{ well, isn't this exciting [kaeru]

[{ mei h }]

Of course it just had to start snowing as soon as she got to have a little fun. That was just the way her day had been going. Inside her head, she insulted the wet flakes in ways that actually startled her. She hadn't even known that she could be half that creative.

Mei bit her lip, trying not to sigh or groan with anger as he moved her off of him. Motherfucking snow. She had been enjoying herself quite a lot, and then it was just... ruined like that. Things like that happened too often for her liking. "I don't think anyone would want to relive a fall like that." she replied. Unless, you know, it ended the same way as this one did. That would be nice... bonus points if the hill was smaller.

It was good that he helped her to her feet; otherwise, she probably wouldn't have remained standing. She was still rather out of it from the beating, and falling down the hill rattled her up even more. Of course, that wouldn't stop her from hitting on him- at this point, she didn't think much of anything would.

[Kaeru Ankoku]

"I don't think anyone would want to relive a fall like that."

At that, Kaeru laughed, "Not unless it ended in a similar manner?" he teased her, unconsciously echoing the thoughts of the blue haired pixie next to him. All the while the snow-fall began in earnest, the light flakes turning into flurries of white. With a shiver and a sneeze, Kaeru decided that they seriously needed to get to his Pontiac. With one fluid motion he picked her up bridal style and made his way to the side of the road and walked the long way to his car.

She was a comfortable weight in his arms he found. She wasn't very heavy at all, in fact he felt as if he could toss her like a doll. Hell, he probably could! He shuffled her a little in his arms for the sake of security and looked down, a thought suddenly at the fringes of his mind. "Are you comfortable with all this. . . considering what happened?" He didn't want to somehow make things worse, that'd make him feel like utter shit in a terrible way. So far she'd seemed aces with his actions, but it couldn't hurt to double check.

[{ mei h }]

"Mind reader!" she accused, looking up at him. Maybe it hadn't been apparent exactly what she wanted to do, but no one was stupid enough to misinterpret her actions completely... At least, she hoped that no one was quite that dense. "I had a rather comfortable landing spot~" If he was going to tease, she had to retaliate in kind.

It was rather annoying how little warning he gave her before picking her up... not that she really minded. Clinging to him happened to be a lot easier when she was already in his arms. "Completely comfortable. If you were that kind of creep, you wouldn't have given my your knife. Now I can shank you if you try anything I don't want you to try! Not that that's going to happen, because I trust you." Mei informed him.

[Kaeru Ankoku]

"Mind reader! I had a rather comfortable landing spot."

Kaeru chuckled deep in his chest, "If only I were so fortunate. I managed to half bash my skull in with a rock." And so the playful banter continued. "Was it just me being convienent? Or is there more to it?" he mock accused. He figured, the better he could keep her mind occupied and off of her rape, the better for her. Otherwise she might drive herslef halfway to hell with brooding and no one wanted that.

"Completely comfortable. If you were that kind of creep, you wouldn't have given my your knife. Now I can shank you if you try anything I don't want you to try! Not that that's going to happen, because I trust you."

He noticed she'd stiffened a bit when he picked her up, so he posed his question. The response he recieved though brought some internal warmth to his chest. It meant a lot that after what had happened, she trusted him so soon. Worried him some, because perhaps she was using him unconsciously as a emotional support, and that had potential to become a unadvantagous situation, but he found that he really didnt care about the cons at the moment. "You trust me already?"

[{ mei h }]

"Well, that was quite rude of the rock." Mei replied, shaking her head in a disapproving manner. Oh, this was fun, even if she was only half teasing. "Convenience was certainly part of it... but most of it was that falling on top of you was rather amusing... and if I have to stare at something, it might as well be something that doesn't make my eyes bleed with hideousness." He was far more than just not hideous, though, he was downright attractive, in more ways than one.

"I know it sounds stupid, especially after what happened, but yeah, I do." Mei replied softly, biting on her lip again. "No normal person would do this... they'd call they cops and hightail it out of the place. No normal person would care enough for a perfect stranger to protect them. Kaeru, you're just the opposite of that other guy."

[Kaeru Ankoku]

"Well, that was quite rude of the rock. Convenience was certainly part of it... but most of it was that falling on top of you was rather amusing... and if I have to stare at something, it might as well be something that doesn't make my eyes bleed with hideousness."

