thenearshore | (no subject)

Who: Yona, her shinki, and others happening to be wandering by her temple.
When: Mid-to-late July (following certain conversations among her shinki)
Where: Yona's Temple
What: Information (and volatile emotion) is being shared among Yona's three shinki and it has some less-than-pleasant side effects for their goddess.

[ It had been a few days since she'd revealed the truth behind her nightmares - and the happenings that haunted one particular chamber within her temple - to Shizuo after he'd pressed for her trust and it had given her a lot to think about as well, revisiting that place and the memories of that night. Not that she didn't still see it so vividly in her memories and nightmares, but here... she hoped that being here might be able to give her new perspective on that night.

So far, she wasn't having much luck finding it. But she hadn't spoken any more about it to anyone either, spending a few days quieter than normal and immersed in her own thoughts as she dealt with her own emotions and the grief Shizuo told her she needed time to accept. It's distracting enough that she doesn't immediately realize how much it's affected her first shinki until she feels the sharp stinging pain that she knows come from him, but feels it much more intensely this time than she has before. Giving a yelp, she drops the book she'd been holding (and definitely not paying attention to enough to be reading) to rub at the sharp pain in her upper arm.

Well. That had been decidedly unpleasant. And far worse than the stings she'd gotten from her shinki before. Troubled by that, she debated what to do and whether or not to confront him over this one, but as it seemed serious, she finally pushes herself to her feet to go looking for him. Unfortunately, he proved rather difficult to find (because she hadn't thought of the roof) and while she looks, her other two shinki have, in the meantime, discovered him. And the hole he'd left in the wall. And then got the story directly from him about why it was now there.

Which is why, in abrupt succession, There is more stinging, each more painful than the last but still annoyingly in the same spot on her upper arm as tempers flare and the negative emotions created by the information has a direct physical effect. Shizuo's own is still mixed with the guilt of having damaged her temple and the effect rebounds between the three until Yona gives a soft cry, clutching at her arm near the entrance to her temple as she staggers for a moment and leans against one of the bright crimson pillars.

Her arm throbs in a way it's never done before, the pain deep and aching, and without thinking, she draws the sleeve of her dress up to reveal the dark discoloration of Blight now staining her skin and she stares at it in alarm, completely caught off-guard. ]

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[No, he can't protect her from anything of the sort, but he can be an ear to talk to or a shoulder to lean on or...

Her question immediately flushes his cheeks and he makes an uncomfortable noise, looking down at her with wide eyes Did she really just ask him that...? WHAT KIND OF A MAN DO YOU THINK HE IS?]

I-Is that what you want...?

[ Despite the seriousness of the situation, she can't help but laugh at his expression, hand lifted to muffle the sound. ]

Don't worry, Hak. I won't ask that of you.

[ Besides. She knows she'd never be able to sleep with him so close. Not when he doesn't remember... well. Anything. While that would solve the problem of unwanted nightmares, it opens up a whole new number of problems. ]

[It takes a bit before his expression softens at the sound of her laughter, and he takes comfort knowing that even in times like these, she's still able to do that. Even between all of the stinging and the nightmares, she still found a reason to smile around him.

That must mean he isn't doing everything wrong, right?]

If I slept near you at night, would it make you feel better?

I know you are nearby, Hak. I can... I can feel you, for lack of a better word. It's comforting in itself.

[ As much as it might be accompanied by the ache of understanding, by never forgetting what it means that he is here as her shinki. ]

[~~There are about five other ways I can think of answering this.~~ He's forgotten about the link she has with him - being able to feel his presence and his anger, and he bows his head, his smile disappearing.]

That isn't enough for me, but if it is for you then I will accept it.

[ She startles at that, her head coming up as she searches his face, both puzzled and concerned. ]

What... It's not? What do you mean? [ It takes a moment to realize that her efforts to not be a bother to him - to any of them - might have created more problems than it has solved. Far more. She flushes, looking momentarily ashamed. ] I'm sorry. I didn't mean to... I'm doing it again, aren't I?

Doing what again?

[He hides the inklings of his smile by turning his head enough that she shouldn't be able to see it, even from where she's sitting.]

You do a lot of things.

Making things worse by trying not to be a bother.

[ She huffs out a sigh, her shoulders slumping. ]

You are sometimes a bother.

[He tries to smile for her when he hears the sigh, but it comes out crooked.]

But you're more of a bother when you try to not be one. Maybe you should learn from this.

I don't mean to be a bother at all.

[ It's bluntly honest, despite her quiet tone. ]

I keep trying to be stronger. But maybe you're right.

I am right.

[He offers it simply and matter-of-factly, like this is something Yona should already know. Hello, he is always right. He would otherwise offer her a bold grin were it not for the heavier topic and he falls back into a more serious tone.]

And maybe you already are, but that isn't how you get stronger.

[ She cannot rely on you for everything, Hak. That is not fair to either of you. But she is still struggling to find where that new line now separates them, on how much is alright and how much is too much. The fact that there is so much she can't say does not make this discovery any easier. ]

I thought I had figured all that out, before I came here. But being here, having this new responsibility placed on me.... I feel like I understand so little, and must fumble my way through everything from the very start all over again.

Is that not what everyone is doing? Fumbling their way through things?

[That's sure what it seems like to him. As far as he knows, there are very few people who have come and gone from this temple that are native to this place, if there are any at all. Some have just been here longer than others but that probably doesn't mean no one else feels the same.

His frown soon disappears though, because sarcasm is much easier for him to fall back on in times like this and he's found that it usually works with her.]

Maybe that's why the Heavens gave you so many shinki. Because you're fumbling so much.

[ Usually it does. And it probably would have, if her arm and shoulder hadn't chosen just then to give an angry throb, reminding her of its presence. She shudders, practically able to feel it spreading a little further beneath her robes.

She winces before giving a soft laugh, trying to match his humor. ]

Perhaps that's why. Although if that was supposed to solve this, perhaps I still need a dozen more. I don't think their plan is working very well.

Three is enough. We don't have enough food to feed a dozen and three shinki and enough rooms to sleep them.

[He notices her wincing again and he pulls her in by the shoulder into a tight embrace again.]

This Blight is nothing compared to having to take care of Shizuo and Jae-Ha. Are you sure you would want a dozen more of them?

I think one is plenty of all of you, honestly. [ She manages to cast him a smile at that, warm and fond. ] Besides, no one could manage to duplicate any of you, no matter how hard they tried.

[ She leans into his embrace for a long moment, soaking up the warm comfort he offers before finally giving a soft sigh and straightening again. ]

I should probably go speak to the others.

[His hands come to rest on her shoulders, giving them a reassuring squeeze before he steps away from her, putting a few feet of distance between them.]

You should. Keep my robe for now, but try not to get it dirty.

[ She ducks her head, but his offer makes her smile and she tugs it close around her shoulders, clutching it to her. ]

Thank you, Hak.

[ Still wrapping herself tightly in it, she flicks him once more glance before ducking her head and hurrying back towards the temple. ]