Buying Some Dust...

[senashenta]

I've had my degus (Bedrock & Granite) for about four years now (I believe), and only now am I finding out that they should be supplied with dust for dust bathing--like you would do for a chinchilla. =_=;; I just read that in a pet magazine that I got when I took Tri and Neko to the vet last month...

Supposedly, dust bathing is good for them. I should let them do it once every couple of days or so. And because I love all my little furry friends and I want them all to be as happy and healthy as possible, I will be going out and buying dust for them ASAP.

...yup.

Now!



It was nearly nine o'clock in the morning when the door creaked open and Nazoko poked her head into the apartment that she shared with her sister and their best friend. Orange eyes flitted around, looking for one or the other of her roommates; at that time in the morning, Miru should have been up for hours and was probably gone already, off trying to find something to entertain herself until their classes started, at ten thirty. Nozomi, she figured, would just be falling out of bed, if she was even awake at all--so hopefully no one would see her sneaking in.

The door closed behind her with a quiet creak, and she headed for her bedroom, ponytail swaying behind her.

It wasn't like Nazoko Kou to come sneaking in at the crack of dawn--she was more responsible than that... then again, she found herself doing more more things that could be considered irresponsible as of late, and this was only one of them. In her mind, though, she was attempting to justify the night before with the thought that she hadn't actually been out all night...

I was inside... I just wasn't in my own room...

The thought and what it hinted at almost made her blush, and she raised a hand to rub at one of her cheeks absently.

The truth was that she had spend the night with Hide... and if Nozomi ever caught wind of that fact, she would never hear the end of it. She was fairly sure that her sister had at least a vague idea of how intimate she was with him, but if she actually had proof--or what she thought was proof, anyway--Nazoko would very quickly find herself in trouble.

Giggling, squealing, annoying trouble.

She hoped to get in, change into new clothes, and get back out without anyone noticing.

"Nazoko-chan."

"Ah!" Surprised, she squeaked something almost indignant, and clamped a hand over her own mouth. "Miru-chan!"

The other girl, who was seated in the living room, reading over a thick, heavy novel--which she had probably borrowed from Josei--giggled softly, eyebrows lifting a bit. "Daijoubu desu ka?"

"Aha... I'm fine..." Nazoko couldn't help sweatdropping slightly as she waved one hand in Miru's direction. "Why do you ask?"

"You didn't come home last night." Miru's lips were quirking amusedly. "I had to convince Nozomi-chan not to launch a search party for you... I figured you and Hide-sama had gone out to a club or something."

"A club? Uh, yeah..."

"Or not?" A shrug, and Miru's beige hair shifted when she turned her eyes back to the book in her lap, a knowing expression on her face. "Well... that's what I told Nozomi-chan, anyway... she's still in bed, if you wanted to grab a shower and get changed." A pause, and green eyes flicked up toward her again; "you're looking a bit wrinkled, Nazoko-chan."

She couldn't help the blush that colored her cheeks, a flare of bright red that almost matched her hair. "I--I wasn't--"

"You were too." A chuckle, and Miru turned the page in her novel. "Just don't let Nozomi-chan see that ring, or you'll be done for."

"My--"

Her eyes shifted downward, catching on the silver and red of the ring she was wearing.

The ring was a new development... something Hide had given her only the night before, and part of the reason that she hadn't come home. It was hard for her to believe that they had come so far in their relationship, but... well, there it was. A silver band, highlighted with rubies, worn on her ring finger. A promise of much more to come.

Gods, they had even discussed having children, when they were both ready.

"Omedetou ne, Nazoko-chan."

"I--"

"Omedetou for what?" The third voice made her jump again, and before she could turn around, a familiar orange-haired head was leaning over her shoulder, bright red eyes flitting straight down to her hand and-- "HAAA!!" Nazoko was spun around, her hand jerked up so Nozomi could look at it more closely, before she could even say a word; "Nazoko, this is a ring!"

Nazoko tried to take her hand back, but her sister would have none of it. "Tell me something I don't know." Her tone was a bit defensive, a lot embarassed.

"This is an engagement ring!"

The pitch to Nozomi's voice was raising. The girl was about to start squealing.

"And you didn't come home last night! I knew it! I KNEW IT!"

"Nozomi-chan..."

