Alys's expression mirrored Hotaru's: her eyebrows raised, not in disbelief, as that of her new friend, but in confusion. Hotaru's tone did not match her words, and after a moment, Alys's brow furrowed instead in the slightest of frowns. She did not fully understand how one could say one thing but mean something entirely different, but then, she'd had few friends in her lifetime. Perhaps such talk of one's friends was, in fact, a show of affection. "They were kind to me," she offered carefully, afraid of somehow overstepping.
But then talk turned to the Academy, and Alys perked up immediately. "It sounds lovely," she admitted wistfully, but the frown on her face betrayed her continued confusion. "But - just like that? What do you ask in return?" It was a question asked, not with suspicion, but with bemusement. In Alys's mind, something was always traded for another. And yet, Hotaru had made no mention of payment.
Kaito Clothing sounded familiar, and in this, Alys's brow smoothed slightly. "Oh, I think I heard of your shop," she said. "But I've never been much for shopping. As you can probably tell," she added wryly, thinking ruefully of the poor clothing decisions that had led to Hotaru's gentle teasing only moments before. If she had been more polite, perhaps she would have protested Hotaru's change of plans; as it were, she simply shrugged and fell into step beside the other woman. "Thank you," she remembered to say as they walked. "I appreciate the help."
But then talk turned to the Academy, and Alys perked up immediately. "It sounds lovely," she admitted wistfully, but the frown on her face betrayed her continued confusion. "But - just like that? What do you ask in return?" It was a question asked, not with suspicion, but with bemusement. In Alys's mind, something was always traded for another. And yet, Hotaru had made no mention of payment.
Kaito Clothing sounded familiar, and in this, Alys's brow smoothed slightly. "Oh, I think I heard of your shop," she said. "But I've never been much for shopping. As you can probably tell," she added wryly, thinking ruefully of the poor clothing decisions that had led to Hotaru's gentle teasing only moments before. If she had been more polite, perhaps she would have protested Hotaru's change of plans; as it were, she simply shrugged and fell into step beside the other woman. "Thank you," she remembered to say as they walked. "I appreciate the help."
alys glasse
waiting for the right mind to drive insane
