week 06, tuesday, afternoon

[hopefragment]

[It's been two days since Lucy's execution, and... Hinata hasn't seen Clover around at all. And while after searching Undyne's room that one time with Roxy, he hasn't exactly been in a hurry to venture back... he's worried about her. Who wouldn't be, after a trial like that?

So in spite of his own misgivings, he's going to knock on the door and call for Clover. Please let Clover come out and no one throw glitter on him.]

Clover, are you in there? Can you come out? It's Hinata.

Comments

[fourleafcleaver]

[It probably takes a decent chunk of enthusiastic yelling and shoving on Undyne's part to make this happen but, after a few moments, the door opens just enough for Clover to peek her head out. She's pretty much exactly as much of a wreck as is to be expected; she hasn't changed out of Sunday's clothes or so much as brushed her hair since the trial. She's hardly gotten any sleep and it shows. But hey, no glitter.

She needs another moment to look up at him and then for her empty expression to focus. She's still pretty out of it.] ...Hm?

[hopefragment]

Clover...

[Friend... It honestly kind of breaks his heart to see her like this, and it shows in the way his expression scrunches up in almost physical pain.]

Hey. Will you go for a walk with me?

[It's worth a shot, anyway. He'll even offer his hand, come on, friend. Leave the door behind, you got this.]

[fourleafcleaver]

[She doesn't react at all for a moment, almost like she hasn't heard him at all, but she turns back into the room without closing the door.]

I'll be right back. [And she steps forward and shuts the door behind her. Success!] I guess. [After another moment, she takes his hand. It'll make her easier to drag around, she figures.]

[hopefragment]

[Ah, she took it...

He can't help but give her a small smile when she takes his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze as he turns to start to walk, hopefully pulling her along with him. He doesn't really have a destination in mind, but the kitchen definitely is on the No list.]

I haven't seen you for a few days... [One day, Hinata. It was one day.] I missed talking to you. Do they, uh... still have noodles in the toilet?

[Best to just... keep talk to light stuff. Yeah.]

[fourleafcleaver]

[Yeah, being pulled along is basically where Clover's at; she puts exactly as much effort into moving as is necessary to not be a complete dead weight and no more than that. Nothing he says even gets a reaction out of her until he asks a direct question, and even then it takes her a second to slowly nod her head once, then shrug. There were toilet noodles. She had to get rid of them. Toilet noodles aren't especially high on the list of things she wants to explain, but then, what is.]

[hopefragment]

...

[He hums quietly and just squeezes her hand again. It's okay, he can be quiet for a bit, too. Faize always tells him he's good with words, but right now? Right now he's got nothing.]

So what have you been up to...? Did you eat?

[fourleafcleaver]

[She shrugs, because most of what she's been up to has been being excitedly yelled at by a skeleton trying his best, which is also not especially high on her list of talkable topics.]

I'm not hungry. [That's pretty immediate, though, even if it's not a real answer.]

[hopefragment]

...Okay.

[He's going to assume that's a "no," because if she's been with Undyne and Papyrus and Sans, he can't imagine they've been all that successful about making sure she gets actual proper human nourishment. But then again, the kitchen is still Off Limits for now, so he'll just keep walking with her, intending to head toward the general store.]

I was going to pick up some things from the general store... you can come with me, right?

[fourleafcleaver]

[Another tiny shrug.] ...If you want. [As long as she's letting herself be dragged wherever, the general store isn't so bad as far as places she could end up go.]

[hopefragment]

I do, yeah.

[He wouldn't have asked her to come with him, otherwise! Even when they get to the store, he's not letting go of her hand, instead looking around for-- ah. Potato chips. Perfect. Come on, Clover, let's reach up to grab those and find somewhere to sit.]

Can you help me open this?

[He's got the top of the bag in one hand, but he's not surrendering her other one. Help him out, grab the other side so he can pull it open.]

[fourleafcleaver]

[She looks something vaguely resembling incredulous instead of totally 100% dead inside for a second, because, like, you've got two hands, Hajime, why is holding hers so important if the chips have to be opened??? That's maybe an improvement.

But yeah, okay, she'll take the other side of the chip bag in her free hand and tug at it a little. This is getting dangerously close to being too much effort.]

[hopefragment]

[That's an improvement! He'll take incredulousness over sadness any day. As long as she keeps her grip, he'll just tug quickly to open the bag with a quiet pop.]

Thanks, Clover.

[And he'll just offer her the now-opened bag.]

Want some? I know you... have a lot to think about, and that's fine. But... if you don't eat, I'll worry.

[fourleafcleaver]

[Okay, nope, now we're back to sad. She really doesn't want to worry him, but that's secondary to how much she doesn't want to eat right now.]

...Sorry. [She stares at the bag of chips for another half a moment, then decides the floor's way more interesting to look at instead.] I'm just...really not hungry...

[hopefragment]

[Ugh Clover... he was trying so hard.

He just exhales through his nose and sets the chips down beside him, squeezing her hand gently.]

Okay. We'll... get something later, then?

[You've gotta eat eventually, Clover. For now that she's actually speaking, he's going to try to follow that.]

Do you... want to talk about anything?

[fourleafcleaver]

[Another shrug. Later, sure; whatever makes him feel better but she's going to pretend eating isn't actually a thing humans need to do for as long as possible.

She's quiet long enough for it to be awkward before she starts to fidget, shifting her weight between her feet. Maybe she'll keep giving that whole speaking thing a try?] I... [...or maybe not.

Just barely, she shakes her head. Another quiet moment, then:] ...It won't...

[...Nope, that's all she's got right this second.]