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[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. ]

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[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. ]

[masakados]

... [Never be alone again...

Naoki shifts suddenly, onto his knees, one sliding against ground as he moves closer to her and extends his arms to her. He doesn't give a lot of forewarning but he thinks this is the best way to express his gratitude for, well, everything; sliding his arms around her and pulling her closer to hug her.

She doesn't know everything about what he's done yet, and maybe she'll end up thinking differently about him, but that's all right. He'll always be glad for all of this--]

[flaredo]

[ There's not a lot of forewarning, and Yang's confusion shows for all of three seconds, a questioning noise trapped in her throat when he pulls her against him.

... Ah. He'd said himself that he hadn't liked being alone. He'd spent who-knows-how-long doing just that, against his will. And he trusted her to tell her all of this, to reach out for her first.

It's why Yang reaches back, still on her knees as she curves her arms around him and props her chin on his shoulder. There's that sense of protectiveness that tends to crop up when she thinks about what he's been through, but there's something else layering it. Something like--

She tightens her arms. ]

I've got you.

[masakados]

[Naoki's smiling as he turns his face into her shoulder, then down against it so his forehead rests there, head leaning sideways against her neck. When she tightens her arms, he tightens his, hands spread against her back.

It's not like the Vortex World. He doesn't have to be alone, and he can trust that Yang's not going anywhere on him, isn't going to run off without saying something. Even if it happened yesterday, wasn't what happened afterward proof enough that it's different?]

Mmmhm, [he hums just that, awfully happily, before adding in a low voice,] I know.