[Again, she'll observe quietly, watching as he strains trying to draw the Kurikara with no luck. This wasn't ideal. But, she reminds herself, it could be worse. The Impure King wasn't breathing down their necks, and it wasn't as if the sword itself hadn't been lost to the Storm's corruption.]
You haven't trained much since you woke up, have you.
[That's not a question. Of course, there were excuses. First arriving, getting sick--those were reasonable excuses, but it sounded like there was plenty of time in between those events. Just what had he been doing?]
If you can't draw it, then we'll work on it until you can. I'll have to figure out how to rig up some training dummies that can stand up to ya, but we'll have to get you back in good shape. If you're scared, you'll just have get more experience and work through your frustration.
[Less thinking, more action. It was going to be a pain with the only other kid from home being Shima, but it sounded like Rin hadn't isolated himself, so there was something to distract him when he needed to just play. Maybe Kamiki would reawaken, or the others would wake up for the first time soon. There doesn't seem to be that much of a need to scold him, not when he's already berating himself for what happened. Shura reaches over to him, gently ruffling his hair.]
No short cuts, but you're tough. You'll get over this hurdle jus' like all of the others you've managed.
[ As in: he continually felt low-key guilty about his lack of practice, but it was hard to be pushed to do it when there was no imminent reason to. He'd been using his powers when it was convenient for him - if it was cold or the stove wasn't working properly. But it definitely wasn't Sword Techniques 101 here. At least he has the mind to look slightly guilty about it.
The ruffling of his hair only causes him to look away bashfully, not exactly pushing his head away but definitely not leaning in to the affection. There's even a slight coloring on his cheeks out of embarrassment. Shura's kind words and advice towards him make him feel more secure, but it's always embarrassing when he gets the feeling of being babied...and that major showing of weakness he had just a few moments ago makes him want to cover up his vulnerability even more.
Not more than a year ago, he'd been holding her sword by the blade to keep her from killing him. But in this moment, for the first time in months, he almost feels at home. He accepts the oncoming practice - it would be hard, but familiar, would give him a sense of routine that he hasn't had since he woke up. ]
So, [ He clears his throat after a calculated silence, hands feeling clammy around the scabbard. ] Should ya hold onto this again?
[ That was the trend following his outbursts after all. Even if she couldn't ~magically store it away~ anymore, he still had to wonder. ]
[Take your head pats and like them, Rin. It's hard to not want to grind her knuckles into his scalp, just the teeniest bit, when he admits that he's only gotten as far as meaning to train. Uh huh. He was going to regret that choice of his when she was sure he was fully recovered from his illness.
Pulling her hand back, Shura straightens, waiting for Rin to decide on what he wants to say. But that isn't what she's expecting him to say, and her brows raise.]
I ain't gonna take it from you this time. This is different from before.
[This place was too unpredictable for leaving him unarmed, and keeping track of one sword the regular way was enough trouble as it was. Besides, taking it from him again wasn't going to help him regain his confidence.]
But there is somethin' else we gotta talk about.
[Now it's Shura's turn to take a pause. Her hands clench at her side, and she exhales, forcing herself to unfurl her fists.]
Rin, tell me the last thing you remember from home. Tell me about the last couple'a hours.
[ Oh - well, that's a relief. He guesses he would feel a little insecure without it, more insecure than he already feels, but still. Her change of topic quickly distracts him from the issue with the Kurikara, his clammy hands moving to place the scabbard back in it's cover for the time being while he speaks. ]
Uhh, me 'n everyone else were at Mamushi and Shima's brother's wedding...
[ Don't get him wrong, he's glad to move on to a different topic and talk about something completely different. But despite the fact that he'd met with Izumo, who'd forgotten a large chunk of history, he doesn't consider that he could be like that. So he just assumes Shura is asking since they weren't together from the time he remembers. ]
On TV, we saw somethin' about a big cyclops...? [ The more he goes on, the more uneasy he becomes about the phrasing she's using, and it shows on his face. Though he'd like to believe this is just the routine 'what's the last thing you recall' thing that happened between people of similar worlds here. ] Everything gets hazy after that.
[ He buckles the cover shut, watching her intently for whatever she was about to say to him. ]
Ya remember that, right?
if he's going to interrupt her before she finishes, let me know and I'll change it!
[If there was even a shred of good news in what she was going to tell him, she might try to reassure him. But there's nothing kind or pleasant about what happened the day following her fight with the cyclops.]
Yeah, I remember that.
[Wasn't this dandy? She was going to have to break the news about Yukio twice now! Her hand lifts to pinch the bridge of her nose, feeling something of a headache building. She can't begrudge Rin for not remembering when even Mephisto didn't remember the aftermath of the botched conference, but still. This couldn't be easy, could it?]
A lot happened after that. Rin, what I'm gonna tell ya ain't good. Just listen to me until the end, okay?
[He was going to have questions. That was only natural. But she's not going to pause to answer them until she finishes.]
That cyclops is part of somethin' bigger goin' on--there were attacks like that all over the world, and it was just gonna get worse. Mephisto was gonna hold a conference about it with the prime minister the next day--I was part of his security detail durin' it. But in the middle of the conference, right after Mephisto went on stage, he was shot.
