[ Resistant hair was a new notion, enough so that it pulled Yuri's attention from what served as the kitchen to where Byleth sat. He eyed the back of the man's head quizzically. Was that hyperbole? Byleth wasn't usually the type, unless he was assaulted by a mess of neon, in which case Yuri hardly blamed him.
Still, it was difficult to believe that Byleth's hair was that oddly durable. Was it an influence of this place, like the suppression of magic for those unharmonized was? Another question he had no way to answer, at least for the time being. Yuri mentally set it aside for now. ]
...Maybe you're not approaching it from the right angle.
[ Even if it was difficult to cut for some reason, that could simply mean a different approach was required. From what Yuri had observed and heard, Byleth was going about it with brute force. ]
[Byleth paused where he had lifted his knife once more, turning his head slightly to give Yuri a long look.
While he rationally knew his roommate wouldn't shank him, there was still that knee-jerk wariness that sparked briefly in him. He was fine sharing space with those he deemed comrades - a title that only a scant handful had achieved - and even being vulnerable around them (i.e sleep). But it was different to them being in his personal space whilst holding a blade so close to his throat.
The wariness was irrational, though, and Byleth was a master of his emotions (er, in repressing them, that is), so after a long pause he nodded minutely and turned to face Yuri, lowering the knife to rest it against his thigh.]
I suppose. You can't do any worse than I am, currently.
[ Yuri remained where he was until Byleth made his decision. The silence that spread between them made it evident that he was deliberating, and he wasn't going to press the issue if the offer was declined. It was Byleth's call, difficult as it was to watch him struggle with getting his hair under control. This didn't strike him as anything that Byleth was accustomed to, for that matter.
When at last the answer did come, Yuri found himslef surprised. Byleth may have welcomed him into his temporary home, but that didn't mean he trusted him on any personal level — Yuri would've found it peculiar if he did. Then again, he'd think the same with anyone. ]
One would hope not.
[ He strolled his way over to the couch, casual air belying his caution. Much of the time, he hardly touched Byleth, and that seemed to suit them best. They were allies, but they had hardly interacted with each other previous to this, after all.
Perching himself on the arm of the couch, Yuri procured one of his knives from his jacket and offered it to Byleth for inspection, handle first. ]
I don't doubt you sharpen that dagger, but I'd wager my knives have a finer edge. If your hair's as resistant as it looks, I expect it'll come down to the approach.
[ The way he'd been sawing at his hair, Yuri suspected Byleth could be making matters worse for himself, to say nothing of how that might hurt. ]
[Byleth accepted the knife, though he didn't really inspect it thoroughly as he cast a brief glance over its edge. It certainly looked sharp, but his own knife had been sharp too. He didn't really have high hopes for Yuri's attempt, and resigned himself to potentially having to offer to replace the knife if he dulled the edge too much.]
There's only one way you can approach cutting hair.
[He held the knife out, holding it by the very tip of its blade between forefinger and thumb.]
But I'll let you attempt it. Please don't... put too much force behind it, though. I don't like feeling my hair pull against my scalp.
[Which was why this whole process was so tedious and uncomfortable. His poor scalp...]
[ Yuri accepted his knife, ready to state that there was more than one way to trim hair, but that last request weighed on his tongue. Instead, he huffed out a soft breath and shook his head. He was practiced enough with his own hair to know better than to go yanking the man's hair, especially since some had more sensitive scalp than others.
Sure, some people were into that sort of thing, but he felt it was safe to assume Byleth wasn't among them. ]
Hey, give me a little credit here. [ He said the words airily as he lifted some of Byleth's minty green hair from his shoulder and had a better look at it. By all appearances, it was normal, healthy hair... Yet Byleth's battles with it couldn't have been owed only to using the wrong method. ] The part you've cut so far, that's the length you want?
[ Best to establish that before he went about trying to trim it. Byleth's hair ought to be how he wanted it, though Yuri could admit to himself that having it longer did suit Byleth quite well, if the edges were softened up. ]
Thereabouts. I just want it to be a manageable length.
[Which to him was: not flopping into my eyes or accidentally getting into my mouth on a windy day. True, he could just tie it back, but he found he disliked the feel of his hair being pulled into a ponytail, as it pulled on his scalp uncomfortable - but too loose and the tie fell out anyways. His hair was very... silky, so ties tended to just slip easily if he didn't do them tight enough.]
