Uh-huh, sure. [She sounds totally unconvinced for obvious reasons. But it's fine. It always is thus far. His discomfort is apparent to her, though he'll have to get used to it in time. She's not overly emotional, but she's not closed off either. Not anymore. If he wants, he can blame Class VII and Thors for that. Fie's comfortable with it herself after a long time of not being open to it. There's no going back.
A small laugh escapes her when he mentions her freezing to death. Really? It's weirdly sweet (?) in a way and very entertaining.]
I'm touched and insulted at the same time. [She grins over at him.] Yep, I'm cold, but I've survived much worse. It's fine. Woulda been nice if the tail stuck around, though. Maybe this month.
[The tail from her transformation during the full moon. It was long and furry and warm. It'd do them both some good right now.
Fie draws her legs a little closer to her at the mention of the cold. Talking about it brings it to the front of her mind, but she doesn't comment on it anymore.]
If you want, I'm pretty sure this house is abandoned, so we could check inside for something else. Nothing to lose, right? [She leaves the actual decision up to him.]
[Maybe Fie can serve as an example of someone who is just... comfortable with themselves and who they are and what they feel. From the outside, it's like everything comes easily to her- which is one of the reasons Shinjiro first enjoyed hanging out with her.
But when she laughs, it sparks a small half-smile of his own, the amusement something contagious.]
Hey, I'm trying to be nice. You're like half my size, of course I'm gonna think you're cold. Especially with the way you kept that things wrapped around everyone last month.
[The tail was definitely cute, though. In general, that is. Thick and fluffy and spotted, and for some reason looking right at home on her. She seemed to be taking to her own transformation with far more grace than a lot of other monsters did- Everything sort of slotting in naturally, suiting the person she already was.
He finally sits up, legs folding to sit cross-legged, and hands resting loosely in his lap, over his own weirdly-shaped... whatever the fuck his ankles had become right above the hooves.]
I'm pretty sure you just like breaking into places. [But the huff of breath has a smile to it, and he shrugs.] But yeah, sounds good. If anyone's there, we can just act like we got confused.
[Or like they had just gotten there. After all, he definitely remembers being told to just find a place to live, having no clue which houses were taken and which weren't. Finally, he plants a hand on the grass, before shoving himself upright and offering a hand down to her. Not that Fie needs it, but... whatever.]
[If he ever asks her about it, doubtful as it is, she'll readily admit to it taking time and work. Fie's always had some level of comfort with herself, but never to the degree she possesses now. It's been a sort of journey on its own. Maybe, during this unlikely talk, she might open up about some personal feelings she still has and how she views herself on a personal level. How she knows she'll always rub some people the wrong way, how she knows she'll end up liking people who won't like her, how she's very much an acquired taste who won't blame anyone feeling whatever way they do about her. And how she knows it'll lead to heartache in time, but when it doesn't, it's all very much worth no compromising.
Maybe some day.
But not now. Fie takes some of that emotional confidence with a smile of her own when he mentions her tailed affection of the previous month. It's nothing hard to admit to after all.]
You two were there when I needed you. I appreciated that. Still do.
[Claiming she likes her some good old B&E doesn't elicit an objection, the closest to an admission he'll get right about now. Well, that and the gleam in her eye when he makes the claim. She nods, sitting up as well, and taking his hand when it's offered. Hers is naturally smaller than his, but still warm, a sharp contrast to his colder, rougher palm.
When she stands, the long overcoat slides to the ground leaving Fie in her pajamas again. She picks it up and puts it on properly, the bottom brushing the back of her calves. It's almost comical how she looks in it, something she refuses to acknowledge right now.]
Sounds like fun to me. [And off she goes to the back door.]
[As usual, he's not quite sure how to deal with being thanked. And so he just... shrugs his shoulders, as usual.]
I mean.... we didn't really do much and I'm sure it ain't gonna be the only time any of us need that kinda thing. But we're a team, right?
[That's how he's more comfortable of thinking about it. Out loud, at least. Back home, he was part of a team with SEES to eradicate shadows... and here, he'd found his own team, each of them looking out for one another with everything Aefenglom would throw at them, from dumb transformations and mental states to even just filling the time.
