Homes & Art

[pyroknight]

(ooc: Continue from here)

[Ruri's home is simple but unique. It's an old building that someone had been fixing up before Ruri moved into it. There were mixtures of western and Japanese themes with sliding doors and random rooms with tatami mats lining the floor. It isn't very big, which is why her 'party' had spilled into the yard. Right inside the front door is the room that Ruri uses to entertain, pass that is the kitchen/dining room and pass that is a closet where she does her laundry.

On the right side of the house is hallway that has wooden floors, unlike the tile that lines the family room and kitchen. There are three doors along the right side of the hall, two sliding doors and one regular door. The regular door leads to a bathroom while the two sliding doors lead to bed rooms. The extra bed room is currently filled with a desk, books and maps. Ruri doesn't have enough money to spring for a GPS and she travels a lot.

As promised she leaves the door unlocked. If KITT steps inside he'll see Ruri laying on the floor, her phone placed on her abdomen. She's still a little hung over and is a little worried about getting up.]

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[pyroknight]

She had finally banished the warmth from her cheeks when he spoke again. Beautiful. It wasn't a word she was used to hearing, in any context, and she felt her heart flutter when he said it. The blush returned, painting a soft rosy pink across her cheeks and then over the bridge of her nose.

What was wrong with her?

"Thank you." She said the words carefully, it was obvious that she didn't know how to take the compliment. She hadn't considered her name beautiful but she felt like she could believe it when Kitt said it. "For helping me and thinking my name is beautiful." Her expression softened as her fingers pulled at the hem of her shirt.

Ruri's relationship with her family was complicated at best. It didn't help that she never knew her father or his entire side of the family. She didn't think she'd mind telling Kitt the whole story but it wasn't a first meeting sort of story.

"Do you want me to walk you out?" She didn't want him to leave, which was an odd feeling, but she had to get ready for this march. She didn't get paper gigs that often otherwise she'd have skipped it completely and spent the evening talking with Kitt more. She liked talking to him.

[ki2k]

He meant it when he said it, as lies were not something that ever came easily to him, though he was struck by the strength behind his emotion. There was something about her that he couldn't put his finger on, something that made her different from the other women he'd met over the course of his missions with Michael. Was it because she seemed genuinely interested in him as well? Would she still be interested if she knew what he really was? Or would it turn more patronizing, as was usually the case when humans met the car?

And yet when he thought about it, he did find her beautiful, with her dark eyes and her petite features, the soft shade of the blush still highlighting her skin.

He really needed to stop staring.

"You don't have to thank me for anything, Ruri." It was very cute, the way she was fiddling with her shirt, but it never occurred to him that she might be feeling strangely as well. "I'm happy to help - and I'd never lie about something like your name."

Staring like a lovesick puppy was helping no one. Ugh! He had to pull his eyes away from her, find something else to focus on. Was this why Michael always seemed so odd when he was attracted to someone? Is this how he felt, and why KITT had never understood why Michael's brain suddenly seemed so mushy?

He would listen to Ruri talk all day, about anything she wished, for her found her voice to be as enchanting as the rest of her. She had an attentive audience in him.

No, he most certainly did not want her to walk him out. But knowing she must, he nodded. "So long as you promise to call me when you return. I'll come pick you up."

Pick her up? In what, exactly? It was stupid, the car that had no car of his own. Dumb, he was dumb, but he'd already said it, so now he had to figure out how to make it happen. Maybe Devon wouldn't notice if he 'borrowed' one of the Mercedes? That was if none of them noticed that the Trans Am had been missing for quite some time as it was. None of it was Ruri's problem, however, so instead, he turned towards the door, waiting for her to see him out.

[pyroknight]

Ruri smiled up at him. "I will." She wished that she didn't have to go but it was becoming increasingly harder to think around him so maybe this was best? She knew that she shouldn't feel like this about anyone. She'd only end up hurting him, which was the last thing that she wanted to do.

