[closed]

[dolleyed]

Who: A stubborn asshole and a benevolent soul. (Kohaku & Yui Kusanagi)

When: Thunderstormy early evening of March 31st.

Where: Genessia Shrine
What: Kohaku was too stubborn to get with the system and just find a place to live, so now he's stuck out in the rain. Yui's a saviour.
Warnings: Kohaku's swearing, otherwise none.

[ So this whole 'getting settled' thing had worked exactly not at all for Kohaku. He hated this city, he hated most of the people in it and he certainly wasn't thinking of settling in-- 

But he was also losing all reasoning in his head as to why. Obviously he was not going to go back home and why would he even want that? He was free here, so why would he even be complaining? Thinking too much about why this felt so hollow and revolting just made his mood drop lower. Getting by with street music and pick-pocketing was easy enough at least, even without questioning the purpose.

Easy enough until the damn rain starts and won't seem to stop again. Kohaku glares at the warning message on his communication device as if somehow that would fix the weather, but obviously to no avail. He knows he needs to get inside somewhere, but he also has zero inclination to be asked questions. Wrapping his jacket around the violin case - better he gets soaked than an instrument - Kohaku makes way through the streets as raindrops obscure his vision of where he's even going. ]

Comments

[graduations]

[ Yui had been in the middle of picking up a few pleasantries for guests at the shrine. Some teas, a proper tea set. The one that was there seemed like it was a little old to give to actual guests, and while she knew her way around a shrine, proper tea ceremony care wasn't in her skill set. She knew how to handle modern tea cups though, and that made it easier to offer it to guests.

It was a little thing, and most of the time people didn't stay at the shrine, but there had been a couple of occasions. Given what had happened in Attleton, she wanted to be prepared to help those who hadn't. Plus, there was a large house around there that she wanted to check out the pricing for in order to help out with the children's home she was working on with David.

That was when she saw Kohaku, soaking wet, clearly protecting something. Not being in the spirit of ignoring people who clearly need some help, Yui quickened her pace to catch up with his. ]

Excuse me, sir?

[dolleyed]

What?!

[ Aggressively snapping is a nice reflex reaction you can execute before even fully turning to see who you are faced with. Not that Kohaku particularly cares at any point in time just who it is that he's offending. However, recognizing Yui faintly from his first run-in with video communication, he's inclined to at least not bite her head off without good reason. She hadn't been entirely insufferable this far.

Clutching the violin case more tightly, Kohaku continues walking. Not really time to keep standing while talking. ]

[graduations]

[ She almost seemed to jump a full inch when he snapped at her. He was so intense! And- oh, wait, that was.. She recognized Kohaku, calming down after a brief second and seeming to force herself to relax. ]

I was going to ask if you wanted to walk under my umbrella. You seem to be protecting that, so I figured it would be better.

[ Yui still sounded a teensy bit frazzled even as she said that. ]

[dolleyed]

[ If he had the capability to feel bad for startling someone, maybe he would - but the sad reality is that what he feels comes closer to irritation with the fact that she was shocked at all.

Too bad that she actually makes a really reasonable offer.

Gnnn....

Well, between pride and instrument, instrument gets a victory. Kohaku grits his teeth, but his expression is much less threatening already. ]

Yeah, that'd be... useful. Wish you could rely on violin cases to be 100% watertight...

[ ... where's the 'thank you'? Somewhere in there. Probably. ]

[graduations]

[ She smiles and moves over to cover him with the umbrella too. She's a little shorter, obviously, but she doesn't mind holding it still. He has to carry his violin. ]

Where were you heading? We can stop there first.

[dolleyed]

[ And there they go, the dead end question. ]

... somewhere dry.

[ An.... unspecified somewhere dry. In between annoying and infuriating this situation now is also slightly embarrassing. What a great mixture. ]

[graduations]

Somewhere...

[ She paused for a moment. It couldn't be- could it? That's.. oh no. ]

Kohaku-san, do you not have anywhere to go..?

[ Her heart's going to break for him. ]

[dolleyed]

[ What's with that intonation? Oh no, oh nonono. Come on, he's homeless by choice here! That's gotta count for something! ]

Nope, not really. That makes this weather just a tad bit annoying, but whatever.

[ The most dismissive tone ever. He'd add a handwave if he had a free hand. ]

[graduations]

I work at the shrine, if you want to keep dry. I'm sure it'll be easier on your violin too..

[ Because seriously. Water is not good for wood, Kohaku, the sound will be all off if it swells.. It's clear that he cares about his violin, at least, even if he's claiming the water is just a "tad bit annoying" for himself.. ]

[dolleyed]

[ There's a moment of silence as Kohaku grits his teeth. But violin > everything. It's basically a lifeline, here more than anywhere else. He's not here to become free or to defeat once-human dolls or even to overthrow any government (yet) - so he's just here to play music. Losing that.... It's not really a good time for pride. ]

Gotcha.

[ ..... ]

[graduations]

[ She's confirmed that that will work at least. Kohaku doesn't seem too difficult to nudge in the right direction, at least when it's raining. Yui gives him a kind smile. ]

How long have you been playing violin?

[dolleyed]

[ How... long indeed? You'd think that picking it up first would have been some kind of livechanging event etched into his memory forever and ever to fondly look back on, but truthfully, Kohaku doesn't know when or how it came to be. To the furthest point of his life that he can still think back to, he's always been working on it relentlessly. A lot of his childhood memories are a blur, but this one constant is always there. Imagining himself without the instrument seems like an impossible task by now. ]

My whole life, really. Must have been really damn young when I first started.

[graduations]

Do you really love playing, Kohaku-san, or is it something that you do because you've always done it?

[ There's a distinction and she doesn't want to assume anything about him. ]

[dolleyed]

Wha--?

[ The question actually catches him offguard and for a second he readjusts his grip on the violin case as if to make extra sure to not lose it now. ]

Playing's like... breathing! If you're really a musician, it's a part of you!

[ And he wouldn't know where to go without it. ]

[graduations]

I didn't mean to offend you, I just.. I've known people who've done things their whole life and still didn't know what they wanted to do.

[ Herself included. She straightens up a little bit, holding the umbrella firmer as she looked at him. ] I thought it was better to ask you than to make assumptions. I'm glad that's the case for you though.