soul_logs | [Closed]

Having procured a jacket (a little too small for her, but given how thin she's become now 'a little' is still saying something), Rei wasn't feeling the chill as badly, though she still had no shoes or pants.

So much had happened, it made Rei's head spin, made her want to sink her face in her hands and cry for all she was worth. Yuu forgave her. Yuu took her curse, she had won and Miku was--

Hearing her name, Rei pulls herself forcefully away from those thoughts and stands, raising a hand in greeting. "Kaede! I'm over here!"

Edited 2012-10-02 16:07 (UTC)

"Rei!" She heard the voice and came running up towards her. Needless to say, she appeared so scruffy compared to her previous appearance, Kaede just had to stare in shock.

"I-I brought you this." She held out the cotton blanket from off her bed. It wasn't much but her clothes were too small for Rei's size. "What happened?"

Rei smiled tightly and took the blanket gratefully, throwing it around her shoulders. Though she was still cold, the blanket provided a noticeable difference, a relief and Rei nodded.

"Thank you, Kaede. I'm sorry you had to come all this way for me, but I appreciate it." She shoulders the blanket a little. What happened? A lot. Too much.

"I went back home for a little while, that's all. My appearance changed back to the way it was before I first came here. It must be a little shocking, right?"

"It's okay, I've been cooped up at home all day long anyway~" Technically she wasn't suppose to go outside at all but pfft rules who needs them? Besides it would be impossible for Kotetsu to scold her once he found out the reason behind it.

She stared a bit in disbelief at her words. "You went home? Why didn't you tell any of us? My dad's been worried sick about you!"

Rei hesitated lightly and gave her a sheepish look. "It wasn't intentional. I wouldn't have left at all if I had the choice."

It feels bad to hear that Kotetsu was so worried about her, but speaking of-- "Where is Kotetsu anyhow? And Barnaby?

"They're out on a mission outside of the city. I told Dad he doesn't need to go but not like he'll listen to me." She huffed, still kinda pissed about it.

"Anyway let's go on home, we took all your pets in our apartment." She was proud to say she helped with those duties.

Home. That had a nice ring to it, though she knows that Kaede probably meant 'my home.'

"I'd like that." She tried to rack her rain--mission, what mission? Was it something that was announced while she was gone? Speaking of... "I hope my pets weren't too much trouble for you. Thank you for taking such good care of them. But, ah... just how long was I away for?"

"No problem! I think Barnaby was more bothered by it then anybody else." She snickered, remembering back when Loafdog was the one who sat on him in bed.

"Uh, maybe like two days? I sent you message that long ago and you never replied." Though it didn't really matter now that she was here and all.

"Poor guy." There's a soft chuckle. She knows Barnaby was the least enthusiastic about the pets, though she'd hoped he'd grow to like them eventually.

Two days, though... "It's been less than a day for me." But she starts walking then, vaguely remembering the way. "I came back at a poor time, it seems. I hope everyone's okay." Rei turned her attention to Kaede then, smiling faintly.

"Are you adjusting well, though?"

"Huh? You sure you weren't just sleeping the rest of the time?" She still hadn't grasp the concept of time flowing differently from the outside worlds.

"I guess... I still wanna go home my real home now." Even Barnaby living in with her and having a pet of her own didn't convince her enough to stay here.

When Kotetsu and Barnaby finally returned from their mission, they were absolutely worn ragged. Kotetsu himself couldn't figure out how they'd been able to return home on whatever strength they had left but with some luck, they managed to make it to the front door in one piece, though they hadn't even been able to turn on the lights, which meant they had reached their limit. At least they had good timing.

It wasn't terribly late when they arrived, and the normal temperatures were something they could have taken time to enjoy instead of anything minus zero, but at that point all Kotetsu wanted to do was sleep for hours under some blankets, and he was sure that Barnaby wanted the same.

"If you want the bathroom, you got it. I'll see ya in three days, or whenever I can get outta bed again." His voice a lazy, hushed drawl, Kotetsu waved over at his partner before immediately heading over to his room, far too eager to collapse on his bed for some well-deserved rest. "Night, Bunny."

It was nice to be back. Quite glad that they had managed to escape the freezing temperatures and return to their little apartment unscathed, Barnaby's main plan that night was to crawl straight into bed. He had considered soaking in a hot bath, but that didn't even seem worth the energy that night, so he chose to focus on solely managing to shuffle his way from the door to his bed.

