[ there's some sounds of movement - rustling of bag and things - as mitsuru moves behind him and looks for a place to set up all the gears at, but he doesn't immediately turn to help her with it - even though she said it's sharp and spikey, he carefully prods at one of the spines with a finger, starting when it, in fact, does hurt. for such a tiny thing, it's stronger than it looks, huh? ]
Sorry--- what?
[ he's still smiling when he turns around to catch mitsuru staring at the photo - still smiling, but it is a fraction off, a little awkward - maybe embarrassed at being caught out with a childhood photo? or maybe it's something more. ]
She can’t tell exactly what that smile means, can’t entirely put into words why it seems a little off… Never the less she’s… pleased to learn something new about him. Something at all.
Her gaze moves across each of the boys in turn before settling on the dark haired woman in the photograph. ]
but really, this is the first real bit of information that vash will readily divulge ... he is a twin, still connected by the doubling echo of heartbeats that aren't his own; its comforting these days, more often than not. ]
Ah ... yeah.
[ a bit of a noncommittal answer, maybe, but vash leaves fiddling with the cactus for now and heads into the kitchen, pulling down a mug - two mugs - and fussing around for some tea or coffee that he must have stashed around there from the last time he had played host. that is probably about the time mitsuru and shinji stayed with him.
this makes it easier, it means that his back is turned, at least partially so. ]
Twin, actually! [ at least his voice sounds cheery enough? ]
That's Rem - she looked after us.
[ the wording is a little odd, maybe, despite the clear affection and tenderness in his voice at her name. ]
[ Well, she wasn’t going to mention those haircuts right away…
She doesn’t exactly fail to notice the way he seems to be using the fact that his back is turned to his advantage here. But he’s talking and that’s something…
And Mitsuru can’t help but smile at the “twin” thing - because it’s already more than apparent without Vash offering that information. ]
I never would have guessed that by looking at the two of you.
[ Her tone is only lightly teasing, turning her attention back to the woman in the photograph for a moment. It certainly is odd, the way he words it. If she were to guess the relationship point blank she would have said that this woman appeared to be a mother to them both. But then Vash clearly isn’t human so perhaps whatever he happens to be doesn’t require a parent- and yet he has a sibling…
He might have given her information but honestly, she feels as though she has even more questions now than when she started… ]
[ to be honest, he doesn't remember when the photo was taken exactly - rem had taken so many photos of them both, and videos too - so much so that she'd complained that her data pack was already full. it's hard to know the precise moment, but it's the only photo he has of her now. everything else was ...
she looks proud of you both. will she still be proud, knowing what they'd done? what he'd done? she wouldn't be proud of me. she'd be horrified, knowing what i'd done. what i let nai do.
he tries to laugh, he really does, but his throat feels scratchy and odd that all that comes out is a little wheeze of breath. ] Uh, I hope so! Hahaha ...
[ his hands, he notices, have stopped fiddling with the can of tea (or was it coffee? he can't remember) and with a quick jerk of his shoulders vash sets himself going again. doing a mundane task like this - boiling water, measuring out spoonfuls of tea (so his guess was half right) into the mugs, it kind of helps a little. even a little is good. ]
It's - uh - Sorry, I didn't ask if you wanted tea, but um - I'm making some now?
[ This, perhaps more than anything else that he might have seemed to want to avoid talking about in the past, seems like a delicate topic. If that odd forced laugh that sounds more like a wheeze from him is anything to go by. Then there's that distinct jerk of his shoulders before he offers her a drink, almost like a conscious effort to shake something off... ]
I'll never decline tea, thank you.
[ It's true. That's one of her particular habits.
Mitsuru observes his back as he busies himself with the tea making, while she commandeers one of his chairs and places it in the middle of the kitchen floor. It will be easier to sweep up all the hair afterwards than in the lounge area she figures.
She isn't sure what has her taking a few steps closer to his side, has her reaching out to briefly touch his arm, the real one, rather than the prosthetic. Regardless, she does, just for a moment. Before returning to her position to busy herself with removing the sheers and the other equipment from the bag she'd brought with her. ]
...Sit down whenever you're ready. I'm afraid I can't promise you that it's going to look exactly like it did before.
