[ There they go, she seems genuinely glad and happier again, so he at least did something right here--
Except then she goes on, and the surprise is obvious even to someone who might seem like an idiot sometimes like Shinpachi. It's almost as if there's a slight twitch near his eye as she says it, actually.. younger than her? But she isn't even close to his height - even for a woman she's pretty tiny, no way she can even be close to his age, right? ]
W-- what made ya think that?! [ DOESN'T HE SEEM COOL AND WISE AND MANLY IN HIS MATURITY... ]
Well, I mean! I just turned twenty-two, and well... [ Even though he's around Vashyron's age, Vashyron was... more mature between the two of them. And that was saying a lot considering that he certainly wasn't the most mature adult that someone could come across. ] From how you act, I thought of you kind of as a little brother... so I thought that you were younger than me.
[ LIKE... ZEPHYR... ]
B-But hey! You don't look twenty-eight, either! So... [ She's just going to just bury her face into the crocodile plush before groaning loudly. She messed up. She messed up so bad. ]
[ Messed up so bad is a good way to put this. Sure, at least they're both out of their earlier moods, but it's not like this is a great thing to hear either.. The words little brother echo in his head. There's no way anyone could think that way about him when he's all big and manly, right?!
God. He can never let Sano catch a word of this, the guy would never let him live this one down... ]
Y'know, you're really puttin' my pride as a man at stake here.. [ Little brother. ] You look so tiny and young, and then you're seriously saying you thought I was even younger than that..
[ He's going to have to cry himself to sleep tonight at this rate. ]
What!? [ She lifts her head, in which her face is practically beat red from embarrassment alone. ] You look young too, you know!? And just because I'm smaller than you doesn't mean anything, you can be bigger than me and younger! I mean, you kinda act like it anyway!
[ God she's just digging a deeper hole for herself. ]
... I'm sorry. [ She's just going back to hiding her face. ] I'll leave...
[ How does she put this in a way that doesn't sound offensive!? She lifts her head again, but she turns so she's at least not making eye contact with him when she speaks; ]
I just got more of a feeling that I needed to take care of you. But like I said, there was only a couple of moments where you acted younger. [ Especially when he was drunk. ] When I first met you and that time you and Sano helped me out, I thought that you were cool and mature. But I guess the more you helped me, the more I felt like I needed to take care of you, so that's why I thought that you were younger.
Plus, I never met someone fluster up just by being called a 'Prince'.
[ At least he seems to calm down a little, acting a little less flustered when he hears all of that. Sure, it's not exactly not embarrassing whatsoever to hear her say she felt like she had to take care of him despite him being so much older than her and a man and all, but at least it's easy enough to sense the good intent behind her words.
Yare yare... ]
You usually think that way 'bout people so quickly? [ He wouldn't be too surprised. There's something reminiscent of Chizuru's kindness about Leanne too, even if this girl is a whole lot more spunky and entirely unlike the women of his time. But thankfully Shinpachi is not exactly the most formal guy around, so he doesn't really mind too much to begin with.
Shinpachi sits back down next to her, giving her a pat on the shoulder. ]
Well, guess I'm pretty lucky to have you lookin' out for me.
[ Not that he thinks he needs it, exactly, but.. it's just always nice to know someone cares. And he'd hardly want to make her feel bad for her effort or intent, so he smiles, and not as over the top as he usually does. Although it might still be a little subdued thanks to circumstances, who knows. ]
Huh? Well... [ She can't deny that. It's not like it took her over a year to think of Vashyron and Zephyr as people that she wanted to protect. And soon she was like that for Michonne, too, but-- ] I guess you could say that.
[ She doesn't want to think about what she's lost now that they managed to make the conversation turn an entire one-eighty. Which is why she's quick to replace those thoughts with a smile after he came back to sit down. ]
Aren't you? I've learned from the best, so my services aren't cheap!
Haaah, you're sayin' I gotta pay now?! [ His surprise over it is entirely faked, though - he can do the comedic reactions just to make others smile fairly easily too, considering how he's pretty naturally a strongly emotional guy. So going along with something silly is like second nature to him. ]
Ya gotta say that stuff up front next time! I'm broke, y'know..! Kondou-san doesn't pay me that much!
That's good. Not sure if I could afford having friends otherwise. [ No, you can't afford having them since they'll all die and you'll be a mess, Shinpachi.
He lifts a hand, moving it on top of her head and ruffling her hair lightly. ]
I guess.. I don't charge anything, so just come see me if ya ever need help, 'kay? 'specially if it involves beating up someone who's messing with ya, I'm good at that.
