Out And About

Felina followed along with Leah, hurriedly trying to keep pace with the smaller woman despite her longer strides. As much as she really, truly, desperately did not want to give Ed credit for much of anything, she had to concede that taking care of Leah 24/7 had to be a small feat for the guy. She was fun, bubbly, energetic and exhausting, and she kept worrying that the poor thing would wander into trouble if left to her own devices. She seemed the sort of person to fall into an open sewer or something like-

”Gwah!”

Something like nearly walking into an oncoming car, yeah.

Felina shared in Leah’s nervous chuckles, glad that they’d just both avoided something that would’ve been a bit of a mild downer on her night. Still, she gripped Leah’s hand a little tighter after that. Just in case. ”I guess that’s pretty neat. You don’t really seem like the type to stay locked down on anyone thing, got a free spirit vibe about you. It’s good to have options.”

She took a moment to look at Leah as they walked, really look at her. It would’ve been easy to see her doing so many things. She had the hair and the smile that opened doors in all sorts of places - could’ve been a movie star, a model, maybe even a singer if her voice was as pleasant with a tune as it was with everyday words.

Didn’t matter, she supposed. They were here.

On a whim, she took a few steps ahead of Leah and thumbed to her back. ”Here.” She squatted a bit. ”Hop on. I’ll piggyback you the rest of the way, for safety.” It was look a little silly, but they already looked a little silly, so she doubted it would change all that much. It would reduce the risk of Leah getting hit by a car, and help her work off some of the popcorn.

If her friend went with, Felina would happily take her for a ride the rest of the way, putting her powerful legs to good use and following directions when needed. In a short time, they’d find themselves at Leah’s apartment, with Felina giggling most of the way.

“Oh yeah, that's me. Wily… unpredictable… mysterious. Nothing can hold me down for long… I am like a cat. Meowr!” Leah lowered her frame, taking a few creeping steps before taking a claw swipe at the air. Had her “graceful” avoidance of cats with her feline reflexes not be proof enough, nothing would be. She sounded like she was making this up on the spot, likely trying to paint herself in a much cooler light to Felina. In truth, she never gave it much thought. She likes some stuff until she didn't, then just moved on. It wasn't a big deal really.

As if the two hadn't just avoided becoming a small headline on the internet for tragic careers cut short, she carried on her merry way, those noticeably a bit more vigilant of where they went. She seemed oblivious to Felina giving her a strong once over, if she had noticed it likely wouldn't have mattered. She hadn’t been subtle about how I'm pressed she was with Felina’s look. Strong, capable, tough, beautiful. The flattery was likely laid on early, though in a tone of admiration rather than attraction. If anything Leah looked at Felina as if she were a long lost friend, or possibly the big sister she never had. These kinds of connections for better or worse came easy to her, eager to trust most people.

The blond instinctually slowed her pace as Felina broke out to move in front of her, taking her turn as the line leader. She visibly perked, thinking perhance the two of them were about to race until the other woman gestured with a thumb. Leah’s brow furrowed in confusion, not catching her meaning until she clarified.

Without any hesitation she glomped Felina from behind, wrapping her arms around the woman’s collar, mindful not to choke her. She hiked up her legs, clinging to the woman's back as if she intended to lock in some manner of deadly submission, at least until Felina moved to help hold the younger girl on her back. She was brimming with excitement, start eyes like a kid at the carnival for the first time.

“Now we are unstoppable! Feleaha, activate! Roll out!” Apparently this was the new designation for the living totem that was the two girls. Leah threw an arm forward, pointing the way like a proper helmsman, issuing any changes in directions verbally as they came. She lightly nudged Felina’s midsection with her sneaker heels, pretending she had Spurs to speed them along and push the other woman's endurance training to the test. At one point she ran her hands through Felina’s hair, collecting it between her palms before nudging it to the side to spill over one of the woman's shoulders to keep strands from flowing back into her mouth while she directed them.