Maybe one day he'll admit that all that is basically the definition of friendship.
Her hand is incredibly small in his, sure-- but he's not stupid enough to doubt the strength there, having seen her pull off any number of impressive feats. From leaping and jumping great distances, to stepping in and watching Shinjiro's back during the fight with Rean, to her clean, professional-quality actions down in the black market, everything Fie did spoke to a lazy sort of strength, waiting in the wings.
But the contact is lost almost as soon as it began, and he can't keep back a small, amused smirk at the way she confidently throws on his coat, despite the overly-large shoulders and the length of it on her.]
With any luck, it ain't full of spiders and rats. [He speaks off hand as he follows to the door, reaching ahead to try the knob-- which, as expected, easily turns to open the door.] ...Well, either it's empty, or someone doesn't know how to use a lock. Anyway, go on ahead.
[Is it chivalry or just letting her take the fall if necessary. Unsure.]
We're a something all right. In a good way. [Team is good enough, even though Fie most certainly has them pegged as friends. She's pretty sure Louis would, too. This loser is the only hold out when it comes to offering that term unprompted. But it's fine. The bond tells her well enough they matter him, just in case the fact he came to talk her to didn't. (It clearly does.)
Luckily for him, she doesn't notice is amusement at her drowning in his coat. It's warmer and gives her some cover, that's all that matters to her right now. The comment on spiders and rats has her shrugging in return, not really bothered in the way some might be. She's seen worse, managed worse, and been through worse. However, when he opens the door, she turns back to him with a look.]
Sure, but if there are spiders or stuff like broken glass on the floor, you're carrying me. I'm still bare foot and vulnerable~ [The last statement is said with dramatic effect and a slight smirk, but whether she means it remains to be seen.
So when he opens the door, she enters without hesitation and looks around, turnskin eyes easily adjusting to the darker atmosphere. Since they came in from the back, they're in the kitchen. The wooden floor seems to be in good condition as she carefully steps around debris from the ceiling and windows.
There's a kitchen table with leftover papers, probably too worn to see anything of use. Maybe old silverware or flatware and plates or bowls in the cabinets with missing or dilapidated doors. Don't even think about the old food. Doorways lead to the dining room and hallway with a staircase.
Fie looks back at him before she enters too far in.]
Careful, looks like some of these could fall apart with a little help.
[He stops at her comment, returning her look with as much deadpan as he can muster.]
Vulnerable my ass. Go get shoes if you're so worried about it.
[That's probably the upside in not having real feet anymore. And he would have walked right in before her if she hadn't beaten him to the punch, strutting in as though this was her own home, if only for the night. But she can likely see better in the dark than himself- his weird, rectangular pupils let him have slightly better dark vision than before, but he still has to move carefully, especially once the door is closed and shutting out the light from the moons.
It's definitely a fixer-upper, to say the least. A house that must have been abandoned earlier than most of the others in the vicinity of the haven. Maybe the last owner had died, or maybe they had moved and no one else had moved in. Who knows, and really, who cares.
The layer of dust he can feel while touching the counter is enough to tell him that no one had disturbed the space in some time.]
Yeah, I'll make sure not to fall through the floor or something stupid. You see a fireplace or anything? Might be good to have some light and heat. Some kinda iron stove'd work too, if there's still wood for it.
[Slowly, his eyes are adjusting to the blackness, though not enough to see more than edges and shapes, or the occasional gleam off a window. Still, it gives him a bit more confidence to step from the counter, hand moving instead to the wall on his left as he peers into another room.]
Shit, I guess no one felt like fixing this place.
[From garden heart to hearts to urban exploring... only this duo, tbh.]
[A sad expression crosses her features. Totally fake of course.]
Here I thought I was someone special to you... [She clutches the coat closer to her figure in a lame attempt to appear even more waifish than before. It's only mildly effective. Her next words however are spoken in a completely normal tone, and she sounds convinced of their accuracy.] Besides, you don't want me to leave long enough to do that. You'd miss me.
[Her hands drop from the coat as she easily hops from one clear section of floor to another, arms out at certain angles to balance easier. Sort of like a more graceful and pinpointed game of leap frog. No stove like that in the kitchen, so Fie makes her way into the hallway to look for a living room or something similar.
