05

[asea]

Who: Walter and Chibiterasu
Where: Yutopil Apartments, Floor Eight, Room One
When: Afternoon
Style: Either
Status: Closed

[For the past few days, Walter has been finding random arrangements of flowers at his door. That wasn't too bothersome; he would ignore and let them rot there, as much as the thought of someone actively seeking his place out set off an alarm or two in his head. It'd only take one more second to move around or over the flowers than usual. He'd deal with the perpetrator if he ever sees him.

Today, he finds another grouping of flowers at this door, which is suspiciously ajar. Resting a hand on its surface, he pushes it open.

The first thing he sees is more flowers. On the table, on the couch, on the windowsill -- flowers in vases, unlike those at the door pulled all the way down to their roots exposed to the air.

And in the center of the room, silhouetted by the penetrating sunlight . . . ]

Comments

[sonlight]

[It's Chibiterasu! Yes the perpetrator is none other than the little sun god himself, and while he's looking sheepish at being caught, he still can't hide that happy tail wag of his. He's covered in several layers of flower crowns, each varying in size and intricacy- a veritable King of Spring, as it were!

And let me assure you that he is otherwise pristine, I mean he was even polite enough to wipe his paws on the mat before stepping inside, okay!]

Arf! [Aww, you're home early, Walter! He hasn't finished setting everything up yet! But your apartment is at least twenty, no, fifty percent more colorful now! Surprise! Do you love it? 8D]

[asea]

[No. Half of the apartment is covered with flowers. This is unacceptable. Moreover, nobody has ever had the gall to intrude upon what little private space he's had.

Walter steps into the room, leaving the door open to make a point as he levels the pup with his usual glare: You. Out.]

. . . What are you doing?

[sonlight]

[More mixed signals, as usual. You indicate "get out" with your body language, but your mouth is asking a question that requires him to stay and answer. You always know how to keep Chibi on his toes with your clever puzzles, teacher!

Anyway, to answer- he's just adding some decoration! The flowers are plentiful and they seemed to be making everyone happy, so he thought, hey! Who does he know that has the biggest case of the frowns in the entire underwater city?

To further demonstrate, Chibi takes the last vase and nudges it onto a side table next to a lamp. The vase is... somewhat tasteful, though it's got a big, happy fish with a wide, wide grin plastered in the center. See? Cheery!]

[asea]

[Others might have thought the vase to be cute, but all that goes through Walter's mind is that that picture speaks of an unnatural image -- fish don't smile like that -- and that he doesn't have the time (nor patience) for this. There's a distinct difference between indirect and direct receiving, it seems. And he's simply hardheaded, no matter who the giver may be.

Indignantly, he flatly retorts,]

I don't need flowers. Take them and go.

[sonlight]

[Chibi takes one long, circular glance around the room.

You want him to clean up ALL the vases?]

[asea]

[Walter stands there, his eyes still locked onto the pup. He is not about to change his mind, and not going to tolerate this tomfoolery any sooner.]

[sonlight]

Roo... [But it took him so long to set all this up!]

[asea]

[Clearly, the pup is not going to move anytime soon in favor of giving him that look (which, by the way, does nothing for him). Walter waits another brief moment before adding,]

There was no reason for them to have been brought here. Return them.

[The pup should have thus known better.]

[sonlight]

[Chibi waits a moment more, as if it were possible that Walter just miiiiiight change his mind.

Maybe!


Possibly!




...Yeah, it's not happening. Fiiiiiiine. Chibi sighs heavily and nods, agreeing to "clean up" the perfectly beautiful "mess." But, in return- he slips one of the flower crowns down so it balances on his muzzle, then looks up at Walter expectantly.

First, you have to put this on your head.]

[asea]

[Walter does not speak pup, contrary to what Kohaku might believe. Still, he has a good idea of what the pup is proposing, and he'll have none of that either. The way he stares back silently should be good indication of this.

. . . or not, since it's just as likely for the pup to take the quiet rejection for uncertainty.]

[sonlight]

Arf! [He sits up a little straighter, pointing his nose up. Come on, put it on! It's more than a fair trade on your part, Walter.]

[asea]

[He's not the one that broke into someone's room and decorated it without consent.]

I'm not wearing that.

[sonlight]

[Hush with your logic.]

Roo... [He tilts his head, looking (somewhat patronizingly) confused. So, you don't want help getting rid of all these vases?]

[asea]

[It's probably a good thing Walter doesn't read people (and animals) much beyond superficial words and expressions, a "skill" that allows him to overlook the pup's questionable look. Remember, pup, he is not here to have a snippy conversation with you.]

If you won't take them, then just leave.

