Tactics:
Conflict
Summary: Based on the last episodes in the anime, while talking about Suzu's Death, Sugino tells Haruka about Kantarou's conflict within himself and what his condition is, HaruKan I think and a bit of SuginoxYouko
To The Point
"And you even gave her the chance to get close to you…" Sugino muttered, looking at Haruka with those narrowed green emeralds that glittered in the sun's light as it called it a day, Haruka slumps his head unto his shoulders, the news of Suzu's death has hit him very hard, especially the way he acted in front of the young girl and she was only trying to help him too.
"You've really done a foolish thing Demon Eater"
And the bad thing was, Sugino was correct, he really did a foolish thing, Suzu was dead, he wondered hoe the others were handling it, he looked at the Mountain God, his black onyx eyes gazing at the couple that were in front of him, he needed to know, no he wanted to know how the others were feeling.
He took out the little charm that Suzu gave him and held it tightly, feeling guilt wash over him like a merciless wave...
"How did the others take it?" Sugino sighed; sympathy in his eyes, Muu-chan just did the same thing, resting her bald green head on her husband's chest, she didn't seem to want to hear about it so she just immediately jumped off him and scurried outside into the afternoon, to leave the two Tengu's alone as they discuss the problems that the others were handling with the passing of Suzu.
"Youko took it pretty hard, she cried even when I came by to see how they were doing, Rosalie too…they all seemed to be a bit shaken up when we were there…" there was something about this that disturbed the Tengu greatly, he missed out Kantarou's feelings on the matter, he knew how much Kantarou looked at Suzu as a little annoying sister and how much she has been in their lives up to this point.
"What about Kantarou?"
Sugino fell silent, closing his eyes tightly, he didn't really want to tell his friend about the Scholars reaction, the whole scenario was still playing through the god's head, when he was there and seeing how Youko said all that stuff to him about not wanting to deal with it, he became really concerned when Sugino heard Youko say that the young man was trying to avoid Haruka and that was really what made the white winged Tengu worried deeply about him, even though he doesn't really like him, he had this feeling that Kantarou was falling into a never ending void of depression.
If he told Haruka then there was no doubt in Sugino's mind that the black winged Tengu would leave and see the folklorist immediately…
He still remembered having that conversation with Youko after Kantarou left…
Flash Back
"Youko…" Youko looked at Sugino while handing him a cup of tea, those glittering blue orbs staring at him, this was after Kantarou left and Rosalie went home. "Back then, when you said that Kantarou was avoiding Demon Eater, tell me was that true?" the response in her eyes were more than Sugino needed to know that it was correct. He couldn't believe that Kantarou was avoiding Haruka; it wasn't like the exorcist to do something like this…
"Yes, these past six months when Haruka-chan went over to live with you…Kantarou hasn't been his usual self…" she tilted her head, settling the tea pot unto the tray, continuing with her explanations. "He goes out on long walks, Kan-Chan's been eating poorly and he barely speaks anymore, and I think he feels it's his fault for Haruka's pain you know…"
Sugino looked at her with sadness painted in his eyes, his black hair casting shadows over his face as he spoke softly.
"And you think that it would be best if Demon Eater spoke to Kantarou?"
"I don't really know Sugino-sama, I don't know what to do, it's just if he's like this any longer then no doubt he'll die from all of it…" the mountain god could tell how worried that Kantarou was making the kitsune demon feel, she was sick with worry, Muu-chan snuggled her head into Sugino's hand, she purred warmly.
"They want to see each other don't they?" Youko just came out and said it, there was no point for either of them to beat around the bush, Kantarou felt guilty for Haruka and it was clear that Haruka felt the same way. Sugino nodded "Hai, I think that's the only thing that can come into mind, Demon Eater's afraid in case he gets his memories back then he would kill Kantarou and Kantarou, well he's only scared in case he would end up hurting Haruka even more"
"I feel so helpless doing nothing, does Haruka know of Suzu's passing?"
"No, he doesn't, well not yet anyways…" Sugino explained.
Youko closed her eyes as tears smeared her cheek "You going to tell him?" Sugino sighed "Well if not now then it's only going to hurt him later" he stated, it was truth he knew the feeling of having information like this kept from him, it tore him apart until he met Muu-chan.
"Kantarou's hurting, he knew these past six months and never told me about it…" nothing but shock washed over Sugino, his eyes wide open "Why didn't he tell you?" Youko whimpered as he replied in a low soft voice.
