[ It's funny– the room they wind up in couldn't be more different from Douman's office back at Hyakki Academy, but the serious tension in the air is just the same. It's not about getting reprimanded and having his pay docked because his students blew up yet another section of the school. No, it's something real.
Haruaki kneels down on one of the cushions, hands resting comfortably on his thighs, spine straight. ]
You could say that. [Douman bustles for a moment to set out a small pot of tea and two cups, observing the old rules of hospitality because he wants to have this talk as little as Haruaki probably will in a few seconds.]
I'll cut straight to the chase: I recently found out that Sano-kun has apparently repeatedly risked falling since he arrived here. By breaking a base taboo of the gods. You know what that'd mean for him.
He has kissed a human. Without telling him what that could end up with if Takamagahara finds out.
[Douman tries to hold Haruaki's eyes while he braces himself for the inevitable spurt of innocent nonsense like "no way, Sano-kun has a boyfriend!? and they were k-i-s-s-i-n-g?? 8D"]
To remind you of Takamagahara's rules. There are three things that gods like Sano- and Ebisu-kun are not allowed to do. Ever.
[He taps his finger against the tabletop as he counts them down.]
One, they mustn't directly harm or kill a human.
Two, they cannot have anything romantic or sexual with a human.
And three, they must keep their distance from human remains.
[ Sano already bore the brunt of that particular bomb being dropped, dealt with all the fawning and prying about his first kiss. Haruaki knows now that it's not something he was particularly happy about, not something he would have chosen for himself. His own first kiss was stolen by the weird happenings in this place too, so he gets it...
But it's what makes him pause, cocking his head thoughtfully. ]
Do you really think stuff like that counts, Principal? Especially here, where we aren't under the same rules as we are back home.
[ It's an entirely genuine question. Douman knows more about the workings of the gods back in their world than he does, and he's earnestly curious as to how his boss thinks this world operates in relation to their own. ]
[No, wait, this isn't the time for that. Rather than getting ready to break out some comedy violence, Douman sits back, all perfectly formal Seiza, and gives his favorite troublemaker teacher a dire look.]
...Are you ready to bet Sano-kun's future on that it won't?
He won't be the only one suffering if it does, either.
I'm not betting anything. I just don't know if it's that simple...
[ To his credit, he doesn't wilt under that look, spine straight, hands perfectly still on his thighs. ]
People say we don't even remember anything from here when we go home. [ Which... presents its own host of issues, but that's neither here nor there. ] I'm not saying Sano-kun should act recklessly, but it makes sense why he wouldn't tell random people about Takamagahara's rules, doesn't it?
Only if you think like a god. How do you think the other kid felt when he found out about what could have happened?
[Douman's expression turns cold at the memory of how crushed Sakura had been. His hand clenches into a fist against his leg, because Sano's neglience has forced Douman to be the one who hurt Sakura by telling him what should have never been needed to be brought up to begin with.]
[ Haruaki won't ask why. He knows why, at least partially. Douman cares about Sano, wants the best for him – of course he would intervene in a situation like this.
Still, though... ]
Don't you think that's something Sano-kun should have talked to him about once he was ready?
['So how you were going to tell your students about your powers once you were ready?' The impulse to put his thought into words crosses his mind, but Douman decides against lashing out. Punishing others when you really want to hit yourself is a bad look, and not worthy Hyakki Academy's principal.]
I didn't tell him anything private. Just what he needed to know to understand the danger they were both in.
[A pause. He sighs.]
There absolutely are people out there who will use it against Sano if there's as much as a smear on his divinity. And they won't care what any of us thinks counts, or if we still remember or not.
And finally his rigid posture breaks, and he resumes pouring the tea, first for Douman, then for himself. It gives him time to chew this over.
It's complicated, isn't it? On the off chance that the things they do here matter at all when they return home, perhaps Sano could be punished for it. It wouldn't be fair, or just, or right, and Haruaki may be a coward, but protecting Sano would be a reason to stand up to gods again. There's always a way to resolve things peacefully. Always.
