(you can pm me here or on plurk if you'd like to beforehand, but also if you'd just like to drop something at my doorstep with no preamble please do!!)
She stops everything to look up at the man who approached her, staring at him with those big blue eyes and apple red face to perform a very important vibe check and decide whether or not this is an adult she can trust.
He doesn't look scary, that's for sure. In fact he looks soft and fluffy, like something she herself would want to help if she saw him lost and confused in the street. So...vibe check passed. She still seems a little bashful when she looks from him to her paper and back up to him again, but eventually she'll turn it around so he can see and present it up to the newly trusted adult.
It looks like directions, provided by the internet and written down in the expert penmanship of a child trying her best. It's mostly legible down to where they are now, and then she needs to go...ε·¦? Or is that ε³? It's all scrunched together so it's difficult to tell... ]
[ Oh no, painfully adorable... Not the special donut box...!
Maruki bites the inside of one cheek to suppress a grin, pulls out his phone to check for the nearest Triple Seven, then glances at the righthand street sign. ]
It looks like it's that way. [ A point, a nod, but then he focuses on her again, brows knitting together lightly in concern. ] Are you meeting someone there? A parent, or a sibling...
Papa's sleeping 'cause he works so hard, so I'm getting him a present. I have enough, see?
[ She digs a fancy coin purse out of a coat pocket and clicks it open to hoist it forward, proudly displaying how stuffed the thing is. That's a lot of money for a kid, she's so pleased with herself! ]
[ SOMEHOW EVEN MORE PAINFULLY ADORABLE...!!!! His heart can't take it!
Maruki looks duly impressed by the money β no, seriously, she might actually be carrying more cash than him right now, what the hell? Precocious little kid... ]
That's very nice of you! Do you want me to walk you to the store? I'm going that way anyway.
[ He isn't, but like, he's not gonna let a kid with semi-illegible directions wander off again all on her own. How far did she even have to go to get here? Should he walk her home too?? Will the dad kick his ass or be grateful??? Help. ]
[ Ooh, now there's an idea. She hadn't checked over her notes thoroughly enough to see if there were any more that were a liiittle harder to read, and this adult who's probably safe has them printed nice and neat on his phone so there won't be any more mishaps like this one. Plus, she just. Likes company, so having someone come along sounds nice.
She nods, trying not to look too obvious about how happy the idea makes her, clicking her coin purse closed. ]
Papa's a doctor and he helps a lot of people, and he's here making medicine to help even more people. All over Japan. And the world!
[ Her smile brightens as soon as the topic of Papa comes up, even raising her hands high in the air to emphasize 'the world!' The whole wide world, Maruki!
What's best, though, is what's coming next. She looks up at Maruki with the kind of pride only a child completely assured in their dream can have, every bit of confidence in herself as she says, ]
I wanna be a doctor and help people all over the world too. He's showing me how.
[ Oh! She stops all of the sudden, turning on her heels to give Maruki a polite, well-practiced bow. ]
It's really nice to meet you, Dr. Maruki. I'm Shion.
[ Okay, they can keep walking now. Only needed to mind her manners real quick, there. She'll look back up at him with eyes just as big and curious, though, reaching to grab ahold of his pant leg so she doesn't go walking all hither and thither while not keeping her eyes in front of her. ]
You don't help people...? What kind of doctor are you?
[ Maruki holds back his laughter, gives her a little bow backβ
And then she's clinging to his pantleg. It's impossibly cute, but unnecessary. Maruki offers her his hand. ]
No, I do help people! Or, I try to, at any rate... [ He doesn't want to sound like he has a big head, after all. ] I work with people who have wounds in their hearts and minds. The kind that you can't see. So it isn't like your papa who can set a broken boneβ or invent a medicine!
[ Ah, he would be rich if he could invent a medicine... ]
Hearts and minds... [ She repeats. It's clearly a brand new idea to her, and she needs a second or two to start rotating it around in her head. It even takes her until she looks back up to ask a question to realize the hand's been offered. Oh!
Yes, please and thank you. Hand holding is very nice. But back to the topic at hand, ]
But...if you can't see it, how do you find it so you can help?
[ That's the million yen question, isn't it? Do you want to be his cognitive psience research assistant, Shion???
They have to pause to wait for a crosswalk, for the fabled Ye Olde Triple Seven is across the street, so he looks down at her inquisitive little face with a smile. ]
People have to be able to tell me about what's hurting them. Part of being the type of doctor I am is knowing how to talk to people about things like that. If someone can tell me what's making them upset, then I know how to help.
[ She's following, she's following, nodding along as Maruki explains...she thinks? It makes sense, if you don't know where it's hurting then the person hurting should be able to tell you so you can do something about it. But at the same time... ]
What if they can't tell you? What if they don't know where it is?
[ The signal changes and the small crowd begins to move across the street. Maruki guides her toward that beacon of snacks, considers her astute questions for a few moments longer before answering. ]
If they don't know where it is, I can try to help them find it. It's not easy, but that's why I do it. I'm sure your dad's job isn't easy all the time either, right?