[ She's twenty-two and puffing up her cheeks life a child when he reaches to ruffle up her hair. Immediately raising a hand to pat down any flyaway pieces. ]
What? You think I can't take them down myself? [ A pause. ] Oh! Are you taking the 'prince' thing seriously again? You don't need to do that.
T-- .. that and this have nothing to do with each other!
[ Are his cheeks turning faintly red again? Yup, sure is happening, what else do you expect when she's calling him prince again.. he thought she got over that shit by now. ]
Even aside from you bein' a woman and small, it isn't like thugs are all ya have to deal with in a place like this. [ He sure knows that by now. ] Don't think you have to take everything on by yourself. Only a moron'd think that.
[ That's pretty familiar too. Isn't it what Chizuru said too, plenty of times? It's not a kind of mindset he can understand very easily, but he can still somewhat wrap his mind around it. Enough to realise it's nothing she has to be worried about, because-- ]
Who ever said you're a bother to me? [ Because she's not. Besides, she's helping him out too, then there's no way she could be a bother to him to begin with. ]
Oh, well... [ The answer is right there on the tip of her tongue, but she already feels it being swallowed down her throat—because the original response was a lie, to be honest. She was going to answer with herself, because for a moment she reverted back to who she was a just months ago before she was brought here. ]
No one. [ She shakes her head, lips forming into a smile. ] Sorry, now I'm just saying silly things, I think it's time for me to head back to my room.
[ For some moment, it's almost as if there was something really sad about her.
He can't help but think that. He doesn't act on it for now, since she wants to leave and he's not about to stop her, but he makes sure to remember it. For-- well, for when they see each other next time. Because even if a lot of people have been leaving lately, somehow he's pretty sure there'll be a next time.
And if she ever looks sad like that again, then he'll help her. Because if there's anything Shinpachi can't stand, it's people looking like that who certainly deserve to be a lot more happy than that. ]
Well, just remember it. [ Since he meant it. And so Shinpachi smiles. ] I'll see you around, Leanne-chan.
[ She could have sworn she felt her heart skip a beat when he says that, only because it just gives her the confidence that was slowly slipping away from her. Because of it, and because of his own smile, she can't help but give him a smile of her own. ]
I will. And I better not see you sulking around anytime soon, okay? Or else I'm gonna really beat you up! [ She's kidding, of course, but what's the likelihood of him taking it as a joke? (... A part of her hopes that he'll get that it's a joke.) ] Alright then.
[ She finally stands, her arms still wrapped around the crocodile plushie as she makes her way to the door, opening it to leave before peeking her head back inside for a brief moment to say; ]
[ He's completely ready to let her leave, nodding and smiling as she walks away. Apparently he does get it's a joke this time - he's not that thick, after all, just when he's in one of his dumbass moods. But he had to sober up a little bit to cheer her up, so he's a little more aware of what he's supposed to take seriously or not.
(Besides, he seriously doubts Leanne could beat him up anyway, so he's not worried.)
But then she says that last line and his jaw drops open to immediately protest, even when her head is already gone once more. ]
D-- did you just call me a dog?! Hey, Leanne-chan..! [ Although she might already be gone. ]
Gone and skipping down the hallway while giggling like a school girl because success, she made the best joke of all time. Now all she has to do is tell the rest of his friends and mission "Embarrass Shinpachi Nagakura At All Costs" will be complete. ]
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Except then she goes on, and the surprise is obvious even to someone who might seem like an idiot sometimes like Shinpachi. It's almost as if there's a slight twitch near his eye as she says it, actually.. younger than her? But she isn't even close to his height - even for a woman she's pretty tiny, no way she can even be close to his age, right? ]
W-- what made ya think that?! [ DOESN'T HE SEEM COOL AND WISE AND MANLY IN HIS MATURITY... ]
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Well, I mean! I just turned twenty-two, and well... [ Even though he's around Vashyron's age, Vashyron was... more mature between the two of them. And that was saying a lot considering that he certainly wasn't the most mature adult that someone could come across. ] From how you act, I thought of you kind of as a little brother... so I thought that you were younger than me.
[ LIKE... ZEPHYR... ]
B-But hey! You don't look twenty-eight, either! So... [ She's just going to just bury her face into the crocodile plush before groaning loudly. She messed up. She messed up so bad. ]
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God. He can never let Sano catch a word of this, the guy would never let him live this one down... ]
Y'know, you're really puttin' my pride as a man at stake here.. [ Little brother. ] You look so tiny and young, and then you're seriously saying you thought I was even younger than that..
[ He's going to have to cry himself to sleep tonight at this rate. ]
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[ God she's just digging a deeper hole for herself. ]
... I'm sorry. [ She's just going back to hiding her face. ] I'll leave...
