Inbox;

[flaredo]

"Heeey, you've reached Yang! Well, actually, you didn't reach far enough, 'cause I'm not here right now! But don't yang up! Just leave a message on this baby, and I'll get back to you soon enough, okay?"

[ Please specify VOICEMAIL, TEXT or CALL. ]

Comments

[flaredo]

...

He's... not my type?

[ THERE IS A VERY LONG PAUSE, in which Yang draws her hands back and goes completely silent, before-- ]

... So I was rejected, huh?

[masakados]

Eh.

[That is an unpleasant lurching in his stomach.

And Naoki's just going to whip around really fast to face her you're not serious right now are you Yang.]

[flaredo]

[ SHE SURE LOOKS PENSIVE RIGHT NOW. ]

Seriously, Jaune...

[masakados]

[There's an unpleasant knot forming in his stomach and oh hey there's that feeling of wanting to punch Jaune again. Twofold this time around.]

Er... Yang?

[His expression, because he doesn't know how to make sense of that knot of emotions, is bemused, anything else tucked away.] Did you actually mean it like--?

[flaredo]

Huh-- [ Yang pauses, blinking-- before she shakes her head, a smile taking hold. ]

I was just thinking if I had meant it like that, I'd be wishing for a little more tact! Seriously, how does a guy get one bitty compliment and turn it into a love confession??

[ JAUNE, SERIOUSLY-- ]

[masakados]

[And instantly Naoki can relax; he takes pains not to show it because why. Why does that make him feel relieved? It shouldn't bother him in the least if Yang might like someone--

You know what, no, he's going to put this out of his mind for now, if he starts thinking about it in depth here he's going to act strange.]

I dunno. Talking him out of it didn't work at all either.

[flaredo]

Mm... [ She folds her arms across her chest, musing out loud. ]

Should I punch him to make him atone for breaking my heart, so I can move on and find a new love that doesn't sell bootleg movies?

[masakados]

[Naoki grins, shifting his knees up to rest his arms on them, and planting his chin on his palm.]

I can hold him while you punch him, if you want.

[flaredo]

Thanks, but he didn't break your heart!

[ He didn't break yours, either, Yang. ]

[masakados]

Ah, right, you're the one with the very broken heart here.

[He reaches out to prod at one of her knees.]

[flaredo]

[ Yang snorts at him in response. ]

And you suck at comforting, Naoki.

[masakados]

[That just makes him grin more--]

If you were actually heartbroken, I'd make sure to comfort you way better.

[flaredo]

Yeah? You'd poke both knees, then?

[masakados]

If that was comforting somehow.

[He spreads his hands apart with a light shrug. But if she was actually heartbroken-- but he can't see any person who Yang liked turning her down.] Don't worry, I'd be way better at it.

[flaredo]

Thanks, but I wouldn't worry. [ with a casual wave of her hand. ] I'm not planning on getting my heart broken.

[masakados]

Yeah, I didn't think so. [Definitely not the type--]

[flaredo]

But what about you, Naoki? Any pretty ladies out there?

[ Can she tease you?? ]

[masakados]

Hmm? Sure, I bet there's plenty of pretty ladies out there. Lots of people here, after all.

[What a shit--] I think I mentioned before that I don't have anything for Romance Hour.

[flaredo]

Things change! [ wrinkling her nose at him, before she sighs heavily. ] Although I guess not for you yet.

[masakados]

Sorry I don't have any love life details for you.

[He chuckles.] Anyway, I'm still getting to know the people that I've met.

[flaredo]

But at least you're meeting them! You're not a lone wolf anymore.

[ She's so happy... ]

[masakados]

I'm pretty sure I stopped being a lone wolf when you decided to stick with me.

[But, after a contemplative pause, he adds with honesty because he's doing his best and opening up bit by bit:] I don't... you know. I'm not big on being by myself. [He hates it, honestly.] But in the Vortex World, I had to be. Since then, well... you know.

[He thought he had to be here, too.] But you've helped kick me out of it.

[flaredo]

... I'm not going anywhere, either.

[ She reaches out, to rest her hand on his shoulder. ]

It won't be just me, you know. You're going to end up with a lot of people who care about you. I'm just the first of many.

[masakados]

I know. I couldn't get rid of you even if I tried.

[But his expression is soft and he raises his hand to set over hers for a moment. No matter how many friends or people who care about him he gets, he thinks that Yang's always going to be a bit different-- special.

Naoki'll just keep that to himself, though.]

...but I guess we'll see, huh? Hopefully not so many that I can't keep track of 'em.

[flaredo]

But enough that you'll never be alone again. [ Even when Yang has to lurch off to keep herself from doing shameless things to him, thanks to spider bites--

Well, but that aside, she does intend to support him, so she gently squeezes his shoulder. ]