"He said that he couldn't bare telling me since we were getting along so well" she rubbed her eyes to chase the tears away, there was no use in crying when the people she cares for is in so much pain and anguish to come foreword and be honest with each other.
"Sugino-sama, when we went to the mansion today, Kantarou was going to exorcise Suzu, but in the end he couldn't do it, when he saw the smile on her face he couldn't do it, he couldn't bare the responsibility of ending someone he once cared for, when we left, he locked himself in his room and cried, muttering to himself that he was weak, and then all he said was…"
"G-Gomenasai Suzu-chan, Go-menasai Haruka"
End Flash Back
"Sugino" Sugino snapped out of his thoughts as he placed his gaze on the Demon Eating Tengu, he tried to see what expression he could see in the Tengu's face, all he saw in those eyes were a tiny bit of concern and worry for someone and he knew rightly who that was for even though that other Tengu tired to hide it from everyone around him.
"What about Kantarou? How's he coping with all this?" he asked once more, Sugino couldn't do it, he couldn't bring himself to lie to his old friend, he gave a tired and irritated sigh and then inhaled a deep breath about to tell Haruka, the Demon Eating Tengu everything that the White Winged Goblin knew at the Ichinomiya residence at its current state.
"I won't lie to you Demon Eater; he's not been doing very well…" Haruka looked at Sugino a little bit shocked at the answer he got. "From what I heard from Youko, Kantarou hasn't been doing very well for the last couple of months, he knew about Suzu's passing but couldn't bring himself to tell Youko about it…" there was a tense atmosphere surrounding the room as Haruka shifted himself a little bit closer to listen to Sugino
"Plus since you left he hasn't been his usual self since I saw him, he's been eating poorly, went out for long walks and also, he barely speaks to anyone anymore and also…" Haruka looked into Sugino's eyes; he could see the seriousness in those green orbs that send chills down his very spine.
"And also I think he still blames himself for what's happened to you…" this just made Haruka's body froze entirely, the colour in his face faded like a pale white sheet or a rice ball. Then Haruka growled at the other man
"Hey I'm just telling you what you wanted to know Demon Eater, don't shot the messenger…" Haruka knew that, he knew that but still he doesn't understand why Kantarou was still feeling that way, he already told him and he thought he made himself clear…
"Why though…"
"Huh?"
"I thought I told him it wasn't his fault for my mental anguish of losing my memories…" Sugino gasped "You told him what?! What else did you say to Kantarou?" Haruka replied in the usual cold tone now.
"I just told him that the only reason that I couldn't return to his side was in case if my memories came back then I was afraid for his safety because I might kill him if they do happen to come back to me" Sugino then lashed out at the demon eater, not because he was frustrated, just to let Haruka knew what he did.
"Baka! No wonder he's so depressed" Haruka just looked at the other Tengu with a clueless expression smeared on his face, like he was a hopeless little child. This was only when all the pieces of this puzzle came back together. "If you told him that then that's just going to make that idiot whimper about you even more, he probably feels that it's still his fault for all of this stuff happening…"
Silence fell between them…
"How troublesome, Demon Eater you certainly have no idea how humans think do you" he couldn't see his friends eyes anymore because those dark onyx's were cast into the realm of shadows. The Black Winged Tengu stood up as he wondered over to the door, he had to do something about this mess and he had to do it now.
"You see, unlike us, Humans have a habit to have conflict within themselves, in truth they probably have no idea what's happening either that there or their mind and heart are having a fight about what they desired, Haruka…" Haruka looked back at Sugino, the wind blowing through the tree house as they both stood there like that, as if time had stopped perfectly for these words to make their way out into the open.
"Such Conflict can either make the truth as clear as day, or tare them apart in the dark of night…"
As Clear As Day
As Dark As Night
There Is Nothing But Conflict
Between Darkness And Light
It Can Either Bring Forth The Truth
Or Tare You Apart
End
Youkai Of Hearts: Just a little fic I thought of doing for quite some time now about what else Sugino could have told Haruka about when he came back from Kantarou's house, So I thought that something like Kantarou's condition would be something of great interest, although it did seem that Sugino looked a bit out of character coming to the ending of this fic, I'll have to improve even more…
Well Until Next Time Kiddos, See Yeah Later!!