[004 // Action]

[not_the_pastry]

[It's past midnight, but Éclair is awake. It's not nervousness that makes her stalk the hallways at night; rather, she's got to have something to do between scavenging missions, and she figures after that pizza mishap she'd better stay out of the kitchen for a few days

Comments

action;

[austereity]

[You're walking around too much for Shiina's liking. So she's going to be standing outside of her room around the time you pass by again. She's leaning against her door, back pressed against it, arms crossed over her chest.]

action;

[not_the_pastry]

[Éclair stops when she sees the girl. She smiles, saying conversationally--]

It really seems like no one can sleep tonight!

action;

[austereity]

How unwise. ['For you to think that. Your pacing is what's keeping me awake.']

action;

[not_the_pastry]

[Of course, Éclair misses the subtext completely.]

What is?

action;

[auburn_ivory]

[Kusuriuri never really sleeps, it was something he gave up a long time ago, exchanged it for a dark-skinned demon and a jeweled sword. He has been known to pretend, for the sake of being unwatched in the night, to put humans at ease, but he feels no such compunction now. He leaves his room, papered over in warding charms, and goes to find somewhere quiet to smoke and drink some tea, to relax and contemplate.]

action;

[not_the_pastry]

[Éclair stumbles across him--no, literally. She picks up the scent of smoke and, sniffing the air, tries to trace it. With her nose up in the air, she's not watching where she's going. She falls over the medicine seller with a stifled cry.]

action;

[auburn_ivory]

[It's reflex that catches her more than care. The demon in his heart murmurs laughter over the event, he sees the comedy but feels no need to express it, turning towards her with a bland expression, the woman propped up at her shoulders.]

Good evening.

[He waits for her to lift herself, the contents of his overturned pipe smoldering fragrantly on the floor.]

action;

[not_the_pastry]

[Éclair scrambles off him, embarrassed, and clambers to her feet.]

...Sorry about that--ohhhh!

[She sees that she's knocked his pipe over, and hurriedly drops back to her knees, trying to right it and gather up the mess.]

[ action ]

[the_beheld]

[ Yumichika is up because Su showed him how to work these book things and some of them are just wonderful but he spent all day at the library, checked out the time and HOLY SHIT... so he's walking out of the into the hall at way-too-freaking-late, but with his nose in his NEXUS and-- footsteps? ]

Éclair, what are you doing awake?

[ action ]

[not_the_pastry]

Oh--Mr. Ayasegawa!

I'm patrolling. There could be suspicious characters around, you know!

[She giggles when she says it, but she's only half joking. Fiddling with one of her gloves, she adds--]

You're up pretty late yourself, aren't you?

[ action ]

[the_beheld]

I was reading! There are so many fascinating things in the library--

--It's a bit dangerous of you to patrol by yourself, isn't it?

[ action ]

[not_the_pastry]

Not at all!

[And she shows him the Walther P99 holstered at her waist.]

Action;

[atelophobia]

[ Guess who is still awake? He's sitting slumped over a table in the now-dim light of the cafeteria, watching a projection of a simulation on a datapad. From his expression, it can't be going well. ]

Action;

[not_the_pastry]

[Éclair walks up behind him, but she can't make heads or tails of what he's watching.]

You're working even at this late hour? You'll be useless if you don't let yourself rest.

YES THAT;

[atelophobia]

[ Startles a little, then flounders at the projection to turn it off and sits up. ]

Oh, uh, yes -- I was just, you know, finishing, some uh -- why're you here? I mean, not that -- not that you can't be here, I just --

[ He checks his watch and winces. It's probably like 3am. ]

[not_the_pastry]

I'm on patrol!

[And with a grin, she sits down next to him.]

But I can take a little break. What are you watching?

[action]

[leadertype]

[ Yuri's out and about as well, by herself. Normally she doesn't move alone in the night, but that was back... in that world.

She was patrolling but now she's leaning against the wall, head tilted up in silent thought, a wistful expression on her face.

When she hears footsteps, that expression disappears. She tilts her head quietly to the side, eyes slightly narrowed in wariness. While it doesn't surprise her to see somebody else out this late in the night, Yuri can't help but wonder. ]

[action]

[not_the_pastry]

[The other girl is so quiet and still that it takes Éclair a moment to notice her as she draws close. When she does see her, though, she greets her with a bright smile and one of the louder varieties of whisper.]

Hello!