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Vincent Drake:
Vincent, as he had promised Tonya, had been showing Hiroko and Lamp around the city when he can. Showing them diffrent places, movies, foods. The two where nice people, and like Avery they needed a helping hand adjusting to soceity, and Vincent could always use a night to let loose or chill. All in all, a mutually beneficial relationship. Currently, in that capacity, he was standing in front of a food vendor with Hiroko.
"I'm telling you Azuma-san, cheesesteaks are where it's at." he grinned, offering her one
Azuma Hiroko:
"I do not understand why there is so much cheese. The bread is soggy now." she muttered as she accepted his offering grudgingly. She sniffed at it curiously... It did smell really good...
Vincent Drake:
"Trust me Azuma-san, the soggyness of the bread heightnes the flavor," he giggled, cocking his head as she sniffed...food was one thing he sacrificed in undeath, he found some small joy in seeing the reactions of other's eating. "My friend, trust me when I say, sometimes messy eating just makes everyhing better." he handed the man a five as he bought her a sprite to wash it down. "Please, tell me what you think."
Azuma Hiroko:
"But Tonya-senpai said I have to be clean and neat when I eat..." she sighed before taking an experimental lick of the greasy cheese...
Vincent Drake:
he chuckled at that, "Well, don't worry, you're with me and here, you're allowed to be a little messy." he said, "Sometimes, ya got to have fun."
Azuma Hiroko:
She looked up at him questioningly, saw that he meant it and her eyes widened happily. Almost immediately, she started chomping at the sandwich. That little lick before was so tasty that she had wondered how to eat this very soggy sandwich politely. But now that she was given permission to NOT be polite... Well... Cheese, grease and onion bits covered her cheeks and fingers. Hiroko ate like a starving dog, inhaling the food so quickly that it was gone within a minute.
Vincent Drake:
Vincent was smiling before, and as she ate his smile got bigger, actually giggling as she gorged down on the chessesteak, when she was done, he offered her a polite clap.
"Azuma-san, if I had known you where so hungry, I would have gotten you more...." he looked down the street, "Theres a pizza place not far from here, want some more food?" he asked, "or did that hit the spot?"
Azuma Hiroko:
She licked her fingers clean and started cleaning off her face with said fingers, almost like a cat. "I would like another cheesesteak please." she said as she looked up at him with pleading eyes.
Vincent Drake:
Vincent turned away, over the time he spent with Hiroko and Lamp, he learned one thing, never to stare into her puppy dog/lamp eyes, it's like Dominate, but with cutness.
"Well, you heard the lady," he shrugged with a smile to the vendor, "How's about...three more." the vendor in question went wide eyed, but hey, Vinny's money was good. Handing her another and holding the other two for after that, he moved to sit down on a bench.
"So, how's your family been?" he smiled, "It's been a bit since you three showed up, I hope you enjoyed the holiday, did you like the Christmas gift?"
Azuma Hiroko:
Hiroko bowed to the vendor, "Thank you very much for the food, Vendor-san."
And then she quickly followed Vinny to the bench. By the time he sat down, her second cheesesteak was gone and she was licking her fingers again.
"They are well. I enjoy my Christmas gift." she then replied, blushing slightly. She seemed... Bashful, quite suddenly...
Vincent Drake:
"Something on your mind?" he asked, cocking his head
Azuma Hiroko:
"No, Vincent-san."
Vincent Drake:
"It's ok, remember, I'm here to help teach you, please, if there is anything tell me." he said, a bit more gentle, Hiriko he noticed had more issues then lamp with the socializing, "We're friends." he assured with a smile
Azuma Hiroko:
She picked at her dress, clearly very shy about it. "I sleep with Ram-Ram... When I am scared..." she muttered softly.
Vincent Drake:
"Ram-ram," he smiled, "That's a lovely name, I'm glad they've proven to be a loyal friend." he nodded, "Are you...scared alot?"
Azuma Hiroko:
She shook her head slowly. "No... Only sometimes..."
