][Numair? Hm. why does that name sound familiar to me? -wracks brain to figure it out- and hah Numei annoyed Casimir. -snerk-][


Numei had run to Casimir for help, which meant that the neko had to have at least the slightest bit of the tiniest sliver of hope that he could trust this man just a teensy bit. And Casimir wasn't doing anything to help. Those ears twitched and drooped considerably. Had he overreacted? He didn't think so. Numei frowned deeply and shivered lightly. That red eye darting around for a moment. No. He didn't want to ask her the truth or anything else. Infact, he didn't want to talk to any human at all. Not now and not ever. He looked at Casimir and watched the man for a few moments. "...Uhm....Buy me another drink.....p-please?" He grimaced slightly as he asked Casimir's back that. Clearly the man wanted to ignore him, for some reason that stung Numei a bit.

He rubbed at his chest lightly and very slowly started towards the girl that he had just run away from moments ago. "...What do you really want from me?" There we go. He was asking, and she better tell him the truth.

((If you like reading the same things as me, you'd have come across the name in Tamora Pierce's books. The Immortals quartet to be specific. lol Yep, he did annoy him, very thoroughly at that too!))

Sitting at the bar, Veda watched trough a curtain of hair as Numei interacted with that man. Apparently, he'd made quite an impression. The young woman turned away to contemplate the drinks on the bar with a speculative look. This wasn't something she usually thought of doing, but she was miserable. As the blond reached for a bottle, the neko walked over to her with that question.

Letting out a little surprised sound she turned to face him and gazed steadily at his face. "I just want to get to know you, that's all. Yes, I am attracted to you, but I want to be friends more then anything else. That may be hard to believe for you, but there it is." Sighing the young woman looked down for a moment as she braided a few strands of hair together. " I guess a good start would be telling you that my name's Veda." She didn't dare look up for fear that Numei had run away again. Or worse, that he didn't believe her.

((I feel slightly bad, lol. You're one character is running between my two.))

][I love Tamora Pierce books, but I haven't read the Immortals quartet yet. I've read Song of the Lioness series, Protector of the Small, and Beka Cooper.][

Numei was quiet for a long while after she had spoke. Just watching her and trying to decide if she was telling the truth or not. He didn't think she was lying to him. He shifted on his feet slightly and then moved sit down at the bar next to her. His body a little tense. "My name is Numei." There now she also knew his name. He looked at her, then at the bar top. His one eyed gaze remained on the bar top. Numei inhaled deeply. "People are looking for me. Even if you are telling the truth, we can't be friends. As far as your kind are concerned, I'm just a pet. I always get caught again, and I'll be taken away and we'll never see each other again." It was true, Numei crossed his arms across his chest.

][I feel kinda bad cause it seems like we've just taken over this rp completely. >.>;][

((I've read and own nearly each and everyone of her books. Circle of Magic, Circle Opens, Protector of the small, Immortals, Song of the Lioness, Beka Cooper.. XD ))

By the time Numei spoke Veda had made at least five different braids, quite a feat considering how long her hair was. A smile graced her face as she looked up to the neko, though it fell after hearing what he had to say. Veda had been right earlier, she simply couldn't imagine what kind of life Numei led. "I could try hiding you.. And I'm sure that man you were talking to earlier would help too." Clasping her hands together the hopeful young woman leaned on the counter to try and catch sight of Numei's face. "Please say you'll be my friend Numei! It would mean a lot to me." She didn't have many friends at university, if at all, because she was always busy with homework. This was also the first time Veda had put so much effort into getting someone to like her.

((I thought the same thing, then decided this was too much fun to stop posting. XD))

"That man. His name is Casimir and he is a hunter." Those ears twitched lightly. Numei had been denying it, but honestly Casimir was different than other hunters. Different than the ones Numei had experianced. Still, did that really mean he could trust the man? Well..maybe.."..Besides..I don't think he wants anything to do with me at all." Those ears drooped as far as they could. "We were talking and then he gets up and sends you over to talk to me.." Numei frowned deeply then shrugged, glancing at Veda. "If you hide me, it'll only get you into trouble with your own kind." Still why should Numei care if this girl wanted to get in trouble? But she seemed so earnest when she asked him to be her friend. Numei was torn. He seemed so uncertain, even as he spoke. "If you bought me you wouldn't have to hide me." He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. What the hell was he saying? Had the humans infected him with their crazy already? He shifted on his seat again.

