InsaneJournal

But it's important to me because it may color your viewpoint.
Who: Yuriko and Turin
What: A date!
When: Last Saturday, around the time the wedding went to hell
Where: A restaurant
Status: complete
Rating: Pg-13


After the emotional lunch with Logan, Yuriko had gone home to compose herself and get ready for her dinner date. She was wearing one of her favourite dresses, black, with a keyhole neckline and a pleather belt. It was slightly more daring than the last thing Turin had seen her wear - maybe it would be to her advantage. She’d also done her face, making an effort to mask the scars as best she could. She knew Turin hadn’t cared when he’d seen them last, but it made her feel better. More whole.

She was waiting at the restaurant now, not worried as she was slightly early. She wasn’t worried, but she was a bit nervous - she hoped he hadn’t reconsidered.

With odd rumors in the city of some kind of attack, Turin had stowed the Black Sword in his trunk. He could hear it whispering to him the whole drive, and he put it out of his mind. He wore a pair of black pressed pants and a black button up shirt, with the sleeves rolled up because of the weather.

"Behave," he ordered the sword. His dreams seemed to coming out of order. He couldn't deny it anymore, either. He dreamed, and they were one battle after another. And knowing that Nienor was his sister now? He didn't expect them to end well.

The man walked into the restaurant and looked around. When he saw Yuriko he stared, momentarily forgetting to breathe.

She rose, smiling, relieved that he’d shown up. “Good evening,” Yuriko said, coming over and bobbing her head in greeting. “How are you?” He looked very nice - slim and elegant. She hoped she hadn’t gone overboard.

“I’m good,” he replied, taking her hand and squeezing it. “You look so good. I feel underdressed.” He felt suddenly twenty years younger.

“I was thinking I had perhaps overdressed.” Yuriko laughed. “I think you are handsome no matter what you wear, though.” Or what he wasn’t wearing, her brain tacked on. She had to grin a little.

He cupped her cheek, incidentally her scarred one, and kissed her. Long, and a little hard, and in front of everyone. He didn’t really care. The news wasn’t covering any sort of battle, so he could let himself be distracted.

Well, she hadn’t expected that. Yuriko laughed, lightly resting her hands against his hips, smiling when he let her go. “Is that lightheartedness I see, Turin Turambar?”

“Uhm. No. No...” He grinned at her anyway. “Perhaps a little. I’ve had a good day.” He’d have to message Nienor later, about the good news from the lawyer.

“Good.” She liked teasing him just a little; surely over time he would realize that life was impossible without laughter. “I have as well, to be honest. Had lunch with a good friend and we discussed the future. In a business sense; he has a girlfriend.” It was only a joke; she somehow doubted this man would worry about her in that context.

Turin was mildly happy that she made that joke, if for no other reason that it managed to relax him somehow. He took her hand so they could walk to a table together. “What sort of business?”

“My club.” Yuriko hadn’t expected him to take her hand, and it was surprisingly pleasant to have that small contact. “He said that he might be interested in giving me a loan to get it going. It means I would not have to wait like a vulture for my inheritance.”

“I guess that’s pretty lucky.” He pulled out Yuriko’s chair, then took a seat himself. He decided to just go with water. He wished he knew what was going on downtown but damned if he’d miss out on a date.

Yuriko said thank you, settling herself. “I consider it lucky; I want to move on with my life, but I do not want to sit near my father’s bed waiting for the minute he expires.” It would be ghoulish in the extreme, even for a man like her father.

“What do you plan on?” Turin picked up his water to sip at it.

“My idea was to open a burlesque club.” Yuriko watched him closely, hoping he wouldn’t laugh. “Classier than a strip club. But still a place for fun and relaxation - but a place that protects the ladies first and foremost!”

Turin inhaled water down the wrong pipe and started to cough. He beat on his chest, then wiped his mouth with a cloth. He cleared his throat, and still recovering, said, “Okay..that’s...wow.” His mind couldn’t handle it!

Yuriko’s eyes shot wide, and she had to laugh. “Oh, I’m so sorry! Are you all right?” She reached over, trying to help him get the water off. “I’m sorry, I ought to have broached it more carefully.” It was understandable that he be surprised.

“It’s all right. I’m just picturing you in an old style burlesque getup.” He tried to recover with flirting, smiling at her. Damn this woman, he couldn’t mope around her. Mopey McScruffington was rapidly losing at least part of that.

