An Artsy Date with a Not So Artsy Title

He’d half shrug. “….that’s too general of a question. It depends on the thing in question. Some can be tried again, and some are lost forever once the opportunity has passed. I can’t speak the same of every idea.” It was virtually impossible to answer that definitely. Every path had its own rules, the amount of times it could be repeated being one of them. Some things poof away, some don’t. That’s just how it is.

He’d shake his head. “I’m sort of exaggerating. I wouldn’t really care if people wanted to walk around naked or something. I just don’t see how that’s a great thing to do. It’s not a strip club or anything. Some people may not want to see such stuff at a normal bar. I personally wouldn’t feel all that comfortable with such views and whatnot.” Just like…do you even have to? He didn’t visit a bar to watch waiters in sexy dresses. He just wanted his drink. He’d digress though.

“You just willingly called yourself little? Cute. Are you a baby boy then?”, he’d question in a joking tone, sticking his tongue out at the other briefly. “But you aren’t a specific wild cat species either, are you? In which case, a house cat is closer anyway. It’s not like some of them aren’t pretty wild.” They sure knew how to use their claws and cause damage, alongside a lot of drama. It wasn’t like house cats were just cute cuddly animals. He’d tilt his head. “Is it?” He was listening, alright.

Regardless, he’d blink at the mini hug, snorting faintly. “To be fair, it can also make life a lot harder in some areas. People don’t like the weird most of the time.” Unless you were lucky and played the right cards, of course. Nevertheless, it could be a rather tricky game to play. “Okay..? Is it safe out here though…?”, he would squint at the being, reaching out a hand to poke the now dragon shaped flame.

The demon would considered the words being said before humming a bit. "That is a fair answer," he would say as they continued to move along. He suppose there was no right or wrong answer there. Everything came and went in its time with its own rhyme and reason after all.

“That is true and yet no one questions the cute bunny owner most of the time. As for me, well I don’t think I spend enough time in the bar or out of it to have a big say on the matter. I suppose people are gonna do what they are gonna do and if no one steps up to stop them. They don’t see a reason to stop.” But then again….sometimes you could tell a person something and still they would not listen. He wondered if his mum would stop what she was doing if one person disliked it? Huh. His mind would begin to wonder, but he quickly caught it and brought it back to reality staying focus on the moment versus trivial things.

Speaking of the moment, Rika would find himself mock pouting at the other as he turned his view to the side and tilted his nose up a bit. “Well yes. I am little in comparison to you height wise, but I am not a baby...or cute for that matter,” he would begin before his eyes slide to the corners to look at the other, a smirk on his lips. “Unless you are saying plain and boring is cute.” His words were playful enough, but there was something in his eyes that suggested maybe some part of him saw himself as what he described. Though how true it was or not would remain a mystery as topics shifted from play to other things.

“Hmmm,” Rika would tap his bottom lip with his finger in thought for a moment. “A house cat is pampered though and domesticated. I don’t think that applies to me so I don’t see how I and a house cat can be compared. Nor can I see a complete comparison between what you humans called wild cats. Our kind is in a strange place of animal and not animal all at once. It can get tricky to compare us with normal things.” Because they mimicked too many things. Maybe it was just best to leave there name as demon and not try to hard to match them with this box or that box of the normal world. Maybe.

Just like maybe he should’ve kept his mouth shut to keep himself from falling deeper into the hole of very red faces and awkward moments.When heard that question in response to his mumbling, Rika’s body would tense even more as his face became even redder as for a few seconds he couldn’t say anything as he debated the best way to sink through the floor right now; however, all his escape plans were unrealistic so after a second or two of silence he would respond in a strained voice. “Yes. Yes it is.” He would give a stiff nod and then take a moment to compose himself, thanking the heavens for the fire distraction.  

As things melted back into more or less normalness, Rika would keep in step with the other as he watched the guy and the little flame dragon. As the guy poked at it the little dragon would swoop around his finger before moving in and attempting to land on the guy’s finger, apparently seeing it as a landing pad or something. With a small smile on his face Rika would nod.

“Well it is safer out here than in the wild. At least it can disappear relatively quickly if we are in a place such things should not be shared or viewed.” He was quite aware of the ruckus it would cause, but as long as they were in a safe-ish area he did not see any issue with the sharing of powers or of creatures of his world.

“People have really weird tastes these days….” Or maybe it was just him, seeing as he wasn’t particularly fond of the idea of costumes like that, for in most cases it just looked silly to him. Good for a dress up party or event, sure, but for this? Ehhh.

“Why not? Don’t you want to be?”, he’d question, somewhat amused by the exchange. “Anything can be cute with the right circumstances at play anyhow.” Well, not always easily, but guess there were ways to make anything cute if one tried hard enough. Albeit it was sometimes unwelcome, considering things. In any case, he would shake his head. “You’re thinking about it too much. It’s not about pinning it down specifically. Just a general handle on it. It isn’t about a 100% percent comparison, just that it’s the closest way to reference what you are.” He didn’t really care about the details that much, but if one resembled a cat, then they would get called a cat because it’s the closest thing. Sweet and simple.

He would blink at the other, just giving a hum in response, opting to not keep embarrassing the guy further for now. He didn’t have a whole lot to add to that anyway, and thinking up new jokes was effort. Moving onto living fire things. He’d raise an eyebrow, letting the thing land on him as he squinted at it. “Well, we will be pretty soon. Considering what our destination is.”

"Tell me about it," Rika would say as he moved a hand to run it through his hair a bit. He honestly didn’t get why certain things was a thing anyway. After all one could be attractive and all that without going to expose oneself in such ways as his mother did.