He doesn't share any of that. Instead, picking up the cup and balancing it on his palm, he tries to gentle this in a different direction. ]
How did that person take it? I don't even know who it was, he didn't tell me...
[Douman accepts his cup with a small bow. He picks it up and cradles it between his hands, but doesn't drink from it. He has tried his best to keep Sano-kun's secrets, even now from Haruaki-kun. They weigh way too much for anybody but the boy to have any right to reveal them. But doesn't Sakura-kun have the same rights? Doesn't he deserve the same amount of respect and care?
The warmth of the tea seeps into his skin, but his heart feels squeezed and chilled once more. Douman doesn't know what kind of face he is making right now, and he doesn't want to know.]
He took it in the worst way possible. Having Sano-kun fall and suffer divine punishment right in front of his eyes couldn't have gone much worse.
Haruaki would blame himself if he were in that position, too.
That doesn't mean it's right, though. ]
So... there's this guy who feels like it's his fault that Sano-kun might have broken a rule, and then there's Sano-kun who will feel like he made a mistake getting close to a human here...
[ His eyes drift down for a moment, lingering on the placid surface of the tea before lifting to meet Douman's again. ]
And then there's you, who had to teach both of them a hard lesson.
[ It's a difficult position to be in. It's a balance they have to learn to strike, as those tasked with guiding young people into brighter futures.
Haruaki can deal with smoothing over Sano's reopened wounds. If he can work out who the other person was, maybe he can get to know them and eventually help them, too. But that's all for the future, near or far– at the moment, Douman is the only one in front of him, and he has all of Haruaki's focus. ]
[Douman's eyes widen slightly and leans back, taken by surprise that anybody else would consider his position within this whole mess. Or maybe Haruaki-kun doesn't, and he simply wants to hear his opinion on the matter at hand. Or maybe there isn't any great thought behind that question at all. It's hard to tell sometimes, and Seimei's reincarnation has sometimes insane luck when it comes to hitting close to people's hearts.]
... I didn't enjoy it, naturally.
[Douman's eyes glance from his cup of tea to one side of the table to the other, avoiding Haruaki's eyes before they finally settle thoughtfully on something off to the right.]
There's a saying, "don't shoot the messenger." But I felt way more like the messenger who shot the recipients. More than once, in Sak- Sano-kun's partner's case. That child seems to be carrying deep wounds about the idea of hurting others and being abandoned because of it, and all of this hit square where it hurts.
[He worries his bottom lip, wondering if he hadn't told too much already. The relationship he had with Sakura-kun is hard to put into words, but they had been close. But this thing had given Douman his own slap from reality. Dreaming was nice, but nothing good came out of Ashiya Douman trying to get close to anyone.
The thought has him sigh and finally take a sip from his tea.]
Overall, I find this particular case pretty dismal. I don't want those kids to think that befriending each other was a mistake.
...But I also get why there are these rules for gods, and how it could become an important lesson for Sano-kun. And I am angry that so many would use Sano-kun as an excuse to go after what they really want.
Mm... it sounds like Sano-kun and his friend have similar worries.
[ Hurting others, especially without meaning to, and all the fallout that comes from that...
It's all noted. Tucked away in Haruaki's mind and up against his heart. He won't ever betray Douman's confidence by letting either of the boys know that he knows that this happened, but he can use the information he has now to work toward helping them in his own way.
Haruaki sips his tea too, hums a little in approval. It's been a while since he had good tea. Leave it to their Principal. ]
They might need time to feel hurt first, but I'm sure they'll work through it together. Sano-kun isn't the type to let a friend feel bad, even if he feels bad himself.
[ Another sip, and even if Douman still can't meet his eyes, Haruaki offers him a gentle smile. ]
It's never fun giving tough love, huh? But it's up to them to move forward with it. You don't have to feel bad about it, Principal.
Edited (just fuckin hits comment before i'm actually done i guess) 2026-01-09 03:35 (UTC)
[Douman just nods at that assessment. The tea tastes bland against his tongue, but he is going to blame that on the topic of their conversation rather than his skills.
