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[sapphirl]

for any of your musse pestering needs!

Comments

[survivaltricks]

[EVENLY]

I've got a reputation to maintain, after all.

[not here he doesn't!1]

[sapphirl]

... Do you?

[ she has heard nothing of this ]

[survivaltricks]

[a beat]

. . . I guess that joke doesn't really work on someone I just met. . .

[sapphirl]

I'm afraid not.

But I am delighted that you already feel so close to me!

[ she can't help but tease ]

[survivaltricks]

[omg. an amused twitch of his lips]

Is that how you see it. . .

[sapphirl]

[ she presses a hand to her chest, exaggerated dismay written across her face. ]

Don't tell me... you don't feel the same way?

[survivaltricks]

Hey now. I didn't say that.

[a small huff! he can tell she's teasing, so he doesn't mind being honest]

But I think we could both learn more about each other, too.

[sapphirl]

I would love to get to know my date for the evening better. I'm afraid all I know about you are that you are a king, you love collecting bugs and can be quite the gambler!

[ she knows he is full of shit for the most part, it's okay. ]

[survivaltricks]

I'm also a world-renowned underwater basket weaving champion.

[. . . I am sorry]

[sapphirl]

Oh, is that so?

[ a deep, wistful sigh ]

Were you just toying with my heart, then, when you said you wished for us to get to know each other better?

Or did the way that you mean not involve words? ♥

[ if he's gonna be a shit, so is she ]

1/2

[survivaltricks]

[. . . STILL VERY POWERFUL]

[evenly]

They do say actions speak louder than words.

[survivaltricks]

[a beat]

Just— kidding, obviously.

[some people here might take some of his joking seriously, if he isn't careful]

My name is Akira, as you know. I'm 17, a third year in high school, planning on attending university next year, and I'm a lover of cats.

[sapphirl]

You could get a girl's hopes up, talking like that.

[ but it's just an off-handed comment. "lover of cats", though... cute. ]

I see... we are the same age, then. Do you have a particular field of study picked out?

[survivaltricks]

[huh. . . now that's a question. he has to seriously take a moment to consider it]

Not. . . yet, no.

. . . I know I'll figure it out eventually, but I've never really put much thought into it.

[and yet he is so certain about going to university]

[sapphirl]

[ ... huh... ]

That sounds... nice, I think. Isn't that a form of freedom in and of itself?

[ the freedom to choose, when the time comes. ]

[survivaltricks]

[something in his smile turns wistful]

. . . it is. Definitely.

[. . .]

I guess it's less "what" I study and more "where," anyway. At least, for me.

[sapphirl]

"Where"...? You mean which school you choose to attend?

[survivaltricks]

Or rather, where it's located.

[trailing his finger across the edges of his class thoughtfully]

I'm going to school in Tokyo, no matter what.

[sapphirl]

Hmmm...?

[ what's a tokyo--okay no she has enough context clues. ]

Then it seems to me you've already decided on the "where" after all. It must be very significant to you, to draw out such a reaction.

[survivaltricks]

Tokyo is where my friends and family live.

[he sounds so fond, so affectionate, as he says that]

Going back will be like. . . returning home, after a long absence.

[if Musse feels like she's missing some pieces of the story, well-- she is]

[sapphirl]

[ she is absolutely missing something here. ]

... You moved away from your friends and family for a time?

[survivaltricks]

[a pause, and he lifts his glass to take a sip of his water]

Mmm. . .

. . . it's a long story.

[. . .]

Do you have a place like that, Musse? Somewhere you feel like you belong?

[sapphirl]

[ her lips curve into a faint smile at that, fond and more sincere than most of them thus far. ]

I do.

[ then the waiter swings by to take their order! She pops right back to her usual teasingly bright smile for that. ]

[survivaltricks]

[quiet while Musse puts in her order, but he follows suit, getting a simple bowl of ramen because he is a simple boy]

[and he doesn't ask, because. . . he did avoid her question earlier, after all]

. . . good. I'm glad.

Everyone should have a place like that.

[sapphirl]

[ Musse has probably ordered some sort of fancy fish dish. I'm too lazy to look up something but it is fancy and French. ]

I would certainly agree.

[ she folds her hands in her lap demurely, and: ]

I think... it would not be an exaggeration to say that those people have saved my life--multiple times. I get the feeling it is similar for you.

[ just from how fondly he speaks of them, alone. ]