Pen Pals Across Realms

Mia got a blip on her phone, the sound of a text message and thus absent mindedly reached for it. It wasn't too late by any means, but she was laying in Masaru's bed half awake. When she had gotten back he had seemed tired, catching up on work she couldn't help him with...

So she had gotten him to nap with her and now the man was firmly passed out in her chest and dead to the world... Sliding her phone open, she blinked and wondered at the odd message.

A single period from a unknown number? Mia sent a quick reply, not entirely awake.

['Huh? Who...is this?']

Aito glanced over at his phone from where he was on his laptop, picking it up and opening it to find a message from Mia, the shinigami he'd met not long ago.

Oh...Right, he'd only sent a simple period so she'd have his number...

[Aito.]

Mia blinked as she silenced her phone so it didn't wake Masaru, seeing the text pop up with an unexpected name. Smiling warmly, she shook her head. She hadn't...expected him to just give her his email.

['Oh, sorry! Thank you! I didn't expect you to do this.']

He'd...She'd given him his so he'd expected her to want his in return, that's how the number exchange thing worked, right?

[You sent me yours, figured you wanted mine...]

['I'm new to this stuff... It's how it works in books? But I just wanted you to have it in case you needed help with something. You didn't have to share yours. I can delete it if you want?']

Mia blushed slightly, shaking her head. That wasn't what she intended! She had only wanted to give him someone who could help him or if he wanted more Kompeito!

He...didn't have to share...

Gh...

From what he knew when someone gave you their number you were supposed to give yours in return; that...that was how things went...

A noise of frustration escaped him, this...damn being social thing...

[It's fine... Easier to tell it's me if my name's attached.]

He wouldn't have to add "Aito" at the end of shit every time.

Mia...felt bad now... She could easily recognize Aito's number and probably by his tone.

['Its no trouble for me. I would recognize the email a bit and tone after a bit. You can keep your privacy.']

He seemed like a private person, she wasn't going to impose on him if he didn't want!

Grgh...

Aito blinked at the response he received; if she didn't want it then she could delete it then! He was only doing this because it was what he thought was what he was supposed to do!

[It's fine... Do what you want with it.]

['Thanks... I'll keep it then.']

Mia's smile would destroy the world with how happy it seemed. She was ecstatic, another friend! Aito was quiet and a bit of a Tsun, she had to remember. So maybe...he wanted her to have it? Maybe not. But she moved to add him to her rather bare phone and smiled.

['...Really, thank you. It makes me happy!']

She felt she should tell him that!

Seeing her response with her thanks, Aito moved to tell her it was no problem; it was just a number after all...but before he could though another message appeared in addition to the previous one.

...

[It's fine... No problem...]

It was just a number.

['Mm...']

It was not just fine...and no problem... Mia puffed her cheek up and pouted, the only response to him being a slightly pouty sound tranfered into the phone.

It...it was nice to not be rejected... nice to just have someone text back... to have someone maybe one day be a friend.

['It's not a problem or mean much to you, but it means a lot to me.']

There, she told him that much.

Hah...?

It meant that much to her to just have a number? That small message before told him she hadn't been particularly pleased with his response.

[It's not like it means nothing to me...]

Jeez, he really didn't know how to do this communication thing...

Mia squeaked at the reply she got, blushing a lot. She had assumed...she had...been stupid!

['Sorry Sorry Sorry... I didn't mean to sound angry...']

Texting was so hard to get across emotions! Sure she had been pouty but Aito was allowed to feel what he wanted!

Why the hell was she apologizing!? He'd said what he meant, it wasn't like it was offensive or anything! He hadn't thought she'd sounded angry...

[It's fine; didn't read it as angry...]

Tch...

['Kay... Mm, you are more open in writing. Thank you again. If it means things to you too, then I am happy! Friends are nice to have...']

Mia was smiling softly, her heart all fuzzy and happy as she reached out a hand once her message was sent to play with Masaru's hair a bit.

More...open...

He...He was not! He was just typing, it wasn't like he could talk like he usually did in text format! That would look stupid, completely stupid!

[Ah...It's fine...]

['What does its fine mean for you? You use it a lot even when like other things should be said.']

With Masaru asleep, Mia wanted to talk to someone...maybe she could get to know Aito a bit more through writing.

['I apologize because I'm scared...']

She explained that at least...

What did "it's fine" mean to him? Aito blinked at the question...

Sure, he used it a lot, but he thought the meaning was obvious...

["It's fine" means "It's fine." ... like... "No problem" or "It's alright"...or something...]

He'd thought that was obvious...

['That was...obvious...']

Mia turned red again and let out an eep. She was so bad at this... so very bad...what and how was she supposed to do this whole talking!?

Texting was much harder than it seemed and she hid the phone under the blanket for a moment as she tried to calm herself.

[I...I thought it was]

What? He'd thought it been obvious! What more could "it's fine" mean!? Considering the context when he said it in a conversation he thought his words had been clear!

Aito let out a huff, turning back to his laptop; he wasn't able to glance at it for long though before Regalia plopped herself down on the keyboard, earning an eye twitch from Aito.

['You were! I'm just really bad at this. I'm sorry! I've never done this before!']

Mia panicked a bit, worrying as she typed the text and let out a worried breath. She was messing this up so bad. Masaru was still dead to the world, which was lucky... he'd be worried with how worried she was being.

['I'm really sorry. I'm used to being really alone so its all new to me to talk to people!']

[Not like I have much experience either]

Aito was hoping to avoid saying that, and another huff escaped him; he didn't have much experience with this either!

"Aghhh..."

[It's fine; don't need to apologize...]

['Oh... Mm, maybe we can practice together then? And tell no one ever... about our mess ups.']

Mia...felt relieved. Utterly relieved... just he wasn't used to this either. Maybe he was nervous too? Maybe...maybe they could practice together and learn? They did...share close to the same birthday and he liked her konpeito a lot...

['I'll try not to. Its habit though.']

Practice...

Practice in...what? Talking...? He wasn't good at it, but-! Aito glanced back over to his laptop where the kitten still ruled over the device.

[...Ah...Fine...]

What the hell was he even agreeing to? This...This was stupid.

['Um, I guess... Since I want to learn how to make those drinks, did you want to come to the Soul Society? Lakshmi has those things in her house.']

Aha something that needed figuring out! She could ask him if that would be fine, then ask Masaru about bringing a Aito here and then ask Lakshmi about using her stuff!

Lakshmi could not say no, Mia would use every ounce of her 'You're not my step mom guilt' on her. Every. Last. Ounce.