[She's here. She looks solid. She steps aside, and Hajime enters her room, only to turn to her once the door is closed and reach out to gently touch her shoulder, seeking to verify that she's still tangible and real.]
You're okay.
[And he leans forward, kissing her forehead briefly before just resting his own against hers.]
[She allows him to place a hand on her shoulder, and then also allows for the kiss. Once his face is close enough she raises a hand to stroke his cheek idly.]
I am okay, are you? What happened?
[Hajime makes himself a little too easy to read, her lips pressing against his cheek in concern.]
[He exhales and closes his eyes, visibly relaxing at the gentle touch to his cheek. It makes his skin tingle in a way he's still not quite used to; casual contact is still something that feels rare and special.]
Erika's... it's not just Erika.
[His hand slips down from her shoulder, seeking one of her hands to twine their fingers together. It's hard putting together a sentence that makes sense. How does he explain any of this?]
You've heard her, right? On the radio, the woman Venus is calling the devil, or whatever?
[That dick. The man who was going to marry her off for the sake of the family, or something. The same man Goro murdered. But, then again, the same man Haru loved as her father.
Hajime frowns, concerned, tilting his head to meet her eyes. He can't lose Haru to the devil. He won't.]
[He leans down, rests his forehead against hers again. He's not trying to cut her off, just get closer to her, as if he might be able to lend her whatever strength he might have.]
I don't want to agree to it, either.
[And there's audible relief in his voice when he hears she doesn't want to, because even if he doesn't want to admit it, it was worrying him. That whatever the devil might say could be enough to tempt her. Hell, it was tempting Ryuji, and that's worrying enough.]
She was... talking about stuff that happened back home, stuff that happened here... like she was expecting me to just trust her.
He asked me about it, too. He hasn't done anything yet, but he definitely thought about it.
[He sags in visible relief that Ryuji went to Haru about it as well. She sounds uncertain, as he does, but... Ryuji had said that he trusted his and Dave's opinions.]
You're right... I should just try to believe in everyone, but Erika...
[He squeezes her hand, leaning into the hand at his shoulder as if seeking to get closer that physical reassurance.]
I want to support him as much as I can, even if it means he will take the Devil's offer. I can't be angry with him, Hajime.
[But this next statement strikes her in the heart, nearly takes her off guard. He ran here because he was afraid. Because he didn't want to see the same fate for Haru that he saw for Erika. That Ryuji may step into.
She takes that chance to pull him closer.]
You won't lose me. You won't! I absolutely will not falter in refusing the Devil. I have too much in front of me.
[He all but wraps himself around her when she tugs him in, closing his eyes and pressing his nose into her hair. He's shaking, though he's trying to hide it. Just the barest tremor that makes his hands grip at her back all the more desperately.
He wants to believe in his friends. He wants to know that they're making the right choice, that no matter what happens, they'll be okay. But he's scared, he's so scared.]
I just want things to go back to normal, [he mumbles into her hair.] I don't know how to stop it.
[Her poor not-boyfriend, he's so scared while she is trying her hardest to remain so calm. She doesn't know what to do to fix anything. Which is what bothers her the most. She can't fix it. She can't help anyone make a decision for themselves.]
I don't think we can stop it. I think... this has to run its course. As much as I do not like to say that to you.
[Giving up. That's just giving up, isn't it? He keeps his eyes closed, nose against her hair with a soft exhale.]
She's everywhere. I can't even go in the cafeteria without her whispering right into my brain.
[There has to be a way to stop it. There just has to be. It's a mutter, one he doesn't seem to know he's saying aloud,] Maybe... if I do something to Venus... she'll stop it.
[Is this going to be fight number two? Well, that depends on how he reacts to things of course.]
You come in here and tell me that you don't want to lose me, that you don't want anything to happen to me. What about you? What if I don't want to lose you either? What you are thinking of sounds dangerous!
[It's not fight number two, because surprisingly enough, he does know how to listen. And he's still shaken enough from his earlier encounter that he doesn't have something firm to cling to, a single argument to try to follow through. He just has Haru, his hands still clutching her back.]
You're right. There has to be another way, we just have to find it.
[Incredible, he's listening. This is truly an improvement from the last time. She lays her head on his shoulder. She doesn't have anything to suggest at the very moment and she doesn't know how to make him feel anymore secure than this.
A promise between them that they would hold on.]
Mm, and I think that we will, or... that someone else will.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2018-10-05 08:15 am (UTC)From the looks of it, Haru is untouched by the Devil. Not having said no, but not having said yes either.]
Hajime? Come in.
