Anemone

...only Shinji, if he asks. I don't know... maybe I won't. Like about Shinji's special kitchen secret...

[She let out a soft giggle. Lifting the hammer again, she brought it back down on the nail until it was flat against the surface. Well, that looked about right. Her finger and thumb throbbed dully but she didn't care. She felt too helpful to care about a minor problem.

At Wolfwood's question, she shrugs slightly but doesn't look up.]

Differently... yes, and no. You're still Wolfy, and... you still don't really like me... but... the fact that we have a lot more in common is... I don't know, it makes me feel a little less weird, I guess.

Like... I'm not the only...

I don't know. [Her hand grips the hammer tighter.] Did I do it right, Wolfwood?

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Sure, whatever...

[He didn't bother to point out the flaw in the example she chose. He listened intently to her response, though he kept up a disinterested mask.]

...Like you're not the only freak?

[If she took offense to that, then they weren't on the same line of thinking. Didn't matter to him.]

Yeah, that's fine.

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[She nodded. She hadn't even caught her own flaw, but the point still stood. She wouldn't tell. Did Wolfwood even care, anyway? He seemed so apathetic, but she didn't let it bother her, focusing on the nails.

His description made her smile softly.]

Yeah. You're lucky, though... they'd only notice if they fought you, I think. I thought you were really normal! Until that night...

[Her smile took a quirked turn, but she grabbed another nail and placed it against the opposite side of the shingle she was working on.] I did bruise from that, by the way.

[Though she didn't hold it against him. Instead, she turned to look at him. She was completely oblivious to the new crimson trail that began running down her right cheek from her nose.]

You're really not as bad as I thought, Wolfy.

Edited Date: 2009-02-02 07:16 am (UTC)

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[So he'd been right. He shrugged slightly, turning back to work on the shingles... though what she'd said bothered him a little. Of course, no one else would notice. But it wasn't that simple...]

If they didn't know me from before, yeah, they'd think I was normal.

[He looked up at her again at the- compliment, was it?- and was immediately distracted by the blood on her face. He blinked.]

...Uh. Your nose is bleeding.

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[She nodded slightly. Already, Anemone was fairly satisfied with her answers, and too much asking would probably come off as being overly pushy. Since this apparently wasn't.

She turned back to the shingle she was working on, and gasped.]

It is?

[Wiping her face with her hand, she looked at the blood and frowned. Placing her hand back over her nose, she sighed and continued to sit there.] Ugh, damn it...

[In a matter of seconds, it was already dripping past her fingers and landing on the roof. But she ignored it, turning to look at Wolfwood again.]

One last question, really. Do you know how old you are?

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[Well, great, she hadn't hurt herself, yet she still managed to bleed all over the place. He was searching his pockets for something that he could give to her to soak up the blood (and failing to find anything), though she didn't seem to find that very important. He froze at that question, nearly spitting out 'what!?' in response. He forced himself to calm down; it obviously wasn't about that.]

Yeah... why, you don't?

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[Even though the blood was dripping quite a bit, she was ignoring it. She had had so many, some which bothered her and some which didn't. Of course, bleeding all over one of Shinji's shirts wasn't what she wanted to do, but the sleeves were big and it dripped down her arm.

Still, she managed to shake her head.]

I don't, not really... Dominic wasn't sure either... how old are you?

[High chances were she'd move and get something downstairs once she had an answer, but until then, she was sitting, and waiting.]

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[Of course she had to follow up with just the question he didn't want to answer, simple and direct. If only she hadn't asked... For a moment he didn't move or speak, watching the blood run down her face... then he set his hammer down and shifted to stand up.]

Wait here, I'm gonna go get you some tissues or something.

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[She frowned for a little, watching him as he hesitated. Another suspicious moment...

She started to move when he did.]

I can come with you... I might have to was this off anyway.

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[After going halfway down one bottle of battery acid, Shinji's world had a soothing haze to it. He'd finish it even if he had to numb his tongue on the disgusting stuff. But he did (halfway through this endeavor) remember that he meant to check up on Wolfwood. Maybe go coax him down for some food or a few drinks.

So he headed outside and right over to the ladder. He had to think very hard to keep his balance (only because tripping or falling off the roof would scare someone half to death.) He got halfway up the ladder and paused--was that Anemone's voice-- then climbed up the rest of the way.

And, despite his efforts, almost fell off when he saw the blood on Anemone's face. Panic rose through his alcohol-fuzzed nerves, and he tried to think. Nosebleed, right, or-- he narrowed his eyes at them.]

You guys weren't fighting again, were you?

Edited Date: 2009-02-03 04:15 am (UTC)

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If you want.

[He'd expected her to keep pressing, and couldn't decide if he was relieved or not that she'd stopped. He didn't have time to think on that before Shinji's voice turned his head sharply in the direction of the ladder. He'd nearly forgotten he might come up, after his conversation with Anemone. He held up his hands at that suspicious look.]