“I would be the owner, not one of the dancers, I’m afraid.” Yuriko laughed. “But perhaps I can find a costume for special occasions.” Flirtatious, yes, but also true. If there ever really was a demand for her and the ladies she hired to appear united, maybe she could find something more appropriate for a woman not in her first flower of youth anymore.

Turin felt his skin heat up a little bit. It was a pleasant mental image, and he took a deep breath to settle down. “You think it will protect the dancers? Those places usually get pretty rough.”

“Burlesque clubs? Not to my knowledge.” Yuriko shrugged. “But I am willing to pay for good security, and good press. I will make it unprofitable and impractical to attempt anything at my club.” Her tone was calm and determined.

He could respect that. Turin looked at Yuriko, with respect in his eyes. As odd as her desire was at first, she seemed to be thinking it through, and her motives were anything but suspect. “I wish you luck.”

“I appreciate it, and you are of course welcome, if you behave yourself.” She was teasing; Turin was one of the most gentlemanly that she’d encountered in some time. “I could explain the mizu shobai, the sex trade in Japan, and how it has affected my views, but it would likely bore you.” Or make him think less of her, which she didn’t want.

He shook his head. “I doubt it would bore me. Make me angry, maybe.” Just ‘sex trade’ might be enough for that. Turin sipped at his water once he thought it was safe. He pondered a thought, then took a breath. “Since you’ve been so candid with me, there are probably a few things about my past you should know.”

“Only if you wish. I am only candid now because I’ve spent ages lying. In Japan it is an open secret, but here, if you say you were a hostess, they think you were a whore.” It was an ugly word. “I’ve never made love to a man for money in my life.” Only for enjoyment, as hopefully he knew.

"I never said...." He held up a hand. "But it's important to me because it may color your viewpoint. But I will be entirely honest and i hope you let me explain in full."

“Of course.” Yuriko nodded, resolving to be quiet as he spoke.

He exhaled... "Before the fire, I was married. .... No I think I need to start farther back. My parents weren't my biological parents. I never knew this, not until shortly before that fire.” Turin rubbed at his face, and just went ahead and blurted it out. “I married my sister. We are trying to get the marriage annulled. My lawyer recommended a quiet divorce.”

Yuriko raised an eyebrow. “Your sister.” Well, that wasn’t heard every day. And yet he’d said that he didn’t know. “Let me understand. You were adopted, but wound up finding the one woman in the world who was your biological sister to marry?”

“I told you I have shitty luck,” Turin replied, his smile rueful and sad. “My lawyer called it genetic sexual attraction. It’s apparently a thing.”

“Fascinating, if a bit sad.” Yuriko shook her head. “When did you find each other? Where?” She wasn’t judging - how could she? It was such a ridiculous genetic accident. No one would do that on purpose.

“Years ago. The first time we met, I was researching a different novel, and we hit it off while she was helping me with it. I wonder sometimes how I could have been so obtuse.” He rubbed at his nose. The baby part he’d probably leave out for a long while yet.

“I cannot imagine how you ought to have known, Turin.” Yuriko shrugged. “I cannot imagine that biological family was one of your first conversation topics.” It was a taboo, yes, and he ought perhaps to find a way to purify his soul, but that was his business, not hers.

"I know. I tell myself that and yet..." He'd slept with his sister. Repeatedly! Turin felt his appetite souring, but he was glad he'd come out with that, and told her. She deserved to know. "I'm sorry. I just...thought it was something you should know."

“I am grateful.” She reached for his hand, fingers running over his knuckles. “And of course, you have my confidence. Just ... I don’t know, Turin. I don’t believe it rational to flagellate yourself for any mistake. Even one you consider enormous.”

Her touch sent shivers up his arm. Turin thought that no matter what he might end up doing, he'd never be able to thank her enough for her kindness. "It's a great shame that will be rectified."

“Good.” Yuriko smiled. “I think that you will feel better when the legal end is managed, if I might say so.” She kept running her fingers over his hand; it seemed to soothe him. “I have never been in that situation, obviously, but I have been in a situation where I had to wait for someone else to act, and it can be very difficult.” He seemed to almost feel stained. She could understand why, even if she did not agree.

"You may say so." She still wanted to touch him. It made Turin feel warm inside. He saw smoke rising in the distance through the window and frowned, looking in that direction.

She saw his frown and turned to look at whatever it was, eyebrows shooting up. “There must be a fire.” And yet it seemed loud, somehow; something was going on.

