synflux | open / closed

[ It seems like every time she sees him, Yuji gets a little rougher looking. Her imagination? His smile is the only thing that never changes. Always bright, always warm. ]

Oh. [ If he's busy, she shouldn't take up anymore of his time, should she? ] I was going to a temple, so...it might take a while.

That's fine! I have hours until I have to go to work.

[ Yuji waves a hand, trying to keep that happy expression in place. ]

Lead the way.

[ Unfortunately for Yuji, unless he does the talking, Lucy is mostly quiet for the duration of the walk to the station and the subsequent train ride. This is, sad to say, one of her biggest flaws. Six months spent with other Outsiders and she still only occasionally knows how to carry a conversation. But, to her credit, she does look to be listening any time Yuji says anything.

Once they reach the temple, she gets a bit more chatty. ]

Have you ever been to this temple before?

[ It's not as if Yuji minds: have you seen who his closest friends are? Megumi is the quiet sort, and so is Raidou, generally, so it's not as if it bothers him if the two of them are on the quieter side of things for now. He'd be happy to walk alongside her and not say a single thing about it all - it does mean his mind is going to wander off, but...

Lifting his head, he looks around before he grins. ]

Yeah! Raidou's taken me before, I'm pretty sure. It's pretty, isn't it?

Very. It's still in good condition too, despite the kaiju.

[ She sighs quietly to herself. Now that she's actually here, her feet feel leaden. Each step takes more energy than the last. Why? Why now? Why at the last stretch?

She takes a steadying breath and straightening her posture. ]

Okay. Sorry...I'm ready.

[ Yuji pauses, waiting for a moment, before he steps closer, reaching out to offer his hand. It might be clawed, and a little gross looking in his eyes, but he'll offer it to her all the same. ]

Do you want to walk together?

[ It's not so much the claws that give her pause upon hearing his offer. She only spares his hand a glance before looking up at him instead. Smirking. ]

Don't you have a boyfriend? Holding someone else's hand...scandalous. I might have to tell on you.

[ She's in good enough spirits to joke again, at least! ]

Huh? What?

[ Yuji's eyes widen. ]

What do you mean? It's just holding your hand, it's not like I'm trying to kiss you or something!

[ He's too honest for his own good. Too well-meaning. ]

Teasing...sorry.

[ She waves her hand, still snickering, and smiles a bit softer. Gentler. More distant. ]

Not really used to people wanting to do that kind of thing. [ with me ]

I don't see what the problem is. I like you!

[ Then, his eyes widen, and he waves his free hand around. ]

As a friend! A friend!

[ A friend...

Even that is so much. But she can't fault him for not knowing. How could he have any idea that to be her friend is a curse? That it's to suffer? That she's failed everyone who she could've called that?

For a moment, her hand twitches. She raises it some as she considers allowing herself this luxury, this closeness.

Instead, she shoves her hands both into her pockets and looks away as she steps forward to continue walking. ]

Try not to get lost. The crowd is a bit big today.

[ Friendship is easy for Yuji, familiar, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's a good thing for him, either.

Everyone he loves has died, been taken from him, ripped from his hands. There's only a few left to fight for, and even they might get taken... And he doesn't know how to cope with that.

So he throws himself into this. Taking care of others, helping others, protecting and defending them. Loving them, with all that has left inside of him, until he burns into ashes too.

Slowly, his hand drops away and he shoves it into his own pockets. ]

Do you think I'm that dumb?

[ She snorts out a laugh and shakes her head slowly. The question put her in a better mood, at least, since she looks back over at him with the kind of smirk on her face that makes you want to slap it off. ]

Do you really want me to answer that?

I think that was answer enough.

[ Damn... Right to the heart, huh...? Yuji sighs, shaking his head. ]

Cold!

[ She can't deny that. Even when she shouldn't be, her replies are always freezing. Who's to say that ice might not flood and drown others if she were even a little bit warmer? ]

I'm only teasing. Sorry. [ Maybe she should pray for more compassion while she's here. If Kannon will even entertain such a prayer. ] Thanks for coming with me.

[ It's not as if Yuji minds... His best friend is Megumi, after all. ]

It's fine. It's been fun, just to walk around a little bit.

You're pretty easy to please.

[ This time she's not teasing, despite how the comment might seem. She's actually smiling too much to keep up the grouchy facade. ]

Guess I should get you some taiyaki after this as a thanks.

You think so?

[ He's always been that way, so... That's just how it is. ]

You don't have to do that, but I'd be happy to hang out more.

I don't have to, but I want to. [ Huff ] So there.

[ As they draw closer to the main shrine, she bites her lip in thought. Unlike her last visit to a temple, she's not sure whether it's right to offer a prayer of apology. What if it winds up being the same as the other one? Wouldn't using a similar prayer upset the spirits? Or is she thinking about it too hard? ]

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