With a slight wave, Barnaby began the quiet and dark walk to his own room. They didn't need lights, and it would have been a waste of electricity to mess with them anyway. He stifled a soft yawn with the back of his hand as he approached his door, quickly sliding inside. Not even bothering to change, he just tugged off his shoes and crawled right in, to remain dead to the world for the rest of this log. Sorry, Rei, he'll say hello in the morning.

No problem, Barnaby, she'd appreciate your greeting much more than she will Kotetsu's.

It was a little strange to be in the older man's room, sleeping in his bed; she wondered if this was what Goldilocks had felt like. But after a nice long bath and the onset of exhaustion due to several nights of no sleep, Rei had found herself much more agreeable to the idea.

She's out like a light, curled up on the bed. She doesn't even stir when Kotetsu comes in.

And then we can all gather and laugh and pretend whatever horrifyingly embarrassing moments that are about to happen didn't happen at all...

Finally in the room, Kotetsu could barely keep his eyes open, let alone bother to turn on the light or even change clothes. Thankfully all the extra winter gear he and Barnaby had been given to endure the temperatures on their mission had been returned so there was none of that to deal with. No, all he needed to do was squirm his way under those blankets somehow.

But the longer he stared at the bed, the more he just wanted to plop himself down atop it and fall asleep, and so eventually, Kotetsu did just that.

There are certain things that will wake you up no matter how exhausted and sleep-deprived you are.

One of those things just happens to be a grown man suddenly falling on you.

Rei jerks awake with with a gasp of pain--that hurt!--and begins to squirm. "Wh-what in the--!? Get off!" Her first instinct was that she was eing attacked (a ghost? But she was done with that now, wasn't she? Yuu had--) Then it catches up with her that she's back in Death City, when she's finally wide awake enough.

Death City.

Kotetsu's room.

Weren't they supposed to be back tomorrow? Or had Rei just assumed? Either way that was definitely one of the weirdest ways she's been woken up.

The initial thought Kotetsu had as he draped himself over his bed was that it was strangely lumpy this time around. The next thought, after that surprised gasp reached his ears, was that he had just crushed Kaede. Had she gone asleep in his bed?

The thought after that though was, who in the world was in his bed? Because the voice afterward? Didn't sound like Kaede at all. "DAH--!" Kotetsu just about yelped in return as he scrambled off whoever he had temporarily crushed, recoiling back off the bed, his fingers hastily curling into the blankets to yank them off and possibly fight off whoever had broken into his room.

Until he paused, took a few seconds to breathe and then realized that... the voice had been, a little familiar, hadn't it?

The blankets slide easily away; she makes a clumsy grab for them out of a vague sense of modesty, but it easily slips from her grasp. What kind of welcome was this?!

Rei sat up, rubbing at her eyes and fumbling for a bedside lamp. As it turns on she's instantly aware that her first assessment had been right: Kotetsu had come home early, and apparently just bellyflopped her. She wasn't sure which she sould be more surprised about.

"...I know you might be mad at me for leaving, but accosting me seems to be going a little far." Seriously, she's pretty sure she's bruised and it's all your fault, Kotetsu. Take responsibility!!

This was kind of awkward. What else was she supposed to say? 'Hello'? 'Welcome home'? ... 'Surprise'?

Kotetsu took a quick step away from the bed as soon as she spoke up, completely unsure of what to do, and though he swallowed hard to find his voice he still couldn't quite say much of anything. "Wh-what... who are...?"

He was dreaming, right? He had to be. Maybe the second he'd tumbled down onto the bad he'd fallen fast asleep and this whole thing was all a dream. A terrible one at that, because of all the things he had to dream about, why did it have to be Rei in his bedroom, alive... alive... or dead? Undead?

"R... Rei?" Her name was spoken quietly, as if he still couldn't quite believe it was her, and he honestly didn't at all. It couldn't be her, it just couldn't, because she'd told him what would happen if she returned to her world, and if this wasn't a dream and she had come back then... she really was dead. Just like Legend.

This was awkward, bordering on being very uncomfortable. Rei rubbed at her arm, watching Kotetsu quietly as he let it all sink in. Considering all she'd told him about her world... She couldn't help but feel a stab of guilt.

"I'm alive." It's all she can think to say right then. She was alive, she was there, and-- She manages a little smile. "I'm okay."

Rei sits up, sliding to the side of the bed to swing her legs over and stand, smoothing out her nightgown. "I didn't mean to scare you--and I didn't mean to leave so suddenly, I... I'm really sorry." Her expression is guilty; Rei can only imagine what Kotetsu and the others thought, especially since he, Raidou, and Barnaby were the only ones who knew about her situation back home.