“I dunno...” He could hear the sword’s whispering getting louder. He knew it’s name now. Gurthang. He’d dreamed enough to know that. “I’m getting a sixth sense about this thing. If that makes any sense at all.”

Not entirely. Yuriko still looked confused. “About this fire? What manner of sixth sense?” She couldn’t entirely hide her unnerved tone, unfortunately; she hadn’t anticipated that Turin would have some sort of gift. Did everyone around here?

“Just like..something’s wrong. With that fire. I kept hearing rumors.” He scratched at his chin again. “It’s probably nothing.”

“What manner of rumors?” Yuriko was curious. “I have been told that very odd things happen here, but I have seen very little.” He looked rattled, but she didn’t want to say so.

"Like some kind of fighting. I didn't think much of it, but I brought my sword." He looked at his drink like 'god I'm a dumbass. Brought my sword, Turin? Really?'

“Did you?” That was somehow endearing. Yuriko fought not to smile. “I suppose it’s better to be safe than sorry.” She spoke the truth, just, it was amusing and ... sweet, really. She could think of him walking into battle with a sword, if only because the idea of a pitched battle was so foreign, so outdated.

"It's made of steel from a meteor. The blade is completely black. It...came to me when I was camping with Beleg. One moment I was holding a knife and staring at a bear, and the next I was holding Gurthang."

Now he'd named it. Good job, Turin!

Yuriko couldn’t help but give him an odd look. “How could you know these things?” Had it come from dreams? Or was he just good old fashioned mad?

“I ... dreamed them.” He sat back heavily. “You must think I’m crazy.”

“Dreamed?” Yuriko sighed. “Oh, Turin-san. That troubles me.” She bit her lip, looking down moodily. “My face? My father? It all came from a dream. In this world, my father is a tyrant, yes, but he is only a sick old man. He fought in the war, but not as a pilot. I thought you would think I was mad.”

"My friend got a bow, I got a sword, and you got scars... I think you got the crappy bargain, Yuri..." He took her hands and squeezed them, then kissed her fingers. "I dream of...orcs and monsters and terrible wars."

“I think so, too.” It slipped out; she’d never wanted to seem self-pitying, not in front of anyone. To cover it up, she turned it back to him. “Orcs? Wars? I can only hope your dreams do not come true.” Though that did rather make the sword and the smoke in the distance rather ominous.

"Yeah.." He looked back towards the fire. He wasn't about to run headlong into combat no matter how much the sword wanted death. "Part of it did. The same thing happened to me and Nienor there, too." He grimaced.

“Nienor? Is she your sister?” She would say sister; Turin was clearly pained by the reminder of her as a wife.

“Yeah.” Turin realized that didn’t hurt as much as it used to. “It was hard at first, accepting that. Then trying to..rearrange my feelings. I almost think that fire and attack was a blessing.”

“Well, I would never say an attack was a blessing, but I understand your point.” Yuriko got it; he’d needed a sharp shock to change his thinking. “I mean, I presume that both of you are physically in good shape at this point?” In one piece, really, was the operative word.

“Yes. We’re both healthy. She has a good man in her life, and has managed to pick up the pieces. I’m...content with the state of things between us, now that we’re reconnecting.”

“I’m glad, truly.” Yuriko smiled. She didn’t want to say too much; it still felt like it wasn’t her business. “I’m also glad you felt you could trust me.” She enjoyed his company - his intellect, and his smile, and if she allowed herself a shallow moment, his hands were beautiful and skilled.

“I like you a lot, Yuri. You put up with me.” He smiled at her. “And I haven’t smiled this much in years. You’re going to ruin my reputation.”

“You have an actual reputation as one who never smiles?” Yuriko teased gently. “Am I damaging your professional credibility, then?” She rested her hand over his knuckles again; he’d seemed to like that. The waiter came by to take orders, and afterward she just shrugged at him. “I liked the way you saw things when you first spoke to me.”

If she wasn't careful, he was going to like her far too much for his own good. Turin smiled down at her hand, the sword and orcs and sister-wives forgotten for the time being. "I saw them how they were the truth."

“It must be a great help when you write.” Yuriko cocked her head to one side, liking his almost shy smile. “To be able to see so many sides of people and situations.” He seemed to approach everything from ten different angles - interesting, if slightly exhausting.

Turin had always had a knack for looking at different angles. It seemed to translate well into the dreams. He and his band of brigands, after he’d fled into the wilderness, had put a lot of hurt to Morgoth’s forces. And a lot of other people but that was besides the point.

