chippedsoul | The Journal [Inbox]

I've heard of falling stars, but this is...

[ There's a sound of a heave in place of the word 'ridiculous,' which would probably be more impressive if it weren't coming from a 17-year-old girl. Beside said girl is a large wooden bucket, where she has been tossing numerous starfish of various sizes that she has been prying off the walls of Kazuma's home.

Starting low (where the Harvest is located) and moving up towards the porch seemed like a good idea at the time, but this particular starfish, lodged on one of the railing's spikes, was about the size of the palm of her hand, and was being about as stubborn as Kazuma.

Speaking of which, she still can't believe he's on the damn roof right now. She backs away from her nemesis for the moment, trotting down just a few steps of the porch to get a better view of the roof and of him. She raises her voice: ]

. . . You're awfully quiet. Are there a lot up there?

[Someone has to get up on the roof eventually.] Quite. [He's taken a seat to rest for a moment after collecting two bucketful. With the heat and humidity, definitely one of those days you're working without a shirt.]

There's a big one up here as well. [One he isn't sure how to remove yet.] I'm going to send down the filled buckets. [With ropes tied to the handle, he'll be able to send down buckets that are full without needing to come down.] How are things down there?

[ Susato lifts up a hand to shield her eyes from the sun, taking the steps forward towards that first bucket when it comes down. She unties it, pushing the bucket to the side before tugging on the rope to signal that he can pull it back up to do the same with the other one. ]

It is hot. [ Sigh. If his shirt is off, she can't even be surprised. Given the angle and the glare of the sun, she is mostly seeing silhouette, so she decides not to think about it. ] Some of them are very stuck. I wonder if we should try splashing water onto them.

[ Because... isn't it easier, when they're wet? Then again, everything feels damp and muggy now. ]

I have a few stubborn ones up here as well. [He pulls up the first bucket as he considers her suggestion. Fang wanders by to take a sniff at the starfish they've collected. Doesn't seem to appetizing as she backs away from them.]

Looks like we'll find out soon enough. [He gestures in the direction of darker clouds approaching their area soon.]

Maybe we should stop, figure out a way to keep more starfish from sticking to the home before that storm hits. [Maybe if they get a net? Imagine one?]

[ Too bad her protective magic doesn't work on houses...... or does it?

Somehow the fact that Kazuma is dealing with similarly stubborn starfish is a comfort. As Susato waits for that second bucket, she notices the same darker clouds that Kazuma does, rolling in from a distance. She looks down then, seeing movement out of the corner of her eye and manages to give Fang some well-deserved pets without even really thinking about it. ]

Well, come down from there, then.

[ Susato addresses Kazuma as she continues coaxing Fang in her direction. The lifeless starfish may no longer hold the small dragon's attention, but from behind her back, Susato pulls out a jar that she's been filling with some of the smaller ones she's found. These tiny starfish are special and appear to gleam and shine in different colors, even in the sunlight. She shakes it at Fang like one would a toy. ]

At worst, your home will have a little added flair for a few months, or until they fall off naturally. Do you think we should put some in the ponds?

In a moment. [He's got a few quick ones he can toss into the bucket. The feather-like frills on Fang stick up at the shaking from the jar. She isn't approaching, but her head is at least following along the movement of the jar.]

I just hope all these starfish don't cause the roof to cave in. [A few is fine, but too many...he picks up some of the starfish that have harden into stone.]

You mean make a rock garden with them?

[ The jar isn't filled with any water yet. This is her first time collecting them, and there aren't that many yet, but it's enough that the bottom off the jar is alight as she swishes the starfish to and fro.

Her movements stop suddenly as she watches Fang's head sway.

Rock garden? ]

I thought we could decorate the bottom of the ponds, actually, so they appear less empty. But I like your idea even better, I think!

[ Both? There certainly are enough of them. She tries to imagine what a rock garden made of these stars would look like. ]

We can do both. [Plenty of starfish to fill a whole park or something. He could feel some droplets hitting him and the roof. Fang stops swaying her head once the jar stops moving. Her tail flopping against the floor curiously.]

