And meanwhile Jaeha is... scrupulously ethical. They're in Malaysia, and it is actually illegal to be gay in Malaysia, and his Haru is still being gay at him because what are they going to do, let their people die in dungeons because they're squeamish about the people with superpowers who showed up to help kissing? If they try Jaeha will destroy them utterly, but they're not trying, they're not trying at all, which means that he's not listening to anything they're feeling. He's being scrupulously ethical and he is not listening at all even though they could be planning something or being threatening, or, but they're not doing anything. They're not, they're just, they're just looking. The locals are giving Haru and him looks, disgusted looks, horrified looks, and he is being scrupulously ethical about it.
Being heroic and scrupulously ethical around people who kind of suck is a GREAT way to feel superior and smug and cool. It takes a middling person to save the thankful and innocent but an AMAZING one to save the irritating and ungrateful.
Maybe if he could hear a little bit of Haru's feelings he'd be able to share in that joy but all he can do is chew on nicotine gum and try to keep his face composed.
(Except when Haru shows up because then his worry and anger take a backseat to ✨Haru✨.)
Haru does actually catch him side-eyeing a Malaysian at one point and lets on about the secret to his smugness.
...okay yeah he can see it. Still... not inhabit it well enough, without feeling the feeling to mimic it, but...
...does contempt work? Contempt probably does not work. Hmmm. He'll workshop it.
"That's just me, I'm weird, but try not to let 'em get to you. I am going to save them and they will have lots of time in which to improve as people, or alternately to not do that and still be aware that they were rescued by an openly gay esper." Smooch and he's diving back into the portal.
The dungeon was fortunately not all that hungry, as dungeons go. They get everybody out and find the core and slay it.
Yeah. They should go home. Away from these people who think they're dirty and sinful and horrible. He's had enough of that from his family.
Mini-breaks left him less backlashed than he usually is after a dungeon but on net not less inclined to jump Jaeha's bones.
...yeah okay he's going to be dirty and sinful and delightful instead. He's going to be sinning so much with Haru.
Haru would debate this choice of words if it were spoken out loud but Jaeha's got better things to do with his mouth.
yoo-min-max: @traceless bro you're on the Malaysian news with @KangJaeha
yoo-min-max: y'all were too gay in public
yoo-min-max: it's a scandal
yoo-min-max: lmao
taegun fan no. 1183: get rekt malaysia
yoo-min-max: preach
🔔traceless: they invited me! it is on my work profile that I have this protocol now for dungeons that are going to be hitting me in the brain a lot! they should write to their elected representatives or something.
yoo-min-max: you're right they should
🐠nemo: can u imagine like "omg my son's life was saved by a HOMO how DARE you allow them in our country"
🔔traceless: I can indeed imagine this. I was imagining it with relish throughout the process, I spent more intervals outside the dungeon than usual.
🔔traceless: getting my smooch on.
taegun fan no. 1183: you 2 looked so cuuuuuuute together
yoo-min-max: @SenSoJoo this could be us but u playin'
💤Zzzzgirl: yessssss.
💤Zzzzgirl: this is how we bring about world peace and equality
💤Zzzzgirl: send in the pretty boys to save lives and SMOOCH about it
🔔traceless: what even is the extradition situation. if someone had made a federal case out of it