Kaeru’s small grin deepened into another toothy smile at Mei’s words. As if it the rock deliberately picked that location to be so that some time later it could bash in some poor schmuck’s head. “The rock must be some kind of ninja. An Iwa-nin, you could call it!” A short bark of laughter escaped him before he continued, “Oh? If I am not eye bleeding hideous, then what am I Mei-Chan?”

"I know it sounds stupid, especially after what happened, but yeah, I do. No normal person would do this... they'd call they cops and hightail it out of the place. No normal person would care enough for a perfect stranger to protect them. Kaeru, you're just the opposite of that other guy."

Her praise brought an altogether different kind of smile to his face. One far more subdued and filled with mirth, it was wistful, happy, and a little regretful. “I am many things,” drug dealer, thief, and extortionist were bit a few, “but I’m no rapist.” His words were even true. While still in Kiri, he’d committed many crimes, but he never stooped so low. “It never occurred to me to do anything else but what I did. I’m glad I did though.”

[{ mei h }]

"Ahaha! Of course it's a ninja rock." Mei snickered, imagining said rock dressed like a ninja, which was a humorous picture indeed. "Well..." Okay, now, she had no idea how to answer that question, except the blunt, rather embarrassing truth. "Honestly? You're hot. Smokin hot." she admitted, face turning that lovely shade of red again. Why was this so embarrassing? She had no issues ogling him, but when it came to talking about what she was ogling... Urk.

"I'm glad you did too..." Her words trailed off; she wasn't entirely sure what else to say. Otherwise I never would've had the chance to know you. Otherwise I might have gotten more depressed... because you keep my mind away from those thoughts. Because you are the light to his dark. Oh god, she was fucking sappy now! What the... how did that even happen?

She didn't know; but instead of thinking about it, she just laid her head on his shoulder and stared up at his face again.

[Kaeru Ankoku]

"Ahaha! Of course it's a ninja rock. Well... honestly? You're hot. Smokin hot."

At her scoff Kaeru mock frowned at her, pretending to be hurt and upset, before her next words 'cheered' him up. He had noticed her eyeball him, and he knew he was attractive, but he wasn't expecting the "smoking hot" comment all the same. A grin plastered on his face, he looked down at her blushing face, "You're not half bad yourself" and although he said it with a light almost teasing tone, he meant it. In fact, in his opinion she had a great body.

"I'm glad you did too..."

At this Kaeru's grin once again softened a bit. And when she layed her head upon his shoulder he held her a little closer. "Don't get to comfortable. There's my car over there." And there it was, his '77 Firebird, and his baby. It didn't have the perfect glossy exterior, the leather seats had small cracks in it, and the interior was somewhat messy, but a classic is still a classic. The golden firebird was still visible against the black paint, and both were faded, but Kaeru liked his old beat up car.

He moved over to the passenger side and gingerly set Mei down on her feet before opening the door for her and helping her inside. Hopping in his own side of the car, Kaeru was suddenly conscious of the marijuana paraphernalia lying about his car, and some of the other trash. "Sorry about the. . . mess, I guess you could say I'm not always the neatest person around."

[{ mei h }]

Mei couldn't help but blush a deeper red at his comment. "Ehehe... thanks." she murmured, closing her eyes and trying not to utterly freak out. Which was really hard, considering their little conversation and its turn to their bodies. She swore that her heart was beating about ten times faster than it was supposed to... and for a minute she couldn't even look at him.

She had just gotten comfortable again when he spoke. "Aww." she whined slightly, half teasing. "But I like it here, Kaeru-kun. That's a totally epic car, but I'm just fine where I am." The car was nice... a Firebird, a classic, one of the only cars she could actually identify on sight... and it was old, too, but that didn't mean much. "Totally epic car."

She emitted another low, teasing whine when he set her down... but really, if it hadn't been snowing, she would've been willing to attempt dragging him over to a tree and sitting on him until she wanted to leave. "Uh, I'm fine with a mess... but it smells kinda like drugs in here... You don't... do drugs, do you?" Mei's voice took on a worried tone. Well that just fucked everything up. Her brother used to do drugs... pot or something, she never really knew, and it had turned him into a nasty person until he was basically forced into rehab. And liking someone with a...drug habit...would most definitely be a problem. A big, fucked up problem.