Speaking of not understanding things, what followed was something he also did not understand. So this whole issue of being called cute and such, why was it that it made him both happy and embarrassed at one time? Seriously he was acting like some love struck teen in an anime! Honestly what happened to the collected and cool him? And why did this one think it amusing?

The thoughts went through Rika’s head at a maddening rate, but somehow he managed to stay in the present as he looked over at the other. “I am not sure how to answer that to be frank. I mean being a baby would require a lot of work on your end if you decided to stay. As for cuteness,” he would shrug a bit at this one. “I honestly have no idea. I mean I want to be me, but I am not sure how to relate cuteness to me.” Did he appreciate being called cute? Well he wouldn’t deny he didn’t dislike it. Even so to desire to be that way? He never even thought on the matter until now and well he wasn’t finding anything good to answer with. Maybe this was okay?

It was a bit confusing, but he’d push that aside as his lips curled into a smile. “Circumstances can come into play, but perspective can too,” Rika would hum as he looked over the other with him savoring the details. He was a fine piece of work physically, but there was something else beyond that that kept him intrigued. Though what it was he was unsure of at the moment….and that...that was okay.

In any case, the demon would find himself giving the other a ^^;; sort of face as he told he was overthinking the matter of comparing him to a house cat. “Perhaps so.” Was all he could get out from that. After all he did have the bad habit of focusing too much on things and making the situation more complicated than he need to. Sometimes it was a good trait, but most of the time it left those around him scratching their head and questioning why he made such a simple thing so hard. He sometimes had to wonder if he could keep things simple and sweet.

Or less awkward than what they were when the other had heard him speak on the subject of being called kitty. Thankfully the guy didn’t continue to poke and make the demon dig himself into a further hole. He was given room to breathe. As things calmed down and elementals came into play, Rika would find himself in a content zone as he continued to watch the dragon and Sharaku interact.

The little dragon would land on the finger, the temperature of the dragon matching the temperature of the flame as it balanced itself on the other’s finger and gave a cute little yawn revealing sharp fangs before snapping its snout shut as it got comfortable. Rika would watch it for a moment longer before blinking a bit at the next comment.

“Mmm. You did say it was close by your home didn’t you,” he would begin before giving the small dragon a gentle smile that somehow caused it too twist and shift into a smaller flame before vanishing. As the dragon vanished, Rika would take a step closer to Sharaku attempting to wrap his arm around the other and lean against him as they walked. Though how successful this was was yet to be seen.

Either way, he would continue to walk with the other as they neared their destination. “Tell me. How did you find the place? Did you just stumble upon it or did you seek it out due to being a fellow artist?”

He’s tilt his head slightly. “Maybe the fact that you’re easily embarrassed? I think that’s somewhat cute.” Well, to an extent, at the very least. It could be a little bit of an issue if it got out of hand after all, as it could easily kill a conversation. Nevertheless, in limited amounts, it could be called cute? “Perhaps. Perspective can be altered though, if one can explain their own well enough.” That’s how you convince others to take your opinions in mind. Make them see your perspective and understand why it could be a thing.

That aside, the following conversations seemed to fade out with time, until the little flame show occurred. He would raise an eyebrow at the thing, trying to blow some air towards the living flame, before conversation resumed. “More or less.” They wouldn’t have gone by foot if it wasn’t. “Oi, don’t make me fall.”, he’d grumble faintly as the other moved to lean against him. Having not expected extra weight, he did almost stagger to the side, but thankfully he wasn’t as clumsy as that. Well, usually.

“Er, well, I wouldn’t necessarily consider myself an artist. I can do decently, but it’s usually only when I need to for some reason. I did hear about it from some people at school though, and I do occasionally go past there as well.” He was kind of neutral when it came to drawing and the like. He didn’t do horribly at it, but it wasn’t something he thought much about either.

"Embarrassed equals cute," the demon would shake his head as he muttered that one softly not sure if he was happy or glad about --- Hey wait a minute. He would go a bit redder as he looked away. "I-I am not embarrassed." He would say trying to sound tough, but that redness and expression on his face was suggesting otherwise. He didn't know what to do with himself right now and didn't quite understand why he was having such a time keeping himself together around the guy. It was baffling, but just like that the guy could get him to show a side of him that he usually reserved until after he got to know someone well.

That mystery aside, he would hum at the perspective topic. "Well yes that can happen; however, if one is firm in their belief then you may find that perspective impossible to change." Some people just didn't budge no matter how many things were told to him or her to try and make them change their minds.

Stubborn people would be stubborn. Just as comfy little fire dragons would be well little fire dragons. It was blown upon alright, but all that caused the little dragon to do was glow as the flames lowered under the wind and then when there was no more wind it would flare up in a slightly larger flame than before before settling again and seeming to still not want to move until it was dismissed from the area...and maybe this was a good thing considering matters.

While there was nothing to do, but give a small him at the matter of the art places location,when the other almost stumbled, Rika did back off slightly trying to help keep the man balanced. “S-Sorry,” he’d say as he released the guy who had seemed to catch his balance before falling. Putting his hands together before him a bit he’d fidget nervously as his mind whirled between embarrassment and negative thinking. He didn’t want to hurt the guy and while the other hadn’t fallen he very well could’ve. Maybe it was best to warn or maybe just not touch at all? He wasn’t sure as he bit his lip a bit and focused on the path ahead for a bit.

Staying quiet, he would use the response he got back about the other being an artist to refocus on the situation at hand. “Ah. So it is a need to do sort of thing for you. Though if that is so why did you decide to come to after simply passing it normally?” Rika would ask his voice calm again as he continued to follow the other.