loosestrifes | ic inbox

I heard there's extra rabbit in the gardens.

( please confirm before he bothers to go out there, thank you. )

Do not go hunting rabbits in the gardens. You can get your food from the staff.

For chips.

Given your current status, you should be more appreciative of a free meal.

First of all, don't bring up my "status". Second of all, why should I worry when you have chips? You're not giving them all away to someone else, are you?

Wait. How are you answering me when you can't read?

They call it text to speech. Didn't you know?

( like, duh. anyway: )

You need to learn how to save money. This can be the first lesson.

( ignoring money saving comments )

As in, it speaks the messages aloud for you? You're so concerned about lessons as you cheat your own.

Learning to read would take too much time. Even in a place like this, I have better things to do.

wsxdrtgfvghbhujmnkiok,lokmnhuygbvftrdxswse4rfcvgtygbhujnjikm,lol,kioknhygvfrfdeserfghnjkimjhgfredrfvbnumi,lmnubyrdeswaswecfvgbhjnmkl,monibytreswectvybhnjmokoiu9gy67f5e4dtxgvbhu8907r6e5w4setdtfhijpo[;jhdgdxcgbjokp-=970658%&8gfdsghfdngdkjbsgiudfogjnkldsfg@$^&%&*^%$%%&jvcklnkkdgjihfnkvmcfoihdusgndfgfdigheuifjdgnfglfdjoighubjdfsgjodfg847854562187456+9845236985236987452369852343785435%^^%$^$#^$%jfdksajfmasdfbugdhgdfnsgbudghijodsfgnbfidguvdfj nkmodsfhigubgn fdksgmdfsogjdsfgbidfnk gvmckxnnvicjfduhgfdklgmcvknvugfjodigfmsgnofdsgbufdhgmnfdskngfbgufg jdmgoijfhgidsbfkdsgnfdsgofidsbgd jgfdog

( five unhappy minutes later: )

Not funny.

No? But it's so much quicker?

Anyway, don't eat the rabbits, or I'll ruin some more of your knives.

( not the threats... )

What does it matter to you? Did you never eat meat back home?

( he'd almost feel a little sorry about the time he fed him [REDACTED] if he was vegetarian. almost. )

I enjoy meat. But for all you know, eating the things here could make you unbelievably horny.

Besides, they're cute. It makes it almost feel like I'm really outside.

For a prince you have low standards. And that's the worst consequence you could imagine?

I said almost. Unlike you, I don't have my own personal quaint little suite. I have a hole.

And it seems that's fitting for you. Perhaps the resort does know something about us.

I'd invite you in, but I don't want a repeat of last time.

Oh, don't act like it was such a bother. They've fixed you up perfectly. You have full function.

You seemed to enjoy it in the moment.

Blood loss induces delirium. Don't make assumptions.

I'm locking the door and getting rabbits, since you cared to remind me.

You can't keep me out. But I have other rooms to visit, if I must.

Leave the rabbits alone. Chaos and Order will see anything you do, you know.

( ... )

Then perhaps they should be first.

If you kill them, their spirits will haunt you afterwards. I made sure of it.

( it's a good thing these are watches, because he would've absolutely thrown any other device across the room at that. )

Not funny. Again.

What would a rabbit spirit even do? They're an uncommon blessing for a reason.

I'm serious!

Do you really want to find out? I imagine it depends on how cruel you are to them.

You shouldn't have left them in my room. What kind of parent are you?

We're co-parents.

Fairly sure that isn't within a bodyguard's list of duties.

Your constant complaining is tiring.

Maybe true. You would know something about that.

What am I making for dinner, if it's not rabbit.

( he's gonna cut off his other hand at this rate. )

Beef? Without skipping on the vegetables.

Beef. ( thinking out loud. ) It's not the same, though.

Do you want to taste something unique so badly? I could think of something.

We have very different ideas of what counts as unique.

Some of us only get to eat what we can source ourselves, honored son.

( grumpy because he didn't get he was "flirting"... )

You're so boring.

( ?????? )

Get your own food then. I'm not paying.

I told you what I wanted. I already took enough of your chips, but that's not the point.

I was trying to be nice.

How.

Maybe you'd find out if I was allowed over.

( ..................... ❓ fine. )

The door is open.

Thank you.

I'll be there after a bit.

( hours pass. )

( hours??? )

Did you get lost?

( Oh. Right. )

I'm almost there.

( Sure enough, after just a few minutes now, Esikko shows up, strutting in in the way that says he's definitely trying to make something apparent.

Something he's done. )

Hello. I got caught up in something.

( why so vague, huh. kirma startles at the sudden arrival, having ignored the watch notification entirely— he, too, has been occupied, though in a much different way.

specifically, he's holding up one of the baby rabbits esi so thoughtfully left behind by the ears, with a certain level of intent he was specifically told not to have. though his arms partially lowers at seeing esi, he doesn't release it just yet. )

What took you so...

( his voice trails off as it all clicks together. oh. so that's what this is about, then. )

( His entrance is ruined by this? Hello. )

Would you put her down? What did I say?

( He steps closer, and now his focus is on helping the bunny get down to the floor gently. Despite everything else, he does seem to care about these little creatures. )

( would that esi showed a single ounce of this tenderness towards others. though he'd meant to evoke jealousy in a far different way, kirma finds himself staring with a more envious hunger at the shivering bunny in his arms. he can't even remember which one that is— kiki, maybe. a waste of food, definitely. it isn't fair... it isn't fair. )

It's fine. ( for once, he gets to be the dismissive one. who cares... ) You shouldn't have taken so long.

( at this proximity, he can only stay distracted from esi's pointed setup for so long. as he coddles the rabbit, kirma slides past him, as if to move on in the most roundabout path possible; he stops just behind esi, though, leaning up and in to sniff at his hair. )

Where were you, exactly.

( he's got quite a big hunch, but he's not happy about it. )

( ...On the one hand, he's deeply offended to be sniffed like that.

On the other, there's a significant amount of something like pleasure from causing Kirma to be so visibly jealous. He turns only slightly, lifting a hand to press gently at Kirma's face rather than pulling away. )

It seems like you might have a guess.

( Mr. Sniffer. )

Does that matter? I'm here now.

( as much as kirma wants to pry, demand answers, context, the like— a soft touch is more than enough to still his words. how pathetic. despite his considerable misgivings, he leans against esi’s palm, though the cheek that rests against his fingers surely burns hotter than normal. listen… )

Put the rabbit down, then.

( the implicit demand of pay attention to me is obvious in those terse words. mr. sniffer has some requests, it seems. he leans even harder into esi’s hand, threatening to put all of his weight on him if he doesn’t comply, an outcome that will surely end in disaster— though not for him. )

( After a couple of soothing pets to the rabbit that he might not have normally given, he crouches to release her to the room. She hops away, seemingly forgetting the situation she was just in, and moves to do binkies in circles with the other rabbit a room over. Esikko stands up slowly from this, back towards the hand he'd been holding out at Kirma and sort of just halfheartedly kept there.

