Disclaimers: All characters belong to rightful owners.
Story concieved by Lee.


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"I'm glad that you agreed, as well." Lem smiled brightly as Mousy was placed on his shoulder and, giggling softly, he petted gently at the small creature. Of course, he knew that he'd likely have to answer to Master Barano once the play was finished, but, for the moment, he was incredibly glad that he had met this girl... even if he had rather rudely jostled her in the process. Still, it probably just fell under pleasant sort of accident. Giggling softly, he teased the girl gently. "Maybe you should listen to Mousy more often..."

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"Hai... you're right," Sasurai couldn't help but flinch slightly at that, but even she wasn't that socially retarded not to take a gentle teasing fondly, "I should listen to Mousy more often, or if I don't I..." she paused only for a second, "...may never have this chance to meet up with such a good person again." She hoped that after this afternoon with Lemy there would be more after. She would go outside everyday if there was such a possibility. Mousy seemed to let go a soft, squeaky snicker if possible, as if to agree to everything just said (especially since mice are *always* right).

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"Mm. I'm sure you'll get plenty of chances if you take the risk of going out." Lem murmured quietly as he continued to stroke the softly snickering mouse. Of course, it was a bit hypocritical for Lem to tell others to go out more when, really, the only time he ever left Barano's side was when he absolutely had to for work purposes, but he still felt that such a kind, gentle, sweet girl could surely find as many friends as she could ever want.

"I... I know that it's really hard to... to approach people... to... to _trust_ people, but..." He frowned softly and, inclining his head slightly, he worried at his bottom lip just ever so softly. "...but a girl like you... you... you really shouldn't _have_ to spend so much time alone..."

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"Umm... alright, if you really don't mind then I suppose it would be a waste to travel all that way when there are perfectly good eateries around here." Sui decided as they walked. Really, he was in the mood for greasy, unhealthy pizza.

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"You think so?" Arvel blushed again and went starry-eyed. "You're the only hot guy that's ever talked to me, though. Maybe I should sit in more laps, if it always gets such nice results..." He mused.

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Slowly, Sasurai smile dminished and she looked down, "A girl like me..." If only he knew what she had done, if only he knew her guilt and sadness, then wouldn't think of her as somone deserving. In fact... if he knew... then would he want to be her friend? Would he have enjoyed this afternoon? Would he have wanted to meet her? "...a girl like me... must spend time alone... even if I wanted to-to-to... go outside... I-I-I deserve... to be-be alone."

Sasurai felt her eyes mist over in painful memory, yet she shook it away. Oh great... self-pity and paranoia was seeping in again. He was only trying to help... to help her open up, to trust another, to be _happy_ not just now but other times but how could she be happy when she knows she doesn't deserve that privelege? "Ano... I know you... want me to be... able to go outside... but-but-but..." she sighed, "I'm not one to be... anything like that."

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"That sounds good to me." Nev nodded eagerly and, putting his hands his his pockets, he offered the elder a bright smile. "It's sort of cold to be walking around too much, anyway, and, as you've said, there are some really good places around here. Anything specific you had in mind?"

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"Th-that's not true!" Lem exclaimed stridently as he shook his head to the girl's comment about deserving to be alone. Of course, he couldn't know her history or what her believe such things, but, to his mind, a girl as kind and as gentle as this deserved nothing but happiness, nothing but as many friends as she could ever want. "_No one_ deserves to be alone! It... it doesn't matter what you think you've done or... or... or how bad you believe yourself to be! You're a good person, a sweet person, a kind person! I..."

Realizing his outburst, he flushed darkly and, inclining his head, he closed his eyes. No. He shouldn't have said that. Doubtlessly, he'd overstepped his bounds, but... the girl was wrong! It couldn't be as bad as that. It just... couldn't.

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"Actually, yes," Sui admitted, "There's a nice little place around here, good salads, too..." He spotted it and picked up his pace, "Here we are!" The pimp pushed open the door and stepped inside. Only to see his favorite... with a group of people and... a cactus? "Dante, doll, fancy seeing you here."