[ Then again, Yuri can be sure they both know he wouldn't do anything entirely against Byleth's preferences or choose something unflattering. So he decided to match up to Byleth's efforts first, turning the hair carefully, he angled his knife just so, and gently drew it along the edge he intended to make.
Fewer strands than anticipated fell away and his lips pressed into a line. Byleth had been battling it, but experiencing it for himself was still strange. ]
...It's not so bad. [ A pause. Scalp sensitivity varied widely, so— ] Did it hurt?
[Yuri was gentler than he had expected, and Byleth's shoulders lowered from the tense hunch they had fallen into, having anticipated pain the moment he felt the blade press against his hair.]
[ Yuri punctuated the statement by holding out what he had managed to cut away so far. It wasn't a substantial chunk of hair, but it was enough to count as some progress. If it wasn't hurting Byleth, it would do. ]
It'll take a while — your hair's as tough as it seemed — but if you don't mind that, I'll get you taken care of.
[ Slow and steady was better than watching Byleth saw away at it with what appeared to him to be mounting frustration. ]
[Byleth turned his head fractionally to study the strands of hair Yuri had cut. Yeah, not a lot had been severed, but it had been relatively pain free. Byleth normally preferred to get the whole thing over and done with as quickly as possible, but he also didn't like how sore his scalp felt afterwards.
...well, it wasn't as if he had anything planned for the rest of the evening.]
If you won't feel inconvenienced by the task, you may tend to my hair.
[He held out his hand for the cut strands.]
And let me keep the hair you cut. I want to repurpose them later.
I wouldn't offer something I was unwilling to do. I'd prefer this over watching you hack away at it.
[ If only because for all Byleth's outward stoic appearance, he still looked like he was struggling, if not hurting himself.
As for repurposing his hair, it was an unusual thought to entertain as Yuri obliged and placed what he'd cut away in Byleth's waiting hand. He didn't know how much crafting a career mercenary like Byleth did or didn't do in the past. If anything, he was curious as to what he'd make of this unusually tough hair. ]
What do you fancy you'll use it for?
[ He takes hold of some hair again and gets to work, mindful not to tug or pull much. ]
I'm not sure yet, but I'm thinking I could repurpose it into thread. It's durable enough that it'd be suitable to patch clothing or the like.
[Is it fireproof too? Byleth couldn't help but ponder that briefly, eyeing the locks of hair in his palm. He couldn't recall ever burning his hair, but uh, obviously he was very conscious of never setting his hair on fire, accidentally or not. He knew his skin could burn...]
It certainly is tough... [ Yuri had to admit that as he placed a little more hair in Byleth's hand. Maybe he ought to have gotten something to collect it on. If he did this again, he'd have to remember to do that. ] Do you do much sewing then?
[ Aside from an overt love of marine life, much of Byleth's interests and hobbies remained a mystery to him. He was curious though, especially with that sizable collection of books lining shelves nearby. ]
No, not outside of basic patching. I'm quite poor at the task, really.
[He could close a hold in his cloak or shirt, but anything more adventurous than that? The stitches were never even, or weren't done well enough to keep the hole closed. He had resigned himself to never doing anything more than crude patchwork, and wasn't really bothered about it either. Mercenaries weren't fashionistas, after all.]
[ Don't tell Yuri that. He considered himself quite fashionable. ]
In that case, want me to show you a trick or two sometime? Might come in handy.
[ Yuri kept his eyes on his work, carefully angling the knife and trimming away a little hair at a time. He'd hand whatever he managed to free over to Byleth and continued that cycle until his knife seemed to meet greater resistance.
It was cause for him to pause and inspect the blade with a hum. Sure enough, the blade had grown dull, just as Byleth's had. He set the knife aside and pulled another from somewhere within his jacket without missing a beat. Byleth's hair would be tamed well before he ran out of knives, so Yuri was unconcerned. ]
If it wouldn't inconvenience you. I'm always willing to learn new things.
[And learning how to properly sew things would only aid him in the long run. Maybe he could even add it to his slowly growing list of hobbies, even if none of them were all that martial. Writing, drawing, and soon sewing... he know more than a few would boggle at the feared Ashen Demon preferring to pursue activities mostly enjoyed by housewives over anything more 'mercenary-like'.]
Not inconvenient at all. It's a handy skill to have... I could even teach you how to stitch up small wounds.
[ By no means was Yuri a surgeon, but he knew enough to handle small, simple wounds that might otherwise go unattended until a medic could be found. He could well imagine Byleth finding use in that knowledge, on top of learning how to sew better. ]
I picked up a decent sewing kit from the mall, just need to find it... Must be under some fish or other.
