[LOG] - Need for advice
Characters: Tachibana Kippei, Sakaki Tarou
Location: Sakaki’s office
Time: Sunday January 13th
Rating: PG13 (I think? so bad at rating XD)
Summary: Tachibana reports back after disappearing for half a year and asks for advice.
It was strange to be back in the academy, especially with Chitose back at his side and the first week had been mostly been getting everything back in order. Which was the reason for him to stand outside Sakaki’s office right now. He just hadn’t found the time to talk to the other before. He had been away for half a year after all so it was better to talk with a Teacher about what he had missed and how they would compensate the lost time.
With a low sigh the tall blond knocked at the door, waiting to be asked inside. He wondered how long this would take. He still had to make something to eat for Chitose and himself. He still didn’t trust the other with eating properly, considering that he was too lethargic most of the time.
Once he heard the Teacher’s voice from inside Tachibana opened the door and stepped inside with a friendly smile on his lips. “Sakaki-sensei, I hope I’m not interrupting anything important. I wanted to visit you earlier this week but, well, catching up with everything is a bit harder than I expected,” he explained, still standing right at the door until the other would tell him to come closer or come back another time.
Sakaki had been casually leaning against the wall, looking out his window and enjoying a warm cup of tea when there was a knock at his door. His open day planner on his desk showed didn’t have anything scheduled for another half an hour, so he bid his guest enter. “Tachibana-kun,” he said jovially, “What a nice surprise, please sit down.” He came over and set his teacup down on the coffee table separating the two identical loveseats. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“Thank you sir, that would be nice,” Tachibana nodded with a smile as he sat down on one of the loveseats. “I know I probably should have asked beforehand but since I finally had some time I thought I’d just try and see if you had some time,” he admitted running a hand through his hair to get it out of his eyes.
Picking up the teapot and a second teacup (because one never knew when one would have guests), Sakaki neatly poured and offered the cup and saucer to Tachibana. “It’s not problem at all. Now, if I recall, it’s been some time since I’ve seen you last. What can I do for you?”
“Thank you,” Tachibana took the cup and first took a sip before he looked up at his teacher again. “Yes it has been about half a year I guess. I had to take a break because of some problems in my family. Now that I am back... Well I wanted to ask if you had some tips how I could catch up with my classes best. This week I realized that it’s really difficult to follow the teachers if you are half a year behind.”
Sakaki sat on the loveseat opposite Tachibana (noticing with some amusement that his students always tend to take the loveseat closest to the fireplace, even when offered a choice of two identical pieces of furniture). “Indeed, I can see how that would be difficult. Short of remedial classes, catching up is so easy task. Your teachers can probably give you supplemental material for you to complete in addition to regular homework until such a time as you are caught up with the rest of the class, but it will take time and a monumental amount of effort on your part. What areas are causing you the most problems?”
With a sigh Tachibana nodded. Well he had known that it would be difficult to catch up again. And it was better to talk to a teacher to make a plan how to accomplish it. “Well I have some problems with math and physics. And since I am only in one of your lessons, aside from history I thought I’d best talk to you about this.” He had to check this once again, since he hadn’t remembered really but he had indeed signed up for Sakaki’s manscarf lesson at the start of the year.
“Yes, I have noticed you’ve been absent from my class,” Sakaki mused, “But diligently reading your required course materials and devoted practice time will have you back up to speed in no time. I can give you some additional materials to cover tangential topics that have been brought up in class. Math and physics are more challenging since they build from one concept to the next much more frequently. I also must admit I am far from an expert in the best ways to teach - or be taught - said classes; however, I would imagine a systematic approach to relevant building block areas could greatly improve your ability to follow contemporary topics in each subject. I would recommend asking your teachers for an outline of the topics for the rest of the year including a list of all building-block topics required to understand and complete assignments.”
With a little nod Tachibana listened to his teacher, sipping at the tea now and then. He had to admit that it tasted really good. He liked tea more than coffee so was very content while drinking. “It would be very nice if you would be able to give me some of that material,” he then said with a little smile. “And I will talk with the other teachers because of Math and Physics. I think the other courses should be alright but you never know after all. And I will have to work harder on my power again,”the boy then mused more to himself, staring down into the tea. For a moment his eyes looked almost sad.
