"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?"
[ She's not asleep. She almost wishes she was, for how often the memories are rushing through her mind. And she's tired, no doubt about that, but she's also sitting (sort of, half-slumped) back against her pillows and gingerly touching her arm. It's healed now, thanks to Naoki, but again, the memory's still so fresh that it's almost overwhelming.
[Naoki slips inside, shutting the door behind him and frowning. He crosses the room to her, stopping at the side of the bed as his gaze drops down to her arm.] Does it still hurt?
No, it's... just like it never happened, honestly. [ But it did. The slightly tormented look on her face is proof of that. She's glad Naoki didn't get caught up in the fight, that he'd stayed here and been safe, but the more selfish part of her wonders if things would have gone differently if she'd had him by her side. ]
[Naoki lowers himself down on the edge of the bed, reaching over to sweep his fingertips gently along her arm. He hasn't asked what happened since they got back. He doesn't ask it now.
Instead he touches her, shifts himself closer as though to tell her that he's here now. The look on her face tears at something in him.]
[ ... She's worrying him. And worse, she can't exactly reassure him. Even if she tried to smile, he'd just take his cues from her emotions, and Yang sighs, chagrined. ]
Naoki, I... [ She drifts her fingers down to graze his, swallowing hard. ] I wasn't able to protect... as much as I wanted to. Some Huntress, huh?
[Naoki turns his hand, until he's catching at her fingers-- and then he interlaces them, squeezing her hand. He gazes down at their hands as those words resonate in him, making him remember all of the instances in which he couldn't...
He never wanted her to have to feel anything like he did. His fingers tighten with hers and he brings her hand up to him, pressing it against his chest.]
Yang, [and his voice is firm,] you tried. You did what you could. You can't blame yourself for that.
[He can only say that because they're words that she gave to him first. He can think differently and return the words to her now thanks to her. Even though he never wanted to say them to her like this, never wanted for there to be a situation like this for her.]
Did I? I keep thinking, if I'd moved faster, if I'd thought a little more-- I mean-- [ Her voice grows tight, and her fingers fold over his, trembling just enough to convey that she's really not all right at all. ]
I know thinking like that is pointless, but I can't seem to stop!
[He brings her hand up further, pressing his lips gently to the inside of her wrist. Naoki lingers there before he moves closer to her, leaning down until he can pull her into his arms, hold her tight while wishing he could just absorb all of those bad feelings and leave her free of them.] I know. You can't stop thinking of all of the things you could've done instead.
I've done the same thing. But we're only human.
[Sometimes he still does, like it's a bad habit, like there's a scab that he has to keep picking at because he can't seem to stop himself. It's easier on him now, but that didn't happen right away.]
You did what you could. Even if it's hard to believe that right now. [He breathes out slowly.] It'll be okay, Yang.
[ There's a lone sniffle, Yang not entirely able to stave off the tears or the thickening lump in her throat, brought about by Naoki's gentle words, his proximity, and the memories still very much there-- but as he pulls her against him, she doesn't protest, curving her free arm around him and dropping her head against his shoulder. ]
[Naoki's strokes his hand down along her back, wishing he could stroke the pain out of her. But he can't. Instead, he'll curl up with her and keep running his hands along her back, bringing her closer against him, his nose tucked into her hair.]
I can't make it better faster... [Or he would, in a heartbeat.] But I won't leave you alone.
... Thanks. I'm starting to think I should just keep you by my side all the time.
[ Which is unusual for Yang Xiao Long, Free Spirit, Independent Woman-- but Naoki's more than her boyfriend, he's her partner. Even though they'd agreed to conduct investigations separately this time... she just feels better when he's by her side, just like now. He should be able to feel the turmoil and swirl of her emotions subsiding slightly, with every pass of his palm over her back. ]
[As he takes in how her emotions start to calm, he thinks maybe he can help after all. Not completely, but he knows that not being alone, being with Yang, helped him. His eyes shut as he presses his forehead against her hair, feels it brush to his cheeks.]
I wouldn't mind if you did. [One of his hands slides up her back, to stroke along the side of her neck before tucking behind it.] I mean, that's saved me.
[--because he's not the same as he used to be, and he realises this.]
Saved you... huh? All I did was care, Naoki... [ A quiet murmur, and she snuggles closer, seeking out his warmth as her knuckles press against his back. He's touched her plenty, at this point, but no matter the situation, she always finds that sense of security behind it. ]
That was an amazing thing for me, you know. [Naoki tightens his arm around her as she snuggles in. A soft kind of relief works through him, just because she's here close to him and he can keep her close. Even though he's still worried, so worried it hurts.] Not everybody can care like you do.