Having to admit that Haruaki-kun is the way better man to help those boys smarts. But for once this isn't about his ego, and Douman is willing to lower his head for their wellbeing.]
That's what I'm trusting on. But just in case, please look out for them.
[He sighs and sets his cup on the table, meeting Haruaki's eyes. Douman's own look red and exhausted, now that he lets himself relax.]
I support Sano-kun having his love-life and getting to make his own choices, but the situation at hand is too dangerous for him to do it before he graduates.
Eh... I thought it was like that at first too– Sano-kun starting to have a love life, I mean!
[ All that flailing and shouting about the mistletoe kiss that Douman expected? Haruaki definitely did that, but Sano was quick to kill it off, because– ]
I don't think he's interested in stuff like that yet, though... It's more like something this world forced him to do. He wasn't happy about it.
[ And that was even before he got smacked in the face with the Takamagahara rule book... poor Sano. Haruaki will definitely look out for him, for both of them. ]
I guess that's the kind of thing we have to worry about here. We aren't really in control of what happens to us!
Don't go shoving all the blame for the decisions you make on a convenient culprit.
[It's not quite fair since Douman himself got smacked with several of what this place has to offer himself already, but he still has to nip that sort of mindset in the bud.]
I guess that it's my fault for spoiling you, Abe-sensei, but actions have consequences. Whether we like it or not.
You aren't doing Sano-kun any favors by making excuses for him.
It's not how Haruaki sees it at all, but something tells him this isn't a point worth arguing. Not just yet, when he's still feeling out the machinations of this world, and not when Douman is still feeling the stress of having to come down on Sano and his friend.
He tucks it away for later, just hangs his head and nods for now, a diligent employee taking in the words of his superior, focused on his tea until– ]
Say, Principal...
[ The cup is nearly drained. Haruaki sets it back on the low table, cowlick startle to waggle inquisitively. ]
What about you? [ Wait, wait– ] Aah, I don't mean what about your love life, don't tell me thaaaat!!! I just mean...
[ Well, there's no other way to ask it, is there? It may not be why they're here, but Haruaki's really beginning to think it's the most important thing to do while they are. ]
[Good. He can see the wheels turning inside Haruaki's head, but at least for now it seems like he is going to go along with Douman's wishes. Douman will just have to work even harder on regaining his abilities and keep an eye on Seimei's reincarnation too.]
Yes?
[He has raises his cup to take a sip of his own tea again, but the sudden yelling about his love life has Douman do a spit-take instead.]
Wh-Why are you suddenly talking as if you're my mom!?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Haruaki kneels down on one of the cushions, hands resting comfortably on his thighs, spine straight. ]
Did something happen, Principal?
no subject
I'll cut straight to the chase: I recently found out that Sano-kun has apparently repeatedly risked falling since he arrived here. By breaking a base taboo of the gods. You know what that'd mean for him.
no subject
What?
[ A base taboo of the gods...? All told, Haruaki still knows so little. ]
What do you mean, risked falling? What has he been doing? I see him all the time, he's been on good behavior...
no subject
[Douman tries to hold Haruaki's eyes while he braces himself for the inevitable spurt of innocent nonsense like "no way, Sano-kun has a boyfriend!? and they were k-i-s-s-i-n-g?? 8D"]
To remind you of Takamagahara's rules. There are three things that gods like Sano- and Ebisu-kun are not allowed to do. Ever.
[He taps his finger against the tabletop as he counts them down.]
One, they mustn't directly harm or kill a human.
Two, they cannot have anything romantic or sexual with a human.
And three, they must keep their distance from human remains.
no subject
Oh, do you mean the stuff with the mistletoe...?
[ Sano already bore the brunt of that particular bomb being dropped, dealt with all the fawning and prying about his first kiss. Haruaki knows now that it's not something he was particularly happy about, not something he would have chosen for himself. His own first kiss was stolen by the weird happenings in this place too, so he gets it...