She was alive. As straight-forward as that could sound in any other moment it did nothing to clear up the overwhelming wave of confusion washing over Kotetsu. Yes she was alive there, standing in front of him, very obviously not dead, but... was she really alive? Was she really okay?

Before, the worst thing BREW could have done was send her back to her own world to a fate she couldn't escape from, but now that wasn't the worst. The worst was for it to return her back here to the city with a constant reminder of what she was meant to go back to, which was absolutely nothing. She was alive here but back home she wouldn't be.

Kotetsu shook his head slowly, unsure of how to take any of this, her words or his thoughts, and though he finally found the ability to close up some of the distance between them, as he reached out a hand toward her he suddenly stopped.

"Are you... are you really...?" He couldn't do it, he couldn't ask and he couldn't do a single thing to say the only question he needed to have answered.

It was painful to watch this, to know what he must be thinking. In a way, he wouldn't be wrong. She had won in the end, she was alive, but she wasn't living. She'd saved Miku, but lost everything else; it no longer felt like a home there, and going back to the semi-empty house had little appeal.

It was a strange mixture of feelings; on one hand it was an old familiarity, with Kotetsu, with his city and this world, and the dual knowledge of how long she'd spent away from home and the freshness of her wounds. She felt the same and yet different. She was thinner--noticeably, unhealthily so, her skin was deathly pale, circles had formed under her eyes from sleepless dreaming, her hair had gone from a little below shoulder length to the boyish cut she'd had before.

But she still felt the time she'd spent here. It was strange, disorienting. With Kotetsu's question she knows what he's really asking, and his hesitation to touch her hurts though she knows it shouldn't.

"I really am." Rei reaches out and brushes his fingers with hers', not taking his hand exactly, but imploring that it's okay. She's here, she's real, she's not going to suddenly break or disappear just because he touches her. "It's okay. I beat it--I won. I promise." Her voice is soft, more out of acknowledgement for the stillness in the room then wanting to keep from waking the others.

As soon as her fingers brush against his, he almost recoils back, unwilling to make that sort of contact just yet. He's afraid of exactly what she's thinking, that she could suddenly fade away like the dream he still suspects this to be, or her touch could be rough and cold, lifeless, like the way Tomoe felt the last time he ever touched her. But when his hand reaches forward out of his own desperation, he clutches her hand in his and realizes she feels warm.

Kotetsu's eyes widen again in surprises, eventually hastily glancing over her to see any hint of injuries but all he sees is a thinner, concerningly pale body, shorter hair, a tired face. She doesn't look anything like she did when he last saw her but it's still her, it's still Rei.

And then both his hands grab hers, fingers slipping under her wrist to feel for a pulse and it's there and she's warm and she's really alive. Kotetsu can't stop himself when he feels his eyes water up with tears. He also can't stop himself when he rushes forward and wraps his arms around her in a strong embrace.

His hands are welcomingly warm against her skin, and though it feels strange and sends a shiver down her spine, she lets him touch her as he likes to realize the truth.

The embrace doesn't come as a surprise, not exactly, and her heart feels like it's breaking and becoming fuller simultaneously. Her arms wrap around him tightly and her fingers curl into his shirt, clinging to him and the warmth she feels. Rei says nothing, because there's nothing to be said at this moment. The physical contact is overwhelming enough as it is and she squeezes her eyes shut to try and hold back tears herself.

She tries to convey her feelings through the embrace, that she's sorry, that she won't leave him again (deep down she knows that's a promise she can't actually keep, if her sudden disappearance a few days earlier was any indication; but it's a promise she intends to keep as long as she's able), that Rei's there for him now.

Only a single trail of tears ended up streaming down his face before Kotetsu somehow found the strength to keep anymore from escaping. He wanted to tell her everything he'd had in mind since she'd left, that he had missed her, that he wished he could have told her goodbye, that he hoped he could have done something, anything to make her stay, to keep her safe like he was always meant to because that was just what he was supposed to do, but there was no point in dwelling on everything he used to feel because none of it mattered anymore.