Sakaki did not miss the change in his student’s expression. “Of course, it will take a little while to gather and streamline the appropriate materials. I shall give them to you in class as soon as they are ready.” He made a note in his planner to get the necessary things to Niou to be photocopied. “As for your powers, has something happened?”
“Hm?” Tachibana looked up surprised when Sakaki asked if something had happened to his powers, but then he shook his head with a little chuckle. “Ah no nothing. I just....” The boy stared down at his hand. “I just have been reminded that I’m still far from having them completely under control yet. I have to work harder I fear...”
“Oh... I see. Anything in particular? Something I can help with, perhaps?” Sakaki peered at him curiously, trying to remember what Tachibana’s powers were.
“I... When I was at home there were some guys fighting and Mom feared that they would ruin her garden,” Chuckling lowly at the memory he shook his head. “Mom loves her flowers. Well whatever. I released my beastly aura to make them stop fighting each other and to send them away but... I guess I used too much force and one of them seemed to have had a particularly weak mind.” Tachibana sighed again. “He fainted instantly and had to be brought to the hospital.”
Sakaki couldn’t help but chuckle at the irony. He personally enjoyed overpowering weak minds, but he supposed he was more adept at modulating his power (and what he used it for) so it was rare that he caused serious harm (unless that had been his intent). “I can see that would be... disconcerting. Well you know what they say, practice does make perfect. Though this environment is perhaps a little counter-productive, as people here tend to have stronger minds than most.”
It wasn’t that Tachibana disliked his power. He liked to dominate others if the moment was good but after that incident with Senri he had told himself to never hurt a person without it being necessary (or if that person wanted it, but that was a different story). “Yes that is the problem. Everybody I train with here can withstand my power to an extent. I guess it’s because we’re all mutants. So I know when to increase the effort but it seems I have to learn it the other way around as well, how to reduce it and how to sense when to reduce my power so I won’t accidently, excuse that term, blow somebody’s mind, literally.”
Sakaki laughed. “Indeed that would be unfortunate,” he said, wiping a mirthful tear from his eye. “It is important to be able to use your powers in moderation in addition to at their full power. But there are those even around the school whose minds are more fragile than others... they simply don’t tend to volunteer themselves for helping to train the more psychically oriented. If I can help, let me know.”
Tachibana himself had to chuckle when he saw Sakaki laughing at his choice of words. “Yes I bet it’s difficult to get them to volunteer. Nobody likes to be made to do things they actually don’t want to do. Though I guess with the right circumstances it can be also relieving to not have to decide yourself for once.” He shrugged and finished his tea, sad that it was already empty. “I would be glad if you could give me some advice at how I could improve my training so I can work on my problem better. You are one of the few fully trained mutants I can ask after all, and I don’t think Aoi-sensei or Wakai-sensei could give me very useful advice considering their powers.”
“Hanamura-sensei, is indeed not all that particularly well-equipped to give you advice on your powers, though you would find her mind harder to break than most,” Sakaki said, knowing she had been exposed to his powers (even unintentionally) enough times to have become more than a little resistant to them. “That said, I admit I am the best man for the job. I can help you.”
Tachibana honestly had to hold back his laughter when Sakaki corrected him on Hanamura’s name. “Ah yes, Kanamura-sensei. Sorry,” he said overly innocent, playing with the cup in his hands. “Well she might be hard to break but still that doesn’t help me.” He didn’t need to learn how to use his power on people who were hard to break after all. There were many people he could train that on. “So you are willing to help me Sensei?”, he asked hopefully smiling at the older man.
Sakaki smiled. “I would be willing to help you... so long as you at least attempt to pronounce your teachers’ names correctly,” he deadpanned. “Though, as you might expect, I can help you control your powers, but you won’t have much success using them on me, even if you did go all-out.”
“Yes sir, I’m sorry sir. It won’t happen again,” Tachibana sighed as Sakaki scolded him like this. He just had wanted to do a little joke but it seemed Sakaki was nobody for jokes if it was about his fellow teachers. “And I didn’t intent to use my powers on you but thought you could give me advice how to alternate my training...”
No... Sakaki wasn’t one for jokes they were about his girlfriend, big difference. “Of course. I can prepare a curriculum of power modification exercises which I will include in your package of catch-up material for my class. In particular I will focus on how to only use specific amounts of your power and general control techniques. Is this amenable to you?”
