014 | Action

[second_first]

[It's the middle of winter. It's cold outside.

So Rei is swimming inside. Now that the hippopotamus is gone, the pool is free again.

While she's swimming back and forth the length of the pool, she left her tape player sitting near the edge, where she can see it and reach it easily.]

Comments

[watchful-knight.livejournal.com]

[Lithuania checks on the pool every once in a while, to see if someone is there. He doesn't want to be indecent, so he always has to wait for times when nobody, or at least no women, are present.

So no swimming this time. But he hasn't seen Rei since the asylum event, so he'd like to say something.]

Hey.

[second-first.livejournal.com]

[Rei looks up at him, treading water at the edge of the pool. After a moment, she grabs onto the edge and pulls herself out, mindless of the water dripping off of her, or of the fact that she might be embarrassing him with her almost-nakedness.]

Hello.

[watchful-knight.livejournal.com]

[He averts his eyes and sits down with his back to her to give her the chance to cover herself properly. He knows that a lot of the women here think differently, but he at least wants to offer decency when he can. Every woman deserves that, no matter what they make of it.]

How are you?

[second-first.livejournal.com]

[Given that Rei is used to standing around naked or in skin tight garments, she thinks nothing of her current state of undress. She does get a towel and start to dry her hair.]

I'm well. [A pause, while she realizes she's supposed to ask him in return.] You?

[watchful-knight.livejournal.com]

I'm fine.

...If I did anything strange when we were at that asylum, I'm sorry.

[second-first.livejournal.com]

No. [Nothing stranger than anyone else.]

It wasn't bad.

[watchful-knight.livejournal.com]

[He stares at the wall for a while and then nods, sighing softly.]

No, it wasn't.

[second-first.livejournal.com]

[Rei sits down next to him with the towel wrapped around her shoulders.]

...Unhappy?

[watchful-knight.livejournal.com]

I ....had something there that I cannot ever have in reality. I'm trying to not think about it too much, but...

[second-first.livejournal.com]

What?

[watchful-knight.livejournal.com]

Me and Poland had children of our blood.

[second-first.livejournal.com]

Oh. [She doesn't really have a response for that.]

[watchful-knight.livejournal.com]

Even though they were only an illusion, it... it was nice. Despite everything.

[second-first.livejournal.com]

[She's quiet for a moment, arms wrapped around her legs.]

Adopt.

[watchful-knight.livejournal.com]

It would not be the same. [Nations are nations, and humans grow up and die much too fast.]

[second-first.livejournal.com]

[It's a distinction she hasn't made and probably wouldn't understand anyway.]

No.

[watchful-knight.livejournal.com]

...Are you human? [It's a fleeting thought, and in this place, does not seem intrusive.]

[second-first.livejournal.com]

[There's a long pause before she answers.]

Maybe.




No.

[watchful-knight.livejournal.com]

Can your kind have children?

[second-first.livejournal.com]

I don't know. [She doubts it though.]

[watchful-knight.livejournal.com]

Would you like to?

[second-first.livejournal.com]

I don't know.

[watchful-knight.livejournal.com]

You never thought about it?

[second-first.livejournal.com]

It was unimportant.

[watchful-knight.livejournal.com]

You seem old enough to have children.

[second-first.livejournal.com]

Yes.

[watchful-knight.livejournal.com]

But it is no ption for you?

[second-first.livejournal.com]

[A nod.] Correct.

[watchful-knight.livejournal.com]

Why?

[She definitely does not look like a nun.]

[second-first.livejournal.com]

I am dead.

[watchful-knight.livejournal.com]

You still have a chance in this place.

[second-first.livejournal.com]

[She's quiet a moment.]

Jack calls me mom.