Jae-ha is honestly just hanging out. Reading. It's so nice to be reading again. He's by the window in their bedroom, listening to the birds, feeling the warmth of the sun, and he's reading. It's a fairytale - one that he's not particularly familiar with - and as such he feels like he can call this studying.
. . . .
It would be terrible if something ruined this nice peaceful moment.]
[He's definitely still holding his nose when he opens the door and....gives Jae-ha a long, lingering look. He can't even really focus on the fact that he's irritated the memory struck at the worst possible time.
Not when the obvious subject of said memory is...right in front of him now.
[Normally Jae-ha would be happy to be under Sousei's gaze for that long - because clearly that's just Sousei realizing how beautiful he is - but the long silence isn't.
Helping.
He moves like he's about to stand from the windowsill.]
I suppose the name Garou would explain enough to you. [He doesn't exactly want to recount it, when it was brutal and he's sure Jae-ha can piece together the rest.
He knows Jae-ha said he "escaped", but honestly, to see it like that...]
Jae-ha's expression falters at that, if only because he hadn't heard that name in a long time. It had never been repeated back to him. No one else had to know, because it's so far from a beautiful thing. He blinks and returns to sitting on the windowsill, fingers curling around the edges of it.
He blinks away the images in his head, pressing his fingertips more fiercely against the surface, and takes a second to find the words he wants.
No, never. [have two more just because he's an ass.]
And as I have stated before, I am going to concern myself with you whether you wish me to or not--so now that this is out in the open, what would you like to do with it?
[sousei is beautiful but sometimes jae-ha wants to punch him
so hard
anyway]
Determine whether it's because of a genuine interest in me or if it's because I tried to tell you not to worry about me once or if it's the necessity of looking after your partner.
I will not deny that a large part of me wishes to do precisely the opposite of what you've told me to do, but I would not waste my time concerning myself with someone if I did not want to.
[Guess they're doing this. Jae-ha puts his book away, and moves to rest along the side of the window, shrugging idly. It seems like he might not answer but.
He told Sousei to ask questions about him when he's curious, didn't he?
And oddly enough, it feels like something he can trust him with.]
I tried to escape, but you've seen what the Green Dragon's leg can do. Until that day I got out, Garou had more strength in his than I did in mine. He could catch me every time I ran away.
... well, it didn't stop me from trying.
[It's just - in Jae-ha's nature to run away from his fate.]
[That one he answers easily:] It's in the Green Dragon's nature to pursue freedom, and to never stay in the same place.
[It's what happens, when he has a leg that gives him such power. Never remaining in one spot, forever traveling, seeking more - until he finds something that catches his attention (and more accurately, his heart).]
... but there will always be a new dragon born, meant to serve King Hiryuu. Normally after the new Green Dragon is born, the former one dies within three or four years. I don't know how Garou managed to make it to twelve - stubbornness, maybe.
[He wanted to live.
Jae-ha knew that.
Unconsciously, his hand moves to cover his own heart, where he remembers his blood screaming in pain. In anguish. In fear.]
Dragons never make it to 30.
[ - it's why he offered to take Sousei's spot, that first week. Even if he wants to live, to defy everything that tells him he's going to die - he will, in the end. And likely far sooner than any human here.]
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week 2, idk tuesday
Jae-ha is honestly just hanging out. Reading. It's so nice to be reading again. He's by the window in their bedroom, listening to the birds, feeling the warmth of the sun, and he's reading. It's a fairytale - one that he's not particularly familiar with - and as such he feels like he can call this studying.
. . . .
It would be terrible if something ruined this nice peaceful moment.]
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In fact, Sousei is not even in their room, though he's on his way back. He's about to open the door when...the memory hits.
And he's so distracted that.
He runs into the door.
Thump.
Yeah, that's a thing. Now he's standing outside their door with his nose held in one hand and the other pressing at his temple. Ow?
(He needs a moment to process everything he just saw; give him a moment.)]
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Come in?
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Not when the obvious subject of said memory is...right in front of him now.
...
So that's how it is, huh...?]
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Helping.
He moves like he's about to stand from the windowsill.]
Sousei?
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[A slow sigh, and:]
I believe I saw one of your memories.
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[Look.
Jae-ha's life really is more good than bad, as far as he's concerned.]
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No.
No it was not.
I suppose the name Garou would explain enough to you. [He doesn't exactly want to recount it, when it was brutal and he's sure Jae-ha can piece together the rest.
He knows Jae-ha said he "escaped", but honestly, to see it like that...]
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Jae-ha's expression falters at that, if only because he hadn't heard that name in a long time. It had never been repeated back to him. No one else had to know, because it's so far from a beautiful thing. He blinks and returns to sitting on the windowsill, fingers curling around the edges of it.
He blinks away the images in his head, pressing his fingertips more fiercely against the surface, and takes a second to find the words he wants.
Then he turns to Sousei and tilts his head.]
Sorry you had to see that.
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[So.]
However, you have nothing to be sorry for in regards to that memory.
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[Jae-ha sighs.]
It's an old, old wound anyway.
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[Still...]
I cannot say I did not want to know in the first place, truthfully. I just did not want to learn like this.
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This is a serious conversation.
And Jae-ha still feels a weird weight in his chest now that the memory of Garou is back at the forefront of his mind.
But.]
Has anyone told you that you're very good at mixed signals?
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[Seriously, Jae-ha???]
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'I cannot say I did not want to know' - do you ever get tangled up in your own double negatives?
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And as I have stated before, I am going to concern myself with you whether you wish me to or not--so now that this is out in the open, what would you like to do with it?
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so hard
anyway]
Determine whether it's because of a genuine interest in me or if it's because I tried to tell you not to worry about me once or if it's the necessity of looking after your partner.
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How cold do you think I am?
I will not deny that a large part of me wishes to do precisely the opposite of what you've told me to do, but I would not waste my time concerning myself with someone if I did not want to.
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[More than he's actually good at expressing.
But.]
I think you're just even more stubborn than that.
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[He's stubborn AND he cares. Gasp.]
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[ . . . because well, that's just how Sousei is.
For better or worse, Jae-ha does like him.]
... but - fine. About the memory then...
[ . . . ]
It's where I was before I met my Captain. I was twelve, by the time I got out.
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[They talked about their similarities in that way, after all.]
... You endured that for twelve years?
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He told Sousei to ask questions about him when he's curious, didn't he?
And oddly enough, it feels like something he can trust him with.]
I tried to escape, but you've seen what the Green Dragon's leg can do. Until that day I got out, Garou had more strength in his than I did in mine. He could catch me every time I ran away.
... well, it didn't stop me from trying.
[It's just - in Jae-ha's nature to run away from his fate.]
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[In that, Jae-ha was far more impressive than Sousei, he can't help but think--
But he just nods.]
I think I understand you a little better now. Though...
[...]
The power is transferred, then? From one person to another?
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[It's what happens, when he has a leg that gives him such power. Never remaining in one spot, forever traveling, seeking more - until he finds something that catches his attention (and more accurately, his heart).]
... but there will always be a new dragon born, meant to serve King Hiryuu. Normally after the new Green Dragon is born, the former one dies within three or four years. I don't know how Garou managed to make it to twelve - stubbornness, maybe.
[He wanted to live.
Jae-ha knew that.
Unconsciously, his hand moves to cover his own heart, where he remembers his blood screaming in pain. In anguish. In fear.]
Dragons never make it to 30.
[ - it's why he offered to take Sousei's spot, that first week. Even if he wants to live, to defy everything that tells him he's going to die - he will, in the end. And likely far sooner than any human here.]
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