[She promised Connor down beneath the lake that she would keep trying to be Hank's friend... and it's not so hard. He reminds her of some of the men at the lumber yard. A bit cantankerous, a bit grump, maybe you shouldn't give them too much sake... but maybe nice beneath all that?
Something like that!
So once they get back up from the tunnels, once she recovers from what she'd experienced down there... Konoha comes poking around Hank's room, sniffing. She smells dog, so maybe he's in there.
[Konoha's lucky she got here late enough that Hank's actually up and washed, though not late enough that he's gotten over his hangover. After a longish moment he makes it close enough to open the door and leans on the doorway, his expression tense and uncomfortable.
He's also not wearing pants. Konoha caught him when he's up and clean, but his one pair of pants isn't done being washed yet. His shirt is damp; answering the door in boxers is one thing, answering it shirtless is another, even if his shirt isn't done airdrying yet.]
What.
[No, wait. He's talking to a horse chest. He looks up. There's nothing for surprising a guy out of his morning bitchiness like finding some huge muscled thing on the other side of your door.
But he met Konoha before the whole weird factor of this place really started to get to him. She's fine.
Hank rubs hard at his eyes, reminding himself that. Konoha's nice. She likes Sumo. She's fine.]
Yeah? Um, is something wrong? You need something?
[He's trying - and succeeding - at sounding less unfriendly than he did a moment ago, although all that really means is that he just sounds kind of brusque and tired.]
[... So she knows now that he hadn't been joking when he said that those things were underwear, despite how much they cover and how opaque they are. Connor told her, those were like her world's loincloths.
And though she's used to seeing men work in their loincloths in the heat of the summer, that's... you know, at work, so they don't die of heatstroke. If it's at home-
She slaps her hands immediately over her eyes, stiffening up in surprise.]
[Hank's already scrunched up face scrunches even further. He looks down at himself. Then he looks back up, double checking her posture. That is embarrassment, isn't it? Why?]
What, did my clothes turn invisible and no one told me?
[He lets his head lean against the doorway again, his voice going dry.]
I guess that's actually possible in this fuckin place so uh, if that's what's going on here you probably oughta tell me.
I said boxers are underwear. Didn't I? There was a whole...
[There was a whole thing. But maybe part of that thing was him getting distracted by loincloths and wondering if horses wear underwear. You know what, things actually haven't gotten less weird.]
Fuck it, come in if you want, I'll go put on some pants.
[Hank heads off toward the bathroom, leaving the door open. Sumo lifts his head as Hank goes by, looking out the door curiously.]
So it was fine when you thought I was wearing shorts, and now it's terrible? I didn't know horses were so modest.
I- I am a young lady of marriagable age, you know!
[Konoha sort of hangs back at first, waiting until she hears his footsteps retreating before she cautiously clops inside somewhat, still keeping her rear in the doorframe not wanting to go all the way in without him actively hosting her, peeking through her spread fingers.]
Also, I'm not a horse, I'm a jinba.
[She does remember going over that, she thinks... just in case, a reminder.]
[Hank clearly doesn't give half a shit about the difference, just disappears into the bathroom and comes back a couple seconds later buttoning up a damp and chilly - but apparently less horrifying - pair of pants. Then he leans against the wall, folding an arm over his chest and rubbing hard at his temple.]
So if I'm done scandalizing big strong maidens of marriage age, uh, what's up? Is something going on?
[Because Hank doesn't exactly get visitors, especially when he manages to cut himself off from the whole late night drunk texting thing. So if he's got one now there's probably a reason, even if she doesn't seem like it's life or death, or anything.]
Once he comes back and seems to be actually dressed she finally removes her hands from her face, inhaling sharply to answer, to explain the very important reason she was here...
But she can't just say she was here to make friends because Connor asked her to????
So she blanks out for a moment... and then awkwardly... points at the dog.]
[Hank's words say 'of course' but his tone says she kind of took him by surprise. His early-afternoon plans of 'stare at the ceiling and feel terrible' are going to have to get shuffled around a little - that just wouldn't be the same if he has to do it while third-wheeling it with his fucking dog. Well, whatever. It's a pretty innocent question, fuck it.]
I'll just go for a walk, to the kitchen or something, give you a little alone time with him.
[The tone at that last part there's a little dry because it is a little ridiculous, getting kicked out of his own apartment cause Sumo's gotten popular. But he's willing to do it. He tilts his head toward the door, raising his eyebrows at her. That whole arrangement'll work out okay, right?]