][I'm headed to bed. <3][

Gwena sat in her chair watching the patrons talk among themselves, trying to listen close enough to eavesdrop on a snippet or two here and there of the conversations going on around her (with semi success and fail). Gwena took off her glasses and started cleaning off the lenses with some water (she can't stand spots on her glasses) and than decided to polish the metal frame part a little (to make it look nice). After several minutes Gwena's glasses sparkled bright and clean. Gwena put her glasses back on and looking over briefly at the bar she noticed a blond sitting next to a furry looking man, Gwena noticing the braids in the young ladies hair and got an idea. Gwena's face shone with a mischievous smile, as she got some odds and ends from a drawer to stick in the ladies braids. Gwena marched over to the bar behind the woman and began pinning and sticking random things in her hair (the braids a specially).

You could really tell how the guy was feeling just by looking at his ears... It must have been quite annoying at times. "He probably wasn't comfortable with the conversation, though I think he likes you. Why else make sure you had company?" Carefully, the young woman moved to squeeze the neko's shoulder with a smile then returned her hands to the counter. She didn't want to push this too far, though the moment Numei mentioned her 'buying' him her mouth dropped open in shock.

"You don't really mean that right? I thought you were trying to run away. N-not that I wouldn't, but I'd only do that if you wanted me to. It's not like I'd treat you like a pet, you're my friend I'd never do that! I guess it would give you some protection from everyone though, being able to say that someone owns you.. But in name only Numei. " Feeling someone tugging at her hair, the young woman stopped her long speech. Seeing one of the owners with a few of her braids in hand, sticking things into her them, the blond started laughing. Well, that certainly lightened the mood. "As long as you don't poke me with any of those things, go ahead." It reminded Veda of her little sister, and how she was always playing around with her hair.

Numei didn't look at Veda, or at the lady that came up to play with Veda's hair. He stared down at his lap, his ears so low it would be impossible for them to droop any lower. His tail behind him was very still, on the tip of it twitched occasionally. He grit his teeth. Numei didn't really want to be bought, she had offered to 'hide' him, that would only put her in danger with her own kind. Still, Numei couldn't help but think it had all been some elaborate trick for her to gain ownership of him. He was not a pet! His body had tensed when she had touched his shoulder, but other than that, it was almost as if he hadn't noticed the touch. Humans could not be trusted. Not at all! So what the hell was he doing? He fidgeted slightly. Looking a bit confused and a whole lot of uncertain.

Gwena put pins, blunt needles, ribbons, bows, cookies, thread, some coins, pieces of cloth, ornaments, some twine, and a teeny bit of hairspray in the woman's hair. "There!" Gwena declared triumphantly with a wild looking smile on her face. Gwena paused a moment, after thinking for a bit she got another idea. Again the mischievous smile danced across her face, as she ran off out side. After several minutes Gwena returned inside the tavern triumphantly holding her newly constructed wreath above her head like a trophy. It was made with pine needles, ribbon, flowers, pine branches and a smidgen of tape. Gwena took her newly made, prized wreath over to the couple that was talking by the bar and placed it around the furry looking man's neck with a giggle. Having had her fun and depositing lots of unique "presents" Gwena went into the kitchen to make some more odd looking cookies.

Though Gwena played with her hair, Veda's mood plummeted upon seeing her friend's face. He was so tense, with ears so low... Veda wasn't quite sure what to do. Despite everything she had said, and the conversation they had been having the young woman still didn't know all that much about the young man. "Numei?" The blond tensed visibly as Gwena bustled in with a wreath to place it around the neko's neck.

It looked too much like a collar. Letting out a sign, the young woman reached out to remove it and place the thing on the counter. At least, she tried to. She knew Gwena hadn't meant anything by it, just wanting to have fun but... "What's wrong? Would you mind telling me?" Those few questions were going to open a whole new can of worms, Veda was sure.

Numei hadn't really paid much attention to the other woman. Though when she placed the wreath around his neck, he looked up, completely startled. One of his ears twitched in agitation and when Veda reached to remove the wreath, Numei reached up and caught her hands. "I don't like being tricked, or toyed with." He looked at Veda, the emotions behind his eye a bit unreadable at the moment, but he was searching her eyes. Looking for any hint of betrayal there. "I am not a pet. I will never be someone's pet. You want to help me, you say you like me. As a person likes another person. I can't fully trust you and the things you say are ridiculous. I'm not a person. So you can't like me the way a person likes another person. Go find some human male to court with your odd...flirting...and kisses."

Numei let go of her and touched the wreath around his neck, the woman that had put it there had wandered off into the kitchen. Still Numei really didn't think this thing was meant to be a collar, but he was unsure. Numei was also tired. Tired of fighting and running. Maybe he should just give in?