[ She thinks that one over too, so absorbed in thought she doesn't react as strongly as she expected to their destination right in front of them, the telltale sign advertising a special limited time maple flavor doughnut box plastered out front. ]
Mm. It's hard sometimes, like now. That's why he's sleeping.
[ That train of thought continues chugging down the tracks for a few more moments, and visibly hits a stop before Shion looks back up at Maruki as if she's just made a big decision. ]
[ Or it certainly seems hard with her still limited understanding. Hard workers deserve a lil treat!
Lil treats that are indeed expensive, and Maruki doesn't seem too pleased at the price. Hm. With all the subtlety of a child and an idea they're excited about, she tries carefully opening up her coin purse again to take another count of its contents, fifty, fifty-five, a hundred... ]
She quickly tries to hide the purse from sight so she can keep counting once Maruki isn't looking, but. She is not a graceful creature. Several coins slip out for the effort, and without thinking she leans over to try and snatch them back up--
Only for even more to start falling out. Oh. Oh no, oh geez...! ]
[ Good news: Maruki is a good guy. Of course he's going to start helping to collect the coins that begin to fall all over the place.
Bad news: He's even less graceful, any proprioception he should have over her due to his age offset by his inherent gangly clumsiness that he's never managed to overcome. He trips over his own feet trying to grab for one of the coins rolling away under a nearby display stand and clatters into it, bags of shrimp chips raining down on his head as he hits the ground. ]
She almost repeats the same mistake only seconds later, but manages to have enough foresight to set her purse down on the floor so it's still open but she doesn't run the risk of spilling any more things to pick up. There's so many now!
Inspecting one of the coins she picks up for just a second, though, she seems to pause. Then quietly, as if she's whispering to the coin in her hand, ]
[ Oh, this is a fine mess they've made. Maruki's still scrabbling about for the coins that have gone all helter skelter when he hears Shion whispering, toβ
To what? There's no one around, the one worker behind the counter a clearly unimpressed teenager who has no interest in the havoc they're wreaking. ]
Shion-chan? What happened? You didn't skin your knee, did you?
[ Her first instinct is to hide the hand against her chest, insistently shaking her head. No no, nothing happened, everything is fine.
But not shortly after Maruki asks that, something feels. Strange.
There's a sudden, sharp pressure in the palm of his own hand, like a weak bug's bite yet somehow reversed, as if that bug was trying to make its way out rather than in. It pushes, and pushes, until the skin painlessly breaks and--
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She stops everything to look up at the man who approached her, staring at him with those big blue eyes and apple red face to perform a very important vibe check and decide whether or not this is an adult she can trust.
He doesn't look scary, that's for sure. In fact he looks soft and fluffy, like something she herself would want to help if she saw him lost and confused in the street. So...vibe check passed. She still seems a little bashful when she looks from him to her paper and back up to him again, but eventually she'll turn it around so he can see and present it up to the newly trusted adult.
It looks like directions, provided by the internet and written down in the expert penmanship of a child trying her best. It's mostly legible down to where they are now, and then she needs to go...ε·¦? Or is that ε³? It's all scrunched together so it's difficult to tell... ]
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Maruki squints. Crouches down to her level so he can see the paper more closely, adjusts his glasses. Squints again. Tilts his head. ]
Huh...
[ Honestly? His guess is as good as hers. Impossible to tell which character she meant to write when she scribbled these directions down.
He rubs his chin thoughtfully, then looks to the little girl with a bright, reassuring smile. ]
If you tell me where it is you're going, I can check the directions on my phone!
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But hey! That's! A good idea! She nods, and finally pipes up with a soft, shy voice, ]
The 777 store. It has a poster in front for a big special doughnut box.
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Maruki bites the inside of one cheek to suppress a grin, pulls out his phone to check for the nearest Triple Seven, then glances at the righthand street sign. ]
It looks like it's that way. [ A point, a nod, but then he focuses on her again, brows knitting together lightly in concern. ] Are you meeting someone there? A parent, or a sibling...
[ Why are you all alone, lil thang : ( ]
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Papa's sleeping 'cause he works so hard, so I'm getting him a present. I have enough, see?
[ She digs a fancy coin purse out of a coat pocket and clicks it open to hoist it forward, proudly displaying how stuffed the thing is. That's a lot of money for a kid, she's so pleased with herself! ]
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Maruki looks duly impressed by the money β no, seriously, she might actually be carrying more cash than him right now, what the hell? Precocious little kid... ]
That's very nice of you! Do you want me to walk you to the store? I'm going that way anyway.
[ He isn't, but like, he's not gonna let a kid with semi-illegible directions wander off again all on her own. How far did she even have to go to get here? Should he walk her home too?? Will the dad kick his ass or be grateful??? Help. ]
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She nods, trying not to look too obvious about how happy the idea makes her, clicking her coin purse closed. ]
Please?
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As they head off in the direction of the convenience store, he keeps a careful eye on her, slows his gait so they can stay side by side. ]
What does your papa do for work?