Only she stops a few steps outside of the kitchen with a frown.]
Plenty of wood, not sure about the fireplace. [When he comes to join her, he'll see why she's stopped. There's a giant hole in the ceiling above them, plaster and splintered wood littering the hall all the way to the other end, despite the gap above them only missing about four feet. There's likely a few nails as well.
She shrugs with a huff and starts to make her way carefully through it.]
Not sure how we'd light anything, but it's worth a look.
[Her attempt to look more waifish and vulnerable only has him roll his eyes. Sorry, Fie. He's not falling for it after seeing you fight. It would be an insult to think of her as delicate after all, right? Hell, it would be like thinking of Mitsuru as needing protection, and he can't even imagine the ass-kicking he'd get for something like that.]
I'm sure I'd survive. [It's a dry, blunt comment back, just a thoughtless back-and-forth to fill in the space around them otherwise occupied by the must of abandonment and disrepair. As she jumps, he crunches through whatever debris is on the floor, letting the bits of wood skitter from where he hits it, or other parts just be crunched underhoof.
He pauses at the doorway, one hand moving up to rest at the top of the frame, as he leans over her to peer into the room. Just as she's said, there was plenty of wood splintered and broken around, including one thick beam still half-hanging from the ceiling, jutting down at a diagonal point to the main cluster of plaster powder and broken mess in the center of the room. Maybe the epicenter of something falling straight through the floor above.]
...At least the roof was still holding. Shit, we were running over that thing--
[And Fie, barefoot, is just strolling right in, just out of reach when he throws out an arm to try and catch the back of his coat and halt her. He scoffs out a breath as his fingertips brush the wool, and he takes a step in, some sort of metal nail or screw rolling away from his own clumsier-in-comparison steps]
Hey, get back here. You're gonna get magic-tetanus or some shit.
[A surprised noise escapes her when he's able to grab her this time. The sudden stop to her movement has her caught off guard and stumbling backwards right into Shinjiro with a bump, a piece of wood on the floor tripping her, too. Fie tilts her head backwards to look up at him, only a little shocked. For once, there's no measured look or guard or joke, only an her bright eyes taking him in at a very strange angle.
It takes her a moment to recover, since it's not often she's caught unaware like that. He made the effort to get her out, so Fie rewards that and steps out of the debris littered hallways to the 'safety' of the kitchen. Silence follows only briefly before she regains her normal demeanor.]
I've had my shots. Probably. [Beatrix totally took care of her at Thors, and Elliot could likely treat something here with little issue. So clearly he's not actually worried about that. Fie thinks, then nods. His coat is shed and held out to him. Obviously this is what he wants.]
You wanted this back, right?
[It's really hard to tell if she's trolling him again.]
[He, too, isn't really expecting to have caught her-- but still moves his hands to her shoulders as she stumbles back, making sure that she doesn't slide to the floor, or take another step back to catch herself and possibly gash her foot on something sharp. During that short moment of recovery, he glances down to catch that angled look up, expression softening for a moment.]
Surprised you. [Just like her challenge at the party, daring him to try. Sure, it wasn't intentional. But it's better than stammering through another weirdly awkward moment as she moves back to regain her balance and retreats from the room.
He looks confused, though, as she starts taking off the coat and handing it, brows creasing in clear puzzlement.]
What?
[A pause, a short anime 'tch' noise, and he shakes his head.]
No. I don't want you slicing your feet up on whatever shit's laying around in there.
Oh. [It's a soft reply, dampened by his own unguarded look back at her. There's a small pang through the bond of what might be something a little more intimate than either want right now, which is possibly why Fie retreats when she does. It could also be the fact that her face was turning a little red. Maybe. Whether he can see that in the dark or not isn't something she wants to consider.
And now, his statement has her grinning a little. She knew he cared. The coat goes back on, and she turns to look at the hallway again, walking up beside him. Proximity isn't an issue, not like it was just moments ago. This is more on her terms.]
Knew it.
[Her words are said absent mindedly, not really feeling the need to gloat this time. Instead, her eyes explore the scene as she tries to find a way for her to safely navigate through. Some surfaces look like they could hold her if she took to jumping from piece to piece. But for how long? And would she be able to properly look around while doing so?]
