[open] we're closed to the earth until further notice

[reformedsinner]

Who: Cho Hakkai and you
When: Oct 15-17
Where: Around the Near and Far Shores
What: The best way to deal with stress is to stay so busy that there's no time to think about it, right? No flaws in this plan.
Warnings: Ayakashi-fighting violence in the Oct. 16 PM prompt, probable mention of illness/death in the Oct. 16 AM prompt, mention of suicide in Gojyo thread

Oct. 15 - Gardening, Temple of Li Tieguai

[Mid-morning finds Hakkai in old clothes and rubber gardening clogs at the front of his temple, where bright yellow chrysanthemums have bloomed all around the outside wall. He has a stack of cheap plastic pots, a trowel, and a wheelbarrow half full of pots filled with freshly uprooted flowers, and he's leaving a long series of sad little pits in the turf behind him.

It's not that he minds flowers, of course. Flowers are fine.

It's just that he's noticed the way these particular flowers seem to be influencing his mood, and he doesn't like it at all.

He sits back on his heels as someone approaches, and wipes sweat off his forehead with the back of one hand, leaving a long streak of mud there instead.]

Good morning! Would you like a potted plant?

Oct. 16 (AM) - Prayers, around Tokyo

[Tokyo's crowded on Sunday mornings, even on a gray and rainy day like this one, where the first gold and orange leaves of fall have been beaten down from the trees and are fading to soggy brown in the gutters and the canals. Hakkai slips through the crowds like a shadow, messenger bag over one shoulder as he scrolls through his phone calendar and snuggles his transparent umbrella closer down over his head. It's not doing much to keep the water off; he keeps having to dry his phone screen on his sleeve, to the annoyance of the small white dragon snuggled down on his scarf.

Chirps of complaint trail in his wake, and he looks up from his phone to murmur to the dragon quietly.

Unfortunately, that means he's not looking where he's going anymore, and in a crowd like this, if anyone's standing still--

-- well, they've just been run into by a man, a dragon, an umbrella, and a very heavy bag.]

Oct. 16 (PM) - Leech Treatment, Ikebukuro

[Hakkai hadn't really planned to wind up doing any fighting today. He has a long list of followers he needs to visit. He's busy, damn it, but a bloated purple leech-thing had detached itself from the neck of a glazed-over pachinko player as he brushed past and lunged for his face.

He hadn't had a choice, which he plans to point out to Chikusa if this gets him in trouble, considering that he also hadn't brought any of his shinki.

The leech is determinedly crawling towards him across the concrete. He aims a kick at it, and it dodges with surprising speed and bites at his toe, leaving an ugly, deep scar across the leather of his shoe. Jeep, reluctantly, lifts off his shoulder and circles up above the umbrella as Hakkai considers the stubborn ayakashi.

This is not the afternoon he'd planned on.]

Oct. 17 - Morning Classes, Abandoned Temple School - Mingle

[Hakkai doesn't always show up for the morning shinki spell practice sessions, but he's here today, sitting towards the side of the courtyard and taking notes in a battered memo book in between circulating to help with borderline or Bind spells. He'll occasionally stop, too, to listen in if anyone's talking about other spells. He'd only bothered to learn Bind himself, after all. It might help to learn a few extra....]

Comments

[reformedsinner]

Ah, well....

[...so he'd thought he would just feel better without having to worry anyone, if he gave it time?

That's a thought process almost as silly as Hakkai's. He sympathizes.]

I appreciate your concern, but, really, I can manage.

[Even if he is a pathologically private person by choice.]

[smilingbullet]

[ Wouldn't most people prefer to not worry others?

D2's expression turns suddenly mischievous. ]

Oh, so then I should've just tackled you all of a sudden instead. Alright, I'll keep that in mind for next time I need the Hakkai Hug Cure.

[reformedsinner]

[Hakkai surprises himself with his own laugh; the corners of his eyes crinkle as he nods.]

Yes, exactly. Just, ah, make sure you do it from my left side.

[Since tackle hugs from his blind side aren't likely to end well for anyone.]

[smilingbullet]

[ Ah. Well. That's nice. He's happy to make him laugh and smile. ]

Even if I feel like getting past the challenge that might give me?

[ But he won't come from his blind side, except if it's by accident. ]

[reformedsinner]

[Cheerfully:]

Oh, I can catch you coming from either direction, but from the left I'll see who you are.

[smilingbullet]

Oh, I don't doubt that. I have seen you fight after all.

[ Against Ayakashi, sure, but still. He remembers that well.

But if he doesn't see who it is he might react slightly different from if he can see. ]

[reformedsinner]

[Hakkai's cheer falters, and fades back to his former mild expression, as he nods.]