[Kaeru Ankoku]

"Ehehe... thanks."

"No problem, it's truth after all."

"Aww. But I like it here, Kaeru-kun. That's a totally epic car, but I'm just fine where I am. Totally epic car."

There was some work to be done to it, but for the most part, it was in good condition. He remembered his dad taking him on long drives in the firebird down to the shore, or to some of Water Country's famous lakes and rivers. The road trips as well, they were all good memories. His thoughts took a somewhat bitter tone as he remembered that the only reason he even had the car, was because his father was killed when the civil war broke out.

"Uh, I'm fine with a mess... but it smells kinda like drugs in here... You don't... do drugs, do you?"

He could hear the uncertanty and apprehension in Mei's voice. It was fairly safe to assume that she dissapproved. It really didn't take a genius to figure that out. God help him if they got really close and she discovered him to be a dealer, however unwilling his job as a dealer may be. "Why does it matter? Besides, the answer to that question depends on your definition to the word drug anyway." A pit had settled in his stomach. He knew he should've put all of his shit away. It was a stupid, foolish, very rookie mistake, that he really hoped wouldn't cost him his newborn kinship with the girl sitting besides him.

[{ mei h }]

Was he trying to see how red her face could get? Because at this point, it was pretty damn red, and his comment didn't help her skin tone at all. "Nicest thing I've heard all day." Eh, it was the truth... 'Pretty' was a lot better than 'whore,' after all. A hell of a lot better. And more socially acceptable.

Well that answer sure as hell wasn't a good thing. "It matters because I've seen what drugs can do to a person, and it isn't pretty. It can ruin your entire life, Kaeru... they can change you, so that sometimes you don't even know who you are... according to my brother." she replied, voice high and strained. "And, uh, i classify those kind of drugs as anything you can't legally buy in a pharmacy."

She stared at him, biting her lip. The reply she was going to get probably wasn't going to be anything good.

[Kaeru Ankoku]

"It matters because I've seen what drugs can do to a person, and it isn't pretty. It can ruin your entire life, Kaeru... they can change you, so that sometimes you don't even know who you are... according to my brother, and, uh, i classify those kind of drugs as anything you can't legally buy in a pharmacy."

A frown marred Kaeru’s features. He’d been using drugs since he was inducted into the Seven Swordsmen - which was a rather bloody and messy affair – at the age of fourteen. Life in mist was tough; one had to find a way to cope somehow. His drug use had consisted of a whole multitude of things, mainly marijuana and LSD, but in the last couple of years he hadn’t touched anything beyond tobacco’s green cousin. There were substances though, that he never touched though. Heroin, cocaine, meth, and other such drugs he never partook in – regardless of how much his ‘brothers in arms’ pushed.

“I smoke Cannabis, and haven’t touched anything stronger than that in years. I didn’t always live in Konoha, I come from Kiri. Things are different there. You must’ve heard of the civil war that is still raging, even after six years of violence. You had to find someway to survive with some semblance of sanity. Many people use drugs to maintain their peace of mind. I am one of those individuals.”

Briefly, Kaeru wondered if he should go ahead and tell Mei about his affiliation with the Seven Swordsmen, but decided against it. It wasn’t as if it were hard to figure out. His mouth was filled with shark like teeth after all. And only one gang in the world used identifiers like the ones that filled his maw. When she noticed and finally asked him about it, he'd tell her. Otherwise he'd leave it the hell alone.

After all, he didn't want to rock her life-boat anymore than it already had been in one day.

[{ mei h }]

She wasn't exactly okay with any of this, but pissing him off probably wasn't a good idea, and she felt guilty as hell for bringing it up in the first place, especially since she'd be freezing her ass off under that tree if it wasn't for him. Mei bit down on her lip even harder. "Oh. I... I didn't know. I mean, I knew about the civil war, but I..." she trailed off, not knowing what else to say. That seemed like a good enough reason, though it still wasn't right, and as long as he wasn't making meth in his basement... She supposed she could live with that. "I'm sorry I brought it up..."

It wasn't like she knew anything about Kiri, or what he'd been through... Different people could have different reactions to drugs, like with alcohol or something like that... It wasn't all based on her brother's personal hell, it wasn't always like that... But Mei still didn't like it.

