✖ anxiety attack: 012 ✖ Action ✖

[wolfishsurvivalist]

[339 Brady Lane]

[Shortly after the mail's arrived, Mika can be found sitting on the porch, a package torn open near her feet and she has a worn, discolored satchel in her lap. Her gaze is distant as she holds a battered notebook in her hands, flipping through the pages without really looking at them.

Of all the things she could have gotten back, she hadn't expected them to return her bag.]

Comments

[wolfishsurvivalist]

[She huffs a laugh, her tail thumping against the porch.]

Furry demons? That just sounds ridiculous.

[noluckduck]

Yeah, it really fuckin' is! Like, there's this guy - this French dude, sorta chubby - he looks pretty much like a goddamn giant... otter... bear-person. With horns.

[wolfishsurvivalist]

[Mika can't help but laugh at the mental image.]

I can't say I've ever considered otters to be the pinnacle of fear-inspiring. You serious?

[noluckduck]

I think he's supposed to be a "civilised" guy.

But yeah, he looks really fuckin' stupid.

[wolfishsurvivalist]

[Still chuckling, she can't help herself right now.]

I think I know some otters who might be offended by that.

[noluckduck]

... D'ya have otter-people too? [She... really can't assume Mika is joking.]

[wolfishsurvivalist]

I think I recall a few swimmers in college who were. I do know a snake and a couple of cats personally, though.

[noluckduck]

Wow.

... Say. [She fails to disguise a nervous sideglance.] Just wonderin', the animals in your world, uh... Are they just animals? Or do they talk, or what?

[wolfishsurvivalist]

The normal animals? They're just animals.

[She cocks her head.]

Though I can communicate with dogs on a certain level. It's not like it's Narnia or anything.

[noluckduck]

... Right. Dumb question, anyway. I was just...

[God, what was she thinking, bringing this up? What does she say now? "Yo, I'm a freak who can talk to animals and talking to you was kind of like talking to a dog who is actually a dog and not just a brainwashed husk like the town's whole native fauna and I got really carried away, sorry 'bout that, I can't take not having a single living creature I can share my bizarre shit with for much longer"?

Also "You really remind me of a dog is that racist?"

Jesus.]

[wolfishsurvivalist]

[She smiles, a sympathetic kind of smile that almost makes it seem like she knows what Clover is thinking. But rather Mika recognizes the way Clover is closing up, much like how Mika herself shuts down when she's afraid to tell anyone of all the weird things she's lived through.]

Not everyone comes from a similar place, so it's an honest question to ask. If you have something else you wanted to say, I won't judge. Hell, where I've been I've seen some pretty insane things, so whatever you wanted to talk about might not be too weird.

[noluckduck]

... Actually, uh, I've got another question. Ah, shit, this is dumb, but -

Can people pet ya? Like... Like a dog? Or would that be... y'know.

[wolfishsurvivalist]

No, it's okay. I actually like it when people scratch behind my ears, it's just...

Well, awkward asking for it.

[She huffs, shaking her head.]

It's something my friends did back home all the time.

[noluckduck]

... Right.

["Maybe I could?" God, Clover, what the hell.

Rather than dwelling on her increasingly embarrassing thoughts, she holds out her hand.] I'm Clover, by the way.

[wolfishsurvivalist]

Mika Whitepaws.

[She clasps Clover's hand and smiles.]

And I never say no to a good ear scratch, in case you're wondering.

[noluckduck]

...

[Oh, hell, she might as well just cut the awkwardness before it gets worse. Grinning, Clover goes ahead and scratches Mika's ears.]

[wolfishsurvivalist]

[The reaction is instant, and looks like it's not something Mika can fully control as her face goes slack and she leans into Clover's hand. Tail wagging furiously, she grumbles low in her throat, sounding pleased.]

[noluckduck]

[Oh. Wow. This is... This is a totally platonic thing, right? Just like petting a dog. Right?

Clover doesn't really want to stop, but she slows down. Just to measure Mika's reaction.]

[wolfishsurvivalist]

[It really is, but she hasn't had a proper earscratch in ages, but Mika still makes the rumbling noise, tilting her head to get Clover's fingers in a better position before sighing happily.]

[noluckduck]

[She keeps at it for a while longer before removing her hand.]

Hope that was nice for ya, I guess.

[wolfishsurvivalist]

It was, thanks. Kinda like if you get an itch between your shoulder blades that you can't reach or something. It's really nice.

[noluckduck]

... Huh. Makes sense.

[wolfishsurvivalist]

Kinda hard to explain, though.