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.
[Byleth held himself quite still when Yuri's came close to his face, his eyes narrowing into thin slits: like he wanted to close his eyes, but neither wanted to fully close them so he couldn't see. It gave off quite a suspicious squint, but he didn't say or do anything to recoil as Yuri pinched the ends of his hair and measured it.]
...is it done, then?
[Not that he found the whole process uncomfortable, but he was anxious to be done as soon as. He was aware he had dulled a few of Yuri's knives at this point...]
[ Yuri could only wonder how Byleth would take to a barber, but he opted not to throw the idea out there. Instead, he procured another knife, trimmed the odd end, and compared again. The squinting was sort of funny, in the vein of a child scrutinizing the food placed before him, or so Yuri thought. It was an effort to tamp down his own amusement.
Once he was satisfied that Byleth's hair looked even, he gently patted the man's shoulder. ]
I think that should do it. How's it feel?
[ He'd left it on the longer side, if only because at the rate it appeared to grow, it was better to make it manageable rather than hack it all off. ]
[Byleth stopped his suspicious squinting once Yuri pulled back, and at the question he immediately shook his head to get a feel for how the hair moved. And by 'shook his head' it was more than he channelled the soul of a dog for a hot sec. The end result that his hair went from lying somewhat neat and flat to looking like he got caught in a wind tunnel.]
...satisfactory. It doesn't get into my mouth.
[Came the verdict, as Byleth blew a lock of hair from his eyes and made no move to fix the messy, frizzy mess it had become.]
[ Sometimes, Byleth had the most curious approach to things. Yuri supposed it was one way to go about testing it, especially where the man was often concerned with combat. The length would probably not be obtrusive unless Byleth spun around, which he did tend to do.
...Hm. ]
Your old man braids the longer part of his hair, right? You may find that keeps it out of the way, and a low one won't get in your eyes.
[ As he spoke, he strolled off to collect a hairbrush, something he deemed necessary either way. ]
[Byleth didn't immediately reply. He was giving Yuri that squinty look again, mostly because he was debating whether to leave his hair as is, or to give the braiding a try. He had looked into it before, realising that eventually he may just grow tired of the rapidly growing hair and just let it become long, and thus needing to be controlled...
Well. He could always just try it out. If he didn't like it, he'll think of another way.]
Alright... I don't see the harm in trying it, at least.
[ There it was again — the skepticism. Yuri wondered briefly if Byleth had tried before and had sore results, sensitive as his scalp seemed to be. Whatever the case, he offered his companion an easy smile when he was given the go-ahead. ]
Worst case scenario is you simply don't like it, after all. I don't expect it'll hurt; I've done this for kids before.
[ For his mother too, for that matter, whose frail health brought with it certain sensitivities as well.
With that, he stepped around the couch, arranged Byleth's hair, and gently ran the brush over it. Starting with a mess could lead to catching a tangle somewhere. ]
[Byleth was already tense when Yuri started to drag the brush through his hair. From his earlier vigorous shake, it was frizzy and snarled, yet very soft and silky, giving the impression of it being thicker than it appeared. It was also easily tangled and matted, since the brush did hit a few snags, and each time Byleth shifted his weight minutely - a stifled twitch.]
[ Who would have thought the Ashen Demon had such very sensitive scalp? He couldn't help being reminded of some of the children from Abyss who'd shy away from combs and brushes outright. ]
You really are sensitive... Hold on.
[ Yuri set the brush down, opting to carefully tease tangles apart with his fingers instead. It was a slower process, but the point was to not hurt Byleth. Those little twitches suggested he was tolerating discomfort where he didn't necessarily have to.
A distraction might not hurt either. ]
So, during that trip, I came across something I thought you'd like.
[ Though since it didn't cost him anything, Yuri hadn't thought of it in those terms. Did it count as a gift? All he'd thought at the time was that Byleth would like it...
He continued his careful progress untangling Byleth's hair, surprised at just how soft it was despite no particular maintenance routine. ]
Want to have a look at it while I'm doing this?
