◦ park

@ciel takuma∘ ʳᵃᵇᵇᶦᵗ "No... I was an only child... I was a handful enough. I don't think my parents wanted more to deal with." The timid bunny shrugged. Truthfully, he didn't mind not having any siblings. He'd always been so outgoing as a kid-- it wasn't like he'd lacked company. It seemed a lifetime away now, the boisterous, childish hybrid he'd been during his childhood. He smiled a little then started further on his cake up until the last crumb and sip of his drink. His eyes wandered outside, keen on the hybrids and humans going busily about their days.

@choi mingi∘ ʰᵒˡˡᵃⁿᵈ ˡᵒᵖ ᵇᵘⁿⁿʸ “I wasn’t terribly close to them either,” He explained, placing his mug down again to look at Mingi. He wasn’t much of a family person, and had no plans of asking Taehyung to help him find them. “My sisters, maybe, but I only really remember them teaching me to do my hair, it’s been a while. What about you? Did you have any siblings growing up, or?”

@ciel takuma∘ ʳᵃᵇᵇᶦᵗ The bunny leaned forward to taste the cake, never having tried it before. He smiled and let it coat his tongue, it was pleasant, not as sweet as he usually liked but still delicious. Mingi tool the information I'm, hard to imagine a child that wasn't close with his parents. He shrugged it off, however, and inquired further, "What about your siblings...?"

@choi mingi∘ ʰᵒˡˡᵃⁿᵈ ˡᵒᵖ ᵇᵘⁿⁿʸ Ciel paused when he was offered a piece of the cake, then leaned forward to take the small piece and eat it with a smile. “It’s good, you picked well.” In return, he offered a piece of the more bitter coffee cake. “I don’t, no. I wasn’t that close with them when I was growing up, so it wasn’t so bad. I had a couple siblings that always needed taking care of, so I didn’t really want to make things more difficult when I was small.”

@ciel takuma∘ ʳᵃᵇᵇᶦᵗ "I could've done both, you know..." Mingi had a streak of stubborn in him, but it was hidden under years of conditioning. He tasted his cake with a happy smile and soon enough he was holding up a piece for Ciel to try. The bunny nodded, "How about you...? Do you have contact with your parents...?"

@choi mingi∘ ʰᵒˡˡᵃⁿᵈ ˡᵒᵖ ᵇᵘⁿⁿʸ “See, spend your money on more books, not the food,” Ciel added as he paused to take a sip from the sweet warm drink in his hand. “There is one, we can stop by there after we’ve finishing eating then. But yeah, I think Taehyung would help. It can’t be hard to track them down if you’ve had some contact, if not much with them.”

@ciel takuma∘ ʳᵃᵇᵇᶦᵗ "You think so? Maybe I'll ask him when we get back." Mingi thanked the waitress then started on his own food, the sweetness coating his tongue comfortably. He smiled, hopeful, "Is there a bookstore around, do you think? I'd love to get some new books for my collection..."

@choi mingi∘ ʰᵒˡˡᵃⁿᵈ ˡᵒᵖ ᵇᵘⁿⁿʸ “I’m sure Taehyung would help you figure things out with them if you asked him,” He concluded with a light nod. It didn’t seem in his ability to be rude to any of the hybrids, to Ciel could imagine Taehyung helping out with family situations. He thanked the waitress quietly for bringing their drinks over, grabbing a fork to carefully dig in to his cake while he waited for his drink to cool some. “Do you have an idea of where you’d like to go after this?”

@ciel takuma∘ ʳᵃᵇᵇᶦᵗ Mingi's smile faltered at the mention of his parents. He hadn't seen them in a long time and though he'd heard new of them over the years, it wasn't much. The bunny fiddled and looked away, "Maybe now that I'm with you all I can try and find them again... let her give me the recipe." Althought the question was quite innocent, Mingi was tucking away the information for himself. If Ciel wouldn't let him pay him back with money or cleaning then he would simply make him a dessert with his favorite food. A minute later and the food arrived, two slices of cake and their drinks set in front of them.

@choi mingi∘ ʰᵒˡˡᵃⁿᵈ ˡᵒᵖ ᵇᵘⁿⁿʸ Eager nonetheless to get past the subject, the rabbit nodded. “Are you still in contact with your mom? Maybe she could send you her recipe.” Ciel knew it was unlikely - if you had an owner, even in the past, was it regular to stay in contact with parents? He wasn’t sure. “I like grapes. In salad, fruit salads, that kind of thing. I also quite like pineapple.”

@ciel takuma∘ ʳᵃᵇᵇᶦᵗ Mingi looked at the table and toyed with the stuff in front of him, "I appreciate it... You don't have to apologize." The bunny smiled, a gentle, quiet smile at the mention of his favorite fruit, "They're my favorite... my mom used to male the best strawberry shortcake-- I love it when I was little." The bunny nodded to himself. His head came up and he tilted his head, "You? Do you have a favorite fruit?"