I still need a way to get through there. Wish I had my grappling hook...
[It's another one of those strange moments between them. Something quiet and pronounced in its unspoken simplicity. Evasive and impossible to really name or determine, flitting away before he can really even make too much of a note of it. More than anything it's subtle and that makes it hard. Subtlety and nuance have never been major strengths of his when it came to interacting with other people.
And so he lets her turn and retreat, hands curling loosely at his side in the space between them, as she goes to inspect what she can see of the room.]
Even if you had that, this shit'd probably just fall in and drop you halfway through the swing.
[He shakes his head, stepping forward to meet her at the doorway-- and then crouches slightly, moving down to one knee.]
You can see in the dark real well, right? And I can just stomp through anything in there. So-- just lead us. [He angles his head in a gesture, hoping she'll just get it, because this feels so stupid to offer. But he's definitely offering to let her grab onto his back, to carry her through the worst of the disaster there.]
It'd still give me a better view of what's around at least.
[Ever the optimist. She's confident in her ability to find a decent landing spot even then. Only her angle of sight impedes her way forward. She doesn't mind being shorter, it helps a lot of the time, but on occasion... well, it's not always useful.]
Even better than before, yeah. [Meaning before arriving here. Her sense have always been top notch, so the whole monster ordeal only improves them further. She won't argue with that bonus. On some level, it makes her feel more secure, being able to do more than she was already capable of.
His movement's meaning doesn't register right away as she watches him, blinking and puzzled. Fie almost opens her mouth to ask what he's doing when he tells her to lead them. Slowly, it dawns on her, and so does a very familiar, shit eating grin. Oh, Shinjiro. You poor sap.]
Wow, you are going to carry me, aren't you? That's so chivalrous. Be still my heart.
[And she's already climbing on before he can change his mind, hands gripping his shoulders and legs on either side for him to hold. This sort of thing isn't exactly new to her, but it's been some time. And while she does joke, her heart might be beating just a little bit faster. Best to ignore that.]
Okay, I'm good. [Which is true. She's not heavy by any means, so there shouldn't be a problem if he's confident in offering in the first place.]
[Of course that nice peace between them couldn't last. He had mostly expected this sort of response, but had half hoped she wouldn't give him shit for it, if only because it makes his own cheeks heat up as he rolls his eyes.]
Hey, shut up. [It's only a quarter-hearted growl at best, and he doesn't resist as she hikes herself up into piggy-back-position, his own forearms curling underneath her knees to help secure her in place.] You were just gonna keep walking through there, and then I'd have to drag you out and wake up Elliot to fix you up....
[But his griping is only that, and once she's in place, he shifts back upright, adjusting his weight forward to make up for her perching on his back.]
Just watch your head under doors, alright? [And with that he takes a few steps forward into the more disastrous living area, going immediately for where she had been carefully hopping her way to before. He can pick out the larger objects in his way: some piece of discarded furniture, a larger pile of drywall and plaster-- but anything more minute, he isn't able to pick out through the grayscale of the blackness.
Maybe one day he'd think to check if the backlight of his watch would help. But that day is not today.]
True, but I know you're kind when you want to be. It's nice.
[If he voiced his hopes, Fie'd bet this was somehow worse than her giving him shit. Shit can be returned easily, an actual compliment might be more difficult, as it requires a level of openness and sincerity. She's fine with that most of the time, but it's obvious how difficult it still is for him. Given the options, this is probably preferable. Oh, well. He gets both.
Once he's standing again she shifts to get a little steadier. Overall, it's not bad-- she's almost comfortable this way. Shinjiro's back is larger and more solid than one might guess from looking at him with the coat on. Fie's seen him without it of course, but it's still different, being against it like she is. Her hands grip his shoulders just a little tighter. She feels small like this, but not in a bad way.]
Roger. [She has no plans to smack her head on anything, so the warning is taken to heart. It'd be embarrassing, too, even for her.] Watch your left. There's some splintered wood there. Something sharp looking a couple steps ahead of it, too.
