House Call [Yuuto, Kaminari, Mirai]

Yuuto, at first, opened his mouth to speak, but quickly closed it. He didn't give a verbal response to Kaminari's question. He could tell by her tone that she was being serious, but, he still resigned himself to give just a brief nod of his head, his hand squeezing around Mirai's just a little tighter. As Mirai went to describe her experience, Yuuto's head immediately turned to her.

Nightmares of people that she knew...of him, Kaminari, Shuten, trying to hurt her, drown her, suffocate her. For a moment, he felt hurt that he, as well as her other friends, were in those horrible dreams, but, he banished it quickly. His head lowered as he retreated into his own thoughts, thinking and breaking down the description.

The mention of drowning was something else he was quick to latch onto. Her hair had been salty and dry, with some wet spots to it. With that, it made him realize that there was more to the attack than someone just using water-based powers, they had been actively trying to kill her. His fingers tightened around her even more, still careful not to hurt her, but a flash of rage occupied that dark umber of his eyes for a moment, before he took a breath, relaxing his hands, and composed himself.

"Given that none of us would do something like that, I think...that the person who attacked you is someone you know, or have met before in some manner. Your brain knows it, but, because it can't put a face or name to it, it's filling in the gap with others that you can recognize."

"I guess," Mirai said, eyeing Yuuto's hand as they tightened around hers. She looked up to him and saw that brief moment flash through him and shook his hand to make him focus. Once he composed himself, she lowered her head again...

"You were attacked... You let your guard down, and you were attacked," Kaminari said in a harsh tone, a hint of judgement on the edge. Mirai's eyes widened like a cornered cat, staring daggers into the table in front of her. Her hand tightened, shook, and tightened more around Yuuto's. "Trust me, I get it. Losing your memory sucks, but be glad it was only a short time... You're gonna have to get over it."

"Just get over it? Yeah, clearly, you don't understand, so shut up and leave."

That was an unexpected snap. Kaminari went silent and looked away from the both of them and back toward the exit, ready to leave. She was trying to help, but Mirai was always a stubborn woman, set in her ways, even if those ways were harmful. Besides that, Mirai was fully aware of the memory problems that Kaminari had, so the idea that she couldn't, or didn't, understand was ridiculously offensive.

"Alright." Kaminari pulled out the liquor she bought, popped the bottle open, and downed a good chug before slamming it down on the table. Mirai jumped and gasped at the sound. "You two enjoy." Packing up the rest of her stuff, Kaminari stood up and made her way to the exit. Letting go of Yuuto, Mirai pinched the bridge of her nose before grabbing the bottle and downing a good large drink.

Yuuto was not the type who got angry easily. But, with Mirai's response, his eyes suddenly narrowed. It was an uncharacteristic look of disappointment and disapproval as he looked at Mirai, before the expression softened as he went back to Kaminari. Taking a deep breath, before letting out a soft, but still disapproving sigh as Kaminari took a swig of the liquor before leaving, Yuuto lifted a hand from Mirai's, allowing her to take a drink as he rubbed his temples.

"Mirai, that was entirely uncalled for."

He didn't figure that him going after Kaminari would do any good. She had already left, and regardless of how little time it would take him to catch up, he doubted that she would want to come back. He looked at Mirai, his gaze now filled with worry. He didn't want to be angry with her, nothing of the sort. He just wanted to help her get better, but, the only thing he knew of how to help was to try and piece together what happened.

But, even that was difficult, given how Mirai didn't want to talk about it, not even remotely. Silently, Yuuto started racking his brain on what to do, leaning back on the couch. He didn't want her to stay cooped up in here forever, that wasn't the Mirai he knew, and now, had come to love, but, he wasn't sure what to do.

“You get over it, then,” Mirai turned on the couch suddenly, facing and glaring at Yuuto. “You think I can’t tell that me being in the bombing still bothers you? How guilty you feel about how many people died that day? Just get over it.”

Mirai stood up from the couch and grabbed the bottle Kaminari left, walking toward the stairs. “I would NEVER said that to HER or YOU,” she yelled as she jogged up to the top, a shunpo pushing her faster. She found the bathroom and slammed the door shut, the loud bang echoing through the house. She threw the bot-… No, she stopped, took a breath, and set it down. She had more control than that.

“Just get over it…” she muttered to herself, a chuckle coming out to hide the tears she was fighting. “Oh, hell no… Don’t you dare cry…” Mirai put both hands on the bathroom counter and stared in the mirror, willing herself to a calm.

His expression shifted to surprise as she turned Kaminari's words to him. As he went to open his mouth, she only seemed to dig deeper, surprise turning crestfallen. Her being in the bombing wasn't what bothered him -- it was his own inadequacy. He hadn't been able to protect her. That was what hurt him the most, as well as what drove him to always try and be better.

