thenearshore | [ closed ]

[It's not hard to piece together, once he's realized what all of those images were. Jae-Ha is... his now, for lack of a better term, and he doesn't know how to feel about that. If he had to pick someone, well, they get along and Jae-Ha has been here in his temple plenty of times already, but this isn't as simple as picking a partner to work with. He's seen this man's death, now, from more angles than he ever wanted to see it.

Before, Jae-Ha's lack of memories and status as a shinki were unfortunate, but not things he had to address, really. Now... another dead man, lost and misplaced from his people? Of course it had to happen again. Of course.

He finally manages to move - not getting up from the floor, but sitting up properly and trying to gain some kind of control over this situation. Somehow. He's... he's not a sensitive soul, as such.]

If you're gonna do this, [whatever "this" is, like maybe panic??] take a deep breath first. Talk sense.

[He's trying. He's trying. He drops his hand out of his hair, a strained expression taking over his panicked one from before. He knows where he is now, and he knows exactly what's going on, and it's no better. He likes Hazel, but—]

My god vanished, so they must have assigned me to you. [Like some sort of object, so that's cool. But wait— He glances up, again, still just in his own crumbled sitting position on the floor while he stares at Hazel.]

If I'm here, there has to be another. Can you... feel anything? [That's a stupid question, he realizes, so he tries to elaborate.] Another shinki? Someone else?

[Attitude, great, that's what they need. Hazel has the good sense to bite his tongue on saying as much out loud - he actually listened that time Jae-Ha vaguely talked about his problems being a shinki, be proud.

Instead of addressing that part right now, he reaches over and... stands the lamp he dropped back upright. On the floor. He needs something to busy his hands with, glancing back at Jae-Ha with genuine confusion in response to his question.]

Another one? [That's probably enough answer on its own, and it takes Hazel a moment to remember again - the other one, there were two of them in that quaint little temple of Jae-Ha's, so what happened to the other one? No one else is slamming doors all over his temple.] I'm afraid I don't know anythin' about that.

Damn it.

[It might be for the best, but he still mutters that under his breath. Hazel might stand up the lamp, but Jae-Ha is shifting now to wobble and stand. He's not so cold as to march out of here without offering Hazel his hand to help him up, though.]

I'm sorry. [For all of this, honestly. He's normally a pretty calm guy, so this is jarring, he's sure. He doesn't even know about the death thing.] I need to find him first. He's nowhere close.

[Dead man's hand. Hazel probably needs to turn on some lights. Still, he takes Jae-Ha's hand to get back on his feet.

He'll skip the question about how Jae-Ha can know where some other shinki is just by thinking about it. Not a pressing matter, honestly.]

...Alright. [Hazel needs some time to sit and think about this himself, all things considered. So Jae-Ha can go and find his pal, that's fine.] Go and deal with your young man.

[He can wait! He doesn't think it needs to be said.]

[Jae-Ha doesn't waste much time after he's explained himself. He turns, running back down the hall to the bedroom he'd woken up in to find his phone. It's only then that he jumps out the window to find Kija.

Some time later, however long it takes to make sure Kija is well taken care of and understands that Jae-Ha will be staying somewhere else, he climbs back in through that same window and looks for Hazel.

He hopes to find him sleeping, but he's almost positive that won't be the case. Wherever he finds him, he'll walk in silently. He's more than a little exhausted, but unlike earlier, he's actually composed enough to try and shove that back.]

[They really need to stop doing things like this when it's this late. Hazel isn't sleeping, of course not - he's in the room with the piano, not sitting at or near it, but standing by one of the windows with his arms folded, looking out. He's turned the lights on, though, so a few seconds after he sees the fuzzy reflection of Jae-Ha approaching, he turns to look at him.

So. This is kind of uncomfortable.]

How's your friend? Makin' it work?

[Does "nearly razing all of the far shore" count as making it work? Well, Jae-Ha had helped as much as he could... It didn't work for him to bring Kija, who had such a monstrous hand, here of all places. And it didn't sit well with him to bring someone else on Hazel like a burden, either. It pains him, somehow, to be away from Kija, but it's probably for the best that Kija try to bond with others more closely.]

Something like that. Our old temple is torn down, just like that, but he's found somewhere to stay. [He's still in his sleep robe, after all this time. Idly, he messes with his sleeves as he steps closer, stopping a few feet away.]