[ He spoke lightly as he worked, studiously trimming away at Byleth's hair. The only thing he was unsure of was whether leaving it longer might get in Byleth's way, what with it growing so quickly... Come to think of it, what had Rin said about her horns? ]
[Byleth was reasonably skilled at first aid... though, granted, he was used to augmenting his first aid with his healing magic. As Kenos reduced the effectiveness of such things, maybe learning to be a little better with stitching might be an advantage...
His thoughts were pulled away from such thoughts when Yuri asked his question, though.]
...it's likely. I've never had to deal with my hair being like this before coming here.
[Well, aside from the colour change but the rapid growing and toughness? That was new.]
[ So then, it was probably like Rin suddenly sprouting horns. She'd been tolerating having the things, though whether she felt them any less of a nuisance than Byleth did his hair was debatable. Unwanted changes weren't exactly pleasant.
He hummed as he turned the thought about in his mind, shifting when he found it necessary to continue trimming hair away. ]
There anything you can do about it?
[ Maybe cleansing required means not at Byleth's disposal? It seemed the only reason for him to be struggling like this. ]
[ Methods that required contact... Thinking back on the way Byleth had stiffened like a cat that hadn't wanted to be picked up in Xanadu, Yuri wasn't entirely surprised. He couldn't quite imagine what contact was entailed, but catching his wrist had itself been an intrustion.
Since then, he'd come to think they were similar in that regard. ]
That's troublesome... [ A beat, before he thought to ask: ] Can it affect your health?
In different ways, yes, but only if the Discord becomes too high.
[Byleth wasn't reckless, after all. He only really engaged with one major source of Discord (Set), but that only generated minute levels. His massive burst had been from the Oracle event, where his emotional turmoil and Sothis's intervention had been enough to boost what Discord he had accumulated until it began accelerating his hair and nail growth, and instilling him with a deep uneasiness over the dark.
But those were manageable things. He wasn't like Rin, who had begun to sprout wings and horns, and couldn't stand beneath the sun.]
I won't allow that to happen, though. I do avoid sources of Discord to the best of my ability.
And if it's beyond your control, what's your contingency plan? So much is out of our hands, you should have one.
[ Yuri couldn't tell Byleth what to do. He had no authority over him for one thing, and for another he doubted he held that much sway. Yet if it was something that could harm him if it got bad enough, he needed to have a plan in mind. Surely, there was some option that he could live with.
And maybe Yuri could give him another to consider. Being unable to help, even if ultimately that help wouldn't be accepted, didn't sit right with him.
That, however, was something he kept to himself as he changed knives and continued tidying up Byleth's hair. ]
Not that I'm an expert in any of that business.
[ He simply didn't want to see something happen to Byleth that neither of them could fix. ]
[Byleth's response was... a very helpful shrug. Truth was, he didn't have a contingency plan. He supposed his plan was, if it got that bad, then pragmatism would overcome personal discomfort and he'd go and purge his Discord. He'd just rather put it off for as long as possible.]
If it gets unsustainable, then... I'll take a chance with the strangers. I can set aside my discomfort for necessity. I've done it many times.
Glad to hear at least you won't hold off forever. I don't know how manageable this sort of thing is if it worsens...
[ He set another dulled knife aside and got up to have a look at his work this far. The edges of Byleth's hair were softened at least, which was an improvement. ]
Meantime, my hands'll be close to your face for a second here. Just making sure the length's even.
[ It struck him as best to let Byleth know this beforehand, if only because they were similarly discomforted by abrupt contact outside a battlefield. With his intentions stated, he pinched the ends of Byleth's hair where it framed his face and pulled it straight, mindful to be gentle.
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Still, it was difficult to believe that Byleth's hair was that oddly durable. Was it an influence of this place, like the suppression of magic for those unharmonized was? Another question he had no way to answer, at least for the time being. Yuri mentally set it aside for now. ]
...Maybe you're not approaching it from the right angle.
[ Even if it was difficult to cut for some reason, that could simply mean a different approach was required. From what Yuri had observed and heard, Byleth was going about it with brute force. ]
Would you allow me to try?
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While he rationally knew his roommate wouldn't shank him, there was still that knee-jerk wariness that sparked briefly in him. He was fine sharing space with those he deemed comrades - a title that only a scant handful had achieved - and even being vulnerable around them (i.e sleep). But it was different to them being in his personal space whilst holding a blade so close to his throat.
