[A few hours after this disaster happened, Kotori is going to hear a strange tap tap tapping against one of the main windows of her pub restaurant. Should she investigate, she'll see a little brown hawk looking curiously inside.]
[Luckily for the birdy, Kotori's downstairs, trying to let go of the stress from earlier. Making sukiyaki-don from the pot, some Linzer cookies from scratch (thank goodness for a recipe that doesn't require anything sharper than cookie cutters and butter knives), maybe some reading from the library-- huh?
Kotori looks up a... ridiculously large bird in her window. ... Veeeery cautiously she'll approach the window, but not open it quite yet.]
[The hawk makes a soft chirrup sound as she tilts her head to look at Kotori before hopping closer. There seems to be a piece of paper tied to her leg.]
[Akari will let Kotori take the note without a fuss and then just watch her as she reads the message:]
My master was a dumbass, but he wants to make it up to you by letting you have a free punch to his stupid face.
[It's probably weird to imagine a hawk's voice saying these words, especially when the bird has its head tilted up in a rather cute angle.
But Kotori won't have to wonder long about the true writer of the message since a few seconds later Akari will chirp and look over to where Rokurou is half hiding half standing by the next building.]
Hey, it's not stupid. [He's straightened up and is looking at her with sincerity.] It's natural to have these kinds of feelings and not know what to do with them.
[She's still cowed and ashamed, but... a SLIVER of tension eases, enough to show she's trusting him to be vulnerable around.]
Maybe for one person, anyway. But thi-- [.... Yeah no, she's... going to move to close the door behind them. And sink to the floor.] It goes straight from natural to... to gross!
[She looks up in surprise at that. She hadn't expected a promise THAT grave.]
... Two of them are way too old for me. One is Shizuo-san, and... well... now I'm starting to crush on my teacher. But he's my teacher, and his wife died, and he has a five year old daughter and HE would never think of me that way! He shouldn't! I shouldn't but...!
[She tries to calm down her sniffling before it turns to full-on sobbing, but thinking of Shizuo... doesn't help, for once.]
A-and Shizuo-san... I don't know HOW he's not sick of me... I'm always asking him for help, and he's always putting himself in danger to keep me safe since I can't do anything... He almost DIED saving me in the last story...!
[And of course the one time someone DID offer to train her to fight, Della called her useless to her face, and Kotori blew up like the ungrateful brat she is. No wonder Della hasn't spoken to her since then.]
[Even he's aware at how sensitive the topic is, and when he takes something seriously—he means it. So he listens without any judgment—really it's not like he's in a place to judge given that he's a daemon and all.
He recognizes the name even if he's never really interacted with the man himself, and mulls over her dilemma. A few thoughts come to mind, but given how upset she is, just going full dialogue wouldn't be the best thing.
So he lowers himself down and places a hand on top of her head.]
Hey, it's okay. Everything you're feeling is natural—it's not weird at all.
Yep. You're going through a lot of things at once, and it's all new and overwhelming for you. Add on social expectations and it would be weirder if you didn't have some kind of breakdown.
So how about this—let's tackle things in smaller pieces. I can't promise you'll feel completely better, but it should at least help clear things a little more for you.
[Geez, what ISN'T bothering her the most... But... she actually takes the time to think about this... and after a few long minutes, she has an answer.]
I'm scared that... if I let them know, our relationship will change. They might feel awkward, or disgusted, and...
[Deep breath...]
And Roxas-kun... if he finds out he's not the only one I love that way, it'll break his heart...
[The quiet sobs start again.]
They're all so precious to me, I can't... I can't lose their friendship...
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
[ action ]
pubrestaurant. Should she investigate, she'll see a little brown hawk looking curiously inside.]Birdy!
Kotori looks up a... ridiculously large bird in her window. ... Veeeery cautiously she'll approach the window, but not open it quite yet.]
no subject
no subject
What is this, Empatheias?Kotori opens the window slowly and offers her hand to the birdy, like she would to a cat or dog.]Is... this for me?
[If Akari lets her, she'll reach down to gently untie the paper and hold it up to read.]
no subject
My master was a dumbass, but he wants to make it up to you by letting you have a free punch to his stupid face.
[It's probably weird to imagine a hawk's voice saying these words, especially when the bird has its head tilted up in a rather cute angle.
But Kotori won't have to wonder long about the true writer of the message since a few seconds later Akari will chirp and look over to where Rokurou is half hiding half standing by the next building.]
no subject
[Why would she... She'll follow Akari's gaze out the window to...]
Rokurou-san...?
no subject
Hey, Kotori.
no subject
You can come in, Rokurou-san. I'm not going to hit you.
no subject
You sure? It's a pretty good offer that most wouldn't pass up.
[But he's walking over.]
no subject
I'm sure.
[The last thing she needs is two mentors hating her... But she still moves from the window to open the door for him.]
I'm... really sorry for snapping at you earlier.
no subject
At her apology, he just shakes his head.]
Nah, it's fine. I was teasing you and went too far, so if anything I'm the one who should apologize. [And he gives her a deep bow.]
1/2
Still, she's a bit startled at how deep the bow is, eyes widening and beginning to fluster.]
N-no wait, you don't--
2/2
It's not... like you were wrong. It's a really stupid problem to have. ... I'm...
[She's stupid...]
no subject
Hey, it's not stupid. [He's straightened up and is looking at her with sincerity.] It's natural to have these kinds of feelings and not know what to do with them.
no subject
Maybe for one person, anyway. But thi-- [.... Yeah no, she's... going to move to close the door behind them. And sink to the floor.] It goes straight from natural to... to gross!
no subject
Because of having multiple crushes at once?
no subject
And... [... Gulp.] You promise not to tell anyone about this? Ever?
no subject
On my family's honor.
no subject
... Two of them are way too old for me. One is Shizuo-san, and... well... now I'm starting to crush on my teacher. But he's my teacher, and his wife died, and he has a five year old daughter and HE would never think of me that way! He shouldn't! I shouldn't but...!
[She tries to calm down her sniffling before it turns to full-on sobbing, but thinking of Shizuo... doesn't help, for once.]
A-and Shizuo-san... I don't know HOW he's not sick of me... I'm always asking him for help, and he's always putting himself in danger to keep me safe since I can't do anything... He almost DIED saving me in the last story...!
[And of course the one time someone DID offer to train her to fight, Della called her useless to her face, and Kotori blew up like the ungrateful brat she is. No wonder Della hasn't spoken to her since then.]
no subject
He recognizes the name even if he's never really interacted with the man himself, and mulls over her dilemma. A few thoughts come to mind, but given how upset she is, just going full dialogue wouldn't be the best thing.
So he lowers himself down and places a hand on top of her head.]
Hey, it's okay. Everything you're feeling is natural—it's not weird at all.
no subject
Is it...?
no subject
So how about this—let's tackle things in smaller pieces. I can't promise you'll feel completely better, but it should at least help clear things a little more for you.
no subject
Where do I even start...?
no subject
no subject
I'm scared that... if I let them know, our relationship will change. They might feel awkward, or disgusted, and...
[Deep breath...]
And Roxas-kun... if he finds out he's not the only one I love that way, it'll break his heart...
[The quiet sobs start again.]
They're all so precious to me, I can't... I can't lose their friendship...
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)