seriously considering lighting up a bit, just to get him out of the slump he's in.

presses his lips to the empty pipe, breathing in the reminants of it's last use.

needed to talk to him about something, but....walked in on this instead.

sighs when he sees her and doesn't even make an attempt to hide it. "Good evening, aru."

stays in the doorway, staring in at him. She really shouldn't care, but... "What is that?"

twirls it in his fingers. "Nothing you need to be concerned with, aru. Can I help you?"

isn't going to be deterred that easily, and keeps watching him, the slightest look of hurt on her face. "I thought you stopped!"

looks away. "...old habits die hard, aru. Don't tell your brothers about this."

didn't intend to- she knows how much it would hurt them to know. "Why not?"

looks quite distant and hurt. "Because i'd be disappointing everyone, aru. I've already disappointed myself."

finally looks away from him, seeing him like that still hurt, though she wouldn't admit it. "Then stop it already!"

puts the empty pipe down. "It's not something you can just pick up and drop, aru. I had a slip up, and now i'm back in. This is my fault."

makes an annoyed noise and expression. "That's not at all surprising"

doesn't even fight back. "I know, aru."

"That's right-" stops immediately once she realizes he isn't fighting back, and stares at him again. "What's wrong with you?"

looks at her. "Nothing. You're right, aru."

sighs, running a hand through her hair. Now she's getting worried.

looks down, feeling quite crushed. There wasn't a point in fighting back with this, he knew he was in the wrong. She had every right to_

tell him off.

"You're not going to yell at me? Tell me I have no manners?"

shakes his head.

falters a moment, before speaking up. "Gege. You shouldn't be so hard on yourself."

doesn't look at her. "And why shouldn't I, aru?"

can't really come up with a good reason for that. Instead, she marches over to where he is and picks up his pipe.

reaches for her wrist. "Don't touch it, aru."

yanks her wrist out of his reach, not wanting him to touch her. "Why not?"

stands. "Because it's disgusting and terrible for you, aru. Give it back".

starts to back away from him. "You can, but I can't? That's typical."

sighs. "No. neither of us should. It's a snare I don't want you to be trapped in, aru. Please, just give it back, aru."

looks away, unsure of what to do. "If I give it back, you'll just smoke it more, won't you?"

| "I... I can't promise anything, aru."

won't give it back then.

more than one pipe... 8| "You're not taking that with you, aru."

isn't even thinking about that. "You don't have a good reason why I shouldn't."

| "If you're seen with that, people will assume you've been doing it, aru. I don't want to influence you like this, aru..."

sets it down when he says that. "Y-you weren't influincing me at all!" she feels her cheeks heating up.

nods. "Then I'm relieved, aru. That... thing is evil. I don't know what I'd do if one of you picked it up..." He takes a shaky breath.

hesitantly reaches out to pat his shoulder, and does so, though the entire motion is extremely awkward.

grabs the pipe again, just so it's away from her. "You didn't answer when I asked you why I shouldn't be hard on myself, aru. There isn't an

excuse. Please... don't tell anyone about this, especially the family." his eyes look almost pleading.

just frowns at him. "I'm not going to tell them. Even if I really should."

sighs. "Thank you, aru."

"You'll owe me."

nods, thought a bit reluctantly. Always a catch. "I know, aru."