driftfleet | (no subject)

[She's probably going to regret this, but... She reaches out to take his hand while they walk. He doesn't exactly sound upset about any of that, but she doesn't know if it's because he's really not or if he's hiding it. But regardless, coming from a world where vampires seem to die so easily sounds rough for a vampire.]

[ And of course, Sascha's eyes widen in surprise.

He doesn't say anything, but after a moment of walking a bit stiffly he slowly curls his hand back around hers. It's a tentative grip, not eager or strong--but it's incredibly grateful, and Sascha wind sup dropping his gaze to the floor beneath them quietly.

He can't remember the last time anyone wanted to hold his hand. ]

[She's surprised by the reaction. She expected something over-the-top from him. She doesn't know what to say, so she just starts talking about something that's been on her mind.] Someone from my home came here. That's never happened before.

Oh.... [ His tone is quieter, but there's a lighter sort of note to it. Not something so flightly, like he normally uses. ]

Someone good?

[She nods.] A friend. A teammate. A lot of X-Men have been coming in. People I recognize. I know their counterparts, but I think he really is from home.

Are they like you? [ Someone with cool powers, he means. ]

Yes, you can barely tell us apart. Except he is covered in short blue fur and has a tail.

--A smurf?!

[She stops walking and looks at him very seriously. She's not offended or upset, but she is nervous for her socially awkward vampire friend.] Sascha, if you meet him or talk about him his name is Kurt. Only Kurt. Are you hearing me? [This has never been more for your own good, okay?]

[ The sad thing is, he was honestly thinking that he would get to meet a real, live smurf. ]

...................

Kurt the smurf?

[She just stares at him.] I'm not responsible if he teleports pieces of you off.

Smurfs aren't even furry.

They always looked furry in the story books...!

Papa Smurf and Smurfette had hair, but I don't think they were... What am I even talking about? [She's just going to take her hand back and pocket it for now.]

[ Bawwww...there goes the hand. Sascha deflates a little, but he won't ask for it back. He'll just hold the hand she was holding with his other hand. ]

Smurfs?

It was rhetorical. [Stop saying smurfs. Is it making anything better?]

[ No, sob ]

Oh....

[She walks in silence, but she doesn't try to walk faster or go through something solid to shake him.]

[ That's a relief at least! He did expect her to kind of walk through the first available wall. But hey; he'll take it, walking quietly alongside her. ]

[After some extra silence.] Are you getting along better with your crewmates?

........

One of them is still an angry ghost, and the other one calls me the creeper.

[She could point out which of his actions might be leading to this, but she's played that game before and it doesn't really get anywhere. Maybe a little commiserating.] That sucks.

It's okay! They don't try to kill me or anything. [ Which is a bonus over home, technically. ]

And...I got to have a walk with you.

That is a really low bar. [Kind of a sad one. Reminds her of some of her own low bars. She looks over at him.] Why do you like me this?

Having walks with people...? [ He looks over, tilting his head a little. ]

Because I don't get to do it a lot. It's way better than walking alone everywhere.

[She nods slowly.] It is better than walking alone.