[Kaeru Ankoku]

"Oh. I... I didn't know. I mean, I knew about the civil war, but I... I'm sorry I brought it up..."

Kaeru shook his head, "You had a right to be worried I suppose. In excess and addiction drugs are dangerous." He'd seen the results of the first hand. Stabbing a adrenaline shot into someone's chest doesn't get any easier as time goes on. It's not exactly something you can get used to, seeing someone O.D. Kiri was a fucked up place, and he was happy to be gone, gone from the deals done in blood, and stark terror on faces far to young yo see the things that were right there in front of their eyes. He shook his head to try and drive away the bad memories. As if that could do it. "I won't smoke around you if it bothers you this much Mei-Chan."

He would rather this not become a wedge and a bone of contention between the two of them. That would be a shame. He really did enjoy her company. "Do you have any contacts you should let know where you are?" he asked in order to put something in the uncomfortable silence that impregnated the car.[/blockquote][/blockquote]

[{ mei h }]

Mei merely nodded, for once not having some kind of remark to make about that statement. "I appreciate that, Kaeru. It means a lot." she told him. Okay, so maybe he wasn't exactly a stranger anymore, but he still didn't know her well, or she him. So why was he making her that promise? A normal person would say fuck it and do it anyways... But then again, he didn't seem to be anywhere near normal.

Mei really wanted to know what made him tick, to know why he was acting so... weird, she supposed, was the best way to describe it. "Umm... There's my brother... but I don't want him to worry, and besides, I don't have his work number in my phone." she replied after thinking for a few moments.

[Kaeru Ankoku]

"I appreciate that, Kaeru. It means a lot."

At that, Kaeru merely shrugged and waved it off. The topic was over and slowly the knot that was in his stomach unclenched and he was able to relax a little bit. "Don't worry about it," he replied in a rather dry tone of voice. That could have gone drastically different, he thought, at least she didn't storm off in a huff. Which, especially in her condition would be a decididly bad decision to make overall.

"Umm... There's my brother... but I don't want him to worry, and besides, I don't have his work number in my phone."

At least there was someone in her life who'd worry for her. He just wished that he didn't have to be the one taking her home after all of this. This was in large part because of the nopt so subtle feeling he got that out of reflex, her brother might try and kill him. Not that he really expected anything less. "Are you ready to go home? I'm sure your brother is waiting for you." he asked before starting his car and turning on the heat, cranking it up to max.

[{ mei h }]

Mei started to speak, then just shook her head. What she wanted to say was a little complicated in her mind, and a little awkward, and totally inappropriate, considering all the stupid shit that had happened today. After another moment's hesitation, she spoke. "Actually, since he isn't home right now... I'd much rather just hang out with you for a little while." she informed him. "And, uh... when you do take me home, it might be a good idea to drop me off like five minutes away so that Kyo won't hit you over the head with a baseball bat." Knowing her brother, he'd do exactly that, and while it was amusing, she really didn't want that to happen.

"I like you. So you're not allowed to get murdered by him!" Mei declared, snickering. "Or skewered by a greasy screwdriver or something like that." He'd probably come up with even more ways to scare off guys in the past twelve hours than she could in a week.

[Kaeru Ankoku]

"Actually, since he isn't home right now... I'd much rather just hang out with you for a little while, and, uh... when you do take me home, it might be a good idea to drop me off like five minutes away so that Kyo won't hit you over the head with a baseball bat."

He raised an eyebrow at Mei's words. Her description of him seemed like a over-exaggeration, but given circumstance, she was probably being completely serious with him. He still didn't feel comfortable with letting her walk anywhere by herself. Not now. "That does sound like a fairly good idea, but I'm going to drop you off AT your home. I really don't think you should walk anywhere by yourself right now, I'm sure your brother would agree with me before he tries an attempt on my life."

"I like you. So you're not allowed to get murdered by him! Or skewered by a greasy screwdriver or something like that."

That part made him laugh, he wasn't worried about her brother, he'd faced worse, but still. A greasy screwdriver? "Explain the screwdriver? He a mechanic or something?" Kaeru asked Mei with an amused tone of voice. Another thing caught his attention though, "Oh? you like me huh," he teased her with a grin, "But Mei-Chan, we just met!"