Think you can go inside and prepare something cold to drink? I'll join you once I finish up here.

. . . [ Susato only feels a couple drops herself, but this is how it always starts. She holds out her hand not holding the jar for a second before stepping beneath the roof of the porch once more, noting how the sun is still trying to shine despite everything. There's a couple more drips against the roof. ]

Alright. Well, don't be long. It's already starting.

[ She eyes the problematic starfish antagonistically, as if to say I've got my eye on you or I'll be back for you later, but she has better things to worry about now.

The clear objective helps keep her mind off Kazuma himself and how she'd rather have him off that roof before the rain really gets going. ]

Come on, Fang.

[ In hindsight, there probably would have been more options had she gone down to the Wild Harvest's kitchen, but that's a lot of steps. Even thhough she's spent a lot more time here the past couple months, Kazuma still doesn't keep much more than the bare minimum necessary, as far as his personal kitchen is concerned; but that just means he's more likely to keep his favorites up here, so it's fine.

She thinks.

She always has acted far too comfortably here. It is easy for her to slip into the kitchen like she owns the place, Fang at her heels. She abandons the jar of newly collected little starfish on the counter and out of the way to worry about later. Persnickety salt ratios could wait.

First, she'll make sure Fang has nice cool bowl of water, and then she will open that absolute luxury that is a refrigerator, looking it over curiously with a contemplative sigh. ]

Now, what do we have...?

[She be right to think there's not a whole lot in his refrigerator. Less so when there's a pub downstairs. Nothing but a slab of frozen meat, some milk, and eggs could be found in the fridge. There were some glowing fruit sitting on the counter that he had gathered on another day though.

Kazuma had collected another bucket of starfish before calling it quits. At this point, it had already started to pour. He's going to have to be careful getting down. If he hurt himself, he wouldn't hear the end of it from Susato.

There's a thump and sloshing sound of water suddenly in the kitchen.] What-! [Fang lets out a surprised screech when Kazuma suddenly appears in the kitchen beside Susato, still holding that bucket of starfish. The ring that had been given to him by Susato was giving off a faint glow.]

[ Far be it from her to judge how Kazuma lives, but hopefully he's not too disappointed then when all he gets is ice water. Perhaps that's for the best anyway, as that actually sounds really good to her right now. If she looked, surely she'd find his usual teas that he no doubt makes for himself, but he asked for something cold...?

Would Kazuma even like iced tea?

Or maybe the moon fruits he left on the counter...? (Where is he anyway? The rain's getting harder.)

After cracking some ice out of the tray she found in the freezer, she's reaching up to get a glass from his kitchen cabinet. She turns, catching a glimpse of the yellow fruit. Maybe she's thinking about popping one in her mouth, but in the next moment, all that goes out the window, alongside the glass that slipped right out of her hands. ]

[ There is an impressively loud shatter as the glass breaks into shards against the ground. The sound of Fang's screech fills her ears and she can feel the wetness against her feet. She gasps, straightening her back in utter shock as water drips from his hair, the bucket and... everywhere. ]

Aaaahh! Y, Y, You just...?! Where...?

[ ......AND HE DOESN'T HAVE A SHIRT ON? Yeah that's all she got. Bye. ]

I- [He takes a few steps to give her some space while not to step on starfish and glass.] I don't know! [Their isn't a hole in the roof from which he could have fallen from.]

I was on my way down, and then I was here.

. . .

[ Breathe, girl. Breathe.

After the initial shock, Susato seems to calm down. At the very least, she is closing her eyes, silently counting to ten, or praying, whichever does the job the quickest. When she opens them again, she can see that glint of red coming from Kazuma's ring. It seems brighter than before, but maybe her eyes are playing tricks on her. ]

. . . It's alright. [ So she broke one glass. At least it wasn't her jar of starfish. But speaking of those, she will quietly navigate the broken shards and start picking up the starfish that have fallen out of his bucket first, as well as the larger glass shards she can find. ] Stay right there. Let me clean this up and I'll bring you a towel.

