Maybe Sophia should just ask him upfront if he liked her. What if he didn’t though? Should she just change the topic? Come on, she was brave enough to handle this! She was in the fight against Scorpio, so she could take on just about anything, couldn’t she? Taking a deep breath, she looks down at the miniature pizza that she brought him. Was this a good enough gift? What if he hated pizza? Maybe she should have asked first.

Knocking on his door, she waits for a response, giving herself a mental pep talk. She was attractive! Not nearly as much as before the massive scar, but she wasn't like the least attractive person she's met. Actually, that sounded terrible. She was mostly an alright person. She was interesting… or at least the life she was leading now was. She was… well… she cared about him, so maybe all that was enough?

Kenji was asleep on the bed initially. The recovery from Scorpio's Venom was a back and forth process that took more time than Dr. Mizuno had originally anticipated it would. There were body temperature issues, motor control fluctuations, and narcolepsy. Of course the fact that he couldn't go much of anywhere still drove him stir crazy. When things went on long enough and he felt good enough he would try to escape to elsewhere in the hospital only to be scolded by staff later and be ushered back into the room.

When Sophia entered the room she would be treated to snoring at first, until the whiff of the pizza manages to meet his nostril. He stirs a little bit and murmurs in his sleep.

"Californian cheese on slightly old pepperoni, basil sauce, with a crust garlic buttered..." he says as he rolls around a little in his sleepy state but gradually working his way toward being more lucid. Whether he was doped up or not was in the air as far as Sophia could tell at this point.

She looks down at the box. Well, that was horrifyingly accurate. Was the pepperoni really old? Maybe she should stop eating at that place because that was kind of gross. “Do you have psychic powers now?” she says, tilting her head, and walking into the room. “Or is this a pizza specific thing…”

Sitting down on one of the chairs, she says, “Well, I don’t know if you want it now. The pepperoni is evidently old. However, it might still be better than hospital food.” She sets the box on one of nearby tables. “So how are you holding up? And when do they let you out of here?”

Kenji groans slightly and rolls over facing Sophia's direction as the voice that was for a brief moment unrecognized to him, seeing her in the seat with blurry vision as is common from freshly wakening people. Of course he initially thought he was dreaming, drugged up on the pain-killers. His eyes widen and he sits up slightly startled at Sophia's sudden visit. He looks more embarrassed as he gets his composure and scrambles to sit up on the back of the bed to have a posture.

"Sophia..." he says, gazing at her in disbelief for a moment before he then shakes his head once more. He looks at the Pizza then thinks about what she said before waving his hand dismissively.

"No not psychic powers just a good sense of smell...I'm used to cooking all the time so I just have a strong flavor association. Thank you for coming.." he says with a small shrug. "I...don't know yet when I'll leave. My body's recovery from the venom has been erratic and I have good days then days that aren't so good.."

“I’d suppose a pizza-guessing ability would be kind of a lame power, wouldn’t it?” Sophia jokes, “So you cook and you paint. And I have yet to see examples of either.”

Sophia rubs the back of her head, looking down. “I wanted to apologize that it took me a bit to come back here. I promised I’d be back, but I got busy. School, some major fights, two negotiations. But I’m finally back.” Looking back at up at him, she smiles, “It’s not like I could just forget about someone who saved my life. And you're pretty tough. I can't imagine that they'll keep you here too much longer.”

She starts to shake her leg out of nervousness as she continues to speak. “Alright, so… my life is super complicated right now. And I’m always busy. However, after talking to a friend, she was off the opinion that you should just go for things. I figure I should just say that I like you and I would like to get to know you better. I’d also kind of regret not saying anything if someone else beat me to it. Erm… so if you don’t mind taking things super slow, we can go do something after you get out of here or something,” Sophia says, sheepishly, “And if not, we can totally forget this conversation ever happened!”

"I...can only imagine leading the exciting life of Venus." Kenji says rubbing he back of his head The comment about being tough and saving her life was flattery but it made his face redden all the same. Sophia was still lovely as ever but the scar that she had caught his attention now that his vision wasn't as hazy. He gestures to his own face and rubs a line similar to Sophia's scar as he asked "What happened here?"

Touching her face would have just felt awkward.

But then awkward upped it's game after the next declaration Kenji was frankly stunned that Sophia would have so openly admitted feelings like that. He felt like last time she was put off by his presence and the awkwardness of losing the powers he had but now he felt...well, he didn't know what to feel between the hormones, pain meds, and the very slight trace remnant of the brief power link they shared during his one and only appearance as a knight.

"I'd like that..." Kenji blurts out at first before he then reddens another shade before rubbing the back of his head. "I mean, you know, if you're fine with me being...normal...and all that..."

Sophia tugs on the corner of her shirt to cover up the scar that reached up to her shoulder. Perhaps it was time to invest in some good make-up to conceal the healed wound… She laughs a little nervously, “Oh nothing really. I tried to talk down someone who really couldn’t be talked down. But everything worked out well in the end.”

She blinks as he responds, “Why would I be put off about you being normal? I’d kind of like something normal for once… This abnormal month has been very exhausting. And no end in sight either.”

Meeting his gaze, she says, “Well, I guess I have plenty of time for rest later. It’s funny. I remember complaining about being bored once.”

"A monster did that to you..." Kenji says, coming to the fairly obvious conclusion. Of course Sophia could try to retort that it was a human mugger or something but frankly was that really a better route of persuasion to go? When Sophia mentioned that it was okay to be normal, Kenji scratched his right ear apprehensively for a few seconds.

