Shiro & Marie, backdated to March 23

[x-sanfuaiyaa.livejournal.com]

Another long-ago log, back when Marie was still telepathic. Shiro comes by to apologize for dragging her to San Francisco by giving her chocolate sushi.


It might have doubled the cost of the gift, but as far as Shiro was concerned, it was the least he could do. He held onto the small box firmly in one hand as he raised the other to knock on the door to Marie's suite. She probably heard him coming from a mile away, given his flimsy psychic shields. He just focused on what they'd done earlier in the week and not on the gift, so he could at least manage some surprise. She deserved that much.

Marie opened the door, smiling at the Japanese man. She'd gotten better at sorting out the telepathic noise that seemed to constantly buzz about and had realized he was coming to see her a few moments before he'd knocked on the door. "Hope you're not hear to tell me about another branch of your family going bananas," she drawled. "Because if so, Ah'm not here right now."

"At this point, I am ready to simply let them sort it out themselves," he replied wryly. "I am obviously deeply disturbed for getting involved in the first place. Anyway. How are you feeling?"

"Better," she said, stepping aside so that he could enter. "Nate and Jean have really been helping." Marie eyed the box in his hand curiously, but didn't say anything. "Ah've never had telepathy this long before - Ah never realized how constant it is," she said, laughing and shaking her head. "Ah mean, Ah know all our powers are, but Ah have to think about it all the time in order to keep it under control. Ah guess it becomes habit to folks that have it."

"For what it's worth, I am sorry," Shiro said, offering Marie a slight bow. "Had I known that this Mandarin was magically brainwashing the criminal syndicates, then I . . . actually do not know exactly what I'd have done, but I at least would not have gone out to eat. This does not entirely make up for what I put you through, but I hope that it is a start. Here." He held out the box with both hands, a red metal container wrapped with a gold bow.

She took the box in one hand, using her other to unwrap the bow. "No way you coulda known. Plus, it's the end result that matters. Sure, Ah got possessed, wore a stupid hat, beat up Remy and knocked out Betsy, but we ended up taking the bad guy down and everyone's in the process of healing." Lifting the lid on the box, the smile on Marie's face broadened at the beautiful assortment of sushi laid out in the ornate box, almost like a work of art. "This looks amazing...but you didn't have to get me anything."

Shiro smiled, just a little bit bashfully, and pointed at the sticker on the inside of the box that read: 'It's chocolate.' "I saw it at a boutique on our way back to the airport. I feel somewhat responsible, for getting you involved, at least. All is well that ends well, I suppose, but chocolate sushi makes it end better."

"Everything's better with chocolate. Well, as long as there's no fish in it with the chocolate, because that'd just be nasty." Gesturing to the couch, she walked over and placed the box on the coffee table, scrutinizing the contents before picking a piece that looked almost like shrimp sushi. Taking a bite, she closed her eyes to savor the rice cookie topped with something that tasted like almonds with a faint flavor of green tea. "That's delicious. An', well, to be honest - Ah got myself involved. Ah'm the one that made you go talk to Remy."

"But I . . . am not going to continue this conversation since we will just go in circles blaming ourselves and absolving the other," Shiro said wryly but with a smile. "I am just happy that you are well and will heal. You're a good friend." He must have been spending a lot of time with Alex, to be talking like this.

"We're a sorry sort, huh? But good friends, which is the really important bit," Marie said before taking another bite of the chocolate. Picking up the box, she held it out to him. "You probably need some of this too. So anything exciting happen since we've been back?"

Shiro picked a piece of "maki" and muttered a "doumo" before biting into the crispy rice. "My life has been thankfully quiet since. I have not even heard from Harada, which could mean many things. But I am more than happy for the silence. Maybe I can finish this semester without any more distractions. It is getting difficult to come up with legitimate excuses for my teachers."

"Um...yeah, when you try and say 'Well, Ah was out fighting evil' you tend to get strange looks and referrals to mental health." Setting the box back on the table, Marie popped the last of the chocolate into her mouth, chewing thoughtfully. "We really do need to come up with like, a list of excuses professors actually will accept for situations like this. We can all only have so many grandparents die or other family emergencies. We need to start getting creative."

"My roommate's dog ate my homework?" Shiro hrrmed. "I think that it is time to invent a relative who has a debilitating disease and requires constant monitoring and care. Maybe Parkinson's. Cancer is too cliché."

"Genius," she said with a smile that turned into a wince. "Ok, time for more Advil and a nap Ah think. Ah'm not the best hostess right now," Marie said apologetically.

Shiro nodded and picked himself up. "I understand. Rest. I'm happy and relieved that you are well. Or at least will be well soon. Take care, Marie."