from the kitchen. Glass shattering, and he knows it is going to be a mess. He climbs out of bed, looking around and thinking that somehow Stinky, name to be determined, had gotten out of his room and was the culprit.
But when he started moving about getting ready in his room, the cat reappeared from a hiding spot where he had been sleeping, his favorite person now awake.
Then - then that wail starts and Rohan is tugging on his shirt as he splits from the bedroom and slides a little on the wood floor of his apartment before he is greeted with something he hadn't been expecting.
He stops himself mid-step, fumbling at the sight. ]
Uh --
[ He looks over the smaller... girl before him.
She's familiar. Very familiar. Of course -- But, his voice has a hint of question. ]
Reimi-chan?
[ First, make sure it's her. Really. Then...find out how. ]
[Standing in the kitchen, wearing a blouse that, on her small frame, is essentially a dress, stands Reimi — evidently about six or seven years old. Certainly old enough to speak in complete sentences. Also certainly old enough to know she's definitely going to be in trouble for the mess.
The bigger problem, however, is that she's barefoot (little toes peeking out from beneath the hem of the blouse-dress) and standing in a puddle of what looks like root beer, with dangerous shards of glass all around.
She's wise enough not to have moved, at least. But she's definitely trapped on an island amid a sea of sharp edges and sticky beverage.]
[ It has to be her, right? He looks at the mess, then the girl, and then back to the mess. He's never been great with kids, of course, and they generally simply didn't like him. Not that he cared what they thought. But he cared, just a little bit. He takes gentle steps towards her, stepping around the glass with his own bare feet. He doesn't know how she'll react to this, but right now, he doesn't actually care how she feels because she's going to end up hurt.
With a couple of quick, easy movements, he scoops her up, and starts out of the kitchen. He can clean up the glass and mess of root beer later. But, first he'll be sure to keep certain injury from happening thanks to shards of glass.
Now that he has her, he'll ask her again. ]
Reimi-chan?
[ Since he doesn't know if she would have known his parents, if they were neighbors that long. ]
[Well, she's definitely not expecting to be scooped up so quickly, but she abruptly realizes why it would be a bad idea to squirm around once she's aloft, held securely out of the way of all that sharp glass.
And she'd be more concerned, except that not only does this stranger know her name, but he also mentions another familiar one.]
...Kishibe? I know somebody named that. Kishibe-san lives down my street. She comes over to have tea with my mama sometimes...
[ This is so strange. So very strange, but he has suspicions of the cause, and he eyes the mess on the floor and then looks back towards her. He'll ask her what happened soon, he's curious as to what may have caused the mess and well - this. And, he considers how honest he should be. The child version of - well his... Reimi was in his arms, sand he was holding onto her close as he made his way into the living room so that he can decide how he wants to approach this. Honest? Yeah. She's a kid, after all. ]
I'm related to her. She's my -- mom.
[ He considers. ]
I know you when you're much bigger, Reimi-chan. I'm Rohan.
[ It's said in such a way that she'd definitely be able to tell he's not being serious. Of course he's not. Because she's pretty small. But, that seems like that. She at least didn't try to debate what he had said - yet. So he'll roll with it because he has no idea what he should be doing with a child. So yes, she is getting carried everywhere. ]
[It occurs to her, abruptly, that dropping a glass is grounds for Getting In Trouble, and she doesn't want that. It would be bad if her mom came home and Rohan-tan told her she'd been in the kitchen breaking things. Even if it was an accident.
So you don't know when you were surrounded by broken glass?
[ ...Oh, kiddo. He shifts, moving to set her down in his desk chair because he does have to clean it up and he doesn't want to leave sticky root beer and broken glass to turn into a disaster between Arnold and Stinky stepping on something. ]
Can you --
[ Hm ]
Stay here, just a couple minutes. Don't touch anything.
[Evidently not, because Arnold promptly comes trotting over at the mention of his name, and it prompts Reimi to suck in a sharp, awestruck breath.]
A doggy!
