Strike number two. Yikes. Sumire's despondent attitude was like a knife through the heart, her every muted response driving the guilt deeper and deeper. Yohei could barely stomach the shame of seeing her that way, each passing second furthering his concern since he knew there was nobody to blame but himself. Not once did it ever occur to him that bringing up home would have such an impact. Sumire must've been holding this in for a long time, he figured.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down."
Almost at a complete loss for words, the only thing the zealot could think of was to intervene more directly. So he reached out for a second time, grabbing Sumire by the arm and tugging closer. It was an act that drew both stares and gasps from the gawking villagers, their chatter growing with excitement as they watched the unfolding drama.
"You're not going anywhere. Not like this."
That earned a few more gasps from the sidelines.
Yohei did his best to block those noises out, concentrating instead on the miko's solemn visage. He couldn't hold eye contact for longer than a few seconds though, another pang of guilt tightening his chest and making him look away. "I'm sorry," the silverette repeated, the apology rolling off his lips before he fully thought it through. That was all he had to work with at the moment, so he followed with something that sounded...encouraging. "But I won't let you run off with such a glum look on your face."
Was it ironic that his own expression seemed just as downcast? Maybe. He might have been willing to shoulder the responsibility for making his partner upset, but he was doing a poor job at hiding the toll it took on him. If nothing else, Yohei's continued show of worry was a clear indicator that he cared.
Tugging Sumire a little closer again, he finished with a heartfelt plea, yet still averted his gaze. "If I ruined all this, then let me make it up to you."
He kept going. Or rather, stopped them from going somewhere less crowded and gawking. That's a yikes. Maybe Yohei wasn't ready for the missing nin life after all. There was no easy way to divert attention from this little scene either as now they were the center of this fishing village's personal drama. The single person not conscious of that fact was the silver haired protagonist himself who made it abundantly obvious with the sudden tug. Had it been anyone else and they would have received more than a tapering glance. "Yes, you are. On both accounts." Though the words remained low, the tone took on more of a statement air. [break][break] Besides, who was actually running here anyway? [break][break] No matter how many attempts were made, she couldn't get the silverette to hold a gaze. Was that not textbook running away and avoiding the problem? As adorable as that was, it was problematic akin to that apology. "Dear me... " One more tug closer and there was no telling what the wanted woman would do. Which was why in that breath Sumire rose a hand to rest over her partner's. "I'm sure. We'll talk more about this when we get back. For now I'm leaving." Might not have been the most comforting of words, it assured that she wasn't done speaking to him, even with having to pry away his grasp. Though the reason was almost certainly not the one that immediately came to mind, she truly had no intention of remaining here any longer than necessary and turned away to show it. [break][break] The whispering crowd parted in waves. Not very subtle which was why this wasn't a ninja village. Then again it seemed some ninja couldn't pick up on subtle cues either... so a bone was thrown with a small glance over the shoulder. "Coming? Or are you staying awhile longer?"
Nothing he said had the impact he envisioned it would, Yohei's every attempt at apologizing rebuffed left and right. He figured at least one plea for forgiveness could save the situation from collapse, but he hadn't counted on Sumire being so adamant. Served him right, in a way. After all these years he should've known better than to underestimate her spirit.
Then after she pulled away, he was utterly speechless.
"..."
Unable to focus much due to the confusion riddling his thoughts, all Yohei could hear was the chattering of the shopkeepers. At that moment he had half a mind to kill the witnesses just to bring an end to their nosy behavior. Jashin wouldn't mind the bloodshed, that's for sure. Sadly, it would just cause more of a scene than he'd already been responsible for.
Gulping anxiously, he replied to his partner, "Go ahead. I'll...catch up." The last part was filled with hesitation. So much so that he couldn't even turn to look at her departure. Yohei was obviously afraid of saying something else that would sour the mood, his countenance tinged with no small amount of tension and unease. If he followed Sumire now, he was certain things would only turn out awkward.
Instead he needed to be alone with his thoughts for a little while. He needed to...to pray.
Without sparing another word to shame himself, the zealot moved away from the market stalls at a sluggish pace. Villagers around the scene pretended not to notice, resuming their daily activities like nothing had happened. Their bad acting didn't afford Yohei any confidence however, his mind still racing with guilty thoughts.