Pushing the thought away Ruri's lips pulled into a tight smile. "Call you, I mean."

She laughed, the tension slowly easing from her shoulders as she blushed under his gaze. "Even if it's late." What was she saying?! He wouldn't be worried about her and she couldn't very well call him after midnight if the rally happened to run that late.

"I know you said you'd pick me up but where do you live? Would it be easier to meet somewhere in the middle? I'd feel bad if I kept making you come here." She didn't own a car so she'd have to walk or find public transportation to wherever they were meeting.

Ruri walked with him to the sidewalk which felt to short a distance to go. She didn't want to say goodbye.

[ki2k]

It was most likely definitely for the best. He wasn't sure exactly what he was feeling, he only knew that his pulse was pounding, his stomach felt fluttery, his brain felt muzzy. If she ended up hurting him - as if! - it would be well worth it.

"I know what you meant." His smile was warm and amused as he watched her, growing wider when she laughed. "Even if it's late, I don't mind." Wouldn't be worried about her? Of course he would! And that thought might have startled him to realize it. But he would take her call any time, he knew that. He was half-considering attending the rally himself, as the car of course, staying on the fringes monitoring the events, ensuring her safety.

He shook his head at her question, the entire time she was asking it. "No, it's not a problem to meet you here. It's easiest for me to come by here. Don't worry about it." Of course, once he got there they'd have to walk, and explaining that might be awkward...

When they got to the sidewalk he paused, turning to face her, suddenly at a loss for what to do. Shake her hand? Just say goodbye with a little wave? ... Kiss her? He suddenly realized that he really wanted to kiss her. He'd never kissed anyone before, but it seemed to him that with Ruri... But no. No. Too presumptuous, as they'd only just met. It wouldn't be appropriate. But... He had no idea what the appropriate response might be. He stood there, a deer in headlights, mouth open but with nothing to say. "Ah..." He raised his hands in an exaggerated shrug. "I have no idea what to do now, I'm sorry." His voice was sheepish, and his blush was crimson.

[pyroknight]

Ruri released a nervous chuckle. "Thanks."

"I'm glad." She corrected herself with an amused smile. "That you knew what I meant." Ruri couldn't help but laugh at herself. For a writer, she was having an inordinate amount of trouble articulating and that thought alone made her smile.

Her teeth worried at her lower lip as she looked down the street. "I'm not sure either." She admitted, again with that nervous chuckle. "I'm not really good at goodbyes." Her life was filled with loose ends and people that she never said goodbye too. "We could say see you soon and I could close my eyes so that you can leave without feeling awkward."

It was a very childish idea but it was the best that Ruri could think of.

[ki2k]

"Of course. I've been around the block a few times." Literally, even. He grinned at her, finding himself entranced by her smile, and her endearing awkwardness. It was really quite adorable, and in a strange way, made him feel more at ease about his own shortcomings.

At her admission, he couldn't help himself. It broke the tension of the moment, causing him to laugh out loud at their silly situation.

"I'm all right with them. I've said goodbye to many people." That sounded bad, didn't it? "That didn't come out the way I meant it to. I just meant that my job takes me all over the country and I have to meet people and then say goodbye when we leave." He was blushing again, he could feel his warm cheeks in the cool night.

He took her hand in his, hoping he wasn't being too forward. "Don't close your eyes. See you soon, Ruri. I'm looking forward to it."

With that, he released her hand, and with a little wave and a small, wry smile, he turned and began walking away, down the street.

[pyroknight]

She liked his laugh. It was full and bright.

Ruri smiled, biting at her lower lip as he took her hand. "I know what you mean." She met a lot of people but Ruri rarely said goodbye, she usually just left without giving people an explanation. Maybe she should say goodbye? Or learn too.

"I won't close my eyes." She assured him in a light voice, squeezing his hand softly before she let it go. "See you."

Ruri watched him go, waving with a small curl of her fingers.