[Not a puppy; he is clearly too big for that. Arnold, however, comes right over and starts nosing at her, investigating with his snout before licking her hand and prompting a squeal of giggling.]
Oh, he's friendly! His name is Arnold? Hi, Arnold!
[ Sure enough - Rohan had a feeling Arnold would make an appearance... and there he is. He seems relieved that the dog is here. He doesn't really know what to do with a child. How do you entertain them? What do they like? Is he really supposed to listen to them when they want something? But, she's grown up, it's not like he can really do any major harm, right? Right? There's a steady, internal scream in the back of his mind. It's fine. ]
He is.
[ Simple still, honest and straight forward. ]
He's yours when you're older.
[ He's not sure when she got him, but it can't be way too far down the line, right? Not that it matters. ]
He's pretty good at doing what you ask and he likes hot dogs.
[ Ah, yes, teach the child this and Arnold will be a very happy dog. ]
Do you know where you are, Reimi-chan? Do you know this place?
[ He has no idea what she knows or thinks this is, after all. Seems the best place to start. ]
[ That seems to be the best way to explain this to her, at least for now. His head is still spinning a bit. How long will she be like this? Surely it's not going to last that long. Hopefully. Because he's never been responsible for another person and doesn't think he should be, either. ]
What do you like to do, Reimi-chan. Color? Play games?
[ Eat Rocks? Bugs? He doesn't know. He doesn't even really remember being this age. ]
[That's something that includes both coloring and playing games! Assuming the existence of sidewalk chalk, of course.]
I can play hopscotch by myself but I can't go into the street. That's not allowed. But I can play on the sidewalk! That's an outside game though. Can we play outside, or only inside?
[ Okay, maybe he shouldn't be asking a child what she wants to do. He should set restrictions; however... he doesn't really know that. He doesn't know. He'll just...do whatever. ]
I don't have chalk here, though.
[ Not chalk she can use on sidewalk. ]
So --
[ Oh god. ]
We have to go get some.
[ He is going to totally go to the store with a small Reimi and the idea is making him scream all over again inside. They may need to get her clothes, too. Something that...works on someone her size. ]
[ Alright. Well, if that's what's going to happen, he is going to scoop her up again because what shoes does he have to put on a child? None. So, no feet on the ground he guesses. ]
Chalk. And clothes. You need clothes.
[ And food? What do kids like? What do kids need? He has no idea. Not a damn clue. But, he's just going to carry her wherever he goes because that's all he can think to do. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
crash
from the kitchen. Glass shattering, and he knows it is going to be a mess. He climbs out of bed, looking around and thinking that somehow Stinky, name to be determined, had gotten out of his room and was the culprit.
But when he started moving about getting ready in his room, the cat reappeared from a hiding spot where he had been sleeping, his favorite person now awake.
Then - then that wail starts and Rohan is tugging on his shirt as he splits from the bedroom and slides a little on the wood floor of his apartment before he is greeted with something he hadn't been expecting.
He stops himself mid-step, fumbling at the sight. ]
Uh --
[ He looks over the smaller... girl before him.
She's familiar. Very familiar. Of course -- But, his voice has a hint of question. ]
Reimi-chan?
[ First, make sure it's her. Really. Then...find out how. ]
no subject
The bigger problem, however, is that she's barefoot (little toes peeking out from beneath the hem of the blouse-dress) and standing in a puddle of what looks like root beer, with dangerous shards of glass all around.
She's wise enough not to have moved, at least. But she's definitely trapped on an island amid a sea of sharp edges and sticky beverage.]
no subject
With a couple of quick, easy movements, he scoops her up, and starts out of the kitchen. He can clean up the glass and mess of root beer later. But, first he'll be sure to keep certain injury from happening thanks to shards of glass.
Now that he has her, he'll ask her again. ]
Reimi-chan?
[ Since he doesn't know if she would have known his parents, if they were neighbors that long. ]
I'm -- Kishibe.
[ That's the way to go, right? He hopes. ]
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[Well, she's definitely not expecting to be scooped up so quickly, but she abruptly realizes why it would be a bad idea to squirm around once she's aloft, held securely out of the way of all that sharp glass.