That was an unexpected answer. So much so that, despite herself, the false miko tilted her head watching the scene unfold. It did not take a shinobi to pick up on that hesitation nor the related training to read the subsequent distress written all over his figure. "Y-Ah..." A sigh interrupted the name from being spoken. Her partner was kind of hopeless, huh? It was a shame really. He acted as if he didn't know her as well as he should. How long will this go on? [break][break] Aside from the ample murmurs of the onlookers, the marketplace was otherwise quiet to the wanted kunoichi and she wasn't sure if she should be thankful for it. On one hand there were no rowdy street vendors attempting to make a sale. On the other, all the attention was being drawn on them which made for a terrible example of discretion. Therefore, despite her own statement, she remained in place with her head remained poised over her shoulder. "Hmm." The classic hum of thought sang among the whispers, gaze fixated towards the fading frosted hair. Immediately a few ways to resolve the pressing issue came to mind and it didn't take long to make the decision of the most direct one. [break][break] Better late than never. [break][break] Turning heel and brushing the loosely fitting garb back into place, Sumire followed along in the opposite manner. Confident strides were made that could have been mistaken for anger had it not been for the neutral expression being worn. Comparatively it did not take long to catch up with the shinobi in question who apparently wished to imitate a constipated turtle. It was a sight that normally the maiden would attempt to stay away from. In this case she placed a hand on his shoulder instead, a firm grip intensifying on any attempt to move. The tone sounded almost equally dire despite the lightness of the voice that spoke it. "We need to talk. Can we go somewhere alone? In private?"
It didn't take a master of perception or sensory jutsu to tell he was being followed. The steps behind him even fell at a familiar pace, making a distinct pattern he should've recognized. Yet the zealot was too occupied with his own thoughts to bother making that connection, simply forging on ahead until a hand grabbed at his shoulder.
Yohei stopped and tensed. Suddenly he knew who it was.
"...No. Sorry."
He felt a lump in his throat after he made that refusal. There was a part of him that didn't want to say anything at all but somehow a simple 'no' and 'sorry' seemed less likely to backfire. Yohei's choice was made purely on reluctance, the uncertainty caused by the last conversation having considerable impact on him.
Did he want to leave? No. But he didn't want to cause Sumire any more grief. What she said about their homeland only got him thinking. Did he make a mistake? Was he being selfish all this time? Yohei needed a chance to sort out all the troublesome doubts.
"I'll be back later."
He barely forced those words from his throat. It almost hurt to say them. He wasn't ready to face her though.
Purposefully staring off in the opposite direction so as not to make eye contact, the silverette tried to downplay his building unease. Without even seeing his partner's face, he could tell something was amiss. Were her eyes full of sadness again? Was she angry because of what he said? Yohei could already feel the guilt weighing down on his body, knowing he was to blame for everything.
"Turns out there's...something important I need to do. For Jashin." A pitiful excuse. But he had nothing else to fall back on. Anything he could do to make his regret less visible was worth a shot. And if he kept talking he would just upset Sumire even more.
Oooooh awkward. Rejection to the we need to talk line? Why didn't anyone else ever think to do that before? The act alone almost broke through the woman's neutral facade from how funny it was. Yet admittedly it was a strange thing to be adamant about and visibly causing more grief than necessary. There was no getting through to him though and acknowledging that the miko removed her hand in favor of placing it to her chin thoughtfully. "Hm..." Honestly, what exactly was Yohei expecting? With such a weak excuse no less! [break][break] At this point he deserved his self inflicted torment. Thus she decided to let this ride out as any further attempt would feel fabricated to both parties and frankly take too much energy. "Suit yourself," she replied blithely with a shift to poise an arm to her hip. No wonder the villagers were so taken with this story. Yohei was such a drama queen! And while the last thing she needed was for him to come back an edgelord, he clearly needed to learn his lesson. Left little choice, Sumire turned away as well with an audible sigh. "Do as you wish." She even emphasized it with a wave of the hand, not that the silverette could see as much with his back turned away. "Do feel free to come and find me if you change your mind." [break][break] Not that she'd bother mentioning where she was going as she walked off. If she knew then it'd ruin the mystery and be so much more boring. Besides, the former shinobi already displayed his knack for finding her somehow anyway. [break][break]
Just hearing how casually Sumire dealt with his open rejection, Yohei almost caved to the pressure and spun around. His feet were glued to the ground though, not budging an inch despite the conflicting emotions he felt. At the very least he managed to utter some sort of response to her comments, sounding distant and uncertain when he did so. "Mm. I won't be long."
He then took his first step away, loathing every moment of it as he distanced himself from his partner. The tightening pain in his chest was too much to bear if the conversation kept going, so he forced his legs to move against their own volition. The destination didn't matter, he just wanted to avoid the prying eyes and ears of villagers while sparing Sumire the grief of his words.
So he walked, and walked, and walked.