[It's not a long hallway, and she easily guides him through the mess to avoid the hazards of long neglected garbage. They enter the living room. Glancing around, Fie does spot a fireplace, but the brick is shattered in places and falling in on itself. Definitely not gonna work for what they want.]
There's an okay looking couch at least. We can sit or try upstairs first. Your call.
[She's exactly right: compliments are still something he can't quite gracefully handle. She can probably feel the flicker of tension in his shoulders from it, as though an unconscious withdrawal from her saying something kind about him, especially right in his ear. His head ducks slightly, even thought she likely can't see his face from her place at his back and shoulders- but he doesn't have a verbal response.
Which is likely a step up. He could have denied it, or told her to shut up again. Even if it's not an acceptance, a lack of refusal is a step in the right direction.
He makes sure to avoid the large pitfall above them, as well as the hazards she'd indicated. Even with his hardened hooves, he's sure he doesn't want to end up with a huge splinter underneath the nail bed or something.
He doesn't immediately rush to the couch. Instead sticks close to the outer wall, shoving the curtains aside as he passes them to let a little more moonlight filter in through filthy windowpanes, giving just the slightest bit more light to work with. At least it shows he's not in a hurry to dump her off his back.]
Dunno if I'd trust upstairs, seeing as part've it's already caved in.
[Then again, so much of the rest of the structure was perfectly intact... so maybe there was more of a story behind the husk of someone's house. Much like there likely was throughout most of the haven, all the houses having been so quickly vacated before the mirrorbound even appeared.]
Couch is fine. Being out of the wind helps enough. [He finally moves towards the couch there, and then stops and just... lets go of Fie's knees. He trusts she won't drop until she's ready and prepared, and that the loss of support won't mean much for her.]
Unless you're needing to find a blanket or something.
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A small laugh escapes her when he mentions her freezing to death. Really? It's weirdly sweet (?) in a way and very entertaining.]
I'm touched and insulted at the same time. [She grins over at him.] Yep, I'm cold, but I've survived much worse. It's fine. Woulda been nice if the tail stuck around, though. Maybe this month.
[The tail from her transformation during the full moon. It was long and furry and warm. It'd do them both some good right now.
Fie draws her legs a little closer to her at the mention of the cold. Talking about it brings it to the front of her mind, but she doesn't comment on it anymore.]
If you want, I'm pretty sure this house is abandoned, so we could check inside for something else. Nothing to lose, right? [She leaves the actual decision up to him.]
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But when she laughs, it sparks a small half-smile of his own, the amusement something contagious.]
Hey, I'm trying to be nice. You're like half my size, of course I'm gonna think you're cold. Especially with the way you kept that things wrapped around everyone last month.
[The tail was definitely cute, though. In general, that is. Thick and fluffy and spotted, and for some reason looking right at home on her. She seemed to be taking to her own transformation with far more grace than a lot of other monsters did- Everything sort of slotting in naturally, suiting the person she already was.
He finally sits up, legs folding to sit cross-legged, and hands resting loosely in his lap, over his own weirdly-shaped... whatever the fuck his ankles had become right above the hooves.]
I'm pretty sure you just like breaking into places. [But the huff of breath has a smile to it, and he shrugs.] But yeah, sounds good. If anyone's there, we can just act like we got confused.
[Or like they had just gotten there. After all, he definitely remembers being told to just find a place to live, having no clue which houses were taken and which weren't. Finally, he plants a hand on the grass, before shoving himself upright and offering a hand down to her. Not that Fie needs it, but... whatever.]
Alright. Let's explore an abandoned house.
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Maybe some day.
But not now. Fie takes some of that emotional confidence with a smile of her own when he mentions her tailed affection of the previous month. It's nothing hard to admit to after all.]
You two were there when I needed you. I appreciated that. Still do.
[Claiming she likes her some good old B&E doesn't elicit an objection, the closest to an admission he'll get right about now. Well, that and the gleam in her eye when he makes the claim. She nods, sitting up as well, and taking his hand when it's offered. Hers is naturally smaller than his, but still warm, a sharp contrast to his colder, rougher palm.
When she stands, the long overcoat slides to the ground leaving Fie in her pajamas again. She picks it up and puts it on properly, the bottom brushing the back of her calves. It's almost comical how she looks in it, something she refuses to acknowledge right now.]
