Third Rose: Neither Here nor There (forward dated to Friday, Aug 11th)

[formerabyssinian]

Action: Kitten in the House Flower Shop- Attleton

[Not expecting to be gone so long, Aya felt not only out of sorts but very...incomplete. The Dream Docks revealed that he had been missing more than a year's worth of memories, and he wasn't okay with that. But with not knowing how to deal with his newfound memories, he did the only thing he knew, which was go to work.]

[So here he is, at his newly opened flower shop, sweeping the front of the store with a broom, lost in his thoughts about what has been revealed to him. He definitely doesn't pay much mind to the gaggles of young girls who tend to stop by to make small purchases, or just stare.]


Text:

Does anyone think our memories are being suppressed purposely?



Private Video to Sonico:

I got your messages. I'm sorry to have made you worry, Sonico. I'm fine, I promise.

[Besides the still healing gash on his neck from his bounty a couple of weeks ago. But otherwise fine!]

Comments

[booyaka_boom]

That makes sense now... *She doesn't seem to mind having her fingers clasped like that at all, those she's still looking at his injury* When I was asking around for you, someone said that a girl had been looking for you too... That you were missing.

*No, Selphie, don't ruin the moment by getting jealous. She doesn't believe that it's just a graze, but she's willing to leave it for now*

Downstairs? Do you live beneath the shop?

*She glances to the door that he'd hastily closed*

Of course - you're still open. I'm sorry. I'm getting in the way of your business now...

[formerabyssinian]

That's Sonico. She was worried about me because I was gone longer than I thought I would be.

[He doesn't even notice any hint of jealousy. Bless him.]

[He shakes his head at the question.] It's just a place to rest during breaks. I live nearby. [He glances once to the closed shutters before shrugging.] You're not the one in the way, so don't be sorry.

[booyaka_boom]

*Looks like someone is tired, perhaps just emotionally exhausted. She bites her lip and glances around his shop, then at the shuttered windows. Again, Selphie feels the threat of tears, but she frowns as she tries to hide it*

So. So. So I wait for you, for months, without you... And you're sending me downstairs to be on my own while you work?

*She clearly isn't thinking in the best of terms right now. Selphie could really use a restorative nap right now*

[formerabyssinian]

Selphie, that's not what I'm doing. [He places a hand upon the base of her head and neck, using a thumb to brush over her ear.] You need rest, and something to eat and drink.

[His voice is gentle, although her reaction frustrated him at first. He could understand why, from her statement a moment ago. Had it really been months since he disappeared?]

I'm going to close early and get a few deliveries sent out as soon as possible, so we can spend the rest of the day together. [There's a frown on his face, but not out of anger. More from determination.] I don't want to be apart from you again.

[booyaka_boom]

*When he holds her like that, Selphie closes her eyes and mentally starts thinking more carefully about her breathing. She needs to calm down. She's just upset, evidenced by that one tear that appears at the edge of her eyelashes. Selphie nods gently against his hand as she opens her eyes again*

...I need to sleep and just - figure all of this out.

*It was too much of a shock to be so suddenly with him again, and in another world too*

Alright. I'll go rest downstairs for a bit then. Is your employee around today? Will they think it's weird if I'm having a nap downstairs?

[formerabyssinian]

[Aya nods once with a small smile, glad that she'll go get some rest.] I doubt she'll think it's weird. It doesn't seem like she gets fazed by much. [Or anything.] I'll take you down.

[His hand is still clasped with hers, and with a bit of readjusting, he'll hold it in a less awkward way while they walk.]

[booyaka_boom]

*She? Selphie pulls a face, in part joking with him, but also wanting to make sure*

She isn't some kind of gorgeous secret assassin or something, is she?

*That would be the last kind of person she would want Aya working with. As he leads her downstairs to where she can rest, Selphie squeezes his hand and all but clings to his side*

[formerabyssinian]

I don't think so. [It's an honest answer. He doesn't think many women are worth his time, because they try to hard. He also doesn't know what to make of Kirika.] She's probably at least fifteen, though.

[He squeezes the hand back as they head down. The basement is sparsely furnished but kept clean. The black leather sofa was against the wall, and a small table with a few chairs not that far away, and a small refrigerator next to it. There was also a flat screen TV in front of the couch.]

There's only some oranges, bananas, and apples here. [He didn't keep much more food than that around, due to not wanting it to get spoiled from neglect.] And water. [He feels I'll prepared for having guests down there.]

[booyaka_boom]

*Oh. Fifteen. That makes everything different. The smile she gives him is amused, but also quite loving - he's probably started giving jobs to poor orphan kids now, because he's got such a big heart that way.

When they get downstairs, Selphie lets go of his hand, only to go over to the fridge and to remove a bottle of water that she gulps down quickly. Done, she turns back to Aya with a sheepish smile*

Sorry... I haven't had a thing since I arrived here.

*She walks over to the sofa and sinks down onto it with a sigh*

Mmm. This will do. I'll sleep and have some fruit. Promise you'll come back for me?

[formerabyssinian]

[Wow she's thirsty.]

[Not in a desperate sense.]

