(closed)

[masakados]

Who: Naoki (masakados) & Yang (flaredo)
When: IC: 11/28, OOC: 3/06, forward-dated!
Where: a nice empty lot
What: idk some demons and some legs and stuff like that
Rating/Warning: None?!

[Naoki's starting to learn a few things about Yang the longer that he spends time with her. One of these things is that she seems to remember well even the things he thinks she says completely jokingly-- like how they talked about coaxing bellyrubs from one of his demons. How she's going to do that, he's not sure, but hey, there can't be any harm in letting her give it a shot if she's even a bit serious. Especially since he's here in case Yurlungur gets any ideas of trying to eat any magatsuhi.

Tearing his curious gaze away from the outfit she's switched to today, he props his hand on his hip.]

Since you dressed up and all, I could let you try it out. Buuuut, it's not too late to call it off either. [And they can get on to training! He looks again at her clothes, secretly admiring (where he's sure Yurlungur won't). It's different and fresh and er anyway back on track he's completely focused on the topic on hand.]

Comments

[masakados]

Some of them are just like that. [THEY WERE WEAKSAUCE. He's also thinking that she's cute when she scrunches up her nose.]

Others weren't, of course. Some wouldn't join up with me no matter what I tried, or how strong I was.

[He pauses.] That's why there's also a place in the Vortex World called the Cathedral of Shadows. There's a minister there, who does these weird ceremonies... and he can fuse demons together to make a different one.

[flaredo]

Fuse-- this is starting to sound more like one of the trading card games now. Mashing up demons together to make a new one...

[ It's a little weird. ]

Then again, it's not like I'm a demon expert.

[masakados]

Surprisingly, neither am I. I think if I tried to figure out and make sense of everything about demons, my head would pop.

[He spreads the fingers of his free hand apart: KABOOM just like that.]

They don't abide by normal rules, that's for sure.

[flaredo]

I could tell that much just by meeting them! I think the only thing they really have in common with the guys back home is the whole emotion thing.

[masakados]

Yeah-- each demon's kinda unique too personality-wise. Though most have the whole individualistic, vain and egotistical thing in common.

[And they're greedy and such; not all of them, but the vaaast majority. They are demons, after all.]

[flaredo]

[ Individualistic, vain, egotistical...

He'd told her to appeal to Yurlungur's vain side, after all. And he's already told her that his body is a demon's. But-- ]

... I thought so. You really are only a demon in body.

[masakados]

[Yang might feel the pull at her arm first; Naoki's abruptly stopped walking, as though he's frozen, watching her. It's one thing to say it for himself, to struggle desperately to believe it even when he's had to do terrible thing after terrible thing.

It slams into him when someone else says it.]

I've always thought so too, [he says, carefully, as though saying so might break something very fragile.] But I never really heard that from anyone else, no-one other than Futomimi.

[flaredo]

[ The halt is an abrupt one, and Yang very nearly stumbles; she catches herself in time, swaying back on her heels, before she turns to face him and gently eases her arm free.

She can't cross both arms like that, after all. ]

No one ever told you that? [ Not even the demons? Except Futomimi-- whoever that is. ]

[masakados]

No.

After the Conception, after I was changed... It was just like I was another demon.

[And he remembers. Since you're not human anymore, he remembers Isamu saying. That's why he couldn't understand him? Him and his Reason? Chiaki thought he'd be fine with killing, just because he'd been changed? Hijiri had used him, Hikawa was simply another enemy, Yuko... he doesn't know what she'd been thinking.]

[flaredo]

[ She still doesn't understand why, why he'd changed, but more importantly--

There's a whole lot Yang doesn't like about this. ]

But you're not. I think I'm more vain than you are. You're not egotistical, you didn't try to chew on my magawhatsit, and what kind of demon offers himself as a heater?

[masakados]

[What had gone wrong? Was it because he couldn't do anything? He looks at Yang, his expression puzzled, before he gazes down at one of his palms, the marking on it.] Yeah.

