889/Polite Among Foxes

Polite Among Foxes
Date of Scene:	20 January 2016
Location:	Uminari City - Juuban Avenue - North
Synopsis:	Ayana runs into someone familiar near Ikiko's home. Kunzite is not pleased with Ayana's situation; it makes this a little too close to home for him, too...
Cast of Characters:	Ayana, Kunzite

---

Kunzite has posed:
A certain Wolf does not live in the busiest part of the city, but there are still people. Apartment buildings. Streets that cars pass through.

Streets where a couple of neighboring streetlights might burn out at the same time. Only two; the patch of darkness isn't that large. It'll be fixed soon enough.

In the mean time, there's a familiar sense about that patch of relative darkness. It's only dim, really, thanks to the ambient light, but it's just a little deeper shadow than it ought to be; car headlights struggle just a trifle as they pass through it, and now and again an engine complains a bit, or a phone loses reception in passing. It's just a degree or so colder than the surrounding area.

It's just a little closer to where Ikiko lives than is likely to make anyone who both knows her and recognizes it entirely comfortable.

At least the cause is a familiar one, not some insidious new threat. Kunihiro Saito leans against the wall of a building, white hair half-confined between his shoulders and the concrete, arms idly folded. Maybe he's watching the traffic pass, or maybe he's waiting for a figure to appear on an opposing rooftop. As usual, there's no hint in his expression either way.

Ayana has posed:
A figure does appear on an opposing rooftop, though probably not one that Kunihiro Saito was waiting for. Ill-dressed for the weather, Ayana lands in a crouch at the crest of the roof, then shivers against the evening's cold. She's in a scandalously short black dress, with spandex shorts and thigh high stockings to mitigate the scandalousness.

For a moment, Ayana hesitates, sniffing the air thoughtfully. She starts to turn towards her girlfriend's home; yet again seeking a warm place to lay her head that won't be quite so risky. But that shadowy figure in the lee of a building draws her attention. It's the way the darkness clings to him, or maybe it's just the sense of him.

Maybe it's the small gem dangling from her collar that speaks up, "Schwarze Energie erkannt."

Ayana's ears flicker towards Kunihiro, and then her eyes follow. "Ne?" she asks, curiously, as her heart skips a beat.

Why does he make her feel this way? Especially so close to Ikiko's home. Is she merely unfaithful to her girlfriend, or is there some deeper draw to the man?

These are the questions an introspective Ayana might ask. But Ayana is not introspective. She bounds down the roof and lands on the ground across the street from Kunzite. Without even looking, Ayana dodges through the light traffic to cross towards him, then grins as she draws near. A trio of tails wag gently beneath her short dress, and her ears are perked up enthusiastically. "Saito-senpai," she murmurs. "Konbanwa."

Kunzite has posed:
Gray eyes track the hint of movement down, but it's only as she comes closer that he can resolve her as more than a shadow herself. When he does, he lifts a hand in a brief gesture that serves as both a greeting her direction and an instruction to that patch of shadow -- there's no drag on her own energy as she darts into it; it leaves her alone.

"Good evening, Ayana-san," Saito answers. "This is a pleasant surprise." He studies her at that closer range for a moment - she managed to make that jump in that outfit and the dress stayed in place over the spandex? that's more magical than those tails - but there's somehow nothing suggestive about the attention. Aesthetic appreciation, nothing cruder. "You're looking particularly lovely tonight. My apologies if I interrupted an occasion."

Ayana has posed:
Ayana's eyes light up at the compliment, and her cheeks turn a faint shade of pink. "Thank you," she almost squeaks out, happily, "but it's just what I usually wear. There's no occasion; I'm just ..." not going to tell anyone about Ikiko. Especially not the one man who's made her heart beat like this. "... hunting." With that long a pause?

"You look particularly dashing tonight, Saito-senpai," Ayana returns the compliment. "Although now I'm curious why you're brooding beside a building." Pause. "Did the teacher you were subbing for finally come back to Infinity?"

Kunzite has posed:
Just ... hunting? There's a flicker of amusement about Saito's eyes, but he doesn't say a word to contest the assertion. "Just hunting," he replies. "Not as elaborate a procedure as yours, and not as quick, but it draws less attention. Important for me; you have more of a choice not to stand out." She can keep her tails under control, after all.

Her question gets her a nod in answer, and he straightens away from the wall. "Almost. Infinity decided they'd rather have a short-term substitute to handle the first couple of weeks of this term. I suspect they had a little help making the decision, but I don't care enough to go looking for the culprit. I presume you've stayed with school being beneath your notice? Keeping busy without it?"

Ayana has posed:
"More ..." Ayana considers, "my master has decided I have more important things to be doing." She shrugs a little, then leans into the wall next to Kunzite. She very gently presses her nose against his forearm, just barely. "You should pet my ears," she notes to him gently. "It's considered polite among kitsune."

That's about as obvious a lie as she could tell.

"I'm glad I got to see you again," Ayana says quietly. "I don't know how much longer I'll be able to be seen. There are ... certain things I've done which are going to get me in trouble, soon. I cannot be sure I'll get another chance to see you."

Kunzite has posed:
Lying or not, it wins her an almost-smile and a hand lifted to tend those ears. He remembers her reactions from last time, too, avoiding angles that irritated her, redoubling ones that pleased. It's been a while. And those last lines ... are a little too familiar for his not to make an effort.

He's the one who should be saying them to her, after all, if he could risk it.