Without much issue, the two women would arrive at Leah’s apartment complex. It was modern, but modest, with sub par landscaping. The area of town in was in was fairly low end, speaking to the living conditions of being fairly on the cheaper side side of the spectrum. Leah would motion them towards a set of stone steps along the outside of the complex, still riding Felina is allowed all the way to her front door.

The building was a solid dull stone, lacking are real paint or color. The walkways and stairs chipped and cracked, side railings stained with small burns and ash from someone in this side of the complex likely smoking out near the landing. The only real source of color was the wall in front of Leah’s apartment which had several faded chalk drawings, likely made by her. A small chibi of herself looking happy, and Edgar, whose face had been rubbed off the image leaving a wide smudge on the flat surface. “Welcome” was written in big bold print, with the kanji for it right below. It was cute, just like most things she did.

With a small hop, she dropped off Felina’s back, walking past her to the door. “If you want, you can carry me around any time you want. I will be sure to bring you carrots next time, and brush your mane.” She giggled, searching from her keys for the one to the apartment. Unlocking the door, she gave it a nudge inward, motioning Felina inside.

A piggyback ride was sort of a weird thing to extend to someone, and Felina could safely say she wouldn’t have even allowed it with any of her friends back home. In part because most of them were guys from her family’s gym and none of them were as small as Leah, but also because, well...with her, it just felt kind of right. There was never any doubt that she’d accept the offer, because it was such a Leah thing to do, and she hopped on right away, sure enough.

There was something about her that just made you want to make her happy. Felina was canny enough to realize it, but she didn't much care.

She didn’t much care about the increased stares they got as she raced along, having far too much fun to think about them for more than a half second. While Leah wasn’t heavy, she was still a healthy human being, so moving with her wasn’t the easiest thing. That was the point, really. After all that popcorn, she was eager to burn a few calories, and this was a good way to do it that kept her friend from being hit by a car. Win-win.

She raced. She moved. She put her legs to the test. Felina made for a responsive guide and Leah was a comfortable guide, navigating the streets with ease. It wasn’t long until they were at their apartment. Leah’s...and Edgar’s.

Felina found herself staring at the picture on the wall while Leah worked the key, centering on the smudge. If she had to bet, that was his doing, raining on Leah’s parade. That seemed to be a running theme with the guy, from what she’d picked up so far, and it just made her wonder how two people like this could ever wind up living under the same roof. Let alone being related. Let alone being siblings.

Probably best to keep such thoughts to herself. Now was the time to be Nice Felina, the Felina that really liked hanging out with Leah and would like to make it a regular thing, not Bad Felina, the Felina that desperately wanted to kick Edgar in the face a few hundred times.

She put on her best face and walked in behind Leah, staying nice and close.

Leah’s apartment was actually decently sized for most low rent apartments in Japans, though had a few signature features of the local architecture. A small raised step just beyond the plain floored entryway sporting a small mat with a few shoes piled up. They seemed to be all hers based on the size and style, and the step had no slippers available to follow cultural traditions. It seemed like those things were only loosely followed or she just had decent manners.

The small entry corridor opened up into a larger common space. To the left a small kitchen with very little counter space, beside it a simple second hand circular table with fold out extensions were had been left down. Rather than mattering chairs, there were a few fold out camping lounge chairs used instead, a bit tacky but they at least appeared comfortable. Against the back wall, bordering into the next room where several stacked boxes with various words printed on them. Things that were moved but not fully unpacked. Some had been opened and haphazardly restacked.

The common room was a decent size, and the only real source of light while the two entered. The shades and curtains had been drawn to block out the afternoon sun leaving the dull blue white glow of the television to illuminate the area. A coffee table with piled drink coasters, various snack food boxes, some books and baubles. A few stray articles of clothing lay around the area, those most seemed to be gathered in a plastic mesh bin in the corner.