[He was thinking he'd go kind of gnaw on an apple or something and see how that turned out but the idea of actual food at this point doesn't feel like a good idea. The nausea's mostly gone, yeah, but maybe not as gone as it should be if he's going to eat.]
Look, you don't gotta hang out with me out of politeness. You could take Sumo on a walk, too, if you feel weird about staying here when I'm not around - he doesn't really need a leash around here, he'll just follow you, unless weird shit goes down and distracts him. He'll be fine.
At a loss, Konoha switches her stare between Hank and Sumo, fingers fiddling idly with one of her harnesses as she tries to think of something else.]
I don't, um-
[Look, Sumo was a great dog, just like Connor said, but... admittedly, she's still not completely at ease with him, nor dogs in general. She was hoping to keep easing into things, but-]
I'd like it better if I wasn't... alone with him...
[Hank stares at her for a second. He stares at her a second more. Then he sighs, his voice going exasperated and tired.]
Sure. I guess I can sit here for your doggy playdate. Why not?
[Sumo has the bed and the horse maiden, apparently, has Sumo. So Hank just slides down the wall onto the floor, leaning forward to rub the heel of his hand into his eye and muttering to her.]
[Oh... no, she was ruining it, wasn't she? Konoha frowns down at her front hooves a moment, trying to think of how she could salvage things without outright admitting Connor had asked her to be Hank's friend.
Something makes her think that wouldn't go over well.]
[Hank looks back up at her with an incredulous little smile.]
You think just cause my own dog doesn't scare me, I don't get scared? Shit, that'd be cool. Why, Sumo's not that bad is he? I mean I know you're uh, half prey animal and all, but. Look at him.
[Hank nods at Sumo, who's in his usual lump form, laying there all relaxed, not worried about anything. Must be nice, being a dog.]
[Konoha looks at Sumo as instructed, and while he's... the best dog she's ever met, by far, he still has... all the same things that the dogs and wolves that scared her had. Teeth, claws.]
No, I mean, I don't think he's bad-
[She leans down a bit to cautiously wave her hand in front of Sumo's face to like... warn him that she's about to pet him before she moves to do so.]
It's just one of those things, you know? You really don't have one?
[Hank watches Sumo’s tail thump against the mattress as she pets him, then he puts his elbows on his knees and presses his head between the heels of his hands.]
I don’t know, fuck, aren’t you scared of anything other than dogs? Guess I’m scared of the usual stuff. Don’t love getting shot at, um... I’ve always been kind of intimidated by kale. Why? You starting a haunted house or something?
[Finally taking permission to actually sit, Konoha folds her legs beneath her and lumbers down to her side, putting her on a better level to lean against the mattress and pet Sumo more vigorously, using both hands to play with his ears as she frowns in thought.]
Of course I am- I'm scared of bears, too. And big roots and mole holes.
[You know... things that can kill and eat or break jinba legs.]
[And that, children, is your lesson on kale for the day.]
But, no. Just cause I'm not scared of easy stuff like you doesn't mean I don't get scared.
[Hank's totally willing to let the conversation just die there, just sit here for a while and try to vice-grip the headache away while she bonds with his dog. Sumo's probably loving this. Hank doesn't bother to look up to check, although he is absolutely right. Sumo's having a great time. Hey, at least one of them is.]
[Okay... so it's a food. A gross tasting food. Well... that's something!]
Mole holes aren't "easy stuff" when you have four legs...
[And a heavy, heavy lower body that can't be supported by much less than four very healthy and un-sprained ankles. Though she grumbles a bit over that, she doesn't actually seem to take much offense, letting Hank grump in silence for a moment while she keeps tousling Sumo's ears.
Eventually, though, she twists at the waist to look back at Hank.]
[What... does a bowl have to do with anything? Let alone that... weird hard stuff? Konoha just stares at in confusion for a moment, blinking, before clapping her hands together... and using Acata's power to unveil a small hank of venison in her palms that she holds out for Sumo.
Medieval Japan doesn't know about kibble yet. Dogs get scraps of meat, so honestly Sumo is being super spoiled right now as far as she's concern, this wasn't even offal it's thigh meat!!!]
Because I don't want to be scared of dogs... you said it. It's silly.
[... Sort of.]
Besides, Connor said so much good stuff about him.
[Hank’s head snaps up at the clap and he frowns, watching her as he talks.]
I didn’t say it was silly, I said it was easy. You see a dog, you leave and, boom, it’s all taken care of.
[Sumo seems like he’s enjoying the meat, but still-]
Don’t give him too much of that, okay? I don’t know if Sumo’s had raw meat in... uh, ever, maybe. I don’t know if, uh, a lot’s gonna mess his system up.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
surprise action;
Something like that!