“Uhm, yes of course. This would help a lot, thank you Sensei,” Tachibana sighed, glad that Sakaki would help him with his problem. Carefully placing the cup on the table again Tachibana rose again from the loveseat. “Thank you for the tea, it was really good. And I guess I should go now before I say something else that will anger you.”
“Anger me?” Sakaki said curiously, a furrow in his brow, “Whatever would have given you the impression I was angry?” He thought back. “Oh that,” he said, “You must forgive me, Tachibana-kun, I merely wanted to stress how important it was not to start referring to teachers by anything other than their actual names, doing so in the wrong company can either imply a great deal of disrespect or a level of closeness that might give people the wrong idea... not to mention it may form into a habit can be hard to break.” He sighed, “I apologize if I gave you the wrong idea. It was concern, not anger, which coloured my words.”
Nodding slowly Tachibana ran his fingers through his blond hair and leaned slightly against the backrest of the loveseat he had just sat on. “Yes sir. I will remember that. I guess I’m still not completely myself again. This half year with my family and seeing Senri again threw me a bit of course. It won’t happen again.”
“I know it won’t,” Sakaki said with a smile. There was something in Tachibana’s manner that seemed somewhat off. “Senri... has something happened with Chitose-kun?” he asked, suddenly concerned.
Again Tachibana looked down at his hand but rather quickly placed it behind his back before he looked at Sakaki again with an apologetic smile. “No nothing has happened. We were just best friends when we were smaller. We had been at the same school until he had to change schools suddenly. I thought I might never see him again so it was a great surprise for me when I heard that he came to Ryuzaki academy. I guess I’m still a bit dazed to have him back at my side.” And he was worried that he might hurt him again but that was something he couldn’t tell his teacher. It was something just between Senri and him, something he alone could atone for.
Though Sakaki’s face was initially blank, it slowly blossomed into a warm smile. “If you can believe it, I know the feeling. It will take some time to get over constantly asking yourself if you’re dreaming. Even after that, bringing yourself to say all the things that had remained unsaid between you for so long will be harder than you think.” He thought of all the myriad of emotions he went through when Hanamura had come back after their long period spent apart. “But it will be worth it if you can once again find the closeness you had lost.”
With a deep sigh Tachibana let himself slide to his knees behind the loveseat, placing his chin on his arms that rested on the backrest. “The strange thing is. Senri hasn’t changed at all. It’s as if nothing has happened, as if we haven’t gotten older at all. I guess I’m kinda scared that he realizes that I’m not the same as back then and that he’ll turn his back on me. But.. he would never do that right?” Worried he looked at his teacher and shook his head. “I am sorry. That wasn’t why I came here after all. I shouldn’t bother you with that.”
“It’s no problem,” Sakaki said, dismissing the statement with a wave of his hand. “I think you’ll find Chitose-kun has changed more than you think. It’s not possible to stay completely the same after such a long time. Yet, somewhere beneath the layers of new experiences and wisdom, he is still the same person you knew and you are still the same person you were. You should be honest with him.. and with yourself, Tachibana-kun.”
“Hm perhaps... Perhaps I just didn’t want him to change and thus didn’t see any change in his behaviour,” Tachibana wondered, looking at his teacher deep in thought. “We’ll probably just need time to see how much we have changed. But I’ll still have to make sure that he eats properly,” the boy then chuckled suddenly and stood up again. “Thank you Sakaki-sensei. I guess I just needed to talk to somebody about it. It felt good talking to you about it. I’m just sorry that I have hogged your time like this. I bet you have more important things to do than to listen to the whining of a teenager,” he apologized.
“If I didn’t want to ever listen to whining teenagers, I’m in the wrong profession,” Sakaki pointed out, standing as well. “I’m always glad to help and here to listen.” He walked Tachibana to the door, “If you ever just need to vent, you know where to find me,” he told the boy with a smile.
“Yeah that might be true,” Tachibana nodded as they walked to the door. “And I’ll remember it the next time I’m rattled. Thank you Sakaki-sensei.” He smiled and nodded at his teacher. “Ah, and you have to tell me what kind of tea you use one day.” With these words the boy left the office, feeling a lot better and ready to make some dinner for his best friend and himself.
