[crow]

"I really don't get it. Do you even have any experience raising chickens?" said Hazel. Her expression was dubious behind her oversized glasses.

Akira smiled at her. "Not really," he said. "But that lady looked like she needed a hand, and I had some spare time. Besides, I thought it might be kind of fun."


"Whoa. It's my first time seeing one out in real life," said Hazel.

"Hmm?"

"Helping out random people you don't know... Running around doing everyone's random errands... It's like you're an RPG protagonist."

[crow]

Hazel was staring at him now like he was some kind of strange piece in a museum display. Akira wasn't sure how much of it was genuine, and how much was Hazel's particular brand of intense sarcasm, so it was all he could do to keep smiling politely.

'It's not like I didn't come prepared," he said. Hefting the grocery bag in his hand, he showed her the lump sitting at the bottom of it. It was possible to make out the reddish color faintly through the white plastic.

[crow]

Hazel shrank back. "Is that raw meat?" she said, frowning.

Akira nodded. "The lady said her chicken had, um, strange taste."

"Okay, change my mind." Hazel shook her head. "This is going to end up with us running into some kind of crazy mutant monster. I think we should just go back home. Or at least get your boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend," said Akira. "Anyway, he's busy working on his next piece. So you and I are on our own for this one."

[crow]

If he sounded a little disappointed about that, well... He hadn't managed to make that many friends yet, moving into a new town like this. But other people had lives, and it wasn't like he wasn't used to being alone either. In fact, he was pleasantly surprised that Hazel actually accepted his offer--- or caved to his request, anyway--- to come with him. She wasn't usually too fond of going out.

Maybe it was boredom. Then again, maybe she was a little lonely herself.

[crow]

"Yeah? What about the other one then? The one that always comes out to the cafe and sits there like he's filming some kind of music video," said Hazel.

... Akira was beginning to wonder if coming with her was a good idea after all.

"I don't even have Bran's phone number," he said.

"Wow. Big 'sad gay baby' vibes in the club tonight," Hazel quipped. "The big city life isn't everything you thought it would be, huh?" She patted him consolingly, if gingerly, on the shoulder.

[crow]

Akira sighed. "Let's just start looking," he said. He didn't have the energy to tell her that he hadn't moved here to find a boyfriend. It wasn't like she really believed that about him anyway, and thinking about it was just going to make him depressed.

As he started walking, Hazel followed. "If you die, I can have all your stuff, right?" she said. He didn't miss how she kept firmly behind him, and left a good few feet of distance between them too.

[crow]

At least he could manage a laugh at that one. "I barely even have anything to leave you," he said. "My part time job doesn't pay that much, and all I have from my folks was that box you saw in my room. It's mostly clothes... A couple of old photos."

"Hey, you never know what you could sell for big bucks on the internet," said Hazel.

"That's true. You're the expert on that one," Akira conceded. "If you want, then yeah, you can have my stuff."

[crow]

They were both still just joking around, but Akira felt oddly warmed by the prospect, grim as it was, that someone might keep his things if he suddenly... disappeared, or something. It wasn't really the sort of thing that someone his age should have been thinking about, but ever since the incidents started, he couldn't help but contemplate it, at least a little.

He didn't think this 'chicken' could be any worse than a grumpy housecat or a weird dog, but the threat of those monsters had been very real.

[crow]

They still didn't know much about what was happening either, despite having survived more than one run-in with those things. Hazel helped, but her visions seemed to take a lot out of her, and Akira didn't want to ask her to do any more than she had already done.

"Don't worry. I'll save a memento for your boyfriend," Hazel said.

"Not my boyfriend," Akira repeated.

"What would make the best tragic memento?" Hazel mused, completely ignoring his assertion. "Should I give him your pyjamas? ... No, that's probably too gross, isn't it?"

[crow]

Akira glanced back and arched a brow at her. The thought of anyone keeping his pyjamas in the event of his death... No, let's not go there. "You could leave him the swan boat model I have from that time we went to the park together," he said breezily.

"Yeah, you're right, that's a much better idea. Date souvenir. That's way worse," said Hazel. Akira had mostly been sarcastic when he said it, but he had to admit that he'd played himself with that one.