#yurlock

Alright so Hemlock leaves the mission with the goal to re-enter society and be more social; to get stronger of course and not because he genuinely misses some form of human interaction, that’s for weaklings. (I hc Hemlock as being either anti social before his seclusion or having social anxiety. Because secluding yourself from everyone is not an easy decision to make without some uncomfortableness with social interaction.)

Apparently not talking to anyone for months can really make you suspicious when you try to be social again. People start tipping to SSS that there’s this really weird guy attending social circles who doesn’t say much and looks really suspicious; a possible danger to the nation. (Another hc that during isolation Hemlock picked up some random skills since he can’t train 24/7 and he just randomly joins some rich old ladies crochet club and disturbs the peace with his presence.) They send Yuri and one or two others from the SSS to trail Hemlock to see if he’s a spy or potential terrorist.

Hemlock’s training makes him immediately clock that he is being trailed and adjusts accordingly. He continues his routine of going to his fake work (I don’t know what his coverup would be) and to social circles. The SSS conclude that this dude is just awkward and drop the case. Yuri isn’t buying it though—what if Hemlock is a threat and as soon as they let their guard down he tries something? That would put his precious sister and Ostania in danger! He can’t have that.

(I feel like Hemlock knows that Yor has a brother but doesn’t know his name or anything like that. He just refers to him as ‘your brother’ during his scuffle with Yor. I’m chalking this up to him not really knowing Yuri to make it easier on me.)

So Yuri makes it a personal project to keep an eye on Hemlock. Donning his civilian wear he goes in with the goal of trying to be friends with Hemlock so that he can be 100% certain that he isn’t a threat or working with Twilight. However, Hemlock comes off as rude due to his socialization skills and this leads to many verbal arguments between the two.

At this point Hemlock is annoyed at the guy that keeps coming to his social circles to argue with him, and Yuri is annoyed that Hemlock is the most insufferable person (second place to Loidy) that he has ever met. But Yuri keeps coming to these gatherings even though he has confirmed that Hemlock isn’t a threat (the old rich ladies are pissed at both of them).

They inevitably become reluctant friends (if you ask either of them they will insist that their relationship is purely that of acquaintances), and sometimes hang out after their done with work.