[He cautiously comes around the table and sits in front of her, ready to stop early if she seems uncomfortable with his approach. As much as he wants to take her hands and anchor her, Yuuto remembers how upset she's seemed about touching him lately. So instead he folds his hands in his lap and lifts his gaze to match hers.]
Because no matter how much it's hurt in the passed few months, I've never once regretted meeting you. And that's not going to change. I promise. I'm not going anywhere.
Being able to teleport me even with my nullification on... that was terrifying, you know. It was like a reminder of how weak I really am. How in the end, my defenses don't really matter if they can be bypassed like that.
[Yuuto doesn’t flinch. It hurts, but not enough for a reaction. Because as painful as it is to hear, her honesty and trust in saying something takes the sting away.
He shakes his head slowly.]
I’m sorry. I didn’t realize it was off, since you said you were giving me five seconds.
[He sighs. Yuuto never wanted for this to come up, but-]
I didn’t know that I could bypass your nullification… I never tried before. I didn’t want to. And I kind of hoped that it would reject me and keep you safe. I never wanted to be able to use my power against you, Inaba.
But… I guess I also suspected it… Since you’ve never been able to hurt me by touching me either. [Another sigh. The explanation doesn’t change things:] I’m sorry for scaring you.
... I can't hurt people with it. That much I already knew. I can only prevent things from happening to me, or things touching me. Or at least, that's what I thought.
[ Yoshi could never read her mind with her nullification on, after all, even if he didn't touch her. ]
It's like how the Wish Maker... how they knocked me out during the stakeout...
That, and... I can't be near them. The Wish Maker can affect spirits--and. Their goal... I have a wish that would get them to that. I can't have them grant my wish.
Mm. A spirit is just a soul with no body… and we know they can grant the wish of a soul wit a body, like mine.
[His tail does flick nervously. Yuuto finally drops his gaze to the tatami flooring.]
If you can get the cameras up and running, then it would be safer for you to stay here anyway, right? You would have a wider view of the city than anyone else.
Yeah. And... while my SOUL is powerful when it needs to be, it's still...
[ She trails off. ]
It's already done, [ since it's Christmas Eve ] so all I need to do is just have them set up. I'll have that done by the end of tomorrow and then test them out back at the house on the 26th.
[Yuuto sighs. He’s relieved to know about the cameras and that Inaba won’t be putting herself in danger. He also feels guilty. The talk of her soul only reminds him of his own uselessness.]
I have to go back to sleep tomorrow. I might not be awake for a long time… Wish Maker already got to me.
I know that you won’t… [But the ‘unnecessary’ part is why he’s still worried!
Yuuto covers his ‘Rumor’ again. It’s so easy to talk to Inaba. He could show this side of himself to her without fearing judgment. But it’s also Christmas and probably his last day with her for a long time. Rather than hide away in his despair, Yuuto wants to spend his time happy. He wants the same for Inaba.
So he slowly lowers his hand, trying to let his fears go.]
Thank you for telling me that I was hurting you, Inaba. I’ll be more careful in the future.
It makes me feel better knowing that you could tell me…
[He looks down at his hands, resisting the urge to smell his shirt and confirm that he isn't stinky. And as he's finding the words to express himself, Yuuto's belt makes his fear obvious by curling around him loosely.]
It would be 'okay' if I was. My blood is made of that goo and I'm neither human nor kami. I've been disliked for less...
[Though he knows Inaba's reactions to him aren't because of the Distortion. Yuuto sighs.]
I understand that we're... our relationship is kind of complicated... Because I got selfish. I understand why you'd be uncomfortable around me. I'm just not sure how to help. It feels like I'm hurting you sometimes...
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[ Her voice is icy and her expression empties out. She can't be certain about those words. ]
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Because no matter how much it's hurt in the passed few months, I've never once regretted meeting you. And that's not going to change. I promise. I'm not going anywhere.
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[ She doesn't move or say anything more than than that, just laying things out on the table. ]
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[Yuuto lifts his pinky finger to seal a promise out of instinct, then slowly lowers it when he remembers how Inaba has felt about his touch.]
Please… Talk to me.
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He shakes his head slowly.]
I’m sorry. I didn’t realize it was off, since you said you were giving me five seconds.
[He sighs. Yuuto never wanted for this to come up, but-]
I didn’t know that I could bypass your nullification… I never tried before. I didn’t want to. And I kind of hoped that it would reject me and keep you safe. I never wanted to be able to use my power against you, Inaba.
But… I guess I also suspected it… Since you’ve never been able to hurt me by touching me either. [Another sigh. The explanation doesn’t change things:] I’m sorry for scaring you.
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[ Yoshi could never read her mind with her nullification on, after all, even if he didn't touch her. ]
It's like how the Wish Maker... how they knocked me out during the stakeout...
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But his eyes do widen for a second when she draws the comparison between his power and Wish Maker’s.]
Are you worried about them hurting you again, Inaba?
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[His tail does flick nervously. Yuuto finally drops his gaze to the tatami flooring.]
If you can get the cameras up and running, then it would be safer for you to stay here anyway, right? You would have a wider view of the city than anyone else.
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[ She trails off. ]
It's already done, [ since it's Christmas Eve ] so all I need to do is just have them set up. I'll have that done by the end of tomorrow and then test them out back at the house on the 26th.
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[Yuuto sighs. He’s relieved to know about the cameras and that Inaba won’t be putting herself in danger. He also feels guilty. The talk of her soul only reminds him of his own uselessness.]
I have to go back to sleep tomorrow. I might not be awake for a long time… Wish Maker already got to me.
So please be careful, Inaba.
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[ "Unnecessary danger" being the key words here. ]
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Yuuto covers his ‘Rumor’ again. It’s so easy to talk to Inaba. He could show this side of himself to her without fearing judgment. But it’s also Christmas and probably his last day with her for a long time. Rather than hide away in his despair, Yuuto wants to spend his time happy. He wants the same for Inaba.
So he slowly lowers his hand, trying to let his fears go.]
Thank you for telling me that I was hurting you, Inaba. I’ll be more careful in the future.
It makes me feel better knowing that you could tell me…
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[ If she can't control it, if it's out of her hands, she gets frustrated and scared and it just hurts. ]
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[His power relies on formula manipulation, after all. Yuuto needs control and understanding of his surroundings to do that properly.]
May I… tell you something that’s been on my mind, too?
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Even if he’s ashamed of himself.]
… am I gross?
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[ ...
Is that her way of making a joke? Perhaps. ]
But - no. You're not.
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It would be 'okay' if I was. My blood is made of that goo and I'm neither human nor kami. I've been disliked for less...
[Though he knows Inaba's reactions to him aren't because of the Distortion. Yuuto sighs.]
I understand that we're... our relationship is kind of complicated... Because I got selfish. I understand why you'd be uncomfortable around me. I'm just not sure how to help. It feels like I'm hurting you sometimes...
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A compromise then.]
It was our fault, I get it. And I’m sorry. I don’t want to be hurting you anymore, so…
Even if it’s small. If I hurt you, please tell me.
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[ It'll sting. She knows. But it's better to know than to imagine even worse. ]
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For you. Mm. I’ll do my best.
I don’t want to lose you again.
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