I must have startled you. [It's very uncomfortable... How do you address this?]

[Awkward... He can't stop thinking about the things he saw. It's a lot to take in, and he's been struck over and over with the innate knowledge that he can tell Jae-Ha absolutely none of it. Jae-Ha's life is, by no choice of their own, his to carry now.

It's just as much pressure when it isn't his fault; go figure. He tries to smirk, but it's strained.]

Well, praise the lord. I'll have a bruise the size of a peach back here from all that carryin' on, but I'm as whole as ever.

[Why is he like this... he's fine.]

So what're we meant to do now?

[Hazel being so Hazel is a comfort in the middle of a wariness he can't explain. He knows this man well enough, after so many days flying around like this world was something simple. He's trustworthy, he has a kind heart, and he's the only one Jae-Ha would face directly after waking up into a situation like this.]

That's up to you, isn't it?

[The minute he phrases it like that, he hates that he did. He's being unfairly cold right now, and it doesn't feel like there's any reason for it. He pinches at the end of his sleeves.] What I mean by that is, what do you want to do?

[Well, that isn't undeserved, given their situation. He knows they both know that this isn't his doing, and he has no firsthand experience of his own but he knows Jae-Ha doesn't enjoy being a shinki. Who would? It's a miserable, lonely existence, from everything he's heard.

Still, they won't get anywhere tiptoeing around the fact that they're stuck together now. He sighs, rolling his shoulders as he drops his hands down to his sides. Even now, he's fidgeting...]

I'm not the best of men, gettin' right down to it. Y'got shuffled off to me and that ain't fair, but I'm a good enough man that I can't let ya go off alone.

[Which is the most roundabout way to say he'll accept this assignment, baggage and all.] This ain't unfamiliar to me.

I'd prefer it if ya didn't run off.

[The answer gets him to relax a bit, as slow as it is. It's not extreme in either direction, which he appreciates. It's honest, and somehow it feels just as nervous as he is right now. Maybe it's the fidgeting giving off that impression.]

If I was going to run, I would have done it by now. [He wouldn't be back here, staring awkwardly at Hazel in his sleep robe. Hmm. It's a bit pointless now to shove sad thoughts away when he knows it doesn't matter how great his pokerface is. Still, there's got to be effort on both of their ends to break the tension, and Hazel already had a small attempt from his end. It only makes sense.]

It works out, doesn't it? I've been meaning to check up on you, anyway.

[Ugh, thank god, he can only keep up this much straight honesty for so long. It's a relief hearing that Jae-Ha won't run off— Hazel's given him plenty of permission to come and go as he pleases already, but this is different. This time it actually counts.

So that's settled, for the moment. He doesn't have to wonder if being a shinki for someone besides that 'Yona' is so abhorrent that Jae-Ha's going to go off and try to make it on his own, and die again. If he has to do something stupid, he could at least give Hazel a heads up first. It's only polite.]

Am I the responsibility, now? You're switchin' it around from the usual, from my understandin'.

[He means this to be lighthearted, really... Jae-Ha is most definitely his responsibility now, but maybe he'll think on that privately a little longer.]

[The relief snowballs, thankfully. Hazel seems to relax a little and Jae-Ha relaxes further, as well. It seems their relationship really isn't going to change from the base up. If anything, it might grow, but not in a way that changes the meaning. Somehow, even with those words, the lightheartedness comes across and Jae-Ha lets out a soft chuckle.]

Is that what you think?

[That gods are responsible for shinki, and nothing else? How silly. He crosses those few feet of space between them at a casual pace.] I hate fate and this system so much it makes my blood boil. But this isn't something you chose, either. I take this very seriously.

If anyone even tries to touch you, I'll tear them apart myself. [Does that make it clear enough that he thinks this is a two way road?? He hopes so, because he's extending his hand now.] Give me a name.

[Well, Jae-Ha's already feeling better about this, it looks like. Hazel blinks at him when he comes closer, and he has no answer to start except a shrug. It seems obvious, that shinki are the gods' responsibilities - if he's going to be called a god and he's going to do anything useful at all, it's going to be looking after this man.

At the same time, all of that... does make it pretty clear how Jae-Ha feels. They both hate this system, and honestly that helps.] Alright, alright, y'made your point powerfully clear.

