antisocialable | ( inbox )

[ sakura gives him a baffled flat look. ]

It's Japan? No aliens or robots or any of that stuff. Seriously. It's just normal.

[Douman just meets his eyes, blinks, and then takes a sip from his tea.]

Just making sure. Once you're reached a certain point, "normal" is always treacherous. Like how it's 'normal' for my students or teachers to blow up a room of my school every other day.

That isn't normal, that sounds like a problem.

Anyway, none of that stuff happens at Makochi. We have a lot of gang fights, that's all.

Gangs? Like delinquents?

Yeah. They come into town and start shit.

That's why Bofurin exists. To protect the town. We had a major fight not long ago.

..okay, you have no right to dunk me and my exploding classrooms anymore.

You have gangs come into your town, and they're just allowed to? What are the police and teachers doing?

The police don't come by the town much because of all the gang warfare.

And what are teachers supposed to do?

I'd beat any delinquent who tried that at Hyakki Academy black and blue till they cried for mercy, and then I'd kick them out.

[Not just would. Can and has done so before. Several times, without any remorse. Douman is patient, but he isn't lenient.]

And any cop who tucks tail rather than doing their job can go find a new one.

[ sakura shrugs. ]

Well, no one does that. So we deal with it ourselves.

[Douman shakes his head, clearly upset at the idea.]

That's absurd. The adults are supposed to look out for the kids. Even if you can handle it yourselves, that still doesn't mean that you should just have to.

[ sakura gives him a blank look. he's never had an adult look out for him in any shape or form, so. ]

Someone has to. And we do just fine.

I'm not doubting that.

I'm just pissed at any adult, especially those in a position of power, who would let their charges take the hits while they cover behind them. Let me guess, their excuse is something like "not my problem" or "we wouldn't win anyway, so just stick it out till somebody else can take care of it"? If you take the benefits, you also take the responsibility!

[That means protecting citizens just as much as students. It's one thing to not want to get trashed by somebody much stronger, he won't hold that against any average civilian. But even then you can call for help and then look for ways to gang up on them, or alarm somebody much stronger to come handle the situation. You don't just abandon shit!]

[ sakura merely shrugs. he's still new to makochi, so their way of doing things is unfamiliar. but he'll defend it. this is the place that accepted him. all of him. ]

Just 'cuz they don't fight doesn't mean they don't help out. All the shopkeepers and people always give me stuff for protectin' them.

Isn't that enough?

So they look out for you in their way? That's good. I also won't keep it against any shopkeepers or the like for not wanting to fight gangs.

[But teachers or other figures of authority who have sworn to protect those around them? Douman will absolutely exorcize anybody like that who fails that hard at their job first and ask questions later. So he shakes his head.]

Such a situation is unforgivable on the backs of the local authorities and your teachers. How can they demand any respect from you if they don't have the will to do anything for you in return? Not even the old order of Might Makes Right worked like that.

I dunno why you're so mad about this.

[ he's honestly kind of lost. ]

I've never had anyone help me before. Why would they start now?

Why wouldn't I be mad that nobody has helped you before? How can they call themselves human if they do things that not even we ayakashi would do?

If you care for somebody, you don't leave them hanging. It's easy as that.

[ sakura levels a firm look at douman. he should know by now. ]

They didn't care about me. They never have.

Only Bofurin does. Only . . . that place. So let it be.

[ there's no point being mad about it. all that anger . . . it ends nowhere. sakura fought to be safe from the abuse. there's nothing else to it. their minds won't change about him. ]

[Douman's expression darkens for a moment. He knows when he's not wanted. But that doesn't mean that he will look away because of it.]

Forget about it. Your words right back at you; if I want to care about somebody, I will.

[He huffs and glances to the side as he tilts his head in an unhappy compromise.]

But I'll acknowledge that you're not in a bad place back home at the moment, and that there is nothing I could do about it anyway. But that doesn't mean that I have to like it.

[ those words hadn't been directed at douman, but sakura can't take it back. and he's still smarting from before. he looks down at his own hands, unsure of what to say. ]

. . . Yeah. That's . . . fine, I guess.

Good.

I'm lowkey angry at all kinds of things all too often anyway, so don't sweat too much about it. The worst that could happen is that I'll get arrested for a bit because I kicked any of those cops who left you and the townspeople hanging if they ever show up here. [Which is a very big "if" and they both know it.] Which wouldn't be the first time I get arrested, either.

So it's really no problem.

[ geez, embarrassing. but . . . heartwarming too. it's rare for anyone to stand up for sakura. ]

Thanks. But it's fine. Really.

I don't think any of those people are gonna show up here.

They better.

....and I'd do the same for any other of my students and teachers, so don't get any funny ideas about it.

W-Who is getting funny ideas?!

Stop saying shit like that then!!

You are, clearly. Since you're the one being loud about it now.

And I say it because I absolutely mean it. I bet my whole school for a chance for one of my students less than a year ago. [It had been a ridiculously high bet, but you needed to risk at least that much if you wanted to pick a fight with the youkai minister. And Douman had been confident in Haruaki-kun and the boy's friends.]

[ his face darkens and he looks down at the table. ]

W-Well, we don't need to worry, right? Things are fine.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject