bravenewworld | Closed Log: The Hardest things in life...

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Closed Log: The Hardest things in life...

Who: Yakumo and Harima
What: A conversation that needs to happen
When: Early December
Where: Somewhere around the Tsukamoto residence.
Summary: Yakumo finally fesses up to Harima, Shenanigans happen
Rating: S for School Rumble Antics

It'd been a few days since Yakumo evolved, and a few weeks since Harima and Napoleon had moved into the spare part of her house and things were beginning to feel a little different. For one, Harima was just more present, and for two...the normally quiet girl felt much more comfortable and confident. Perhaps a side effect of her as-yet unrevealed Enlightened status, or maybe she was just finding it easier to express her feelings. It could also be the snow, since they really weren't able to go out and explore as much, but it left her feeling like maybe she should finally fess up. She'd told herself it would be after she had worked through some of her mental blocks...and she'd definitely done that. It was going to be hard, but she needed to do it.

And something about today made it seem like the right time. He was outside taking care of Napoleon, and she'd just gotten dinner all set. The slow cooker was going, simmering to make the miltank stew tender, and there's enough time left that she thinks that now's probably the best time to just...tell...him. Maybe it's stupid, a teenage dream, but she knows she can't go on like this. Blushing every time he looks at her, waiting for him to give her hugs, dreaming of...well...all the things a teenager in love dreams about. He's got a good heart, and she knows he cares about her, but she won't be able to deal with that for long. One day, she'll just blurt it out, or trip over herself.

May as well take the Tauros by the horns and go for it, right? At least, that was what Kotori had told her, and Hanayo...in her own way. She needed to just get it out, and before dinner was probably best. If it went well, they'd have dinner together...like a couple should. and if it went badly? Well...Yakumo is pretty sure she wouldn't want to eat afterwards.

Getting dressed in her warmest coat, she picks up Iori and together she and the Meowstic head out into the snow, trudging towards the stables. The Psychic type knows what's going on, able to sense her nervous emotions, hear the hammering of her heart in her chest, and he gives an approving purr. He and his buddy have been waiting for this. In fact, Napoleon gets a little psychic nudge of warning as Yakumo enters the stables.

It's happening buddy!

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Napoleon flicked his ears in reply to the unspoken nudge, and started nudging a sleeping Harima in the face with his wet nose and a soft, snuffling 'Mamo, mamo~'

"Cut it out Napoleon," Harima groaned, trying to push his big friend off so he could roll over and continue his nap. Sure, he knew he had the house, but between moving and school and remodeling...there was no shame in taking a little napp in the stables, flopped over on a pile of clean hay.

He finally relented at Napoleon's insistence, including a hurried mention of Yakumo's name that only Harima and the other pokemon could understand. "All right, already. All right."

Sitting up, with his hair in a disarray and bits of hay sticking to his arms and shoulders, he stretched out inside his warm jacket and regarded Yakumo from his place.

"Hey. What's up-- need help with something?"

"A-Actually, Harima, I wanted to talk to you about something. If...if you don't mind."

She only stammers a little, which is improvement, and completely incongruous with how nervous she feels. Brushing aside a stray lock, she lets Iori down so he can go play with his big friend. Meowstic does so happily, scampering up onto Napoleon's head and turning to look at the two teens.

"If you're busy...we can wait though."

"No, no one's busy."

He stood up while he spoke and, brushing hay and dirt off of his jacket, went over to meet Yakumo as if nothing was happening at all.

...However, he wasn't so dense that he didn't notice how quietly determined Yakumo seemed to be. It was as if something had changed in her, though he couldn't place what it was.

"We can talk. It's gotta be important if you'd come out here like this."

Something had changed about her, a kind of confidence and grace that hadn't been present when they'd met. She was stronger, she knew that. She had a hidden strength, literally, that nobody knew about. Enlightenment, she's beginning to realize, is not a bad thing. She likes how she feels, but...she also likes how being around him makes her feel.

"It...yes, it is important."

She folds her hands in front of her, looking up at him for a long, steady moment. She opens her mouth to speak, and the words don't come. She freezes up in the face of the thing she wants most, nervous and suddenly very, very confused. They'd shared a lot, they'd done a lot together. They wandered in the forests and the mountains looking for Pokemon. They lived together, for the benefit of both. It was obvious he cared, and she knew a bit about how he felt about Usagi. He'd babbled enough when they first met, but even knowing that...the fact that he treated her like a person...not an object or a tool...had made her feelings grow.

Only...they just...they wouldn't come out. How could she say that, faced with him right here. Savior...she...she just can't. Swallowing, she looks at him, obviously trying to put it into words and failing.

The trainwreck of unspoken words was almost visible to even a socially backward jerk like him, although he had no way to truly identify what it was that he was witnessing. All Harima knew was that it made him uneasy for some reason.

He couldn't pinpoint why.

"Yakumo. Are you okay?"

Even with his sunglasses, the look of concern was obvious. This was a good reason to worry.

Trainwreck didn't even begin to describe it. Yakumo's emotions churned, her stomach did too, and she fought hard to keep the butterflies down. That look of concern...though, that's comforting. It helps a bit.

But she has to look away, down at her feet, and she mumbles something.

"I...I...like you, Harima."

Harima leaned in closer, still looking concerned.

"What was that? Did you lose your voice? Do you need a doctor?"