[He sees no particular reason to advise Jae-Ha against tearing people apart... That seems normal, for this kind of relationship??

That hand's waiting for him, though, and he reaches out to take it after a moment's pause. Okay, well—] Y'got ideas? Or maybe a dictionary?

[It's an amazing relief to know that you have a god that won't chain you down, even if he can't explain the worry. Who knew? His upset over Yona hasn't vanished, certainly not, and he's still worried about Kija, but he'll be checking on him consistently. And he'll need a good partner to get to the bottom of all of these horrible things, anyway.

It all works out in the end, even if Hazel apparently can't even think of a good word to call him.]

You could always call me "Beautiful." [He just smiles, like this is a completely serious suggestion, still holding that hand.]

[He's been put on the spot! It's still early and it already feels like it's been three days since he nearly took a swing at Jae-Ha with a lamp. Give him credit for fumbling effectively through this god thing and ignore his pitiful knowledge of how to write any kanji. Hmm.

...Well, he might as well check... One of these rooms has a bookshelf and maybe there's a dictionary on it, so without saying anything else he simply sidesteps Jae-Ha and tugs him out of the piano room by the hand. Let's go.

He will let go when he does conveniently find a dictionary, and does his best to look up "beautiful"...]

Well, I'll be damned. That's not so hard. [This is mostly to himself, before he looks up from the book at Jae-Ha.] Might as well, I reckon.

[last chance...... to not be called pretty boy officially...]

[Oh, here they go... Jae-Ha follows along, trying to talk himself out of the busy way his mind is racing about various things. Like if he'll become a boot again. That would be unfortunate for Hazel.

Of course, he has no qualms about being called beautiful.]

Now, you should know I've only done this once before. [stop] Be gentle. [double stop]

Quit yappin' for a second. [He's busy looking at this dictionary, don't start making it weird!! Good to know they're both still like this, even after this immense change.

He peers at all of the available kanji, which is... only somewhat mind-boggling... But this first one is easy enough that he can actually read it, and fortunately he's instilled with some kind of natural sense for how this naming thing works now. But while he's still working it out, not even looking at Jae-Ha‐] Biki...? Is that the way?

[whoa where did jae-ha go]

—Oh, that's most certainly the way.

[Here he is, a dragon pendant on the ground... What the fuck, Hazel.]

What are you doing, saying it casually like that?! You dropped me on the ground! [Now the pendant is yelling at him, so this is a great first experience with shinki.] I said be gentle!

[WOOPS... He shoves the dictionary back onto the shelf carelessly, stooping down to pick up the, uh, Jae-Ha dragon necklace. He's a goddamn necklace? What's this supposed to do?

There's a little dragon on it though, so like, can Jae-Ha see out of its eyes or something...? Hazel stands there holding it up in front of his face, like this is going to test his theory.]

How was I meant to know you were gonna turn faster than a dog tryin' to catch its own behind? [That's flattering.] I'm not sure what I was expectin', to be quite honest.

[Look at this thing... Take back that sass about his tie, goddamn.]

It's better than a lone boot.

[Just trust him on this one. Somehow, he knows what he is even if he can't see himself, but he can't quite witness how cheesy he is from that, either.]

I must be stunning, for you to be staring at me like that. [That's not quite it, but he'll dream.]

[A what the hell now? No, backstory he doesn't need, skip it.]

You're somethin' else. A real novelty. [Should he... put the necklace on...? That seems like too much for this, right now, so after considering briefly he sets the pendant back down on the ground. He doesn't want to know what random part of Jae-Ha he'll be holding if he does this with the thing still in his hand-]

"Jae-Ha"'s how it's done in reverse, ain't it? [hey...]

[ sure enough, here he is, standing just like before he had changed initially. Jae-Ha stares down at himself curiously. ]

Yes... I wonder, if my form is different then is my ability, as well? [ He has no idea how this works, either. He just had decided on assuming his power was balance when yona didn't fall over in a single heeled boot... ]

[How does a man turn into a necklace? Truly one of life's great mysteries. Hazel reaches out and pats him on the shoulder.]

That's enough of that for now, ain't it? Give it a day to settle.

[Wait until it's a little bit less awkward...]

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jae-ha calm the fuck down

jae-ha has never been calm in his life

that may be true

what happened here

jesus christ

arrest jae-ha again

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yes

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