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

[ And he's just going to sink into his seat and cover his face, nevermind that Hikaru is looking. It's late, it's dim, maybe he won't notice just how red Josh is right now.

Dude, I get it. Now please stop? Please?? You can't be this much of an asshole, c'mon man, I'll talk to him about that exchange with Death, I don't want to have to see this right now.

Because, seriously. It does feel a little like stumbling across your older brother's home sex video with his then significant other who just happens to now be your significant other ( and the age discrepancy in the memory sort of but not really adds up? ) which is totally messed up in a don't ask it's really complicated kind of way.

Please, and no thanks. ]

Edited 2014-05-14 18:25 (UTC)

[All you'll get is a quiet laugh just at the back of your head. No guilt from this one. None at all.

(At least you're pretty sure that whatever you're going to talk about now won't be nearly as awkward as you thought. A beat. (And consider that memory something you can fall back on for future reference.)

Outside of that... sorry, Josh, but Hikaru pretty much noticed everything. Perception up the wazoo, right?]

Okay. What's up?

[He's about two degrees away from being Concerned.]

[ He is not going to pout, god fucking dammit.

Okay, he will try. Very hard.

There's a disgruntled sound from this one as he lowers the volume of his phone's music player to background noise just as he switches to a particularly heavy EDM track. ]

Just your ex-boyfriend being a total dick because I was waffling over that thing we need to talk about. [ He's annoyed, but let's face it, he can't really be angry at Makoto. And while there's a crease between his brows, his expression isn't hard -- just maybe a little worried.

Might as well dive in, right? No sense getting a second round of Makoto Kuzunoha-grade trolling. ]

Death probably didn't mean it as bluntly as I'm going to put it but... [ okay, LaRue, take a breath ] he offered to have sex with me if I was going to have problems with you being away for a while.

[ He does glance your way, once during the beginning of that and another right after that pause. Now though, Josh is idly tapping a gently closed fist on the little rest beneath the window. ]

[Please excuse your boyfriend as he takes about a quarter of a minute out to stare at you. Good thing the car's going on auto-pilot right now.

Yes, there are still some things on the Fifth World that surprise the Blade King.]

Huh.

[That is a thoughtful 'huh', as he's turning that pensive frown on his face towards the road. Well, that does explain a few things...

Did you really do that?

(...)

And that silence is a tell.

Are you...?

(It was concern for you, at first. And then...)

Right, he's going to leave you to that for now, Brother. You'll Talk once you're both alone.]

Sorry. That must have been incredibly awkward for you.

[ And he's now looking at you with a bit of concern. You'll note the particular way this one's voice goes soft. ]

It's alright. I... I got over it.

[ He hopes you don't mind, he's going to light another cigarette now. ]

He was... curious.

And I just said no because... [ inhale, exhale. ] Because it would have felt like cheating.

[ Yes. Your boyfriend is big on fidelity. Is it old fashioned? Yeah. But it's a thing. ]

[That last part makes him smile, and reach over to cover one of your hands with his.]

Thank you for that. I can say with complete honesty that I wouldn't be all right with the idea at all.

[He means it.]

Let's continue this talk when we're both settled in properly.

[Because now he's going to take the car off of auto-pilot and make sure the both of you get back to the house faster.]

[ And he'll give your hand a gentle squeeze right back and send a nod in the general direction of that wheel. ]

Then I guess the sooner we get to Kibo the better, right?

[ And with that, he's leaning back into his seat now and letting a hand drift over here the clasp of the seatbelt is secure. If you want to speed up, he's totally fine with it. Gotta get used to you driving like there's no tomorrow. Kind of comes with the package of uh -- you. ]

Mm-hm.

[Flashing a smile in your direction, in the hopes of settling you in a little better. It probably seems weird seeing that from him while he is going at a speed that probably should not be achieved while on a winding mountain road...

...Nor while you're entering the "town proper" area of Kibo itself...

...Nor while you're parking the car. What an admirable, perfect curve into a perfect landing position that very accurately fills in that slot in the house's garage. o_o]

[ You're going to have to give him a moment. ]

I think I left my stomach somewhere back there on the road.

[ He takes it back. He is not quite fine with this speed. Yet. He'll get used to it. Eventually.

No, this one's not moving just yet -- are you sure the car's actually stopped? ]

[Color this one Amused. He's getting out of his own car just fine, see?]

Shall I carry you inside?

[Saying that after he's come around to the passenger's side, pillowed his arms over the side of the car and fallen to peering at you through the open window.]

[ And this one's going to send you something that is as close to a withering glare as he can muster.

Who the hell taught you to drive anyway -- no, forget it; he doesn't want to know. ]

I think I can manage, thanks.

[ Seriously. He clearly loves you That Much. If it were anyone else... ]

[You are so adorable to him right now. That might be why he's leaning into the car even further now, and putting his forehead right up against yours.]

Are you sure?

[You may be distinctly reminded of a cat, with how those violet eyes are peering rather deeply into yours.]