[sonlight]

Woof! [He shakes his head, carefully so that the crown doesn't fall off it's precarious perch on his snout, then nods towards Walter again.

He's not leaving until you put this on! So stubborn, this pup.]

[asea]

[Stubbornness.

It's a vice that will keep the both of them rooted to their spot, because Walter's refusal to adhere to the pup's demands is as strong as the pup's decision to stay and see to the "deal."

If the child of the sun so wills it, this is another staring game they'll have.]

[sonlight]

[Stare away, Wally! Chibi is wearing way too many flower crowns to be even slightly daunted by your glares this time. He is all smiles and tail wags and fluffy wonderful. c: ]

[asea]

[It's the stark contrast from this and the last time that he begins seeing just how happy and in good mood the pup seems today. Whatever. Something might have happened, or not. He's not an animal expert.

All he knows is that he wants to be alone, with none of this flowers-in-vases-suffocating-the-room nonsense.

. . . another minute or two passes . . . ]

[sonlight]

[Chibi's stubbornness it seems is outweighed only by his patience, today. And he's still happy!]

[asea]

[To be perfectly honest, he isn't used to this kind of situation. To physically eject Orerines from the area is one thing, but this is in a class of its own. Animals don't try his anger the way people do. He can't say he's mad right now.

(It never crosses him that it could be the flowers' doing.)

However, the pup must leave. He won't stand for this blatant intrusion, and it should not get any ideas in its head that it's welcome. Nobody is.

. . . so with that basic thought in mind, he approaches the pup with the intention of forcefully removing it.]

[sonlight]

[Sadly, Chibi takes Walter's advance as a sign of his giving in. He stands up eagerly, rearing back on his hind legs and once again pointing his nose up toward him.] Arf!

[asea]

[He leans forward, as though to take the flower crown . . .

. . . but goes even farther and warps an arm around the pup to grab it by the scruff of its neck.]

[sonlight]

[Up we go! Hope he's not too heavy, Walter.

Chibi takes this opportunity to look down and then quickly snap his head upward, sending the flower crown gracefully floating through the air towards Walter's head. He hopes he doesn't miss, but at this close range he figures he's got a pretty good chance!]

[asea]

[Not unbearably heavy in the slightest.

Uninterrupted, the crown would have made it to its target location, but the second the pup raises its head and the flowers go flying, Walter instinctively brings his other arm up. The flower crown bounces off.

And somehow hits his face after that before falling to the floor.

. . .

He marches to the open door.]

[sonlight]

[Chibi wriggles around, shifting another of his many flower crowns down to his nose and trying the same move again.

He will get this to happen!]

[asea]

[The timing is better this time around, as his free hand is occupied with opening the door wider when the pup throws the flower crown again. There's another pause the instant he feels the flowers perch themselves on the crown of his head.

. . . no. He closes the door and drops the pup without warning, his liberated hand reaching for the crown -- ]

[sonlight]

[Success! It looks so good on you too, Wally!

A fact not lost on Chibi as he quickly whips out his SFC and attempts to take a picture.]

[asea]

[Act fast, pup. As soon as he detects movement, Walter turns, the hand previously on the doorknob extended toward the creature. Whatever you're thinking of doing, don't.

He promptly yanks the crown off and lets it drop to the floor, his back to the pup.]

[sonlight]

[You don't get to be the savior of Nippon without being quick! He snaps a shot sometime between Walter reaching toward him and the point where he rips off the crown. His hand is blocking the view slightly, but the flowers on his head are still perfectly viewable.]

[asea]

[There's something inexplicably different about the atmosphere, and Walter takes a moment to think on this. Odd. He suddenly feels more -- what's the word -- complacent? That's never happened before.

It must be something to do with the flowers, to do with the city and the powers that be of it . . .

Exhaling, he turns to the pup and quietly, but sternly, orders:]

. . . you can leave the flowers here. Go.

[sonlight]

[...Really? Really?!

Chibi's elated grin could pierce the heavens.]

[asea]

[Really.

But he's already repeated himself; leave the flowers and the vases, but you, pup, have to go. He needs time to himself. So he stands, still looking stern though not as ill-tempered as he might have been a minute earlier with his arms folded.]

[sonlight]

[Chibi pauses only to bump his head against Walter's leg before trotting out the door. See ya, teacher!] Arf!

[He's not sure what his mission was here, exactly, but he definitely considers it accomplished.]

[asea]

[ . . .

He closes the door behind the pup a good ten or so seconds after its departure. Another moment at the door, then he moves to the couch, where he sits on the free spot beside a vase of flowers.

And he spends the entire afternoon sitting there, staring at the floor in a half-dazed state.]