[ for someone as jittery and easily startled as vash, the touch to his arm should warrant one of his usual reactions - even if it's nothing more than just a light brush of fingers. instead, it's a barely there pause - almost not even daring to breathe, at least not until mitsuru is moving away again and the sound of chair being moved and equipment being set down on the table breaks him out again. ]
Uh, here you go ...
[ almost jerkily, he puts down the mugs on the corner of the table, out of the way of the shears and scissors - one nearer to her, handle turned in her direction. ]
As long as it's shorter, that's all I can ask for - It's just a little ... annoying? To have it this long, I suppose?
“Nice?” [ She can’t help but laugh at that, quiet but genuine. She was joking but… really, Vash? ] Now really, you’ll make me blush if you give me anymore compliments like that.
[ She points to the chair. ]
I’ll spare you anymore squirming - sit down, will you?
Ahaha ... [ even to his ears it wasn't a great one, but at least she seems to find it amusing? ] I do mean it, you know!
[ clearly she takes good care of her hair??? it always looks nice????
at least, some of the awkward tension from the earlier conversation seems to bleed out of him as vash hesitantly laughs along with her, letting his head fall forward but hastily straightening up again as the new, longer hair falls into his face. ]
[ As that newly long blonde hair of his immediately tumbles into his face, she chuckles again, reaching for the scissors. ]
You look like a lion.
I'll give the majority of it the chop first before I attempt to get it back to how it was.
[ With that, she uses her hands to gently gather his hair back into what would be a ponytail shape. Although instead of tying it up she uses the scissors to begin cutting the bulk of it away. While she does so, she can't resist saying, ]
...Although you did look rather cute with that bowlcut back then.
[ that makes him laugh - though quietly so, as to not to overly disturb mitsuru as she begins work on the messy fall of hair. they don't want to accidentally cut off an ear, or anything! least of all him!
it is an interesting allusion, by all means - he would never have thought of that. ] Is it because of the colour?
[ the snip, snip of the scissor blades soon start, and he tries to be as still as possible and not let the metallic sound of them bother him overmuch. it's hard to not be tense - but at least the little joke kind of softens the tension building in his spine. ]
Haha ... It's not the best, but we didn't know any better, back then.
[ Don't worry, Vash. She has zero plans to lop an ear off. In fact she's probably being a little slower than necessary to avoid anything remotely like that. As she cuts away, occasionally she reaches to gently brush away any strands that might still be clinging to what remains on his head. ]
But it also feels like what I imagine a lion's mane might feel like.
[ She takes a step back for a moment as she finishes cutting away the bulk at least. Hopefully leaving his head feeling lighter. Next would be the more tricky part. ]
...I always wore twintails. If it makes you feel any better.
[ he's still wearing his signature turtleneck that cover him from neck down, though without the ever-present coat perhaps in concession of this haircut - but the bright blond hairs that fall down at least stand out against the black top, making it easier to pick out, right? vash doesn't immediately reply, too busy concentrating on remaining quiet and still for her to do the job with scissors ... and maybe also thinking over what she's said.
when it's this long, his hair actually might look pretty nice - not as messy - but the texture is really anything but, which mitsuru is probably finding out already; it's on this side of coarse, probably, and thick to boot. he supposes a lion does look somewhat similar ... ]
Twintails?
[ since there's no mirrors or anything like that, he can't look up to meet her eyes, but she could probably hear the smile in his exclamation. ] That sounds cute!
[ Likewise, she's happy to remain in what she hopes is comfortable quiet for most of the time. She needs to concentrate - after all, this is the first time she's had to give someone an entire haircut as opposed to offering just the tiniest trim and like anything she does, Mitsuru wants to do it as well as she possibly can. She had made sure to at least prep herself on how to do the kind of undercut that Vash favours and, handily, the darker parts of his hair offer something of a guide as to where to go with it for the most part.
