003. and in every raindrop... // open post.

[icarusalsoflew]

Take a prompt, take some time, drop in as you like. If you're from Eudio, though, mosey on down here.

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[larue]

[ Still watching you, and totally catching that.

Head bowing now as his hand falls away.

Sorry, Stan. He'll have your back though. ]

It was Stanley. [ He shifts a little away -- doesn't mean to. But he does. ] I was having something of an... epiphany.

And he kind of just... slipped.

[ Turning his attention to Mitsuru now and picking the kitten up and setting the tiny creature on his lap. ]

He said... you were already shelving your feelings.

[ A pause as he worries a little on his lower lip.

Might as well go for broke, right?

Looming away now before he adds, in a really soft voice: ] Hearing that... hurt.

[icarusalsoflew]

Oh.

[Admittedly, that was not as bad as he had hoped it would be. Taning had, after all, ended up being the one who had called him out on what he was feeling. What he was doing.

Reaching out now, to hold your cheek with one hand and turn your face his way.]

I'm sorry.

[For what it counts, it doesn't look like he's ever going to have to do that or even think that he had to do that ever again. That is, hopefully, what the look on his face is telling you now.]

[larue]

[ And this is Josh offering a tiny -- and grateful -- smile right back before he's shifting and leaning in to press his lips against yours all over again.

Softly, against your mouth now: ] No need to apologize.

[ The smile is back in his eyes now. And his heart feels strangely... full. ]

Worked out for the better, right?

[ He certainly thinks so. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

Yeah.

[He's relieved to see that you're looking better and that he's somehow managed to put you at ease again. Call it crazy, but he's just a little hyper-vigilant right now. (Because he's still worried that if this does fall through somewhere down the line, it's going to be because of him.)

Still. Honesty is good, right?]

He called me out on it. Sniffed out the fact that I was wrecked over you. [Laughing just a bit now, soft and rueful.] I guess I should be thankful that he ended up slipping.

[Because, admittedly, if Taning had not, Hikaru would have had more time to lock away more things and promptly forget all about it on purpose. It would have been easier to hide, and get one step closer to falling into the motions of staying far, far away from you, for better or for worse.]

[larue]

[ And because you still don't look or sound like your usual self, he reaches out and threads his fingers through your own.

It's surprisingly easy, touching you, enjoying the feel of your skin against his. And if he smiles just a little right then and there, it's because he's realizing that he's going to have to be careful -- he's going to look for this. A lot. ]

Kind of hard to imagine you wrecked over me.

[ His tone is teasing, but kind. ] You've always been so good at getting me to come around.

[ A subtle reminder at how you'd gotten him to cave enough to learn how to chat up people in a club. To open up about his mom. To get him to say fine, okay, I'll go with you and Kaz. ]

I draw the line at dancing in public though.

[ Offering you a smile that might be familiar. Because he can now own up to and name what it was that he'd felt while watching you at Relik just last night. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

[He has words about that first statement, but he'll let them lie. Instead, he focuses on that little jab.]

Really? Even if it's with me?

[He's teasing you right back now.]

[larue]

[ The slightest twitch of one brow as he leans in to steal a kiss. ]

I don't dance.

[ Catching your bottom lip now, gently between his teeth. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

[He makes an amused noise at that before he kisses you.]

Spoilsport.

[And kissing you again, before he's breaking away with a smile and moving off to feed Mitsuru. The poor kitten has been waiting for a while.]

[larue]

[ And he's watching you go through those motions, smiling quietly at the way the kitten responds to you, the way that, for all your protesting and previous comments that your tiny new charge is another one you have to look out for -- there is care and affection in your touch, in the way you move.

It's really sweet. And it reminds him a little of the way you treat Brianna.

Turning away from that thought for the meantime though. ]

So, I have an idea.

[icarusalsoflew]

Do tell.

[Straightening up and looking in your direction once Mitsuru has been fed, just as he looks like he's going to pull his shirt off.

Yeah, he's comfortable with you already. Besides: he really needs a shower.]

[larue]

[ And if Josh actually stalls -- well. Um.

Looking down at the bed now. ]

We could just play up the idea that we've been talking all morning.

[ It's not like he doesn't get up at 5AM anyway, right? ]

[icarusalsoflew]

[Not responding immediately, not until the shirt's off and tossed on the chair.]

So we're really going to go for that?

[In spite of, well. New developments?]

[larue]

[ And he's sliding a glance before promptly picking at something on the bedsheet. No flashes of memory this time, but it's a little hard to miss those tattoos and how they are tempting his mind to go places.