The slightly-younger twin continued to hold onto her sister's hand, bouncing slightly in her excitement, squealing softly. Over on the couch, Miru was giggling under her breath, giving Nazoko a sympathetic-but-amused look out of the corner of one eye, and Nazoko was almost glaring back at her--she wasn't helping. At. All.

Nazoko jerked her hand back, rubbing at her wrist a bit. "Nozomi, leave me alone."

"Heehee! I'm getting a brother-in-law!"

"No-Nozomi!"

"And neices and nephews!"

Her face flushed terribly again, Nazoko shoved her sister away. "Nozomi, shut up, shut up!"

"I'm only telling the truth!"

"...urusei."

"I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!"

"Naaaaaaaaa~" Nazoko made a break for the stairs, heading for her room as quickly as she could. "I have to go... I'm taking a nap."

"Because you didn't get much sleep last night, Na~zo~ko!"

If Nozomi hadn't scrambled frantically for the kitchen, she would have been clocked firmly in the head--when Nazoko grabbed a candle from the nearby bookshelves and flung it at her.


Nazoko just flings things at Nozomi a lot, doesn't she? ^^;;;

Comments

[cassandracsenta.livejournal.com]

Leika: Well...That is if it's all right with you of course! I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to, Ryoka.^^;;

He will...*sighs*

Maaa...When Ryoka starts to feel for Leika, I'd imagine he'd find it very strange. Leika is so different from the one he loved before...

[senashenta.livejournal.com]

Ryoka: *smiles vaguely* It's fine with me...

Yeah, Leika and Misha are like... polar opposites. ^^;;; It would be a bit wierd...

[cassandracsenta.livejournal.com]

Leika: Okay then...*pauses for a bit* You sure?^^; You're just not putting up with me?

Bet MIku and Yuri find it endlessly amusing.^^;

[senashenta.livejournal.com]

Ryoka: *eyebrows lift slightly* I'm not the kind of person who just puts up with people to humor them...

Probably. ^^;; They'd've known Misha, too, though... na, think they know how Kozue feels about Ryoka?

[cassandracsenta.livejournal.com]

Leika: *nods slowly* Aa...I guess not...Maaa...Okay then.^^

*shrugs* I don't know. Depends on how much Kozue was showing it at the time or if he gives any indication he did while he was off trying to drown his sorrows...

[senashenta.livejournal.com]

Ryoka: *chuckles softly, smiling vaguely again*

He probably would... I mean, even before Ryoka and Leika are together, he's confessing to Akuma, ne? So most likely he would mutter about it while he was drinking after that...

[cassandracsenta.livejournal.com]

Leika: I really am happy we got to talk a bit, Ryoka.^^

I guess...Na, so probably some people would know ne?^^;; Maaaa...Ryoka and Kozue really remind me a bit of how Kira and Aoi were before...

[senashenta.livejournal.com]

Ryoka: Aa... it was nice. *smiles a bit more*

Probably... na, they do don't they? ^^;; Except they're not going to be together in the end...

[cassandracsenta.livejournal.com]

Leika: It was ne?^^ *sighs, shaking her head* Never thought it'd happen that I'd get to talk to you like that.

Yeah...I guess it helped that Kira was so overprotective and caring of Aoi, really. If he wasn't, I bet this would have happened too...*sighs* Except that Aoi wouldn't have gone drinking...She would just end up pining for him...

[senashenta.livejournal.com]

Ryoka: *eyebrows quirk slightly* You were thinking about talking to me like this before?

Ryoka is protective in regards to Kozue, but not so much as Kira was with Aoi... besides which, Ryoka trusts that Kozue can take care of himself. And as for the drinking... I think maybe Akuma could be partially blamed for that. ^^;; He dragged Kozue out once, and it dulled what he was feeling, so then the next time he's hurting, he heads out to dull it all again...

[cassandracsenta.livejournal.com]

Leika: *shrugs* It's crossed my mind a couple of times. I was curious, I guess.^^ Can't really blame me. I keep on seeing you and you're almost always alone or else seemingly apart from the crowd.

Naaa...Well, Kira was very attached to Aoi and his devotion to her was really something else wasn't it?^^;; And yeah, Akuma...Hahaha...I believe that wasn't his intention though so we couldn't really blame him all that much...^^;; Ryoka'd be really upset once Kozue goes on and starts to drink like that...