@choi mingi∘ ʰᵒˡˡᵃⁿᵈ ˡᵒᵖ ᵇᵘⁿⁿʸ The moment he heard the yelp, the rabbit had to admit, he felt bad. He released Mingi quickly as he settled in the seat, crossing his arms over his chest. “Still, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have grabbed you like that just to stop him petting you, but you seemed uncomfortable.” He nodded, attempting to brush off his discomfort quickly so they could continue their nice time. “I’m sure it’ll be good. You really like strawberries then?”

@ciel takuma∘ ʳᵃᵇᵇᶦᵗ The bunny nodded, determined, "Mmkay. When we get back then, okay? I won't forget." A soft yelp of surprise trickled from his lips and he flinched from the sudden strong grip at his arm, heart rate picking up. He let himself be led away until they star at the table, his hand rubbing gently over where Ciel had grabbed. It didn't hurt, just started over being grabbed in a way that was all too reminiscent of his owner. The bunny shook his head, "It's... It's okay... I was just surprised... I hope the food is okay."

@choi mingi∘ ʰᵒˡˡᵃⁿᵈ ˡᵒᵖ ᵇᵘⁿⁿʸ He’d wriggle out of it later, Ciel decided. He wouldn’t have the bunny paying him back, but he nodded nonetheless, getting the sense that Mingi wouldn’t be satisfied until he did. “Fine, you can pay me back later then.” When the man behind the counter reached to touch his apparent new friends ears though, he shot him a cold glare before turning away, taking Mingi’s arm with a twitch of his ears to find them a table for two while they waited on their order. He released the bunny when they were a good distance away, sinking into one of the seats with a light sigh. “There’s not really much regard for boundaries. Humans are like puppies - they see something fluffy and want to touch. Sorry for grabbing your arm like that though.”

@ciel takuma∘ ʳᵃᵇᵇᶦᵗ Mingi frowned a little bit, still trying to insist on using his own money to pay for everything, "Will you-- Will you at least let me pay you back later...? Please. I don't want to feel like I owe you anything..." Mingi could clean Ciel's room or cook him something back at the sanctuary. The bunny wouldn't feel comfortable until he did. Mingi looked at the menu and settled on a warm milk tea for himself. He said as much to the man on the counter, shying behind Ciel when the other tried to reach up to touch his ears.

@choi mingi∘ ʰᵒˡˡᵃⁿᵈ ˡᵒᵖ ᵇᵘⁿⁿʸ When he noticed the bunny beginning to pull out the pocket money, Ciel shook his head. “I’ll pay for us, save it for buying something you want when we’re looking around later,” He told him. “So, the cake with strawberries for you, what warm thing do you want to drink?” He’d already decided in his head on a coffee cake and hot chocolate, but the man at the counter didn’t seem bothered by them taking a while, so he left Mingi with his peace to decide what he wanted.

@ciel takuma∘ ʳᵃᵇᵇᶦᵗ Ciel's confident steps practically dragged the bunny into the café, but he didn't care. He was excited to enter the warm, cozy haven, and as soon as they did, he was more than glad he picked this place. The scents of sweetness and coffee and all the rest surrounded him and Mingi couldn't have felt more welcome. So busy was he feeling happy that it took him a moment to realize what Ciel had asked. The bunny blinked and looked around, embarrassed, "Ah... the cake with the strawberries in the window looked really good... And-- maybe something warm to drink?" He reached into his pocket to pull out the little bit of pocket money Taehyung had given him when he'd arrived at the sanctuary. After all, he didn't want Ciel to pay for them.

@choi mingi∘ ʰᵒˡˡᵃⁿᵈ ˡᵒᵖ ᵇᵘⁿⁿʸ It was kind of sweet, in its own sad way, to see how excited Mingi was over something that Ciel experienced as part of the norm. It went to show what very different lives the two of them had lead, despite being similar in species. Once again he let the bunny hold onto him, deciding it was better than losing him if he decided to run off and explore the place better alone. “Mhm. Let’s find a table.” Despite saying that, he lead the way, marching first into the café to approach the counter, and once again glance across at the other hybrid. “What do you want to get?”

@ciel takuma∘ ʳᵃᵇᵇᶦᵗ The shops around them opened up the bunny's eyes to a soft, widened state and even the few people darting around them were enough to pique his interest. Each window and light leasing inside felt like it's own world-- it's own universe for the bunny to explore. The bunny's hands found Ciel's arm for support. He spotted a café not far ahead, cakes and other pastries prominently displayed in the window, "Can we go there, please?"

@choi mingi∘ ʰᵒˡˡᵃⁿᵈ ˡᵒᵖ ᵇᵘⁿⁿʸ With the buildings surrounding them, the few people braving the snow darting from one area of warmth to another, Ciel felt quite at home. He didn’t like the cold, but it was the same as the rain; it drove people away, made things more peaceful. “More or less. Now that you can say you’ve stepped foot in town, where do you want to go? Shopping, some more walking? We can find somewhere inside to have a seat if you want.”