Somehow, after an indeterminate amount of steps down that gravely road, the silverette finally looked up and realized he was standing in front of a shrine. Nothing too special or ornate, given it was probably built by the locals, but there was a certain stillness in the air one couldn't explain. Eyes widening with surprise at the sight, Yohei took a minute to get his bearings and look around. Was this just a coincidence? Did his mindless wandering take him here by chance?
"Hello, sir. Have you come to offer prayer to the kami?"
An elderly monk approached from atop the stone stairs, his wrinkled face providing a warm smile in greeting.
As a matter of fact whatever it was that Yohei had chosen to go and do was beyond his partner. To each their own, or so they say. Which was why Sumire herself could be found nowhere near that shrine in question, having taken instead to scavenging for herbs and mushrooms. Best not to bore you with the details, but she did also shoot down a rabbit for dinner. That had to account for something, right? After having taken advantage of the endless supply of fish and other assorted seafoods for days now, wild game surely was a welcome change of pace. Of course this meant that the exiled kunoichi was no where near the fishing hamlet that she wandered hours before. None too surprising seeing as she tended to roam where she pleased. [break][break] Fast forward and night fell shortly after. The impromptu campsite was rather peaceful among the crackling flames and the rustling brush of winds. Poetic if she were to say so herself. As she leisurely flipped through the loose pages of a bingo book picked off their last victim with the nearby tree providing much needed back support, there was no concern reflected in her posture. On the contrary, she seemed quite at ease. "A shame. If only they put more information in these," she mused as she snapped the booklet shut to turn her attention towards the dull shining moon. "Hm. Maybe he won't actually find me tonight." [break][break] A pause. Then chuckle followed. [break][break]
Once nightfall blanketed the land and all the villagers returned to their homes, Yohei found himself much more at ease. Those worrisome thoughts from before had been swept from his mind, as were any doubts he harbored about his prior actions. Good riddance too. The distractions had only blinded him to what was really important - a crucial lesson he would not soon forget.
Approaching the dim light of a campfire that shone through the brush, Yohei made no effort to conceal his presence or mask his movements. A bold stride led him straight up the campsite, whereupon he was quick to set his sights on a familiar silhouette. "There you are," he greeted plainly. His expression was no longer wracked with guilt or crossed with concern like it'd been earlier. On the contrary, the zealot appeared quite pleased. "Getting nice and relaxed without me, I see."
Chuckling lightly under his breath, Yohei crouched down next to the fire and warmed his hands.
"Thought you'd jump at the chance to stay the night in town, but I guess we're roughing it in the great outdoors again hm?"
He glanced around the campsite wearing a look of disinterest, contemplating how many times they had done this. Doubtless, they would be forced to sleep outside for most of the travels that lied ahead. It was the safe thing to do even if the option left them a bit vulnerable. A real bed wouldn't hurt every once in a while though.
All things considered, any shinobi would be considered a fool for not remaining diligent and on guard when isolated alone. While Sumire was no different in that respect given the fugitive aspect of her current lifestyle, no movement nor concern was made in consideration for the approaching footsteps in the not too far distance. Was almost contrary wasn't it? Sitting there unmoving in a nonchalant manner as the brush parted for the figure that came into view. There was a possibility that it was some lost child or something, but for someone to so blatantly make their presence known and approach an inhabited clearing after dark... Could it be anyone else but Yohei? [break][break] Flashing a smile in reciprocation of the not greeting, she allowed him to get comfortable without retort. It was true after all - a lady had to treat herself as such or otherwise risk losing a sense of self. Which, of course, would normally mean that they'd actually go out of their way to stay at an inn nearby if possible; but not after that scene they made hours earlier. The thought of it managed a refrain from mention. He couldn't get away without at least one quip though. "Roughing it? You don't think the trees are nice and cozy? You'll hurt their feelings." She almost sounded appalled by the assertion had her purposefully overdramatic tone not given away the jest. [break][break] Nevertheless a flick of the wrist sent the bingo book into the small blaze since its contents no longer interested the one that held it. The pages burned quickly among the crackling flames that sang harmoniously with the charm of the bleeping crickets. Unfortunately none of that was enough to distract from the silverette's attempted action in word form. "Uh-uh-uh. Aren't you forgetting something?" The sing song tune of the sentence could have possibly detracted from the severity of the statement, but that mattered little to Sumire who continued without bothering to wait for a response. Hell, she couldn't even bother to get up from that placid seated position from when he arrived. "Tell me. Do you miss village life? Or perhaps regret deserting? And don't try to change the subject or avoid answering the question."