As she alternates between the shears and the electric clippers for the shorter part, she does note the way the falling strands of blonde are sticking to his black turtleneck in various places... in hindsight, she really should have put something around his shoulders to catch those. It can't be helped now. ]
Hmm? [ Mitsuru laughs softly at his remark, moving round to the front of his hair now to try and get some shape back into that part - and, in the process, get it out of his eyes. She reaches to gently brush a lock of it to one side with her fingertips, her voice amused but quiet - given how close she is. ] Perhaps I should go back to those then.
[ She's particularly careful as she trims the front, running her fingers through it in a testing fashion now and again once she thinks she's taken enough off... Course yet fluffy - definitely like a lion. ] .
...Although I promise I'm doing my best not to give you another bowlcut.
[ in hindsight, maybe it would have been better to change out of the shirt - but then again, there's no way he would in the first place; better to deal with all the cut hair later, even if it might be a pain ...
anyway, this is ... kind of nice. comforting, in a way, with her hands running over his hair as she figures out how short to cut each part. relaxing, even with the presence of sharp objects so close to all his vulnerable points. it kind of reminds him of meeting with her in the library, the quiet chatting leading way into easy silence, both of them sharing the space but each in their own worlds.
when she moves around to stand in front of him, vash closes his eyes out of sheer reflex; he still remembers how he didn't, the first time rem had cut their hair, and it got into his eyes and he'd cried for a full ten minutes trying to get the fragments out - he'd rather not do that again. at least he's got his glasses off again this time too, so there's no danger of it getting in the way.
with his eyes still closed he mumbles out, trying to keep himself from opening his mouth too wide - though he does smile, a little. ] It's alright. I trust you.
[ Trusts her enough for her to wield sharp implements around and/or near his face at the very least she figures. Like him, she feels relaxed, despite the pressure she's silently putting on herself to get this done well.
When the intermittent sounds of the snip of scissors and whir of the clippers finally cease and she decides that she might be done here, Mitsuru takes a step back to look over her handiwork. It's pretty close but- ]
...I may have taken just a little too much off.
[ Not that it looks bad, far from it... It's just... shorter than how he usually has it. ]
[ hey, that's actually a big deal, you know! or actually, don't know ... but maybe ignorance really is bliss, you know? he wouldn't want her to feel even more pressured than she already is, after all.
when he feels her hands pause, and the noises of the whirring machine stop, vash carefully opens an eye to peer up at her, giving a small, hesitant grin. ]
Is it ... done?
[ it's probably in hindsight, but he should have brought in a mirror or something ... not that there's any other mirrors here than what's built into the wall in the bathroom.
after another glance at her to gauge her expression, vash reaches up to run his fingers through the newly-shorn hair, the glass-green fingers catching at what's left of it and sending scatters of fallen hair from his shoulders to his lap with the motion.
It is. It’s just a little shorter than how you had it previously.
[ She reaches to rearrange a few strands as he grins up at her, ridding him of a few more clippings that were still clinging on and silently lamenting how many of them have gotten onto his black turtleneck.
Also being low key embarrassed that she had taken off more of his hair than she had meant to. Not that it looks bad, it’s easily recognisabe as the same style as before. It’s just different - shorter. ]
I am sorry for that. However, I… actually like it.
[ but that would involve taking his shirt off and that can't happen!
almost as though he read her mind, vash looks down at all the scattered hair down his shirt and lets out a little laugh - strange how it seems so much more when it's cut then when it was attached to his head, right? ] Don't worry about it - I can clean this up easily!
[ after she has left, of course - so mitsuru might just need to be careful about where she's stepping if she doesn't want to take some home. ]
I didn’t realise my opinion on your appearance mattered that much to you.
[ She’s teasing him, clearly. Again. Reinforced by the amused smile on her face and the way her fingers brush through his hair one final time to both rid him of any further loose strands and to assess her handiwork once more. ]
You aren’t obligated to like it just because I do.