The wariness was irrational, though, and Byleth was a master of his emotions (er, in repressing them, that is), so after a long pause he nodded minutely and turned to face Yuri, lowering the knife to rest it against his thigh.]
I suppose. You can't do any worse than I am, currently.
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When at last the answer did come, Yuri found himslef surprised. Byleth may have welcomed him into his temporary home, but that didn't mean he trusted him on any personal level — Yuri would've found it peculiar if he did. Then again, he'd think the same with anyone. ]
One would hope not.
[ He strolled his way over to the couch, casual air belying his caution. Much of the time, he hardly touched Byleth, and that seemed to suit them best. They were allies, but they had hardly interacted with each other previous to this, after all.
Perching himself on the arm of the couch, Yuri procured one of his knives from his jacket and offered it to Byleth for inspection, handle first. ]
I don't doubt you sharpen that dagger, but I'd wager my knives have a finer edge. If your hair's as resistant as it looks, I expect it'll come down to the approach.
[ The way he'd been sawing at his hair, Yuri suspected Byleth could be making matters worse for himself, to say nothing of how that might hurt. ]
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There's only one way you can approach cutting hair.
[He held the knife out, holding it by the very tip of its blade between forefinger and thumb.]
But I'll let you attempt it. Please don't... put too much force behind it, though. I don't like feeling my hair pull against my scalp.
[Which was why this whole process was so tedious and uncomfortable. His poor scalp...]
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Sure, some people were into that sort of thing, but he felt it was safe to assume Byleth wasn't among them. ]
Hey, give me a little credit here. [ He said the words airily as he lifted some of Byleth's minty green hair from his shoulder and had a better look at it. By all appearances, it was normal, healthy hair... Yet Byleth's battles with it couldn't have been owed only to using the wrong method. ] The part you've cut so far, that's the length you want?
[ Best to establish that before he went about trying to trim it. Byleth's hair ought to be how he wanted it, though Yuri could admit to himself that having it longer did suit Byleth quite well, if the edges were softened up. ]
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[Which to him was: not flopping into my eyes or accidentally getting into my mouth on a windy day. True, he could just tie it back, but he found he disliked the feel of his hair being pulled into a ponytail, as it pulled on his scalp uncomfortable - but too loose and the tie fell out anyways. His hair was very... silky, so ties tended to just slip easily if he didn't do them tight enough.]
Cut it however short you feel is best.
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[ Then again, Yuri can be sure they both know he wouldn't do anything entirely against Byleth's preferences or choose something unflattering. So he decided to match up to Byleth's efforts first, turning the hair carefully, he angled his knife just so, and gently drew it along the edge he intended to make.
Fewer strands than anticipated fell away and his lips pressed into a line. Byleth had been battling it, but experiencing it for himself was still strange. ]
...It's not so bad. [ A pause. Scalp sensitivity varied widely, so— ] Did it hurt?
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[Yuri was gentler than he had expected, and Byleth's shoulders lowered from the tense hunch they had fallen into, having anticipated pain the moment he felt the blade press against his hair.]
Did your method work?
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[ Yuri punctuated the statement by holding out what he had managed to cut away so far. It wasn't a substantial chunk of hair, but it was enough to count as some progress. If it wasn't hurting Byleth, it would do. ]
It'll take a while — your hair's as tough as it seemed — but if you don't mind that, I'll get you taken care of.
[ Slow and steady was better than watching Byleth saw away at it with what appeared to him to be mounting frustration. ]
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...well, it wasn't as if he had anything planned for the rest of the evening.]
If you won't feel inconvenienced by the task, you may tend to my hair.
[He held out his hand for the cut strands.]
And let me keep the hair you cut. I want to repurpose them later.
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[ If only because for all Byleth's outward stoic appearance, he still looked like he was struggling, if not hurting himself.
As for repurposing his hair, it was an unusual thought to entertain as Yuri obliged and placed what he'd cut away in Byleth's waiting hand. He didn't know how much crafting a career mercenary like Byleth did or didn't do in the past. If anything, he was curious as to what he'd make of this unusually tough hair. ]
What do you fancy you'll use it for?
[ He takes hold of some hair again and gets to work, mindful not to tug or pull much. ]
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[Is it fireproof too? Byleth couldn't help but ponder that briefly, eyeing the locks of hair in his palm. He couldn't recall ever burning his hair, but uh, obviously he was very conscious of never setting his hair on fire, accidentally or not. He knew his skin could burn...]
