“Freedom, huh? Freedom’s what you make of it. It’s always there, it just depends on how much you grab.” Well, it seemed as if they were now at an impasse. Hakuba didn’t seem to want to abandon his shell – though he was doing a good job of poking his head out right now – and Heiji didn’t know what other advice to offer.
It saddened him somewhat that Hakuba felt the need to lie to his own family. To keep them from worrying? They were going to worry regardless, that’s how parents were. At least, that’s what Okan had told him when he was younger.
Meal finished, he set his chopsticks on the plate, muttering a quick ‘thanks fer th’ food,’ under his breath. “Just a warning: if you don’t find an outlet for your stress, things will get worse.“ It had happened to him, after all, and he’d learned to work with it since. Granted, Hakuba seemed to have the patience of a saint and was lasting longer than he ever did, but everyone had their breaking point. “So if you need someone to yell at, I’ll be here to yell right back.” Bad joke, but he hoped the Brit got the point. “And if you come back to Osaka, I might even give you the grand tour. There are so many great places to see here, not just the library.“
Concern about his well-being? Mention of a possible return and subsequent offer to continue to associate? Hakuba watched Heiji for the time being, expression placid, and nodded at the appropriate times. The surprise he felt was a little overwhelming, considering how upset he’d been just a few moments ago.
"I should very much like that, Hattori-san,” Hakuba said regarding Osaka, then laughed, voice soft and amused. “That could count as an outlet, right? Better yet if we get into an argument again and need to yell.”
Really, the offer was touching, and quite possibly the nicest thing Heiji had ever said or done to him. And, admittedly, the idea of intentionally yelling at a willing participant and reciprocant, was… tempting, joke or not. Certainly more healthy than his other outlets, as well, which he did not feel the need to mention.
He turned back to his food and worked at it, feeling much more relaxed.