[{ mei h }]

"That's a bad idea. No. That's a REALLY bad idea. If he sees me all beat up, and wearing your clothes, he will jump to conclusions and go find the bat." Mei warned him. "And he hits really fucking hard." She shuddered just thinking about what had happened the only other time she's brought a guy within five minutes of their house... it had been bad. No, not bad, disastrous, and even that was probably an understatement. "I'm begging you... don't submit yourself to that. He's a mean motherfucker." Sure, he was her brother, but she was allowed to talk about him like that. It wasn't like Kaeru was going to tell on her or something stupid like that. "And no, he wouldn't even let you talk before he got swingy."

"Yeah, he's a mechanic. And he loves his screwdrivers." she replied, snickering. "I never did understand that." At his next words, she merely nodded. "Indeed I do. And not like that either!" Okay, so maybe that last part wasn't entirely true.

[Kaeru Ankoku]

"That's a bad idea. No. That's a REALLY bad idea. If he sees me all beat up, and wearing your clothes, he will jump to conclusions and go find the bat, and he hits really fucking hard. I'm begging you... don't submit yourself to that. He's a mean motherfucker. And no, he wouldn't even let you talk before he got swingy."

Well there went his defense. He was gonna say he'd just talk before he swung, but eveidentally her brother was a shoot first kind of guy. Not his personal M.O, but that approach did have it's uses. Like when walking into enemy territory in the middle of a war. He'd rather not leave her to walk by herself, and was determined to have her see his point. "I think I'll be fine. There is no way at all, I'll let you walk. None at all. Besides, what do you think he'll do? Try and kill me immediatly without any explaination whatsoever?"

"Yeah, he's a mechanic. And he loves his screwdrivers. I never did understand that."

"Is your brother gay? 'Cuz that would explain it," Kaeru quipped, trying to inject some much needed levity.

"Indeed I do. And not like that either!"

He laughed at her this time, loudly too at that. "The lady doth protest too much methinks." he quoted. She probably had some kind of hero-crush on him, that wouldn't surprise him much at all. What did was that he didnt't really mind all that much.

[{ mei h }]

"Yes! That's exactly what he'll do!" Mei replied, exasperated. Well, Kaeru obviously wasn't going to listen to reason and give up on escorting her to her house. "Well... if he goes for his gun, I'll protect you! He won't hit me... well not with a gun, anyways. He'll definitely hit me, because he's my brother and he does that." But he wouldn't actually hurt her... probably. Well. Not in her condition, anyways. He'd smack her after the bruises were gone.

"No, he isn't gay. He likes to stab people with it, I think. Or, well, threaten stabbing, anyways." Mei replied, snickering. "At least... I think he's straight." She wasn't really sure... he never brought anyone home. "Ummm. Please don't talk like that... It's kind of creepy."

[Kaeru Ankoku]

[Im gonna change up Kaeru's backstory to match what im writing. Sorry]

"Yes! That's exactly what he'll do! Well... if he goes for his gun, I'll protect you! He won't hit me... well not with a gun, anyways. He'll definitely hit me, because he's my brother and he does that."

Kaeru started a bit at the sound of the word gun. He hated guns, they were so noisy and. . . unpleasant. He unconsciously rubbed one of many scars littering his torso, one made by a gun. "I hate guns," he muttered halfway under his breath before rasing his voice to a clearly audible level, "I used to beat up my sister too, I accidentally broke her wrist once while we were fighting." His mother was absolutely livid, he remembered with a sadly nostalgic smile. Now it was just him in Konoha while his sister was trapped in Kiri. When Fire Country pulled some orphans out of the bloody mist he and his sister had gotton separated.

"No, he isn't gay. He likes to stab people with it, I think. Or, well, threaten stabbing, anyways. At least... I think he's straight. . . Ummm. Please don't talk like that... It's kind of creepy."

Kaeru's eyebrows raised at her words, didn't seem like he would much enjoy her brother's company. Although he could perhaps help him work on his car. . . "Sounds like some guy, if a bit on the unfriendly side. I'm hungry as hell, you want a bite to eat?" He was hungry, or rather, had an epic case of the munchies. His stomach growled loudly as if to qualify what he'd just said.