A large worn couch was the main focus, currently housing a passed out Edgar who lay across the length in a way that seemed uncomfortable. One leg up an over the far arm of the piece of furniture, idly dangling, half on the couch as a whole. One arm was wrapped over his forehead and eyes why the other hung down to the floor where a can lay, balanced on a small saucer with an inset Grove to keep it from tipping. On inspection, it was heavily laden with kanji and colorful designs, a native green tea beverage one could find at any store or vending machine.

The television was silent, idle on a Netflix black screen asking if the user wished to continue watching. He seemed completely conked out, sleeping softly, no doubt the most at peace either woman would likely ever see him. Leah didn't seem taken aback by this, treating it all nonchalantly as she moved through the space without really trying to be more quiet. The most she had done was peek around the corner to make sure he was asleep before untying the flannel shirt around her waist, tossing it off on top of a few other discarded garments.

She would lead Felina in with a wave, making her way to the kitchen counter were several flyers and menus were collected in a pin before she started rooting through them. From here, she could see two additional rooms. A bathroom one other which was currently darkened. From the doorframe hung a few long strands of colorful beads and strips of cloth to make a rather pretty curtain… possibly the blond girls room. It seemed that judging by the size of the place, the common room was where Edgar likely slept while his sister had a full room to herself.

“Here we go.” From the pile she withdrew an advertisement for a local pizza place the twins frequented, holding it up pinched at the corners to examine the bottom. A few square had been cut from the bottom, coupons. She was currently eyeing the ones that remained. “So you want pineapple right, but spaced out so it's not all bunched up?” Rather than use scissors, she began to fold a crease into the glossy paper and tear a coupon off.

Was it wrong that Felina half expected Leah’s apartment to look like Pee Wee’s Playhouse? She was such a bright, happy person that it was almost impossible to imagine her living in a place without birds chirping and squirrels gathering.

On this, she was somewhat disappointed. As it turned out, Leah lived in a rather normal looking space, if a wee bit untidy. It wasn’t the normal kind of untidy, either, but the special sort you get when you have two people living together. Things strewn in odd places, little rhyme or reason to it.

Reminded her a lot of the disarray that occurred in the apartment she shared with her cousins. Before Carmen came home and made her and Army clean the place from top to bottom, anyway.

She’d taken off her shoes by the entrance and went barefoot the rest of the way, and that turned out to be a good move when she stumbled on a slumbering Edgar, giving her soft footfalls to move around with. His pose was remarkably similar to the same one she found Army in countless times, konked out with a blank TV in front of him.

She should’ve just moved on. Not tempted fate. Sure, it was almost a guarantee that he’d wake up while she was here, she didn’t count herself lucky enough to avoid that. But she wasn’t rushing to it, either. All the same, she couldn’t help but stare at the guy for a moment, looking on with the barest wrinkles in her chin. This was the same guy who’d knocked her about and given her the most crushing defeat of her career, and he was just...there. Right there.

He looked peaceful. Kind of cute, even, though she didn’t care much for the cowlick haircut. She might even go so far as to throw the handsome label on him, in a boy band sort of way. It reminded her of the way he’d suckered her in the last time, however, and that didn’t do wonders for her mood.

Thankfully, Leah had excellent timing, getting her attention before she could dwell too long. Felina came over, padding her way across the carpet and nodding as she went. ”Yup.” She kept her voice quiet. Not quite a true whisper, but from speaking at normal, too. ”You guys haven’t unpacked all the way either, huh?” She bobbed her head to the unopened boxes. Not quite as bad as the pile back at her own place. ”Schedule a little more crazy than you thought it would be?”

Edgar wasn't his most presentable, at least what one would consider being presentable to a house guest though in AFW that tended to be a loose standard normally. Dressed down in a tank top and boxer shorts, he hadn't exactly been informed the duo would be hosting company… though it was debatable if that would have changed anything. The normally inviting couch looked like some cruel torture device with how he was sprayed out across it in a deep sleep. The two women, regardless of how much noise they made hadn't even come close to making the man stir, even after Leah flicked on the kitchen lights and let the glow flood into the room beyond.