Her shuddered breaths against him, the shaking of her shoulders as she held back her tears, the small hands gripping at his shirt... that was all he needed. Just to know she was fine, that she had come back, and that everything would be alright. Kotetsu grinned widely in absolute relief as all the worries he'd carried with him since Rei had left were finally gone, and after letting out a breathless laugh, he murmured clumsily against her hair. "Y-you... of all the ways t'make a comeback, you kinda... picked a terrible one." He still had no idea how or even why she had ended up in his bed of all places, but honestly, he could hardly be picky about where she had turned up. Ultimately, it didn't matter at all.

His arms gave her a strong squeeze, and Kotetsu knew he most likely wouldn't be able to let her go for a while longer, something he hoped she wouldn't mind too much. "I'm so glad you're okay."

Rei can't help but laugh, in the way that Kotetsu always seems to be able to do no matter how grave a situation or the emotions Rei might be feeling at the time. That's what she'd always liked about him, among so many other reasons; she laughs and shakes her head, because really he's got a point.

"--Wasn't expecting you back so early." She tilts her head up so she can talk to him without muffling it in his shoulder, but doesn't let him go--she doesn't mind the embrace, and honestly after everything she went through it's comforting and nice. She doesn't plan to leave it any time soon. "I returned this afternoon and Kaede found me and took me here. She's really something, Kotetsu."

Her voice is filled with a warm sort of pride, for him, for his daughter, and for how much of a help she'd been. "She said you and Barnaby were on a mission, so I thought I'd see you tomorrow... But not like this." Not in her nightgown after he'd just fallen on her. Yeah, Rei could've done without that part.

A brief pause and Rei smiles lightly and returns it with a light squeeze of her own, resting her head against him again. "I am too. And I'm glad to be back."

Back early...? She'd been expecting him? When the rest of her words follow, Kotetsu almost pulls away to get a better look at her, to make sure what she's saying is the truth because she'd been waiting for him this whole time. All during the mission, she had been here, and he could have actually helped her for once but he wasn't there and she... disappointment and regret flooded him all over again, and though it was relieving to hear Kaede had been the one to go to Rei (he was going to smother his daughter in love in the morning now, that was official. He'd cook her whatever he wanted, take her shopping, give her all the extra space she needed. Whatever she wanted, she'd have it, his amazing little girl), he still couldn't accept that he had missed out on greeting her back.

"I"m sorry, if I knew I would've..." But there was no point in apologies now, and Kotetsu just shook his head and continued to listen. "At least you're okay. After all that, I'm... just really glad." 'Glad you're still alive.'

It's still a the tip of his tongue, that question he wants to know of, what exactly had happened to her back home. Rei had seemed so devastated in telling him the truth of what returning to her world would result in, but she looked okay, and he'd been more than assured that whatever had happened back home had worked out for her benefit, but... what exactly had happened?

But he couldn't ask. He didn't want to, not then, not yet. Maybe Kotetsu would ask tomorrow, or in a few days, a week or more. Maybe he wouldn't even ask at all, he wasn't sure, but right now the details would simply remain unknown.

"Kotetsu..." She trailed off and shook her head. "It's alright, really. I wasn't sure I was ready to see anyone when I first arrived anyhow." She'd felt too disoriented, too far gone in her own grief and she'd known she'd looked terrible. As close as she was to Kotetsu, a part of Rei still hadn't wanted him to see her that way.

She hadn't been sure what to tell him anyway, so in a way she was glad for the suddenness of this all, it left her unable to really think about it enough to cause herself anxiety over what to say, how is she supposed to act now? Would things have changed, somehow?

Thankfully things to be just the same, despite Kotetsu's clinging to her.

Rei waits, expecting that inevitable question. When it never comes she has to wonder why--did he think there'd e something he doesn't want to hear? That maybe she actually hadn't survived, or that something even worse had happened? If he won't ask, she won't tell, she decided. She'd just have to keep reassuring him hat everything was okay, really, truly okay.

In the meantime though, she places a hand over his chest to get his attention to tell him something--but momentarily she becomes distracted by his heartbeat and smiles faintly. It's comforting, calming and she releases a slow breath, feeling better than she had been all day.

"You must be really tired. You should really get some sleep." And then, with another soft smile, she adds, "I'll still be here in the morning. I promise."

He couldn't exactly understand what she meant by not wanting to see anyone upon her arrival. Why wouldn't she? Back in Sternbild when he and Barnaby had gone up against H01, and he had faded off into unconsciousness after the fight, all he could think about when he had woken up again was seeing everyone again. Having left Barnaby and Kaede alone to think he was dead was just unforgivable, and though he had spent those first few moments in front of them with a ridiculous catchphrase, he couldn't have imagined not wanting to see them again. The painful embrace he had received soon afterward had done a number on his sore ribs but he couldn't have been happier with the 'welcome home'.

