perfectmatch | week two

[gets this real quick before I go back to work]

OW--!

[that was a really loud yell, given as Edamura yanks his hand back from a fussy looking parakeet]

It just bit me?!

[ Serpilia herself has always been more of an electronics girl than she has an animal one, but given most of her favorite inventions fly, it's hard not to be fond of the brightly colored little fowlbeasts.

Even if they're maybe not as fond of Edamura.

She laughs a little at his strong reaction as she reaches out a finger slowly towards the fussy parakeet, who seems to calm down and let her gently run a finger across its head. ]

Isn't it more of a peck when they don't have teeth?

[ Or a clamp if it's pressing down, she guesses? ]

You just have to be a little slower with them. Don't spook them, and it's fine.

[PARAKEET WHISPERER. . . ?]

[huffs a little, visibly put out, but not dissuaded!! he runs a finger through the seed in his hand before moving to another bird, hoping for better luck with this one]

You're a real natural at this, you know?

[ Is she that good, or is he just that unfortunate? The world may never know. ]

You think so? It's not so different than how you approach a person who doesn't seem to trust you much. If you're coming at them too fast and pushy out the gate, they're going to have their guard up that much more.

[ She shifts the seed in her left hand into her right, and lets Mr. Fussy start to pick at them a bit. ]

[huh. . . crouches next to his next chosen bird, palm extended, seeds mounded in the center. the parakeet seems to squint at him (if birds can squint) (they can't) and doesn't go for the food]

Do you deal with that a lot in your line of work?

[ These little guys are playing favorites hard as a few more gather around to her proffered seed. ]

Maybe not a lot, but I kinda already said I work for the government where I live, right? There're lots of people who have lots of reasons to be wary of officials, even if we're doing things with good intentions.

[ And she cannot say that everyone who works for the Notarial Hall is doing things with good intentions, or at the very least their well meaning might actually be harmful at the end of the day.

She can't even always say that of herself. ]

[THEY SURE ARE!! even the one that Edamura tried to feed is hopping in her direction, leaving him cold and alone. . .]

[he just huffs and stands up to seek out another bird. there has to be one here that likes him, right??]

. . . yeah. I suppose that's true.

[a small grin]

Your skills are really working for you right now. You've got a whole flock at your beck and call.

[ A small laugh at that. ]

Seems that way.

[ She glances over at him as he tries yet again to move to another bird after being ditched. ]

Not trying to be mean here or anything, but are you the kind of guys who isn't that popular with animals, or are these little guys just being particularly spiteful?

[easily]

Oh, these guys totally hate me.

[delivered with a sense of even resignation]

I don't usually have this many problems with animals. I was pretty popular with the neighborhood cat when I was a kid.

[of course, he was a kid back then, so that may have had something to do with it]

They're a little different, huh?

[ Cats and birds.

Serpilia hums thoughtfully for a moment, before a mischievous smile quirks up her lips. ]

How about we try playing a little trick to get them to warm up to you then? C'mere for a second.

[. . . ?]

[she gets a dubious li'l side-eye, but nevertheless, Edamura obliges. scooting towards her with one brow raised]

What kind of trick?

Just a simple one. Hold up your hand for a second, palm up.

[ She'll mimic the gesture she means with her hand currently cupping the seed. ]

[he does as requested, holding one hand up with his palm extended. he uses the hand that is not clutching his own seeds, just in case!]

Okay then, first of all...

[ She's reaching over to dump all of the seed into his free hand. Kind of gives him no free hands now, but he did that to himself! ]

We'll get you nice and loaded up here. And next...

[ She slips her hand under his, cradling the back of his hand with her palm, and sliding her fingers between his. ]

We'll just reach over to where these little guys are, and see if maybe me being right here makes them a little more willing to take something from you.

[HE DID DO THIS TO HIMSELF?? but he wasn't sure what she wanted to do??? so now he just looks perplexed as his second hand is filled with MORE SEED]

Huh? What are you--

[and then her hand slips underneath his, fingers brushing lightly across his knuckles before finding their place between his own. his entire body suddenly freezes like that of a deer in headlights]

Uh--

[HELP WHAT DOES HE DO??]

. . . a-all right! [play it cool. that's what he does] There's no way they hate me more than they like you!

[ The bluff doesn't work that well when he literally froze up a second before, and stuttered a little at the start there. Pretty cute though. Most of the people here seem pretty confident and comfortable in a lot of ways, and she's really only been able to get a rise out of Furina before now, so she can't say she minds it.

She'll even be kind and not call him out on it, even if a knowing grin pulls at the corner of her lips. ]

That's what I'm counting on. Let's see if I'm right.

[ She's guiding their conjoined hands over to the birds, who for a moment seem like they're not sure how they feel about this yet, not attacking, but also not flocking to the seed yet. ]

[the grin says more than enough, and he huffs a little in response, as if daring her to say more. go on. call him out! (no don't let him save face)]

It's a pretty good plan, so--

[they start to move towards the birds, and Edamura holds his breath, looking at the creatures with bright-eyed, eager interest. look! Serpilia is here!! surely her birdseed is the best see of all!]

[. . .]

[it takes a moment, but. . .]

[. . . one brave parakeet eventually hops forward to feed]

[ She won't. For now, but the grin does pull wider at the huff.

Can't ruin the cute bird moment though, because look at that! One little brave birdie is actually doing it, hopping right on over to get a snack. ]

See? That little guy just needed a small nudge to warm up to it, but he's literally eating out of the palm of your hand now.

[in a whisper because he is too afraid his loud voice will scare the bird away]

Look at it. . . . . . . . it's cute. . . !

[ She'll try to keep her laugh quiet in turn to match his quiet energy here. ]

It is pretty cute, isn't it?

[ Does she mean the bird? Does she mean him getting so excited that the bird isn't spurning his affection now? Hard to say. ]

[he definitely thinks she means the bird. but his excitement does grow when two more hop towards their hands]

Serpilia-san. . . [STILL QUIET] . . . I think you're a genius.

[ Ahaha, the attempt to be quiet is kind of funny, even if she gets it. ]

That? I knew. Now lets wait for a few more to hop over, and then we can try step two.

There's a step two??

[he thought this might be enough?? but either way, now that the birds agree that the seed is safe, the rest flutter over pretty quickly! land on the duo's joined fingers, on the edges of their arms, the tops of their heads. . .]

[BIRD STATUES]

Mmhm. Step two is...

[ She moves her hand excruciatingly slowly as to not startling the birds, but she's slipping it back just a little at a time. ]

I take off the training wheels, and let you solo it.

[HOLDS HIS BREATH. . .!]

[Serpilia slowly pulls away, but the birds remain, far too enamored with the rapidly vanishing seeds in Edamura's palm to dissipate. they linger even when she is fully gone, none the wiser to the deception!!]

[there may be faint moisture at the corners of Edamura's eyes]

Serpilia-san I'm too nervous to breathe.

[HE'S BEING DRAMATIC]

week two | dates

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