Leah tore carefully at the edges of the coupon, getting it out in a roughly rectangular shape before offering it to Felina to hold onto. Group bonding. With a skip in her step she moved around her guest with a small “Make yourself at home.” before navigating through the various discarded clothes that may have been dirty or clean on her way to her brother.

She hadn't made it far when Felina made mention of the boxes piled up along the wall. Makeshift storage left where they lay for no real good reason. Keepsakes, clothes, even some extra things that had easy to find places in the house like plates and silverware. Leah came to a stop, peering over to the tower of laziness with a growing boush she was glad couldn't be seen with her back turned. For whatever reason nearly everything else hadn't embarrassed her until that. “Ah… yeah, super duper busy. We will get to it eventually.” Glancing back she shot Felina a wide sheepish grin before continuing to her brother.

“Hey sleepyhead.” She chirped cheerfully before unceremoniously plopping herself down on Edgar's stomach, immediately waking him from a dreamless slumber. He let out a wheeze as one might expect when taken by surprise and having the air forced from their body. The shove her gave Leah was almost instantaneous, just enough to slide her off of him to lean her backside against the small remaining lip of the couch.

He shot his sibling a sour look, eyes narrowing as he glared daggers up at her as she giggled with clear merriment. The interact seemed normal for the two of them, personalities that mixed like oil and water typed together with common genes. Had the two of them not been siblings, something like this would only exist within a vacuum before self destructing.

“We’re getting pizza. What do you want?” Leah laid herself back, sliding slightly off the couch as she lounged across her brothers midsection. He didn't seem to care one way or the other, like some sort of animal at the zoo forced to share a cage with a clingy monkey… he just accepted this as his lot in life. Her phrasing had caught his attention though. It was the statement in particular. It was common for them to get takeout, having her declare they were was different It almost sounded like...

Edgar finally caught sight of Felina. What little light he may have had in his eyes died as he stared at her upside down from where he lay. There was a tense silence that hung in the air as Leah, oblivious to it all, waited quietly for a response. He snickered softly, easing his sister off of him so he could sit himself back up. “It's your job to take out the trash this week, not bring it inside.” He muttered softly, but just as audible as if it were a stage whisper.

Leah scooted off her brother, slipping off the side of the couch to drop her backside onto the floor with a soft “Ow” despite the fact it hadn't hurt her at all, it seemed like that was just her normal reaction either way. She craned her head to look back at Edgar, what he said flying well over her head. Was it a test? It must have been a test. “Don't worry, I will take out the trash after pizza, promise.”

Ugh. She was going to wake up her brother.

It was inevitable, Felina knew, but she still was keen on letting that sleeping dog lay as long as possible. This day was going so well - she’d saw a movie, solidified a friendship, found someone to connect with, all thing she hadn’t done in far, far too long. Leah was a good, honest pure person, and that was frankly something she could’ve used a lot more of in her life. The more she hung out with her, the more she wanted to make hanging out with her a thing.

So, when she dropped on her brother and dragged him into the waking world, she straightened up on the chair and started taking a few deep breaths, steeling herself for what she knew was about to happen. Edgar wasn’t the sort of person who’d just let her presence go - he’d get in some jab, some little quip at her expense.

For the moment, she waited and saw the cute little scene playing, cupping her chin in her hands as she leaned forward, her brown strands hanging about a bemused face. There was something oddly cute about the three of them, reminding her of what it had been like with her own brothers...when she was ten years old, at least. It was enough to give her a tinge of nostalgia, make her think again on the idea of taking a little trip back home before the summer was over. Maybe Leah could even tag along…

That fun little mental image was pushed aside the moment sounds came from Edgar’s noise hole. She ground her teeth down hard to keep in the retort that almost reflexively slipped out, and instead let Leah fill the silence as his comment flew over her head and smacked Felina in the face. Deep breaths. Deep. Breaths.

”Hello, Eddie.” She put on a weak smile, the best that she could do, and managed to get out most of the edge in her voice. ”Sorry to wake you up. Netflix tired you out, huh?”