As Mirai went upstairs, Yuuto was quick to follow, muted steps carrying him up the stairs with her, only for her to slam the door shut. He didn't hear the lock click, but he wasn't going to just barge in. He sighed, bringing his hands to his head and rubbing his temples. Kaminari hadn't been entirely wrong, but the way she so bluntly said it was also uncalled for.

So, Yuuto gently knocked on the bathroom door.

"I'm sorry. Please, Mirai, talk to me. Tell me what's wrong."

His lips parted, but he paused. He knew that this was a cheat code. But, right now, he felt he had no other choice.

"That's an order, Mirai."

Mirai was doing a whole lot of childish angry gestures on the other side of that door. From the middle finger, to sticking out her tongue, to pulling at her own hair. No one understood; she wasn’t even sure she understood why this was effecting her so much. And then he said that damn line.

‘That’s an order Mirai…’

Mirai stomped forward, grabbed the door handle enraged, opened it up and stepped out into Yuuto’s face. ‘Did you just order me to reveal personal stuff?! You know that is against the rules! How dare you use that line against me!’ She kicked him in the shin, causing him to hop up and down on one leg before she stomped off.

At least, that’s what she thought of doing… Mirai instead sighed, opened the door, and looked solemnly to the floor. “Why can't you understand I just need more time..." Mirai said, the sound of the knob shaking as she fiddled with it. "There is a hole in my head that can't be fixed... If I broke a leg, kaido can fix me right up, so why does my recovery have to be quick when kaido can't do anything to help? I-It's not... It's not fair. It's not fair. I was just trying to do what you told me... to let my guard down, to be more sociable and not so paranoid... And the moment I do..."

Mirai practically slapped her hands over her face, almost as if she was trying to hurt herself over this. She clearly wanted to cry, but was refusing to by clenching her jaw and tightly shutting her eyes. "I'm such an idiot. I should have known better..."

He figured she was either contemplating opening the door and complying with his use of that cheat code, or, also entirely possible, making a bunch of angry gestures. Thankfully, she did eventually open it. He wanted to hug her immediately, to hold her and never let go, but, he refrained. Instead, he listened to her, his own expression turning crestfallen.

He did understand that she needed time. But, he also didn't want her to stay in this rut forever. That's what scared him the most. He didn't want the woman he loved to stay being scared and paranoid. As she slapped herself, Yuuto was quick to gently cup her hands, bringing them away from her face. As her eyes closed, Yuuto gently let go of her hands, wrapping his own around her and holding her close to him, cradling her head to his shoulder.

"No, you're not. It's not your fault that this happened. I just...I understand that you need time, I really do. I don't mean to make it seem like you need to recover fully overnight. Right now, I just want you to be able to sleep, and for us to find the root of the issue, so that we can start working on it together."

Mirai succeeded in holding it all back, letting her frustration and rage falter as Yuuto pulled her into a hug. Over the years, they hugged many times, but Mirai was noticing something different about how he held her recently. It was less friendly and more… intimate? Warm? She couldn’t find the words, a result of inexperience, insecurity, and doubt. She had confessed the desire for a real relationship, but his hesitation at that time left her in a gray area. Even so, Mirai found herself returning the embrace every time, the desire to fall deeper into his arms always a challenge…

“The nightmares will stop sooner or later…” Mirai pressed her face into his shoulder as she felt her cheeks heat up. “It’s been better since I’m not sleeping alone.”

Yuuto kept Mirai held close to him, feeling a small bit of relief when he heard her say that the nightmares would stop eventually. That smile she knew, yet couldn't see at the moment, came back. His own face heated up a little as she mentioned the rather obvious detail -- that she hadn't been sleeping alone.

Yet, it didn't make him retreat or stop holding her. Rather, it only made him continue sprinkling in more of the affections. His arms seemed to wrap a bit tighter around her, making her more secure, his fingers gently playing with her hair.

"Good. I'm glad to hear that. Now, how about a little challenge? Try and make it back to the couch in three or less steps. Do that, and I'll get you a new manga set."

He broke the embrace, giving her a sly smile, before vanishing in the blink of an eye. Mirai knew where he would be, he just wanted to give her something to lessen her fears. It'd do them both good to have a bit of fun, even in the aftermath and recovery of a terrible situation.

It was in that tighter embrace… that feeling that Yuuto didn’t want to let go, or was it that she did not want him to? Mirai couldn’t tell or really understand the twisting in her chest that occurred when he was this close. And since they could not get any closer, at least not in this moment in time, the embrace was broken and what took it’s place was a playful challenge?!?! Mirai’s eyes suddenly lit with a burning determination, the victory line being making Yuuto find one of the hardest volumes of her manga, one she refused to read on the Internet: King of Thorn Volume 6!

When he vanished, Mirai took a single step to get to the landing at the top of the stairs and then a second that brought her into the air above the couch. From there, she just let herself fall right onto the couch. "There, only two! Only two steps! King of Thorn Volume 6!" Mirai said excitedly, stars in her eyes just thinking about finally being able to finish the manga. Then she could complete her collection!