Kotetsu's thoughts had trailed off for a while, enough that he couldn't quite focus on what Rei was saying until all of a sudden the word 'sleep' caught his ears and it was then that Kotetsu remembered that he was downright exhausted. How was he still even standing?

Eventually loosening his hold on her, Kotestu looked over the bed then over his shoulder to the front door, using up the last bit of his strength to figure out something he had been ignoring for a while now. "Wait, where's Kaede? Is she in Bunny's room?" But if his daughter had been in his partner's room then Barnaby should have come to him by now to let him know, unless he was the type to shrug off that sort of thing and head over to the couch, but if Barnaby had the couch then where would Kotetsu sleep? Not in his bed, of course not, Rei was using it.

...they really needed a bigger place.

Rei had always been a fairly solitary person; it had only grown to nearly full-blown hikikomori status after Yuu's death. It was a natural feeling to want to pull herself inward and shun everyone else to deal with her problems alone. She'd never had a circle of friends--anyone she knew in college or work she'd quickly lost contact with after she'd graduated or quit her job. It had been her and Miku, and the last thing she'd wanted to do was to put more burden on Miku, given that she was already doing 98% of the running of the house.

Not wanting to see anyone and wanting to deal with it herself had been her first thought, and all she'd wanted to do was run home and lock herself away for a while until she deemed herself fit to return to society. Thankfully she'd spent enough time her to recognize that that wasn't the answer, and had been grateful for Kaede's help. But there'd still been a part of her that was glad to not have to deal with more than her.

Either way there isn't time to dwell on it, the sleeping arrangements were a lot more important right now. "Kaede's on the couch, I think." Which still left a problem of where Kotetsu would sleep. She glanced over her shoulder at the bed; it was big enough, right?

"...You could stay in here, if you want. I don't mind."

The frown on his face was just about reflexive, because of all the places that were suitable enough for his daughter to sleep on, the couch was certainly not one of them. Sure, she was still small enough to somewhat comfortably fit there, but it still didn't make it sound as appealing as a bed. However, it was late, and she was most likely sound asleep at this point, not to mention that even if he did manage to wake her up, he didn't exactly know where to put her, though he could always just try to ask Rei if Kaede could share the bed with her and then he could go on the couch.

With a frustrated grumble, Kotetsu rubbed at his head, mumbling quietly. "We really need to move soon." Looking over at the bed, he wondered on just what exactly to do. At this point his only other option was to sleep on the floor and, he didn't exactly know if he could pull that off with how tired he was. Or, he could, but Kotetsu would be incredibly sore the next day.

Well, that settled that then, but he wouldn't just agree to it that simply. "You sure that's okay? I mean, not that I'm a blanket hog or anything, at least not that I know of, just... making sure."

Letting Kaede share a bed with her had never crossed her mind, neither before when they were deciding sleeping arrangements nor right now trying to figure it out again.

In the morning, or in a couple days, she'll ask about the decision to move. It's a good decision, really, given their new additions with both Potato and Kaede. This apartment just wasn't big enough to house all of them, and it wasn't like they could let Kaede live on her own--even Rei would have some strong objections to that. She'd want to help them as best she could, too, regardless of whether they wanted it or not.

Rei shakes her head, getting back to the task at hand. "I can trust you, can't I? So it's fine. We're both exhausted anyway, so it's better to settle this now and get to sleep, isn't it?"

Considering there was absolutely no way Kotetsu would ever agree to having Kaede find a place of her own, the answer was obvious in that they'd need to find a new place and soon, though how easy that'd be depended on the money they had at hand. Kotetsu hadn't quite gotten used to having so many extra expenses at hand so his initial instinct was to think that they didn't have enough for a new place but, who knew. Maybe he'd be surprised.

Stepping away in order to see if he could at least change into sleeping clothes, Kotetsu had turned around... then turned right back the other way to face Rei again, just slightly confused on what she meant by trusting him. What did she need to trust him for when it came to sleeping? That he wouldn't topple over her in his sleep again?

--oh that's right, he'd done that. "Y-you can, yeah! Sorry about before! I didn't know you were there so... I-I'm really sorry, I never even asked if you were okay!" Kotetsu looked back over at the bed before giving Rei another glance-over. "I'll make sure I'm as far on the other side as possible! You don't even need to give me a pillow or blankets or anything!"