Location: Sakaki’s office
Time: Sunday January 13th
Rating: PG13 (I think? so bad at rating XD)
Summary: Tachibana reports back after disappearing for half a year and asks for advice.
It was strange to be back in the academy, especially with Chitose back at his side and the first week had been mostly been getting everything back in order. Which was the reason for him to stand outside Sakaki’s office right now. He just hadn’t found the time to talk to the other before. He had been away for half a year after all so it was better to talk with a Teacher about what he had missed and how they would compensate the lost time.
With a low sigh the tall blond knocked at the door, waiting to be asked inside. He wondered how long this would take. He still had to make something to eat for Chitose and himself. He still didn’t trust the other with eating properly, considering that he was too lethargic most of the time.
Once he heard the Teacher’s voice from inside Tachibana opened the door and stepped inside with a friendly smile on his lips. “Sakaki-sensei, I hope I’m not interrupting anything important. I wanted to visit you earlier this week but, well, catching up with everything is a bit harder than I expected,” he explained, still standing right at the door until the other would tell him to come closer or come back another time.
Sakaki had been casually leaning against the wall, looking out his window and enjoying a warm cup of tea when there was a knock at his door. His open day planner on his desk showed didn’t have anything scheduled for another half an hour, so he bid his guest enter. “Tachibana-kun,” he said jovially, “What a nice surprise, please sit down.” He came over and set his teacup down on the coffee table separating the two identical loveseats. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“Thank you sir, that would be nice,” Tachibana nodded with a smile as he sat down on one of the loveseats. “I know I probably should have asked beforehand but since I finally had some time I thought I’d just try and see if you had some time,” he admitted running a hand through his hair to get it out of his eyes.
Picking up the teapot and a second teacup (because one never knew when one would have guests), Sakaki neatly poured and offered the cup and saucer to Tachibana. “It’s not problem at all. Now, if I recall, it’s been some time since I’ve seen you last. What can I do for you?”
“Thank you,” Tachibana took the cup and first took a sip before he looked up at his teacher again. “Yes it has been about half a year I guess. I had to take a break because of some problems in my family. Now that I am back... Well I wanted to ask if you had some tips how I could catch up with my classes best. This week I realized that it’s really difficult to follow the teachers if you are half a year behind.”
Sakaki sat on the loveseat opposite Tachibana (noticing with some amusement that his students always tend to take the loveseat closest to the fireplace, even when offered a choice of two identical pieces of furniture). “Indeed, I can see how that would be difficult. Short of remedial classes, catching up is so easy task. Your teachers can probably give you supplemental material for you to complete in addition to regular homework until such a time as you are caught up with the rest of the class, but it will take time and a monumental amount of effort on your part. What areas are causing you the most problems?”
With a sigh Tachibana nodded. Well he had known that it would be difficult to catch up again. And it was better to talk to a teacher to make a plan how to accomplish it. “Well I have some problems with math and physics. And since I am only in one of your lessons, aside from history I thought I’d best talk to you about this.” He had to check this once again, since he hadn’t remembered really but he had indeed signed up for Sakaki’s manscarf lesson at the start of the year.
“Yes, I have noticed you’ve been absent from my class,” Sakaki mused, “But diligently reading your required course materials and devoted practice time will have you back up to speed in no time. I can give you some additional materials to cover tangential topics that have been brought up in class. Math and physics are more challenging since they build from one concept to the next much more frequently. I also must admit I am far from an expert in the best ways to teach - or be taught - said classes; however, I would imagine a systematic approach to relevant building block areas could greatly improve your ability to follow contemporary topics in each subject. I would recommend asking your teachers for an outline of the topics for the rest of the year including a list of all building-block topics required to understand and complete assignments.”
With a little nod Tachibana listened to his teacher, sipping at the tea now and then. He had to admit that it tasted really good. He liked tea more than coffee so was very content while drinking. “It would be very nice if you would be able to give me some of that material,” he then said with a little smile. “And I will talk with the other teachers because of Math and Physics. I think the other courses should be alright but you never know after all. And I will have to work harder on my power again,”the boy then mused more to himself, staring down into the tea. For a moment his eyes looked almost sad.