So once they get back up from the tunnels, once she recovers from what she'd experienced down there... Konoha comes poking around Hank's room, sniffing. She smells dog, so maybe he's in there.
Trying to be polite, she knocks first.]
Hello... ?
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He's also not wearing pants. Konoha caught him when he's up and clean, but his one pair of pants isn't done being washed yet. His shirt is damp; answering the door in boxers is one thing, answering it shirtless is another, even if his shirt isn't done airdrying yet.]
What.
[No, wait. He's talking to a horse chest. He looks up. There's nothing for surprising a guy out of his morning bitchiness like finding some huge muscled thing on the other side of your door.
But he met Konoha before the whole weird factor of this place really started to get to him. She's fine.
Hank rubs hard at his eyes, reminding himself that. Konoha's nice. She likes Sumo. She's fine.]
Yeah? Um, is something wrong? You need something?
[He's trying - and succeeding - at sounding less unfriendly than he did a moment ago, although all that really means is that he just sounds kind of brusque and tired.]
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And though she's used to seeing men work in their loincloths in the heat of the summer, that's... you know, at work, so they don't die of heatstroke. If it's at home-
She slaps her hands immediately over her eyes, stiffening up in surprise.]
Oh, I'm sorry- ! I didn't mean to intrude!
[... He opened the door, Konoha.]
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What, did my clothes turn invisible and no one told me?
[He lets his head lean against the doorway again, his voice going dry.]
I guess that's actually possible in this fuckin place so uh, if that's what's going on here you probably oughta tell me.
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[If all his clothes were invisible, she'd be out the hallway by now. ... But she also hasn't taken her hands off her face, yet.]
But- Connor said those "boxers" are your underwear, right? I didn't mean to barge in before you were dressed!
[So, Hank might have told her as much before, but. He used sarcasm, she's not good at sarcasm!!!]
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[There was a whole thing. But maybe part of that thing was him getting distracted by loincloths and wondering if horses wear underwear. You know what, things actually haven't gotten less weird.]
Fuck it, come in if you want, I'll go put on some pants.
[Hank heads off toward the bathroom, leaving the door open. Sumo lifts his head as Hank goes by, looking out the door curiously.]
So it was fine when you thought I was wearing shorts, and now it's terrible? I didn't know horses were so modest.
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[Konoha sort of hangs back at first, waiting until she hears his footsteps retreating before she cautiously clops inside somewhat, still keeping her rear in the doorframe not wanting to go all the way in without him actively hosting her, peeking through her spread fingers.]
Also, I'm not a horse, I'm a jinba.
[She does remember going over that, she thinks... just in case, a reminder.]
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[Hank clearly doesn't give half a shit about the difference, just disappears into the bathroom and comes back a couple seconds later buttoning up a damp and chilly - but apparently less horrifying - pair of pants. Then he leans against the wall, folding an arm over his chest and rubbing hard at his temple.]
So if I'm done scandalizing big strong maidens of marriage age, uh, what's up? Is something going on?
[Because Hank doesn't exactly get visitors, especially when he manages to cut himself off from the whole late night drunk texting thing. So if he's got one now there's probably a reason, even if she doesn't seem like it's life or death, or anything.]
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Once he comes back and seems to be actually dressed she finally removes her hands from her face, inhaling sharply to answer, to explain the very important reason she was here...
But she can't just say she was here to make friends because Connor asked her to????
So she blanks out for a moment... and then awkwardly... points at the dog.]
I just wanted to know if I could pet Sumo... ?
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[Hank's words say 'of course' but his tone says she kind of took him by surprise. His early-afternoon plans of 'stare at the ceiling and feel terrible' are going to have to get shuffled around a little - that just wouldn't be the same if he has to do it while third-wheeling it with his fucking dog. Well, whatever. It's a pretty innocent question, fuck it.]
I'll just go for a walk, to the kitchen or something, give you a little alone time with him.
[The tone at that last part there's a little dry because it is a little ridiculous, getting kicked out of his own apartment cause Sumo's gotten popular. But he's willing to do it. He tilts his head toward the door, raising his eyebrows at her. That whole arrangement'll work out okay, right?]
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[She could kick herself... She really should have thought this through and come up with a better strategy???
Struggling to come up with something, Konoha suddenly points... at the ceiling. Eureka?]
We could have lunch? Are you hungry?