[{ mei h }]

"Well, then, don't piss him off.. because otherwise, guns will appear." Mei informed him, nodding. She didn't really like guns either- unless, of course, they were paintball guns. Those couldn't permanently hurt someone if used correctly, while guns most definitely could. "I wouldn't exactly call it him beating me up... just, like, discipline. He has to do something to keep me from becoming a constantly high whore with an alcohol problem, y''know? That's just how he chooses to do it." He had never really hurt her, though, which she was glad for... An abusive brother didn't sound like a very fun person to be forced to live with.

"Unfriendly, definitely. But very protective, and he can be nice... he just doesn't like to be until he knows that it's safe for him to trust someone. I think he's that way because of what happened to him before, and because of what happened to our mother and father. But I can't say for sure... Even I never know what he's thinking." Mei rambled, trying not to let the memories distract her too much. "Food sounds amazing right now. Like, more amazing than you growing wings and flying me home."

[Kaeru Ankoku]

"Well, then, don't piss him off.. because otherwise, guns will appear. I wouldn't exactly call it him beating me up... just, like, discipline. He has to do something to keep me from becoming a constantly high whore with an alcohol problem, y''know? That's just how he chooses to do it."

Well, Kaeru thought with a wry grin, a brother has to keep his younger sister in line somehow. "I never flat out beat her up, we were wrestling and things got out of hand," he shrugged, "Shit happens. And usually around her, I think you'd like her." He was about to go on but then something she'd said caught his attention. "Do you really think that if he didn't you'd be an alchohalic whore?" he asked her with a raised eyebrow. He didn't peg her for the type of girl. He more saw her as the wierd, slightly nerdy, energizer bunny kind of chick. Meh, perhaps she would be both if not for her older sibling.

"Unfriendly, definitely. But very protective, and he can be nice... he just doesn't like to be until he knows that it's safe for him to trust someone. I think he's that way because of what happened to him before, and because of what happened to our mother and father. But I can't say for sure... Food sounds amazing right now. Like, more amazing than you growing wings and flying me home."

Everyone had baggage. That was something Kaeru knew very well. It usually was painful and or humilating baggage at that. But at least her brother seemed to have worked through some shit in order to be able to take care of her. When his sister finally got to Konoha, he'd have to take care of her. Perhaps if he and Mei became close enough, he could count on at least some help from the two of them. "At least he takes care of you. That's all that really matters." he brightened a bit, "What're you hungry for? I have a full tank and a fat wallet."

[{ mei h }]

[ i'm sorry this is so short. >.> my muse hitchhiked to australia. ]

"You don't seem like the kind of guy to just beat your sister up either. That's one thing you have in common with my brother.. hopefully the only thing, actually. You aren't overly violent, are you? And your sister sounds pretty cool." Mei asked, grinning. She took a moment to consider his question. "Well. Not really. But hey- as of now, I've never had alcohol and never done drugs, and I would be a virgin, except for, well, you know." She shrugged slightly. "It seems to work."

"Yup. It's just like you said. Because if he hadn't taken care of me, I'd be... well, fucked. In more ways than one." Mei replied with a nod. Her brother, even though he had many odd habits, really did care, and for that she was eternally grateful. "Hmm." Now that was a good question. "I want chicken." Chicken was just the first thing that popped into her head, and it was easier to say it than think about other things to eat. "If you want something else, though, I'm all for it. I'll eat anything."

[Kaeru Ankoku]

"You don't seem like the kind of guy to just beat your sister up either. That's one thing you have in common with my brother.. hopefully the only thing, actually. You aren't overly violent, are you? And your sister sounds pretty cool."

"Well. Not really. But hey- as of now, I've never had alcohol and never done drugs, and I would be a virgin, except for, well, you know. It seems to work"

Kaeru smiled at her words, he then knew without a shadow of a doubt that bringing his siter to Konoha would be a very good thing. If Mei's enthusiasm was anything to go by, she'd instantly have at least one friend. "Nah, even when I was in Kirigakure, and still with the Seven Swordsmen, I was never overly violent. It seperated my from the most of the rest of my brothers for sure, bloodthirsty as they can be," at the mention of her virginity, or lack-ther-of, Kaeru tried his best to hide a wince. "If he's done this good of a job at raising you, I'd like to meet him, but hopefully on better conditions"

"Yup. It's just like you said. Because if he hadn't taken care of me, I'd be... well, fucked. In more ways than one."

