]

"Well, Subaru, I guess I am one, in a way," he conceded, "But it just ain't nice going around sayin' those kinda things."

"I'm surprised you even heard of 'em, to be honest."

[marked_as_prey]

"I'm sorry, I'll be more considerate in the future." He bowed once more. "Ah, well my grandmother taught me about them as part of my training. I come from a long line of onmyōji."

Actually he was currently the head of the onmyōji as he was the head of the Sumeragi clan currently. Still his grandmother had more experience and handled a lot of things for him, including the advancement of his training. "You're the first one that I have met though Jubei-san."

[hastablemanners]

Subaru was pretty formal for being such a young guy! It must have come with being an onmyōji. In any case it makes him smile, there was really no need to waste formalities on an old cat like him.

"C'mon, you're gonna do your back in if ya keep bending up and down like that!"

The first one, huh? He wondered whether Subaru had come from a world where beastkin lived alongside human beings as well. Most people seemed to find it very surprising that creatures like Jubei existed at all.

"So, do I live up to expectations?"

[marked_as_prey]

Subaru blushed a little, he suddenly remembered that most of the people in Somarrium didn't bow or anything so he probably seemed a little odd with how often he did it. As for the question about expectations he nodded, "It's great to meet you and get the chance to speak with you. Hokuto-chan would be jealous most likely that she didn't get to meet you."

"Have you been in Somarium long?"

[hastablemanners]

"'Bout four months." Whether or not he considered that a long time was up to how long the boy had been here himself.

"Ain't much compared to some folks, but it sure seems like it's been a long time to me."

[marked_as_prey]

"Ah, that's almost twice as long as I've been here." Subaru had arrived just before Halloween when all of the spirits had started haunting the city. Luckily he had been glad when things had calmed down and settled into a somewhat normal routine. "But it does seem like it's been longer some times."

Picking up the puppy Subaru pets it a moment, scratching behind Kou's ears. This had been one of the longest times that he had spent away from everyone back home, and he wondered whether his grandmother was alright or if jobs were piling up due to his absence.