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...

[He normally would just suggest they walk past. If she wanted her shit private it was best to respect that. But after his weird conversation on the network and how much Beat talked her up... Neku was curious]

Will it bother you if I look?

Nah, yo. You can look, if you wanna. I'll wait.

[Beat crouches down near the doorway, back against the wall, arms on his knees. He'll finish off the gummies.]

[Neku nods and heads in. At first nothing is overtly odd outside the fact that Lusamine seems to be from a world with monsters already. Or are those just how animals are there? He can't say. But as he explores there's a... vibe. A kinda helicopter stepford vibe which comes to a head once he sees the notes on 'Cosmog'. And the cave.

He's in there for... awhile]

[The longer Neku takes to come out, the more Beat begins to fidget. Tapping his toes on the ground, picking at fur, looking towards the doorway and away. Stands up and begins to pace, claws clicking.

Eventually he stops at the doorway, hesitating, before calling out.]

...Phones?

[Do not disappear on him. Do not.]

I'm here.

[At Beat's worried tone he stops his tour and steps out, looking pensive]

Sorry, lost track of time.

[Wandering into liminal space again]

[The sheer relief on Beat's face is plain, his earrings fading from a worried orange to a happy green, the pinch on his face smoothing out.]

It's aight, jus' was wonderin' how big it was in there.

[He's a horrid liar. He hesitates a bit.]

See anythin' cool in there?

...not really. Just...

[How much should he say? He is missing so much context after all]

How well do you know Lusamine?

[That doesn't sound good...]

She arrived same time Josh an' I did an' she's been really helpin' out wid things...

[But, the tone of his voice says. Which should tell Neku enough.]

Has she talked about her past at all?

Nah... I wasn't gonna pry, we all got shit we ain't proud of.

[But with the way Neku is saying it.]

... Lemme have it, yo...

[He shakes his head]

I can only get so much from the displays, so I don't want to tell you something that might not be true. Just... keep an eye out for her. If she starts acting weird keep your guard up.

... I can't really tell you to stay away from her without being a hypocrite.

[Joshua. Coco.]

[Oh goodie.]

Got it. So far she ain't shown nothin' weird, but it ain't like we 'round each other all the time.

[He rests his hand on his pants pocket, the pocket watch she gave him heavy there. He's thinking of her nonchalance in killing a man, but that was to feed him. Her motherly touches. His heart sinks a little.]

C'mon, yo. Got the whole day 'head of us. Where'd I say we was off to next?

[Force it out of his mind for now.]

[ Almost instantly Neku regrets saying anything. But if it keeps Beat a little more aware of someone that, honestly, was shady as shit... he will just have to bite the bullet on this.]

There's the Cube, and your flower shop. We should get lunch soonish too.

Aight. Hm. Flowerin' first, it's widdin' walkin' distance, then the Cube. We gotta catch another bus fer that. Whatchu thinkin' fer lunch?

[As Beat talks, he walks, putting distance between the exhibit and them. He feels better once they're out of the Museum, shifting his coat around him to keep the breeze out. As promised, Flowering is only a block or two away, windows cheerfully displaying winter arrangements. The shop door tinkles as he opens it and an little wrinkled old lady peers up from the counter. The instant amount of fussing is as if they stepped into Grandmas.]

"You two come in, come in, get out of the cold. Good HEAVENS child I don't care if you have fur, wear more! How many times must I tell you? Oh you must be Neku, it's a pleasure to meet you finally. You can call me Mama Tulip."

[Beat's trying not to look like he's told her everything about his best friend but with the way she starts talking to Neku like she knows him, and fussing over him, and pushing some candies into his hand and eventually a warm chocolate drink, it's obvious. The shop is decently sized and obviously does well, a few other people greeting Beat as they hurry in and out to get orders delivered. Even in the dead of Winter. The visit will take a bit because she's not sending them back out without another layer of scarves around their necks and their pockets with more candy and then Beat can stand outside, red in the cheeks, when he finally drags Neku out of there.]

Uh........................ might have told her a few things 'boutchu.

If we're gonna be walking a lot something light might be best.