But it's what makes him pause, cocking his head thoughtfully. ]
Do you really think stuff like that counts, Principal? Especially here, where we aren't under the same rules as we are back home.
[ It's an entirely genuine question. Douman knows more about the workings of the gods back in their world than he does, and he's earnestly curious as to how his boss thinks this world operates in relation to their own. ]
1/2
[There's a noise of something snapping. Loudly. But don't worry about it, it's surely just your imagination.]
You already knew?
no subject
...Are you ready to bet Sano-kun's future on that it won't?
He won't be the only one suffering if it does, either.
no subject
[ To his credit, he doesn't wilt under that look, spine straight, hands perfectly still on his thighs. ]
People say we don't even remember anything from here when we go home. [ Which... presents its own host of issues, but that's neither here nor there. ] I'm not saying Sano-kun should act recklessly, but it makes sense why he wouldn't tell random people about Takamagahara's rules, doesn't it?
no subject
[Douman's expression turns cold at the memory of how crushed Sakura had been. His hand clenches into a fist against his leg, because Sano's neglience has forced Douman to be the one who hurt Sakura by telling him what should have never been needed to be brought up to begin with.]
no subject
How did he find out?
no subject
no subject
[ Haruaki won't ask why. He knows why, at least partially. Douman cares about Sano, wants the best for him – of course he would intervene in a situation like this.
Still, though... ]
Don't you think that's something Sano-kun should have talked to him about once he was ready?
no subject
I didn't tell him anything private. Just what he needed to know to understand the danger they were both in.
[A pause. He sighs.]
There absolutely are people out there who will use it against Sano if there's as much as a smear on his divinity. And they won't care what any of us thinks counts, or if we still remember or not.
no subject
And finally his rigid posture breaks, and he resumes pouring the tea, first for Douman, then for himself. It gives him time to chew this over.
It's complicated, isn't it? On the off chance that the things they do here matter at all when they return home, perhaps Sano could be punished for it. It wouldn't be fair, or just, or right, and Haruaki may be a coward, but protecting Sano would be a reason to stand up to gods again. There's always a way to resolve things peacefully. Always.
He doesn't share any of that. Instead, picking up the cup and balancing it on his palm, he tries to gentle this in a different direction. ]
How did that person take it? I don't even know who it was, he didn't tell me...
no subject
The warmth of the tea seeps into his skin, but his heart feels squeezed and chilled once more. Douman doesn't know what kind of face he is making right now, and he doesn't want to know.]
He took it in the worst way possible. Having Sano-kun fall and suffer divine punishment right in front of his eyes couldn't have gone much worse.
.....he's blaming himself.
no subject
Haruaki would blame himself if he were in that position, too.
That doesn't mean it's right, though. ]
So... there's this guy who feels like it's his fault that Sano-kun might have broken a rule, and then there's Sano-kun who will feel like he made a mistake getting close to a human here...
[ His eyes drift down for a moment, lingering on the placid surface of the tea before lifting to meet Douman's again. ]
And then there's you, who had to teach both of them a hard lesson.
[ It's a difficult position to be in. It's a balance they have to learn to strike, as those tasked with guiding young people into brighter futures.
Haruaki can deal with smoothing over Sano's reopened wounds. If he can work out who the other person was, maybe he can get to know them and eventually help them, too. But that's all for the future, near or far– at the moment, Douman is the only one in front of him, and he has all of Haruaki's focus. ]
How do you feel about it, Principal?
no subject
[Douman's eyes widen slightly and leans back, taken by surprise that anybody else would consider his position within this whole mess. Or maybe Haruaki-kun doesn't, and he simply wants to hear his opinion on the matter at hand. Or maybe there isn't any great thought behind that question at all. It's hard to tell sometimes, and Seimei's reincarnation has sometimes insane luck when it comes to hitting close to people's hearts.]
... I didn't enjoy it, naturally.
[Douman's eyes glance from his cup of tea to one side of the table to the other, avoiding Haruaki's eyes before they finally settle thoughtfully on something off to the right.]
