Checkups!

Ami-chan: Hey, haven't seen you in a few days. Everything going well?

Daisu-Kun: Oh! Yeah! I'm sorry! I had to catch up on a week of dropped promises due to the well. Everything the past two weeks. I'm caught up again. Ami-chan, come on down to the Verone Animal Care Club!~ I'd like to see you again- and the cute puppy Mio wants to adopt is almost well!

AND THEN HE WAITS!

The Animal Care Club room is cleaned- which Daisuke has been doing for the past hour. He's brought the puppy out of it's cage to smile down at it and play with it a little- it's no longer ill. He made a promise, that, He'd show Mio how to care for a puppy. He's a little anxious- due to the reaction he got from Mio last time--- but Chiba was right- he should find a way to ignore that and power through it- expcially if these were.... reflections of feelings in a past life. Right? That'd be lame to hold something like that against anyone.

"I wonder what Kuroki-san is going to name you...." he murmurs- rolling a ball back and forth on the floor. The puppy knocks it back everytime!

Daisuke seemed overall in higher spirits- and the Club Room door was open.

Ami doesn't arrive straight away. Verone is fairly far out of her usual area of travel, and she isn't old enough to drive herself. So she took the city's buses, which--while relatively efficient in terms of price and availability, are still somewhat slow.

So it is that an hour and a half later, the blue-haired girl is humming softly to herself as she makes her way through Verone's hallways on the way to the Animal Care Club.

As she nears, Ami falls silent and peers around the corner, then smiles and leans up against the doorframe to watch him from the other side, only one shoulder and half of her face visible. She smiles a little as she watches Daisuke play with the dog, but doesn't interrupt.

Daisuke Hansuke plays with the dog a little more before he scoops him up and picks him up! "Let's get you back up in the cage before Ami-chan gets here. I hope Kuroki-san is high energy enough for you little guy- you're gonna drive that girl insane otherwise~" he teases as he blinsk and turns-----oh! He gives a wave! "I didn't know you arrived yet.. eek!" he says.

He motions her inside. "I can bring him back out if you want. He's much better. Not ill anymore! He doesn't have a home, according to my friend...." who he doesn't know can speak to dogs. "So, he's going to be adopted by Kuroki-san probably if she comes in today or tommrow. I need to teach her some animal care." he says. He tries to sound hopeful about this!

"I'm doing a lot better- by the way." he says with a deep breath. "Not freaking out anymore. Still confused. Learning to deal with it that doesn't involve me hiding in my dorm and pretending stuff doesn't exist which was probably my long term plan before I met you all~" he says.

"Still filling out my journal for Vee nightly."

He peeks at the Puppy. "What do you think would be a good name for him? Kuroki-san's gonna want suggestions I bet."

Ami blushes a little when she's caught spying. She reaches up to brush her hair back, trying to use the motion to banish the blush, and makes her way into the room. "I'd love to meet him," she says quietly. "I just was enjoying watching you play. I wish I could adopt a pet like him," she says consideringly. "Although puppies are probably more work than I want."

Setting her bag down by the door, Ami joins him by the cage. "Confused," she explains, "is a state we are all often in. You just take things one day at a time. One battle at a time. And hope that you leave the world a better place."

She lowers herself down a little to put herself nose-to-nose with the pup, then gently pets behind his ears--likely earning licks to the face for her attentions. "Well, Likitung might be appropriate," she says, scrunching up her nose.

Daisuke Hansuke smiles at Ami. "I love some of the pets we get in. Don't worry, he'll have a nice home. I won't let him go to someone who won't care--- or at least someone he won't care for~" he says as he smiles looking down.

"Yeah..." he says to Ami's words. "Hotori-san had some good advice for me. Things like that. It's helping." he says with a soft smile. He sort of brushes one of those bangs out of his way a moment. "Yeah he's a little hyper and playful now! When Kuroki-san brought him in- he was breathing really shallow. Was just an infection. He got an antibiotic shot and he's much better now!" he says.

"Playful. We had a bird in here yesterday who needed a wing splint. Actual vets cost money so--- we do what we can." he says with a grin. "Well. Trained, studied veternarians anyways. Still learning here afterall- and the other members like to learn. Can't magic everything~" he says softly.

He taps his chin and peeks. "Food and Water look good. Hrm. Wanna give him a treat?~" he asks.

"And you think Mio Kuroki will take good care of him?" Ami asks curiously, not judging at all as she gently tries to take the pup out of Daisuke's arms and cuddle him. She doesn't seem to mind having her face licked constantly. "I'd love to give him a treat!"

Daisuke Hansuke hands the dog over playfully without a fuss. He's playful, not super squirmy and is currently now giving Ami licks like crazy. He smiles. "She seemed intrested to attempt... and if Chiba is even a little right about her, he'll do her some good. Animals are good judge of character--- if he's hesitant then we can say something about it- and there's no Club rule that says I need to give him over unless she can prove ownership----but I don't think it'll come to that." he says softly.

