It's Not Like I'm Making Friends or Anything

Aito blinked.

Had he said something weird? He'd just told the truth though... That was exactly what had happened for the most part. They walked, bought some candy, she'd asked, and that was it...

She kept glancing from her food to Aito, trying to think of what to say next. She sat up once, looking like she might finally talk before eating a few fries. Then washed it down with some soda, awkwardly silent. "So... You have a cat? Tell me about him." She said, rather sternly.

"Ah...someone gave her to me, and apparently it's a type that'll grow pretty big...?" He'd been told the size of a small dog almost...or exactly(?)...he couldn't remember the specifics... "Uh...still a kitten right now..."

What was he supposed so say? He usually had her with him, but since he'd planned on going into stores that wasn't possible today.

"Oh?" She glanced up, still seemingly upset about something. She frowned for a moment, before pouting, clearly distraught over something, or maybe conflicted. She glanced up again finally willing to look at him. "Kittens are adorable." She said matter of factly. "Do you have any pictures?"

"A...Ah..." Aito gave a small nod; there was one at least...from when he was just testing out the camera when he got the phone.

Reaching into his pocket he pulled his phone out, going to his gallery to get to it before holding it out to show Alison the picture.

Alison crossed her arms, eyeing him remove the phone. Psh. As if she wanted to see his "awww." She leaned forward, coo'ing at the picture of the kitten. "He's so cute..." Her crossed arms slid into clasped hands, wanting to just snuggle the kitten to metaphorical-only death.

"I wish I had a kitten. One even half as cute as him." She said with a slight grump in her voice.

"Mn..." He didn't really correct her on the cat's gender, since it wasn't like the kitten was here or anything. She...could be pretty pompous sometimes...

He slipped his phone back into his pocket, reaching for his drink next for a quick sip.

Alison continued thinking of that adorable kitten. Ooh, she wanted to snuggle it. She glanced up at Aito before quickly growing sullen looking again, returning to eating her food quietly. Something was clearly troubling her, but damn it if she was going to say what.

She certainly knew better than to say either of the things she was thinking right now. "Mmmm..." She made a small frustrated noise.

Aito glanced over at the woman after eating another one of his fries, noting she seemed sullen again; he didn't know what was wrong, but...

He'd showed her a picture like she'd asked and apparently she loved the kitten from what she'd said; he didn't know what more to really say.

Alison glanced at him again, still eating quietly. He looked... quiet. That's all that she could read. Ugh... Why was he so quiet and distant and.. cute... She growled under her breath, picking up some more fries, before taking a long slow breath. Okay.

"I'd like to see your cat. But... I have a question first... Buut you have to promise to answer it completely and honestly.. okay?" She asked, a nervous glance at him all she made in his direction.

"Mn?" Aito rose a brow, though his expression remained composed; the only give away to his confusion at her nervousness being his eyes, and even then it was only slight.

She wanted to see his cat and...? Still, he gave a small nod, "I can try, I guess...?"

She glanced at him, anticipation to trying to ask what she... was trying to work up the ability to ask. She pushed the fries away, trying to avoid eating too many more, especially if she was going to get a milkshake later. She crossed her arms and sighed. She was being silly.

"Nevermind, it was... a really dumb question." She said with a sheepish smile. "You wanna shake? It's on me if you do."

"Mn..." Whatever, if she didn't want to ask then fine, he wasn't going to push anything; when she asked him if he wanted a shake or something he glanced down at the small remainder of his fries. "Ah...sure..."

Seemed fine to him, shakes were good.

She shook her head, feeling a little chill down her spine. Jeez.. She really was being ridiculous. And why did she feel like someone wanted to stab her? Oh well. She waved the waitress over and gave her a pleasant smile. "Hi! Hey, can we get shakes? Um... I'd like..." She picked up the menu and glanced through it. "Cookies and cream sounds good?"

"That's fine..." Aito replied, giving a small nod; cookies and cream sounded good, it was sweet and tasted nice so getting that was a good choice.

After having said that, he ate the last couple of his fries, finishing up the rest of his food so he could be done with it before the shakes got here.

She gave a small smile, pushing her stuff to the side and nodding, the waitress responded in kind and picked it up, taking it with her. Alison chuckled. "I try not to eat everything. It helps when it's not just sitting there." She moved some hair out of her face and sighed. "I shouldn't even be getting the shake but... screw it. I hit a dead end on a major personal investigation. I can treat myself, right?"

"Ah..." Aito gave another small nod; even if she hadn't...apparently hit a dead end in her investigation, there was nothing wrong with treating yourself, not that he saw anyway...

If you wanted something specific to eat you should just get it and enjoy it.

She glanced up at him again, looking a little sourpuss again, but sighing. "Y'know, I can tell you have a lot going on in there. Why do you say so little?" She finally asked point blank. "I mean, are you trying to be polite? Because it's not really working." She said with a slightly concerned frown. It seemed like she wasn't speaking out of rudeness but genuine interest.

"Huh...?" Aito blinked; "It's just the way I talk..."

He didn't say a lot because he never saw a point to. He wasn't much of a talker at all really, so he just didn't say much unless he absolutely had to.

Their milkshakes came and Alison rather greedily took hers and began sipping at it, utter joy seeming to light up across her face. She did enjoy her dessert foods. "Hmm... So you're the stoic type. But you can be stoic and still communicate with people. You're so closed off. I mean... maybe that's just how you've had to live but..." She reminded herself that he'd been an orphan. An experimented on orphan.

"But I mean... things are different NOW aren't they? You could talk a LITTLE bit more." She made a little pinched finger gesture to emphasize 'little.'

"Not that easy..." What was there to talk about really? He wasn't one to just make idle conversation on his part, he'd respond some to it, but initiating it...? Talking more?

It was easier said than done.

"It's not that hard either." She said, unable to truly pout right now since she had her milkshake. "Just practice. I mean... what do you like, or like to talk about?" She wondered, continuing to sip away at her shake between speaking. "You like your kitty, right? Tell me more about your kitty cat!" She smiled, giving a little clap with her hands.

"Dunno." Aito replied before taking a sip from his own milkshake now that they'd come.

He glanced down at the drink as Alison attempted to get more out of him, asking him to tell her things about the cat. What...was he supposed to say? She'd seen a picture?

"It's...a cat." Really, she'd seen a picture, what could he even say?

Alison sighed. "Oh forget it." She said, though her tone was clearly not upset. She continued rather zealously drinking her shake. It seemed for all her protests, food didn't last long in front of her.

"This is like trying to get the wind to have a chat." She said with a little chuckle.

"Mn..."

As he'd said, talking a lot just wasn't him; it was much easier said than done when it came to attempting to make conversation. He responded at least...so that was something.