Sounds like fun to me. [And off she goes to the back door.]
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I mean.... we didn't really do much and I'm sure it ain't gonna be the only time any of us need that kinda thing. But we're a team, right?
[That's how he's more comfortable of thinking about it. Out loud, at least. Back home, he was part of a team with SEES to eradicate shadows... and here, he'd found his own team, each of them looking out for one another with everything Aefenglom would throw at them, from dumb transformations and mental states to even just filling the time.
Maybe one day he'll admit that all that is basically the definition of friendship.
Her hand is incredibly small in his, sure-- but he's not stupid enough to doubt the strength there, having seen her pull off any number of impressive feats. From leaping and jumping great distances, to stepping in and watching Shinjiro's back during the fight with Rean, to her clean, professional-quality actions down in the black market, everything Fie did spoke to a lazy sort of strength, waiting in the wings.
But the contact is lost almost as soon as it began, and he can't keep back a small, amused smirk at the way she confidently throws on his coat, despite the overly-large shoulders and the length of it on her.]
With any luck, it ain't full of spiders and rats. [He speaks off hand as he follows to the door, reaching ahead to try the knob-- which, as expected, easily turns to open the door.] ...Well, either it's empty, or someone doesn't know how to use a lock. Anyway, go on ahead.
[Is it chivalry or just letting her take the fall if necessary. Unsure.]
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Luckily for him, she doesn't notice is amusement at her drowning in his coat. It's warmer and gives her some cover, that's all that matters to her right now. The comment on spiders and rats has her shrugging in return, not really bothered in the way some might be. She's seen worse, managed worse, and been through worse. However, when he opens the door, she turns back to him with a look.]
Sure, but if there are spiders or stuff like broken glass on the floor, you're carrying me. I'm still bare foot and vulnerable~ [The last statement is said with dramatic effect and a slight smirk, but whether she means it remains to be seen.
So when he opens the door, she enters without hesitation and looks around, turnskin eyes easily adjusting to the darker atmosphere. Since they came in from the back, they're in the kitchen. The wooden floor seems to be in good condition as she carefully steps around debris from the ceiling and windows.
There's a kitchen table with leftover papers, probably too worn to see anything of use. Maybe old silverware or flatware and plates or bowls in the cabinets with missing or dilapidated doors. Don't even think about the old food. Doorways lead to the dining room and hallway with a staircase.
Fie looks back at him before she enters too far in.]
Careful, looks like some of these could fall apart with a little help.
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Vulnerable my ass. Go get shoes if you're so worried about it.
[That's probably the upside in not having real feet anymore. And he would have walked right in before her if she hadn't beaten him to the punch, strutting in as though this was her own home, if only for the night. But she can likely see better in the dark than himself- his weird, rectangular pupils let him have slightly better dark vision than before, but he still has to move carefully, especially once the door is closed and shutting out the light from the moons.
It's definitely a fixer-upper, to say the least. A house that must have been abandoned earlier than most of the others in the vicinity of the haven. Maybe the last owner had died, or maybe they had moved and no one else had moved in. Who knows, and really, who cares.
The layer of dust he can feel while touching the counter is enough to tell him that no one had disturbed the space in some time.]
Yeah, I'll make sure not to fall through the floor or something stupid. You see a fireplace or anything? Might be good to have some light and heat. Some kinda iron stove'd work too, if there's still wood for it.
[Slowly, his eyes are adjusting to the blackness, though not enough to see more than edges and shapes, or the occasional gleam off a window. Still, it gives him a bit more confidence to step from the counter, hand moving instead to the wall on his left as he peers into another room.]
Shit, I guess no one felt like fixing this place.
[From garden heart to hearts to urban exploring... only this duo, tbh.]
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Here I thought I was someone special to you... [She clutches the coat closer to her figure in a lame attempt to appear even more waifish than before. It's only mildly effective. Her next words however are spoken in a completely normal tone, and she sounds convinced of their accuracy.] Besides, you don't want me to leave long enough to do that. You'd miss me.
[Her hands drop from the coat as she easily hops from one clear section of floor to another, arms out at certain angles to balance easier. Sort of like a more graceful and pinpointed game of leap frog. No stove like that in the kitchen, so Fie makes her way into the hallway to look for a living room or something similar.