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[ Her smile brightens as soon as the topic of Papa comes up, even raising her hands high in the air to emphasize 'the world!' The whole wide world, Maruki!
What's best, though, is what's coming next. She looks up at Maruki with the kind of pride only a child completely assured in their dream can have, every bit of confidence in herself as she says, ]
I wanna be a doctor and help people all over the world too. He's showing me how.
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.......
....................
There are lots of doctors with daughters who also want to be doctors. That's probably a dime a dozen, honestly. It's just a coincidence.
Maruki doesn't miss a beat. He looks down at her with wide, impressed eyes. ]
You're already learning how to be a doctor? You're so smart! I bet you're going to help a lot of people.
[ It occurs to him, then, that he hasn't gotten her name. ]
I'm a doctor too, but not that kind. You can call me Dr. Maruki.
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It's really nice to meet you, Dr. Maruki. I'm Shion.
[ Okay, they can keep walking now. Only needed to mind her manners real quick, there. She'll look back up at him with eyes just as big and curious, though, reaching to grab ahold of his pant leg so she doesn't go walking all hither and thither while not keeping her eyes in front of her. ]
You don't help people...? What kind of doctor are you?
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And then she's clinging to his pantleg. It's impossibly cute, but unnecessary. Maruki offers her his hand. ]
No, I do help people! Or, I try to, at any rate... [ He doesn't want to sound like he has a big head, after all. ] I work with people who have wounds in their hearts and minds. The kind that you can't see. So it isn't like your papa who can set a broken boneβ or invent a medicine!
[ Ah, he would be rich if he could invent a medicine... ]
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Yes, please and thank you. Hand holding is very nice. But back to the topic at hand, ]
But...if you can't see it, how do you find it so you can help?
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They have to pause to wait for a crosswalk, for the fabled Ye Olde Triple Seven is across the street, so he looks down at her inquisitive little face with a smile. ]
People have to be able to tell me about what's hurting them. Part of being the type of doctor I am is knowing how to talk to people about things like that. If someone can tell me what's making them upset, then I know how to help.
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What if they can't tell you? What if they don't know where it is?
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[ The signal changes and the small crowd begins to move across the street. Maruki guides her toward that beacon of snacks, considers her astute questions for a few moments longer before answering. ]
If they don't know where it is, I can try to help them find it. It's not easy, but that's why I do it. I'm sure your dad's job isn't easy all the time either, right?
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Mm. It's hard sometimes, like now. That's why he's sleeping.
[ That train of thought continues chugging down the tracks for a few more moments, and visibly hits a stop before Shion looks back up at Maruki as if she's just made a big decision. ]
You should have a doughnut too, Dr. Maruki.
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You think so? Maybe I'll buy one for myself, then!
[ The beautiful, calming fluorescence of a conbini... The neatly arranged aisles and colorful packaging... It's heaven in its own way.
Maruki picks up one of the donut boxes, turns it over in his handsβ and then baulks at the price tag. ]
I forgot how expensive limited edition snacks are...!
[ NO, HE WILL NOT BE GETTING A DONUT TOO, ACTUALLY. Oh his aching underemployment...... ]
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[ Or it certainly seems hard with her still limited understanding. Hard workers deserve a lil treat!
Lil treats that are indeed expensive, and Maruki doesn't seem too pleased at the price. Hm. With all the subtlety of a child and an idea they're excited about, she tries carefully opening up her coin purse again to take another count of its contents, fifty, fifty-five, a hundred... ]
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[ Oh, but it's a very weak protest, despite his embarrassment. ]
What would your father think if you spent your money on a stranger?
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She quickly tries to hide the purse from sight so she can keep counting once Maruki isn't looking, but. She is not a graceful creature. Several coins slip out for the effort, and without thinking she leans over to try and snatch them back up--
Only for even more to start falling out. Oh. Oh no, oh geez...! ]
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[ Good news: Maruki is a good guy. Of course he's going to start helping to collect the coins that begin to fall all over the place.
Bad news: He's even less graceful, any proprioception he should have over her due to his age offset by his inherent gangly clumsiness that he's never managed to overcome. He trips over his own feet trying to grab for one of the coins rolling away under a nearby display stand and clatters into it, bags of shrimp chips raining down on his head as he hits the ground. ]
Oh no...!!
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She almost repeats the same mistake only seconds later, but manages to have enough foresight to set her purse down on the floor so it's still open but she doesn't run the risk of spilling any more things to pick up. There's so many now!
Inspecting one of the coins she picks up for just a second, though, she seems to pause. Then quietly, as if she's whispering to the coin in her hand, ]
It's okay. It's okay. I promise.
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To what? There's no one around, the one worker behind the counter a clearly unimpressed teenager who has no interest in the havoc they're wreaking. ]
Shion-chan? What happened? You didn't skin your knee, did you?
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But not shortly after Maruki asks that, something feels. Strange.
There's a sudden, sharp pressure in the palm of his own hand, like a weak bug's bite yet somehow reversed, as if that bug was trying to make its way out rather than in. It pushes, and pushes, until the skin painlessly breaks and--
Will he look? ]
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