And she'd be more concerned, except that not only does this stranger know her name, but he also mentions another familiar one.]
...Kishibe? I know somebody named that. Kishibe-san lives down my street. She comes over to have tea with my mama sometimes...
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I'm related to her. She's my -- mom.
[ He considers. ]
I know you when you're much bigger, Reimi-chan. I'm Rohan.
[ Weirder things have been said. ]
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[Said with the infinite conviction of someone who is decidedly not grown up.]
You're just tall! That doesn't mean I'm not big!
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[ It's said in such a way that she'd definitely be able to tell he's not being serious. Of course he's not. Because she's pretty small. But, that seems like that. She at least didn't try to debate what he had said - yet. So he'll roll with it because he has no idea what he should be doing with a child. So yes, she is getting carried everywhere. ]
So, Reimi-chan, what happened in the kitchen?
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[It occurs to her, abruptly, that dropping a glass is grounds for Getting In Trouble, and she doesn't want that. It would be bad if her mom came home and Rohan-tan told her she'd been in the kitchen breaking things. Even if it was an accident.
So clearly, a lie is the way to go.]
Nothing. I don't know what happened.
no subject
[ ...Oh, kiddo. He shifts, moving to set her down in his desk chair because he does have to clean it up and he doesn't want to leave sticky root beer and broken glass to turn into a disaster between Arnold and Stinky stepping on something. ]
Can you --
[ Hm ]
Stay here, just a couple minutes. Don't touch anything.
[ He's going to -- clean up. ]
Have you met Arnold before?
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A doggy!
[Not a puppy; he is clearly too big for that. Arnold, however, comes right over and starts nosing at her, investigating with his snout before licking her hand and prompting a squeal of giggling.]
Oh, he's friendly! His name is Arnold? Hi, Arnold!
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He is.
[ Simple still, honest and straight forward. ]
He's yours when you're older.
[ He's not sure when she got him, but it can't be way too far down the line, right? Not that it matters. ]
He's pretty good at doing what you ask and he likes hot dogs.
[ Ah, yes, teach the child this and Arnold will be a very happy dog. ]
Do you know where you are, Reimi-chan? Do you know this place?
[ He has no idea what she knows or thinks this is, after all. Seems the best place to start. ]
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[She looks around with confidence that quickly begins to wane the more she looks, brow furrowing into a small little expression of concern.]
No...I thought this was my house but this isn't my house. Whose house is this?
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[ He pauses. ]
It's ours. When you're bigger, we're friends.
[ That seems to be the best way to explain this to her, at least for now. His head is still spinning a bit. How long will she be like this? Surely it's not going to last that long. Hopefully. Because he's never been responsible for another person and doesn't think he should be, either. ]
What do you like to do, Reimi-chan. Color? Play games?
[ Eat Rocks? Bugs? He doesn't know. He doesn't even really remember being this age. ]
no subject
[That's something that includes both coloring and playing games! Assuming the existence of sidewalk chalk, of course.]
I can play hopscotch by myself but I can't go into the street. That's not allowed. But I can play on the sidewalk! That's an outside game though. Can we play outside, or only inside?
no subject
[ Okay, maybe he shouldn't be asking a child what she wants to do. He should set restrictions; however... he doesn't really know that. He doesn't know. He'll just...do whatever. ]
I don't have chalk here, though.
[ Not chalk she can use on sidewalk. ]
So --
[ Oh god. ]
We have to go get some.
[ He is going to totally go to the store with a small Reimi and the idea is making him scream all over again inside. They may need to get her clothes, too. Something that...works on someone her size. ]
...We can do that.
[ And here he is, immediately caving. ]
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[She is not even wearing shOES]
Yeah! Chalk for hopscotch!
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Chalk. And clothes. You need clothes.
[ And food? What do kids like? What do kids need? He has no idea. Not a damn clue. But, he's just going to carry her wherever he goes because that's all he can think to do. ]