There's a saying, "don't shoot the messenger." But I felt way more like the messenger who shot the recipients. More than once, in Sak- Sano-kun's partner's case. That child seems to be carrying deep wounds about the idea of hurting others and being abandoned because of it, and all of this hit square where it hurts.
[He worries his bottom lip, wondering if he hadn't told too much already. The relationship he had with Sakura-kun is hard to put into words, but they had been close. But this thing had given Douman his own slap from reality. Dreaming was nice, but nothing good came out of Ashiya Douman trying to get close to anyone.
The thought has him sigh and finally take a sip from his tea.]
Overall, I find this particular case pretty dismal. I don't want those kids to think that befriending each other was a mistake.
...But I also get why there are these rules for gods, and how it could become an important lesson for Sano-kun. And I am angry that so many would use Sano-kun as an excuse to go after what they really want.
no subject
[ Hurting others, especially without meaning to, and all the fallout that comes from that...
It's all noted. Tucked away in Haruaki's mind and up against his heart. He won't ever betray Douman's confidence by letting either of the boys know that he knows that this happened, but he can use the information he has now to work toward helping them in his own way.
Haruaki sips his tea too, hums a little in approval. It's been a while since he had good tea. Leave it to their Principal. ]
They might need time to feel hurt first, but I'm sure they'll work through it together. Sano-kun isn't the type to let a friend feel bad, even if he feels bad himself.
[ Another sip, and even if Douman still can't meet his eyes, Haruaki offers him a gentle smile. ]
It's never fun giving tough love, huh? But it's up to them to move forward with it. You don't have to feel bad about it, Principal.
no subject
Having to admit that Haruaki-kun is the way better man to help those boys smarts. But for once this isn't about his ego, and Douman is willing to lower his head for their wellbeing.]
That's what I'm trusting on. But just in case, please look out for them.
[He sighs and sets his cup on the table, meeting Haruaki's eyes. Douman's own look red and exhausted, now that he lets himself relax.]
I support Sano-kun having his love-life and getting to make his own choices, but the situation at hand is too dangerous for him to do it before he graduates.
no subject
[ All that flailing and shouting about the mistletoe kiss that Douman expected? Haruaki definitely did that, but Sano was quick to kill it off, because– ]
I don't think he's interested in stuff like that yet, though... It's more like something this world forced him to do. He wasn't happy about it.
[ And that was even before he got smacked in the face with the Takamagahara rule book... poor Sano. Haruaki will definitely look out for him, for both of them. ]
I guess that's the kind of thing we have to worry about here. We aren't really in control of what happens to us!
no subject
[It's not quite fair since Douman himself got smacked with several of what this place has to offer himself already, but he still has to nip that sort of mindset in the bud.]
I guess that it's my fault for spoiling you, Abe-sensei, but actions have consequences. Whether we like it or not.
You aren't doing Sano-kun any favors by making excuses for him.
no subject
It's not how Haruaki sees it at all, but something tells him this isn't a point worth arguing. Not just yet, when he's still feeling out the machinations of this world, and not when Douman is still feeling the stress of having to come down on Sano and his friend.
He tucks it away for later, just hangs his head and nods for now, a diligent employee taking in the words of his superior, focused on his tea until– ]
Say, Principal...
[ The cup is nearly drained. Haruaki sets it back on the low table, cowlick startle to waggle inquisitively. ]
What about you? [ Wait, wait– ] Aah, I don't mean what about your love life, don't tell me thaaaat!!! I just mean...
[ Well, there's no other way to ask it, is there? It may not be why they're here, but Haruaki's really beginning to think it's the most important thing to do while they are. ]
Are you making friends, too?
no subject
Yes?
[He has raises his cup to take a sip of his own tea again, but the sudden yelling about his love life has Douman do a spit-take instead.]
Wh-Why are you suddenly talking as if you're my mom!?
no subject
[ Wait. That's a real person. ]
I mean– I'm not trying to be your mom!! I'm just asking as a friend...
no subject
....I'm doing fine, Haruaki-kun. No need to worry about me.
(no subject)
(no subject)