[senashenta.livejournal.com]

Ryoka: Ah, I see... *smiles vaguely* I didn't realize I always seem to be an outsider...

Ryoka would probably snap at Akuma about it, actually... and then Kozue would tell him to back the hell off, and that would pretty much shock everyone. *sighs* This is going to be very hard on both of them...

[cassandracsenta.livejournal.com]

Leika: Not an outsider. *chuckles softly, smiling* You just...It was like you didn't really want to be there...Or something...^^;

Yeah...Maaa, that'd shock everyone, including Ryoka himself and Akuma too, though he'd have an inkling as to what the hell was going on...And then Kozue'd pass out and he's off to spend the night over at the Healers' I think...Too much alcohol...Far too much alcohol...

[senashenta.livejournal.com]

Ryoka: Well... I'm not a very social person, I suppose...

Yeah... everyone would just worry about him until Ayame managed to bring him out of it. And he would probably spend all of his time either drinking or holed up in his room...

[cassandracsenta.livejournal.com]

Leika: Sou ne...I guess that's why I wanted to talk to you. *shrugs, smiling* Just to see if I could...

Maaaa...If he wasn't immortal, I'd think he'd end up killing himself with this depression he's going to put himself through. Bet Ayame just takes it upon herself to just go into his room and probably slap him out of it...

[senashenta.livejournal.com]

Ryoka: *eyebrows raise* Just because I'm not very social doesn't mean I don't talk to people...

Yeah, well... he'll need the slap anyway. Ayame would have to just smack him out of it, 'cuase I don't really see any other way for him to move on. ^^;;;

[cassandracsenta.livejournal.com]

Leika: Maaaa! I'll just shut up!^^;; Forget I said anything! Maaa neee...I'm so freaking scatterbrained I surprise myself sometimes...*SIGHS, pouts a bit, looking to the side* Mattaku...

Smack him and yell at him.^^; Go Ayame...It'd be kind of cute and funny...Petite, little Ayame smacking Kozue to next week...

[senashenta.livejournal.com]

Ryoka: *eyebrows jump* Maa... Leika, ne... I didn't mean to say anything to upset you there...

It would be kind of cute... except Kozue would probably end up crying. ^^;;; And then there would be a long time where Ayame sat with him and he cried a bit, and then they talked about things...

[cassandracsenta.livejournal.com]

Leika: Maa, I'm not upset, Ryoka. Don't worry about it. *sighs, shaking her head, waving it away* Just my powers of articulation totally escaping me at the moment. It happens and it just irritates me sometimes that's all...

Yeah...She'd probably spend the night, just holding him and making sure he slept.*sighs* But the imagery is really cute in my head, no matter how serious the circumstance.^^;; Ayame is really small, like...she's just around 4'10' or something...^^;;

[senashenta.livejournal.com]

Ryoka: You sure? *looks at her speculatively* You seemed a bit upset there, really...

It is cute, yes... and Kozue is heavily influenced by Yukito from CCS--he's maybe 5'1' or so, and very delicate looking and feminine. I think the two of them will be very cute together, actually...

[cassandracsenta.livejournal.com]

Leika: I'm fine, I'm fine.^^ Don't worry. Really.

I think they will be.^^ Bet Akuma makes fun of them both sometimes when they're together.."I could just fit you two into a dollhouse! Go on and play house already!XD"

[senashenta.livejournal.com]

Ryoka: Alright, alright... *shrugs, smiling vaguely* If you say so...

Probably. ^^;; Sounds like Akuma...

[cassandracsenta.livejournal.com]

Leika: Maa ne, are you a worrier Ryoka? *chuckles softly, smiling amusedly*

Yeah...And Ayame'd just yell at him to mind his own business...^^;;

[senashenta.livejournal.com]

Ryoka: *shrugs vaguely* A bit, I guess...

*sniggers* Little Ayame yelling at Akuma... ^^;; And Kozue would just sweatdrop, probably...

[cassandracsenta.livejournal.com]

Leika: *chuckles softly, amusedly* Arigato ne.^_~

Yeah...^^;; And Akuma'd just laugh and hold her by the head if she tries to get her hands on him...^^;; Little Ayame could be quite violent if you rile her up...Explains her slapping Kozue...