yominokuni | Affectionate Contact Meme

Mm. Gojyo's been practicing with me. [See: Things Hakkai and Yuri should probably Actually Discuss.] He's been letting me, uh... Try and pick through his memories so I can specify which I pick up, if I want to.

And, um, Kurama-- [She pauses, her face slowly turning pink and then red. Her voice is slightly strained.] He's been. Helping. So that my power doesn't activate just because someone's touched me by accident or something.

...So, you shouldn't have to worry anymore.

... You've been practicing on Gojyo's memories?

[Hakkai gives her a slightly wide-eyed look. It's possible, he thinks, from the tiny fragments he's remembered himself, that picking through Gojyo's memories means Yuri knows more about his past than he himself does.

He clears his throat after a moment. She doesn't seem particularly distressed by anything about him, and so he may as well assume she hasn't seen anything terrible that he doesn't know about. That is, in an odd way, a relief.

She does look a little distressed, though, and he considers her darkening flush with a thoughtful air.]

... My, that's very kind of Kurama. How has he been helping?

Mm. But so far it hasn't been anything exciting. [She did see Hakkai laid out on Gojyo's bed and Gojyo covered in Hakkai's blood so that sure was A Thing she needs to discuss with Gojyo at one point or another. Because wtf.]

What? [She blurts the question out knowing full well what Hakkai asked, but hoping, somehow, Hakkai will change the question to preserve her own dignity.] He just-- It's just--

[She makes an extremely vague, helpless sort of gesture and shrugs.] It's... Touched activated, so it's just-- [Wait, no that Implies Things and Yuri opens and closes her mouth a few times. Where does she go from here] It's not what it sounds like?

Well, that's better than the alternative.

[Seeing the exciting bits of someone else's life sounds traumatizing! And Yuri's looking even more panicked about whatever way Kurama has been helping her, which, considering what she's saying, only makes sense. Hakkai's eyebrows climb a deliberate quarter-inch.]

... He's not helping you by touching you while you try not to activate your powers, then?

[It could be perfectly innocent skin-to-skin contact, of course. Hakkai's not implying anything at all. Yuri's darkening flush and helpless gesturing, on the other hand, could be construed to imply quite a bit.]

[Yuri opens her mouth, but no sound comes out. She can't even begin to comprehend the amount of backpedaling she'd have to do here. There's no explanation she can give that wouldn't be both incredibly awkward to say and incredibly embarrassing to admit out loud.

She realizes in the brief moment of silence that follows his question, that she's completely jumped the gun. She could've explained this away with something that he was grabbing her hand or poking her face or something, but her immediate reaction of trying to downplay it all just made it seem way worse.]

...Alright, it's what it sounds like. [Is what Yuri says at length, her voice sounding a bit strangled as she struggles with this.] I just-- I didn't want you to get the wrong impression. [Or the right impression.]

Please, don't worry about it. I'm glad to hear you're able to work with people on those powers.

[He offers her a sympathetic (although, admittedly, still a little amused) smile. There's no way around what it sounds like, and when Kurama's already been making jokes about knowing what she tastes like, there's not too much Yuri can say to downplay their relationship at this point. At least Kurama seems like a nice -- and very competent -- youkai.

Hakkai's smile brightens after a moment into pure teasing cheer.]

Ah, and of course, please let him know that I'll have to break his kneecaps if he upsets you.

[She runs a hand through her hair, trying to get her blushing back under control. At least Hakkai doesn't seem to be actively judging her or anything, which is all she could really hope for.] I'm... [She closes her eyes a moment, trying to gather her thoughts in place.] It...could've been someone worse... [That is, she doesn't mind that it's Kurama, she likes him well enough, his need to make fun of her aside.

She gives Hakkai a sharp, startled look at that though, not quite sure how serious he might actually be. It's kind of... Touching?? She knows about the stereotype of shotgun talks in America, so all she can imagine is Hakkai cheerfully sharpening his claws while calmly threatening to disembowel Kurama. Having never actually gotten the chance to see Hakkai in battle or anything, she's not sure how legitimate an image this is, but it is a little concerning that she can imagine it so easily.]

I want to laugh, but there's a chance you're actually serious about that threat...