The leaning wasn't lost on him, but he had to put the bunny down. )

Jealous of a rabbit?

( The smile that Esikko gives is exceedingly proud, but he turns his full body towards Kirma now, moving that hand to playfully tuck some of the other man's hair behind a human ear. )

( she binkies, because she doesn’t even know she’ll be dinner someday. oh, to have no concern for the future. another thing to be envious of, but one he’ll have to shelve for the time being, as esi turns back around.

the gesture is surely meant to be something lighthearted and cheery. neither adjective is particularly trustworthy, coming from the son of a king. kirma’s mouth tightens for a brief moment, and he grabs esi by the wrist, before he can pull his hand back. with that as a point of leverage, he drags him close, nose to nose, eyes narrow. it’s not all aggression; his other arm snakes its way around esi’s waist, hand balling into a fist and taking a firm hold of his coat while its at it. )

Do you think you’re something worth being jealous over?

( it’s not much of a bluff, nor is it meant to be. just the usual bickering. there is part of him that’s troubled by the fact that he feels this way at all— only a few months ago, and he was counting down the days until they could justifiably part again. so what’s changed? )

You wasted my time. ( an inexpensive thing, here, but a commodity all the same. huff. )

( The way his wrist is grabbed like that is certainly a surprise— slightly widened eyes that he tries to quickly adjust, a little race of his heart... It's all exciting, though, rather than anything scary. In fact... )

Are you mad?

( Even the way that question falls out of his mouth is telling. He's practically elated by this reaction, sparkling blue eyes searching Kirma's face for more of an answer. He curls the fingers of his captured wrist into his own palm, his free hand slipping between their bodies to grip lightly at Kirma's chest.

What a strong little man his bodyguard is. He humors him with a duck of his head, so that the inches are even closer, and their noses almost touch. )

Maybe I'm not. But that has me all the more curious about a reaction like this, you know.

( he is not LITTLE he is a PERFECTLY AVERAGE HEIGHT )

Why is it surprising? You’ve been infuriating since the day you— woke up.

( met was almost the word, there, but that wouldn’t have been wholly accurate. scared the fuck out of him, sure. but in those first blissful days, before esi regained consciousness and kirma was none-the-wiser as to what he’d picked up in the forest, things weren’t so bad.

still. isn’t he enjoying this just a bit too much? kirma supposes that was the whole point— a trap that he’d walked into without a thought, as usual. already a regular occurrence, it seems to be happening more and more these days. could he blame the house for that one, too? his grip on esi’s wrist tightens enough that his finally-regrowing nails dig in with points. )

Here’s what I’m curious about.

( steering them towards the bedroom, now. kiki and ollie better make themselves scarce. )

How does the crown prince debase himself so easily, here? ( just because he sees the trap being sprung doesn’t mean he’ll try to resist it. ) After all your complaints about mingling with us casteless folk…

( said complaints are many months old, even without their time in this place counted— but still. )

Ow.

( That hurts? And yet, he makes no motion to pull his hand back or try to resist the encouraging shuffle towards the bedroom. If anything, he's entranced by this side of Kirma, looking all too pleased by the results, despite the serious upset here.

There is offense at the last part, though. )

Who are you to decide if my chosen partners are on that same level? ( Defensive, because he feels that it's a complex sort of thing. Impatience led to desperation, which led to realizing a lot of his interests didn't quite align with castes. )

Or to decide what's "debasing easily" or such? We're all playing a game here, you know. Would you rather I held back until that mark of mine made me crazy?

Who knows? It might suit you.

( in the same way that his would, for himself. even with the mark of the spade barely traced on the back of his neck, though, he’s beginning to understand the appeal of those feelings. at the same time, he knows he shouldn’t get carried away, no matter how much he’d like to— the gritted teeth is as much to keep his thoughts in check as it is from annoyance at esi’s continued yapping. )

For someone so concerned with appearances, you don’t seem to care much about your dignity. ( is he one to talk? the scar on his arm says otherwise, but you know. it’s different. ) Why come here at all? Go back to your proper room.

( the words are fairly meaningless, when he has esi’s wrist held so tight. go back to your room, he says, while making sure there’s no way he could possibly do so. only when they bump against the edge of the bed does he hesitate, distracted by the obstacle, the logistics. deeper in the throes of a suit, it would be easy to move forward—

without that, he simply lets go, averting his gaze. the set of his ears and low angle of his tail speak enough to his upset, sulking even, but that’s all. )

( Just when his excitement is at its highest point, Kirma lets go, gives up. It's disappointing, and Esikko can't help the sigh that comes with it. Things are different now, though. He's not about to let this moment go to waste.

His own hand snatches back at the one that released it, fingers interlacing with such ease that it's like one fluid motion. He leans closer, body pressing into Kirma's just barely short of pushing him onto the bed. )

You're feeling neglected.

( His free hand settles on Kirma's shoulder and pushes down, now, to get him to sit on that bed. And just as quickly, he presses a knee onto the bed to his side in order to straddle him, bringing their held hands to his lips for a kiss. )

If you need attention so badly, you could ask, you know. Insulting my character isn't very nice.

( kirma isn’t necessarily agreeing with the assessment. he just doesn’t resist as he’s pushed down, though his face turns away, a pointed gaze directed back towards the way they came— and more importantly, distinctly away from esi. sulky dog… )

Didn’t I.

( do you know how hard it is to find someone to text on these fucking watches, man. he tugs back on the hand esi is holding; not quite enough to actually free it, only enough to feign a disinterest. no more paw!!

— all that said, he’s not exactly fighting to leave. the recognition of his feelings is a small thing, one that surely won’t amount to much, but it does take the edge off his upset all the same. kirma assumes esi has already become more than aware of how easy he is to please, and thus elects not to volunteer any more indication of this than he needs to. what he does give is a subtle lean in, still refusing to face him, but one downturned ear pointing esi’s way just a little more than it was previously. keep going… )

You didn't. Not directly at all.

( Esi is firm in that, smiling at the tiny little tugs and those obvious ears of his. His other knee sets down, and now that he's properly straddling Kirma, he kisses further down Kirma's hand, to his wrist, gripping tighter.

His other hand undoes the tie on his own durumagi, eager to increase temptation for Kirma. His intentions are clear enough. )

Hmm, let's see...

( He pauses, leaning in, and presses his face to the side of Kirma's face, kissing.

...But he's also sniffing that hair to detect when his last bath was. For reasons that will determine what he does next. )

( you probably don’t want to do that, dude. to give kirma some credit, he’s certainly bathing with more regularity than he ever did, back home— but he also did kill a lot of time today chasing rabbits after being expressly told not to. while the grime is more surface-level it certainly isn’t absent: grass, dirt, sweat, livestock, all things you generally wouldn’t want to make a perfume out of.

none of these things bother him, of course. mollified by the combination of attention and temptation, he turns to nip at esi’s ear, by the piercing. he’d tug on the earring itself, but he’ll probably get scolded for putting his filthy mouth on something so precious, or some other eye-rollingly spoiled complaint. with only one hand free— something that keeps happening, lately— he slips it under esi’s durumagi in the spot conveniently opened for him, running a hand up the back of his shirt and only leaving a little dirt behind. you know, for him. )

No, I did— perhaps you’re the one who needs reading lessons?