I knew I was human. I didn't think I changed from who I was, even with this new body. Even if I had to do things I'd never had to, I tried to stay myself.

...I don't understand it either, Yang.

[Later on, perhaps he could've understood why they'd call him a demon. After what he'd had to do.]

[flaredo]

Well, then I think it's stupid that no one else got it.

[ Succinct, yes, but it's so obvious, how could anyone else not mention it? ]

[masakados]

[Naoki's expression softens and he steps closer to her. He moves to set his hands on her elbows; sorry about accidentally tugging you before, Yang.]

Heh, yeah. [He manages to smile about it, but not because it's any less painful; it's because Yang's saying what she is.]

But even if they didn't, I'm happy enough right now knowing you do. [Even if... Doubts swim at the back of his mind, pass through to the forefront. If she knew it all, would she still think the same?]

[flaredo]

[ Even his smile looks a little sad...

Yang sighs, remaining still underneath his palms. She can't even imagine how he would have felt, how he still feels about this. Blake, maybe, truly understood-- but she's the one here with Naoki right now, and the only thing she can really do is maybe not understand, but accept. ]

I don't see how 'Naoki is Naoki' is so hard to get.

[ It's an indignant mutter. ]

[masakados]

Maybe I should stick a sign on my chest.

[He's joking quietly, for her benefit as much as his own. If he thinks too long on it, he starts to sink down into dark thoughts and doubts.]

But, you know, I can bear it if I know there's even one other person out there who gets it. Well, that might be too simple of me.

[It doesn't erase it, but it makes it easier. Yang gets indignant, angry on his behalf. Who ever did that before? And while Futomimi may have understood, he's not here, he's already gone--]

[flaredo]

You could do with a few more, honestly... [ she shakes her head, still very much irritated. ]

But my mind's not going to change.

[masakados]

[Oddly, her irritation makes his chest feel hot with emotion, gratitude, warmth-- He laughs and rubs at her elbows soothingly.]

I didn't think you were the type to let your mind get changed easily.

[He feels a naive, clinging hope battling with persistent doubt that even if he told her someday, she might understand. Not now. He's too afraid to say it yet. But, maybe one day...]

[flaredo]

I'm not. [ It's said instantly, but Yang takes a few seconds to will away most of her ire. No use going home grumpy. ]

... You're okay, though?

[ He's trying to soothe her temper, she knows, but there's still concern when she meets his eyes. Even though he'd said one other person was enough... just how much has this hurt him? ]

[masakados]

Yeah. Right now, I'm okay.

[He can smile at her, meet her eyes, and mean it all, wanting for her to see that he's fine. He doesn't lie and say he's okay all the time, because there're few days that go by that he doesn't think of it...

But for now, he's good.]

Are you okay?

[flaredo]

I'm mad, but that's not your fault. And I'll be fine. [ she'd flap a hand if he wasn't still caressing(???) her elbows. ]

I bounce back quickly, remember?

[masakados]

[He's not caressing he's just like holding now... give him a moment and he catches himself, dropping his hands down.]

Yup, I remember. It's one of those things I kinda admire about you.

[He tips his head, a little let's get going? and turns slightly.]

[flaredo]

[ He's a lot more willing to do the physical contact thing than she originally would've guessed-- not a bad thing, though. ]

You-- [ And she moves to follow him, one eyebrow arched pertly. ] kinda?

[masakados]

[Naoki casts a look sidelong at her before clearing his throat quietly.]

...no, not just kinda.

[He got embarrassed halfway so he had to cover it up with a kinda.]

[flaredo]

[ ... Boys. ]

Okay, so a lot. You could've just said that.

[ And she's grinning as she trots ahead of him like a jerk. ]

[masakados]

{That's fine, he'll just follow along while she trots ahead and watch her hair. Until she gets too far, at least.]

Hey, I said that much. You got it fine in the end.

[Where's his praise!!]