Edgar lurched forward, legs spread out to either side as he hunched a bit, resting his arms over top of his knees. He let out a long yawn, mouth opened wide to expertly intercept Felina’s dialogue with him mid way as if to underline how unimportant it was. Blinking a bit of sleep from his eyes, he scratched at the underside of his chin lightly while he spoke as if it were a passing conversation he wasn't invested in. “Surprisingly, it was more of a workout than you were.”

Even in his waking haze, his mind was rather sharp, certainly more so than he was dressed. His lips curled into a small half cocked smirk for a moment before it became a full blown grin. “So… pizza? I’ll just have the usual, so do whatever.” He cast his gaze back to Leah, reaching out to plop his palm over top of her head and ruffle her hair. She instinctively wiggled under the gesture, shooting a feigned look of annoyance up at him.

“Uh huh… okay so we are going to get three pizzas then. Your buffalo one, my pepperoni, and one with pineapple on it….” She was already looking down at her phone, scrolling through the contacts. They ordered from this place nearly exclusively after all.

“Pineapple…” Edgar scowled, slipping his hand off Leah’s head to plant a palm on top of each of his thighs to straighten up. “Jesus, do you have any redeeming qualities Felicia?” His judgemental gaze was cast back her way, cold and intense... and it all was snatched away when Leah bapped him over the head with a rolled up magazine. “Oi! What gives!?”

“It's Felina, and she is wonderful. Also, my guest, so behave.” She gave Edgar a few more whaps with the magazine until he got tired of trying to weather it and just snatched the makeshift cudgel from her hands. She reaffirmed her stance by standing tall, hands on her hips. In this moment she embodied their mother.

Edgar gave Leah a flat look which shifted between the two women. It was clear he hadn't wanted to simply take it, but something held him back. He certainly didn't care what Felina thought of him, that much was obvious. Perhaps he hadn't wanted to embarrass Leah while she was trying to entertain a friend. Regardless, he relented with a shrug, tossing the magazine aside. “Sure, whatever.”

Leah beamed happily, giving Felina a small apologetic smile as she dialed up the pizza place. As she waited quietly for someone to pick up, the television came to life as Edgar resumed what he was watching. She covered one ear as someone picked up. “Arigato! I would like to make…” the volume of the television had slowly increased, so much so she was having trouble hearing. Without giving it much thought, she moved away from the other two, retreating back to her too to make the order in a more quiet atmosphere.

Edgar had leaned back, eyeing Leah quietly as he ramped up the volume on purpose. As if he knew the results, he watched Leah leave out of the corner of his eye before bringing it back down normal. No sooner had the blond girl vanished behind her curtains of beads and ribbons he had already popped up off the couch on high alert, trudging directly through the room to Felina.

“What the fuck do you think you are doing, huh?” He spoke low, conspiratorially to shield his sister from bearing witness to this while she was out of the room.

“I swear to God, if this is some stunt to get back at me, and you hurt that girl’s feelings I am going to put you in the dirt. No three count, no tapping, just my fist buried so far into your face they’ll need a closed casket.” He had gotten right up in her face, armed with white knuckled fists and an intensity that could melt the ice caps. “Consider this your first and only warning and an easy out for you to walk away… claim something came up and you had to jet.”

Felina knew this wasn’t going to go well. She just didn’t imagine how not well.

She’d managed to keep her mouth shut when he came back with his little retort, not having too much of a leg to stand on. As much as she hated to admit it, she had been an easy win for him. She kept telling herself that she could’ve done better if he hadn’t surprised her so much from the start and pushed his advantage, and maybe that was all true, but it wouldn’t really change anything. She would just hear her father’s voice, reminding her that, if your opponent didn’t cheat, you really had no excuses.

Edgar won. She lost. It was a fair, clean match, and he had every right to claim the win. She just wished he wouldn’t be such a jackass about it. And her taste in pizza. ”Do you? Jesus.” She kept her reply to a mutter through her clenched teeth, but it came out, anyway.