( it’s more flirting than it is any real argument, but this is a pretty good turn of events after the bickering from earlier, at least in kirma’s opinion. )

( Gross! Stinky!

But honestly, it's nowhere near as stinky as he usually was back home, so he can keep his smile in place and react calmly. He's being soooo nice right now, he thinks he should get a reward for it. When he pulls back, he makes sure to do it slowly, lingering under the touch no matter how filthy it is. His hands trail behind, and he tugs not just at Kirma's hand, but the front of his clothes, too. )

Maybe you're not messaging what you mean to message.

( Think about that for a while, because now Esi is sliding off the bed and tugging him further. Towards the bathroom. )

Come with me. I want to try something with you.

( maybe so. kirma would be the first to admit that communication isn’t his strong suit— language has always been one of the few subjects he’s truly felt clumsy with, which likely explains his resistance to literacy, even in a place where he truly doesn’t have anything better to do than learn. he takes the time to ponder this anyway, as he’s pulled away, following obediently.

at first.

once he realizes the direction he’s being pulled in, he balks, digging in his heels. (well. his beans.) ears flattened and tail tucked, he shakes his head. resisting esi’s strength isn’t difficult, of course; he doesn’t fully wrest himself from his grip, hoping that merely taking a stand is deterrent enough. )

I took a bath two days ago!

( said the most sufferingest of dogs, who spent all day rolling in the gardens. )

( Okay. In the good mood he's in currently, that does make Esikko laugh, but he tugs more insistently, even leaning in to plant a peck of a kiss on his cheek first. )

Two things. One, bathe daily.

Two... You're going to like this. I promise.

( Now, despite the nature of Esikko's everything, it can be said that he's never broken a promise. He simply so rarely makes them. They're reserved for important things, final things, things that he can't go back on. It's always felt to him like a promise is something sacred, like the seal of a magic spell that should never be broken...

Maybe it's one childish thing about him that he was allowed to keep. )

( his ears rise only slightly at the kiss, but they shoot straight up at the word promise. truly, there’s something loaded, within those syllables— even a dog can recognize that much. for all of esi’s cajoling, whining, demanding, never once has he said such a thing, not even while trying to convince kirma to protect him all the way to yangsa. for the first time in their current lives, he thinks: maybe i can trust this.

and if he can’t, if he doesn’t end up liking it…

there are ways for dogs to get their revenge, too. )

Daily is too much. I’ll never have a dry tail again.

( it’s easy for esi to insist on such a thing, when he only has hair to worry about. though kirma is less furry than he could be, the fur he does have is thick, to better insulate against the bitter cold that defines their home; no towel could ever hope to stand against the power of such an undercoat. bathing complaints aside, though, he is moving again. with caution, but moving all the same. )

Could I convince you to do every other day?

( Pleased with his cooperation now, Esikko finishes the walk to the bathroom, releasing Kirma's hand only so he can turn on the shower head. As the water warms, he begins to strip, his movements slow and purposefully showy.

Still, his clothes get folded on the counter after each piece is removed, and he flashes a smile at Kirma midway through. )

Well? ( Joining him? Or just staring? )

( yes, just staring. )

( hi i can't sleep 🫡

kirma truly does elect to watch, at first. the shower is at fault, here; as the hiss of the water turns on, his hackles raise, the fur of his tail standing on end. it smooths over quickly enough, but man. never will he be used to that sound— there's a reason he makes the trek all the way down to the public baths, every time, to the bemusement of a few staff members who have caught on to the regularity. some guests just have their quirks, perhaps?

he doesn't answer either question, but he recognizes the prompt for what it is. god forbid a man enjoy the view... where the path before him leads is quite obvious, though. fine. esi does have a promise to fulfill, anyway.

unlike esi, his clothes do not end up folded, or anywhere appropriate at all. his belt is quickly tossed somewhere behind him, followed by the coat it overlaid, and after another breath or two, his shirt follows. there is no artistry to his movements, only function. here, with just pants left to go, he pauses, closing the distance between them; what starts out as a tender embrace is quickly revealed to be a pretense for something else, as he again puts his face against esi's neck, and—

a sniffening. )

Who did you see?

( answer carefully. )

Hmmm. Someone who needed help.

( The sniff, this time, doesn't bother him. He can feel the steam of the shower at his back, and Kirma's body being so close is nice. But, he does want to get in and get clean. So, he takes a step back, aiming to pull Kirma along with him. )

Perhaps you'll meet him some day.

( Recognize him, he means, with a strange sort of hopefulness that it creates more jealousy. He enjoys this feeling, after all. )

( oh— it's an affirmation that makes his eyes narrow. circumstances do not lend well to pursuing it, though, as they get nearer and nearer to the water; he leans back a touch, as if the spray from where the water bounces off of esi's body might do him harm. ugh. his ears twist back and forth in consideration before he gives in, kicking off his pants unceremoniously and half-tackling esi into the shower.

any romance in the moment quickly ends as the water hits his face; he sputters, immediately shaking it off, sending droplets flying in every direction. this had really, better be worth it— )

I could've needed your help too, you know. Or the reverse—

( pointedly angling his face away from the stream of water, btw. )

What if you needed me? ( 🥺 )

( Ah. The water is nice and hot, and the desperate way Kirma tackles in after him is nice, too. Still, hot water alone isn't enough, and Esi bends just enough to grab a palm full of soap, pressing it right into Kirma's chest and dragging downwards pointedly. )

Ahh, I see your point.

( With a free hand, he slicks his half-damp hair back, allowing his other hand to curl intimately into the soapy trail he's created. Massages, drags, all working himself downward between Kirma's legs. The Prince is slowly lowering himself, too, pausing to kiss near the soapy trails. )

I do need you.

( A pause, and he slips soapy fingers down one of Kirma's thighs, settling quickly upon one of his own knees and glancing up. )

I need you to clean yourself, for example.

( MEAN TEASING )

Edited 2024-04-26 05:18 (UTC)

( of course he would ruin it with a comment like that, right as things looking like they were getting good. he supposes esi thinks it’s cute, or something equally asinine— unfortunately, his current audience disagrees. )

Haven’t I been.

( relatively speaking, anyway. huff! his hands come forward, not to take over any soaping duties, but to take hold of esi’s head; his fingers wind their way into esi’s hair, bringing him in closer. it’s not the worst view, having esi below him, all that carefully teased and arranged styling out of the way, leaving his face in clear view. the fondness he feels in this moment is strange, but not unwelcome. )

If you still have complaints, I suppose I’ll need some guidance. ( alright. he’s easing into it, playing along. one thumb brushes an errant lock of hair out of the way, moving it behind an ear where it belongs. ) A demonstration might be in order.

