#file.load(pinocchio);

          . . .   what the hell is this ?    the pinecone is held limply in her hand,    soon added to the small pinecone hill that is the other six pinecones she’d found in her garment.    this was   . . .   an attempt that being santa claus   ..   ?    but with pinecones instead of gifts and her thigh - highs instead of a christmas stocking ?    it's   ..   it’s much too late for christmas,    did the perpetrator know that ??    or   —   could this be a prank ?    though she wonders why her of all people   (   she’s aware of her not - very - emotive character trait,    yes   )   ..   and what kind of prank would this even be ?    far from a prankster,    but the general consensus to pranks was that it should be funny,    right ?    what was supposed to be funny about this !    objectively speaking,    this was just odd.    w   ..   what else could it be   . . .   well,    if she was looking at the bright side,    a gift ?    it’d be a first to have a gift be delivered in this sort of manner though,    and just   ——   

          pinecones.    pinecones.    really ?   this choice of object and method of leaving it to her was just   ..   odd,    strange.    she doesn’t know what to make of it,    and when she follows that line of thought,    a certain individual slowly coming to mind.

          ❝⠀ ——   . . .   gobonne - san ?  ‎❞      

          yes,    she's almost completely certain of it.    so,    the who of this odd little thing has been discovered,    but that still leaves her with the big question of why;    and that's when she recalls   —   i am the friend that bullies you without remorse.    certainly,    it adds up with gobonne - san's pattern of questionable behavior   (   case in point:    all the biting   )  .      ❝ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎fuu   ..   ~ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎❞      the seven cones are now viewed in a different light,    a    . . .   much more appreciative light you could say,    especially so when compared to how she'd previously regarded them as   —-   ???    hm.    yeah.    there's no masking it,    they're pretty weird   ——   but historically speaking,    pinecones have been used as symbols of everlasting or eternal life.    when you look at it through that way,    leaving her seven   (   which is a lucky number   )    of them made for   . . .   a pretty sweet sentiment !

          ❝ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎well then,    gobonne - san,    i'll consider these a gift from you. ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎❞      she'll be sure to return to the favor, ‎ ‎ ‎and in a manner just as ‎ tsundere ‎gobonne - san - esque ! ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎now, ‎ ‎ ‎for the most important matter at hand ‎ ‎ . ‎. ‎. ‎ ‎where to set these up as decor ‎ ‎ . ‎. ‎.

Theres a reason she isnt as cute as his herbs

          gobonne - san   . ‎. ‎.      ❝ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎——   ..   are you sulking ? ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎❞      carefully and tentatively she would reach out,    a slender digit giving the archon's cheek a poke.    poke,    poke.    (   ah   —   she didn't mean to be rude,    but morax's cheek is soft and squishy,    you see   ..   !    what a dangerous combi.   )      ❝ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎um   . ‎. ‎.   i don't know what you're trying to tell me,    but if you're upset over the age comment i made,    don't worry too much.    there's no age limit for a valentine,    even if you're eons old   ——   oh,    you still look young too, ‎ ‎ ‎ and you do act   .. ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎❞      small tilt of her head.    yeah,    even if comforting the seemingly upset   (  ?  )   gobonne - san is her top priority,    hakuno kishinami still can't find it in herself to lie.      ❝ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎well,    i can't deny that you display several old man tendencies from time to time though.    cranky old man tendencies. ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎❞     

           the heavy scent of iron isn't something unfamiliar to her.    a calm disposition :    maybe she'd given off the impression someone all too used to it,    someone so hardened by all she's ever seen and done   —   those were the things one would typically infer from the ever - present stoic expression on hakuno kishinami's features.    it's not entirely incorrect,    a decent portion of the truth indeed lay in those words,    yet there was a lot more beneath the surface;    not hidden,    but  ..  difficult to find.

          stoic is her expression,    but it's vastly different to the sort of stoic she'd appear to be when it's her  " blood "  that is being spilled .    in stark contrast to her lack of care for any injuries she would ever sustain,    hakuno puts her utmost focus into the task at hand.    she deals with it delicately,    carefully,    brows furrowed in concentration;    her attention is solely put into dressing argus's wound.    [   had it been her bleeding,    she couldn't care less.    press down on the wound to apply pressure  /  not that it would matter when you were wholly comprised of data and keep pressing onwards   ]   

          —   a sound from him   (  a wince,    she recognizes immediately  )   breaks her out of that trance.    eyes widening a fraction,    her hold on his hand loosens,    concern washing over her features.      ❝⠀ sorry,    did i   —- ⠀❞      already a barrage of questions fill her mind   —   did she dress the wound too tightly ?    had she messed up in a previous step ?    a worrywart by nature just like the human she was based on,    hakuno presses her lips together and look up to him with an apologetic gaze.    she's full of faults,    that's a fact for her,    but she's rational enough to realize that she hasn't made any mistakes in this entire process.    it's an instinctive wince,    a natural response for him in this situation  /  a programmed reaction from her had it been her in his place.      ❝⠀ sorry, ⠀❞      hakuno repeats it once more,    tone still no more relieved than her first apology.    if she had more medical expertise,    surely she'd have been able to make the process less painful for him. ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎no use dwelling on that though, ‎ ‎ ‎she'll just have to work harder.      ❝⠀ but please bear with it a little longer,    i'm almost done. ⠀❞

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎      she knows not to rush in this sort of thing,    so despite wanting to wrap things up as quickly as possible   (   she wouldn't want to put him through any more discomfort,    after all   ) ,    she takes her time,    continuing in that same pace she had from earlier.    expression shifting into that look of concentration once again,    it's only when she hears his voice yet again that she peers at him again.    he tears his gaze from her,    however,    raising a brow from her in silent inquisition.      ❝     ——    the proper term is  " caring for you "  .     ❞      the words are spoken through an uncharacteristic frown,    the question she'd silently held having been answered indirectly by his own words.      ❝     you   . . .   ❞      the hand in hers is now properly dressed,    but she doesn't let it go quite yet,    gaze settling on his face yet again.    hakuno kishinami's most noteworthy features were her eyes,    large and doe - eyed,    they were her most expressive feature as well. ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎though blank in most times, ‎ ‎ ‎ it's a gaze that often spoke volumes. ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎it was tough,    wasn't it ?    even if you won't admit,   i'm sure it was.     ❝    ..   stupid.     ❞