[ Rather than Byleth just having to stay still for him. ]
A book would've been a fine idea, but with the number you have... I might well have picked up something you've got already.
[ Though that would have been a good idea.
Yuri strolled over to the kitchen and pulled something out he'd stowed under one of the counters. Upon returning, what he deposited on Byleth's lap was, apparently, a black lacquered box shaped like a fish. If he lifted it, rattling would indicate something within. ]
[Of course, Byleth took it entirely at face value.]
A fish box!
[Wow, he sounded so happy for a moment there! He picked up the box, his attention wholly on it as he inspected its shape and the slight grooves on the surface that imitated scales, making it look shiny whenever the light cast on it at a specific angle. As he tilted the box side to side, though, he heard the slight rattling.]
[ Oh, his excitement for the fix box alone... For all his fearsome reputation, Byleth really could be cute.
Tucked within the box were several packages of glow in the dark stars, or so said their labels. Yuri hadn't seen anything like that before their trip to Xanadu, and upon coming across them, he couldn't help but think of their conversation in the park.
Byleth loved stars.
Maybe, he hoped, something like this might make his nights more bearable. ]
Evidently, you can affix those to walls or the ceiling. Maybe we could recreate our constellations that way.
[ With Byleth's hair mostly tamed, Yuri started on the actual braiding. ]
[Byleth's voice was quiet, but not out of disappointment. He was genuinely surprised that Yuri had remembered his love of stars, and their enjoyable conversation where they exchanged their own made-up constellations. He picked up one package, wrapped in a strange, crinkly see-through material, and turned it over to read the label on the back.
They were made of 'plastic', and had an adhesive backing that could be renewed, to allow them to be taken off and on again. To glow, all they needed was at least six hours of light. Easy enough in a place like Springstar.
[ Byleth's reaction was more than Yuri had anticipated, quiet as it was. He'd hoped that his fellow mercenary would like the idea, of course, but it was almost as though he wasn't accustomed to being given little things like that.
Since Byleth had grown up working as a mercenary, Yuri supposed it was as simple as not having the occasion for such things. ]
I just saw them and thought of you, is all. [ He shrugged, as though the weight of unanticipated appreciation might roll off of him. And for good measure, he moved right along— ] ...Also, the box is apparently meant to store meals in. See that strap there? You use it to keep the contents from spilling.
[ His hands worked with practiced ease as he spoke, weaving Byleth's hair into a low braid. It wouldn't be in his way or feel tight, hopefully. ]
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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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...is it done, then?
[Not that he found the whole process uncomfortable, but he was anxious to be done as soon as. He was aware he had dulled a few of Yuri's knives at this point...]
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[ Yuri could only wonder how Byleth would take to a barber, but he opted not to throw the idea out there. Instead, he procured another knife, trimmed the odd end, and compared again. The squinting was sort of funny, in the vein of a child scrutinizing the food placed before him, or so Yuri thought. It was an effort to tamp down his own amusement.
Once he was satisfied that Byleth's hair looked even, he gently patted the man's shoulder. ]
I think that should do it. How's it feel?
[ He'd left it on the longer side, if only because at the rate it appeared to grow, it was better to make it manageable rather than hack it all off. ]
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...satisfactory. It doesn't get into my mouth.
[Came the verdict, as Byleth blew a lock of hair from his eyes and made no move to fix the messy, frizzy mess it had become.]
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[ Sometimes, Byleth had the most curious approach to things. Yuri supposed it was one way to go about testing it, especially where the man was often concerned with combat. The length would probably not be obtrusive unless Byleth spun around, which he did tend to do.
...Hm. ]
Your old man braids the longer part of his hair, right? You may find that keeps it out of the way, and a low one won't get in your eyes.
[ As he spoke, he strolled off to collect a hairbrush, something he deemed necessary either way. ]
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Won't that pull on the scalp, though, like with a ponytail?
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[ Nothing high or tight necessary, with the amount of hair Byleth had. Yuri was accustomed to working with that much, considering his own.