( The splash of the water compared to how he's forced Kirma into more of a direct stream is a little distracting, but he ignores the flecks against his face and leans into the touch. Hair is half damp, and growing more wet by the second— it's nice, he thinks. He must look nice here, judging by Kirma's expression.

Wrapping his fingers around Kirma, he provides slow, elaborate strokes. It's a little fun, in the moment. He feels powerful, like he's holding onto every bit of Kirma's attention, and that excitement comes out in a little laugh. )

Showers aren't so bad, now, are they?

( Leaning in further still, his mouth lingers close to him, but he keeps only his hand at work. Slow, teasing, and sometimes even slower— he doesn't move his eyes from Kirma. Not now, not yet. )

( there's a confidence in those movements he can see, now, one that isn't inspired by an extra set of ears on his head. there's no funbling, but a practiced smoothness, each incremental step a carefully measured and deliberately piece. it's funny, normally— kirma wouldn't recognize that sort of thing in someone else. he goes through life with an intentional set of blinders on, even in a moment of intimacy. unless... it's esi, it seems. in this moment, it's true: all of his attention is firmly on the person before him.

reluctantly, he admits it's a bit charming. part of it comes from the fact that said confidence may be a bit overstated— it makes the corners of his mouth twitch, a passing ghost of a smile, but otherwise he keeps the thought to himself. with his hold on esi, kirma pulls him in closer, pressing the underside of his cock against esi's face— or maybe it's the other way around— it doesn't matter. one hand makes its way to the nape of esi's neck, taking up a fistful of hair; a firm hold, but not a tight one. one that promises he'll take matters into his own hands, if esi takes too long. )

Still not convinced.

( the dry beats of his voice almost make the sentence sound genuine. the forward ears and the growing hunger in his eyes tell a different story, all of his focus clearly on the man before him. the jet of hot water pounding against his back in a steady stream is downright tolerable, as long as this is what's happening. )

( ...Pushy. But he kind of likes that, he finds, one of his hands bracing himself against Kirma's thigh so that he doesn't simply fall forwards. Readjusting his position, he lifts his face against the weight of Kirma's cock, his lips parting the smallest amount against sensitive skin. )

You're awfully demanding today.

( It's light, teasing, and followed by the warm press of his tongue against the underside. While the fingers wrapped around Kirma don't leave completely, they do slide further down to give him more room, and he tilts his head slightly to give testing licks here and there before, finally, taking the tip into his mouth. His motions are confident, but the actions that follow are rather hesitant in comparison. He's taken such a small bit of the length into his mouth, after all. )

( there it is. that’s more along the lines of what he was expecting— hesitance, unfamiliarity. it’s an endearing side of him, which is the worst part. kirma knows that it’s not something he should find charming in any way, and yet? there’s a sharp exhale from his nose, a sound approaching a snort of amusement.

he could leave it at that, let esi truly take his time. alas— he is awfully demanding, today. if he’s being accused of it, he may as well embrace it; there’s an itch at the back of his neck that supports this idea. it makes his fist tighten, truly pulling at the back of esi’s hair. )

I’ve just decided to start charging for my services.

( not really. a funny thought, though, isn’t it? with his grip on esi, he holds him fast, preventing him from escaping as he slowly eases himself further into his mouth. for a moment, he entertains the idea of forcing his way down esi’s throat, but— ah, it’d be too much. even this is pushing it, he thinks, despite the relatively respectful pace. let him adjust, first, before he goes any further. )

( As gentle as Kirma is, it's still a lot more than he normally does at all. The motion surprises him, but it's not at all unwelcome. There's a rush that comes with the tug, with the way that when he tries to pull back from reflex, it's met with resistance. He opens his mouth, his tongue pressing along the underside of Kirma's cock, but he is entirely unused to this.

And so, he gags from around him, his fingers curling tighter into Kirma's thigh as he tries to pull himself back to cough properly. Hold on, hold on!! )

( — how unfortunate.

not just for esi. the moment of struggle against his grip, the gagging, it all elicits a very visible response on kirma's end, pupils dilating, breath quickening. even his tail wags, a bit, before he catches hold of himself again, reining in the violent urge that rises within him as esi attempts to pull back. it's an internal exchange that takes just a little too long to resolve; but in the end, he releases esi completely, giving him control back over his movements.

suddenly, kirma's gaze is everywhere but at the man before him, though it most favors the ceiling. his hands still hover nearby, fingertips barely brushing against esi's shoulders, but unwilling, unable to do more. not without something more dire happening, anyway. )

Wasn't even trying to make you choke, yet... ( kirma mumbles, in a small voice. man. he clears his throat, as if he had been the one on the receiving end of things. )

You're alright?

( because he is still very much hard. maybe even moreso, after that. )

( As soon as Esikko can properly pull back, he coughs and sputters for a bit, his hands slipping away from Kirma to touch near his own throat. It takes him a few seconds to catch his breath. That had been...

Thrilling. In some way that he's not fully aware of. And at the same time, he'd noticed that slight pause in allowing him to back up, and somehow that was even moreso. Why? He hadn't even heard that mumbled comment. The thoughts spawn some irritation in the back of his mind, but when he can't decide who to point it at (himself or Kirma), he breathes out a laugh, more air than sound. )

I'm fine. I'm not used to this, you know?

( A little defensive, and determined not to be laughed at, Esikko is already reaching back for Kirma's arousal. He lifts his eyes to look at the other man as his fingers wrap around the base, and he speaks when his lips are just touching the tip. )

I never expected you to be the impatient type.

( The way he says it is pleased, like it's his own appearance or actions causing that rise in Kirma. It's what he wants to hope, anyway, as his tongue drags out over the tip, his eyes dipping back down. He thinks, briefly, that he wants to say something else, but in the end he ends up too undecided between warning him against rushing him, or encouraging it.

So in the end, he simply parts his lips and takes his erection back into his mouth, this time attempting to slowly allow him further in himself. )

( really— he isn't. not usually. but things haven't been the same between them since the, ah, hand incident, for better or for worse. tonight, kirma thinks it to be the former, even if it does also make the scar on his left arm itch. emboldened by the return to where they had been, he runs his fingers through esi's hair, again, though carefully keeping himself from grabbing hold again. in this way, it's more like encouragement; a gentle touch, a tactile gratitude.

it does make him wish they weren't in the shower. the water is loud, drowning out the subtle sounds of mouth and tongue that he'd normally be able to hear. well— perhaps there will be other times. they seem to have had enough company with each other in the past for that possibility, at least. and—

esi's tongue rolls in a way that completely snaps kirma out of his musings, drawing an audible noise of appreciation from his throat. his palm flattens against the back of esi's head, as if to shove him down; the force never comes, though it isn't for a lack of desire. he's being good— esi isn't used to this— but his hips rock forward the tiniest inch, still wanting to test his limits. he doesn't know why it's so hard to hold back, today of all days, but there's a growing tension in his chest that feels liable to snap. )

( He's not sure what he expected from this. Honestly? Something dirtier, a sort of disgusting he'd end up being unable to stomach and having to back out of. But thankfully, there's no such worry, and any tiny nitpicks are washed away by the hot water and the earlier, brief scrubbing of soap.

