lightningruins | jikan inbox

[ She knows he's home. Doesn't have to send the question ahead of herself because she senses him, his energy, the soul to which she's mutually bound and of which she's more acutely aware than she was before they contracted in December. He hasn't moved an inch since she left to meet with Yukio and that isn't the least bit surprising to her not simply for her sixth sense and their connection, but the fact that her Leaf is lazy.

He's more than that, she knows. He'd told her shortly after they met and she's seen and experienced him in certain ways since then, but she doesn't know everything. It wasn't his intention, but Yukio had reminded her of that today with his revelation and Setsura has questions, the least of which is -- ]

Lewin, are you awake?

[ Nevermind that she's sending that question ahead from beside the front door where she's presently hopping out of a boot. ]

[There isn't a response from Lewin. Maybe he's asleep?

Or maybe he's lounging on the couch surrounded by piles of books, totally absorbed in research and not paying any attention to anything around him.

Today, it's the latter.]

[ The lack of a response doesn't discourage her. Once her boots neatly placed beside the door, Setsura heads to the living room. Rather than cross it, she pauses in the threshold and leans against the doorframe, watching Lewin quietly for a moment. Her eyes flick to the piles of books, scan the various tiles, then return to him again.

There's a chance he might get cranky at her for interrupting his research, but it's a chance she's willing to take given the subject at hand.

She doesn't call him again. Rather, she strides behind the couch and slides over the back of it into the tiny space between him and one of his piles. She's upside down, legs dangling over the back of the couch. A book or two might dislodge and fall over, one atop her chest, but she doesn't mind.

No, she's reaching to... tap him on the nose. Yes, there is a serious conversation pending, but he's no less her Leaf and she's not about to do the amount of twisting it would take for her to wiggle into his lap. ]

Hey.

[RIP his carefully(?) organized(?) piles of books.

He actually just.... lights up. Actual sparkles when she flops onto his research notes.]

Hey yourself!

[ An easy smile tugs at her mouth. He's cute and knowing that he likes her, that those sparkles are genuine, causes her to softly glow in turn. ]

Got a minute? There's something I need to ask you.

[ Because while Lewin is cute, he's also strong and dangerous and she needs to be in the know for everyone's sake, his included. ]

Course. [He puts his book down, the pages still open, bending the spine.]

What's up?

I just got back from meeting up with Yukio-chan. He wanted to apologize about certain things from the other day. There were certain things he wouldn't apologize for, though. Things he said to me that day that he only partially explained today.

[ Her smile drops, but doesn't quite turn into a frown. ]

Why does he hate you?

Does he? [Lewin looks... confused, for a long moment. Like he's surprised at the idea, then like he's sorting through memories.

A realization, and a slightly sheepish laugh.]

I guess he would be the kinda kid who holds a grudge.

A grudge for what?

If I'm gonna guess, it's because of an interrogation that got a little out of hand. The guy confessed, but he broke a Morinath contract to do it.

"A little out of hand"?

[ Yukio had said he didn't approve of Lewin's method of gathering information, so "interrogation" isn't a complete surprise. "Got a little out of hand" raises a bright red flag and begins to perform a routine with it and breaking a contract -- ]

What is a Morinath contract and what are the consequences of breaking one?

[ Nothing good. She doesn't like where this is going. ]

It's a death contract used for secret keeping.

You know, I've got one of those on Okumura Yukio.

[ Setsura is quick as ever. The puzzle pieces are snapped into place with hisfirst answer. Lewin is responsible for the death of someone dear to Yukio. That's why he hates him, why his feelings overpowered his constant politeness to the point of insistence, why he doesn't want the people he cares about around him. It makes sense now and there's another question regarding that on the tip of her tongue over which she not quite trips with his second, casual revelation. ]

Why?

Why what? Why'd I let that old man trigger his contract? Info. Why do I have one on Okumura? Leverage.

[ He says it so easily with a smile on his face. It's not mocking or derisive, nothing done up grandly. No shame, no regret. He hasn't lost a wink of sleep over this, she can tell, and she continues to look up at him from her position upside down on the couch for a moment. Just a moment, then she's shuffling herself a little forward and reaching, turning, probably wrinkling a thing or two, but she manages to get herself upright without falling off the couch. Upright and onto his lap, his book pushed aside, place still secured.

Turning her eyes to him again, she exhales softly and reaches to take his face in her hands and pull him to eye level. ]

Lewin, [ how does she put this? ] you can't just go around killing people, especially family.

[ "Especially family" because in addition to the contract he has on Yukio, she knows he would have that day when Yukio tried to kidnap her. ]

Edited 2022-06-30 01:34 (UTC)

It's a simple contract, with simple rules. If they chose to break it, it's not on me.

[And, more importantly.]

Don't think that just because you like somebody, I'm going to feel the same way.

[ She can't argue with what he says concerning contracts, not that it's her intention to argue. As a hanyoukai, as a high ranking member of an organization that operates via contracts, she knows contracts intimately. Doubts there's much if any real difference in their concept between their worlds.

Were the situation reversed, it's very likely she would have said something similar. She has in the past and she recalls the various looks she was met with in turn. And had she been in Yukio's shoes -- that's a concern she's filing away to address sooner than later, but not now. Now -- ]

I'm not that unreasonable.

[ She says. ]

You and Yukio-chan... you're mine, my family. I don't expect you to resolve things and play House, but I don't want you killing each other or trying to.

[ "Trying to" because Yukio wouldn't be able to succeed given their contract. ]

Oh, I'm not trying to kill him. He's way more useful to me alive than dead.

[ She sighs, exasperated. ]

I guess that's something.

[ She guesses. And it is something, just not nearly as favorable a something as she'd like and a surging curiosity. If Yukio is bound by a Morinath contract, if he really wanted to die, he could have simply broken that contract, but he hasn't.

More and more puzzle pieces. ]

Is there anything else I should know?

About what?

[ This look. Get that single brain cell working, mister. ]

If you're wondering about Okumura, you'll have to ask him what he's got issues with.

I'm more concerned about what he may attempt because of whatever issues he has. He's a good boy, but he's still a boy and boys do stupid things even after they're men.

[ She lifts a finger and taps his nose. ]

You know that.

'course he's a kid, but [Lewin says, and there's a little seriousness there, as he looks at her from under his bangs.] he's also the youngest to get his exorcist's certification in over a hundred years, and he did it with two meisters. He's a working exorcist, teaches a pretty complicated subject decently well, and maintains the top scores in his special advanced class in high school.

He also threw all of that out the window, live, on national television, trying to chase down the same info I was looking for. If I hadn't got that old priest to spill the beans, Yukio would've, and I don't think that's the kind of thing he could have handled afterwards.

[ Setsura holds his gaze quietly for a moment as she considers this new information. More than a beat passes between them during which silence attempts to cast itself like a blanket over them. As it does, she leans slowly forward to peer more closely at him. Then, and with a very particular smile bordering on mischievous spreading across her face, she abruptly kicks that figurative blanket off. ]

You like him.

[ She'll ask Lewin who Yukio tried to shoot in a minute. This is just as important. ]

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