A startled look plastered itself on the young woman's face as her hands were caught by the neko. Slowly confusion came and went, to be replaced by a look of sadness. Though she'd only known him for a short time, somehow Numei had managed to find a place for himself in her heart. Trying not to let one tear drop, Veda listened until he was done, then looked away. His words had hurt more then she wanted to admit to herself, or to anyone else for that matter.

"I suppose I'll leave you alone then Numei, just please be careful and don't get caught." Standing, the blond went to find Casimir who was still standing with Ellie. To distract herself from the emotions running trough her mind, the young woman began plucking random, strange, things out of her hair. She even munched on a cookie or two in her distraction without caring how old they were, or where they had come from.

Casimir watched as the young woman came to stand by his side. She was clearly upset, but he had no idea how to help her.

The first thought that came to her mind when the neko came over and hid behind the older man was, I should give him a cookie! but the neko already ran off to sit with Veda who somehow magically appeared over at the bar sitting there. But Ellie thought she might've not had noticed the blonde woman moving over there because she was too busy trying to figure out what was in the man's fist. While she was thinking Ellie wondered if it was a butterfly, or a flower, or even better, chocolate. But the young girl quickly gave up feeling pooped out from all that "thinking" she had done and when the neko ran off to sit with Veda. Ellie looked up to the man noticing how tall he was compared to her and decided to give the cookie to him since he asked if he could have it earlier, "You can have the cookie!" then she shook her head changing her mind, "Nevermind, the neko can have it!"

Ellie nodded to herself making that her life goal. Then the blonde woman came over looking really sad, which made Ellie rethink her decision about the cookie. What should I do?! thought Ellie, Who should I give it to?! Since when was I so generous?!

(School sucks, it's making me miss all the fun here...)

((lol Ellie... Oh Ellie, she really makes me laugh sometimes. I'm sorry for rushing trough so much without you, it just kind of ... Happened.))

Letting out a small chuckle of amusement, Casimir waved his still closed fist in front of the girl's eyes. Even he wasn't quite sure what he'd grabbed. "Don't you want to know what I'm holding?" Pursing his lips the tall man tried to figure it out himself too. It was soft, really really soft, and fuzzy. Suddenly the memory came to him, making the man smile even wider.

Opening his fist he revealed a tiny little creature. The thing was made entirely of fur with two small eyes and tiny little paws. It had huge ears too. It was magic, and somehow it'd found it's way into Casimir's pocket during his travels. "I'm not quite sure what this is, but I do know it's nothing but good. But here's something I'll tell you, this little one is a friend and not a pet. If you treat it badly, it will leave you and disappear. " Looking at the girl sternly, Caz tried to make sure she understood what he was saying.

Meanwhile Veda was beginning to have quite a pile of things beside her on a nearby table. From pencils and forks, to ribbons and cookies... The pile just kept growing as she struggled to take everything out, thankful for the distraction it caused.

Numei pulled the wreath from around his neck and held it in his hands. Turning it this way and that and just staring at it. He decided he liked the way it looked but that he didn't really want to wear it around his neck. He was frowning deeply. Veda had left him alone, and for some reason he couldn't quite understand it had made him sad. Sad? He should be feeling nothing! Nothing! Except maybe anger and cold indifference. Humans were just..just bad creatures.

He was so confused. Numei blinked and glanced over towards Casimir, Veda and the other girl. His ears were still drooping, though they did twitch a bit as he tried to listen to what Casimir was telling the other girl. He got pieces of the conversation, but even though he was trying to listen to it, he wasn't really paying attention to what he was hearing. Numei chewed his bottom lip.

A particularly annoying ribbon had Veda tugging at her hair in frustration. It just wouldn't come out! Considering the mood she was in the young woman was sorely tempted to find scissors somewhere and... Just chop it all off! Mumbling to herself she walked around the Inn in search of the utensil in question. Absentmindedly tugging at the things still stuck in her hair, she moved past the bar blindly. At least, she tried not to see Numei sitting there with dropping ears.

Sighing, the brown eyed girl managed to find a way behind the bar. Rummaging here and there she found what she was looking for. Gripping her hair in a tight bundle, the young woman prepared herself to cut it so that it fell to her shoulders. It was sure to be a botched job, but she didn't care.

Those ears twitched a bit, and lifted just the tiniest bit as Veda made her way near him. Was she coming back to talk to him? He blinked his one good eye and shook his head. Why would she do such a thing? Though what exactly was that woman doing anyway? Numei's head tilted to the side slightly as he watched Veda, she moved behind the bar and rummaged around. "What..What are you doing, Veda?" Those ears were up now and a look of complete confusion was on his face as she gripped her hair and got ready to cut it. Numei wasn't sure why she wanted to cut her hair off like that. "You're just going to make yourself ugly if you do that." His tone was almost matter-of-fact sounding, with just a hint of indifference.