Indeed.

[It's not something he'd normally have trouble joking about, but being jumped at from his blind side is potentially dangerous. And the subject can't help but make him remember the death he'd seen when he named Gojyo, the death that hadn't happened, where Gojyo had caught his wrist as he lost control in a fight, and Hakkai had turned with his claws at the ready before he saw who it was.

He turns his attention, after a moment, to his umbrella; as he opens it, a spray of droplets scatters across his bag. Jeep, nestled down between the handles, looks up with an aggrieved chirp.]

[smilingbullet]

[ There is an obvious change in atmosphere. It makes D2 wonder what Hakkai might have suddenly come to think about, though it was probably the conversation that had reminded him of what it was. He gives Jeep a quizzical look and then Hakkai as well, as if he might be able to tell what was wrong just by looking.

But he has no such abilities. In the end he is merely a completely normal SOG soldier, with nothing supernatural or paranormal about him. ]

It was meant as a compliment-... What's wrong?

[reformedsinner]

Ah, well.

[He stalls, briefly, and settles for:]

... It wouldn't be while I was fighting, I hope.

[He's trying to sound light and amused, but he suspects he's not succeeding.]

[smilingbullet]

That I'd go for a hug? Of course not.

[ But no, he's not getting away so easily. So: ]

What's wrong?

[reformedsinner]

Bad memories. Of someone who -- [he hesitates; he's not going to offer details, not when it didn't actually happen, not when it's a memory that can be very dangerous to spread around.

Not when he's talking to a shinki.]

-- who I didn't see in time.

[smilingbullet]

[ D2 wouldn't tell, he doesn't go around spreading people's secrets.

His frown deepens, now even more from concern.

On the one hand, he wants to know so he can try to help more. On the other hand, he doesn't want to force him to talk. ]

...you okay?

[reformedsinner]

I'm all right. ... It's just a memory.

[He offers a small smile, trying for reassurance. It's fine, really.

Or, if not fine, it's a lie, at least.]

[smilingbullet]

If you're sure..

[ Except no... ]

I could give you a hug for you if you like.

[ The offer is genuine, though he believes a "no thank you" is mode likely than "yes please". ]

[reformedsinner]

[Hakkai's smile softens, turning genuine, and he shakes his head. As much as hugs seem to help D2, he mostly finds himself feeling awkward.

The offer of one is more reassuring than an actual hug, in the end.

Still--]

I appreciate the offer. I'm, ah, I'm afraid hugs don't work as well for me, though.

[smilingbullet]

All right..

[ That is what he expected. ]

If you ever feel like you do want one though, the offer stands.

[reformedsinner]

Thank you.

[The hug itself might not help.

The offer, surprisingly, does. Hakkai smiles, glancing away for a moment, before he looks back up at D2 with a more cheerful expression.]

Ah, well, I suppose I should finish my to-do list before I head back home. I appreciate the help here, by the way.

[smilingbullet]

[ Whatever makes him feel better. And Hakkai does look better at least for now. ]

I suppose that you should. Would you like more company or are you two gore interested in continuing on your own?

[reformedsinner]

On our own, I think. I wouldn't like to take up your whole day.

[Besides, he'll be teleporting around for most of these deliveries; he might like the company, but it's indisputably easier solo.]

[smilingbullet]

You wouldn't have to worry about that, my schedule is flexible.

[ But see, he may be a fool of an idiot but he's not stupid. ]

You know, you can be completely honest with me.

[reformedsinner]

... What?

[Hakkai sounds mildly confused. He'd just been engaging in a bit of basic politeness, after all; that doesn't even register as what D2 might be talking about. Is he pushing for some other topic?]

[smilingbullet]

It goes for anything but for example right now, if you'd prefer to work alone you can just say so. I know it'd be faster if you could just teleport, which I unfortunately can't do. [ He smiles and directs a nod toward Hakkai's bag. ] At least that's a only little lighter, but be careful not to drop it again.

[reformedsinner]

[In other words, "If you want to get rid of me just say so, don't be polite," Hakkai realizes, and laughs.]

Well, I don't want to derail your whole day with my chores, either! But yes, that's part of it.

[His smile crinkles the corners of his eyes.]

I promise not to drop the bag, too. See you later.

[smilingbullet]

[ Yup, that's exactly right. D2 is a grown man, he can handle it. ]

I don't mind at all, personally.

[ He's all good, it's always nice to hang around friends for a little while. ]

See you later~! Have fun with work and don't overdo it.

[ He's going to wave because of course. They'll see each other again soon if D2 can help it anyway. ]