Now, he's into this more than he thought he'd be, and Kirma's reactions really seal that for him. It feels powerful, to make him so impatient. The touch of a palm against his head is a little lacking, but that rocking of hips is more like it— and he'd seen it earlier, in the way he'd been forced around him even as slow as it was. It could happen again, he thinks, and the idea of that makes his heart race further, makes him groan around Kirma's arousal and curl his tongue, sucking.

This time, the slight deepening from the rocking of hips is something he manages to handle, though there's the brief tension in his mouth from struggling with it. Still, as he shifts his pale eyes upwards to check on Kirma's expression, Esikko feels like he wants more of a pull at his hair. More to make him lose his breath.

And so he teases, inching down a little further, the automatic half attempt at a swallow tensing muscles around Kirma's cock. His hand slips away, now, to leave more room for his mouth, and braces instead against Kirma's thigh like the other, wrapped around from the back and gripping nails into skin. )

( perhaps their ultimate problem is that they understand each other, on some visceral level beyond words. and when their eyes meet— kirma inhales sharply, his hand immediately clenching at the back of esi’s head and dragging him forward. even if half the teasing and mounting impatience had purely been from a lack of experience, it’s done its job. no longer does he hold back; he ruts into esi’s mouth with abandon, trying to shove as much of himself down his throat as possible. for once, the knot is only a detriment. it doesn’t stop him from trying, clawing at esi’s hair and shoulders as if there’s any distance left to close between them.

like this, it doesn’t take much longer for kirma to come— there’s little warning, only a shuddering of breath and a soft moan, and he yanks back on esi’s hair in order to come directly on his face. it’s a good look for him, he thinks— and one that won’t last one, given their current location. surely he can’t be too mad about that one. the intensity of his gaze hasn’t faded with his orgasm. he stares down at esi as if to burn every last detail of this sight into memory, deeply enough that he won’t lose it the next time they start over.

a pause, and then, he blinks; the moment passes. now, kirma leans down to try and help esi to his feet. the tiles can’t be great for your knees, right… )

( To be honest, he isn't sure how he's going to handle Kirma coming inside of his mouth, so the pull back is almost a relief. But then it hits his face, causing him to flinch with a quiet gasp. It almost feels like he pauses like this forever, the shock of the moment mixing with the strangeness of the sensation, but then Kirma is closer, helping him up.

His knees do hurt, he realizes as he's helped up, and trying to wipe his face clear of the mess Kirma's just made is... less than fully successful.

Strangely enough, he doesn't complain about it. Maybe it's because he's so lost in strange thoughts he can barely recognize. )

Proud of yourself?

( That's what he ends up with, after a moment, leaning into Kirma for support as he tries to rinse his hand off in the water. Despite the wording, he doesn't sound upset— only a little out of breath. )

( proud of himself? perhaps a bit. his arms encircle esi, just for support, of course, and he rests his cheek on esi's shoulder— also for no particular reason. though he hates this feeling of being soaked through, there are some nice things to it; under the running water, all the pointed scents from earlier are slowly being washed away, leaving only what he knows as esi, and, well— it's a shame that most people here won't be blessed enough to pick up on the last one.

but, kirma can. hehe. )

Just pleased you kept your promise.

( as if there were any doubt. well... there had been, admittedly. for once, a bit of trust has gone a long way, though. as his tail wags, it flings droplets left and right despite its lazy pace. )

Should I praise you? You did well. ( :3 )

I always keep my promises.

( A truth, despite everything else about him. Rinsing the last of Kirma's mess from his hands and face, and hoping there wasn't any in his hair, he sighs a little. He'd truthfully like to wash his hair, to clean up, but he's genuinely exhausted now. Two times in a row like that?

Exciting. But maybe he was pushing himself. )

I don't need praise. ( So says Esikko, but there's a smile on his lips that he can't seem to erase. Yeah he did good!! Tiredly, he turns his face into Kirma's chest, enjoying the hot water for what moments are left. )

But I may need to lay down. ( Still, he reaches out a hand to try and grab that wagging, wet tail. ) If you set down towels for this thing, you can join me.

( Inviting cuddles??? In this economy? )

( don't just grab his tail??? it doesn't move out of the way fast enough, and kirma makes a soft, irritated noise at the snatchening. c'mon... )

Wouldn't I be joining you regardless.

( it's not like he can get kicked out of the bed in his own room. (he can.) still, he is diligent enough to grab what towels remain on their way out, after going through several that fall short of wringing all the water free from his fur. see, this is exactly why he— no, he'll swallow that complaint, for now. pointless, to ruin a perfectly good night over nothing.

... even if it is tempting, he thinks, as he lays the towels out. one after another, on his side of the bed. he won't stay there for long, though not intentionally; such is merely the way of the stage 5 (sleep) clinger. )

Sufficient?

( well, he's not waiting for an answer, before crawling into bed properly. )

So long as my side of the bed doesn't become soaked and render me freezing, it's fine.

( He slips beneath the covers himself, immediately breathing out a sigh at the chill of the layered blankets on top of him. This is so much more comfortable than his assigned room. It's terrible.

His eyes have already drifted closed from his exhaustion, but he's not going to sleep immediately, and Kirma likely knows that. It's rare that he's able to fall asleep normally at all. Then again, he thinks he might just be able to, tonight...

But his leg shifts slightly to the side, bumping against Kirma in a subtle touch. )

Good night.

is this your doing?

( no context, no explanation, no greeting. )

( oh, this is an unexpected message! is it wrong that he's a little thrilled to be accused of something when he has no idea what it is? )

You'll have to be more specific. Are you lost in thought over missing me? I can't help with something like that, you know?

pretty sure if i missed you, i could just go find you.

the flowers. the flowers shit. blood, vomiting, all that. more of daddy's magic book?

What? I have no idea what you're talking about. Though it does sound right up my alley...

What exactly is happening? What flowers? Can I see?

see the flowers? sure, i can leave you a cup of them. you'll have to wash the blood off.

( Oh, oh, this is definitely up his alley. So the vomiting and blood is mixed with flowers— he's heard a bit of this from the clinic. )

Don't brush me off. What if my magic knowledge can help? Come now, where are you?

why do you have to see me?

It sounds like a fascinating spell. I'm curious.

Feeling too vulnerable? Neglect will likely worsen it.

( tch. )

just worried about getting your pretty prince clothes all messy.

( kind of sounds like a yes. )

Don't worry; red is my color.

I've been considering volunteering to help with the clinic, so I'm the perfect person to see about your flower-themed ailments.

meaning i'm gonna be your test subject, to start.

( yes! :) )

Do you have to make it sound like I'm such a bad guy? Every doctor always has a first patient.