[ ...Wow, you're awful, Hikaru. ]

Don't... do... that.

[ He's heard about biases to significant others, but seriously, you doing that should be illegal.

He does take a breath though, pulling back from you ( achievement unlocked ) just so that he can unclasp that seat belt and tug at the door handle. ]

I'm fine. [ Casting a glance your way now, with the hint of a smile. ] I think it's uh, caught up.

[And he only lets out an easy laugh and obediently backs away in order to let you step out.]

Great. Although I really was willing to give you a piggyback ride.

[Saying that over his shoulder as he's leading you upstairs.]

[ There's only a brief pauses as he checks himself when he's finally out of the car, before he shuts the door to the passenger side. ]

That would be weird, Hikaru.

[ Yes, he knows you are the Blade King. Yes, he knows you can probably bench-press a goddamn tree. But you are as skinny as hell even if he knows that it's all muscle underneath those clothes of yours it would just. Look. Weird. ]

What? Would it be somehow less weird if you were giving me one instead?

[Is that a pout as he's going for his keys and unlocking the door? Kinda sorta.]

You are so traditional.

[And yes the two of you are heading straight for the wing that only he and Alistair use.]

[ And he's going to follow you down to that wing, glancing around just briefly because it's been a long, long while since he was last here -- has it really been months? Yes. Yes, it has. ]

For one, I would not give you a piggyback. You're not Kitty.

And second, I'm not the one in this relationship who drives like I'm participating in the Monte Carlo.

[ His tone, you'll note, is teasing.

There might also be a distinct dip in the last few syllables -- and pretty much because he is... actually checking out your ass. At least before he catches himself and scrubs a hand over his face. ]

[You are so lucky that he's too busy dropping things left and right/fussing over stuff/checking the kitchen to notice the fact that he is giving you a bit of a free show right now.]

I would think that since you're in Rhiannon, you'd be all over me for driving tips.

[Because Dark Hour Derby. He loves that shit, by the way.]

[ And this one's chuckling softly at that as he watches you fuss, gaze just following -- and appreciating -- the economy of your movements. ]

Is that an invite to default to how we were? Me taking on tips from knowledgeable you?

[ That's... slipping out before he knows it.

Maybe his voice falters towards the end. Just a bit. It's kind of just hitting him now why the last few exchanges have been giving him a sense of deja vu.

Neither of you have bantered like this with each other in a while. Your date on the 18th came close -- but he hadn't faced his own insecurities at that point just yet, was just too happy to be around you and know that after Ireland, you both were well on the road to really okay. ]

Edited 2014-05-15 18:29 (UTC)

[Okay, THAT is catching his attention. He's turning around now, and the concern's in his eyes even if the rest of his expression has schooled over to show curiosity. Mostly.]

Only if you want to.

[Saying that softly, even the way he's looking at you is...

Hell. Directness is a thing, isn't it?]

You okay?

[ There's a quiet smile that doesn't quiet go all the way -- and mostly out of sheepishness. He's also rocking back a little on his heels before he turns his eyes to yours. ]

I... I missed this.

[ He does a brief gesture with one and: swing to you and back to him. You were friends first, before you became lovers. Somewhere along the way both of you had to somehow calibrate. There were bumps on the road and a couple of wrong turns, but things have been pretty good of late, and there's a sense of stability between you now. ]

Edited 2014-05-15 18:53 (UTC)

[Ah.

That is all he needed to hear, and all he needed to see. Have a smile then, LaRue, before this one's leaning in to kiss you on the cheek.]

You're not the only one there.

[ And he's going to catch you by the waist to land one right on that mouth, hand to your cheek just because he loves touching you while he does this.

Give him a moment. He needs this to sort of steel himself. He's not entirely sure how the talk is going to go since the cat's essentially out of the bag. ]

[And even while he's naturally fitting the curves and angles of his body against yours and enjoying that kiss, he's distractedly thinking about how this is actually a little strange: you and him in this house, of all places. It isn't awkward, it isn't wrong. It's just strange.

He used to avoid this house. It had once been his place with Alistair's, their first real attempt at having some sort of grounding that wasn't Japan or Ireland, and a space they could honestly call their own that did not have their baggage. Then 2012 had seen their relationship reach heights that it had never reached before, then crash and burn completely even as he tried to hold on to it.

Now, though, in as much as he loves Alistair just as much as he loves you (or Makoto, or Aria, or Katherine, or Liandrin, or any of the others who have come before you), this space is yours with him. There are no ghosts tonight, even with the talk that the two of you are going to have to have.]

So are you in the mood for Chinese tonight?

[Saying that with a soft smile once you've broken apart, as he's letting his fingers ghost over the side of your face.]

[ You'll see the answering smile bloom on this one's face as he murmurs: ] North Park, Hap Chan or David's Tea House?

[ Someone has clearly been reading up on local fare. ]

Unless of course you have something else in mind?

[ He's paying, remember? He did say this would be his treat. ]

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