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[He was thinking he'd go kind of gnaw on an apple or something and see how that turned out but the idea of actual food at this point doesn't feel like a good idea. The nausea's mostly gone, yeah, but maybe not as gone as it should be if he's going to eat.]
Look, you don't gotta hang out with me out of politeness. You could take Sumo on a walk, too, if you feel weird about staying here when I'm not around - he doesn't really need a leash around here, he'll just follow you, unless weird shit goes down and distracts him. He'll be fine.
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[Who wasn't hungry??? It's lunchtime???
At a loss, Konoha switches her stare between Hank and Sumo, fingers fiddling idly with one of her harnesses as she tries to think of something else.]
I don't, um-
[Look, Sumo was a great dog, just like Connor said, but... admittedly, she's still not completely at ease with him, nor dogs in general. She was hoping to keep easing into things, but-]
I'd like it better if I wasn't... alone with him...
[She's a dog newbie, Hank!]
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Sure. I guess I can sit here for your doggy playdate. Why not?
[Sumo has the bed and the horse maiden, apparently, has Sumo. So Hank just slides down the wall onto the floor, leaning forward to rub the heel of his hand into his eye and muttering to her.]
He’s not dangerous, y’know. ‘S why I got him.
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[Oh... no, she was ruining it, wasn't she? Konoha frowns down at her front hooves a moment, trying to think of how she could salvage things without outright admitting Connor had asked her to be Hank's friend.
Something makes her think that wouldn't go over well.]
Are you not scared of anything... ?
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[Hank looks back up at her with an incredulous little smile.]
You think just cause my own dog doesn't scare me, I don't get scared? Shit, that'd be cool. Why, Sumo's not that bad is he? I mean I know you're uh, half prey animal and all, but. Look at him.
[Hank nods at Sumo, who's in his usual lump form, laying there all relaxed, not worried about anything. Must be nice, being a dog.]
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No, I mean, I don't think he's bad-
[She leans down a bit to cautiously wave her hand in front of Sumo's face to like... warn him that she's about to pet him before she moves to do so.]
It's just one of those things, you know? You really don't have one?
[A fear. Irrational or rational.]
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[Hank watches Sumo’s tail thump against the mattress as she pets him, then he puts his elbows on his knees and presses his head between the heels of his hands.]
I don’t know, fuck, aren’t you scared of anything other than dogs? Guess I’m scared of the usual stuff. Don’t love getting shot at, um... I’ve always been kind of intimidated by kale. Why? You starting a haunted house or something?
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Of course I am- I'm scared of bears, too. And big roots and mole holes.
[You know... things that can kill and eat or break jinba legs.]
What's kale?
[And a "haunted hause"- you can make those?]
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[And that, children, is your lesson on kale for the day.]
But, no. Just cause I'm not scared of easy stuff like you doesn't mean I don't get scared.
[Hank's totally willing to let the conversation just die there, just sit here for a while and try to vice-grip the headache away while she bonds with his dog. Sumo's probably loving this. Hank doesn't bother to look up to check, although he is absolutely right. Sumo's having a great time. Hey, at least one of them is.]
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Mole holes aren't "easy stuff" when you have four legs...
[And a heavy, heavy lower body that can't be supported by much less than four very healthy and un-sprained ankles. Though she grumbles a bit over that, she doesn't actually seem to take much offense, letting Hank grump in silence for a moment while she keeps tousling Sumo's ears.
Eventually, though, she twists at the waist to look back at Hank.]
Can I feed him... ?
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[He tilts his head toward the bowl of kibble, or whatever the fuck it is they feed him, not looking up and not about to get up and get it for her.]
Why are you doing this, anyway, if dogs scare you so much? If dogs freaked me out I sure as hell wouldn't be feeding one.
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Medieval Japan doesn't know about kibble yet. Dogs get scraps of meat, so honestly Sumo is being super spoiled right now as far as she's concern, this wasn't even offal it's thigh meat!!!]
Because I don't want to be scared of dogs... you said it. It's silly.
[... Sort of.]
Besides, Connor said so much good stuff about him.
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I didn’t say it was silly, I said it was easy. You see a dog, you leave and, boom, it’s all taken care of.
[Sumo seems like he’s enjoying the meat, but still-]
Don’t give him too much of that, okay? I don’t know if Sumo’s had raw meat in... uh, ever, maybe. I don’t know if, uh, a lot’s gonna mess his system up.
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[Eight million myriad of gods, what are "modern" people feeding their dogs??? Didn't Akira give his some weird "hamburg" thing? Whatever that was?
Also- it's not easy??? Dogs and wolves chase you, Hank.]
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