>>41285049 >Well the bean sprout encouragement didn't work either. She'll have to try a new plan next time. Though that was forgotten when Max pointed out the bag and the now melted ice cream that was within.
....
>She guess she should have used more ice pacts. Looking back to Max, she answers honestly.
Probably, yeah.
<"MY ICE CREAM!! NANIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!" >Hopefully she'll still be able to hear afterwards.
>>41285556 >He hadn't hung out with Hikage that much, in fact she was a relatively new acquaintance all things considered, but it was getting easier to tell when she felt bad or good. It wasn't that she didn't feel, she was just less expressive than most. That shuffling of her eyebrows and the slight wrinkles appearing at the side of her mouth seemed to form the very slightest indication that she was a little upset about the problem.
>With a sigh, he fished through his pockets and pulled out a single gold coin, passing it across to her with a faint smile on his face.
Here, this ought to cover it. Go get a new bunch for everyone and maybe something extra for you, too. Just a small token of thanks.
>>41287472 >With the gold coin in her hand, the faintest look of surprise flashes on her fact. That was a lot of money to give her just for hanging around in a park and eating ice cream!
Are... you sure?
>It wasn't as if she wasn't going to take it, this would safe her butt, but they haven't really known each other for that long.
>>41288307 Yeah. It's sorta my fault they melted anyway, if you'd just headed back I'm pretty sure your ice pack would've done the job.
>Giving the coin a strong flip with his thumb, it flew up a little ways into the air as he dropped his arm, practically forcing her to take it at this point.
I mean, it's not like I earn a lot or anything... but you really helped me out, today.
>>41288311 >Well if he was sure then she shouldn't refuse it. And it was good to hear that what she did helped him out.
Ok then.
>Snatching the offered coin from the air as it fell from the sky the girl's perceptual flat frown tuns ever so slightly up at the corners. And was that faintest hint of pink on her face?
Thank you Max.
>Now she won't be yelled for the melted ice cream at least.
>>41288388 >It was a relatively small gesture for the way she'd helped him twice now, but it seemed like a worthwhile one. Alaestians tended to enjoy keeping their money close, given the nature of their economy, and it wasn't that Max was any different - he simply placed the value of a firm friendship over a small amount of monetary gain.
You're welcome! But are you okay? You're looking a little red ther- oh. Oh.
>And now it was his own turn to go red in the face, after stumbling over something as simple as general human interaction. That was a grateful smile, not the indication of someone being sick, dumbass.
Uh... yeah! Just make sure you don't get distracted by someone else on your way back, wouldn't want that helpful nature of yours to be your downfall or anything... heh...
>>41296610 >Was she ok? Yeah, of course she was, that little walk wasn't going to tucker her out.
Perfectly fine, why?
>It seems while Max noticed the small blush on her face the woman herself was oblivious to it. Though that quickly changed into not letting things distract her. Indeed, she needed to get more ice cream for the Boss.
Yeah, can't let that happen again. Though... it wasn't a bad reason for getting distracted this time.
>Helpful huh? To think only a year or so ago, Hikage would probably not have even cared about Max's situation and just walked right by. Shows how much things have changed. Her downfall though, not likely, she knows enough about the seedier parts of people to be ready for it.
Anyway, glad I could help out, I'll see you when I see you Max.
>With that, the snake-like woman of the Basilisks makes her way out of this park and towards the city once more. Gotta get back before the shops close.
You thinking of making her your girlfriend "Stranger"?
>Called out a familiar voice from just a little too close for comfort. How the redheaded twerp had tracked Max down and how much she had managed overhear the couple's conversation was a mystery. Though the one thing that was certain was that the big grin that she was wearing could spell nothing good for the prodigious engineer.
You need to be careful though because snakes lay eggs whereas wolves lay pups.
If you want to be able to do the do with her without having anything get caught in the mechanisms then you'll probably need an adapter kit.
Lucky for you, I know just the place to get one.
Price is pretty low too, it'd just cost you a few childhood dreams and memories is all.
>>41297272 Ye- NO! What? Do the do wi- No, I - well, no, not... I mean, how? What did you..? Where did you!? Were you listening? Because no! No, she's not that sort of... I mean, yes, she's nice, but no! She's like 4ft taller than I am and 10 years older and that's not to say she isn't nice to look at and interesting to be around but no! NO, Janet, not at all! Yes, we were sitting around here, but no! That's not what we..!
... no!
Just... just... I mean... sometimes it's nice to think about but NO. No no no no. No. We're not some eloping couple or anything! It was just ice cream! Ice cream, damn it!
>With the spaghetti all over the floor and the sauce spilling across the hillside, Max was barely able to keep his state of being together as Janet caught him completely off guard with her questions about things that he may or may not know anything about, particularly the story of the Wolves and the Snakes which was very different from the supposed Birds and Bees that he'd never really studied up on.
>>41297525 >Leaning forward from her spot to get a better look at the flustered teen, Janet smiled at his reaction and savored Max's complete emotional meltdown at the cost of just a few off-handed comments. To think that she ranked so highly in his esteem that she could get a rise like that from him was extremely flattering in its own way.
Well if you keep repeating it then you might just convince yourself that you weren't thinking about dirty things while your snakey friend was savoring that ice cream of hers.
>Said the relentless girl whose capacity for human empathy was limited at the best of times and completely non-existent when she was having fun.
You don't need to lie to me or anything, I think its respectable that you set your standards so high.
>She said, snickering to herself over what she felt was an incredibly clever use of words.
>>41297697 No! I keep telling you that's not how - wait, what dirty things? How it is dirty to eat ice cream...? People don't kiss ice cream or even make out with it... I didn't see her tongue anyway...
>Damn it, Janet, why'd you have to go and turn his thoughts that lewd! Now he was stuck being a little red in the face when he was already cornered as it was! And what was all this about standards!? As far as standards were concerned, Hikage wasn't someone who measured up in that way to - waaait a fucking second, was that a height joke!?
Oh, shut up! I don't even like the tall ones! It's awkward and it makes me feel like some kind of kid or something. Did you really follow me all this way just to call me short!? You're even shorter, you know!
>Even if it was only by a bit. Come to think of it, he hadn't actually measured up and he couldn't quite tell.. no, there was no way she could be taller than him. No way.
>>41297952 >Looking at the ever more flustered youth with a wry smile, Janet sighed and savored the conversation's general flow. Max was flustered and defensive and desperate not to lose what he thought was a fight with words. He thought his pride was at stake in a situation where any amounts of hindsight would show Max just how silly he was being.
Well its good to know I'm in the range of your prospects then.
>Said the redhead with a satisfied expression that could only be aimed at irritating the poor flustered boy.
But no, I came here to tell you that you can go back to the market and buy your fizzy drinks now, those merchants won't give you any trouble.
>>41297982 Range of my-! Well, that's... that's besides the point! I mean, no, that's not how it is at all, if you were listening then you'd know I've resolved to keep trying to beat you in order to get to know who you are as a person and that's totally platonic! TOTALLY platonic! You're just not like anyone else, that's all! It has nothing to do with whether you're short or not or anything like that and- wait...
... they won't? Why?
>Partially eager to hop across to the new subject in the hopes that he could avoid further embarassment, Max was genuinely curious as to just how she'd be able to actually convince someone like that cookie monster of anything, even if she had her explosions.