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[contract_star]

[Hei appears mid-stride. He's got a black eye and just generally looks worn out. He's also wearing his game face--blank, alert, watchful. For those who know it, this is his Contractor face.]

My business is my business. It doesn't concern...

[He frowns and looks around, freezing momentarily.] What...I didn't mean to come here.

[After a moment he seems satisfied that this isn't a trick (or a hallucination) and he visibly relaxes. He sighs and suddenly looks even more tired than he did at first.]

Comments

[buckingbronco.livejournal.com]

You don't look good.

[contract_star]

[Ghost of a smirk.] Thanks.

[buckingbronco.livejournal.com]

Bad day?

[contract_star]

Bad week at this point.

[madamemoiselle]

{Frowns, walking up quickly to look at his eye} Ne, Hei, you got into a fight? Really, that's no good.

[contract_star]

[Blinks.] Huh? [Reaches up to his eye.] Oh, that. No, my boss was upset. I disappeared for two whole days.

[madamemoiselle]

Two days...? Well, still, that's no reason to hit you.

[starlightbreak.livejournal.com]

Li-san, did you come here by mistake, too? [ Nanoha's here, in her school uniform, with her school bag. ]

[contract_star]

In some ways it is. It means that the people we work for are nervous; when they get nervous they tend to erase people.

[Resigned smirk.] Plus he just doesn't really like me.

[witchmaker.livejournal.com]

What happened to you? [ Angela will be digging in her bag for poto oil now. ]

[madamemoiselle]

{D:} Erase? No, no, that's not good at all. Hei can't be erased.

[contract_star]

[Oh dear. It's the very tiny little girl who had to rescue him from the big cat the other day. Hei stares at her a moment before he responds.]

...Yeah. I don't think that's ever happened before.

[contract_star]

I came here by mistake, I guess...

[starlightbreak.livejournal.com]

Ne, if it's a Lost Logia... Things might get dangerous soon. [ She tips her head. ] Li-san, what happened to your eye?

[witchmaker.livejournal.com]

That's obvious. I meant the shiner. [ She's pouring a little poto oil on a kerchief. ] Here, this should help it heal.

[contract_star]

They're very powerful--more powerful than any government. But my teammates should be able to convince them that my disappearing is nothing for them to worry about. I'll be alright.

[madamemoiselle]

{Stares for a few moments} But you said "should". If not...then does that mean that Hei will die?

[contract_star]

I don't know. I think...it's almost like the Machine itself is glitching.

Hm? [Touches his eye.] O-oh...I just made someone upset is all.

[starlightbreak.livejournal.com]

Machine? [ Clueless Nanoha is clueless. ] Ne, there's a machine here?

[ Little frown. ] Did Li-san punch back?

[contract_star]

...Oh, that. Ah...I made my boss angry is all.

[saythistostart.livejournal.com]

... Li-san? You didn't get that from being hit by the car... Are you okay?

[contract_star]

[Without hesitating,] Probably. But if that's what it looks like, then my team and I will run.

[witchmaker.livejournal.com]

So he socked you? Sounds like a real pill to work for. [ She pats a bit of the poto oil around his eye. ]

[madamemoiselle]

Hei...{Frowns} Be careful, I guess that's what I want to say. Ne, why are you dealing with people like that anyways?

[lamb_of_gold]

You can't seem to keep yourself in one piece lately, can you?