We need to work deeper

[waterfell]

Mercury is in a vast, open room made of marble with elegantly carved pillars and supports, that all could have come from a temple in ancient Greece. But instead of an altar, pride of place is given to a massive supercomputer. The terminal and viewscreens take up the entire far wall, where she gives them her full attention.

Her eyes barely move as she studies the computer intently, scrolling through lines of code and occasionally taking down notes. There! She sees exactly how to fix that problem now, one that's been nagging at her for what seems like weeks. But after long enough, her head starts to droop over the console and the words on the screen blur into her thoughts, and then into darkness as she falls asleep.

Ami wakes with a start. Nighttime shadows remind her of how long she's been sitting in this chair, with a can of tea leaves and a hot cup of strongly brewed tea to keep her company while she works through the long hours. The marble hall becomes a comfortable room, modern and spacious, with heavily-laden bookshelves and tropical fish. The massive supercomputer is none other than her laptop. With a pang of irritation, she realizes she can't remember the answer that was so clear a moment ago in her dream. She sits up straight, and goes back to her task right away.

Her eyes barely move as she studies the computer intently, scrolling through lines of code and occasionally taking down notes...

(ooc: since it's a dream in a dream, people can feel free to choose which to catch her at/flit through both)

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[decaying]

Whatever Ami had done to convince the man to give them the boat rental for free, Kanda wasn't going to question. Instead, he bothered himself with other things, like the fact she was forcing him to row a boat. He had done this before, that wasn't a problem. The problem was why.

"I guess this is the part where you tell me not to complain since you're not sitting in front of your computer, right?"

[waterfell]

Ami's smile widened, never a good sign. "You got it exactly!" she informed her unlucky victim. "You decided we should come out, so I thought I'd decide what to do."

Free tickets were not to be turned down. If she had any twinge of guilt for the boatman out a fare, it didn't show. Instead, she headed towards the dock where the boats waited.

[decaying]

Kanda gave an annoyed grunt. Ami got him, she had definitely tricked him into this. Sure, he wanted her to put some attention on him, but this? Boat rides? What the hell were they doing, some sort of da-

And then he decided that sort of thought wasn't entirely a good thing to dwell on. He went silent and instead he just did what he was told. He had mesed with these before and before stepping in himself, he extended his hand out to help her on the boat.

"Don't think I'll be rowing the entire time." He muttered. That was never his job.

[waterfell]

"Are you saying you can't do it?" Ami stepped lightly into the little flat-bottom boat, which had just a bit of water in the bottom, and took a somewhat facetiously proper seat. She deliberately put her hands in her lap, nowhere near the oars.

Mostly because he'd said that.

[decaying]

"Unlike you in your future world, we don't have the luxuries of horseless carriages." Once she was inside, he settled himself at the oars. Damn, this boat was wet. He made an annoyed sound before starting to row.

"We travel on foot, on train, and by ships and boats." Kanda's pretty damned strong, look at this boat pick up a good speed as he heads to the center of the pond.

[waterfell]

If Kanda weren't strong, Ami would never be even this close to him. She didn't bother hiding a tiny smile as he was persuaded to row after all. Instead, she relaxed in her seat, and let herself take in their surroundings.

They were headed towards the center of the pond, and Kanda's strong pull on the oars was attracting some attention from curious girls - and boys suddenly keen to prove themselves by quickening their own paces to impress those girls.

"You're good at this," the girl seated in his boat observed lightly. "I think I'll let you continue awhile."

[decaying]

"Tch. Nice try." Kanda had no intentions of rowing this boat all over the pond for an hour. He was heading to the center of the lake because that's where he intended to let the ship float. There was nothing wrong with just taking in the surroundings after all, right? He rowed a few more times before slowing down as they reached their mark.

"I'm not rowing you around for an hour." He all ready proved he could do this, no need to prove anything else. He came to a halt, letting the boat steady itself before setting down the oars and leaning back in his seat.

[waterfell]

Ami didn't mind. She'd been teasing Kanda, for the most part. What was enjoyable about being out on the lake was the simple act of being out on the water. For awhile, they drifted in silence, and she found herself looking up to the clear sky, and down into the depths of her reflection. She didn't linger too long with the latter.

"I'd like to stay out here like this for a long time," she admitted when she finally spoke. "I like it."

[decaying]

Although Kanda wasn't a big fan of open water, he definitely appreciated the calm that came with the element. The day was cold but the wind wasn't so strong. The water rippled the boat soothingly swayed from left to right and he couldn't really complain. His anger was and annoyance was swept away in a few minutes. Now, he was just calm.

"It's refreshing to see a place like this within a forest of concrete." He really wasn't sure he liked these big buildings. He didn't like them in his time but that was mostly because he had grown too accustomed to living in a tower surrounded by dense forest. He turned his head towards Ami.

"Are you cold?"

[waterfell]

She didn't know to say she was cold, so that he'd come to close to her or let her borrow a jacket, like another girl might do.

"No," she said instead. "This cold doesn't compare to the North Pole." It was the truth, if a rather extreme example. She felt at home among landscapes of ice and glaciers and frozen lakes.

[decaying]

That wasn't exactly the response he had been expecting but he didn't think too much of it, he shrugged and then began to move, shooing her aside in order to slip in beside her.

"Don't complain later if I end up falling asleep." Because he couldn't help but feel comfortable here. He had a hand holding his head up at the edge of the boat while the other slipped around her front. "This wasn't such a bad idea." The boat thing, of course.

