“Well, I don’t wanna eat it too slow. Gotta get it out of the way, y’know?”
”That’s true, but wouldn’t you want to savor it too?”
Yukine glanced upwards in surprise. The groceries he’d just bought for Daikoku remained strewn across the relatively empty street.
”Uh, you can see me?”
A strange question, to be sure, but all the same she stooped down and began to pick up fallen items. Best not to ask why, but rather to respond with the truth.
”Yes, I can.”
”—Oh, let me help you with that.”
”Of course, of course. Just as lethal as cards.”
Who said he wasn’t allowed to try to be funny?
“I’ve managed. Missed your face popping in, but otherwise I cannot complain. I trust the same of you, if not better?”
In response she gave a small laugh—Ace could be funny, when he wanted to be.
Or cuttingly sarcastic and rude, but, well.
”I've been okay, too. Sorry for not stopping by, I thought to but I could never quite make it…”
”A-Agh…”
To say that she was by her side in an instant wasn’t quite an overexaggeration. “Xion, what happened?”
”Good to know I don’t count.
I’m not quite sure what I’d do if you came after me with colored pencils.”Yes, it was definitely nice to be in familiar company again, he thought as he swayed lightly from side to side.
“Run for your life of course, colored pencils are lethal.”
Or just bat them out of her hand, weak as she was. That was okay though.
”How have you been, Ace?”
”You left the door unlocked, too.”
Not that he’d hoped for that, or anything.
“Did I? Good thing no intruders came by…”
There was an almost teasing lilt to her voice, and she was happy to see him.
“Oh, it’s dusty…”
Perhaps some spring cleaning was in order, soon.