Should I pinky promise to do my best?

i can't die. that's what you need to promise.
i've got shit to do when i leave this place.

( Oh, he's serious about this. )

I can promise that. All teasing aside.

It's more efficient to prevent a death than to bring you back from one. So? Will you tell me where to meet you?

( oh, interesting. )

where would be easiest for you? or does it matter?

Though I hate the size and location of it, my room is probably easiest.

( He sends the number on his pathetic little four of hearts room. )

( he could have offered his own room, given its size, but there's something about it that he doesn't want to relent to, something that he doesn't want to taint with this experience. the brunt of it has been spent outside of his suite, after all, smearing blood and petals and syrupy pollen all over restaurant tables and cold mugs of beer and, once, a whisper of fingertips along the hallway near the nurse station he's most familiar with, as though he might actually relent. he hadn't. the staff dutifully mop up the blood, change his bedsheets, provide new towels with their sad, woeful expressions; but no one tells him how to fix it, no one tells him what it means, or if it'll get worse, or what's going to happen.

it feels a little too on the nose for it to be esikko's doing. that magic might be powerful, and it might have to do with flowers--at least when he saw it--but he doesn't see why he would infect the whole resort with something and then not know the cure for it. maybe it had been stupid to approach him about it: or maybe more accurately, he'd thought for a moment that it had been only him, like that blood magic in the elevator had somehow tainted him for something else.

it doesn't matter. he makes his way to the fourth floor, taking his time down the hall, hands pushed into the pockets of black slacks. he'll be an experiment if he has to be--the good doctor promised he wouldn't kill him, anyway, so at least there's that. but he isn't feeling particularly generous with his patience, here, and as he gives a short knock against esikko's door, it's with a grumbling, hoarse cough; he wipes the spit and blood off on the arm of his sweatshirt, leans his forehead into the door frame, and waits. )

( He's heard a bit about this mystery illness suddenly rushing through the resort, but he's yet to see it in person. To be honest, the only reason he's decided to volunteer at the clinic is to attempt to swipe some materials for his own keeping. It was a recent decision, and one that he supposes he'll get a jump start on here and now.

The cough is alarming enough, but Esikko opens the door soon after. His room is small, but he's managed to stock it with strange things. Various books are stacked along the edges of the walls, and his twin sized bed takes up nearly the entire room. A chair in the corner is being used as a table for various bottles of different colored liquids, flower petals, ground up roots, and leaves. They're separated, organized as much as they can be in the limited space. The mess of his room isn't one of a slob, but of someone who's been up to too much.

The bed has pretty noticeably been recently cleared, as it's completely empty and neatly made, and Esikko gestures for Dabi to come in and sit on it. There's not much room elsewhere. Esi gives him a quick once over, noting the recent blood on his sleeve. )

Well, you sound horrible, to start. ( thanks ) Let me see your face— how exactly are you feeling? I expect you not to answer with a short word like "terrible," by the way; I can see that. I mean does it feel like a typical illness?

( the door opens, and weary, tired eyes take in the surroundings, first: he needs to know what it looks like, if there's room to escape, or if the only way back out will be the door itself. somehow, the room reminds him a little too much of the man in question: it's not necessarily messy, but more that it's crowded with strange books, strange items, strange tools that he doesn't think he would understand even if he went slowly around the room to take inventory. as always, esi is bright and to the point, and it makes him wince, a little, as he comes inside the room to shut the door behind him.

the only place to sit, really, is the bed: and so he moves towards it, twisting on his heels so that he can sink himself down onto the edge. it's not really esi's fault, at least not if the illness hasn't spawned from his hand--but he can feel his impatience sinking in him, annoyed, frustrated, and he swallows down the urge to cough up another glob of blood. )

Define 'typical illness'. ( he says, but his voice is too hoarse, the act of saying the words too painful, and he brings up a hand to wipe at his mouth again before deciding he has to go along with it all.

taking in a short breath, annoyed: ) ...Kinda feels like the flu, you know?

Hot, achy, like there's a giant rock in your chest and you can't just cough it out. Except instead of snot and shit, I'm just losing all this flower shit when I cough.

( a hard swallow, as he gives esi another look, mild and suspicious. )

Really isn't you, right? You wouldn't do this kind of thing.

( He can't help it— the look makes him smile, as thin and performatively charming as it always is. )

It's not that I wouldn't—

( He wants that clear. To say as much would be blatantly untrue, and it's not that he's against lying, but he feels that it might add to his credibility to admit this much. He steps away for a moment, crouching near the edge of his bed to reach beneath it. After some scrambling around, he pulls out an empty jar and hands it to Dabi. )

It's that I haven't. I do find it quite fascinating, but I wouldn't know where to begin. I think I may have a few ideas, though, but— do me a favor and cough into that when you need to, if you wouldn't mind.

( He. Doesn't have to do that. But Esi wants samples? )

Did it come on gradually, or all at once? And has it worsened since it began?

( As much as he enjoys seeing Dabi impatient, he doesn't want to draw this out too long. So he is already thinking of what he can do to fix this. And he has an idea. ...It's just a matter of convincing, maybe. )

Well-- ( there's a sharp clearing of his throat, eyes narrowed, but at least he thinks the guy is being honest. ) --at least you're letting me know what you're capable of.

( the sneer he gives shows off his teeth, flecked with blood--but he takes the jar, holding it between his damaged palms. honestly, it doesn't matter to him whether he coughs into the jar, coughs into esi's clean sheets, or coughs into his sweatshirt, so he might as well take it all into one place.

the questions are pretty typical; he hasn't been to a doctor's office in years and years, but esi isn't asking anything out of the ordinary, and so he complies with answering. )

Gradually, bit by bit. Petals, you know, and then stems and other shit. Wasn't so bad to start--

( there's a hacking cough; with a bit of irritated force, he spits a glob of blood and flower petals into the jar, watching the mottled mess of it slide down the inside of the glass before he continues. )

--but when you're hacking up stems and thorns and shit, I think I'd call that getting worse.

( Gross! Yet, taking a closer look at the mess inside of that jar tells him that it is a real thing that's been happening. Absolutely fascinating. Petals mixed with blood— he finds a beauty in it that most wouldn't.

Petals first, then stems. Thorns too? Esikko moves, shifting a little too close to Dabi in order to sit next to him on the small bed. He doesn't seem to mind taking up space like this.

Unlike any normal doctor, Esikko is in quite the happy mood, from his body language. Even if he occasionally drops his smile for concentrated looks of thoughtfulness, there's an airy, light way in how he moves, and even his dropping into a seat on the bed feels bouncy. Like he's excited. )

I have a theory.

( For those who know Esikko more, they might have been able to guess from that answer that there was something dangerous afoot. Well, "dangerous," in this case... There's no harm in a little self-indulgence, is there? The true theory is that sex is what can fix this. They're trapped in a sex hotel, of course it makes sense. Sound logic.

However... )

You know, blood isn't the only bodily fluid with magical properties. You can use just about anything, though some are more potent than others, and blood is often the easiest to work with.