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[ Aside from an overt love of marine life, much of Byleth's interests and hobbies remained a mystery to him. He was curious though, especially with that sizable collection of books lining shelves nearby. ]
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[He could close a hold in his cloak or shirt, but anything more adventurous than that? The stitches were never even, or weren't done well enough to keep the hole closed. He had resigned himself to never doing anything more than crude patchwork, and wasn't really bothered about it either. Mercenaries weren't fashionistas, after all.]
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In that case, want me to show you a trick or two sometime? Might come in handy.
[ Yuri kept his eyes on his work, carefully angling the knife and trimming away a little hair at a time. He'd hand whatever he managed to free over to Byleth and continued that cycle until his knife seemed to meet greater resistance.
It was cause for him to pause and inspect the blade with a hum. Sure enough, the blade had grown dull, just as Byleth's had. He set the knife aside and pulled another from somewhere within his jacket without missing a beat. Byleth's hair would be tamed well before he ran out of knives, so Yuri was unconcerned. ]
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[And learning how to properly sew things would only aid him in the long run. Maybe he could even add it to his slowly growing list of hobbies, even if none of them were all that martial. Writing, drawing, and soon sewing... he know more than a few would boggle at the feared Ashen Demon preferring to pursue activities mostly enjoyed by housewives over anything more 'mercenary-like'.]
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[ By no means was Yuri a surgeon, but he knew enough to handle small, simple wounds that might otherwise go unattended until a medic could be found. He could well imagine Byleth finding use in that knowledge, on top of learning how to sew better. ]
I picked up a decent sewing kit from the mall, just need to find it... Must be under some fish or other.
[ He spoke lightly as he worked, studiously trimming away at Byleth's hair. The only thing he was unsure of was whether leaving it longer might get in Byleth's way, what with it growing so quickly... Come to think of it, what had Rin said about her horns? ]
...So is this hair situation a "discord" thing?
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His thoughts were pulled away from such thoughts when Yuri asked his question, though.]
...it's likely. I've never had to deal with my hair being like this before coming here.
[Well, aside from the colour change but the rapid growing and toughness? That was new.]
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He hummed as he turned the thought about in his mind, shifting when he found it necessary to continue trimming hair away. ]
There anything you can do about it?
[ Maybe cleansing required means not at Byleth's disposal? It seemed the only reason for him to be struggling like this. ]
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[Well, from what he understood it required an intimacy he was... deeply uncomfortable with.]
It requires contact with others that I'm uncomfortable with. Especially as they'd be practically strangers...
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Since then, he'd come to think they were similar in that regard. ]
That's troublesome... [ A beat, before he thought to ask: ] Can it affect your health?
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[Byleth wasn't reckless, after all. He only really engaged with one major source of Discord (Set), but that only generated minute levels. His massive burst had been from the Oracle event, where his emotional turmoil and Sothis's intervention had been enough to boost what Discord he had accumulated until it began accelerating his hair and nail growth, and instilling him with a deep uneasiness over the dark.
But those were manageable things. He wasn't like Rin, who had begun to sprout wings and horns, and couldn't stand beneath the sun.]
I won't allow that to happen, though. I do avoid sources of Discord to the best of my ability.
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[ Yuri couldn't tell Byleth what to do. He had no authority over him for one thing, and for another he doubted he held that much sway. Yet if it was something that could harm him if it got bad enough, he needed to have a plan in mind. Surely, there was some option that he could live with.
And maybe Yuri could give him another to consider. Being unable to help, even if ultimately that help wouldn't be accepted, didn't sit right with him.
That, however, was something he kept to himself as he changed knives and continued tidying up Byleth's hair. ]
Not that I'm an expert in any of that business.
[ He simply didn't want to see something happen to Byleth that neither of them could fix. ]
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If it gets unsustainable, then... I'll take a chance with the strangers. I can set aside my discomfort for necessity. I've done it many times.
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[ He set another dulled knife aside and got up to have a look at his work this far. The edges of Byleth's hair were softened at least, which was an improvement. ]
Meantime, my hands'll be close to your face for a second here. Just making sure the length's even.
[ It struck him as best to let Byleth know this beforehand, if only because they were similarly discomforted by abrupt contact outside a battlefield. With his intentions stated, he pinched the ends of Byleth's hair where it framed his face and pulled it straight, mindful to be gentle.
A hum, and then— ]
Pretty close...
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