[A pause. Because she's still angry.]
Yukio's the main suspect. It wasn't him--the idiots weren't listening to me, but it couldn'ta been him, the angle was all wrong. But he did have a gun pointed at Mephisto and so he got taken into custody. Whoever did it got away.
[She looks to the side, dropping her gaze from Rin as her lip curls into something of a snarl. She's still so pissed, she can feel herself starting to shake.]
They let me question him, but he wouldn' say a damn thing. But his eyes--Rin. He's inherited Satan's power. There's no mistaking what I saw.
[ He tries to sit tight as per her request, but the more she goes on, the more shocked he becomes. He can't stop himself from interjecting with small 'buts' and 'hows' but Shura seems intent on laying out the whole story before letting him speak.
What could he even say? To be honest, he wasn't even sure what he was feeling - a weird and unpleasant mix of shocked, furious, and hurt. A gun? Pointed at Mephisto? Satan's power? Yeah, he'd kept being sick from her, but keeping all this under wraps was a lot - he felt like he just got hit by a train. Once she finishes, he can't help but retaliate loudly: ]
How... How is that even possible?! [ It doesn't sound possible, and he doesn't want to believe it, not at all. He stands up in his state of confusion, one hand tight around the Kurikara and the other clenched into a tight fist. ] Yukio wouldn't.... he wouldn't do something like that...!
[ Yukio had been acting strangely, had been distant to him, had been lashing out, but he wasn't capable of threatening others, was he...? Did this have to do with that weird fight they'd had? Sure, it was weird for Yukio to yell at him like that, and he'd been meaning to bring it up again despite the fact that trying to smooth things over with him for the past few months hadn't exactly gone successfully, but that didn't mean he was capable of this. ]
If all that happened - then where was I?!
[ Even if all of that was true, which he didn't want to believe, he had to hope that his future self hadn't left Yukio alone. He had to believe that he would've rushed to his side, would've done something. The most important thing of all was figuring out if Yukio was okay, not off to get executed by the order - since the whole Satan's power deal is taking a second to catch up to his brain. ]
[Really, she's surprised that he lets her. It was a lot of information, and considering just how sensitive the matter is, she wouldn't begrudge him for interrupting her. She could almost barely believe the events of the last few hours at home, so to just throw it all at him at once when he had no idea what was coming at him.
Her hands come to rest on her knees as he moves to his feet, but she makes no move to follow him up. He had been in shock when she told him last time]
I only saw you for a minute or so when we were transporting him. You and the others were supposed to be holdin' at the dorms until we called, but I guess you saw the news and you went to try an' find him. I told you what happened and told you to go back to the dorms. Things were about to go to pieces, and we needed you exwires to be ready just in case orders came. He wasn't gonna get executed right on the spot, not with everythin' else goin' on, so I figured I had some time to get him to talk and figure out a plan. Then the Storm hit.
[And that was that. Shura pauses, looks away.]
I thought you just didn't wanna talk about it when I woke up. It wasn't until I talked t'Mephisto that I realized the timelines were messed up. He doesn't remember as much as I do.
[If she knew he didn't know, she wouldn't have waited to tell him. It wasn't a secret that was worth keeping from him.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
You haven't trained much since you woke up, have you.
[That's not a question. Of course, there were excuses. First arriving, getting sick--those were reasonable excuses, but it sounded like there was plenty of time in between those events. Just what had he been doing?]
If you can't draw it, then we'll work on it until you can. I'll have to figure out how to rig up some training dummies that can stand up to ya, but we'll have to get you back in good shape. If you're scared, you'll just have get more experience and work through your frustration.
[Less thinking, more action. It was going to be a pain with the only other kid from home being Shima, but it sounded like Rin hadn't isolated himself, so there was something to distract him when he needed to just play. Maybe Kamiki would reawaken, or the others would wake up for the first time soon. There doesn't seem to be that much of a need to scold him, not when he's already berating himself for what happened. Shura reaches over to him, gently ruffling his hair.]
No short cuts, but you're tough. You'll get over this hurdle jus' like all of the others you've managed.
no subject
[ As in: he continually felt low-key guilty about his lack of practice, but it was hard to be pushed to do it when there was no imminent reason to. He'd been using his powers when it was convenient for him - if it was cold or the stove wasn't working properly. But it definitely wasn't Sword Techniques 101 here. At least he has the mind to look slightly guilty about it.
The ruffling of his hair only causes him to look away bashfully, not exactly pushing his head away but definitely not leaning in to the affection. There's even a slight coloring on his cheeks out of embarrassment. Shura's kind words and advice towards him make him feel more secure, but it's always embarrassing when he gets the feeling of being babied...and that major showing of weakness he had just a few moments ago makes him want to cover up his vulnerability even more.
Not more than a year ago, he'd been holding her sword by the blade to keep her from killing him. But in this moment, for the first time in months, he almost feels at home. He accepts the oncoming practice - it would be hard, but familiar, would give him a sense of routine that he hasn't had since he woke up. ]
So, [ He clears his throat after a calculated silence, hands feeling clammy around the scabbard. ] Should ya hold onto this again?