But it didn’t seem like he could stop being an ass anymore than Leah could stop being the sweetest, most innocent person to walk the Earth since Biblical days. So she had to put up with it, and she wasn’t the least bit surprised when Edgar decided to let his full douchebaggery flow the moment Leah was out of sight. She’d even stood up as Leah moved away, having a fairly good idea of what would be coming her way.

Even so, she hadn't expected him to move on her that fast and get this deep into her personal space, and the shock of it almost made her sit back down again. She was quick to regain her footing, though, and moved in, coming an inch, maybe two, away from butting heads with Edgar literally as well as figuratively.

”God, you are the rudest, dumbest, biggest…” She rubbed her temples and forced some order to her thoughts, speaking low enough to match him, with no less intensity. ”First off, not going anywhere. Leah invited me, dingus, and I came because she’s a nice, sweet person, and we had a great time at the movies, and I thought it’d be nice to hang out even though I knew her place had a serious rat problem. It's not all about you, cowlick.”

She jabbed a finger his way, just to drill in the point. ”Second, when I ‘get back at you’, it’ll be in the ring, when I kick your teeth so far down your throat they’ll need a colonoscopy to find them again. And third?”

She leaned forward, pushing her forehead against his. ”Get. Out. Of. My. Face.”

Edgar moved with purpose, something that was uncharacteristic of him most days though it wasn't as if Felina knew enough about him to appreciate it. His presence seemed to betray his intentions, finding his intended target rising to stare him down. The urge was there to just lay into her right here and now, even with the fallout that was sure to come. Who did this woman think she was anyway? Their last encounter was bad enough, yet here she was for an unofficial round two.

“Oh yeah, lay it on me sister. Tell me what a big bad man I am.” He took her stand against him as a joke, not the least bit phased by what she had to offer him in the way of insult or physical repercussion. If the two brawler now, he was confident Leah would forgive him if Felina cared, that courtesy may not be one she had yet earned giving him an upper hand in the exchange. Of all the things she could have stabbed him with, “dingus” was the one that got a furrowed brow. Wow… this woman take insult l sons from first graders or something?

Her finger jabbing him in the chest was met with a sneer before he reached up, attempting to snatch the digit in his hand, holding it where she left it. His fingers would curl and tighten around it, constricting as his wrist pivoted to attempt to slowly bend it unnaturally against the grain.

“When you try to get back at me. That's the key word there sweetheart. It doesn't matter where you want it, I will put you down as many times as I have to until it sinks into that thick skull of yours.” His forehead met hers grinding up against it as the immovable wall clashed with the unstoppable force. He was grinning now, pearly whites on full display as he started to bend her finger even further...

“Hey guys?” Leah called out from within her darkened room.

Like the flash of a magic trick he was already standing back, releasing Felina’s finger. A small glance shoot back as he create some distance to make it seem like whatever exchange that has transpired had been benign. His stoney flat expression returned as Leah peaked out with a rattle of beads, one hand cupped over the mouthpiece of the phone.  “They said their last delivery guy is out, so if we order now it's gonna be awhile, like, over an hour and change maybe. They said we are free to do a pickup though if we want.” She leaned in the doorway with a slight look of disappointment on her face.

“That's fine, I’ll go get it.” Edgar offered much to Leah’s surprise. The girl was left blinking in the doorway in mild shock, she hadn't even asked him directly or pleading with him. Once the initial reaction had faded her face lit up like it was Christmas with a big smile. She nodded, retreating back into her room to finish the order ecstatically.

 Once she had vanished from sight, he shot Felina a sidelong glare that seemed to indicate the two of them weren't done with this… but he broke off anyway. Walking back to the living room to start gathering some clean clothes from where they were haphazardly dropped on the floor. Picking out a shirt, some jeans, and mix matched socks wherever he found something suitable. He was sure to give each garment a sniff, just to make sure they were in fact clean.