"I guess I'm afraid that if we went to do something and one of those monsters struck I couldn't really do anything with glowing blades of lasers or whatever anymore and I couldn't do much to help you." Kenji admits. While he was certainly happy that Sophia was entertaining the idea of some kind of growth in a potential relationship scenario, the increasing monster attacks was also of concern to the ex-knight.

"There's always time for rest, I'll think of something to help you relax when I get out of here." he says as he then has a moment to think and blushes a bit

"I...mean something you know legit, nothing bad that probablysortasounded like" Kenji blathers out embarrassed.

“He’s not a monster... I mean, none of them are really. I mean, anyone could turn into some of that after all. And it’s not like they are evil. They’re just… lost in their despair and can’t see any way out. He’s more normal now though. He seemed to be doing ok when I saw him last,” Sophia says, defensively.

She reaches over to fluff his hair, “Hey, I think you’ve done enough for both our lifetimes. And we’ll be fine. It’s not like I get attacked every day, and I’ll handle it if we do.” She laughs, “Admittedly, none of them have had glowing blades of lasers so far!”

Sophia blushes as the implication of what is said hits her. Kenji backtracks, and she giggles a little. “No… I mean… I know what you mean… ummm… a movie is a fine. Or dinner. Or I can finally see your artwork. I never got a chance last time.”

"You make it sound a lot simpler than I believe it to be...don't they have a choice in the matter to harm others? Kenji protests to Sophia's standard, pacifistic response to the nature of youma and monsters alike. Scorpio sure seemed like a monster: Kenji was still recovering from the adverse impact of his one and only stand against him. In truth, Kenji resented the Covenant more and more as time went on and the lack of his power to fight them occasionally (but not when Sophia was around) depressed him.

'Sorry, don't mind me...I think I'm still a little bitter over how it ended for me." Kenji admits rubbing the back of his head. When Sophia laughs a little, Kenji's face deepens in redness and he totally regrets the misspeaking that he had done just now.

"Yeah...a movie or something would be fine..." he says, now on the defensive and not so eager to put his foot in his mouth again. At this point, Kenji wondered exactly when he would be released from this nightmarish pit of syringes and medications to actually act on this.

Sophia crosses her arms, frowning a little. This discussion again. “As far as I understand, Scorpio was manipulated into believing that what he was doing bring about utopia. And I think knowing that any of us can easily fall into such trappings and become corrupted is important. We’re all human. We’re incapable of being absolute evil and can always change the road that we are on. So no, I wouldn’t call any of them monsters.”

Looking out his hospital window at the eternal winter outside, she could see why her view wasn’t the most popular one out there. “Not that you have to believe me on that. Few people do. But I believe it is my job to protect and save all people. That includes them if I am able.” This was her burden. Her never-ending cycle of guilt concerning what was right, what was wrong, and what was the best option at the moment. She felt like she was drowning in the moral ambiguity that others couldn’t see, so she must just look crazy as she fought against it.

“It’s alright. I think I’d be angry too in your situation,” she says, looking back at him. “Until you get out of here, I’ll keep coming back to visit. So what do they let you do around here for fun?”

"..Hey, let's change the subject...I don't want time with you to be spent dreading the whole battle against eternal evil bit." Kenji says, noting that the mood had dampened a little. If this was going to go anywhere, Kenji realized that Sophia had to associate positive feelings to time with him when possible, less 'oh my god we're all gonna die'.

Makes for bad cuddling when the threat of doom is overhead.

"Fun...well I don't really have it. I think the insane director has fun carting me back into the room though when I've been out and about on my own. He actually boasted and called it a 'successful manhunt' once. Dr. Mizuno seems to hate him with the constant facepalms behind his back." Kenji says with a slight sigh. "I want to put itching powder in his coat or something after that one..." he says, hinting at a latent prankster mentality.

Sophia gives a nod, “I wouldn’t say I spend a lot of time dreading, but I do think about it a lot…” It didn’t really seem like there was an end coming soon. And yet it felt like there wasn’t enough time to do all the things she wanted.

The image of a hospital director hunting Kenji around the hospital is amusing, but she doesn’t let it show. “What hospital director? I’ve only talked to Dr. Mizuno really,” Sophia asks. “I’m not so good at pranks, but I know someone who is. I actually wouldn’t be surprised if she had itching powder in her house.”

"The one they call Paperwork Satan or Litiation Lucifer, I don't remember what his actual name is but he has red hair." Kenji answers, possibly revealing to the Venus Senshi that he was of course referring to the infamous Peter. When Sophia affirmed that she knew of somebody whom was good at pranks, he let out a slight chuckle.

"I might want to ask for a favor then and have this friend help me." he says with a slight laugh. At this point however, his eyes blank out and he falls back onto the bed, one eye closed as he clenches his side for a moment. His body begins to tremble and shake as the poison's aftermath began to take hold again. Even if the majority of the poison had left, a residual amount was slowly departing the flesh and making it harder for him to live a normal life.

“Litigation Lucifer… Paperwork Satan… and red hair. Well, I know a hospital administrator with red hair who compares himself to the devil from time to time. Does the name Peter Emile seem familiar to you?” Sophia sighs, “And here I thought he would behave better in the workplace.”

She smiles back as he agrees to Valdis’ aid. “I’ll see if Valdis is up to it. However, I think she enjoys this kind of thing, so she’ll probably be happy to do so.”

When he falls back to bed, she bolts upright. She frantically presses the call for help button. She had no idea how to deal with the situation short of transforming and trying to use magic. “Help in here!” she yells out to the hallway.