[ Maybe several. And maybe a shirt. Maybe. ]

[Once the shock has finally passed, he sees the mess properly, hearing Susato saying she'll handle it.]

Just...just get a towel. I can clean this. [It's his fault there's broken glass and starfish everywhere. Even if Susato insist he doesn't do anything, he's already walking off to locate a broom to sweep the floor. Still pondering over what had even happened.] Are you all right, at least? [Sorry for the scare.]

[ Yeah, she should have seen that coming. Her shoulders slump, feeling slightly defeated, but at least she doesn't have to go far. She tosses what starfish she did manage to get back into the bucket, and the shards of glass go into the trash. Near the bathroom around the hall is a closet where she remembers keeping his towels, after folding them. ]

I'm fine. Just startled is all. [ She raises her voice over the rain, growing ever louder against the roof (which is indeed free of holes) and the windows. She saw Kazuma go in the other direction, which makes sense, considering that's where the other closet is where cleaning supplies are kept. ] I didn't even get to ask what you wanted to drink. Hopefully ice water is good enough.

[ For now...? ]

Ice water is fine. [He just wanted something cold to drink, didn't matter what. Unless chicken is somehow involved. Fang comes over, nudging the trashbin closer to him.]

Could you get me another shirt too? The one I was wearing is still on the roof. [Once the mess is properly disposed, he'll grab another glass for Susato. He'll also turn on a few more lights, with the storm outside causing the home to go a little dark.]

[ Susato grabs a towel from the closet, casting a lingering glance before shutting it again. She's already half way back to the kitchen, so she freezes for a moment before changing directions. ]

Alright.

[ So off she goes to rummage his room! Or closet.

It's tempting to be indecisive, but it's not like they're going anywhere in this weather, so she's literally just going to grab the first thing she sees resembling a top. When she rejoins him in the kitchen, she aims the towel in his direction first, hoping to get it to fall over his shoulder. ]

Here, catch.

[Fang decides to follow after Susato as she goes into his room. Susato is now privvy to Kazuma's closet, which is also just as unimpressive as the rest of his home. Man could definitely use a shop for fashion and not just practicality. Nothing but plains clothes and maybe two full outfits to work with.

As Susato calls out to him, he lifts his head, just in time for the towel to hit his face. Well, he caught it with his face.] Thanks. [There's a loud thump, no doubt another big starfish has landed on the roof. He shakes his head, setting aside a glass of water for Susato] All that work, only to have more once this storm passes.

[ Wow, she heard that sarcasm!!! She does wince though when the towel hits his face. He's been hit by worse, though the wince isn't helped by the loud thunk from the roof that follows. ] Sorry.

[ She glances up briefly and decides not to repeat the mistake with his shirt. She will hold it out for him to take.

And then she'll bend down to give Fang some attention, since the poor girl has been following her around. ]

Why don't I go up there next time? So long as nobody expects me to disrobe.

[A small chuckle when he hears that apology.] It's all right. [His face needs a wipe down too after all. When he takes the shirt, he gives Susato a curious glance at her remark.]

What do you mean by that...? [That was unexpected. Hmm, he leans closer to her, still not putting on that shirt.] Does this bother you? [Is he subtly teasing her?]

. . . . . .

[ She is trying to be serious about her offer here. Too bad all she can think about is the first night of Flower Fest. She casually leans back as he leans forward into her space, but only so that she can reach for that glass of water. ]

N, No... [ Of course not. And she'd meant just what she said, nothing more. Enjoy her being lightly flustered though, the blush only worsened in the heat. ]

[Oh, he is enjoying it.] If I may... [At least he ask before pressing a hand against her cheek. Warm from the blushing.]

I won't make you do anything. It's just rather hot outside.

[ I know, she thinks. Susato has no idea how that request was going to finish (if I may what?), but she finds herself leaning into his touch. Her eyes blink almost sleepily, and they slowly close as she speaks. ]

And yet... you have a radiant heat that seems to follow you wherever you go. [ Her fingers tighten around the icy coolness of the glass. ] That doesn't help.

[ She certainly doesn't shy away from it either, though. ]

JUNE? june

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