Rei can't help but laugh, shaking her head. If there's one thing she can count on, it's Kotetsu's ability to, well, be Kotetsu. "It's alright, really. No permanent damage done."

No pillows or blankets? "Kotetsu- You're going too far!" She backed up to sit on the bed, shaking her head in exasperation. "You don't have to do that. You can sleep under the covers and even take a pillow; it's not like you're in time out or anything."

There's a pause and Rei sighs softly, feeling content; despite her brief time away it seemed like not much had changed, and for that she was grateful. "Besides, having you nearby will make me feel better."

Secretly, Kotetsu was pretty relieved that he'd be able to actually curl up underneath something warmer than his clothes, because even though the temperature in the room was far from anything similar to what he'd dealt with on the mission site, he'd still really been looking forward to getting some rest under his blankets. It still sort of felt like he didn't know what being warm felt like.

"Oh. ...got it. Th-thanks, I guess..." Eventually his outburst died off, but he didn't look like he was going to start preparing for bed anytime soon, especially since he realized that he sort of... couldn't change into sleeping clothes. Not with Rei there. That wasn't really proper. But he really wanted to change.

Looking over at the direction of the drawers, Kotetsu took a slow side-step in their direction before stopping again. "I'm just, gonna get ready then. I won't take long." Not that he could if he tried. He had no idea how he was still managing to stand on two feet, he was so darn tired.

Rei stared at Kotetsu a moment, before the sudden realization hit her. "Oh! Do you want me to step outside or-?" She trailed off, turning away slightly, also prepared to just turn away. "Or I can just promise not to peek."

There's a light laugh. Poor Kotetsu, he looked dead on his feet, for lack of a more accurate, less morbid comparison. The sooner he could get to sleep, the better; she felt bad for keeping him up even this long.

"Ah no, no I... I don't think you have to leave. I'm just gonna change my... pants, at least." He really doubted he had enough energy to completely change into proper sleeping clothes at this moment. Just walking over to the drawers and opening them was hard enough. As awkward as the whole thing would be, he didn't exactly want to risk having Rei wake Kaede up while she was in the living room.

Glancing over his shoulder, Kotetsu gave Rei a tired mock-glare, ushering her with a hand to hurry up and just get under the covers. "Turn around at least. Go, shoo. Give an old man some privacy."

Rei laughs again and climbs underneath the covers, the feel of the cool covers is welcoming, making her sigh as she relaxes. "I won't look, I promise. I'll protect your virtue."

It's said with a mocking graveness and she gives him a light smile before she turns her back to him, pulling the covers over her head as extra 'protection'. "But hurry or I'll just end up falling asleep now."

All he can do is scoff over that 'virtue' bit, but once he's assured that Rei is under the covers and not looking his way, Kotetsu opens one of the drawers and pulls out some drawstring sleeping pants. "You don't really need to wait for me y'know. If you're tired, go sleep."

It takes a fumbled moment to start changing, mostly because of how darn tired he is but eventually once Kotetsu is about halfway done he glances over to the bed, already more than ready to just doze off the second he reaches it. "But just so you know, in case you're expecting some chat before bed, it's probably not gonna happen. I don't even know how Bunny and I made it back home, we're as tired as tired can get. I don't even wanna know how damn cold it was on that mountain. And then there was all that walking, and that huge cat."

Hopefully the next mission wouldn't be so ridiculously difficult and tiresome, or at the most, not so darn cold.

Rei gives a soft hum in response to Kotetsu's rambling, drifting off, but still awake enough to listening.

...Wait. "Cat?" She lifts her head some; she's still turned away from him, but she's hoping if she does some sort of movement it'll keep her awake enough to think. "What huge cat?" That sounds kind of dangerous; did Kotetsu have scratch marks on him? She couldn't recall.

Once the sleeping pants are on, Kotetsu debates on whether he should use any effort to lean down and pick up his regular pants to fold and put them away, but he realizes that nope, he has zero motivation to do so at that moment and so he just scuffs them aside with his foot. He'll just put them in the laundry the next day.

At the sound of her voice at his back, Kotetsu glances over his shoulder, ridding himself of his vest and tie so he can simply sleep in his shirt. "This really big wild cat that popped up while we were going up the mountain. I don't know what kind it was but--" His words came to a halt as Kotetsu yawned, but soon afterward he continued, his voice sounding a little drowsier than before. "It was big and mean and a pain t'deal with, 'specially in all that damn snow. Bunny 'n I took care of 'im pretty well though."

[Closed]

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