<

You know to be delicate, mindful of her fragile state. You reach a hand out, slow, so she sees the movement coming, your hand light as it covers her own. She looks back at you.

Your tone is firm but gentle, "I don't have to comfort you, but I want to."

Eiko seems to look as if she's waiting for you to take it back. When you don't, she sighs, acquiesces, "Okay."

She stays silent. You wait. As far as you're aware, this night can stretch on forever. You can be patient, as any hunter.

"My brother was killed a few years ago. We were... apart for a while. I only heard about it months after it happened." she pauses, a quiet rage echoing, "My mother kept it to herself. There was no body to bury. And to her, if there wasn't a body, there was no need for a funeral. She could pretend nothing happened at all."

Although you were bracing yourself, her confession still makes your stomach churn. You move to sit on the table next to her, offering your shoulder as support. She does lean a bit close.

"I don't know.. I felt a lot of things when I found out. One of his friends that got out of it early told me through a call, while I was in class."

You open your mouth to say sorry but she puts a hand up, her fingers pressing onto your snout, "Don't say anything that'll piss me off."

You nod.

"Yeah, I felt a lot. But I was mad at him, I was mad at him for being a dumbass. And I was mad that I didn't argue with him more," she gestures, "We argued a lot when he started his whole thing. A lot. But it never got that bad. When I left for school, we still talked, they helped me move in. But you wanna know why we stopped talking?"

She gives a breathless humorless laugh, "Because I was embarrassed about his job. I know how that sounds, it sounds dumb and petty. But I thought it was stupid. I thought he was stupid. And I stopped picking up his calls. I just wanted to focus on school and it felt... it felt easy. I just felt like he'd always be there. You know? He'd nag at me when I'd come back during break and I wouldn't say anything but we'd have dinner and it would be like nothing happened at all."



She continues like this, talking about him, equal parts fond and resenting. A wild bleeding heart with a gun and misplaced ambition. Eiko does not say his name, nor his job, keeping it vague.

That's okay. You don't need to hear the answer out loud. You're not sure how you'd go about reacting to that confirmation in a way that wouldn't be awkward or get your shin kicked.

And slowly, as she speaks, she seems to calm. As if all she needed was to empty out all the thoughts trapped in her mind. An awareness comes to her now that isn't burdened by anxiety, or suspicions, or a set of teeth ready to bite. You can look at her up close, touch even, and Eiko does not shy away. You know now that she has truly opened up to you.

You hope that there isn't more of a cost.



Instead, Eiko moves on from the topic faster than you anticipate, the grief locking itself away for another time. There is still a vulnerable silence.

You try to parse your brain to see what you can do to fill the space. Your mind comes to watching animations together, though you don't know where you've heard the term "meme" from. You look around to see if she has a VCR or DVD player. There's a DVD player on top of the cable box, but no DVD's in sight.

Would Eiko be the type to enjoy anime? You have a few boxsets at home you could bring over. Though a part of you wishes that she had some indication of anything around so you could understand her taste.

"So, what would you need to do to, y'know, travel to these other worlds?"

Eiko makes a face, mouth scrunched. "I need to get these wings."

You tilt your head in confusion. "... Literally?"

She gestures. "They're some type of... technology... I have to kill someone and take it from them to attach it to myself," she grimaces, "But I remember them mentioning other devices. I just need to get something like that. I guess."

It sounds... Almost easy?

"But you need to find someone.. specific, I'm guessing?"

Eiko nods. "That asshole didn't go into much depth about it. I'll find my chance tomorrow, if everything goes well." She pauses, as if realizing something as she grabs onto your arm, "Don't come into base tomorrow. Don't answer any calls. Just stay here."

Eiko says it with such an intensity that you swallow. Your mind focuses more on [i]Just stay here.[/i] "Okay."

She stares at you, as if to emphasize her point. Her hand does not leave your arm.



You both look at each other for what feels like an eternity.

Eventually, she sighs, "... Thanks."

"For which?"

"Everything," she gestures vaguely, "I forgot what it was like to talk to someone normal."

Sheesh... You're normal by comparison?

"Well, I wanted to stay on your good side." You joke.

Eiko's eyebrow raises. There's a humor now present, her tone taking on that sweetness from before, though more genuine, "And be a good dog?"

Your brain immediately implodes. A second plane has hit.

You don't know long she waits for your response. There are many gears that need to be put back in order that your inner mind is fumbling around with. And dropping.

Repeatedly.

It doesn't help that her scent stays soft and alluring. You expect another hit that doesn't come.

Instead, Eiko hooks her finger into the ring of your collar, tugging lightly, then pulling harshly. "Does the good dog want a treat?"

You almost stutter. "Are you-?"

Eiko shifts her hand on your arm downward, until she can drum her fingers on your thigh, "I don't want to think about all this heavy shit anymore, Vi. Can you help with that too?"

Do you:
>A) Accept
>B) Reject
>C) Ask to Slow Down

>A)Accept