[waterfell]

It was strange, how people could get used to something. She'd told herself she was used to loneliness. She'd told herself she was used to the Darkness.

She hadn't expected that it was also possible to get used to someone sitting next to her, touching her, or stolen moments of calm, even if they were only in her dreams. She moved to give Kanda room, and if she didn't relax into his touch until a few seconds had passed, it was from surprise rather than distaste.

Silence again. She wasn't good at knowing what to say, when she had these feelings like she wanted to say the right thing. What came out instead was terse from thoughts she couldn't label.

"If you do that," she said, looking down to where Kanda's arm held her firmly, "Don't talk about being ready to give in to your Innocence any longer. I won't accept you disappearing."

[decaying]

To Kanda, the gesture had been bold to say the least but not as bold as Ami kissing him in the last dream they shared. He wasn't sure he could do that, at least not right now. There was always a time and place, he figured. Regardless, he was confused by her words, tilting his head to the side.

"Do what. I'm not allowed to hold you?" Yet you can shove your tongue down his throat? That just didn't seem very fair.

[waterfell]

Ami knew, in that simple misunderstanding, what a part of her had already known anyway: Kanda would follow the path he chose, wherever it led.

Like her. And that determination and strength were something she admired.

She argued anyway, stubbornly and even unfairly. "Not if you won't be there." She had no intention of becoming used to it, if she was also going to lose it.

[decaying]

The pieces were starting to click and he realized she was talking about his potential death. He couldn't promise her anything and he wasn't going to try to. He grunted, shifting a bit before turning back to Ami.

"You're really going to ruin the moment talking about this?" He knew what he had to say wasn't going to be of her liking and it wasn't like Kanda to lie.

[waterfell]

A part of her might have known he was right, once: Maybe an end was inevitable, maybe saying she liked this moment on this lake wouldn't lead to happiness, maybe feelings would change or maybe something else would happen. But they could have this moment on this lake right now.

Right now, she wanted to grab on to it anyway and refuse to give it up. Without naming it, she wanted to close herself off to anything that would end in being left behind and forgotten. She wanted to be enough to stay for.

A part of her knew that she wasn't. A part of her didn't want to push him out of this moment by insisting, after what he'd said. But the last time she hadn't known what to say, she'd regretted not finding the words for far too long.

"If I don't say anything," she finally said, "I won't be able to make you understand me at all."

[decaying]

"Then why don't you just tell me."

Kanda never really enjoyed all this talk, bluntness was golden. Unfortunately not many shared his views about speech but he wasn't going to let Ami fall into bad habits.

"Tell me what you want, tell me what you want me to know. There's no point asking random questions and going around in circles."

[waterfell]

It took a moment to sum it up. It took a moment to make her decision in the first place.

"For the time being," she said finally, "I want to be on this lake with you."

[decaying]

"Fair enough."

THat being the case, he eased again, pulling her just a bit closer now that he was given permission to in a sense. Although this wasn't exactly his definition of a good time, he enjoyed the peace and calm. Even the cold seemed to be in good taste. He leaned on her, eyes closing.

[waterfell]

For a second, the gesture surprised her. Ami looked at Kanda for a long moment before she leaned back against the side of the boat in a more relaxed and natural posture. It was a good chance to think, or to at least try to clear her head.

It was alright like this.

"You said you want to be here with me, too," she observed as she glanced upward at the sky. "Why is it?"

[decaying]

"Because I like spending time with you, isn't that obvious?"

There came his bluntness. He didn't even hesitate to respond, it came out so fluidly he was surprised.

"I don't like people. I never really feel comfortable. You're different. Even when you're angry or being annoying, it's not that bad." And he chuckled at that. He sure did enjoy insulting her in the past.

[waterfell]

Her answer would have been different. Kanda was strong, powerful; and he suited her. Their temperaments matched in the way they treated the world around them. Towards her, he was neither too soft, nor cruel. He knew necessity, and had a strong drive.

The current of the lake was still and calm, and the boat barely dipped with the tiny wavelets.

"Maybe it's because I'm not the same as most people, and neither are you." They both understood what it was like to be outside.

"However," she added, "you should say those things, if you think them." It wasn't always obvious. Not to her.

[decaying]

"Will you do the same?" He's aware he's been the one who has actually said more cheesy things than she has. But considering how they started, with her fists and her sassy tongue, he figured he shouldn't ask for any miracles.

Whether she said she liked him or not, Kanda wasn't going to to demand it all in words. A kiss wasn't just a kiss. It was a lot more. He turned his head and burrowed into the side of her neck.

[waterfell]

"Haven't I already shown you?" It was so much easier to just go after what she wanted, to even be forceful in taking it. It was much, much harder to quietly admit that she needed it, and ask for it.

"I don't know how to say sweet words," she told Kanda. Perhaps it said something, at least, to notice she didn't tell him to move.

[decaying]

Kanda didn't blame her, to say things like that meant there was always going to be some difficulty saying it regardless of what emotion was inherently felt. This particular exorcist had never quite bothered with talk. He had gotten really good at actions. When he didn't like someone, he insulted them or tried to kill them. This shouldn't be so different, he figured.

"Then don't tell me," he started, lifting his head and instead reached to turn her face towards him. "Show me. It's easier, right? If you want to be with me, be with me. If you want to tell me something sweet, then you can just kiss me." Because like hell he was going to be raking his head all the time for something 'sweet' to say.