No, no. She got a nosebleed, that's all. We were just about to head down and clean it up, actually.

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Uh-huh... but I still want to know, Wolfy--

[She stopped at the sound and turned her head, smiling despite the new mess of blood on her face. Her hand wasn't doing a good job at holding it, and already half her face was smeared with blood. It was probably getting on the pants too, she wasn't even sure. But she was still happy to see Shinji too, and waved.]

Yeah, we weren't fighting at all!

[She moved her second hand to her face, shaking off her first one as she turned to Wolfwood again.]

You didn't answer my question, Wolfwood.

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Yeah, that's.. a good idea.

[His voice came out a little slurred from the alcohol, but he sounded calmer already. Though disturbed at seeing that blood all over Anemone's face. He'd been around her for nosebleeds before, but still, after what happened-- He climbed onto the roof and headed over to her, frowning. Damn.. he didn't have anything to clean this up with.]

Go ahead and use that shirt I lent you. I'll wash it--

[Then he looked back and forth between them at the 'answer my question.' If it wasn't for this nosebleed he'd opt to head back down. Didn't sound like any of his business. Instead he frowned and tried to ignore it.]

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[He picked up on that slur, which left him to wonder just how much Shinji had been drinking during the time he'd been working. But regardless of that, he'd apparently been to quick to assume Anemone had dropped the subject. His fingers itched for a cigarette, and he shoved them in his pockets. If he couldn't avoid the question, he could always counter it...]

...How old do you think I am?

Edited Date: 2009-02-03 04:49 am (UTC)

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[With Shinji's new permission on dirtying his shirt, Anemone quickly shook her hand a bit more, and the big sleeves unraveled enough for her to use it to hopefully staunch her nosebleed.

So... would she just sit here or something? She never really did much with the last ones. Normally, Dominic took care of them, and Johnny and Mamori when she was there and Shinji that one time. So she just ignored it, keeping the sleeve on her face while wiping off her face with the other sleeve, and looked at Wolfwood calmly.]

I... don't know... maybe twenty-something?

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[With a deep sigh, Shinji plunked himself down into a crouch, then sat altogether on the hard, unyielding surface of the roof. Perfectly comfortable. Now he didn't want to get up-- it was damn busy in there, even with people to help out, and he was already tired from fixing the roof earlier. Not that he'd blame the noxious alcohol--not one bit.

--then, at Wolfwood's question, and Anemone's answer, his mouth dropped open slightly and he went into a suspicious coughing fit. And directed his attention to the left as though something very interesting could be in those buildings.]

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[Her response wasn't surprising, though Shinji's sudden coughing fit made him go tense. It was fairly apparent afterward that he was attempting to blend into the scenery. It wasn't working. Damn it, Shinji's presence made this harder to deal with.]

Then why ask? It doesn't really matter, does it?

[With that he started towards the ladder. It was as good a time as any for a break.]

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[Anemone frowned slightly, still focused on Wolfwood. Shinji was probably fine, after all... and maybe drunk, but she wasn't going to comment on that. She just wanted an answer, and then she'd be done.

And with the amount of times Wolfwood beat around the bush, she wasn't going to let up.]

I was just wondering. But apparently it's something major if you won't tell me!

[She stood up and began to follow, but was quickly back down on her knees, holding onto her head with her free hand.]

Wolfwood, wait!

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You guys go on, I'll be down in a minute..

[Shinji wrapped his arms around his knees and slouched further, apparently just too comfortable to be bothered moving. That was part of it. He also figured the two of them could finish -that- conversation without him there. He'd bet it had to do with Anemone's questions the other night.]

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[He had to resist the impulse to turn around and yell at her to not assume shit like that. It would only prove her right. Stiffly, he started to make his way down the ladder- but paused before getting all that far.]

Hey, you can't just come up here and stay now that I'm going down. Come on.

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[With a loud sigh, she paused in her movements and knelt on the roof, sighing for a moment. She needed to make sure she could keep her balance before going down the ladder. After all, falling would be bad. So instead, she turned to Shinji.]

Shinji... why's Wolfwood's age such a big deal?

[A bit of friendly conversation couldn't hurt.]

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Tch. I'll be down in a second, damn.

[He blinked, surprised to hear a little bite in his own voice. No point in that--he wasn't angry at him. He shook his head to clear it and sounded more normal.]

Just gotta sit a minute..

[Or wanted to until Anemone started asking questions. At that, he dusted off his coat and got up, headed for the ladder himself. His exhausted muscles bitched him out in a chorus for that.]

Some people just don't, uh, like tellin' their age. You know?

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[He was a little taken aback by the sharpness, watching him, but Anemone's voice broke in again and he just sighed. He all but ignored her now- he considered that conversation over, although it irked him that she was now dragging Shinji into it. He didn't say anything after Shinji; he just proceeded to descend the ladder.]

Edited Date: 2009-02-03 02:12 pm (UTC)

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