04 → [audio]
[It's been a while since Lenalee has addressed the network. For lack of anything to say that wouldn't be a rehash of what everyone else has already long gone over, maybe. Something like that. There's only so much she can bring up with a group of people she doesn't know or understand, after all
( Read more... )
[A soft smile is audible in his voice.] Thanks, Lena. You can come up any time you want.
Reply
[Now that he's given the go-ahead, however, she pushes any negative feelings as far into the back of her heart as they'll go and heads for the landing. Her gift is all set, wrapped up in her uniform jacket for lack of anything else to wrap it in, and resting on a 'table' (as in, a crate with a slat of wood on top) near the door. She's already halfway up the first set of stairs, gift in the crook of her arm, by the time she replies.]
I'll be right up, then.
[She hesitates and glances down at her anklets with an almost rueful smile, then keeps on climbing.]
Reply
Take your time coming up, it's a long way and I'm not moving.
Reply
And Lavi, it's five floors. I've run larger distances back home. [If he listens closely enough, he'll be able to tell that she's making good progress; light, quick steps up and up and up.]
Reply
I know, I just want to talk to you not out of breath.
Reply
But if I lose my breath just from climbing five floors, I think that's probably a completely new problem, isn't it? [She's already cresting on the seventh floor, but even as she jokes about it, a grimace spreads across her face, because she can feel a stitch beginning in her side that she nurses uneasily with her other hand. She needs to begin training again, she thinks.]
Reply
[And really it had been hard to come by razors here, he had to resort to using his knife to shave in the mornings, being very careful.]
I lose it going down them all. [A light laugh, teasing.]
Reply
[Everything they'd ever taken for granted is difficult to come by here. Look at her uniform, beginning to fray after constant wear. She won't give it up, though. Not even with the civilian clothes (rags) she's got folded in her room. Her coat she won't dare put on as long as it's warm and might tear, but her skirt is beginning to tatter; her stockings run. She's frankly surprised he's still managed to avoid stubble for as long as he has.]
How can you? You take your hammer down.
[Slowing down now that she's come up to the eighth floor- might as well let the last flight act as a cooldown.]
Reply
[He'd look for something similar to her uniform so she doesn't have to let it fray and wear, keep it for battles because of its durability. He'll make sure to remember next time he goes to town.]
Yeah, I do. But sometimes I gotta use the stairs.
Reply
[Or perhaps they could all let her go to Credinta for one, before the city begins recognizing the eyepatch wearing redhead...!]
Well, in that case, you should exercise more. Taking naps all the time doesn't help, without any missions to keep us in shape... [She trails off, her smile fading for a moment, before carrying on almost seamlessly:] All right, I'm turning this off now. I'll see you in a minute.
Reply
And he's about to say that he's got no one to train with, Kanda always says no. D: And he doesn't want to bother Allen, he's busy enough on his own without Lavi adding anything to it. He just lets out a huff of air.] Door's open for you, Lena.
Reply
A few moments after the feed is cut, there comes a knock at the door- mostly just to announce her presence- and then it's pushed open. She peeks in, uniform-gift-bundle-thing nestled in the crook of her arm.] Lavi.
Reply
Lavi is in front of a small piece of mirror, shaving like they were talking about. He had forgotten to do it earlier. He stops when she comes in and grins.] Hey, told you I have stubble. [Grins as he points at it.]
Reply
She closes the door behind her with a soft click and meets Lavi's grin with one of her own. Though she won't voice it, there is, of course, a soft flutter of unease in that he's shaving with a knife, but... what else is he supposed to use?] It makes you look very grown up.
[Though she supposes he is- twenty years old today, isn't he?] I, ah... brought you something.
Reply
He sets it down and wipes at his neck and jaw.] I'd rather not look like a shaggy strawberry, yeah? [Grinning and making jokes at the way he looks.
And then blinks, outwardly taken back.] Lena, you didn't have to. It's hard enough to get things to survive let alone presents.
Reply
You'd rather look like a clean-shaven one? [But look! She can make a joke! Even if it sounds as if she made it just to fill the empty air preceding that surprised look.]
...I made it from things I ["can live without"] already had lying around, so don't give me that sort of reply. [She hesitates, then holds out the bundle.] Here.
Reply
Leave a comment