Saito tilts his head a little, studying her from an angle with slightly better light. There's a moment in which he considers any number of things he could say. The one that he settles on is - without a trace of sarcasm - "Were they worth it?"

Ayana has posed:
As Kunihiro pets her ears, Ayana allows herself to lean just a little more against him, until he is actively involved in preventing her from falling over. The kitsune closes her eyes and lets out a little sigh of satisfaction.

"Worth it," Ayana murmurs the words thoughtfully. "I don't know. I feel like I am more capable of serving my master now than I was before. But the things which he will feel are betrayal were not my choice. It is things which were done to me. So I can't really say if it was 'worth' it. I can only say that I wish I could conivnce him I am better for him, now, without risking his vengeance."

Kunzite has posed:
"Mm. Something done to you can hardly be a betrayal." Saito is almost as solid a support as the wall, and a little more comfortable of one. Besides, it lets him settle his arm in a more comfortable position behind her head and neck. "If he blames you for something not your choice - unless you invited it, and you imply that you did not, then he's not thinking entirely clearly. Is there anyone who might be able to help him fix that?"

Ayana has posed:
Ayana gives a little half-shrug. "He is not always known for being reasonable. He is ... too scientific, about some things. It's my place to serve as his conscience, sometimes, but ..." she trails off. "Well, it's hard to be his conscience when he will not listen to me without feeling betrayed, anymore."

The fox girl sighs and opens her eyes. She looks up at Kunihiro, then mumbles, "It doesn't matter. I will still serve him, until the end. But I wanted you to know that I actually learned something important from you."

Kunzite has posed:
"If a scientist isn't reasonable, he's not a very good scientist." Fingers press hard enough to dig in, not hard enough to hurt. "And if someone feels betrayed by his conscience - well. His conscience is not likely to be the guilty party."

He's looking down at her when her eyes open. There's something particularly grave about the set of his mouth. Something important? From him? He's not sure what that might be. He answers it by bending his head toward her a little, for a moment - straightening again before the gesture can be misinterpreted. And then saying, quietly, "If there is anything I can do to help ... I can't guarantee I can follow through. I have loyalties of my own, and service I owe to them, as you do to your master. But I can try."

Ayana has posed:
Ayana sniffs amusedly at his offer, and then leans forward and wraps her arms around the professor gently. "THank you," she whispers. "There's nothing anyone can do for me. He made me," she explains, "and when he decides to unmake me, I will respect the decision. I'm just glad I learned not to hesitate. I know that I've only got a few eeks left, maybe. Days maybe. So ... I'm making the most of them."

Kunzite has posed:
She does not get quite the same in return. One of his hands is, after all, already engaged. But he puts the other arm around her shoulder - a loose embrace, yes. But there. "Brave," is all he says, for the first few moments. No sarcasm, still: a straightforward and honest evaluation. And after the pause: "You deserve better. I hope a master wise enough to make you will also be wise enough to recognize that. And if not ... we all come to an end sooner or later. I hope you find some joy, in the time you have."

Ayana has posed:
"Got you to pet my ears twice, didn't I?" Ayana asks with a little grin. Once more she closes her eyes and leans into him. "Not much in life better than that," explains the Kitsune softly. "And soon I'm going to go see someone else who cares very deeply for me, and spend the evening with them. They'll pet my ears, too." A little grin crosses Ayana's features, and then she squeezes him tightly. "Thank you, Saito-senpai."

Kunzite has posed:
Someone else to talk to, then. If he can follow her without her catching on. Difficult; not necessarily impossible. He doesn't hint at that plan. He does squeeze her shoulders lightly before letting go... half letting go. Just enough contact remaining to keep her balanced while she's leaning on him that much. "Well," he says. "I'm glad your ears will be properly tended. At least for tonight." Not quite a smile in return. But he doesn't particularly give more than that, does he. "Sometimes that's enough. Even if it means I should send you off to your ear-petting date." Not in any particular hurry to do that, either. He's no longer out of contact with the person Ayana first reminded him of. She doesn't remind him any less.

Ayana has posed:
"Hmmm," Ayana replies, the noise half amusement, and half contentment. But she doesn't stop hugging him. For a while, she simply falls silent, allowing his fingers to provide all the affection she needs, for a while.

Eventually, though, Ayana squeezes again and starts to disentangle herself from the hug. "It's getting late," she notes. "I should go before it's past her bedtime. I don't like to wake her up, if I can avoid it. She deserves a good night's sleep."

There's a pause, before she finally draws away entirely, and once more stands on her own two feet. "Thank you, Saito-senpai. For the scritches, but also for the compassion. I hope whatever it is you are missing in life gets replaced, soon. I hope that you will be happy."

Kunzite has posed:
No protest, for that while. Cars pass, from time to time; sometimes the sounds of their engines change, and once the faint muffled music from one cuts out altogether in favor of the sound of a driver thumping the dashboard and swearing. It's cold, but it's not much colder than the night is, and the shadows around them take the bite out of the wind, eating the energy of its motion as they do a little of everything else. And he's patient.

And when she starts to straighten, he smooths down her hair and her fur and lets her go.

"I hope the same for you," he answers. "Go be happy. At least for tonight."

And of course he watches her go, till she's nearly out of sight; and when he triggers the first of the teleports to follow her, he exerts the effort to choke the bright part of the signature down to where it's barely visible, and lets the shadows do most of the work of hiding his next vantage point. It's harder work than usual, particularly when he needs to conserve energy. But some risks are worth taking.