Try Not To Think Twice [Yuuto, Noharu]

A lot had happened since he and Noharu had spoken at the academy, and only now had he finally set some time aside to speak with her again. He had sent an invitation for them to meet at to his quarters -- more akin to a mansion -- and talk in a more casual, quiet setting. After all, when there was just one person, his home was often dreadfully quiet.

So, beyond the casual setting, it was nice to have company. He had prepared some tea and small snacks to munch on as they talked. Some mochi, senbei, as well as various chips and chocolates. The quiet atmosphere did have one benefit: letting him hear the knock at the door rather easily.

He was quick to answer the door, with silent steps carrying him to it. He opened the door, offering a friendly, smile to the known visitor as he quietly gestured for her to come inside.

"Apologies that this conversation is a bit late. Not long after that conversation, practically everything happened at the same time."

With how dreadfully quiet his quarters usually were, the visit of a friend and the sudden, boisterous energy she brought was a welcome change. He found himself chuckling softly as she marveled at the sheer size of his home. He returned the one-armed hug as he reached forward to take the cold items from her arms, walking over to the table to set them down alongside his prepared snacks and drink. He walked over to the kitchen to grab some plates, bowls, spoons, and paper towels.

As she asked about his excursion into romance once more, Yuuto rubbed the back of his neck as he pulled out chairs for them, sitting down and gesturing to some of the snacks. A lot had happened since their last conversation, far more than he could ever have anticipated.

"Well, I've gone on one date, and have at least one more planned in the future. Overall, just...a lot has happened since our last talk."

He had long since grown used to Noharu's dizzying amounts of talking. It was a lot at times, but, he still was always willing and able to listen. It hardly ever bothered him -- there was a part of him that enjoyed staying silent and listening to others. Nevertheless, there was a lot to answer for. So, taking a cup and pouring some tea, he took a small sip as he waited for her to finish.

"Different people. The one I already went on was with Saiko Mori, a member of the Seventh Division. The date set for the future is with Mirai, one of my closest friends from the Stealth Force. She confessed to me, and, I promised her at least one date, to try and feel things out."

Though his expression was kind, the warm smile he had slowly faded as he remembered the hospital incident. He sighed softly, the moment of gloom leaving as soon as it arrived, turning to concern.

"I'm more lucky to be alive at all, really. As for Africa...currently, what's known is that there's a collective of giant Hollows coming from a pit from where Vastime used to be. It's uncertain how deep it goes or how many these kaiju Hollows number."

The vulgarity and bluntness of her response caused him to chuckle softly, a light tinge of red coming to his cheeks. The situation was a bit more complex than he had given on, especially considering recent events, but, it did come off a bit strange without that context. However, his head tilted to the side a bit at the mention of her "recon" in regards to Saiko.

He looked visibly uncomfortable at her mention of Saiko being "young looking," but he quickly pushed it aside as the topic changed. He didn't plan on bringing up Mirai; she was already someone he was keeping an eye on. He knew that she had struggled when it came to socialization, and it was part of why he wasn't sure how well she would handle more.

She was effective at her job, that much was undeniable, but there was more to it than just being capable. As the topic switched again, his expression went from concern to confused.

"When she confessed to me, that's what I said. Well, I said that we should take things slow, and not do anything drastic. I...don't know how I feel about her, admittedly. She's one of my closest friends, but I don't know if I see her as a partner. I wanted to take things slow so that we can see if this will even work."

Perhaps it wasn't the best way to handle the situation, but, with how on-the-spot he had been at the time, he felt it was the best thing to do. It wasn't an outright rejection, but it wasn't immediate acceptance. Then, as she brought up her own thoughts and concerns on the incident in Africa and the hospital, Yuuto smiled softly, reaching forward to gently nudge her shoulder.

"I'm fine. I was back to normal in no time, I didn't need to go on leave or anything like that. It's not the first attempt on my life."

As she lightly chewed him out on his choices, Yuuto felt himself shrinking back slightly, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. Perhaps they just had different views on the matter, but he hadn't seen anything wrong with the proposition. But, he was far from an expert on it, so, perhaps it wasn't the best decision. Nevertheless, it was something he had promised her, and he intended to follow through.

"Well...that was the point, to feel things out, to see if it would work between us. I know I should be certain about how I feel toward her by now, but...I just, don't."

However, those gentle eyes would quickly narrow, at the passing comment about Mirai, though it was quick to vanish. He knew that he had never described her as such, but, with how long he had known her, he couldn't really blame someone for coming to that conclusion. As the subject shifted and flowed along, her response made him once again rub the back of his neck bashfully.

"I didn't mean for it to be bragging, honest."

However, as she asked about his own well-being beyond physicality, the warm, gentle smile was quick to fade. Rather than speak, first, he reached for one of the beers Noharu had brought, carefully unhooking the cap from the lid with his thumb and taking a long, quiet drink. He could feel the alcohol burn as it went down his throat. As he finished, he set the half-empty bottle on the table, leaning forward and resting his hands in his lap.

"I'll...be fine. I've been through worse."