But, seriously now: ] We don't have to.

[ A pause. ] I just thought it might be a good idea to throw them off the scent of things for a while.

At least, until you've gotten a chance to speak with Brianna.

[ He doesn't know what the both of you are to each other just yet. Are you dating? Seeing where this goes? A Thing? And you'd know this, Hikaru. Josh doesn't like to presume. He has also never been in a relationship before, so he's obviously ( to you, not to him ) feeling this out still. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

[Considering that a moment as he's crossing over to the bathroom, and then nodding.]

Yeah, when you put it that way... okay. Let's do it.

[Opening the doorknob, then glancing back in your direction - huh.

Oh right. Maybe he should've... well. Too late, now. Play it cool, Blade King.]

I'll take a shower really quick.

[larue]

[ And he's offering a quiet smile in turn. ]

I'll probably need to take one after you.

[ And oh-- ] And uh, can I borrow a shirt?

[ Sheepish now. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

Sure. Might want to pick one of the newer ones in the closet out, though.

[Because he has some 'favorites' that the Hounds have seen him in several times. It doesn't hurt to be careful, right?]

Give me five minutes.

[He can be quick! Shutting the door now.]

[larue]

[ He's staring at the door for a good, long minute before he lets himself fall back on the bed for half a minute more.

The room should not be as warm as it is given that compared to just hours before, the two of yours didn't really do anything.

He hears Mitsuru's plaintive meow as the kitten is peeking over the other side of the bed, clearly done with her food now. ] Done now, huh? I guess that's my cue to go looking for a shirt.

[ By the time you come out, Blade King, he's already picked a gray one that he was sure was new ( it had a tag, okay, it made sense ) and he's flat on his back in the center of your bed playing with your kitten by holding her front paws between his fingers as she licks at his nose. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

[That sight makes him stop midway through toweling his hair dry. He smiles as he walks over, and scoops Mitsuru up.]

C'mhere. Josh needs to go and make himself human again.

[He has a shirt on, by the way. He remembered.]

[larue]

[ He chuckles at that and comes to his feet. He's about to head to the shower when he backtracks and just... wraps his arms around you from behind, face kind of buried in the crook of your neck for a full minute before he breaks off with a quick kiss to your cheek and a grin. ] Thanks, I'll be back in a few. [ You look good okay. He couldn't resist. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

[...And that made him stall just a bit. Go figure: it's been years since anyone has ever done that to him.

Watching the other go for a moment before letting Mitsuru give him a sandpaper kiss and setting the kitten down.

Might as well have a cigarette while waiting.]

[larue]

[ It doesn't take him long. The longer you guys delay the longer the people outside have to think about why he isn't out ( particularly when he promised that he'd cook ) and for them to possibly worry why you are still in bed.

He resists the urge to take careful note of the stuff in your bathroom, fails and gives into curiosity anyway. Last night had given him an opportunity to inhale deeply against your skin, and he hadn't been able to keep himself from idly wondering what kind of soap you used, what shampoo it was that he caught mixed in with that particular undertone of you.

When he comes out, he's got a towel draped over his shoulders and a sheepish look on his face because you remembered; he forgot.

Turnabout is fair play? Maybe? Eitherway he's going to pretend this is nothing and make a beeline for that shirt.

For inquiring minds: those pants are a little loose on his hips. He's actually lost a little weight. It's not obvious when he's dressed, but like this, you can take note of it.

The last two weeks have been hard, okay. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

[And because of that... yes, whatever other thoughts he may have had over seeing you that way are flying out the window.

How to press, though. How to press, indeed.]

I think I'm going to add a new item to my daily To Do List now.

[larue]

[ He pauses just a little at your comment as he's about to shrug on the shirt, blinking at you with an expression that goes: Uh... okay?

Pulling it over his head now and smoothing it down before he flops down beside you. ]

What's up?

[icarusalsoflew]

I think I'm going to need to make sure that you eat at least three meals a day for a while. And get enough rest.

[You're welcome to fight him if you try to protest. He will tell you as much if you hedge.]

[larue]

[ He has the sense to look sheepish at that. But he leans in and brushes a soft kiss on the corner of your mouth before saying: ] Okay.

[ He'd noticed his clothes had gotten a little loose, he's also been tired but it's only just catching up on him and he's also been the type to soldier on.

That Yulia had wiped the floor with him ( almost literally, at that ) is something he knows he will also need to deal with. ]

I look that bad, huh?

[ Half-joking, half... not. ]