[Open Post] Evening, Residential Area

[cloudypuddle]

Things were falling apart - she didn't like it.

Nanase had a very set pattern to her days, for a very specific reason, and yet the last few it had collapsed in on itself. She still made it to class, to swim meet, to bed at the same time, but the bits in between didn't come naturally to her, like her feet had forgotten where to go. It had led to more than a couple run-ins with her folks, when she'd normally sidestep the chance by habit. She was thrown so off, she'd actually headed home today when her teammates did, and the blank stare her mother shot her in the kitchen was as oddly jarring as taking the time to dry her hair, or going through her closet and pulling out an old sweater and pants to replace her uniform.

The material felt fresh, never worn as she slipped back onto the street, and she pulled roughly at the stiff sleeves as she stomped through the snow still on the ground. She remained uncertain where to go, but her street eventually circled back around, passing near every house in town. Surely there wouldn't be many out in the middle of dinner time, or on the outskirts of town. And even if... What's so jarring about a girl taking an uncharacteristic walk around the neighborhood?

Comments

[grandvision]

Russ fumbled with his cigarette lighter. Strange, he had never had trouble with it before. But everything seemed strange since he found that antique sniper rifle.

Wrong. Everything is wrong.

The lighter tumbled out of his hand. "Shit!" He felt around the ground for it, not noticing Nanase.

[cloudypuddle]

The clatter of the lighter falling made Nanase jolt before she even heard Russ, and she shot his back a frown just as much for the unwanted shock as his language.

"What? Did you break something?"

She squinted into the dark to try and see what fell, but didn't come closer to help herself look.

[grandvision]

"My lighter." His voice was terse, irritated. He hated being helpless as well as blind. He just wanted to find his lighter and move on with his life.

You can buy a new one, idiot. Scowling, he straightened and brushed off his pants.

[cloudypuddle]

"That shouldn't be hard to spot. Don't give up so fast."

-what was she doing, lecturing some stranger? Well, that made as much sense as walking nowhere, and coming right over to scan the ground around his feet.

"What color is it?"

[grandvision]

Of course. Russ gave the strange girl a bitter, tight-lipped smile. "I wish I could tell you," he said with patently false cheer. "Unfortunately, I've never seen it."

[cloudypuddle]

"Huh? How could you not know if you, you know..."

She meant to say "used it", but actually looking at the guy had her actually considering where he was looking, or not, and she went quiet in the middle of her crouch.

Was he... Well that, made this awkward. But, she was hear already! No use ducking out now! So she pushed on with a substitute.

"You dropped it right around here, right?"

[grandvision]

That moment when realization hits. It was Russ' least favorite part of meeting new people.

"You really don't have to," he said. "It's just a lighter."

[cloudypuddle]

She feels around a few seconds more anyways, before getting back up with a huff, smacking her hands clean on her legs.

"Fine- as long as it's just a disposable or something."

Okay, yes. The failure's irking her more than the loss.

[grandvision]

"I appreciate the help," Russ says, and tips his hat at the young woman. "Have a nice night."

[cloudypuddle]

"If you say so-" She didn't feel quite like accepting gratitude for failure, but she kept the comment to a mumble, watching him go.

"Be careful about the ice!"