video;

[failassassin]

[Turlough looks...well, slightly fidgety.]

I know this might be a stupid question. But what all do you give someone on Valentine's Day-either on your world or on Asgard? Dates are out of the question because of her...job, but I'd like to give her something anyway. I've had girlfriends before, but that was ages ago and we didn't really do Valentine's Day like you lot do it. [because whooo aliens!] And when I was on Earth, most of the time was spent in an English public school-not of my own choosing, mind you. [by the little scrunched up expression on his face, it's pretty obvious what Turlough thinks of English public school (it sucks.)]

So while I'm no stranger to the subject of love, I...sort of am to gifts. [it took him a lot of strength to admit that and now he's frowning a bit.] Any help would be appreciated.

Comments

[izanyagi]

It's okay.

[Grooooooooooooan. Why is it so hard to stay angry at him? Probably because he knows that in his own way, Yosuke (sorta) meant well. He wasn't saying all of this because he meant ill at Souji (jealous maybe but that's Captain Ressentiment for you). So maybe he was just trying to warn Turlough that his approach could be dangerous from a public eye's point of view? ...of course that made him question if his methods were that bad enough to get into that line of conversation in the first place.

When he moves in view of the feed again, he's slightly flustered, idly scratching the back of his neck for a second while looking at the ceiling. When Yosuke says it, it hadn't sounded all that bad (humorous actually), but when it's repeated by Turlough, somehow he feels like he should be shameful. So, he tries to explain because he feels like he needs to for some reason.]

They're my friends, it didn't go that far. I just helped them with with their problems as best as I could...

[He certainly hadn't meant to break anyone's hearts, or cause issues. Sure, hahaha for most guys having so many girls like you might be the greatest thing to happen, but for Souji, he honestly WAS a nice guy. Yeah, he did like everyone, and part of him was curious about going a little farther then just talking on the couch, but he hadn't pushed it that far. He had never expected anything from his friends in return, just glad that they were there. Moving from one place to another, he hadn't really connected with that many people before. Like his mirror shadow had said; he didn't want to be alone again.

He coughs, clearing his throat.]

But speaking of the issue at hand, I found the book you wanted, Turlough-san. There's also recipes for chocolates as well.

[He'll try to steer the conversation a bit.]

[windbreak]

[Naturally, all of this goes over Yosuke's head. By now he's at least straightened up and folded his arms, although he seems to want to skulk at the edge of his own video rather than look Turlough in the eye again.]

Y-Yeah... Yeah, that's what I was gonna say...! I wasn't trying to...

[His voice is no more than a mumble, although it might still be a bit more intelligible than he was hoping.]

[failassassin]

That sounds wonderful! When shall I pick it up?

[izanyagi]

[Yes good thank you, he appreciates that we've switched and are ignoring what was past. He mellows out considerably.]

What if I bring it over to you?

[windbreak]

[Certain people aren't mellowing out quite as much, although Yosuke has the presence of mind not to say anything else as he shoots a nervous look back at the camera. Seriously, please hurry up and let him end his own suffering already.]

[failassassin]

That's fine by me, [Turlough says, with a small nod.] I'm in Hel 202. Ignore my idiot flatmate if he's around.

[said idiot flatmate being Moran.]

[izanyagi]

Alright, I'll see you soon, then.

[He nods at Yosuke. Okay, you can close the feed and your suffering.]

[windbreak]

[He's still reluctant to believe he's off the hook, but in any case, he does. Oh god, he does.]

[izanyagi]

[Once that's done, Souji taps the books for a few seconds before speaking again.]

Well...I'd better go do that.

[So the question is; which is worse? Acknowledging what happened, or having him walking away like it didn't?]

[windbreak]

[Tough call, honestly. But when Yosuke contemplates the idea of Souji just springing it on him without warning another day...]

D-Don't look at me like that! I said I didn't mean it like that...!

[izanyagi]

I wasn't looking at you...[Then he does look at him for a second, sighing.] Yeah, I know.

[To be honest, at first Souji wasn't sure how to feel about this. On one hand? He had walked right into it when he'd heard Yosuke talking. He could have just walked away, it had been his choice. He also knew Yosuke had a tendency to say things like that, remembering the issue with the swimsuits, or the tent, or...

On the other? He couldn't deny a small part of him wasn't hurt. It's was walking in on your best friend talking about you, but not painting a pretty picture (or fumbling enough that that's how it sounded). Or well, maybe a good picture according to some, but not to him, especially here. Had Yosuke really thought he was going out with five or six girls...enough that he couldn't pinpoint a correct number?

Or maybe it was just Yosuke being...well...Yosuke. Misinformation was easy, after all. In the end, it was just a small thing. A tiny bit hurtful, yes, but nothing said with purely malicious intent, and he knew that. So he'll make things clear. Yosuke hadn't asked for this, but at least now he'd know in full.]

I helped Chie, Yukiko, Rise, Naoto, Marie and Yumi just like I did with you, in any way that I could...Ai asked me to date her for a while, but that was just so that Kou would notice her. I helped Margaret-san and Uehara-san...[he trails of about the nurse.].. Kuroda-san said I looked like her husband when he was younger...she threw out his hair comb when we were talking one day, and I fished until I found it once more. I helped Minami-san connect with her son...

[You might remember some of these, or when Souji was out by the water, fishing pole in hand. By the time he's done, he's smiling, thinking about them all.]

...so I guess that would be more about eleven, by my count. Twelve, if you count Nanako.

[windbreak]

[Yosuke looks away, the long stream of names washing clean over his head.] Dammit, you gotta make it sound all serious... [And make Yosuke feel like even more of a dick...

But there's probably a reason for that - it's pretty obvious Souji isn't really talking about actual dates. Awkwardly, he hangs his head.]

... Let's just forget it, yeah? I don't know what I was saying... Sorry, Souji.

[Even "five or six" was just a number he pulled out of thin air... Of course there are more people than that who Souji could wrap around his little finger if he wanted, if he was the kind of person who'd ever do it. But he isn't, and that honestly doesn't have anything to do with dating either, so why did he bring it up at all? Man, it's left kind of a sour taste now.]