( Sure, he sounds way too pleased with all of this, but there's a logic in the way he forms these thoughts. He leans in a little, as if there's much space to do so, and peers carefully at Dabi's face. )

I can think of one way that I just might be able to cure you. What do you think~? Would you like to give it a try?

( the good mood isn't pervasive, but he doesn't find it as off-putting as he's sure those skulking around the clinic would find it; they wouldn't enjoy the thought that their doctor might not be taking their plight as seriously as he should. but having to deal with garaki, back home, has numbed him towards that kind of insanity, that kind of indifference, that kind of giddy wonder at the marvel--or pain--out of other people's bodies. so he doesn't really mind the way that esi seems absolutely delighted to have a test subject, a puzzle to figure out--a jar full of blood and flowers, to eventually dissect and disseminate.

the more troubling thing is the way that esi is sitting so close to him, leaning into his space on the bed, and with a hard swallow, he forces his gaze down into the opening of the jar.

sure, whatever. blood magic, now that he knows it exists, shouldn't be the only thing the body can use to create it; that concept makes perfect sense to him. but there are a limited number of additional fluids that the body can create, and he's sure this guy isn't talking about snot magic or anything like that.

a tickle, up the back of his throat, has him spitting a soft glob of blood into the jar again--no flowers. )

Cut the rambling and just get to the point. ( that's probably his answer to that question--eyes narrowed, he looks up at esi again, finds him peering carefully at his face, and jerks his chin down. )

You're saying, what, you need some other fluid for your magic? That's fine. Fix it.

( he doesn't seem all that concerned. what, is the guy gonna have to give him a handjob or something? )

I need to treat you with those fluids.

( Why does he have to put it that way?

Well, because he's not really used to being much more crude than this. It doesn't suit a Prince to come out and say things like I need to fuck you in the ass, and there's something less believable about that, anyway, isn't there? Watching for his reaction carefully, Esikko smiles, waiting only a moment before standing from the bed to go rustle through some more of his belongings. )

Well, if you'd like me to treat it, you'll have to undress.

( If his actual theory is correct, actual arousal should at least distract from things if not improve symptoms as they go, and simple sex of any type may very well work to cure it. He's sure the clinic is doing just that— that that's what he's signing up for to go work there. He just wants to have a little fun with it along the way, and he certainly doesn't mind a little blood and flowers along the way. )

( there's an immediate scoff--disbelief, disgust, displeasure, and his tongue runs over his teeth, as though sure the next time he speaks, he'll be spitting blood. this goes a little further than just some guy giving him a handjob in a room that's claustrophobic as fuck; this seems to imply that he's going to have to bare himself for the guy who had, at one point, stretched himself out across the mattress of some pretty princess bed, hooking legs around him and panting into the sheets. it's such a juxtaposition that he squares his shoulders like he's about to argue--and then immediately chokes, a rough, squashed sound from the top of his chest.

this time, there's a round glob of pale blue petals, smeared into the jar, tumbling over each other as they fall along the side.

deftly, he wipes at his mouth with the back of his hand; he should smear it into the bedsheets, at this point, but he's not feeling quite so vindictive. yet. )

Seriously? ( there's a husky chuckle of disbelief, a wheezing breath. ) You? You're gonna fuck me?

( it isn't that he's that kind of toxic (just every other kind of toxic) where the thought of spreading his legs for someone is something he could never fathom; it isn't even like he hasn't entertained the thought from time to time, either. it's more that everyone has always wanted one thing from him, and that thing has been natural to give: he's never had anyone pushing him down, clawing for him to give up that measure of control.

and he didn't think it would be this guy, of all people. he swallows, eyeing him for a moment--but he does bend to set the jar down, a subtle start. )

Is that something you're sure you wanna do?

( Is the disbelief more irritating, or amusing, in this case? Esikko normally would lean towards the first, but as he grabs a small bottle of lube, he realizes that there's a lot more amusement than he expected. Maybe it's the idea of surprising Dabi in any way that causes it. Or the idea of flipping things around compared to the last time. It doesn't quite hit him that he may just enjoy Dabi's company in general, or that he's too interested in more sex to care about implied insults. )

...You make it sound like it would be a chore.

( He doesn't bother with condoms, though he's not sure if Dabi will say anything about that. For now, he takes what he has retrieved and moves back towards the bed, tilting his head a little as he regards Dabi. )

Of course I want to. I don't offer things I'm not interested in. ( Just, to be clear on that. He sits again beside Dabi on the small bed, taking up a significant amount of his space as he plucks curiously at the ends of the other man's shirt. A single question of a motion. )

Are you the type to be embarrassed? You don't have to face me, if you don't want to. ( he's so obnoxiously proud of himself right now, teasing like this. )

( it's an automatic response--his hand lashes out, a grip that feels too hard over esi's wrist, where that hand plucks at his shirt; he has to relax his jaw, relax his fingers, drawing back slightly when he realizes it. kind of an odd reaction, and he doesn't know where it comes from: it's not like he trusts anyone, in this place, but more than that, it's almost as though he's never really contended with the thought that someone might want to touch him for the sake of touching him, that someone might reach out like that for him without him encouraging it.

awkwardly, he lets out a soft breath, annoyed with himself--and slowly, his hands move to his own hem, tugging and pulling up the fabric until the whole of it can slip off his shoulders, ruffling already-messy hair in the process. )

I'm not embarrassed. ( --which is likely a hard thing to believe, after his reaction, but he's pushing forward to ignore it. rather than drop his sweatshirt, and the tank top beneath it, onto the floor, he dumps it into esi's lap with a short smile, faint. )

But if you don't want to look at me, that's fine with me.

( there's a sharpness to his gaze, a smoldering amusement that doesn't quite fit into the smile his lips are playing with. )

Gonna make me take it all off, huh?

( For a moment, Esikko wonders if he's overstepped. The grip at his wrist is a tight one, and sitting this close to him on the bed makes it near impossible to miss the way he tenses up. But then he's complying, acting like it didn't happen, and saying he's not embarrassed.

He laughs. It's a small, unusually genuine one, and it's followed by him taking the sweatshirt and tank top that had been deposited in his lap just to drop them to the side and onto the floor himself. )

Yes. Because I do want to look at you.

( If Dabi says he isn't embarrassed, then there's no way he's going to miss out on seeing what sort of faces he makes. There's an interest that Esikko doesn't bother to hide as he turns his body more towards Dabi. With far more confidence than their last meeting, he pulls the tie of his jeogori loose, allowing it to slip from his shoulders with a simple shrug. Then, he places his hand on Dabi's chest.

He hasn't even let the man take his pants off yet, please. )

Is that surprising? Consider it a doctor's fee.