Yuriko sat back, mulling over what she’d been told. She was just glad that Turin hadn’t thought she was insane for the fact that her scars came from dreams. She sipped her drink, closing her eyes. “This place is never boring,” she finally said. “That may be a bad thing, in the long run, but until now, it has been amusing, mostly.”

"Some of it can be funny if you really think about it," Turin replied, laughing. "Even the bad stuff, if you step outside and look at it the right way." Maybe not the scarring, or killing Beleg. But some of the other stuff was pretty funny.

“Ironic, coming from you, Turin Kanashii.” She laughed and explained. “Kanashii means sad or mournful.”

“That’s pretty accurate, both here and the dreams,” Turin replied, sobering a little. His whole life seemed to be one terrible event after another, and the dreams made it even worse for him.

“Not lately.” Yuriko looked at him. “Were you always of a melancholy disposition, or did life make it so?”

“I was a gloomy child. I used to listen to gothic music, wear black, and was very quiet.” He looked at her with so much seriousness that it was hard to tell if he actually was serious.

Yuriko raised one eyebrow, wondering if she ought to be amused or not. “I think you are exaggerating. If only because I don’t think gothic music existed in your childhood, unless you perhaps mean the chant of monks.”

His frown broke, and he was smiling at her again. “I was quiet, that part wasn’t an exaggeration. I don’t think I started to become so gloomy until I was an adult.”

"Sorrows do have a way of bending one, of aging one before their time." Yuriko shook her head, but her eyes were soft, even joking. "You have small lines around your eyes which make you look distinguished."

He smiled at her, reaching for her hand again as if craving the contact with her. Which he was. “Distinguished? Older before my time?”

"Distinguished. I am not sure it is the right word. Elegant and suave." Maybe slightly older than his time, but she didn't want to say that.

“I quite like suave.” He never considered himself all that suave, but Nienor had been enraptured, and he certainly had some kind of effect on Yuriko. A different kind. He wondered if that wasn’t a bad thing. It almost felt like she was more an equal.

“You will laugh, but when you smile, they crinkle up.” Yuriko grinned. Their food arrived, and she broke off until the waiter departed. “You remind me of a literature teacher I had in secondary school. He was a foreigner - Australian, I think, but he spoke perfect Japanese - and he was very handsome, but also ... 感情のこもった. I think you call it soulful?”

Turin laughed, his face coloring a little bit at her description. He tilted his head as he cut into his steak. “Do I need to be jealous? Am I allowed to be?”

“I cannot tell you how to feel, or stop what you do feel.” Yuriko replied, still grinning. “Just, he always struck me as one who felt everything passionately. I very much respected that, and still do. So many people give a damn about nothing at all.” She tried her food, approving of the light flavor. “You do not need to be jealous; I have not seen him since I was seventeen, but if you wish to be jealous, you may be, just so you can go back to moping.”

Turin frowned, sinking into his chair, unsure if she was teasing him or serious, and not knowing how to react to that. She had a way of confusing him, of making his insides warm. He enjoyed talking to her. Did she want him to be jealous?

That frown was alarmingly sweet. "I am sorry," Yuriko laughed. "I was teasing. I did not want to presume anything, Turin. We have not known each other long."

“I wouldn’t presume anything either.” Least of all a woman like her wanting to take thing farther. But he wouldn’t complain. She was beautiful, sweet, charming and honorable. He barely saw her scars anymore.

He had a way of looking beautifully happy one minute and sad the next. She wanted to shock him into laughter. "So if I want to take you home and do filthy sexual things to you, I ought to make it clear, so you will not have to presume?"

WIth that, Turin’s ability to walk was greatly impeded, and he laughed a little nervously. “Looking at you, no one would suspect the deviant hiding within.”

"Deviant!" Yuriko laughed. "Only in the sense of not being the norm, which I take pride in." It was rather refreshing to hear herself say that. Japanese were always the norm. She really never had been.

She blinked. "You know, you may have helped me to see something I did not perhaps realize."

“Have I?” Turin asked, basking in the warmth of her laughter.

“I said that I take pride in not being the norm. Which I do. Which is somewhat taboo in Japan.” Yuriko smiled a little shyly. “Maybe I was not meant to live in Japan. Maybe I was not meant to be a model Japanese.”

“Maybe you’re meant to be a model Yuriko and nothing else,” he replied.

“You may just be right.” Yuriko smiled sweetly. “For that, I really ought to repay you.”