[They chat a bit more about food options before Neku is swept up by Mama Tulip. It's obvious from the start that Beat has been talking about him, but he's shocked by how MUCH. That she can recognize him on sight. By the time they leave he's laughing and quite taken by the old woman, and bundled up in almost double the layers he came in with since he's so thin.]

Just a few?

Uh...

[To keep from answering, Beat stuffs a few hard candies into his mouth, the inside of his ears turning bright pink to match his cheeks, and takes off at a brisk walk towards a nearby sandwich shop. Not running. Nope. There's a sign outside the shop listing the items to order and Beat will stand at it, firmly focused on the sandwiches like it's a life or death, sucking and crunching furiously on the candies.]

[That just makes him laugh MORE, totally not having to jog to catch up with Beat's longer stride.

That blush makes him bold, so he loops his arm around one of Beat's]

Don't be embarrassed. It was... nice.

[The arm through his... makes him choke a little on the candy cause he's not expecting it and it's nice and also excuse him as he turns his head and coughs candy out to breathe.]

I ain't 'barrassed!!

[He's so red he's about to take off into space, though he doesn't pull away and his arm tightens a little on Neku's. A little squish. Clearing his throat, he scratches his cheek a little.]

The sandwiches here is pretty good, we can grab a few to go if you wanna. [Not moving. Neku's deactivated him with the arm through his. Beat doesn't want to move.]

[It's like pinching a cat at the scruff, Neku thinks, and tries not to laugh more. He's a bit pink himself now that he's done it... it feels, good? Awkward but good. But he knows he won't be able to keep it up for overly long. But for now?]

Can we eat on the bus?

Yea, sure, prolly the best idea.

[It still takes a moment for Beat's feet to finally move, like he has to reboot that part of his brain, his brain screaming at the arm through his.

Neku is holding his arm. Beat's beginning to smile again, a big stupid happy one.

He doesn't let Neku's arm go, dragging him gently with him into the shop so they can order. The people behind the counter doesn't even bat an eye. They know Beat so they start making his sandwich as soon as they realize he's coming in, the other asking Neku what he'd like with that, no matter what world, familiar 'i'm dead inside' customer service voice.]

[He was considering letting go, since it seemed Beat wasn't willing to move (maybe out of fear that Neku would jerk away?). But when Beat pulled him along Neku grins and allows himself to be led.]

Hmmm... chicken?

[He lists off some toppings, keeping it rather light as he suggested before]

[Once Neku's order is in, Beat'll step back with him so they can wait and make room, trying not to look like he's on cloud 9.

Which he is.

And when they're finished, he has a moment where he tries to get money out of his pocket without letting Neku's arm go. Which means he jostles Neku around a little bit, before regrettably slipping his arm out from Neku's with a mumbled sorry hol' up, so he can dig some solars up to pay. Which he does, quickly, grabbing the bag of sandwiches with a thanks! When he rejoins Neku, instead of folding their arms together, he rather boldly reaches out and takes Neku's hand. Ignore him blushing as he does. He's bold!! He'll lead Neku out like that so they can find another bus stop to stand at.]

[He shouldn't be surprised, since Beat has already kissed him twice (even if the new year's one barely counts if it does at all) but he still is when Beat takes his hand. His hand is warm and even without his Soul sensing powers, he can tell Beat is practically floating with excitement.

It's funny how such a simple thing can do so much, huh? Neku squeezes it to show he's on board with this]

The Cube next?

[The squeeze on his hand makes him smile more, if it's possible. This is all right, then. Nothing too big, or forward. Just a hold. A threaded arm or a hand. Boy it's hot under his coat.]

Yeah, figure we'd check it out.

[He hands Neku the bag of Sandwiches when the bus pulls up, so he can dig his now free hand around for fare, handing it over for both of them. Only letting go so he doesn't smother the poor guy in his tail, and so they can find seats. And so Neku can eat, Beat attempting to eat his with one hand, the other down between them and a pinky hooked into Neku's pocket.]

Ain't sure what's in the Cube entirely. [Yes he will talk with a mouthful of sandwich.] Some weirdo on the network uses it fer some gore dates with his dude. I 'unno what that means. I think it lets you spar wid each other, widdout doin' damage? [A shrug.]

...gore dates?

[Neku looks a little distraught by the term]

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