Finally Free

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

Who: Kaito Watari and YOU! Open of all the people
Where: The Cancer District
Summary: Kaito is finally feeling better and he's out wandering the town, but mainly in the Cancer district. Backdated to the 20th.
Warning: X-treeeeeeeeeeeeeeeme silliness



It was a little warmer, and Kaito was feeling less sick, so clearly this was his chance to go outside and get some fresh air. Yes.

This was clearly the best time to window shop in the Cancer district instead of going to, let's say, somewhere more outdoorsy. Like a park. How about it, Kaito? Feel like going to a park?

...No? Just going to press your face against the glass and stare at all the cool shit?

Alright then!

Comments

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

....Wow, Yamato, did he...realize how he was coming off?

"Heh, you know everyone said that I shouldn't joke about you liking me, but I guess that's not a joke, huh?"

[drakenguard]

Yamato made a small, confused noise, tilting his head to the side slightly as he regarded Kaito thoughtfully.

"...no, it isn't," he admitted easily. He guessed he liked Kaito. He tolerated him a great deal to ignore his foolishness most of the time, in any case. Even if they disagreed on many things, he did enjoy talking to him - even if he found it frustrating that he was unable to sway him to his viewpoint. He was powerful. He was talented. A natural born leader. Reasonably handsome too, he supposed, if he took note of such things.

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

But see, and here's the point here.

"Well, that doesn't mean I'm special or anything. You just like me!"

Duh. Seriously, if Joe could get a girlfriend, it's not that huge of a stretch, dude.

[drakenguard]

There was a bit of a pause.

"Well, yes? I like you because you're special," Yamato said slowly. That was how he figured it out anyway. Where was Kaito going with this?

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

...Um. Oh boy.

"Er...you. Know about romance and stuff, right?"

That had better be a "yes" or something.

[drakenguard]

Yamato's gaze flattened slightly. "I'm not an idiot. I'm well aware of romance."

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

Okay, just checking.

"Are you sure it isn't...you know. That?"

[drakenguard]

A brief pause.

"That? ...Are you implying that I'm romantically interested in you?"

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

"That's...what it looked...like."

To...everyone, really.

[drakenguard]

Yamato sat there with a small frown, his gaze lowered to his now lukewarm and mostly untouched coffee. Was he...? Was it that obvious to everyone else? Admittedly, he harboured some very intense emotions regarding Kaito, but surely...not...

Well, the emotions were similar to when he was interested in one of his teacher's. He could admit that Kaito was aesthetically pleasing to look at as well, especially when in the midst of bat-

Oh fuck.

"Ah."

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

Uh, what just happened?

"Ahh, uh, sorry, I thought it was something like that, but that's probably not it, huh?"

Was he wrong about it? Was it just Yamato not realizing how he was coming off?

[drakenguard]

Yamato was indecisive. Should he, perhaps, simply lie and withdraw? Why did Kaito bring it up, anyway? Was there a reason for it? He was implying that Yamato was merely seeing him as special due to bias of romantic intentions, but he could have simply let the matter drop unless he was interested himself-

Yamato felt his brain start to hurt. He wasn't sure what the proper route to take would be. Would it be inappropriate to continue? Had Kaito given him an out to bow out and never speak of it again? Did Yamato even wish to do anything with those romantic feelings? Uncertain... he wasn't...

Yamato played with his cup.

"You are...correct in your assumption."

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

Well, now that that's all cleared up-...w....wait a minute.

"...Oh. Uh. Haha. Ahh."

You did it, Yamato.

You've struck him dumb.

[drakenguard]

Yamato lifted his gaze, watching Kaito closely. He appeared extremely discomforted. Yamato almost winced. A massive misstep. But too late to take it back. Go with it.

"Is it a problem? I understand that homosexuality is regarded with disgust in society, as it is considered not the norm."

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

"Not, it's...not that, believe me, it's not." Kaito figured that out since like Wednesday or something. That's small potatoes!

[drakenguard]

"But there is a problem with it," Yamato said, for some reason feeling a bit...uncomfortable. He couldn't explain it, but it was almost like he had developed a stomach ulcer in the last few seconds and it was making itself known in the most obnoxious way possible.

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

"I'm...not sure, actually. Cuz, like..."

How to say this.

"You've been really stable so far and I'm just thankful for that, you know? That we can actually talk like this, or like have disagreements, but still be friends."

[drakenguard]

Yamato blinked in obvious confusion. Stable? What?

Oh. Was he referring to Yamato's minor freak out regarding Alcor when they first arrived here? Yes, that must've alarmed them, but Yamato had been certain it'd been established as a one time occurrence. Unless - well they came from different timelines. Had he done something in their time...?

"I'm afraid I don't follow," he said carefully, "Have I come across as unstable to you at some point in your world? We had a very aggressive fight in mine, this is true, but I conceded my defeat at your hands as per the agreement."

By getting crushed beneath Tsuutenkaku but whatever.

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

"Yeah, that conceding part didn't...happen."

Kaito almost looked...was it sad or scared? Hard to tell...

[drakenguard]

"What? Why didn't I..."

The gears in Yamato's mind spun rapidly. Well, considering they went with Alcor, perhaps the Yamato of that world felt concerned over the star's Septentrione's status? Perhaps? Other factors were possibly involved, so Yamato couldn't say for certain. He made a frustrated noise.

"I see."

He focused on Kaito's anxious expression then, suddenly feeling a bit agitated himself. Right, so his other self came across as highly unstable to Kaito, which in turn has made him wary of him, which... enlightened Yamato to several things but-

"Perhaps...but I am not him," Yamato said quietly. "Are you going to blame me for whatever he did?"

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

"No! It's not even that, it's just...you tried to kill us. Or...not you you, obviously, but..."

...So. Scared, then.

[drakenguard]

Yamato abruptly leaned back in his seat, drumming his fingers on the table with an emotionless expression.

"I see."

His tone was utterly flat.

"You're scared of me."

It wasn't a question.

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

"Well...ah." He can't really answer that, can he?

"Not...as much as before. And whatever happened with you then obviously didn't happen with you..." God that was going to get so confusing.

"But..." Eventually, he nodded

[drakenguard]

Yamato was quiet for a long moment. He couldn't - he wasn't sure what to do. He felt frustrated. Not that he actually expected his feelings to be reciprocated, but the thought that one of the main reasons why he was being rejected was due to something beyond his control-!

He couldn't even smack his other self for doing this to him! He had no one to blame but himself, even if it was an alternative version! His frustration had no target and- Yamato shoved it down into a poisonous little ball. Ignore it. Deal with it never.

"...I understand," Yamato said dully. "Is there nothing I can do to change how you feel?"

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

"I don't...know. Maybe I just need more time. I...do like hanging out like this, though. Even if we fight sometimes."

There's nothing you can really do to stop pants-wetting terror, bro.