Vincent Drake:
"If it helps, I get scared alot," he said rubbing the back of his head, "In fact, I was really scared this week, what is it that get's you scared, whatever it is must be frightening, considering how brave you usually are."
Azuma Hiroko:
"I am not brave, Vincent-san." she said, tilting her head at him curiously. "Why were you scared this week?"
Vincent Drake:
"Tell you what, you tell me what got you scared, I'll tell you." he smiled, "Sound like a fair deal?"
Azuma Hiroko:
She nodded and looked off into the distance. "I am scared of It..."
Vincent Drake:
"Yeah...." he muttered, "Listen....Avery is the same way, sometimes bad memories come back, listen, and I want you to remember...your not a alone, you're never alone now." he said, his voice serious, "You got you mom, your sister, you got the freehold, and ya know what, your my friend so you got me." he nodded
"For me...I messed up, accidently made someone angry at me, and they got sad after they hurt me by accident...then I remembered about the woman who made me like this." his voice did bear regret in it, "Everyone has demons, it's ok to be scared, it's apart of learning to grow."
Azuma Hiroko:
"I am aware that it is normal." she smiled gently at him. "If it was an accident, I am sure that they will forgive you. You do not look hurt... Is it a hidden wound?"
Vincent Drake:
"We already worked it out." he shrugged, "And it's....you know I'm" he looked around, the vendor left so it was just them, "A vampire, right, blood drinking night dude, part of my things is, my wounds heal super fast," he dragged his hand along his face, "Half my fact got scratched off."
Azuma Hiroko:
She lifted a curious but greasy hand to gently touch his face... That is super fast...
Vincent Drake:
"Yeah, anyone else would have been in the hospital, or dead...but thankfully I burned blood to heal, the events did leave me low that night, but I refilled good enough." he shrugged, "It's like you guys Harvest."
Azuma Hiroko:
She nodded in understanding and dropped her hand.
Vincent Drake:
"So yeah....it was a rough week." he rubbed the back of his head, then wiped some grease of his cheek, then licked the grease, "Had a Clarity Attack...at least my version of it...but I needed it, the whole thing caused me face some hard demons, so I suppose it happened for a reason."
Azuma Hiroko:
"Are you alright now?" she asked soothingly.
Vincent Drake:
"Now....now I am, but..." he paused, "I'm not going to lie to you Azuma-san, I like ya too much to do that, life can hurt, it can sting, but at the end of the day, we grow, we try, we get better." he stared off at the moon, smiling, "Live, laugh, love, grow, those four words are what we ought to do in life."
Azuma Hiroko:
Hiroko smiled and nodded in agreement with him, her eyes blinking at him brightly.
Vincent Drake:
"Have you found something in the city that took your fancy, a hobby or passtime?"
Azuma Hiroko:
"I like going to the hospital." she grinned.
Vincent Drake:
he giggled at that
"Not manye do, volunteer work then?" he smiled, "What do you do there?"
Azuma Hiroko:
"I comfort those in need."
Vincent Drake:
"Your a kind and gentle soul, Azuma-san." he smiled
Azuma Hiroko:
"Thank you, Vincent-san. I think you are kind and gentle as well." she beamed at him.
Vincent Drake:
now at that he blushed
"Oh...no, I'm just..." damn those eyes
Azuma Hiroko:
The biiiiig brown and soft eyes blinked at him. Waiting for him to finish his sentence.
Vincent Drake:
"I just do what I can, I don't like seeing people suffer needlessly," he said, avoiding eye contact for a bit then looked at her, dman those eyes are big, "I was...wondering actually...if you would like to go dancing, sometime, if yout not too busy that is."
Azuma Hiroko:
She blinked again and tilted her head to one side like a confused dog. "I do not dance, Vincent-san."
Vincent Drake:
You ever see a human being deflate
"I mean...yeah but maybe it's a time to start, of just maybe go out to eat again, or a movie...without Lamp and just us to." he rubbed the back of his head, "Your...a very intresting person, and I want to learn more about you."
Azuma Hiroko:
"What do you wish to learn?"