[ the touch to his hair is nice. unassuming, because she's more concerned with checking over her work than any other ulterior motives ... he's had plenty of people go for the neck and head, sorry! but nevertheless, this reminds him of when rem used to cut their hair - she liked them to look neat - so he finds himself relaxing just a fraction further, closing his eyes with a faint smile. ]
[ Again, she notes how different it is to see him actually looking relaxed... or some way close to it at at least. It's... nice. She's way past done needing to remove any more stray hairs yet she feels a pull to keep doing what she's doing, perhaps let him relax even further and keep his eyes closed like that.
You know, if that wouldn't be odd. She slowly removes her hand, almost giving away that slight reluctance to do so. ]
...I think we're all done here. [ A pause and she smiles. ] Don't fall asleep. I'm not catching you when you fall off that chair.
[ when she takes her hand away there's a slight pang - he recognises it for what it is, a now-familiar sense of longing, but something that he's learned to try and ignore by now.
you're just using them to stave off your loneliness, his brother had said - one of many variations of such while the ruins of the town fell all around them. vash can't help but to remember those words as he opens his eyes again, the blue eyes catching the overhead light brightly before he drops his head, ducking it down with an awkward smile as if he can't help but to instinctively hide the inhuman markings that would stand out on the surface of his iris and sclera.
he isn't using them. he isn't.
(ignoring the fact that he did ask for her help, after all.) ]
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Sorry--- what?
[ he's still smiling when he turns around to catch mitsuru staring at the photo - still smiling, but it is a fraction off, a little awkward - maybe embarrassed at being caught out with a childhood photo? or maybe it's something more. ]
Uh, yeah! That's me ... and Nai.
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[ A twin even. That’s news to her.
She can’t tell exactly what that smile means, can’t entirely put into words why it seems a little off… Never the less she’s… pleased to learn something new about him. Something at all.
Her gaze moves across each of the boys in turn before settling on the dark haired woman in the photograph. ]
And the woman, who is that?
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but really, this is the first real bit of information that vash will readily divulge ... he is a twin, still connected by the doubling echo of heartbeats that aren't his own; its comforting these days, more often than not. ]
Ah ... yeah.
[ a bit of a noncommittal answer, maybe, but vash leaves fiddling with the cactus for now and heads into the kitchen, pulling down a mug - two mugs - and fussing around for some tea or coffee that he must have stashed around there from the last time he had played host. that is probably about the time mitsuru and shinji stayed with him.
this makes it easier, it means that his back is turned, at least partially so. ]
Twin, actually! [ at least his voice sounds cheery enough? ]
That's Rem - she looked after us.
[ the wording is a little odd, maybe, despite the clear affection and tenderness in his voice at her name. ]
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She doesn’t exactly fail to notice the way he seems to be using the fact that his back is turned to his advantage here. But he’s talking and that’s something…
And Mitsuru can’t help but smile at the “twin” thing - because it’s already more than apparent without Vash offering that information. ]
I never would have guessed that by looking at the two of you.
[ Her tone is only lightly teasing, turning her attention back to the woman in the photograph for a moment. It certainly is odd, the way he words it. If she were to guess the relationship point blank she would have said that this woman appeared to be a mother to them both. But then Vash clearly isn’t human so perhaps whatever he happens to be doesn’t require a parent- and yet he has a sibling…
He might have given her information but honestly, she feels as though she has even more questions now than when she started… ]
…She looks very proud of you both.
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she looks proud of you both. will she still be proud, knowing what they'd done? what he'd done? she wouldn't be proud of me. she'd be horrified, knowing what i'd done. what i let nai do.
he tries to laugh, he really does, but his throat feels scratchy and odd that all that comes out is a little wheeze of breath. ] Uh, I hope so! Hahaha ...
[ his hands, he notices, have stopped fiddling with the can of tea (or was it coffee? he can't remember) and with a quick jerk of his shoulders vash sets himself going again. doing a mundane task like this - boiling water, measuring out spoonfuls of tea (so his guess was half right) into the mugs, it kind of helps a little. even a little is good. ]
It's - uh - Sorry, I didn't ask if you wanted tea, but um - I'm making some now?
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I'll never decline tea, thank you.
[ It's true. That's one of her particular habits.
Mitsuru observes his back as he busies himself with the tea making, while she commandeers one of his chairs and places it in the middle of the kitchen floor. It will be easier to sweep up all the hair afterwards than in the lounge area she figures.