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Then he speaks up, strangely soft compared to his usual tone, even sounding a little defeated-- ]
Do you really think I act that way... [ There goes his reputation. He knows people think he's an idiot, but not that he's a kid, right?! ]
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[ How does she put this in a way that doesn't sound offensive!? She lifts her head again, but she turns so she's at least not making eye contact with him when she speaks; ]
I just got more of a feeling that I needed to take care of you. But like I said, there was only a couple of moments where you acted younger. [ Especially when he was drunk. ] When I first met you and that time you and Sano helped me out, I thought that you were cool and mature. But I guess the more you helped me, the more I felt like I needed to take care of you, so that's why I thought that you were younger.
Plus, I never met someone fluster up just by being called a 'Prince'.
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Yare yare... ]
You usually think that way 'bout people so quickly? [ He wouldn't be too surprised. There's something reminiscent of Chizuru's kindness about Leanne too, even if this girl is a whole lot more spunky and entirely unlike the women of his time. But thankfully Shinpachi is not exactly the most formal guy around, so he doesn't really mind too much to begin with.
Shinpachi sits back down next to her, giving her a pat on the shoulder. ]
Well, guess I'm pretty lucky to have you lookin' out for me.
[ Not that he thinks he needs it, exactly, but.. it's just always nice to know someone cares. And he'd hardly want to make her feel bad for her effort or intent, so he smiles, and not as over the top as he usually does. Although it might still be a little subdued thanks to circumstances, who knows. ]
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[ She doesn't want to think about what she's lost now that they managed to make the conversation turn an entire one-eighty. Which is why she's quick to replace those thoughts with a smile after he came back to sit down. ]
Aren't you? I've learned from the best, so my services aren't cheap!
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Ya gotta say that stuff up front next time! I'm broke, y'know..! Kondou-san doesn't pay me that much!
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[ If Vashyron was here, though, he'd probably be slamming his head into a wall. She can practically hear him,
"One million the first hour, and two million for every hour after that." ]
I don't charge friends.
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That's good. Not sure if I could afford having friends otherwise. [ No, you can't afford having them since they'll all die and you'll be a mess, Shinpachi.
He lifts a hand, moving it on top of her head and ruffling her hair lightly. ]
I guess.. I don't charge anything, so just come see me if ya ever need help, 'kay? 'specially if it involves beating up someone who's messing with ya, I'm good at that.
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What? You think I can't take them down myself? [ A pause. ] Oh! Are you taking the 'prince' thing seriously again? You don't need to do that.
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[ Are his cheeks turning faintly red again? Yup, sure is happening, what else do you expect when she's calling him prince again.. he thought she got over that shit by now. ]
Even aside from you bein' a woman and small, it isn't like thugs are all ya have to deal with in a place like this. [ He sure knows that by now. ] Don't think you have to take everything on by yourself. Only a moron'd think that.
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Do you always have to mention the small part? [ It reminds her of something she wishes she could forget, honestly. ] And I know that, but, you know...
[ No. He doesn't know. ]
I just don't want to be a bother for anyone.
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Who ever said you're a bother to me? [ Because she's not. Besides, she's helping him out too, then there's no way she could be a bother to him to begin with. ]
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No one. [ She shakes her head, lips forming into a smile. ] Sorry, now I'm just saying silly things, I think it's time for me to head back to my room.
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He can't help but think that. He doesn't act on it for now, since she wants to leave and he's not about to stop her, but he makes sure to remember it. For-- well, for when they see each other next time. Because even if a lot of people have been leaving lately, somehow he's pretty sure there'll be a next time.
And if she ever looks sad like that again, then he'll help her. Because if there's anything Shinpachi can't stand, it's people looking like that who certainly deserve to be a lot more happy than that. ]
Well, just remember it. [ Since he meant it. And so Shinpachi smiles. ] I'll see you around, Leanne-chan.
god i hate you
I will. And I better not see you sulking around anytime soon, okay? Or else I'm gonna really beat you up! [ She's kidding, of course, but what's the likelihood of him taking it as a joke? (... A part of her hopes that he'll get that it's a joke.) ] Alright then.
[ She finally stands, her arms still wrapped around the crocodile plushie as she makes her way to the door, opening it to leave before peeking her head back inside for a brief moment to say; ]
I'll see you, Shinpoochi.
i love you too babe
(Besides, he seriously doubts Leanne could beat him up anyway, so he's not worried.)
But then she says that last line and his jaw drops open to immediately protest, even when her head is already gone once more. ]
D-- did you just call me a dog?! Hey, Leanne-chan..! [ Although she might already be gone. ]
this is why people think we're dating
Gone and skipping down the hallway while giggling like a school girl because success, she made the best joke of all time. Now all she has to do is tell the rest of his friends and mission "Embarrass Shinpachi Nagakura At All Costs" will be complete. ]