Sakaki did not miss the change in his student’s expression. “Of course, it will take a little while to gather and streamline the appropriate materials. I shall give them to you in class as soon as they are ready.” He made a note in his planner to get the necessary things to Niou to be photocopied. “As for your powers, has something happened?”
“Hm?” Tachibana looked up surprised when Sakaki asked if something had happened to his powers, but then he shook his head with a little chuckle. “Ah no nothing. I just....” The boy stared down at his hand. “I just have been reminded that I’m still far from having them completely under control yet. I have to work harder I fear...”
“Oh... I see. Anything in particular? Something I can help with, perhaps?” Sakaki peered at him curiously, trying to remember what Tachibana’s powers were.
“I... When I was at home there were some guys fighting and Mom feared that they would ruin her garden,” Chuckling lowly at the memory he shook his head. “Mom loves her flowers. Well whatever. I released my beastly aura to make them stop fighting each other and to send them away but... I guess I used too much force and one of them seemed to have had a particularly weak mind.” Tachibana sighed again. “He fainted instantly and had to be brought to the hospital.”
Sakaki couldn’t help but chuckle at the irony. He personally enjoyed overpowering weak minds, but he supposed he was more adept at modulating his power (and what he used it for) so it was rare that he caused serious harm (unless that had been his intent). “I can see that would be... disconcerting. Well you know what they say, practice does make perfect. Though this environment is perhaps a little counter-productive, as people here tend to have stronger minds than most.”
It wasn’t that Tachibana disliked his power. He liked to dominate others if the moment was good but after that incident with Senri he had told himself to never hurt a person without it being necessary (or if that person wanted it, but that was a different story). “Yes that is the problem. Everybody I train with here can withstand my power to an extent. I guess it’s because we’re all mutants. So I know when to increase the effort but it seems I have to learn it the other way around as well, how to reduce it and how to sense when to reduce my power so I won’t accidently, excuse that term, blow somebody’s mind, literally.”
Sakaki laughed. “Indeed that would be unfortunate,” he said, wiping a mirthful tear from his eye. “It is important to be able to use your powers in moderation in addition to at their full power. But there are those even around the school whose minds are more fragile than others... they simply don’t tend to volunteer themselves for helping to train the more psychically oriented. If I can help, let me know.”
Tachibana himself had to chuckle when he saw Sakaki laughing at his choice of words. “Yes I bet it’s difficult to get them to volunteer. Nobody likes to be made to do things they actually don’t want to do. Though I guess with the right circumstances it can be also relieving to not have to decide yourself for once.” He shrugged and finished his tea, sad that it was already empty. “I would be glad if you could give me some advice at how I could improve my training so I can work on my problem better. You are one of the few fully trained mutants I can ask after all, and I don’t think Aoi-sensei or Wakai-sensei could give me very useful advice considering their powers.”
“Hanamura-sensei, is indeed not all that particularly well-equipped to give you advice on your powers, though you would find her mind harder to break than most,” Sakaki said, knowing she had been exposed to his powers (even unintentionally) enough times to have become more than a little resistant to them. “That said, I admit I am the best man for the job. I can help you.”
Tachibana honestly had to hold back his laughter when Sakaki corrected him on Hanamura’s name. “Ah yes, Kanamura-sensei. Sorry,” he said overly innocent, playing with the cup in his hands. “Well she might be hard to break but still that doesn’t help me.” He didn’t need to learn how to use his power on people who were hard to break after all. There were many people he could train that on. “So you are willing to help me Sensei?”, he asked hopefully smiling at the older man.
Sakaki smiled. “I would be willing to help you... so long as you at least attempt to pronounce your teachers’ names correctly,” he deadpanned. “Though, as you might expect, I can help you control your powers, but you won’t have much success using them on me, even if you did go all-out.”
“Yes sir, I’m sorry sir. It won’t happen again,” Tachibana sighed as Sakaki scolded him like this. He just had wanted to do a little joke but it seemed Sakaki was nobody for jokes if it was about his fellow teachers. “And I didn’t intent to use my powers on you but thought you could give me advice how to alternate my training...”
No... Sakaki wasn’t one for jokes they were about his girlfriend, big difference. “Of course. I can prepare a curriculum of power modification exercises which I will include in your package of catch-up material for my class. In particular I will focus on how to only use specific amounts of your power and general control techniques. Is this amenable to you?”
