Mistletoe threads!!

[floret]

Comments

[arderebuio]

Only if you want to. [Reborn says lightly, making no move to pull away himself.]

[floret]

Mm...
I'll stay here a little while, then... maybe...

[ he leans forward to rest his head against reborn's chest. now it's just your everyday embrace, more or less... and in this cold weather, it feels nice and warm! ]

[arderebuio]

[Reborn makes no protest, even wrapping another arm around Hanatarou's slighter, thinner shoulders. Without moving from their positioning, he murmurs:]

May I escort you home, Yamamda-san?

[floret]

...I'd be really grateful if you did.

[arderebuio]

['Grateful'... Though honestly, Reborn wasn't sure what he was expecting from this in any case. Or if he even was expecting anything.

It doesn't really seem to matter.]

Shall we go then?

[floret]

Let's go!

[ when a person is escorting you, it is customary to take that person's arm. hanatarou complies with this custom. ]

[arderebuio]

[Reborn laughs as he shifts to accommodate Hanatarou, and they start to walk.]

Do you often get escorted to places, Yamada-san?

[floret]

From time to time...
It depends on exactly what you're asking, I suppose.
...
No, I think the answer is probably "from time to time" either way.

[arderebuio]

Well, in the past I believe you mentioned to me that you're a healer... [And he'd experienced it firsthand, as well...]

[floret]

That's true. Though our standard practice back home was to work in mobile medical teams rather than be escorted as such... I was solely accompanying an offensive warrior right before I got here, but that didn't turn out so well.

[arderebuio]

You know, I'm not sure how to take that. It didn't turn out well because you wound up here, or it didn't turn out well for some other reason...?

[Ah...]

This was the kidnapping you mentioned...

[floret]

Kidnapping?

...

Ah! You mean the time I got taken hostage! [ ...he looks a little too happy about that ]

Well, the actual hostage-taking part didn't work out the way they'd intended. But I actually think everything ended up turning out really well afterward!

[arderebuio]

So, were these events entirely unrelated then?

[floret]

Yes, they...

...mm...

I think I would say they were... mostly entirely unrelated.

[arderebuio]

Only mostly? [Hopefully they're getting close to his apartment by this time...]

[floret]

Well, some of the same people were involved. But the person I was accompanying as medical support isn't one of the two who had taken me hostage. Though you could say that our relationship was a bit strained, since he'd tried to kill all three of us during that earlier incident... [ they're just about there! ]

[arderebuio]

Are all your acquaintances and relationships this exciting? [Befriending a cursed baby mafia assassin is looking downright tame in comparison.]

[floret]

No, I think they were mostly pretty normal.
Well, people would tend to make various threats from time to time, but that was one of only two times I can think of when someone was actually going to to kill me.

[arderebuio]

My, my. I wouldn't say I've underestimated you precisely, Yamada-san, except perhaps I expected your life to be in peril more often than just twice.

[floret]

Well, maybe I misspoke... I'm pretty sure it's been imperiled a lot of times. It's just that those are the only ones I can think of where someone was targeting me, specifically, with death as the specific goal...

[arderebuio]

Such a dangerous life you lead. I must confess some admiration then.

[floret]

...

Why?

[arderebuio]

Well, making it to this point in one piece, of course.

[floret]

Oh.

I actually didn't.
That's what I meant by it not turning out well.

[arderebuio]

[He just raises one eyebrow. OMG are they actually going to have this conversation... He doesn't look surprised, exactly, but just curious.]

Are you referring to the bad habit our hosts have of grabbing people willy-nilly from various points in their personal timelines?