He'd taught his share of orphan kids in Abyss, besides. ]
Want to give it a try?
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Well. He could always just try it out. If he didn't like it, he'll think of another way.]
Alright... I don't see the harm in trying it, at least.
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Worst case scenario is you simply don't like it, after all. I don't expect it'll hurt; I've done this for kids before.
[ For his mother too, for that matter, whose frail health brought with it certain sensitivities as well.
With that, he stepped around the couch, arranged Byleth's hair, and gently ran the brush over it. Starting with a mess could lead to catching a tangle somewhere. ]
But do tell me if I'm wrong.
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[Byleth was already tense when Yuri started to drag the brush through his hair. From his earlier vigorous shake, it was frizzy and snarled, yet very soft and silky, giving the impression of it being thicker than it appeared. It was also easily tangled and matted, since the brush did hit a few snags, and each time Byleth shifted his weight minutely - a stifled twitch.]
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You really are sensitive... Hold on.
[ Yuri set the brush down, opting to carefully tease tangles apart with his fingers instead. It was a slower process, but the point was to not hurt Byleth. Those little twitches suggested he was tolerating discomfort where he didn't necessarily have to.
A distraction might not hurt either. ]
So, during that trip, I came across something I thought you'd like.
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...you got me a gift?
[Byleth sounded genuinely surprised...]
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[ Though since it didn't cost him anything, Yuri hadn't thought of it in those terms. Did it count as a gift? All he'd thought at the time was that Byleth would like it...
He continued his careful progress untangling Byleth's hair, surprised at just how soft it was despite no particular maintenance routine. ]
Want to have a look at it while I'm doing this?
[ Rather than Byleth just having to stay still for him. ]
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If you're offering, yes.
[Hm, if it was something he can look at while Yuri did his hair...]
Is it a book?
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[ Though that would have been a good idea.
Yuri strolled over to the kitchen and pulled something out he'd stowed under one of the counters. Upon returning, what he deposited on Byleth's lap was, apparently, a black lacquered box shaped like a fish. If he lifted it, rattling would indicate something within. ]
But I still think it'll be of interest to you.
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A fish box!
[Wow, he sounded so happy for a moment there! He picked up the box, his attention wholly on it as he inspected its shape and the slight grooves on the surface that imitated scales, making it look shiny whenever the light cast on it at a specific angle. As he tilted the box side to side, though, he heard the slight rattling.]
Oh, something's inside...?
[He carefully opened the box to see-?]
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Tucked within the box were several packages of glow in the dark stars, or so said their labels. Yuri hadn't seen anything like that before their trip to Xanadu, and upon coming across them, he couldn't help but think of their conversation in the park.
Byleth loved stars.
Maybe, he hoped, something like this might make his nights more bearable. ]
Evidently, you can affix those to walls or the ceiling. Maybe we could recreate our constellations that way.
[ With Byleth's hair mostly tamed, Yuri started on the actual braiding. ]
I know it's not exactly the same, but even so.
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[Byleth's voice was quiet, but not out of disappointment. He was genuinely surprised that Yuri had remembered his love of stars, and their enjoyable conversation where they exchanged their own made-up constellations. He picked up one package, wrapped in a strange, crinkly see-through material, and turned it over to read the label on the back.
They were made of 'plastic', and had an adhesive backing that could be renewed, to allow them to be taken off and on again. To glow, all they needed was at least six hours of light. Easy enough in a place like Springstar.
He was touched, genuinely and honestly touched.]
...thank you, Yuri. This is really kind of you.
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Since Byleth had grown up working as a mercenary, Yuri supposed it was as simple as not having the occasion for such things. ]
I just saw them and thought of you, is all. [ He shrugged, as though the weight of unanticipated appreciation might roll off of him. And for good measure, he moved right along— ] ...Also, the box is apparently meant to store meals in. See that strap there? You use it to keep the contents from spilling.
[ His hands worked with practiced ease as he spoke, weaving Byleth's hair into a low braid. It wouldn't be in his way or feel tight, hopefully. ]
Though you could put whatever you want in it.