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Naturally, Nev followed the other inside idly, then, as Sui stopped to talk to a group of people already seated, he fell to benevolent silence. Still, upon recognizing one of the group for one of his students, he smiled to the only girl amongst the three boys--and cactus.

"Oh! Hello, Sophia!" Nev smiled kindly to the girl who was in his science class. "It's nice to see you out with a group of friends."

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Muneca, who had fallen to a thoughtful silence at Alexei's response about demons and the hunting of these same, started a bit as an all too familiar voice came to his ears and, turning his head, he registered faint suprise at spotting his pimp standing over him. Still, he managed to correct his expression to a faint smirk as he let his eyes slide back to the man standing behind the elder.

"It's a little odd seeing you here, too." He commented idly as he quirked a brow. "I didn't think you were much for common pizza places."

"Still..." His tone turning a bit tense, he let his eyes again turn to the unknown blond now addressing Sophia. A date? Possibly. Still, he seemed a little... tame to Sui's tastes. Of course, that could only make it worse. "Don't tell me that you're bringing... dates here, now..."

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If Sasurai hadn't learned to cover her emotions, if she hasn't learned how to create a shell so thick, she would've cried. Right then and their she would've cried. Not just because he had shouted to her, or that she (as she felt she did) made him angry, but because his words... even in such an ardent tone, his words were still kind and certainly not for her. He didn't know who she really was, he didn't know the year in hell, he didn't know _anything_ about her, "You assume... too much Lemy-san..." she said softly, but with growing force, "You are too kind to me, how could you know that if you don't know what I am, who I am, what I have _done_... I've been alone for so long that I... I-I-I know that I don't deserve anything! Especially friends! I derserve to be alone! If only you knew what I had done to Hikari-!"

She stopped and covered her mouth, shaking. She hated anger and yet here she was becoming angry when he simply shouted what he believed was true... and then... about to say her crime? Her shame? And to whom? Someone she just met but who she already felt as a friend. Was she about to risk that rare chance at friendship because of her anger towards his words which could not be for her? Which she was sure were not true simply because he believed her to be someone she was not? "Gomen nasai... I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I didn't-I didn't mean-" In truth she wanted to believe him... she really did, but after so long of making this shell... she simply couldn't believe his words.

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"There... there's no need to apologize." Lem slowly shook his head as he winced to the girl's reaction. Of course, he knew that he'd hurt her, but, well, that was inevitable. He never spoke much at work and, just now, he demonstrated the reason for this: more often than not, he ended up sticking his foot in it. Still, perhaps, he could manage a bit of damage control.

"It... it's true that I... that I don't know what you've done or... or who you really are beyond what you showed me but... but..." Closing his eyes, he shook his head slowly. "That... that doesn't matter at all. I... it doesn't matter. I... I... I... like you because... because you've been nothing but kind. S-seeing how you've been acting to me since we met, I... I can't... I just can't see you in any other light. I... I'm sorry.. .really sorry... if... if it pains you, but that... that's just how it is..."

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Sasurai fell silent, trying hard to think on how she could argue his words, to put and end to this assumption of her, but... how could she fight something he obviously believed about her... she has been nothing but kind to him. She couldn't fight the tears any long er as one after another they fell. Slowly lifting a finger to touch the soft liquid, she felt her shoulder shake. "You-you-you're... too kind..." It did pain her, knowing how he saw her, not as a monster she was so sure of, but as a gentle creature. This only served to hurt her inside, not because of his words or his genuine belief, but because she feared what would happen if he realized what person she really was... if he learned of her darkness that invaded her.

NO! She would not, she could not let that darkness destroy his innocent belief. She had let him into her world and she would not do anything that would make him want to leave, want to despise her. Swallowing any dark thoughts, she managed a soft smile, "It... pains me... but I'm... I'm happy... you see me this way Lemy-san... I wouldn't... have it any other way... you have been nothing but kind to me either... and... and honest. Don't be sorry for-for being ho- honest."