That was certainly true, being by yourself was certainly rough, even in the best of enviornments. He was cut out of his internal nostalgia by her voice once more.

"Hmm. . . I want chicken. . . If you want something else, though, I'm all for it. I'll eat anything."

At least she wasn't picky, god knows he'd been on dates with girlas that were picky as hell, or only ate a small salad and a low fat ice cream, or something equally ridiculuous. Not that this qualified as a date! Kaeru quickly amended inside of his own head, mentally backpedalling from. . . troublesome waters. "There's a really good Teryaki restaurant a few miles from here. We could run by either your house or mine to get you clothes, then go get that chicken you crave?"

[{ mei h }]

"Seven Swordsman? I have no idea what that is... Mind explaining?" Mei's head tilted to the side, curious. What was all that about brothers? Well, she was totally lost now. Hopefully he wasn't talking about a cult or something, because cults were bad, and definitely something she didn't want to be around. Better to voice her thoughts than wonder endlessly about it. "It better not be some sort of creepy cult or coven or whatever." Because that would mean she couldn't feel at ease around him, and since she kind of liked him, that would suck major dick.

"It would be nice if you two could meet without a homicide occurring." Mei conceded, snickering. "Teriyaki sounds utterly perfect! I've never been there, huh. I'd remember if I had, good teriyaki isn't something I'm likely to forget." Mmm, teriyaki. That restaurant was going to be like heaven for Mei, once she was properly dressed- Ahh. "I guess we can run by my place; Kyo shouldn't be home yet..." Well, he wouldn't be if she was lucky. But since when was she lucky? Never. But she had to change eventually, because Kaeru kind of needed his shirt back.

Oh well.

[Kaeru Ankoku]

"Seven Swordsman? I have no idea what that is... Mind explaining? It better not be some sort of creepy cult or coven or whatever."

At that Kaeru laughed, and loudly at that. The Seven Swordsmen, a cult? How ridiculous, he thought, we are many things, a cult however doesn't quite fit the bill. "The Seven Swordsmen arn't a cult" he said, a not of amusement in his voice, "Ask your history teacher or research, Mei-chan, learning is good for the soul." He certainly wasnt gonna tell her, shed have to take initiative on that one.

"It would be nice if you two could meet without a homicide occurring. . . Teriyaki sounds utterly perfect! I've never been there, huh. I'd remember if I had, good teriyaki isn't something I'm likely to forget. . . I guess we can run by my place; Kyo shouldn't be home yet..."

Kaeru nodded and wordlessly turned the ignition and began to drive out of the park. "Mission: get you clothes, evade your brother, and get dinner. Do you accept?" he said this all with a forced secret agent kind of slick voice, before near flooring his car, sending gouts of snow and water flying behiind his black car. "Buckle up."

[{ mei h }]

Mei let out a hmmph and pouted. "But research is boring! And nothing can compare to the real thing~ Why read it on the internet when I can get a member to tell me about it, hmmm?" she asked. To be honest, she didn't really mind looking it up... she just liked hearing him talk; not to mention that when left unoccupied, her mind wandered... often to places it shouldn't. Especially when guys like Kaeru were involved. "Pleeeease tell me?"

"Of course I accept! We'll have to be like ninjas though. Ninjassss." Mei instructed him with a nod. "Ninjaaasss." She hurried to buckle her belt; though she hated it to pieces, it kept her safe.

[Kaeru Ankoku]

"But research is boring! And nothing can compare to the real thing~ Why read it on the internet when I can get a member to tell me about it, hmmm? Pleeeease tell me?"

Kaeru just kept grinning at her curiosity, it was very amusing and the lightheartedness in it was infectious. It seemed as though she would always surprise him in one way or another. He sobered a little when he realized that one way or another, she was going to find out about his time in the seven swordsmen, he just hoped that his previous affiliation with them wouldn't fuck up a potential friendship. Not for the first time, second, or third, Kaeru cursed himself for joining. "Maybe, if your a good girl," he teased lightly before stopping at a red light.

"Of course I accept! We'll have to be like ninjas though. Ninjassss. Ninjaaasss."

He nodded absently before turning to look at her in the seat, "I get it. stealth. Now, direct me to your place eh?" he halfway ordered as the light turned green and he pulled off again. Everything would work out. What was the worst that could happen?