Only she stops a few steps outside of the kitchen with a frown.]
Plenty of wood, not sure about the fireplace. [When he comes to join her, he'll see why she's stopped. There's a giant hole in the ceiling above them, plaster and splintered wood littering the hall all the way to the other end, despite the gap above them only missing about four feet. There's likely a few nails as well.
She shrugs with a huff and starts to make her way carefully through it.]
Not sure how we'd light anything, but it's worth a look.
[Please stop her.]
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I'm sure I'd survive. [It's a dry, blunt comment back, just a thoughtless back-and-forth to fill in the space around them otherwise occupied by the must of abandonment and disrepair. As she jumps, he crunches through whatever debris is on the floor, letting the bits of wood skitter from where he hits it, or other parts just be crunched underhoof.
He pauses at the doorway, one hand moving up to rest at the top of the frame, as he leans over her to peer into the room. Just as she's said, there was plenty of wood splintered and broken around, including one thick beam still half-hanging from the ceiling, jutting down at a diagonal point to the main cluster of plaster powder and broken mess in the center of the room. Maybe the epicenter of something falling straight through the floor above.]
...At least the roof was still holding. Shit, we were running over that thing--
[And Fie, barefoot, is just strolling right in, just out of reach when he throws out an arm to try and catch the back of his coat and halt her. He scoffs out a breath as his fingertips brush the wool, and he takes a step in, some sort of metal nail or screw rolling away from his own clumsier-in-comparison steps]
Hey, get back here. You're gonna get magic-tetanus or some shit.
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[A surprised noise escapes her when he's able to grab her this time. The sudden stop to her movement has her caught off guard and stumbling backwards right into Shinjiro with a bump, a piece of wood on the floor tripping her, too. Fie tilts her head backwards to look up at him, only a little shocked. For once, there's no measured look or guard or joke, only an her bright eyes taking him in at a very strange angle.
It takes her a moment to recover, since it's not often she's caught unaware like that. He made the effort to get her out, so Fie rewards that and steps out of the debris littered hallways to the 'safety' of the kitchen. Silence follows only briefly before she regains her normal demeanor.]
I've had my shots. Probably. [Beatrix totally took care of her at Thors, and Elliot could likely treat something here with little issue. So clearly he's not actually worried about that. Fie thinks, then nods. His coat is shed and held out to him. Obviously this is what he wants.]
You wanted this back, right?
[It's really hard to tell if she's trolling him again.]
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Surprised you. [Just like her challenge at the party, daring him to try. Sure, it wasn't intentional. But it's better than stammering through another weirdly awkward moment as she moves back to regain her balance and retreats from the room.
He looks confused, though, as she starts taking off the coat and handing it, brows creasing in clear puzzlement.]
What?
[A pause, a short anime 'tch' noise, and he shakes his head.]
No. I don't want you slicing your feet up on whatever shit's laying around in there.
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And now, his statement has her grinning a little. She knew he cared. The coat goes back on, and she turns to look at the hallway again, walking up beside him. Proximity isn't an issue, not like it was just moments ago. This is more on her terms.]
Knew it.
[Her words are said absent mindedly, not really feeling the need to gloat this time. Instead, her eyes explore the scene as she tries to find a way for her to safely navigate through. Some surfaces look like they could hold her if she took to jumping from piece to piece. But for how long? And would she be able to properly look around while doing so?]
I still need a way to get through there. Wish I had my grappling hook...
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And so he lets her turn and retreat, hands curling loosely at his side in the space between them, as she goes to inspect what she can see of the room.]
Even if you had that, this shit'd probably just fall in and drop you halfway through the swing.
[He shakes his head, stepping forward to meet her at the doorway-- and then crouches slightly, moving down to one knee.]
You can see in the dark real well, right? And I can just stomp through anything in there. So-- just lead us. [He angles his head in a gesture, hoping she'll just get it, because this feels so stupid to offer. But he's definitely offering to let her grab onto his back, to carry her through the worst of the disaster there.]