Feeling him close like that, Yakumo looks up sharply, finally just completely sick of holding it in. He's so close, and she said it once...and now, now it's just going to come spilling out.

"Harima. I...I like you. I like you a lot."

Harima stared at her blankly for a moment, processing this.

"...I like you a lot too, Yakumo. You're one of the best friends I've ever had."

...It was fairly plain that he didn't understand Yakumo's true intentions on this.

"No!" Yakumo shook her head, "Not like that! You're my friend, of course. But...but...I mean...I mean I like you more than that."

She swallows, clutching a hand to her breast as she tries to put it into words. Her mind racing, she shakes her head quickly, trying not to throw up all the butterflies. This wasn't going as well as she'd hoped...but there was really only one way to get through to him. She knew that. He wasn't good with words, or understanding subtleties...

"Harima...Harima, I love you."

...

That was a wholly unexpected turn of events for this encounter, for Harima. He stilled at those words, slowly processing them and everything that they entailed.

"Yakumo, I...what?"

The girl looked up at him, her eyes wide. She's not sure how to react to that...well...that reaction.

"I...I love you. I have for a l-long time...I just...I haven't...I haven't known how to s-s-say it."

That look on her face was just making it harder for him...

"I--I--"

Napoleon helpfully nudged his human friend in the back. Go on, say it!

Harima swallowed the lump in his throat, staring down at the girl with eyes that were equally wide.

What was he supposed to say?

"I...I..." she trembles, and a panic comes over her. He doesn't know what to say? Or he doesn't like her? Has she...screwed this up? Oh! This was just a terrible idea! Why...why did she have to open her big mouth!?

Rushing around him, she just...runs over to Teru. The Rhyhorn lets out a braying bellow and the girl jumps onto his back, nudging the Pokemon to just...take her away. She doesn't think she can deal with this. So she just...takes off!

Right through the door, tearing it off it's hinges and leaving Harima, Napoleon, and Iori there as the mounted duo tears off through the snowy yard and into the streets of Union.

"What--hey! Yakumo, wait up!!"

Without further ado he scooped up Iori and jumped on Napoleon's back-- mentally kicking himself the entire time. Whatever had happened was on him, and he was going to find a way to fix it.

"Follow her, Napoleon!" He called, nudging his big friend into motion. Together, the three of them tore through the snow hot on the Rhyhorn's trail.

Hopefully, they would be fast enough!

Teru's pretty fast, and he's out of the house's gates and bounding off into the snowy streets at a breakneck pace. She's just got to get away, and the Pokemon feels her emotions, clearly agreeing. He'll get you away, trainer, don't worry!

The girl leans forward, hugging tight and clinging on for dear life, a gnawing sensation deep in the pit of her stomach. She's upset...hurt, and confused. Sure Harima could be a bit slow...but...to not be able to say anything? Just freeze up like that?! No...that hurt...and she doesn't want to even look at him right now. Stopping is just out of the question.

Now the snow's deep enough that Napoleon will have no trouble moving, or following Rhyhorn's tracks...

Teru was pretty fast, and Napoleon had yet to truly test the limits of his new form....but snow was always a benefit for him.

And, obviously, Rhyhorn tracks stood out in the newly fallen snow.

Harima dug his hands into his friends thick hair, holding on tightly for his own and Iori's sake. There was no telling what was going to happen out in this weather, but he would be damned if he gave up now.

"Yakumo! Hold up!"

He called out into the cold air, despite knowing that he wouldn't get any responce.

Teru charges ahead, feet thundering on the icy roads. He's making for one of the gates, maybe, to the far south, but Yakumo isn't really paying attention. She trusts her companion, and she doesn't hear Harima.

So, away they go, heading towards a large hill covered in ice. This...given the bulk and speed, might be a potential problem.

It could be a problem, not that Napoleon cares. He continues charging ahead, pushing his legs as fast as they could go because he knew that Harima didn't want it to end up like it did.

He was dumb, but he had a good heart. This wasn't how it was supposed to end.

As Teru gets onto the hill, he realizes his mistake. he's not meant to be running on ice this fast, and his balance starts to wobble. Yakumo cries out as the Pokemon's legs sprawl underneath it and it picks up speed, sliding down the steep slope and crashing into things. First is an unfortunate street cart, shattered into pieces, and they clip a passing cart as they go down, faster and faster!

'Ah, shit' was the only phrase that Harima could think of when he saw what was happening up ahead. The ice was too slick-- they were only able to move with the traction they had because Napoleon was a partial Ice type, but Teru? No, the Rhyhorn didn't have the same instincts.

"Napoleon, let's meet up with them!"

Another nudge and Napoleon kicked it into high gear. Harima only hoped that they could make it in time...

Down, down they go! But friction from snow is starting to slow them at least a bit. They'll still hit the bottom hard if someone doesn't get there, but Napoleon's easily gaining on them now!

They were going to get there before there was any crash or chance of anyone getting hurt. As soon as they were parallel to the charging Rhyhorn, Harima saw that there was little choice left to them.

"Yakumo!" He called out over the wind, hoping to catch the girl's attention before he tried anything and got them both hurt.

"H-Harima?!" Yakumo's eyes are wide in fright, and in surprise too. What the hell was he doing?! Why was...oh...Napoleon.

"Don't talk-- just trust me!"

And-- he dove for Yakumo.

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