[Kaneki stiffens at her tone, but more than that he can feel Rikki dig her claws into his shoulder, her lip curling a bit. She doesn't move otherwise, though, her bushy tail flicking to curl around his neck and shoulders.
He turns to face the shelf by the window again, mostly so she won't be able to see how his expression has turned a bit uncomfortable, though not at the fact that her world is weird or anything.]
...it's okay, Maka. I don't really find it all that strange.
[Kaneki reaches out a hand to idly run his fingers along the bindings of the books again, just to give himself something to do with them. His world is far, far stranger, he thinks.]
...[The jingling seems to have stopped in the time they've been talking. Apparently Cadence had been searching through the books along with Hide and picked one to poke at Maka with. Maka clears her throat and puts back the book she had been holding, picking up the one Cadence is wiggling at her next.]
"If You Give a Dedenne a Cookie"? Let me guess, you want this one for the bedtime story tonight.
[The Sylveon nods insistently, taking a moment to look up at Rikki with a chirp. It translates roughly to "hey books are some good shit, you pick one too!"]
Cadence doesn't usually pick kids' books, but I guess she was in a feelgood mood rather than a lovey-dovey mood today. Thank goodness.
[Kaneki appreciates the shift in subject, turning back around to smile a little down at Cadence. Rikki, meanwhile, gives a soft chitter in the back of her throat that basically comes out as being "....nah".
Hide comes trundling over behind Cadence, his arms full of books as he sidles up next to Kaneki's leg, looking pleased as punch with all of the things he has.]
Hide...we have so many, maybe you should just pick one? Then we can get more after we read the ones we have.
[The Smeargle's tail wags slowly as he looks up at Kaneki and Maka, but he doesn't actually make any move to put the books away yet. Maybe if he holds them long enough, Kaneki will change his mind.]
Books like these are his favorite...but he likes "Goodnight Lunatone" the best. I think I've read it at least fifty times since I bought it.
Maka kneels down to be at level with Hide, smiling and holding out her hands to take his books.]
How about you pick one for Kaneki to get and I'll buy the rest? I need more books like this around the house anyway, since someone that would probably like them is going to join our club. I can read them to you, too, whenever you want.
[Maka this is why you can't be a mom, you'll just spoil your kids.]
[You can almost see the excitement sparkling in the Pokemon's eyes as he gives a soft, pleased woof before handing off the stack of books to Maka, immediately turning around to head back to the shelf where Cadence is standing to plunder some more.
Kaneki smiles weakly, lifting a hand to touch the side of his face.]
You didn't have to do that...but it was very nice of you, Maka.
Maka just laughs--it's short and quiet, but still amused.]
Going to the bookstore with my dad used to be the thing I'd look forward to most when he wasn't busy with work. [She stands up to readjust the pile in her arms and shrugs.] Hide kinda reminds me of how excited I'd get.
Well, now he's going to expect for you to buy him books all the time. ...not to mention read to him.
[Kaneki sighs, shaking his head fondly as he watches the Smeargle pull books off the shelf again. Good thing the owners of the place don't mind, so long as Kaneki cleaned up after him.]
[Rikki gives an exaggerated eyeroll at the both of them as she flops down on Kaneki's shoulder, huffing in his ear as he replies.]
Probably, yeah. He's fine looking, just as long as he doesn't pull out too many books. I have to put all of those back, remember?
[The last sentence is directed to the Smeargle in question, who looks over his shoulder with his tongue half sticking out and his tail still slowly wagging as he thumbs through more hardbacks.]
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He turns to face the shelf by the window again, mostly so she won't be able to see how his expression has turned a bit uncomfortable, though not at the fact that her world is weird or anything.]
...it's okay, Maka. I don't really find it all that strange.
[Kaneki reaches out a hand to idly run his fingers along the bindings of the books again, just to give himself something to do with them. His world is far, far stranger, he thinks.]
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...[The jingling seems to have stopped in the time they've been talking. Apparently Cadence had been searching through the books along with Hide and picked one to poke at Maka with. Maka clears her throat and puts back the book she had been holding, picking up the one Cadence is wiggling at her next.]
"If You Give a Dedenne a Cookie"? Let me guess, you want this one for the bedtime story tonight.
[The Sylveon nods insistently, taking a moment to look up at Rikki with a chirp. It translates roughly to "hey books are some good shit, you pick one too!"]
Cadence doesn't usually pick kids' books, but I guess she was in a feelgood mood rather than a lovey-dovey mood today. Thank goodness.
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Hide comes trundling over behind Cadence, his arms full of books as he sidles up next to Kaneki's leg, looking pleased as punch with all of the things he has.]
Hide...we have so many, maybe you should just pick one? Then we can get more after we read the ones we have.
[The Smeargle's tail wags slowly as he looks up at Kaneki and Maka, but he doesn't actually make any move to put the books away yet. Maybe if he holds them long enough, Kaneki will change his mind.]
Books like these are his favorite...but he likes "Goodnight Lunatone" the best. I think I've read it at least fifty times since I bought it.
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Maka kneels down to be at level with Hide, smiling and holding out her hands to take his books.]
How about you pick one for Kaneki to get and I'll buy the rest? I need more books like this around the house anyway, since someone that would probably like them is going to join our club. I can read them to you, too, whenever you want.
[Maka this is why you can't be a mom, you'll just spoil your kids.]
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Kaneki smiles weakly, lifting a hand to touch the side of his face.]
You didn't have to do that...but it was very nice of you, Maka.
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Maka just laughs--it's short and quiet, but still amused.]
Going to the bookstore with my dad used to be the thing I'd look forward to most when he wasn't busy with work. [She stands up to readjust the pile in her arms and shrugs.] Hide kinda reminds me of how excited I'd get.
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[Kaneki sighs, shaking his head fondly as he watches the Smeargle pull books off the shelf again. Good thing the owners of the place don't mind, so long as Kaneki cleaned up after him.]
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[A pause, then:] We should probably make sure he doesn't try to buy up the whole section, though.
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Probably, yeah. He's fine looking, just as long as he doesn't pull out too many books. I have to put all of those back, remember?
[The last sentence is directed to the Smeargle in question, who looks over his shoulder with his tongue half sticking out and his tail still slowly wagging as he thumbs through more hardbacks.]