@ciel takuma∘ ʳᵃᵇᵇᶦᵗ Mingi didn't say anything back to argue-- mostly because he didn't know /what/ to say. The bunny couldn't fathom another reality other than the one he'd lived through and what Ciel was suggesting, Mingi couldn't comprehend. The hybrid quickly caught up to the strides of the rabbit, eyes searching the snowy surroundings, "Are we almost there yet?"

@choi mingi∘ ʰᵒˡˡᵃⁿᵈ ˡᵒᵖ ᵇᵘⁿⁿʸ For a moment, Ciel paused in his step, to look properly back at the bunny. “Payment? You don’t have to pay if they’re the ones who want you, right? They wouldn’t get you to make you work, if that was the case we’d have jobs. You can be grateful and express that through ways other than work, but I’m not judging. Whatever worked for you.” Maybe Mingi had just come from a strict household, but he didn’t like it. Not the flinchiness, not the way he seemed to think he had to work for his keep. “Let’s keep going, shall we? We can get out the cold a little.”

@ciel takuma∘ ʳᵃᵇᵇᶦᵗ [TW: Abuse]

Mingi rubbed his arm gently under Ciel's confused voice. Wasn't that what all hybrids did in their homes? Cook, clean-- make sure they weren't freeloading off of their owners. He supposed company was part of it, but his owner was never quite keen on having Mingi around him, not unless he was repaying Mingi's debt with the bunny's body or when they were asleep. He looked down, "I did chores around the house every day... yes. It was... payment-- because he gave me a place to live and food and you pay back something you're grateful for, right?"

@choi mingi∘ ʰᵒˡˡᵃⁿᵈ ˡᵒᵖ ᵇᵘⁿⁿʸ Again, the hybrid paused at their conflicting views, but everyone came from different backgrounds, so he wouldn’t pry. “Cleaning and cooking? Those are kind things to do, I suppose, to help out if it’s just you and your owner. But company is the major thing, right? We’re companions, regardless of chores that we do to help around. Did you do a lot of cooking and cleaning where you’re from?”

@ciel takuma∘ ʳᵃᵇᵇᶦᵗ Mingi noticed the impatient, little clicks Ciel gave him and quickly, he hurried up, stopping himself from looking at anything else along the way. He should have been grateful enough the rabbit was walking with him, he shouldn't indulge in the extra stuff. The bunny stared at Ciel in confusion, "Only company...? But-- But what about the cleaning... and the cooking... and-- and the other things." Mingi didn't make mention of the other things that had been forced upon him to, "earn his keep," but his cheeks flared in red much richer than the snow could produce.

@choi mingi∘ ʰᵒˡˡᵃⁿᵈ ˡᵒᵖ ᵇᵘⁿⁿʸ The rabbit clicked his tongue impatiently when Mingi kept pausing, but he slowed some. If the bunny had truly never been given a chance to look around properly, he should take it into account that he’d want to look around. “Not dangerous in the way that they’d stab you. Dangerous as in - expensive. Feeding another person every day who doesn’t work or give you anything in return but company. It’s a big commitment, and there’s a ton of them around here, so we’re dangerous because we’re a lot of work.”

@ciel takuma∘ ʳᵃᵇᵇᶦᵗ This was news to the bunny. Every hybrid he'd met at Taehyung's had been so kind it never occurred to him that hybrids could be anything but. He frowned a little, "Hybrids are... dangerous?" Mingi tried to keep pace with Ciel but it was hard when he kept stopping to look at everything. He'd , of course, been outside before, but knowing he had the freedom to even go into town made everything appear new and different and exciting.

@choi mingi∘ ʰᵒˡˡᵃⁿᵈ ˡᵒᵖ ᵇᵘⁿⁿʸ There was a lot of things that Mingi hadn’t been allowed to do before coming to Taehyung’s sanctuary, Ciel observed. Perhaps it simply was for that, safety. The bunny didn’t seem like the type to start swinging punches if he got himself into trouble, after all. “I see. Well you can here. I think the most dangerous thing around here would be the amount of hybrids. And we’re them, we’ve got nothing to worry about.” He started walking, the pace relaxed, steady.

@ciel takuma∘ ʳᵃᵇᵇᶦᵗ Mingi stepped through, eyes darting around. He knew Ciel said it was aloud, but he couldn't help but feel as if they were doing something forbidden. His hands tucked gently into his pockets and he sank into his jacket, hiding from the cold. The bunny's head shook from side to side, "No-- I didn't know I could and back home... Back home I wasn't... I wasn't allowed to go outside. But-- But-- But it was for my safety, of course..."

@choi mingi∘ ʰᵒˡˡᵃⁿᵈ ˡᵒᵖ ᵇᵘⁿⁿʸ “If you get too cold, we can always go inside somewhere.” The rabbit shrugged, giving his companion a brief once over before pushing the door open, holding it a moment for the bunny to slip through before he walked out himself. “So you’ve really never been around the town yet?”