Weep little lion man

[doctor_dragoon]

Characters: Okumura Yukio and ANYONE
When: Meh, why not today.
Where: A little ways off from the apartment building
Rating: PG, probably?
Summary: Yukio's been having a hard time, and he's looking for some alone time. You're not going to let him get away with that, are you?



It had been days since he'd confirmed the disappearance of Fujimoto Shiro. More than a week, actually. Probably more. It was difficult to keep track of the days in Nesreca, where each twenty-four hour perioud was composed just of eating (when Rin reminded him), sleeping (when he was very, very lucky), and constantly foraging for supplies that rarely appeared. But he had to do something to keep himself busy.

It had been easier at home, the loss of his father. He had his job teaching to distract him, his missions, the pain less acute with all the distractions their world provided... but all he had here was Rin and the constant reminder that they were, once again, on their own.

He'd settled himself a ways from the apartment building, loading one of his gun with practiced, almost automatic motions. There would be no danger of ricochet. Not here, not now.

Gunfire rang out shortly after, the loud cracks permeating the air at even intervals as smears of white powder from his specially prepared blanks peppered the nearby concrete wall. It was theraputic, and he was long overdue for some proper target practice.

Comments

[pencilpremonition]

"Okay," she said, determined to at least hit the target area once. She closed one eye and tried to point the tab at the target area, then fired.

[doctor_dragoon]

"There we go!"

The marking struck the edge of the un-drawn triangle, making it a lopsided sort of square. It was likely just simple luck that brought the shot so close, but Yukio wouldn't spoil the moment mentioning that.

"Good work."

[pencilpremonition]

Becca grinned and took her finger away from the trigger, done with trying now that she'd met her goal of hitting the target. "That was fun~. Thanks for letting me try," she said, still keeping a proper grip on the gun until she passed it to him, much like passing a knife.

[doctor_dragoon]

He took the gun from her gently, the weapon quite at home in his hand, offering a congratulatory grin.

"You're very welcome."

[pencilpremonition]

She backed up a bit, then pulled out her notebook. "Can I watch you for a while? Or will that put you off your game?"

[doctor_dragoon]

Yukio nodded, taking up his stance before the wall once more. "Don't worry about me."

He'd come out here to be alone, to be honest, but he didn't mind Becca's company, and easily fell back into his routine. Shot after shot followed hers into the target area, tightening the space systematically until the wall bore a solid triangle of white.

[pencilpremonition]

Becca spent the time drawing him, first doing a drawing of him shooting his gun. Then she did a drawing of Yukio and herself holding hands. A girl can dream, after all.

[doctor_dragoon]

After a while he un-holstered the second gun strapped to his back, making sure that it was loaded with blanks before taking alternating shots with both hands. He wasn't born ambidextrous, and it would be a shame for him to lose the ability due to lack of practice.

[pencilpremonition]

She gasped in amazement, pausing in her drawing to just watch him shoot the two guns. Now that was cool. She started drawing him shooting two guns.

[doctor_dragoon]

He kept that up for a little while before finally calling it quits. He could try for a few trick shots, but Yukio was no showoff. He didn't have enough blanks to keep going for too much longer, and there was no way he was switching to real ammunition.

He glanced over at her, deftly expelling his used magazines and stowing them away. "What are you drawing?"

[pencilpremonition]

"You," she answered, smirking amusedly. "Want to see?" she asked, holding up her notebook. The wind whipped by and turned the page, though, displaying her drawing of the two of them holding hands.

[doctor_dragoon]

He stepped over to where Becca was seated to get a better look. He seemed impressed by the first drawing, though he only saw it for a moment before the wind saw fit to show him something else.

Yukio blushed brightly, staring opening at the picture displayed.

"Um..."

[pencilpremonition]

She could guess from the look on his face which picture the wind had decided to show him. She blushed vividly and quickly snapped the book shut, then opened it up carefully to the proper picture again and held it, careful to hold the pages so they couldn't blow to and fro this time.

[doctor_dragoon]

He did his best to will that blush down, pushing his glasses up his nose and smiling awkwardly.

"... That's very nice."

[pencilpremonition]

"I uhm. I uh..." She fumbled for words, still a bit embarrassed herself. "I'm glad you like it. I mean... I..." She took a deep breath, and decided to say something before she had a chance to rethink how bad an idea it was. "I'dliketoholdyourhandonthewaybackifyou'rereadytogobacknow."

[doctor_dragoon]

And then all of Yukio's attempts at careful composure went down the drain.

He'd never been particularly good at dealing with girls. They seemed to seek him out with startlingly often at home, but he'd never had time for that. Between missions and teaching and dealing with Rin, there was just no room left in his life to fit worries about crushes or dating or relationships... Aside from Sheimi, of course, but she was something entirely different that he had a hard time thinking about.

Here, though, there were no convenient excuses. Nowhere to run to. Becca was very nice and he didn't want to upset her, but it was difficult to think properly while his brain was suddenly deciding to operate as the teen-aged boy that he was rather than a rational adult.

"Ah... I'm not-... I-I guess?"

[pencilpremonition]

"We don't have to go back yet," she offered, still fidgeting nervously. "But...if you're done, it might be a good idea? You don't have to hold my hand... You must have a girlfriend back home you're staying true to..." Oh how she hoped he'd say no, that he didn't, but it was heartless to not even ask.

[doctor_dragoon]

He went silent for a few moments, stowing his weapons away before moving to sit awkwardly near Becca. Close enough to talk, but with a respectful distance between them.

"Not... exactly..." He sighed, fidgeting his fingers in his lap. "I question the wisdom of forming that sort of attachment in this place. You must understand my hesitation."

[pencilpremonition]

She nodded quietly. It was true, if either of them got sent home, it would suck if they'd started dating. Then again... Becca just had to open her mouth and say the most hypocritical thing ever. "You can't live your life afraid of the future, though."

[doctor_dragoon]

The hypocrisy of her statement wasn't lost on him, but Yukio was polite enough not to mention it.

"I'm not afraid." Yes he was. He rubbed at the back of his neck, smiling in a self-depreciating sort of way. There was a sad edge to it, though. "To be honest, I don't know if now is the best time..."

It was difficult enough to consider something like this normally, let alone with the disappearance of his father still hanging over his head.

[pencilpremonition]

She nodded quietly, not sure if she should let it go and accept defeat or try to push on ahead. She fidgeted nervously, then finally decided on what she needed to say next. "Why not? Is something the matter?" Maybe she could help him feel better.

[doctor_dragoon]

Yukio looked off to one side, hesitant. He didn't like to share this sort of thing. He couldn't be vulnerable, but Becca deserved some kind of answer.

"... My father was here for a short time," he started eventually. "But he was sent home recently." Sent home where he was already long dead. His appearance in Nesreca had been like a second chance for Yukio and Rin, and his removal had been just as painful the second time around.

[pencilpremonition]

It must be nice to have a relationship with a parent that isn't based on pain and abuse. It isn't one that Becca understands, though she knows it's important. She reaches out to put her hand over his. "I'm sorry. Are you looking forward to going home and seeing him again?"

[doctor_dragoon]

He should've known that a question like that would follow, and he turned that sad-edged smile on her again, hoping she would read between the lines.

"I'm afraid that's not possible."

[pencilpremonition]

Oh, she understood that one. She moved over and tried to pull him into a gentle hug. This wasn't about flirting now, this was about just how awful that was. That...that she could understand perfectly. Her father had died as well, and if she'd had a chance to see him here, she would have been heartbroken when he vanished.