He walks to the food storage and opens it up to remove one dog bone-shaped treat. He brings it over and hands it to Ami. "Here you go! Be careful now- make sure he doesn't nibble your hand~"

Ami barely even has the treat in hand before the little pup is trying to scarf it from her. She yelps in surprise and pulls her hand back, then peers at the pup. "Patience," she accuses him with a grin, then offers the treat to the puppy, careful to avoid little pointy teeth. When he's done, she grins and pets the dog's ears, then offers him back to Daisuke. "I think I still prefer cats," she explains.

Daisuke Hansuke grins just a bit and takes the puppy, and places him down on the ground. He begins running around and jumping up on his pants leg and stuff. He gives the pup lots of pets. "Cats are nice too. More independent. I wonder if there's more talking cats." he says.

He taps his chin. "What makes Luna able to talk anyways?" he asks, tapping his chin. "Hrmmmmm......"

Ami wrinkles her nose and wipes her face with her hands, trying to clear away the dog drool. It isn't terribly effective; she'll have to wash her face later. "Luna?" she asks curiously. "Honestly, I don't really know. You should ask her that question," Ami suggests, although it seems like she knows more on the topic than she's admitting to.

"Speaking of," she says thoughtfully, "I've been doing a lot of thinking the past few days. Can we talk?"

Daisuke Hansuke pays attention to the puppy as he smiles a bit. "Sure. We can talk! He pulls a desk chair out and sits after he places a ball down to to keep the puppy occupied."

"I'm always ready to talk!" he smiles.

Ami finds a place to sit on the floor, near enough the puppy she can toss the ball for him if he brings it to her, but not so close she'll be a distraction. "I think ... I don't know what's going on with us," she says after a few moments of collecting her thoughts. "And it's making me a little uncomfortable. I was nearly late with my homework last Monday, and I got second place in the chess tournament, because I was busy worrying and thinking about you instead of focusing on the things that should be important to me. And I ..." she trails off, then looks up at him uncertainly.

When Daisuke first hears this--- he hears 'You're making me uncomfortable'. This causes him to wince. He doesn't know what he did to do that. Much like lying and fighting and hurting people, it's not something he's used to making people feel--- But he listens to that again in his head. 'I don't know what's going on and it's making me uncomfortable'. Oh. Okay. She isn't accusing him---but.....?

He does blush though a little. "Nrg!? Well---um. You can scan me--- all you like- if you think I'm putting out some kind of weird space magic rays or something that might be screwing with you?" he asks.

If Ami does this, she'll find out that no, he's not putting out magical brainwash waves or anything, probably- if she can scan for that kind of stuff. Daisuke copoperates with this well and doesn't seem to take offense IF she does it. That's up to Ami.

Regardless, Daisuke continues.

"Why are you thinking of me, Ami-chan?" he asks softly. "I mean. I can't... make you think of me. You know? But this concerns you so it concerns me, regardless."

"Ami what do you think of me, honestly?" he asks softly. The voice is a little nervous, hesitant- like someone who's used to given honest questions- but finds this situation personal.

Ami blushes a little at Daisuke's suggestion. "No, no, I don't need to scan you," she tells him. "And I'm not blaming you. I don't think it's anything you've done, I just ..." she trails off, then takes a deep breath to try and steady herself. "I just don't know why I was so distracted, and it upsets me when the things I value so highly are put at risk without my intention."

"I don't ... know what to think of you," Ami explains. "You're a very nice person, and I enjoy spending time with you. I love how much you care about animals and people, although I wonder how you possibly have time for it all."

Daisuke Hansuke nods. "I know you're not blaming me. I mean. I can't make you think of me, you know?" he asks. He takes a deep breath, trying to think of the right question to ask. He seems to think a bit- though in the meantime..... stalling!

"I don't do everything every day. I schedule two days 'off' a week. I set a deadline on the time I allow myself to help---for example. Unless you specfically schedule it with me- I stop at five o'clock everyday and I do what I want to- or feel I need to, the rest of the evening." he pauses.

"I no longer make 'promises' of time given this... --- well." he flashes his hand up with the ring as if to infer the whole magical thing going on. "-- but I tell people I will do my best." he says. "That's not a lie, after all, right?" he smirks just a bit. "But, it's like asking you how you handle chess, and the study and keeping at the top of the school while also kicking witches and worrying about people who seem to be acting against thier wills..." he says softly.

"I sleep well because I'm exhausted. Well. Usually. That was before some of this vivid dreaming." he admits. "But I'm getting used to it. I may be coming down with a coffee addiction though." he insists.

He smiles and head tilts. "You're a very nice person too, Ami-chan." he says softly. "You study and work hard, make time for your friends, and do your best to help people who've attacked you and almost killed you. I was incredibly worried that night, you know..." he says. "And I admit I sometimes find myself thinking of you and then a bunch of cars blare me back into reality because the lights green and I'm rushing like crazy to catch back up with traffic."

"But when it comes down to it, this is important and troubling to /you/." he says with a soft frown. "-hrm..."

He closes his eyes and thinks a bit. He's folding his hands one over the other and tapping his two pointer fingers together.

