#9b5148

[tosa]

(█████ color)

I'm looking for a woman who likes to bite people.

She turns into a BAT. /\/\/(｀⌒´)\/\/\

I never got her name and I've been looking all day.

(Context matters but no one tell him that. Or do.)

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[tosa]

( Look, Mutsu never said he liked it. Anyway, he'll definitely show up! It would be a lie to say he isn't still a little wary but he'll at least do his best to pretend he isn't. This is fine. He! Is! doing! a good! thing!! )

I'm here!

( And he's definitely got something tucked away behind him? )

[regrede]

[ sierra probably won’t attack him unless he’s gearing up for the prank of his life, so when she hears him announce himself, she greets him at the door. ]

My hearing is quite good, you know. You don’t have to yell.

[tosa]

I'm not yelling!

( He's just naturally loud. )

You and me got off on the wrong foot when ya got here. ( Cutting straight to the chase here because he's a direct sword spirit. ) This place is real small so it's no good being on bad terms so let's start over.

What d'ya think?

[regrede]

I think you’re an optimist.

[ but she’s not going to reject him, so that’s as good as accepting his apology. she holds out her hand, but she’s definitely expecting him to kiss it like he’s groveling. ]

Go on, then.

[tosa]

That's me.

( And he's pretty dang proud of it too even if he identifies more as an optimistic realist. He'll look at her hand, wondering what the heck she wants him to do with that. Shake it???? He's not going to grovel or anything like that so she can just hold her hand out as long as she wants.

Actually, that's a good thing because he'll show what's behind his back and hold out




A small pumpkin that he's carved and decorated just! For! Her! Look at his autumn leaf wings? He even donated his bandana to the artistic cause?

He's very proud of his work, can you tell? )

[regrede]

[ sierra should have expected that mutsu wasn’t going to take her hand, but she’s not embarrassed by the way he keeps her hanging. once the pumpkin is presented, sierra automatically turns her hand palm-up instead, so that she can cradle the bottom of it without actually taking it. ]

Oh.

[ softer, more sincere than she’d like it to be. ]

Is this… me?

[tosa]

That's right! It's a bat!

( She better take it because hes' giving it to her right now! )

Can ya tell? Gahaha, I guess I'm not too bad at this pumpkin carving thing!

[regrede]

[ sierra does take it, examining the pumpkin’s face closely, but anything she can think to say would just be nitpicky. it’s a fine pumpkin, from someone who didn’t have to do this at all. ]

You know I’m a vampire, not just a bat.

[ but she seems grateful, anyway. ]

[tosa]

Ya know, I figured that out after ya bit me.

( Right back at you!! But he nods, look at his work. )

A bat's easier to make than a person though. And this one's small and round just like you!

[regrede]

…

[ any soft humor or gratefulness instantly disappears off her face. ]

I’m sorry, I thought I just heard you say something like I’m “small” and “round.”

[tosa]

( That moment when you realized you hecked up...

His expression drops. )

Aw, c’mon! I can’t even say that?!

[regrede]

Of course you can’t say that! Why in the world did you think you could?

[ does he just have no experience with women? is that it? she can almost forgive it if that’s the case, but surely anyone would be better than this. ]

[tosa]

'Cause it's not fat! Being round and small is pretty cute, don't ya think!?

(HE THOUGHT IT WAS OK)

[regrede]

You’ve already given yourself a track record. Once you make it clear to me you know what is and is not okay to say to a woman, I’ll consider allowing you to call me cute.

[ but not small or round, because she’s sensitive to these things! her standards are impossible to predict. ]

[tosa]

( He already has a r e c o r d and it's only their second time meeting. )

That's what I'm trying to figure out! ( What is and isn't okay. ) I was doing pretty okay talking to women 'til you got here!

[regrede]

How many women have you spoken to?

[ one??? ]

[tosa]

... Before or after coming here?

[regrede]

If you have to ask, I’m concerned about the number.

[tosa]

( He grumbles, making a face and starts to count... on his fingers, even. )








Maybe five.

( Because he’s consider some of them to be young girls instead of women. )

[regrede]

[ five…

five women, in his whole life? no wonder he keeps sticking his foot directly in his mouth every time he speaks to sierra. she almost feels bad for him, hearing that, and she pinches the bridge of her nose. ]

That explains more than I can say.

[tosa]

( He really can't help but deflate at that? Because what's wrong with not talking to a lot of women... (except he knows it means he's missing out on a lot of experiences. there are a lot of women in the world and he's only ever really dealt with five? His understanding is pretty base level).

But he isn't one to stay down for long and he has his proud so he huffs, still holding his head up and trying to act like he isn't bothered by that little comment at all!!! )

I was doing just fine 'til you came around...

[regrede]

[ sweet, foolish baby boy… ]

I can’t speak to how “fine” you thought you were, but I can promise you that many women are much nicer than I am about telling you of your missteps. You shouldn’t assume so much.

[tosa]

( HAS HE





actually been trash all along??? )

Alright, alright, I'm sorry. ( IT'S NOT EASY ADMITTING HE'S WRONG BUT HE'LL DO IT. ) I still got a lot to learn but I'm really trying. Really.

[regrede]

You are forgiven.

[ sierra smiles. ]

I’ll put this pumpkin somewhere safe, and when it’s too rotted to sustain its shape, I’ll return this little cloth to you. How’s that?

[tosa]

( That's really all it takes for him to lighten up. He hates being wrong but he hates being unforgiven even more. He's spoiled and thrives on praise and having things held against him makes it difficult to get praise. )

Yeah! ( He's a simple sword. ) You're gonna keep it?

( The pumpkin? His offering is good??? )