She isn't sure what has her taking a few steps closer to his side, has her reaching out to briefly touch his arm, the real one, rather than the prosthetic. Regardless, she does, just for a moment. Before returning to her position to busy herself with removing the sheers and the other equipment from the bag she'd brought with her. ]
...Sit down whenever you're ready. I'm afraid I can't promise you that it's going to look exactly like it did before.
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Uh, here you go ...
[ almost jerkily, he puts down the mugs on the corner of the table, out of the way of the shears and scissors - one nearer to her, handle turned in her direction. ]
As long as it's shorter, that's all I can ask for - It's just a little ... annoying? To have it this long, I suppose?
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[ Mitsuru won't try and guess the quality of the contents of that mug - she'll drink it to be polite regardless.
She quirks an eyebrow as she stands by the chair, waiting for him to sit down. ]
Is there something wrong with long hair?
[ It's a clear tease from someone with hair visibly down to her waist. ]
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he glances between her expression and the mug, obviously trying to make the connection ... before his gaze falls to her hair.
oh. ]
Uh, that's not what I meant! Your hair is ... [ quick, think up something nice! ] ... Nice?
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[ She points to the chair. ]
I’ll spare you anymore squirming - sit down, will you?
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[ clearly she takes good care of her hair??? it always looks nice????
at least, some of the awkward tension from the earlier conversation seems to bleed out of him as vash hesitantly laughs along with her, letting his head fall forward but hastily straightening up again as the new, longer hair falls into his face. ]
Alright. I'm in your hands!
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[ As that newly long blonde hair of his immediately tumbles into his face, she chuckles again, reaching for the scissors. ]
You look like a lion.
I'll give the majority of it the chop first before I attempt to get it back to how it was.
[ With that, she uses her hands to gently gather his hair back into what would be a ponytail shape. Although instead of tying it up she uses the scissors to begin cutting the bulk of it away. While she does so, she can't resist saying, ]
...Although you did look rather cute with that bowlcut back then.
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[ that makes him laugh - though quietly so, as to not to overly disturb mitsuru as she begins work on the messy fall of hair. they don't want to accidentally cut off an ear, or anything! least of all him!
it is an interesting allusion, by all means - he would never have thought of that. ] Is it because of the colour?
[ the snip, snip of the scissor blades soon start, and he tries to be as still as possible and not let the metallic sound of them bother him overmuch. it's hard to not be tense - but at least the little joke kind of softens the tension building in his spine. ]
Haha ... It's not the best, but we didn't know any better, back then.
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[ Don't worry, Vash. She has zero plans to lop an ear off. In fact she's probably being a little slower than necessary to avoid anything remotely like that. As she cuts away, occasionally she reaches to gently brush away any strands that might still be clinging to what remains on his head. ]
But it also feels like what I imagine a lion's mane might feel like.
[ She takes a step back for a moment as she finishes cutting away the bulk at least. Hopefully leaving his head feeling lighter. Next would be the more tricky part. ]
...I always wore twintails. If it makes you feel any better.
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when it's this long, his hair actually might look pretty nice - not as messy - but the texture is really anything but, which mitsuru is probably finding out already; it's on this side of coarse, probably, and thick to boot. he supposes a lion does look somewhat similar ... ]
Twintails?
[ since there's no mirrors or anything like that, he can't look up to meet her eyes, but she could probably hear the smile in his exclamation. ] That sounds cute!
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As she alternates between the shears and the electric clippers for the shorter part, she does note the way the falling strands of blonde are sticking to his black turtleneck in various places... in hindsight, she really should have put something around his shoulders to catch those. It can't be helped now. ]
Hmm? [ Mitsuru laughs softly at his remark, moving round to the front of his hair now to try and get some shape back into that part - and, in the process, get it out of his eyes. She reaches to gently brush a lock of it to one side with her fingertips, her voice amused but quiet - given how close she is. ] Perhaps I should go back to those then.
[ She's particularly careful as she trims the front, running her fingers through it in a testing fashion now and again once she thinks she's taken enough off... Course yet fluffy - definitely like a lion. ] .
