sirenspull_logs | (no subject)

WHO: Kaito, Aoko
WHEN: January 29
WHERE: A library in the city
WHAT: Time to figure out where to go from here
WARNINGS: None!

One of the small perks of having been through the process of being dragged to an alternate dimension before meant that Kaito at least had some sort of idea how to proceed. The House's continued hospitality throughout the snow storm had been a much needed gift, but the thief knew that there was no way he and Aoko could stay there forever. Not with the number of secrets they were sharing between them... especially when many of these secrets needed to be discussed, and couldn't be discussed in the presence of anyone else.

Furthermore, there was the issue of money-- neither of them could mooch off of the Newcomer's Fund forever. Nor did they want to. If they were going to afford their own, private place, they would need some sort of steady income. A way for both of them to make a living as long as they were stuck in this city.

With how hectic things had been upon their arrival-- adjusting, the bombing, the snowstorm that had trapped them in house-- the duo hadn't really had the chance to sit down and talk. But now that things had calmed down... they had both stolen away to a quiet and secluded area in the back of the library. A place where both of them could discuss matters alone.

Kaito idly flipped through a random book he had grabbed off of the shelf, thumbing through the pages and barely taking note of the words that were written on them. "Should drop by some other time and see if they have anything worth reading," he mumbled out loud, though to no one in particular.

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A blink. And then a few more. One eyebrow quirked up at her in surprised, and he pushed away from the table to rest his hands in his lap.

"... are you suggesting I become Batman?" His tone was humorous and wry, but there was a hint of genuine curiosity in his words. He had picked up the mantle of Kaitou Kid for a just reason, but he had never truly thought of himself as a vigilante.

Aoko stared at him a long moment . . . then abruptly broke out with a snort that erupted into a giggle in spite of herself. (Apparently this was a good mental image.)

"I meant . . . are you okay not being Kid?"

Somehow the question now lacked the solemnity the occasion required.

"Though if Kaito wants to be Batman . . ."

His own lips curled into a smile as she laughed, a sense of relief flooding through him as the levity filled the room. It was much nicer than the trapped tension he had been feeling ever since they had arrived in this dreary place.

As for her question... he gave a shrug and leaned back in his chair casually. "Kid was created with a purpose," he continued, "And without that purpose, then he has no role to play." A beat. "... so for now, I'm okay."

'For now,' once again, acting as the caveat to his response.

Somehow she doubted that . . . both literally and figuratively, Kaito was never good at sitting still. Even as her laughter faded, she watched him, blue eyes lingering for long moments. Unconsciously, her fingers moved to her pendant, fiddling with the form of the feather.

"So what will you do?"

She may have been right... Kaito was the type of guy who always had a bundle of pent-up energy tightly coiled under his surface, threatening to burst whenever it went unused for a lengthy period of time. It was something he recognized in himself, but he wasn't about to admit to this out loud.

He didn't respond to her question right away, either, particularly since he wasn't quite sure how to respond. Eventually, he gave a light shrug and answered in the best way he knew how. "Find my footing first," he said with a nod, "Focus on trying to figure out how this place works. Maybe try to see if there's a way for us to get back home." A beat. For now... we can only take things as they come."

Her fingers continued to move, twisting in restless, anxious patterns. She couldn't say how she felt about Kaito not being Kid. On the one hand, it was a relief, almost a release . . . some freedom from worry and a lingering dread at having to face that gleaming monocle again.

On the other hand . . . Kid was support.

"'M still Dove . . ." the words came out barely a murmur. "I tried it the other night."

Another hesitation, his blue gaze studying her carefully.

"... then what about you?" he finally said, turning her question back onto her with as much curiosity as she had held for him, "What do you plan on doing?"

She didn't look up to meet his gaze. "I've . . . got to learn, right? I mean . . . there are things here too. Or I'd just be wasting it . . ."

He nodded. "Wouldn't want those cute magical girl skills of yours to get rusty, would we?" he teased lightly, a hint of serious understanding lacing his words.

Another pause.

"D'you still want my help?"

A sharp, sudden flush at that. She knew it -- just knew it -- and he always had to go and be a jerk. Her eyes jerked up in a glare as though her eyes aimed to spear him through.

"'S not cute, Kaito!"

Growl. Answering beyond that was even more difficult, and so came out in a bare mutter.

"Yes."

Her reaction took him off guard a bit-- it hadn't been a comment meant to anger her-- and he blinked a few times as she snapped at him. "Ooooi oi," he said, lifting both of his hands up and holding his palms forward, "I was just teasing."

It wasn't so much that Aoko was genuinely irritated so much as indignant, embarrassed. Frankly, she hated the fluffy outfit, and if Kaito said it was cute, it could only mean something negative.

A fierce tongue poke solved the matter.

"Jerk."

In his personal opinion, the outfit was cute-- but if Aoko was so adverse to being told that at the moment, he wouldn't press the issue.

He would, however, protest to being called a 'jerk.'

"Oi," he shot back at her with an air of grumpiness, "I was giving you a compliment. That doesn't make me a jerk."

"Hn." She poked at him under the table with a toe, still clearly not believing it.

". . . I did say I still wanted help?" A brief pressing together of the lips. "If you're willing."

He shifted his foot to poke her back teasingly. Hesitation, only brief, and then a nod, a grin curling up the corners of his lips. "'Course I'm willing," he answered, "All you have to do is say when."

Edited 2012-02-25 02:54 (UTC)

She couldn't say she felt easy about it, let alone good. The sight of him in that white suit still made her stomach churn, the feathers on her arms prickle in an anticipation that reminded her all too strongly of before he'd removed the shard from her.

But she had to learn . . . and in a way, perhaps, she owed him to try.

Not to mention that, with what apparently lurked out there in the dark, learning to control her power, whether from Kid or otherwise, was far better than the alternative.

She gave a half smile, absent, poked him back, and returned to the book.