An Itch You Notice When It's Gone

[photonicfighter]

Has anyone seen Zed anywhere? I haven't. Haven't heard from him, either.

[In spite of her best efforts, worry is creeping into her tone.]

He's not by the sparkling fire-wand. I thought for sure he'd be there. Could he be somewhere else...?

Comments

[photonicfighter]

"We are. Right." And that's a warm and comforting thing to hold on to, feeling as sad and unsure as she does right now. She reaches down for another tissue, and uses it to dry her eyes.

"...c'mon, c'mon, there's a nice place to sit now, pii, we should all sit." And he's just going to hold onto Dakki's leg and tug her gently towards the rec room/living room space that she'd so recently set up.

"Oh... oh, right..." A step is taken in that direction, though much of her focus remains on Tachibana. "I was going to invite you over to come see. But..." Well. Does it need to be said?

[triggerhappytraitor]

Tachibana nodded, giving her shoulder a pat as he finally let go. "Gave it an upgrade, huh?" he observed, looking around, a faint, soft smile tugging at his expression. "Like a proper house, but still distinctly your style." High contrast to his own little mess of rooms, really...

[photonicfighter]

"Like my apartment, but.... better. Like what I wanted it to be, once my pay grade was high enough." She smiles at the idea, bittersweet though it is. "We get to have so much here, if we really want it, don't we...?"

It's pretty easy for Rappy to tug her over to go have a seat on the nice couch. Hopefully Tachibana will follow.

[triggerhappytraitor]

And follow Tachibana indeed does, nodding to Dakki's observation as he sits down. "We do, yeah. If we can figure it out what we want... we can make it happen."

[photonicfighter]

Dakki does sit, and Rappy wastes no time hopping in her lap. Without even having to think to do it, she hugs the bird pogemon. "As much as I wanted a bigger home... I think what I most wanted was somewhere for my friends to be, too." And now she has one less friend to bring here. Her head dips, and Rappy gives a little peep as she squeezes him tighter for a moment.

[triggerhappytraitor]

Tachibana reaches out, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Is that your way of saying I should come visit more often?" he joked lightly, tone fond.

[photonicfighter]

"...yes." There's a bit of delay in her answer, because it's a blunt admission even for her, but it's true. "I'd like it if you did, Tachibana."

Rappy takes this as a chance to give him a little poke with his wing. "You spend so much time in your workshop, pii! Come see us!"

[triggerhappytraitor]

The poke was a bit unexpected, and the blinked, looking down at Rappy. For the barest moment in his mind, the pogemon was replaced by a certain other boisterous individual, Kotaro's pouting voice complaining how he never came to visit unless Hirose all but hauled him away from work.

There was a long, hesitant pause as the reflexive protests failed to materialize. Instead, there was a small, self depreciating smile as he looked back up at Dakki. "Habits are hard things to fall out of. But I'll do better, remembering to come visit."

[photonicfighter]

Rappy looks right back up at him, serious and unblinking. He meant that poke and he meant those words. It's very gratifying when they seem to actually get through to Tachibana, and he fluffs a bit.

"Thank you. And I'll try to think to invite you more often, too." The intent being there, that counts for so much... but the bit of him that was like Almast is prone to getting caught up in the moment. She smiles, then closes her eyes and lets a bit of her weight lean against him.