“Uhm, yes of course. This would help a lot, thank you Sensei,” Tachibana sighed, glad that Sakaki would help him with his problem. Carefully placing the cup on the table again Tachibana rose again from the loveseat. “Thank you for the tea, it was really good. And I guess I should go now before I say something else that will anger you.”
“Anger me?” Sakaki said curiously, a furrow in his brow, “Whatever would have given you the impression I was angry?” He thought back. “Oh that,” he said, “You must forgive me, Tachibana-kun, I merely wanted to stress how important it was not to start referring to teachers by anything other than their actual names, doing so in the wrong company can either imply a great deal of disrespect or a level of closeness that might give people the wrong idea... not to mention it may form into a habit can be hard to break.” He sighed, “I apologize if I gave you the wrong idea. It was concern, not anger, which coloured my words.”
Nodding slowly Tachibana ran his fingers through his blond hair and leaned slightly against the backrest of the loveseat he had just sat on. “Yes sir. I will remember that. I guess I’m still not completely myself again. This half year with my family and seeing Senri again threw me a bit of course. It won’t happen again.”
“I know it won’t,” Sakaki said with a smile. There was something in Tachibana’s manner that seemed somewhat off. “Senri... has something happened with Chitose-kun?” he asked, suddenly concerned.
Again Tachibana looked down at his hand but rather quickly placed it behind his back before he looked at Sakaki again with an apologetic smile. “No nothing has happened. We were just best friends when we were smaller. We had been at the same school until he had to change schools suddenly. I thought I might never see him again so it was a great surprise for me when I heard that he came to Ryuzaki academy. I guess I’m still a bit dazed to have him back at my side.” And he was worried that he might hurt him again but that was something he couldn’t tell his teacher. It was something just between Senri and him, something he alone could atone for.
Though Sakaki’s face was initially blank, it slowly blossomed into a warm smile. “If you can believe it, I know the feeling. It will take some time to get over constantly asking yourself if you’re dreaming. Even after that, bringing yourself to say all the things that had remained unsaid between you for so long will be harder than you think.” He thought of all the myriad of emotions he went through when Hanamura had come back after their long period spent apart. “But it will be worth it if you can once again find the closeness you had lost.”
With a deep sigh Tachibana let himself slide to his knees behind the loveseat, placing his chin on his arms that rested on the backrest. “The strange thing is. Senri hasn’t changed at all. It’s as if nothing has happened, as if we haven’t gotten older at all. I guess I’m kinda scared that he realizes that I’m not the same as back then and that he’ll turn his back on me. But.. he would never do that right?” Worried he looked at his teacher and shook his head. “I am sorry. That wasn’t why I came here after all. I shouldn’t bother you with that.”
“It’s no problem,” Sakaki said, dismissing the statement with a wave of his hand. “I think you’ll find Chitose-kun has changed more than you think. It’s not possible to stay completely the same after such a long time. Yet, somewhere beneath the layers of new experiences and wisdom, he is still the same person you knew and you are still the same person you were. You should be honest with him.. and with yourself, Tachibana-kun.”
“Hm perhaps... Perhaps I just didn’t want him to change and thus didn’t see any change in his behaviour,” Tachibana wondered, looking at his teacher deep in thought. “We’ll probably just need time to see how much we have changed. But I’ll still have to make sure that he eats properly,” the boy then chuckled suddenly and stood up again. “Thank you Sakaki-sensei. I guess I just needed to talk to somebody about it. It felt good talking to you about it. I’m just sorry that I have hogged your time like this. I bet you have more important things to do than to listen to the whining of a teenager,” he apologized.
“If I didn’t want to ever listen to whining teenagers, I’m in the wrong profession,” Sakaki pointed out, standing as well. “I’m always glad to help and here to listen.” He walked Tachibana to the door, “If you ever just need to vent, you know where to find me,” he told the boy with a smile.
“Yeah that might be true,” Tachibana nodded as they walked to the door. “And I’ll remember it the next time I’m rattled. Thank you Sakaki-sensei.” He smiled and nodded at his teacher. “Ah, and you have to tell me what kind of tea you use one day.” With these words the boy left the office, feeling a lot better and ready to make some dinner for his best friend and himself.