<div align="center"><a name="user_fuschsiafox"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>The Fuchsia Fox and an Artifact Absent</strong></span></a></div><br/><div class="floatleft">(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/3f/cb/51/3fcb513183b094b643a10c74bed38b1e.jpg)</div><strong>NAME:</strong>Date Toshiro<br/><strong>DAY:</strong>December 26th, 2018 | 7:00 PM<br/><strong>LOCATION:</strong>Pawnhouse Zaisan, The Gate<br/><strong>TAGGING:</strong>Nerissa | Mentions:<br/><strong>EXTRA:</strong><br/><strong>WEARING:</strong>An overly large gray hoodie with a Polkadot Stingray emblem (https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.746250090.2683/ssrco,lightweight_hoodie,mens,grey_lightweight_hoodie,front,square_product,x600-bg,f8f8f8.2u3.jpg), black jeans, and his worn running shoes.<br/><hr/>Looking back on the moment some time later, Toshiro imagined that had it not been for the comfort of Nerissa's embrace and the warm caress of her tongue against the length of his neck, that the scientist would have spent much longer in the grip of less fortunate memories. He had tried to thank her at the time, but words had failed him, his only recourse for expressing gratitude his own shaky embrace and lightly pressing his head to Nerissa's as she tended gently to his neck. It had been some time since he found this particular beast demon gesture to be a too intimate show of affection, instead he was able to appreciate it for the feeling of compassionate care that Nerissa was offering him.<br/><br/>While learning to accept comfort had been a requirement of living a day to day life in light of his often times too keen memory and the debilitating affect it could have on him, Toshiro still had a measure of pride that could be wounded through too tender a ministration, but fortunately Nerissa seemed to have a good sense about both when to give the man his space as well as to not treat further conversation with him as though he were made of glass. It was clear enough to both of them from his slightly stuttered words that he was still somewhat shaken by what he had relived, but Toshiro imagined he would have found further attempts at consolation to build an undeserved frustration towards Nerissa.<br/><br/>Toshiro was aware that many might attempt to console Nerissa by telling her that the memories of her time with her husband would last far beyond the transitory state of her loneliness, but those words would ring hypocritical coming from his mouth. At the words,<em>'I didn't give him permission to die on me,'</em>Toshiro wordlessly placed his hand on Nerissa's and gave it a light squeeze. He couldn't say she would forget her husband, he couldn't tell her that she'd ever feel better for her loss, but what he could say was what he knew to be true, “You aren't going to be alone for long, y-you're too kind of a person for that. Too willing to get involved with other people's p-problems. Lucky me.” He gave a slight smile hopefully help convey the sincerity of what he was saying, he only wished he could say he'd be someone who would keep her from loneliness.<br/><br/>Toshiro's hand squeezed Nerissa's once again, this time with a concern that was reflected in his furrowed brow at the mention of the attack on Nerissa's previous home. “It was smart of you to get Azmodiel to keep an eye on you, he's a good man, one of the best from what I know about him. Still to hear your home was... I'm sorry to hear that happened to you.” Toshiro's position at SOPHE didn't afford him open access to mission reports that he wasn't involved with, so he hadn't heard about what Nerissa had gone through. Still, Toshiro was very confident as he reassured her, “I'm s-sure Azmodiel won't leave it lying down, from what I understand he takes care of his people, and he's probably searching for information on your attackers whenever he can.” As far as he knew this was true, but it wouldn't stop the scientist from looking into the matter on his own, although he didn't want to worry Nerissa by telling her that.<br/><br/>Once again the force of laughter shot pain shooting across his chest, but Toshiro couldn't help but be amused at the thought of himself being anymore competent a warrior than Nerissa. Taking his hand away from hers for concern of being overly familiar, Toshiro wiped a tear born of mirth and anguish from his eye before replying, “Well then we'd better be really good at planning, if that fails we'd hope we're better at sneaking.” Gesturing towards Nerissa's collection of bombs he continued with a smile, “Then if that fails we always have your bombs, then convincing, then running, and lastly if all of that fails, you'll get like... five seconds to get out of there before I pass out from the guard wiping the floor with m-me.” As utterly hilarious as the situation was to Toshiro, what he had said was also a fairly accurate overview of his contingency plans.<br/><br/>“Actually a walk wouldn't be the worst idea, as long as you bring your baton. Maybe a gun too, it's a dangerous part of town.” Holding the compass aloft he explained, “If I can get a few readings around the building, it'll give us a much better idea of where to look once we break in. On top of that it'll help us look for more ways in.” Stepping outside of the vehicle into the now cool winter air, Toshiro silently cursed himself for not thinking to bring anything heavier than a hoodie as he hadn't planned on being out that late. With a sigh of relief as he took the opportunity to stretch out his long legs, Toshiro was relieved that the mixture of his experimental self-treatments combined with the oricot fruit Nerissa had given him had done a remarkable job of at least pacifying the pain that had so horrendously tormented him earlier in the day. Walking around to Nerissa's side of the vehicle with a much diminished limp, he'd open the door for her if she hadn't for herself, then offered his arm both as a gesture of respect, and a potential way to stave of the growing cold. "Anywhere in m-mind, or do you just want to wander a bit?"