Knowing his partner, some teasing was to be expected. He fully deserved it too. What Yohei didn't anticipate was the question posed about regrets. He smiled wryly at the pinkette after that, looking mildly perplexed. "Huh? Where's that coming from? All I meant was that'd be nice to sleep in a bed once in a while." The zealot shrugged once he made that clarification, uncertain as to what Sumire was getting at.
Regrets were simply a distraction. If he ever harbored any doubts about their new lifestyle and choice of goals, it was solely when he put Sumire in harm's way. There was nothing else he hated more than that. If his own stupidity was ever the cause for his partner's suffering, then he could only blame himself for that shortcoming.
Waving a hand in dismissal, Yohei appeared confident in his stance that all was fine. "We're better off now, aren't we? That's all that matters." Truthfully, he didn't want to elaborate much. After the last conversation with Sumire he was slightly worried about evoking any sensitive memories. So he stuck to a broader topic, tiptoing around the mention of their former lives. "No superiors breathing down our necks, nobody to steal our achievements, no clans to push us around. What's not to like?"
To say their lives had improved was no stretch of the imagination. Sunagakure had its ups and downs, but Yohei certainly didn't miss the corruption. Nothing in that village had ever gone their way. The odds had always been stacked against them.
Was that a dodge? It was hard to tell from the heavy stink of BS that could hardly convinced a loyal mutt otherwise, much less the trained kunoichi. Still, Sumire listened to what her partner had to say without interruption in the same leisurely posture as when he began. She hadn't even move when he tried to signal a dismissal nor voice an answer to his rhetorical question. It wasn't as if she disagreed with the sentiment or anything. Those were all the points she'd make had she needed to explain the allure of desertion which meant repeating such was beating a dead horse while neighing. The sole thing that spurred any sort of reaction from the woman was the odd statement he made at the end. [break][break] "Have a little faith." [break][break] There was no helping the thin line that pressed along the kunoichi's lips as a thoughtful hum finally escaped. Through all of that not once did she receive a clear answer to either question instead of irrelevant nonsense and was told in the end to have faith. "Is that why you took me seriously and made a scene in town?" She finally responded in a calm yet unreserved tone when asking the third question of the night. Part of her wondered if he'd actually answer this one, but didn't bother to wait on it. Instead the rosy haired woman rose to stand right then and there to take a few steps towards him. "Come now. I know I'm good, but that was embarrassing." It wasn't meant to be intimidating, though now she wore the classic self-assured smile that might have otherwise given the wrong impression. [break][break] Which was actually Sumire's forte now that she was an exile. Probably why Yohei fell for the face of melancholy even though it was too out of character. Not that she'd believe that much less consider the possibility since they knew each other for so long and she wasn't afraid to call him out on that either. Thus once she had gotten close, a hand boldly extended out to lightly graze the silverette's cheek to coax him to make eye contact. "You know better. Unless... you're the one that actually has no faith in me. Hmm?" There was not an ounce of anger in the accusation, words instead tinted with unspoken concern. In her mind, that had to be the only explanation and if that was the case then... well unfortunately for Yohei, in spite of how she was the one wearing the shrine maiden garb, Sumire was no zealot by any measure. While she believed in him so far for the past few years, blind belief that didn't run both directions wouldn't work. Not from her end at least. "I still remember that sad puppy dog look you gave me so give me a straight answer. It did not look good on you either, in case you were wondering."
Sumire wasn't satisfied with those answers, was she? If anybody was going to call Yohei out on his bullshit, it was her. The tone she adopted was all too telling, as was the way the pinkette began to approach with poise and boldness to spare. He was surely in for a reckoning. Of sorts.
"Hm?" The light touch across his cheek gave the man pause. But not as much as the realization that Sumire had been teasing him back in the market. Yohei's gaze widened after learning that fact, a semblance of disbelief mixing with his stunned expression. He didn't know whether to feel relieved that his worries were misplaced or embarassed yet again for his overreaction.
"Don't be ridiculous. You just caught me off guard back there. And it...it'd been a while since we talked about home. I thought I said something cruel. Something stupid."
The zealot seemed dismissive again, but there was a key difference compared to before. Yohei wasn't looking away this time. His focus was solely fixed on Sumire, undeterred and lacking the guilt he was so used to showing. Not just because she was right in front of him, but to convey a sense of sincerity that was long overdue. "But I never lost faith in you. In us." He emphasized the latter part of that assertion by pulling closer than expected, one arm wrapping behind Sumire's waist to draw her in for a bold embrace.