((Getting stuff stuck in your hair it's sooo annoying. I remember times when my mom had to cut my sister's hair because somehow gum had gotten into it. That's impossible to take out!))

Glancing to Numei with a surprised look, the young woman lowered the scissors. "Well it's better then having all this stuff stuck inside it! My nails aren't long enough to undo half the knots, and then there's all the cookie crumbs and who knows what else still in there. I've been working on taking things out of my hair for the past ten minutes, and it's not working!" Frustration filled every word. Though she was talking about her hair, the young woman was also speaking of how frustrated she was with herself. Shifting this way and that to make herself comfortable, the blond contemplated her hair again. She didn't want to look ugly, but the length and cut of one's hair didn't determine beauty. Inner beauty did that.

][Hahah. I'm glad I don't have that problem.][

Numei set his wreath down and put it to the side a bit. He rolled his good eye and let out a soft sigh. "Come here." He sounded more annoyed than anything else, and he patted the bar stool next to him as he turned towards it. "Put the sharp thing away and sit down." He patted the stool one more time, watching her expectantly. She looked about as frustrated as he really felt on the inside.

((I'd absolutely hate myself if I got gum in my hair, it's so curly! Just walking trough the woods gets branches and leaves stuck...))

Glancing at the neko, the young woman contemplated cutting off her hair right then and there. Deciding against it for the moment out of pure curiosity, Veda placed the scissors onto the counter. Sitting down meekly beside Numei, she looked at him quite forlornly. She'd been putting herself trough such a roller-coaster of emotions because of that neko.. "I don't suppose you have a solution," mumbled Veda after a few moments.

[I like curly hair. -plays with your hair-][

Numei watched Veda almost carefully as she came over and sat down. He gripped the sides of the stool and rather easily turned it so that her back was to him. Then he pulled it just a little bit closer. "Just..hold still." That tone of annoyance in his voice and Numei hesitated for a few moments as he looked over her hair. He was reluctant to touch her or her hair. After all, he didn't want humans touching him and he certainly didn't want to touch them. He inhaled deeply and slowly reached for her hair.

Numei's touch was hesitant but gentle. Well, as gently as he could. Hair was a delicate thing, and he didn't like it when someone pulled his, so he was trying not to pull hers. Slowly and as gently as he could, Numei's fingers began to work the tiny knots out of her hair. Lightly pulling a few other objects out as he went. Slow and steady seemed to be the key to his success.

((For some reason I was expecting that. XD And, funny thing is I would probably let you play with my hair in RL if we met. I'm just so used to people asking about it.))

At first, the young woman let out a small startled gasp at having the chair turned around. Sitting stiffly, Veda tried to figure out what Numei was up to. It was only when he began gently untangling the things from her hair that the blond started relaxing. The gesture was unexpected, but very welcomed.

"Thanks Numei," said Veda after a while. She was tempted to lean back into him, to see how the neko might react... But she was just so comfortable where she was.

"Don't mention it...ever.." He murmured softly. Those fingers moving gently through her hair. So much stuff! Numei shook his head slightly. "You should be more careful about what people put in your hair...Even if they do mean well." He still sounded annoyed but only just slightly. The really tiny knots were the hardest to work on, and took the longest amount of time, but Numei, even annoyed, seemed to have endless patience with those knots. At least his ears weren't drooping anymore, they were twitching a bit and Numei, even if he didn't want to show it. Seemed to be in a slightly better mood.

][Heh I love playing with other people's hair.][

Instead of answering him right away, Veda smiled. It was nice sitting there quietly as he unknotted her hair. Maybe she's go thank Gwena later, or maybe not considering the trouble she'd caused. "I know, I know... But I was a little distracted at the time. " The subject they'd been talking about had been so unexpected, and so wrong. Imagining Numei as a pet, even her own, simply hadn't sat well at all with Veda. It still didn't seem right, he was just too... Well the neko was just too opinionated, grumpy and plainly his own person to be even considered a pet.

((lol Bet you have a hard time finding people who'll let you though, and please tell me you never pull something like Gwena did in RP.. >< ))

][Lol no I'd never do that. The only thing I've ever put into anyone's hair was ribbons. And a little glitter. Well...it was a lot of glitter. Glitter gets EVERYWHERE.][

Numei had finished moments ago, and now he ran his hands through her hair. Smoothing it down a bit and just making sure he'd gotten everything out, including the little knots. It would still probably need to be brushed, but at least it wasn't as messy and tangled as before. Numei found himself feeling rather..content..as he brushed his fingers gently through her hair. The neko had nearly started purring, and quickly bit the inside of his cheek to stop such a thing from happening. Numei purred for no human!