[She steps aside. Allowing him room.]
no subject
Date: 2018-10-06 04:43 am (UTC)[She's here. She looks solid. She steps aside, and Hajime enters her room, only to turn to her once the door is closed and reach out to gently touch her shoulder, seeking to verify that she's still tangible and real.]
You're okay.
[And he leans forward, kissing her forehead briefly before just resting his own against hers.]
S-Sorry, I was worried.
no subject
Date: 2018-10-07 06:35 am (UTC)I am okay, are you? What happened?
[Hajime makes himself a little too easy to read, her lips pressing against his cheek in concern.]
no subject
Date: 2018-10-08 04:51 am (UTC)Erika's... it's not just Erika.
[His hand slips down from her shoulder, seeking one of her hands to twine their fingers together. It's hard putting together a sentence that makes sense. How does he explain any of this?]
You've heard her, right? On the radio, the woman Venus is calling the devil, or whatever?
no subject
Date: 2018-10-09 03:08 am (UTC)Of course I have heard her, the voice that is.
[She frowns a little.] She is saying things about my Father.
no subject
Date: 2018-10-09 03:40 am (UTC)[That dick. The man who was going to marry her off for the sake of the family, or something. The same man Goro murdered. But, then again, the same man Haru loved as her father.
Hajime frowns, concerned, tilting his head to meet her eyes. He can't lose Haru to the devil. He won't.]
Do... you want to talk about it?
no subject
Date: 2018-10-13 04:39 am (UTC)[The voice wanted to help her forget. The voice wanted her to feel better. The voice...the voice.]
I don't want to agree to it.
no subject
Date: 2018-10-13 06:37 am (UTC)I don't want to agree to it, either.
[And there's audible relief in his voice when he hears she doesn't want to, because even if he doesn't want to admit it, it was worrying him. That whatever the devil might say could be enough to tempt her. Hell, it was tempting Ryuji, and that's worrying enough.]
She was... talking about stuff that happened back home, stuff that happened here... like she was expecting me to just trust her.
I'm worried about everyone right now, Haru.
no subject
Date: 2018-10-15 03:41 am (UTC)I hope he wouldn't, but I have a feeling that he may have.
[She rubs his shoulder, squeezing softly.]
Everything is going to be just fine.
no subject
Date: 2018-10-16 05:59 am (UTC)[He sags in visible relief that Ryuji went to Haru about it as well. She sounds uncertain, as he does, but... Ryuji had said that he trusted his and Dave's opinions.]
You're right... I should just try to believe in everyone, but Erika...
[He squeezes her hand, leaning into the hand at his shoulder as if seeking to get closer that physical reassurance.]
I just don't want to lose you, Haru. I can't.
no subject
Date: 2018-10-17 02:11 am (UTC)[But this next statement strikes her in the heart, nearly takes her off guard. He ran here because he was afraid. Because he didn't want to see the same fate for Haru that he saw for Erika. That Ryuji may step into.
She takes that chance to pull him closer.]
You won't lose me. You won't! I absolutely will not falter in refusing the Devil. I have too much in front of me.
no subject
Date: 2018-10-19 05:08 pm (UTC)He wants to believe in his friends. He wants to know that they're making the right choice, that no matter what happens, they'll be okay. But he's scared, he's so scared.]
I just want things to go back to normal, [he mumbles into her hair.] I don't know how to stop it.
no subject
Date: 2018-10-24 05:51 am (UTC)I don't think we can stop it. I think... this has to run its course. As much as I do not like to say that to you.
[She feels so helpless.]
no subject
Date: 2018-10-25 04:56 pm (UTC)[Giving up. That's just giving up, isn't it? He keeps his eyes closed, nose against her hair with a soft exhale.]
She's everywhere. I can't even go in the cafeteria without her whispering right into my brain.
[There has to be a way to stop it. There just has to be. It's a mutter, one he doesn't seem to know he's saying aloud,] Maybe... if I do something to Venus... she'll stop it.
no subject
Date: 2018-10-26 06:37 am (UTC)[Is this going to be fight number two? Well, that depends on how he reacts to things of course.]
You come in here and tell me that you don't want to lose me, that you don't want anything to happen to me. What about you? What if I don't want to lose you either? What you are thinking of sounds dangerous!
no subject
Date: 2018-10-26 01:39 pm (UTC)[It's not fight number two, because surprisingly enough, he does know how to listen. And he's still shaken enough from his earlier encounter that he doesn't have something firm to cling to, a single argument to try to follow through. He just has Haru, his hands still clutching her back.]
You're right. There has to be another way, we just have to find it.
[We, together.]
no subject
Date: 2018-10-27 04:51 am (UTC)A promise between them that they would hold on.]
Mm, and I think that we will, or... that someone else will.