Turin felt his cheeks grow hotter as his mind guttered what she was saying. There were a lot of ways that she could repay him and he was pretty sure that she was implying some of those ways, from that smile on her face.

It made him want to ask her out on a date that was more than dinner.

Yuriko laughed as he looked down. “I’m sorry, I should not tease so. You get beet red cheeks, and it is ... charming.” She’d always enjoyed making people laugh - especially those who seemed stern. Just, growing up in Japan, she’d had very little opportunity to do it.

“Only letting you do it, because it gives you this cute little smile that I can’t resist,” Turin replied, with a little bit of mock indignation. He couldn’t stay stern around her. It almost annoyed him.

“I am very sorry.” Yuriko totally wasn’t, but she did figure she needed to make things clear. “I should be plain, though, that I do like you very much. Not just teasing you. You are interesting and you do not seem to care if I am apparently without honor.” She pointed to her cheek, but the smile soon reappeared. “And I would at some point enjoy doing those things to you. By the way.”

“You have honor. More honor than many people I’ve know,” Turin protested. He took her hands, squeezing it and then pressing his lips against her fingers. “More honor than I do.”

Yuriko actually felt herself blush, which was difficult to do. She looked down, touched. “Are you interested in dessert, by chance?” She actually meant food. If he wasn’t, then that would lead somewhere else.

“I do like sweet things,” Turin replied, half in truth and half flirting. He wanted more than to just get a release from her. He wanted to hold her.

“If you want sweet, I would say we need to go down the street for mochi.” Yuriko smiled. “Spanish desserts tend to be chocolate and cinnamon. And custard.” Or, he could have meant something else, but she’d let him make that clear before jumping to conclusions.

"I'm not sure lilies are edible, but I'm willing to try them dipped in chocolate," Turin replied. He hoped he'd gotten the meaning of her name right.

That sent the wine right to her cheeks. Yuriko stopped, a hand to her good cheek, smiling, laughing a little in a way that she hoped he knew was flattered. “It means ‘lily child’, but close enough.” They did have lava cakes on the menu.

“Google didn’t entirely fail me then,” Turin replied, laughing. “I still think it’s really ... suited for you.”

“Oh?” Yuriko smiled. “I do not think I’m so delicate, really.”

“I didn’t say you were ... but you’re beautiful and refined, and...” Turin chuckled. “And tougher than you look.”

If he didn’t stop, she would have to pull him somewhere and disabuse him of that ‘refined’ notion. Yuriko looked down. “That’s one thing that you have, by the way, that you don’t seem to grasp, Turin-san. To live through what you have, you must be very resilient.”

Could be, that he was hoping she’d disabuse him of that notion. At least the smirk on his face was clever and amused. “It’s easy to fall into despair when it’s the only thing staring back at you.”

“Of course.” Yuriko nodded. “I cannot blame you. I just want you to see that what you have dealt with has granted you patience and resilience, in addition to woe.” She rested a hand on his, chuckling. “I’m beginning to see that about myself, in truth.”

Now. To get to the bottom of it. “Did you truly want dessert? Or would you prefer to go somewhere else?” She wondered if she could get her hands on any liquid chocolate.

"...I think I would prefer to go somewhere else." Turin wanted to enjoy his time with Yuriko, while he still could. He tried, very hard, not to be pessimistic. He succeeded more than he usually did.

She’d gotten less nervous around him as they’d gotten to know each other. She had a good read on his personality, or at least she thought she did. She chose her words carefully, mostly because she knew it had an effect on most men. “I am at your service, in that case.”

Turin exhaled sharply, and nodded at her. He needed a few minutes before he could stand, and even licked his lips. "At my service, Yuri? Are you sure you want to be?"

There was a flicker of nervousness when he said that, but mostly she was pleased. “Obviously, if I say no, I expect you to obey.” But beyond that, she was willing to let him surprise her. He was, after all, a creative type.

“Always, hon. I don't want to hurt you." He pulled his wallet out to pay, feeling suddenly nervous, like he wanted to treat her right and wasn't sure that this counted as treating right.

It was treating her right if she asked him to do it, Yuriko would have told him. She picked up her clutch, thanking Turin for paying when he took care of the bill. “Please, lead on.” As silly as it might sound, she wanted to see where this evening might take them. She liked him; she was intrigued by him.

The intrigue was mutual. Turin took Yuriko's hand and squeezed it. He gave her a light kiss on the cheek, and then led her out the door.