"... am I important to you Ami?" he asks very softly.

Ami picks at her skirt, gently, then smoothes it out while Daisuke talks. She's listening, but she's also clearly thinking. She worries at her lip a little, then picks up the ball from the pup and tosses it away from her. This, of course, results in the pup rushing off to fetch it.

She looks up when the little pup brings it back, and starts to toss it again, but her thoughts and play are both interrupted by Daisuke's question. She looks up at him sharply and blinks, then flushes a little, "That's not a fair question. If I say no then you'll be disappointed; if I say yes then you might think something I don't mean." She throws the ball a little further this time, then huffs, "Of course you're important to me. All of my friends are. I just ... I don't know what that means, with you. I don't have a lot of friends, and I have almost no friends who are boys. You confound me, and confuse me, and you frustrate me and you fluster me ...

"I don't know what to feel," Ami tells Daisuke unhappily. "But I'm worried. What if I let thinking of you distrat me--or Mercury--at a critical moment? I could have died the night of the ball, Daisuke! I don't want to die! Especially not because I'm too busy worrying where you are to pay enough attention to what's going on!" That hard edge to her voice doesn't sound like steel or anger; more like a razor's edge between fear and uncertainty.

Daisuke Hansuke runs through this in his head. He isn't a psycho-anayalst. Shouldn't this be a question to ask Chiba? He seemed to know what he was thinking. Hell. He got him to calm down about Mio and that's why he's even going through with interacting with her- rather than paw the dog stuff onto another club member. But Ami is coming to him with it. That means something to him- when she has friends like Chiba-san... right? That's right...?

Isn't it?

He is feeling a little bad though. Lots of people recently have told him to cut out the thinking that he doesn't cause problems just because he exists now. But here he is....causing problems--- because he's just existing. He isn't making Ami or Mercury think these thoughts--- he's just. Here.

"I'm sorry. It wasn't a fair question, but--- that's how you get answers. By asking the hard questions. Right? The ones you don't want to think about." he says quietly.

"It's clear that... you can't just... 'not' think of me? I mean. You wouldn't be here. If that wasn't a problem." he says quietly.

"I just don't have some magic word I can give you to make you stop. I mean. I--I can.. just. Stop. Like completely. Bothering you." he says silently and looks down. "I really don't want to do that. You've helped me a lot and I admit that would hurt a lot. But I'd rather hurt, than have you hurt, Ami." he says softly. "--and if I'm bothering you so much like that- even if I'm not---" he says, grabbing his right arm a squeezing a little as he taps his finger to his pants leg a moment to call the puppy over.

"I didn't ask for a magic word!" Ami says to Daisuke frustratedly. "I just wanted to talk to you, as friends. But apparently I just get Doctor Daisuke, instead. Your bedside manners suck," she notes unhappily, then gathers her skirt around her as she pushes back to her feet. "I guess your'e not any better at this conversation than I am. I don't even know what we're really talking about. Maybe ... maybe youer' right. Maybe we should just ... stop. Completely. I mean, if you need Mercury, I'm still going to help. I just ... I mean 'us'. Whatever 'us' is. That's all. I'm sorry. That's not what I thought I wanted when I came here. But I don't ... know what else to do right now."

Daisuke Hansuke raises a hand. "Please don't go Ami..." he calls out. It's a little pleading.

"I--I'm sorry." he says. "I'm just. I'm just trying to help..." he says as he looks down.

"I-- I know you don't. For this? I don't know either. I'm trying really hard to not say the wrong things. I almost said stupider things thoughout this entire conversation, Ami-chan...."

He sort of crosses his arms in front of him defensivly.

He's lost all control over this discussion, but he probably never even really had control to begin with? How do you even....address this problem?

"I want to know how I can help, that's all..."

"I don't want your help," Ami tells Daisuke frustratedly, standing, but not immediately rushing for the door. "I don't need your help. I don't need help at all. What I wanted was your friendship; to have a conversation among equals about whatever the heck is going on between us!"

Ami shakes a little as she draws in breath, emotions threatening to break through. "I just wanted to try and figure out what we are, and what we want to be. I don't need you to analyze me; I needed you to help me figure out us. But now I really think you're right. I think us is just a bad idea. We don't even know how to talk to each other without talking past one another. I'm too busy trying to explain things to you like you're five, and you're too busy trying to fix me like I'm a hurt puppy! I should go. I'm sorry I ruined everything," and thus she turns, as if to head for the door and out.

Daisuke Hansuke blinks. He looks down and blushes. What!?

"I---what---did you think!?......."

"Nrg!" yes that's a frustrated noise. He doesn't know what to say. These people tell him not to worry- that he's not hurting anyone by existing but then.... one of these people come in and tell him he's making things difficult by----existing? He doesn't know what to say. It's confusing...maybe he is just a fricken lost five year old after all.

--but loud pity isn't going to get him anywhere. Saying goodbye isn't going to get him anywhere. This isn't even about him....!

It's about her and all he can do is just look at her back as she turns to leave.

"I'll still come if you call..." is all he can say as he closes his eyes.