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Eh? But it's not like I wanted anything in return for that ... it's just good stuff for you to know.

I... I know I am not the easiest student. I am difficult and... [He glances down at the box for a moment, then goes back to looking where he's going.] There is no other way that I might be able to learn how to heal people. That's-- it's a dream I gave up a long time ago, but you have given me a path.

I don't have many dreams left.

[ ... She pauses, before she puts a hand on his shoulder ]

You're a perfectly fine student, Bel. But I'm glad I could help.

[HE'S ALWAYS KINDA DEPRESSING THAT'S HIS LIFE. SORRY INO.

But he doesn't pull away from the touch, which is pretty nice development. Usually he tries to smack people... seems he's grown out of that.]

Um... anyway, we're here.

[He's kind enough to open the ... door... hatch... whatever and motion for her to go down first.]

[ Aw, thanks Bel! She'll let go to hop down there and sit down in one of the chairs. ]

[He cheats a bit since he's carrying stuff. There's a little trail of white sparkles from the box, which he drops-- and it floats nicely over to the table, settling down beside the teapot and accessories.

Belth skips the last ladder step mostly by accident. He's not that graceful. But he does manage to get to his chair without tripping, so that's something. He begins pouring tea for them both without prompting.]

Sugar?

[ Watches all impressed!! Ooh, ahh. And then she's sort of reaching out instinctually like she might catch him when he almost falls.

Oh right, the tea ... ]

No thanks, it's fine how it is.

[ She'll lift the cup to blow on it a little to cool it down ]

[Belth nods. He has a wicked sweet tooth, so he puts both milk and sugar in his... welp.]

I am sorry it isn't good tea. [Fleet tea is edible, at least, but still sad.] I haven't been able to find any that isn't disgusting.

[ She takes a sip and smiles ]

It's alright. I'm just thankful we have stuff like that available at all!

Ah... yes...

[He did spend a long time without tea. Rest in pieces, Exsilium. YOU WON'T BE MISSED. His eyes shift to the box, and he can't really control himself anymore-- he knows these are good-- so he opens it.]

What was it you wanted to talk about?

[ She takes an amused sip as he pulls out the dango ...

Oh, right. She came here to talk. ]

Ah ... yeah. It's about Hiro, actually.

[He's already got the dango halfway to his mouth when she says it's about Hiro. There's a pause. The deer-in-headlights look is strong with this one. He decides not to take a bite.]

Is something wrong? He didn't seem sick the last time I saw him, but if there is something he isn't telling me--

[Oh no. Maybe Hiro has some kind of awful chronic disease. All the chicken noodle soup in the world wouldn't help with that, and the very thought is enough to get Belth upset. This is why having an overactive imagination sucks.]

[ This level of concern from him ... she's trying not to grin at how cute it is. ]

Oh, no no! No, Hiro is fine. It's nothing like that, don't worry.

It actually has more to do with your relationship with Hiro. You guys are pretty close, aren't you?

Oh, good. [Thank the Light.

If they're just talking about friendship, he can manage to eat. He opens his mouth and shoves the dango in whole. HE DOESN'T EAT THE STICK TOO, BUT HOLY SHIT. This is his special talent: cramming food into his mouth because he doesn't know when he'll get more.

... So yeah, give him a moment, he needs to chew. And swallow. He's not going to talk with his mouth full like a peasant.]

Hiro is... my first friend. I didn't want one since I've never been able to make friends at home, but he saw it as a challenge. And... admittedly I am somewhat competitive, so I thought I could win if I made him give up.

[That was kind of why he was mean to Hiro that one time.]

He hasn't left, though. And I've stopped trying to push him away, so I suppose he's won.

[He turns the stick between his fingers, so pale against black sleeves, and falls silent.]

[ Hmm ... ]

A challenge, huh ... that does sound like him.

I'm really glad you've decided to be friends with him, Bel. I think he needs someone like you around!

[Belth doesn't quite agree with that last statement. His ears flatten against his hair.]

You don't think he deserves better?

[ She frowns, remembering his comment from the other day when he woke up. ]

Bel, I'm very lucky to have you as a friend, and so is he. There's no reason to feel like you aren't worthy of it.

[Cue more fidgeting.]

I know you don't like it when I talk like that, but it doesn't change how I feel. I've been so selfish for so long.

[He sets the stick down on the table. His fingers disappear beneath his sleeves again.]

I look at Hiro and I can see everything I'm doing wrong. He makes me want to be a better person.

No, I don't like that you feel that way at all, because it's unwarranted.

[ She sighs. ]

It's a good thing to have someone in your life who makes you strive to be better than you are. Nobody's perfect, and you shouldn't feel inferior -- but if you have someone who drives you to do better ... that person should be the most important person to you.

[Ah, yes. He always thinks he knows how people feel.]

I thought Adra was the most important person to me. This feels... different. It isn't like my sister, either.

[Thank god, he's not into siscon.]

Is this what having a best friend feels like?

[ Aha. This is where she needs to tiptoe around and let him talk himself into it, because she remembers how horrified he was when she suggested the term "lover" before ...

A little laugh ]

Well, maybe I shouldn't say "most" important. There are different people who can be important to you in different ways. My dad is important to me like family, but people like my best friend or Tadashi are important to me in other ways, too.

But that really just depends on what you think, how you feel when you look at him, you know?

Mm, I suppose...

[How he feels when he looks at Hiro?

He looks at his hands, and he can still see them lost in the fabric of Hiro's shirt. He still has a tendency to cling even though he's a little older now than when he first ended up in Exsilium, and then, Drift Fleet.]

My heart makes so much noise I wonder if he can hear it. It's almost like I've been running, even though all he's done is touch me. And I feel dizzy and--

I thought I was getting sick the last time that happened, so I drank a potion to help with nausea.

[ Oh. Oh my god. IT'S EVEN BETTER THAN SHE SUSPECTED.

It is so hard to keep her reaction to that internal. But she manages, and after a moment, she gently asks: ]

What do you think that makes him to you, then?

[He's quiet for a long moment.]

... An allergen?

[ She pinches the bridge of her nose. ]

No. Those types of reactions to certain people aren't abnormal, Bel.

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