Chapter Forty

After Asahi and his cousins were gone, Celia promptly asked, “How come you asked for that?”

I shrugged, “He needed to feel like he did something too. He’s not really as bad as I thought at first, I guess.” I acknowledged that with no small reluctance while I looked toward the now closed door.

“Why do you say that?” Celia asked as she followed my gaze toward the now empty space.

“Because poison people only take.” I said, and she cocked her head.

“What?” Celia asked. “People can be poisonous? How do I use poison?”

“Not that way.” I replied and unpaused the show, then leaned back on the couch to snack some more. I put a piece of chocolate in my mouth and let it slowly melt while she waited patiently for an explanation.

“A few years ago I was walking in the city and I saw a human in real bad shape. I went up to him and gave him some money. He asked why I didn’t give him a larger denomination. I did the same with someone else, they insisted on giving me ‘something’ and it ended up being a can of cheap deodorant. It wasn’t much, nowhere near worth what I’d given him. But he wanted to feel like he’d contributed. The first guy, he only thought about what he could take, the second, about what he could give. Which one do you think is like poison for company?” I asked.

Celia thought it over, “I see, so… not literal.”

“Right, but it might as well be.” I said, and then said, “Speaking of giving, what say we ‘give’ it one or two more episodes before bed?”

“Sounds great!” She said, and while we watched, she was busy on her device reaching out to request one of those thingies. Look, I’m not a doctor, it’s a thingy or a doodad, as long as we can use it easily, I don’t care if you call it a cheese sandwich.

Anyway, the next few days passed like a blur, in the morning we got up, took turns with the shower, she got through relieving herself without blushing like a rose after the third time, and we would snack away while watching various shows…

But on the fourth day after that, Celia began to ‘fidget’.

“Is something wrong?” I asked from my spot lying on the couch. As she came over, I sat up and made space for her, which she promptly took. I really don’t think she could have brought herself to say anything if it weren’t for the fact that I believe she finally understood that I was ‘safe’ to talk to about things.

She inched closer and said… “I’m uncomfortable.”

“Did I do something to upset you, offend you?” I asked, I was genuinely worried that this was possible, though I was at a loss to say what it might have been.

“No.” She mumbled, and it was her turn to feel that discomfort I suppose as she started wringing her hands. “I just… I don’t know. I’m uncomfortable.”

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“I’m not so human that I think of you that way already. But if you like, we can research some bars or something so you can meet somebody. Do you want a male or female?” I asked.

She was silent as the blush spread over her face. Her hands began to wave wildly back and forth in between us. “That’s not what I mean!” She shouted, “Not that at all! Not even close! But even if I did mean that then I-” She puffed out her cheeks and exhaled before slumping forward. “Never mind.” She inhaled heavily and said, “What I mean is, this is too much.”

“It’s nothing. How can that be? You can't do more than nothing, short of traveling back in time to do nothing twice over.” I said, and to put it mildly I was confused and concerned both at once.

“I mean this is too much nothing. I’m having fun. I enjoy it. I really like your company. I didn’t know I’d enjoy having a friend this much.” Celia said and, seemingly afraid she’d hurt my feelings, she reached out and grabbed my hands and held them fast within her own gentle fingers. “I’m so happy to know you, to not have to worry about someone getting one over on me or anything… but?”

“Bu-u-u-u-u-t?” I drew the word out and prompted her to go on after she ceased speaking.

“I’m just not built for the NEET life. I need to do something. I need to… I don’t know? Work! I’ve never not worked. I love the relaxation of your slow, easy life. You’re like the real life version of that girl who just killed slimes and got into shenanigans all the time. But I can’t just… I just can’t be like you do. The NEET life is not for me.” She proclaimed, her words were rushed out quite a bit, but she managed them well enough. “I didn’t offend you, did I?” She asked, her voice became small and quiet, and she had trouble raising her eyes to meet my own.

“No, no you didn’t.” I answered at once, “You’re not me, so you’re not going to like all the things I do, and the same goes the other way. If you want to cut your vacation short, that’s okay. If you like, we can start coordinating time off to make sure we share vacations, but you don’t have to spend it here or give me all your time if you don’t want to. No harm done.” I said, and took one hand up and patted her cheek. She’s so damn cute when she’s nervous.

She blushed a little.

“I will miss you though.” I promised, and pulled her in to give her a big squeeze of a hug. I caught her off guard, but a moment later she recovered and began to disentangle herself from me.

“Oh, no, I’m not saying I want to leave.” She said, and so now I was more confused than ever.

“Then what then?” I raised an eyebrow at her and she quickly filled in the missing information.

“I want to get a job here, I was thinking about it, and I get kind of twitchy if there’s just nothing to do for too long, and your request with what’s-his-name got me thinking. Maybe I could find a job around here to fill the time. I don’t know what, but maybe… something? Maybe working with Suki Toriyama at her store. Or… maybe tutoring or something?” She was just throwing things out there, but I got her meaning.

“Do you want me to help you figure out how to apply for jobs and stuff?” I asked with a big ‘ole grin on my face.

“Would you? It’d mean holding off on the anime for a while?” She asked.

“But not the snacks. So that’ll be fine.” I promised, and I swept the debris off my table and onto the floor to make room for my laptop so we could get down to work.