050 [ Action | Voice ]

[ahappylie]

[Despite being gone for weeks and just now showing up again, Okita doesn't seem all that worried. In fact, he's out making snowmen in the middle of the town square despite the hour and the snowfall. After making one or two small snowpeople and a small snow fort, he picks up his journal to announce his return.]

It seems I'm back now. The snow is nice.

Does anyone know how much time has passed? I suppose Ayumu-san will scold me. Let's not tell her right away, hm?

Comments

[ayu_nee]

[He recognizes the house, at least, so that's something. Good.

Enjoy this sight of the outside, Okita, because if she has her way you won't see it again for a few days.]

Yes, there it is. And Saizou and your... chicken have been waiting for you.

[ahappylie]

[Sobbing, he is so climbing out windows.]

Chick-- Oh. You kept it!

[ayu_nee]

[One word: padlocks.]

You didn't think I was going to give it away while you were gone, did you?

[ahappylie]

I thought someone might eat it to be honest.

[With the house in sight, you'd think he'd be able to get there easily and yet he still takes a few wrong turns on the way.]

[ayu_nee]

It's far too scrawny to be worth the trouble.

And besides, it's yours.

[And keeping it until he returned meant that he would return, in some weirdly obscure way.]

[ahappylie]

[He smiles and makes his way to the door, waiting for Ayumu to come up.]

That's good. I think the chicken is better suited for eggs than eating anyway.

[ayu_nee]

Perhaps so.

[Oh sure, now you don't need to be pushed back onto the right course. Ayumu joins him soon enough and shoos him inside where it's warm.]

I'll go start some tea. Don't... on second thought, perhaps you should come with me.

[ahappylie]

[Well the house is mostly right in front of him. It was a bit easier. ...Mostly. Once inside, getting to his room almost leads him out the back door.]

Hm? But I was going to go check on the chicken.

[ayu_nee]

The chicken is fine. Homura has been taking care of it.

[ahappylie]

Really?

[He stops, staring at the door he thought led to his room.]

Oh, that's nice of him.

[ayu_nee]

Yes. He tended to all the animals while you were gone, in fact. Though I don't know that Saizou feels any more kindly inclined to him even now.

[ahappylie]

Saizou is picky.

[Just like his owner. Okita starts looking in another direction, which is still not his room.]

Where is he?

[ayu_nee]

[Here, how about she leads him toward the kitchen, so she can make tea without having to worry where he's going. Maybe they need a toddler gate]

I'm sure he's around somewhere. Mention food and see if he appears.

[ahappylie]

[Whoops, how did he end up in the kitchen. He thought he was going to the backyard. What.]

If we stay here, he may show up, yes?

[ayu_nee]

[This is clearly where he needs to be, though. Ayumu will just kind of direct him to sit down (though doesn't actually expect him to stay there) as she starts bustling about, putting water on to boil and such.]

I'm sure he will. People in the kitchen often means food for him, after all.

[ahappylie]

[Sitting? No thank you, he's going to go over and pick up Dog's bowl, turning around to go sit but ending up on the other side of the kitchen.]

Maybe I should stop feeding him so much. If he gets much bigger, people really might think he's for eating.

[Just going to sit on the floor since there's no chair on this side.]

The fish seems to be doing well. He's very pretty.

[ayu_nee]

He's a fish, Okita-san. There really isn't that much to him.

[ahappylie]

[He stares into the bowl from above and after a moment, the fish starts swimming around again, less terrified that his world has suddenly changed scenery.]

Dog~ I wonder if he can hear us. Dog~~~~

[Nope. Fish are weird. This is why they eat them. He looks up and notices a vase on the counter, tilting his head.]

That's new.

[ayu_nee]

[Ayumu is terribly busy with tea right now, even if he's tormenting the poor fish, so much so that she doesn't even follow his look to see what he's indicating.]

What is?

[ahappylie]

[Instead of answering, Okita simply points at the vase, waiting for her to turn around and see him.]

[ayu_nee]

[Waaaaaait for a moment... okay, she'll glance back to see, then purse her lips slightly and shrug as she turns back to her work.]

Someone thought they would look nice.

[ahappylie]

Someone, hm~?

[Well, he can guess who that someone is and so he picks the fishbowl up, setting it down next to the flowers so he can inspect them a little closer.]

For such a scary man, he certainly can be sweet, can't he.

[ayu_nee]

Is that what you think about him?

[ahappylie]

Yes, but Hijikata-san can be a scary man, too.

[ayu_nee]

Hm. Perhaps so.

[Ayumu just turns and sets the tea on the counter close to Okita. You want some of this, or you want to keep talking about scary people?]