[Though it can be hard on people sometimes too. Like now.]
I do happen to like being unique. [ Although she thinks it would have been better if more people had cared about Naoki and his opinions before he'd met her. It's almost her usual level of sass, if she wasn't still so exhausted and worn down from what the jungle had put their motley crew through. Ruby, at least, had been safe, which had been the utmost priority.
[Murmured as he presses his lips to her temple. He's moving to cup her face with one of his hands, to urge her to turn it up so he can see her eyes. He feels as though he's had his chin tucked over her head this whole time.]
[ Probably because she's had her face buried in his shoulder this whole time-- but she lifts her head, meeting his eyes with her reddened ones. She looks tired, vulnerable almost in the way Naoki had appeared to her when he'd called her to come over. Maybe not as desperate, but there's a raw sadness to her now, that she can't seem to gloss over behind her usual confidence. ]
[Naoki's thumb touches underneath one of her eyes, his expression softened with concern. He leans in close, kissing above her eye before placing his forehead against hers.]
Don't keep anything back, okay? [He'll just say that and squeeze her, palm skimming over her back.]
Like I could, with you. [ completely sincere-- she closes her eyes against the warm pressure of his forehead, releasing a sigh that trembles more than she would have liked. ]
[His voice is earnest and there's not a bit of him that doesn't mean it. He's going to be stuck on her side. Now is the last time Naoki would want to leave Yang by herself.]
[ Well, okay, maybe he can't accompany her into the shower, because Ruby would make noises... but it's nice to have him with her, where she can't be trapped by her own spiral of thoughts. ]
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When he steps in, she glances up. ]
... Hey.
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[Naoki slips inside, shutting the door behind him and frowning. He crosses the room to her, stopping at the side of the bed as his gaze drops down to her arm.] Does it still hurt?
[His voice is soft.]
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Instead he touches her, shifts himself closer as though to tell her that he's here now. The look on her face tears at something in him.]
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Naoki, I... [ She drifts her fingers down to graze his, swallowing hard. ] I wasn't able to protect... as much as I wanted to. Some Huntress, huh?
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He never wanted her to have to feel anything like he did. His fingers tighten with hers and he brings her hand up to him, pressing it against his chest.]
Yang, [and his voice is firm,] you tried. You did what you could. You can't blame yourself for that.
[He can only say that because they're words that she gave to him first. He can think differently and return the words to her now thanks to her. Even though he never wanted to say them to her like this, never wanted for there to be a situation like this for her.]
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I know thinking like that is pointless, but I can't seem to stop!
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I've done the same thing. But we're only human.
[Sometimes he still does, like it's a bad habit, like there's a scab that he has to keep picking at because he can't seem to stop himself. It's easier on him now, but that didn't happen right away.]
You did what you could. Even if it's hard to believe that right now. [He breathes out slowly.] It'll be okay, Yang.
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I wish it was okay a little faster.
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I can't make it better faster... [Or he would, in a heartbeat.] But I won't leave you alone.
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[ Which is unusual for Yang Xiao Long, Free Spirit, Independent Woman-- but Naoki's more than her boyfriend, he's her partner. Even though they'd agreed to conduct investigations separately this time... she just feels better when he's by her side, just like now. He should be able to feel the turmoil and swirl of her emotions subsiding slightly, with every pass of his palm over her back. ]
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I wouldn't mind if you did. [One of his hands slides up her back, to stroke along the side of her neck before tucking behind it.] I mean, that's saved me.
[--because he's not the same as he used to be, and he realises this.]
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[Though it can be hard on people sometimes too. Like now.]
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But Minato, and Link... ]
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[Murmured as he presses his lips to her temple. He's moving to cup her face with one of his hands, to urge her to turn it up so he can see her eyes. He feels as though he's had his chin tucked over her head this whole time.]
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Don't keep anything back, okay? [He'll just say that and squeeze her, palm skimming over her back.]
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... I'll be okay, though. You're here with me.
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[His voice is earnest and there's not a bit of him that doesn't mean it. He's going to be stuck on her side. Now is the last time Naoki would want to leave Yang by herself.]
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[ Well, okay, maybe he can't accompany her into the shower, because Ruby would make noises... but it's nice to have him with her, where she can't be trapped by her own spiral of thoughts. ]
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[Naoki chuckles, nudging his forehead against hers. His lips find her cheek in a brief press.]
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[ She slips a hand between them, thumbing gently over the two lines across his cheek. ]
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Hey, I don't blush as much as I used to.
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[ Said with relish. She just adores the way his face gets all flushed, okay? ]
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