[He brings out one of each fruit, takes out a small knife from a cutlery holder, and starts to cut the fruit for her.] I promise. I'd be foolish to not come back. [The knife is rather sharp, so it makes quick work of the fruit. Mostly the orange and apple, as he left the banana intact. Once done, he takes the plate of fruit to her.] Do you promise to rest, though?

[booyaka_boom]

*Well, actually, she might be that too. This is not the time or the place for that though.

With the fruit cut, Selphie is more tempted to eat, so she reaches for some apple and nibbles on it slowly*

Mhm you would be. Those girls waiting out there didn't seem to nice or interesting, so I wouldn't run off with one of them if I were you.

*She finishes off another piece of apple then removes her boots as she sits back on the sofa*

[formerabyssinian]

[Aya shook his head in amusement, placing the plate next to her.] No bias, of course.

[Since she took off her shoes, Aya would take that as a sign that she'll get some rest. One of the arms of the couch had a red blanket on it, so he takes it and hands it to her.]

I won't be long. [He hopes that he can get things sorted out so he can close early.]

[booyaka_boom]

No bias whatsoever.

*Followed by a smile that suggests there is all the bias in the world. She takes the blanket from him, holding his hand for a moment before letting go*

I hope you realise...that if I wasn't so tired I thought I might die...I'd be following you around everywhere right now.

*She stifles a yawn as she wriggles down into the sofa, pulling the blanket over her*

Remember to come back to me...

[formerabyssinian]

I know. [He smiles, moving the plate of fruit so she had more room on the couch. He then helps to adjust the blanket on her, brushing back a bit of hair from her face.] I'll be back before you know it.

[booyaka_boom]

*And he was right about that. When he left, Selphie nibbled on some apple and some orange, but was exhausted enough that she managed to drop a piece of fruit on the floor. She fell into a deep sleep quickly, still sleeping away whenever Aya comes back to get her*

[formerabyssinian]

[At least two hours has passed since Aya went back upstairs to sort out deliveries, do a few final sales, and close the shop early. Upon his return, he finds Selphie still asleep. Not wanting to wake her, he simply takes a newspaper and a seat on the floor in front of the sofa, so that his back could lean against it, and starts to read. He's seated close to her head, but not directly in front of it.]

[booyaka_boom]

*When Selphie finally wakes up, she stirs only gently, and her eyes open for her gaze to fall on the back of Aya's head - good, it wasn't just a dream. She smiles to herself and wriggles closer, moving a hand through his hair and twisting so that she can kiss him softly on the cheek*

Hello there, mister.

[formerabyssinian]

[Aya hears Selphie stir to wakefulness, but continues reading, until he feels fingers through his hair. He sighs, enjoying the sensation, before turning in his spot so that he could sit with his side to the couch. There is a warm smile to greet her.]

Did you have a good rest, miss?

[booyaka_boom]

*Selphie giggles at his question, smiling in return. It's been so long since she has woken up and seen that smile... When he moves to sit, Selphie puts her arms around his neck and climbs down so that she is sitting in his lap instead*

I had a great rest. All the better to waking up to you. I've missed that... and I've missed you...

[formerabyssinian]

[The newspaper is put to the side so he can accommodate her, wrapping his arms about her and resting his forehead against hers.]

I never even knew you were gone, and when I found out... [This time, his sigh is in frustration as he shakes his head gently. He felt quite guilty for not knowing, but it isn't even his fault, which frustrates him more.] How long was I gone?

[booyaka_boom]

You didn't know...? *She doesn't move, enjoying their closeness, but he may feel the frown on her forehead. When he shakes his head like that she can sense his annoyance, so her hand drifts lightly up and down his back. It stops when he asks how long, and it's her turn to sigh* Four months. Maybe five. The first while after you left is...hazy to me.

[formerabyssinian]

[Even with the ambiguity, he could understand. If she had disappeared suddenly for months, he certainly wouldn't be in a good place, either. He lifts his hand, caressing her cheek with the back of his fingers.]

I'm sorry... [Sorry that she had to go through that, for leaving her alone, for not remembering her...sorry for taking away her smile.] I'm more than glad you're here. That we're together.

[booyaka_boom]

*Selphie closes her eyes at the sensation of his hand against her face. It was a feeling she'd almost forgotten, try as she might to remember*

It's not your fault... You wouldn't leave me.

*She says it with a quiet, sad conviction, then slowly opens her eyes and leans back a bit so that she can better look in his*

I'm glad too. A whole other world, and still we've found each other. That's something special, don't you think?

[formerabyssinian]

Something special...

[He never really thought of it that way, but she had a point. Thinking of themselves as special isn't something that would cross his mind. Fortunate would be a word he'd choose.]

[There is a slight head tilt as Aya looks curiously to her.]

How did you find me when you arrived, anyway?

[booyaka_boom]

*She bites her lip and blushes a little when he says it back to her; it maybe sounded a little silly... But there was something so important to her about the fact they were together again*

Well... I got here, was totally alone, and straight away I thought of you. So I asked around and there were people who had no clue and people who were talking about some woman who makes clothes. But when I mentioned a flower shop, a couple of random people suggested that I try this way, so I came straight here because...well, I knew this was your shop. And then I see it surrounded by girls, but then I saw you and... the sight of you overwhelmed me so much I almost fainted...