Vincent Drake:
"What you like, what you dislike, hopes, dreans, desires, what your scared of...and if I can help make you braver." he blushed, "It's....I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be-" he sighed, "It's fine if you don't want to...it's called....a date."
Azuma Hiroko:
She was silent for a while, watching him curiously. Why did he want to know all those details about her? It was strange. Especially when she didn't know the answer to move of them herself... But he seemed harmless, surely? And Tonya-senpai seems to like him well enough...
"Okay. I will go with you on a date, Vincent-san."
Vincent Drake:
Vincent blinked....then blinked again....then smiled
"That's great," he beamed, looking into those eyes of hers with his own, glowing crimson from excitement, "I"ll pick you up...how about tommorow night, at eight." he tapped his foot, something he does often when either angry or too exicted, "I actually know a place I think you'll enjoy."
Azuma Hiroko:
She nodded and smiled back. His beam was infectious. And then she looked at the two congealing philly cheesesteaks in his hands. "Will you be eating those?" she asked curiously.
Vincent Drake:
He looked down at them
"Um, no, I got them for you." he giggled, "I don't eat much anymore...I drink." he handed her one
Azuma Hiroko:
She accepted the one, but shook her head. "I am satisfied. Would you like to meet someone else who will be hungry?"
Vincent Drake:
He smiled
"Ok, sure."
Azuma Hiroko:
She jumped up from the bench, grabbed his hand and pulled him towards a back alley behind some shops...
Vincent Drake:
He smiled as she dragged him off, not sure where but he never complained when cute girls led him down alleys
Azuma Hiroko:
She walked up to a tattered tent that had a bunch of newspapers and old blankets and boxes layering each other all around the tent, strung up seemingly haphazardly. The alley stank of trash and rotting vegetables. Hiroko slowed down just before she got to about a foot away, then called out gently. "Wyatt-san? It is Azuma Hiroko..."
Vincent Drake:
Vincent frowned, not from dissapontment but from concern for the person who was living in these conditions. "Fuck." he muttered, he lived on the streets himself for some years, "Hey there friend." he said gently, "Cold night ain't, need a hot meal?"
Azuma Hiroko:
What came out of the tent was a grizzly old man, skinny and grumpy. He snarled at them both and were about to yell at them to gerroffhisspace when he spotted Hiroko and recognized her. "Azuma? Whacha want then?!" he grumped at her as he squinted at Vincent suspiciously.
The girl only smiled and extended her hand that held the philly cheesesteak. "I am here to bring you a treat." she replied, seemingly unconcerned about the living conditions here.
Wyatt snatched the sandwich from her hand and immediately retreated into his tent for a moment. Then he peeked out again. "S'that all? Well, git then!"
Vincent Drake:
Vincent offered a wave.
"Um...hi Mr.Wyatt, I'm Vinny, a friend of Azuma-san." he offered friendly smile, "It's sure cold ain't it, been snowing off and on...you need a place to get warm?" he asked, his voice a bit more catuous and gentle
Azuma Hiroko:
"AH DON'T NEED NO CHARITY FROM YA! GIT!!!" he yelled at Vincent, looking like he was about to come out to beat the two off with a beer bottle.
Hiroko simply took Vincent's hand again and started walking off, a soft smile on her face.
Vincent Drake:
Vincnet walked off with Hiroko, looking back at the man, "I'm worried about him." he told her, "It's getting colder and colder...he should be at the center, with Ylva." Vinny always had a soft spot for the unhoused, "How did you meet him?"
Azuma Hiroko:
"I roam the city with Lamp-chan. We encounter many people who are needy. But they are also suspicious and dislike others. They much prefer to be left alone. I like giving them treats when I can, things they cannot refuse." she explained. She looked up at the sky briefly. "It is cold, but he will be fine. It is not his first winter out here. Ready to meet another?"
Vincent Drake:
He looked at her, a silent admiration in his eyes. then nodded
"Yes, let's get them something warm to eat." he smiled, letting her lead the way...but not letting go of her hand unless she did
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