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"I... I don't want to... to pain you, though..." Lem murmured softly and, as the girl started to cry, he foud himself biting hard enough into his bottom lip so as to draw a thin streamer of blood. Still, he couldn't force himself to glance aside and, tentative and gentle, he lifted a hand to brush at the tears staining the smoothness of Sasurai's cheek. He'd hurt her; he could see it in her eyes and, of course, that was his last intention. Still, even if he couldn't take back the words, maybe he could soothe her in some other fashion.

"I... I'm sorry for hurting you, Sasurai. I... I can only see you as I see you..." He shook his head and, letting his hand fall, he closed his eyes. "Still, I... I'll try to find some way to make it up to you..."

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Lukas sighed as Sam went right on ahead and barged into his personal life despite his request to the contrary. No sense protesting that he didn't *need* any help, or that he was *already* happy... well... as happy as anyone could expect to be, anyway. No. Sam was determined to "help" him - and whether Lukas wanted the help or not was really beside the point once Sammy had the bit in his teeth. Still, he knew his friend was sincere and really *did* have his best interests at heart... he just wished that Sam had decided to help with his musical ambitions rather than this particular issue.

"Can't say that I do..." he replied in response to his friend's last question - the previous part of the conversation not really requiring any response on his part other than the occasional nod or noncommittal noise. "But then, I just put in an appearance, 'n then ducked out as soon as possible.."

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"Ehh, well, I dunno about that. Some guys really don't appreciate that sort of thing. I know from experience..." Kisoku sighed, rolling his eyes. "Don't ask. Just... most guys aren't nice like I am!"

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Sasurai looked up, feeling his gentle touch on her face. Her cheeks were stained with tears and she too had bitten on her bottom lip to stop crying. She shook her head slightly, "You... you don't-don't have to-to make anything up-up to me... I..." She took off her glasses to dry her eyes, trying to compose herself though it was too late. She didn't want him to see her in pain, she didn't want to inconvience him, yet unfortunately there wasn't much she could do now, "You've done so much for me... al-already..."

Mousy, meanwhile, felt his friend's pain and looked from his perch on Lemy's shoulder at the tears that were a familiar sight when the two would be alone. So of course, he wasn't surprised but squeaked softly as to reinforce Lemy's soothing and promise. Sasurai gently went to stroke her friend's fur and looking up at her other friend she moved her hand to softly touch his strawberry blonde curls, "I-I- I wish... there were more-more people like you..."

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"Yea, I noticed. Both you _and_ sempai ended up having to run out." Sam sighed slightly as he tipped his head on side. Of course, sempai had his excuses what with his place as heir to the great Capulet fortune, but Lukas, well, it probably just wasn't much his scene. It was still kind of disappointing, though, to be the only one of the band there and he was more than certain that both the other men'd been missed. Still, that's how it went, sometimes.

"Anyway, you should've stuck around. Mary was asking about you." Letting a grin lighten his features, he chuckled softly. "She's really hot on you, you know. Apparently, she's been pining after you for a while. She's a really sweet girl, too. Funny, charming, hot as hell... and she doesn't just blather on about how great Wingless is, either..."

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"I... I really haven't done anything for you, but..." Lem offered her what he hoped was a soothing smile as he tipped his head on side. "...I... I'm glad that you think that I have. Really, I... I just want to be able to see you smile. You... you really have such... such a pretty smile."

Of course, he had to flush as he said this and, though it could probably be taken as something of a pick-up line, again, it was only meant in an attempt to cheer Sasurai. Not that it hadn't been meant honestly; really, Lem had found himself thinking that the girl had one of the most beautiful, the most gentle smiles he'd ever been allowed to see.

"M-more people like me?" Upon hearing this, he blinked stupidly and, flushing at the soft touch to his hair, he tipped his head like a confused puppy. "I... I really don't know if that'd really be a good thing..."

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