[ That was the trend following his outbursts after all. Even if she couldn't ~magically store it away~ anymore, he still had to wonder. ]
no subject
Pulling her hand back, Shura straightens, waiting for Rin to decide on what he wants to say. But that isn't what she's expecting him to say, and her brows raise.]
I ain't gonna take it from you this time. This is different from before.
[This place was too unpredictable for leaving him unarmed, and keeping track of one sword the regular way was enough trouble as it was. Besides, taking it from him again wasn't going to help him regain his confidence.]
But there is somethin' else we gotta talk about.
[Now it's Shura's turn to take a pause. Her hands clench at her side, and she exhales, forcing herself to unfurl her fists.]
Rin, tell me the last thing you remember from home. Tell me about the last couple'a hours.
no subject
Uhh, me 'n everyone else were at Mamushi and Shima's brother's wedding...
[ Don't get him wrong, he's glad to move on to a different topic and talk about something completely different. But despite the fact that he'd met with Izumo, who'd forgotten a large chunk of history, he doesn't consider that he could be like that. So he just assumes Shura is asking since they weren't together from the time he remembers. ]
On TV, we saw somethin' about a big cyclops...? [ The more he goes on, the more uneasy he becomes about the phrasing she's using, and it shows on his face. Though he'd like to believe this is just the routine 'what's the last thing you recall' thing that happened between people of similar worlds here. ] Everything gets hazy after that.
[ He buckles the cover shut, watching her intently for whatever she was about to say to him. ]
Ya remember that, right?
if he's going to interrupt her before she finishes, let me know and I'll change it!
Yeah, I remember that.
[Wasn't this dandy? She was going to have to break the news about Yukio twice now! Her hand lifts to pinch the bridge of her nose, feeling something of a headache building. She can't begrudge Rin for not remembering when even Mephisto didn't remember the aftermath of the botched conference, but still. This couldn't be easy, could it?]
A lot happened after that. Rin, what I'm gonna tell ya ain't good. Just listen to me until the end, okay?
[He was going to have questions. That was only natural. But she's not going to pause to answer them until she finishes.]
That cyclops is part of somethin' bigger goin' on--there were attacks like that all over the world, and it was just gonna get worse. Mephisto was gonna hold a conference about it with the prime minister the next day--I was part of his security detail durin' it. But in the middle of the conference, right after Mephisto went on stage, he was shot.
[A pause. Because she's still angry.]
Yukio's the main suspect. It wasn't him--the idiots weren't listening to me, but it couldn'ta been him, the angle was all wrong. But he did have a gun pointed at Mephisto and so he got taken into custody. Whoever did it got away.
[She looks to the side, dropping her gaze from Rin as her lip curls into something of a snarl. She's still so pissed, she can feel herself starting to shake.]
They let me question him, but he wouldn' say a damn thing. But his eyes--Rin. He's inherited Satan's power. There's no mistaking what I saw.
it's all good!!
What could he even say? To be honest, he wasn't even sure what he was feeling - a weird and unpleasant mix of shocked, furious, and hurt. A gun? Pointed at Mephisto? Satan's power? Yeah, he'd kept being sick from her, but keeping all this under wraps was a lot - he felt like he just got hit by a train. Once she finishes, he can't help but retaliate loudly: ]
How... How is that even possible?! [ It doesn't sound possible, and he doesn't want to believe it, not at all. He stands up in his state of confusion, one hand tight around the Kurikara and the other clenched into a tight fist. ] Yukio wouldn't.... he wouldn't do something like that...!
[ Yukio had been acting strangely, had been distant to him, had been lashing out, but he wasn't capable of threatening others, was he...? Did this have to do with that weird fight they'd had? Sure, it was weird for Yukio to yell at him like that, and he'd been meaning to bring it up again despite the fact that trying to smooth things over with him for the past few months hadn't exactly gone successfully, but that didn't mean he was capable of this. ]
If all that happened - then where was I?!
[ Even if all of that was true, which he didn't want to believe, he had to hope that his future self hadn't left Yukio alone. He had to believe that he would've rushed to his side, would've done something. The most important thing of all was figuring out if Yukio was okay, not off to get executed by the order - since the whole Satan's power deal is taking a second to catch up to his brain. ]
no subject
Her hands come to rest on her knees as he moves to his feet, but she makes no move to follow him up. He had been in shock when she told him last time]
I only saw you for a minute or so when we were transporting him. You and the others were supposed to be holdin' at the dorms until we called, but I guess you saw the news and you went to try an' find him. I told you what happened and told you to go back to the dorms. Things were about to go to pieces, and we needed you exwires to be ready just in case orders came. He wasn't gonna get executed right on the spot, not with everythin' else goin' on, so I figured I had some time to get him to talk and figure out a plan. Then the Storm hit.
[And that was that. Shura pauses, looks away.]
I thought you just didn't wanna talk about it when I woke up. It wasn't until I talked t'Mephisto that I realized the timelines were messed up. He doesn't remember as much as I do.
[If she knew he didn't know, she wouldn't have waited to tell him. It wasn't a secret that was worth keeping from him.]