[When Shinichi had asked, Kaede briefly forgot how to speak. Again. Emotions and feelings she'd only just let herself feel again fizzed up all at once like the bubbles in a drink, turning her mind into a cloud of frazzled static. Words wouldn't make it out of her mouth without becoming similarly indistinct and fuzzy, so she'd pressed her face against his shoulder, hand curled tightly against his jacket and ears blending in with her hair, and hoping he could hear and understand her little raspy "yes".
And...he did. The dreams did, too.
This place was so big two Maple Inns could fit in, with room left over--and with a great vaulted ceiling too, one that never seemed to trap cold air or steal warmth from that always-lit fireplace. The hills and snow-covered trees hemming the place in made the lodge feel protected, not claustrophobic. And the snow was so deep the drifts came up to well above her knees; if she stepped off a path she'd be in soft powder over her ankles. Kaede's vectors were rather useful when it came to sweeping the snow out of the way, but it hardly seemed much an impediment to Shinichi. He'd been flitting around the lodge like a quiet, but giddy moth; Kaede followed him sometimes, mostly to ensure there was not, in fact, something dreadful hidden in one of the rooms, but she just as often left him to his devices. Shinichi seemed to be planning something; at least some of them could be surprises. It gave her time to rest on a couch in the main lounge, and wonder at the warm feeling in her chest that didn't come from the fireplace.
The diclonius didn't stay put long, though, especially when Shinichi wanted to go outside. After wiggling into a long coat that was thinking about being too long, Kaede's knees were still a bit cold despite the long skirt and leggings--but nevermind that. She drew close to the bespectacled boy in a few steps, like some part of herself needed reassurance he was still there, still here. And she inevitably noticed him flushing when she did, which made a blush of pink appear on her ears while she pretended not to notice. She did notice how his hand seemed to be troubling him in the cold--was Migi being a problem again? Something indignant and possessive joined the Warm Thing in her chest, but before she could get too far into that spiral, Shinichi came to a stop.
Kaede's head tilted a bit at him; her voice was level, the better to hide the complex bundle of things underneath, but there was a bit more lightness in her expression than before. Almost like amusement.]
You're more experienced than I am, then.
[She'd seen snow before, of course--but never this much, let alone used a sled in her life.]
I'll go with you.
[It was out of her mouth before Kaede thought too much about it; there was only one sled, and a lot of trees Shinichi could run into. And--the way he smiled, it made the Warm Thing flutter a little.]
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And...he did. The dreams did, too.
This place was so big two Maple Inns could fit in, with room left over--and with a great vaulted ceiling too, one that never seemed to trap cold air or steal warmth from that always-lit fireplace. The hills and snow-covered trees hemming the place in made the lodge feel protected, not claustrophobic. And the snow was so deep the drifts came up to well above her knees; if she stepped off a path she'd be in soft powder over her ankles. Kaede's vectors were rather useful when it came to sweeping the snow out of the way, but it hardly seemed much an impediment to Shinichi. He'd been flitting around the lodge like a quiet, but giddy moth; Kaede followed him sometimes, mostly to ensure there was not, in fact, something dreadful hidden in one of the rooms, but she just as often left him to his devices. Shinichi seemed to be planning something; at least some of them could be surprises. It gave her time to rest on a couch in the main lounge, and wonder at the warm feeling in her chest that didn't come from the fireplace.
The diclonius didn't stay put long, though, especially when Shinichi wanted to go outside. After wiggling into a long coat that was thinking about being too long, Kaede's knees were still a bit cold despite the long skirt and leggings--but nevermind that. She drew close to the bespectacled boy in a few steps, like some part of herself needed reassurance he was still there, still here. And she inevitably noticed him flushing when she did, which made a blush of pink appear on her ears while she pretended not to notice. She did notice how his hand seemed to be troubling him in the cold--was Migi being a problem again? Something indignant and possessive joined the Warm Thing in her chest, but before she could get too far into that spiral, Shinichi came to a stop.
Kaede's head tilted a bit at him; her voice was level, the better to hide the complex bundle of things underneath, but there was a bit more lightness in her expression than before. Almost like amusement.]
You're more experienced than I am, then.
[She'd seen snow before, of course--but never this much, let alone used a sled in her life.]
I'll go with you.
[It was out of her mouth before Kaede thought too much about it; there was only one sled, and a lot of trees Shinichi could run into. And--the way he smiled, it made the Warm Thing flutter a little.]