Where that confidence came from was anyone's guess, since the zealot was rarely so forward, but perhaps it had something to do with the faint scent of blood hanging from his clothes. And also the tiny blotches of red that stained part of his sleeve, his shirt collar, and one of his boots. Those unsuspecting marks seemed fresh, did they not?
"Can you find it in your heart to forgive me? For being such an idiot."
Sumire knew his every opening, his every weakness. Yohei would never refute that. It grounded him though, knowing he could let someone be that close.
So it's true. Those widened doe eyes told her everything she needed to know. There was always the chance that Yohei was causing a scene knowing how much she'd disapprove, but sharing that gaze made it all too clear that he truly believed the act to be true - that she was someone capable of regret. As amusing as that might have been, it was also... oddly difficult to describe an emotion. So much so that Sumire couldn't muster the usual witty retort to the poorly supplied excuse. Instead the rare huff expired, "You're being the ridiculous one. I'm not sure who you take me for, but I am no shrew." [break][break] Regardless the false priestess hardly expected the zealot to make any bold moves after that, especially considering the topic. Hence when a certain warmth snaked around the curve of her back, eyes immediately darted down by instinct only to be forced forward once again from the subsequent pull that demanded all her attention. The whole action hadn't earned any resistance however. If anything it loaned Yohei a hint of leniency and a more sympathetic ear, not that it would ever be admitted to. She remained silent to the declaration, glancing to him from that position over his shoulder as if at a loss what had gotten into him today. It was as if he was trying to make it awkward for her to be any degree of upset. Honestly, he was too soft. [break][break] Yes, that thought was most prominent the kunoichi's mind even as an arm moved to reciprocate the embrace and took a thoughtless breath. After all that did he still need some affirmation? How cute. "Hm... I'll think about it. As I recall you still owe me two times over already," her voice a whisper spoken in the silverette's ear to remind him of the ultimatum earlier that day. Only time would tell if she was serious or not though as a chuckle followed soon after. She was confident that Yohei knew the answer though for it'd be doubly a shame if he hadn't considering how much faith she had placed in him already. Thus without skipping another beat she lightly pulled away from the sudden embrace to reveal a classic guileful smile. "You'll have to prove your sincerity. Otherwise we might as well turn ourselves in now." [break][break] Sumire was always a woman of action over words anyway. [break][break] Speaking of which, as if to personally prove that fact, a finger delicately traced the man's collarbone as she continued to speak. "Next time you get so worried, simply ask. Preferably when there aren't so many people gawking." Was she doing that to will him into listening? Hardly. It was just easier to examine the flesh by touch before abruptly seizing the male's bloodied collar in earnest. "Now then... is there a reason you reek of murder?" [break][break]
So he had to prove his sincerity - prove that they were still on the righteous path. There were far worse prices to pay than something like that. In fact, Yohei relished at the chance to show his commitment, an enthused look already taking over the man's features.
Upon the mention of reeking, the silverette looked himself over and gave a faint sniff. "What? This?" he questioned innocently. "How long's that been there?" Yohei clicked his tongue in feigned disappointment, rubbing the red stain as if it was nothing more than yesterday's meal clinging to his clothes. However, when it became apparent that the stain wasn't coming out so easily, he gave a chuckle and resigned to answering more truthfully. "Aheh. Well, the thing is...I had a little epiphany while I was out walking around. Or I guess you could call it a 'sign from above'?"
He knew how crazy that sounded, especially to a non-believer, but there wasn't another way to describe it. Matters of faith were relatively new to him as well, which didn't help in clarifying his experience. Never mind the fact that the silverette also admitted the 'Jashin business' he needed to attend back when they split up was 'walking around'?
"I was going to tell you tomorrow, but listen to this!" Taking Sumire by the shoulders and giving her an excited shake, the zealot seemed uncharacteristically cheerful to recall his experiences. "It was all because of that place. There was a temple at the edge of town. Kind of a run-down shack, more or less. Anyway, I stopped inside and started to pray there, just for a bit of practice." Conveniently, Yohei skipped the part about meeting the monk and decorating the shrine with his insides. Tiny details like that he could gloss over for now, since he was more excited to tell what happened next.
"That's when this feeling hit me like uh, uh. Something watching me, like a weight at my back. But there was nobody else there!"
Yohei held back the urge to tremble as he remembered the eerie sensation. Had Jashin been there, pushing him along? Leading up to that point, it did feel like some small force of reassurance had been guiding his hands. The overall message - if one could even call it that - was vague but Yohei believed in its significance nonetheless. "It has to be a good sign right?" he asked Sumire with an earnest grin.
