OOCI... think I want a pika now. o.o
It was a nice night, all things considered. The weather was cool, but the wind was not as biting and the ice on the ground beginning to thaw. The stars were out like always, shining vibrantly across the sky like an artistic splatter of paint, and the buildings all around were glowing to match their radiance.
Tao slipped out the back door of the Fleeting Comet, pulling on his jacket as he went. The weighty heat of the kitchen seemed to be knitted into his clothes, imbued with the scents of cooking meats and spices. Comfortably snug, he made his way down to Surya Plaza, still surprisingly active, if one were not aware of Lhavit's night life.
His shifts were mostly in the evenings, now, spreading across into the late night, when the city became buzzing and alive with activity more than any other day. It was not uncommon for stores and restaurants to be open even as dawn approached, when the last stragglers were crawling into bed. The idea had once boggled him, but in time, he had adjusted and become every bit as nocturnal as any resident.
Now was the time when he could get things done; he could read a book, or shop for food, or maybe finally get around to cleaning up the mess that was his apartment. He had been neglecting it lately, having spent more time with Vendaril, but the Symenestra was busy tonight...
Who would have thought we'd end up here? He thought, a small smile flitting to his lips unconsciously. Despite the... difficulties they had between them, he had been coming to really enjoy his time with the other man, talking about history and stories and everything inbetween. It was nice to simply have someone who wanted to listen to him, even if he didn't have anything amazing to say.
It was almost a shame that Vendaril had been called in to do a late night shift at the pet store where he worked; he had wanted to show him something in return for letting him study his rare family diary.
Another thought gave him pause; it was past midnight, and even if Lhavit itself was heavily nocturnal, the animals were probably not. The shop would probably not get many visitors so late, then, which meant that his friend would possibly have some spare time on his hands.
Alternatively, I'll go and face the mess at home. …
After a second of deliberation, he turned and changed his course, heading for the only pet shop that was in the area; thankfully, it was quite close by.
The front windows of Piramba's Pet Shop were still lit, showing off the animals by the front windows. He paused to take a look at the strange little rodents, and they paused to take a look at him.
A sign by one of the cages, filled with intricate tunnels, burrows, and walkways scattered all around for them to play on labelled them 'Pikas', and he had never seen anything quite like them before. They were set stout, like mice without tails, and hopped to and fro across the cages, squeaking at him in a high pitched tone. Beady, curious little eyes stared back at him as he approached the glass, crouching down to get a better look. His proximity made them all scatter, much to his disappointment.
“Pikas...” He said aloud, and laughed a little as they all squawked at him reproachfully. I'll have to ask Vendaril about them. They're really adorable.
He got up from his crouching position and made his way to the front door, pushing it open. It was soundless, but it hardly matter; the squeaking Pikas were much louder inside, making it impossible to even think about sneaking up on the store.
Vendaril was sitting at the desk when he arrived, watching the door for the intruder that the little sentries had warned him about. He smiled shyly at the older man, hoping that he wasn't intruding. The Symenestra certainly didn't look busy, but he didn't want to get him in trouble.
“Hello.” He said, deciding to stick to Common like they usually did. “I just finished working, and I thought I'd come say hello.”
The redundancy of that statement struck him a moment later, making him blush a touch, flustered already. “I-I also had something I wanted to show you, if you're not busy...?”
In the background, the tiny pikas continued to squawk. He glanced over at them; cute as they were, that whistling had to be murder on the ears in such a loud pack! Suddenly, he was overwhelmed with sympathy for poor Vendaril; if these were the animals at the front of the store, it could only get more annoying from there!
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