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[Ever the optimist. She's confident in her ability to find a decent landing spot even then. Only her angle of sight impedes her way forward. She doesn't mind being shorter, it helps a lot of the time, but on occasion... well, it's not always useful.]
Even better than before, yeah. [Meaning before arriving here. Her sense have always been top notch, so the whole monster ordeal only improves them further. She won't argue with that bonus. On some level, it makes her feel more secure, being able to do more than she was already capable of.
His movement's meaning doesn't register right away as she watches him, blinking and puzzled. Fie almost opens her mouth to ask what he's doing when he tells her to lead them. Slowly, it dawns on her, and so does a very familiar, shit eating grin. Oh, Shinjiro. You poor sap.]
Wow, you are going to carry me, aren't you? That's so chivalrous. Be still my heart.
[And she's already climbing on before he can change his mind, hands gripping his shoulders and legs on either side for him to hold. This sort of thing isn't exactly new to her, but it's been some time. And while she does joke, her heart might be beating just a little bit faster. Best to ignore that.]
Okay, I'm good. [Which is true. She's not heavy by any means, so there shouldn't be a problem if he's confident in offering in the first place.]
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Hey, shut up. [It's only a quarter-hearted growl at best, and he doesn't resist as she hikes herself up into piggy-back-position, his own forearms curling underneath her knees to help secure her in place.] You were just gonna keep walking through there, and then I'd have to drag you out and wake up Elliot to fix you up....
[But his griping is only that, and once she's in place, he shifts back upright, adjusting his weight forward to make up for her perching on his back.]
Just watch your head under doors, alright? [And with that he takes a few steps forward into the more disastrous living area, going immediately for where she had been carefully hopping her way to before. He can pick out the larger objects in his way: some piece of discarded furniture, a larger pile of drywall and plaster-- but anything more minute, he isn't able to pick out through the grayscale of the blackness.
Maybe one day he'd think to check if the backlight of his watch would help. But that day is not today.]
Alright, which way?
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[If he voiced his hopes, Fie'd bet this was somehow worse than her giving him shit. Shit can be returned easily, an actual compliment might be more difficult, as it requires a level of openness and sincerity. She's fine with that most of the time, but it's obvious how difficult it still is for him. Given the options, this is probably preferable. Oh, well. He gets both.
Once he's standing again she shifts to get a little steadier. Overall, it's not bad-- she's almost comfortable this way. Shinjiro's back is larger and more solid than one might guess from looking at him with the coat on. Fie's seen him without it of course, but it's still different, being against it like she is. Her hands grip his shoulders just a little tighter. She feels small like this, but not in a bad way.]
Roger. [She has no plans to smack her head on anything, so the warning is taken to heart. It'd be embarrassing, too, even for her.] Watch your left. There's some splintered wood there. Something sharp looking a couple steps ahead of it, too.
[It's not a long hallway, and she easily guides him through the mess to avoid the hazards of long neglected garbage. They enter the living room. Glancing around, Fie does spot a fireplace, but the brick is shattered in places and falling in on itself. Definitely not gonna work for what they want.]
There's an okay looking couch at least. We can sit or try upstairs first. Your call.
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Which is likely a step up. He could have denied it, or told her to shut up again. Even if it's not an acceptance, a lack of refusal is a step in the right direction.
He makes sure to avoid the large pitfall above them, as well as the hazards she'd indicated. Even with his hardened hooves, he's sure he doesn't want to end up with a huge splinter underneath the nail bed or something.
He doesn't immediately rush to the couch. Instead sticks close to the outer wall, shoving the curtains aside as he passes them to let a little more moonlight filter in through filthy windowpanes, giving just the slightest bit more light to work with. At least it shows he's not in a hurry to dump her off his back.]
Dunno if I'd trust upstairs, seeing as part've it's already caved in.
[Then again, so much of the rest of the structure was perfectly intact... so maybe there was more of a story behind the husk of someone's house. Much like there likely was throughout most of the haven, all the houses having been so quickly vacated before the mirrorbound even appeared.]
Couch is fine. Being out of the wind helps enough. [He finally moves towards the couch there, and then stops and just... lets go of Fie's knees. He trusts she won't drop until she's ready and prepared, and that the loss of support won't mean much for her.]
Unless you're needing to find a blanket or something.