[Hakkai's smile is completely unperturbed by her startled glance. He is serious about that threat, after all.] Only if you'd like me to be.

[He wouldn't go behind her back to beat someone up for her. That, after all, would be rude.

If he did it without Yuri asking, it would be for his own personal reasons.]

[Vine vs. Vine. Hakkai vs. Kurama. A showdown for the ages.

She wouldn't lie, she's curious as to who would come out on top there.] ...Well, if that's how Kurama would want to die... [AKA hurting her and invoking Hakkai's wrath. She trails off with a shrug-- you do you, Hakkai.] Who am I to deny that?

[Given her goddess's nature and all. Still, there's a hint of a smile that shows how secretly pleased she is. It's strange to realize people actually care for her and react accordingly.] Hopefully he won't give you reason to actually act on it, though. [She sighs a little.] His shinki forced us to go on a date... [She trails off uncertainly; Hakkai probably isn't the one to go to for date advice or anything and she doesn't really expect him to provide anything, but she figures she can stick to lighter topics a moment or two longer before she gets around to asking abut Gojyo. Get some levity to the situation, let him make fun of her a little while longer.

It's a sacrifice she's willing to make right now. I mean, he DID offer to hurt someone for her so. It's the least she can do in return?

Also: "Forced" she says as if somehow Kuwabara held a gun to their heads until they agreed or something.]

[It's very sweet of her to go with the teasing, Hakkai thinks, a brief genuine smile lighting his face, and taps a thoughtful finger against his chin.]

His shinki forced you, really? That sounds like an interesting story...

[He trails off invitingly.]

[NEVERMIND SHE REGRETS THIS IMMEDIATELY.]

It's not. [It's her too-quick retort and her face turns red again as she clears her throat.] ...We were just... talking on the network. I think he got the wrong idea from how I talked about Kurama--I guess he thinks we're-- [Saying 'in love' sounds weird to say out loud in conjunction with her and Kurama, even if it's just talking about one person's misunderstanding, so she quickly changes track] That we like each other a lot. Like that.

[waIT NO that sounds even stupider and way more childish. She looks almost comically frustrated with herself. Remember the days when no one talked to her or tried to get her to commit to dates and she could be a hermit in peace?? Good times.]

Anyway-- He wouldn't let up about it. That it was just a date, it didn't have to actually mean anything... I gave in so he'd stop, so I asked Kurama to the movies. [Yuri trails off, tugging her hair over one shoulder in a gesture of anxiousness and uncertainty; despite how 'it's no big deal' she's trying to be about it, it's nerve-wracking, okay?] I've never gone on a date before... This is so dumb... [She feels like she's channeling Miu a little bit here, but whatever]

I'm afraid I don't remember being on any dates myself, so if you're looking for advice, you'll have to talk to Gojyo! [Who will probably find his teacher being bullied into a date by his shinki even more entertaining than Hakkai does: so, he's sorry in advance, Yuki, but it might really cheer the poor man up.

His smile at her is only mildly sympathetic.]

Consider it a nice outing to the movies with a friend?

[Or, of course, consider it a date if there is in fact something between the two of them like that. But Hakkai's sufficiently out of his depth offering romantic advice that he isn't going to go into too many embarrassing details.]

[Yuri makes a face and winces at the suggestion] Would you really trust his advice though...? How many successful dates has he actually been on? [I MEAN. HONESTLY.

The suggestion she look at this as something 'just as friends' is met with a startled, baffled look.]

...Oh. [It's really almost pathetic. Like, it should be funny (it is still funny), but she looks like this is entirely new information.] I never-- I mean, I didn't think... [She crosses her arms over her chest, looking both embarrassed and pensive.] ...Somehow, it doesn't feel right to think of it like that either... [Why are feelings and things so complicated.]

Edited 2016-11-07 19:59 (UTC)

Well, that depends on your definition of a "date," but I'm sure he has better advice than I do.

[Practice might not make perfect, but it certainly makes a difference! Hakkai beams cheerfully at her. It seems that 'just friends' isn't really on the list, then. Yuri and Kurama... hmm.

Maybe Kurama's shinki doesn't have the wrong idea after all.]

Well, then, a date is a good way to find out how you'd like to think of it.

[He pauses, and adds, with a wry sidelong glance:] Does that help?

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