...Although I promise I'm doing my best not to give you another bowlcut.
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anyway, this is ... kind of nice. comforting, in a way, with her hands running over his hair as she figures out how short to cut each part. relaxing, even with the presence of sharp objects so close to all his vulnerable points. it kind of reminds him of meeting with her in the library, the quiet chatting leading way into easy silence, both of them sharing the space but each in their own worlds.
when she moves around to stand in front of him, vash closes his eyes out of sheer reflex; he still remembers how he didn't, the first time rem had cut their hair, and it got into his eyes and he'd cried for a full ten minutes trying to get the fragments out - he'd rather not do that again. at least he's got his glasses off again this time too, so there's no danger of it getting in the way.
with his eyes still closed he mumbles out, trying to keep himself from opening his mouth too wide - though he does smile, a little. ] It's alright. I trust you.
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When the intermittent sounds of the snip of scissors and whir of the clippers finally cease and she decides that she might be done here, Mitsuru takes a step back to look over her handiwork. It's pretty close but- ]
...I may have taken just a little too much off.
[ Not that it looks bad, far from it... It's just... shorter than how he usually has it. ]
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when he feels her hands pause, and the noises of the whirring machine stop, vash carefully opens an eye to peer up at her, giving a small, hesitant grin. ]
Is it ... done?
[ it's probably in hindsight, but he should have brought in a mirror or something ... not that there's any other mirrors here than what's built into the wall in the bathroom.
after another glance at her to gauge her expression, vash reaches up to run his fingers through the newly-shorn hair, the glass-green fingers catching at what's left of it and sending scatters of fallen hair from his shoulders to his lap with the motion.
was it him, or did it feel shorter? ]
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[ She reaches to rearrange a few strands as he grins up at her, ridding him of a few more clippings that were still clinging on and silently lamenting how many of them have gotten onto his black turtleneck.
Also being low key embarrassed that she had taken off more of his hair than she had meant to. Not that it looks bad, it’s easily recognisabe as the same style as before. It’s just different - shorter. ]
I am sorry for that. However, I… actually like it.
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almost as though he read her mind, vash looks down at all the scattered hair down his shirt and lets out a little laugh - strange how it seems so much more when it's cut then when it was attached to his head, right? ] Don't worry about it - I can clean this up easily!
[ after she has left, of course - so mitsuru might just need to be careful about where she's stepping if she doesn't want to take some home. ]
As long as you like it, I like it too!
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[ She’s teasing him, clearly. Again. Reinforced by the amused smile on her face and the way her fingers brush through his hair one final time to both rid him of any further loose strands and to assess her handiwork once more. ]
You aren’t obligated to like it just because I do.
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[ the touch to his hair is nice. unassuming, because she's more concerned with checking over her work than any other ulterior motives ... he's had plenty of people go for the neck and head, sorry! but nevertheless, this reminds him of when rem used to cut their hair - she liked them to look neat - so he finds himself relaxing just a fraction further, closing his eyes with a faint smile. ]
I'm not. I'm glad you're happy with your work.
Thank you.
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[ Again, she notes how different it is to see him actually looking relaxed... or some way close to it at at least. It's... nice. She's way past done needing to remove any more stray hairs yet she feels a pull to keep doing what she's doing, perhaps let him relax even further and keep his eyes closed like that.
You know, if that wouldn't be odd. She slowly removes her hand, almost giving away that slight reluctance to do so. ]
...I think we're all done here. [ A pause and she smiles. ] Don't fall asleep. I'm not catching you when you fall off that chair.
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you're just using them to stave off your loneliness, his brother had said - one of many variations of such while the ruins of the town fell all around them. vash can't help but to remember those words as he opens his eyes again, the blue eyes catching the overhead light brightly before he drops his head, ducking it down with an awkward smile as if he can't help but to instinctively hide the inhuman markings that would stand out on the surface of his iris and sclera.
he isn't using them. he isn't.
(ignoring the fact that he did ask for her help, after all.) ]
Haha, I won't fall off. Sorry ...
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