( a doctor's fee. the last time he saw a doctor had been--what, years ago, barring the interactions he's had with garaki with the whole of the league there with him, and barring the awkward, amusing moment he'd had upon first arrival in this place, being nagged to visit one of the nurse stations. even then, he'd been warned that his body was a fragile thing: that continuing to use his quirk would only make it fall apart, that it was likely he wouldn't even survive another month alive, like this. there hadn't been any fee to pay then, likely because they had wanted to use him for other purposes; there hadn't been any fee, when kajiyama had taken care of him in the resort, either.

and rather than chips or credits or some sort of physical payment, he wants to look at him? who the hell ever wants to look at him?

there's a hard swallow, but he forces his expression not to shift. lazy in its amusement, he lets his gaze fall down to where esi's hand sits on his bare chest, a pretty pale hand marked out against damaged and healthy skin alike. with one of his own, he lifts up, covers the back of esi's hand with his palm and gently pries it away. not because he dislikes the touch, but because it's in the way. )

You think I'm attractive. ( he says it slowly, as though it's a little funny--in all honesty, it's more that he can feel another mouthful of blood, threatening to build up in the back of his throat, and he's trying to swallow it down. ) That's cute.

( his gaze lifting, he keeps it on esi's face--even as his own hands slide down, tugging at the waist of his pants and underwear, peeling them down his hips and his thighs until he can scrape them off at the heels of his feet and leave the material in a pile on the floor. sitting naked on esi's bed doesn't bother him: not like he hadn't seen this much of him the first time. )

And now, doctor?

( It's interesting, hearing him say that. Attractive? No, he thinks, at first, despite his own request.

But then Dabi is naked, and Esikko is shifting to remove his baji, the pants slipping to the floor along with the rest of the discarded clothes. He doesn't hide the way his eyes scan over him, considering every inch they pass. And as he settles back onto his face, he realizes with a quiet little laugh that alright, maybe he does find him attractive, at least a little.

Or more than a little. For a man who always seems to be so warm beneath the skin, he's got a rather cold air to his confidence. Those blue eyes are striking, his body is muscular and toned, and even those stapled on sections of skin are incredibly intriguing. Exciting, even. Most of all, though, he thinks he likes that face of his. Always so grumpy or bored— it's like a challenge to see if he can get a new expression out of him. He's thinking of that now as he places a gentle palm against his cheek, turning to lean over him more properly.

Gazing into his eyes like this, his own practically sparkling, it's probably hard to believe his next words. )

Well, I wouldn't go that far. I've seen worse.

( His smile is different here, but it's only for a moment before his free hand is shoving the tube of lube into one of Dabi's hands. )

Why don't you prepare yourself for me?

( If it were up to him, he wouldn't bother with it at all. But, maybe that's a bit too much for someone he's still afraid could leave or refuse him in the future, so he's being... nice? Considerate? Maybe.

Of course, he has his own agenda, leaning into Dabi enough to tumble them over, with Dabi on his back, so that he can kiss those lips. It's fine that he was just coughing up blood, and that he might again at any minute, apparently. After all, Esikko is a little less chaste with this one, parting his lips against Dabi's, his tongue pressing gladly against those lips.

Surely he can work on himself while dealing with Esi like this. )

( there's one huff of a laugh, quiet, his eyes closing, then opening again. he hadn't expected any other reaction, really; this guy is about as proud as he is handsome, and what would it say about someone this pretty that they found solace in fucking around with some gutter scum monster? he wouldn't admit to it, not in words, anyway, and he doesn't have to.

the way that he leans into him, forcing him onto his back on the mattress, says plenty. the way that he curves over his body, the way that he leaves the lube up to him, the way that he presses into a kiss--none of it screams any kind of disgust, none of it seems to be finding pity in him, only satisfaction and curiosity. he doesn't have to tease him about it, either: he's sure that esi knows.

so he kisses him, firm, hard, lets his lips part to rake a blood-splotched tongue across esi's teeth, into his mouth, marking it with the copper taste of him; his hand blindly works the cap of the lube open, smearing it between them, onto the bed, onto his stomach, mopping it up with his fingers. there's a little breath of a laugh into the kiss, too: what a lazy fucker, this guy is. almost as lazy as he is.

but he'll see to it--dipping his own hand down between his legs, a distracted touch that jerks up onto his cock, for a moment, a few languid strokes, before he lets his fingers dive down with practiced ease; it's not the first time he's done this to himself, and it's obvious that he likes it, his mouth parting with eager ease into the kiss as he fingers himself, moving with precise fervor to both work himself up and work himself loose. )

( It's nice. All of it is. Having Dabi stretched out beneath him, the shifting and squirming as he works himself up, and the taste of his blood— that last one in particular gives him a rush that he can't fully describe. Everything about these encounters in this resort was intimate, right? By design, of course. Sex, kissing, learning about one another in those small subtle ways. But blood is something that comes up more rarely, or at least has come up more rarely for Esikko, in his (mostly) comparatively chaste little encounters.

He doesn't find the context of it gross— that Dabi is coughing it up, that it's mixed with other bodily fluids when he does. He isn't worried about it being contagious, about bloodstains, or about the flower petals. Esikko can only think of the taste lingering in his mouth, a subtle sweetness beneath the bitter, the bite of metal more of a background to the assortment of sensations he can focus on. Blood can be magic, after all, and blood is life. They're one and the same.

Closing his eyes, he breathes in deep, but the taste is fading too quickly. It feels like a tease, allowing him to have that small piece of something so important and then taking it away. He kisses harder still, tongue searching, scraping, until he opens half-lidded eyes to watch Dabi's face as he bites down on his tongue, eager to make him bleed.

He realizes near immediately that he should have tempered that desire a little, that he's noticeably out of hand for a "doctor" here— but his hand cups Dabi's face in such a gentle motion that he hopes to offset it, breathing out a gasp of air he'd forgotten to take for a while now. A little chuckle, more like a breathy giggle, comes out at the end like he's having the time of his life. )

You're making me a little impatient, looking like that.

( As if it's entirely Dabi's fault, he accuses him, shifting the way he curves over him, thumbing across his cheek, a gentle swipe beneath his eye. )

Since you're so keen on hearing me say such things... ( Out of breath, he kisses again, rocking his hips down so that they can touch, if only just for a moment. ) I want you already.

( it's those touches again, betraying and gentle, that make him look up at esi, dubious, wondering--waiting for the other shoe to drop, waiting for his mouth to curl up into a cruel grin. he hasn't seen him do it: for as fucking annoying and aggravating as esi is, he's never been outrageously cruel, at least not when it comes to things like this. he's never mocked him for anything, never teased him to the point of it being a pointed dagger, rather than a few idle scratches; he's never given any outward indication that this is all a game, that he's twisting in for something much crueler than a few bloody flowers. even if the sex is just mutually beneficial, he's never been like that.

it's not something that he can allow himself to feel, or allow himself to accept. esi's thumb brushes against his cheek and he hollows himself out against it--doesn't matter how he touches him, how he looks at him, how he kisses him with fervor; this is just sex, and it doesn't matter, anyway. case in point: esi's husky words, breathy against his mouth, saying he wants him, that he's impatient--that much, he can believe. that much, he can lean into.

but there's a glob of something, stuck in his throat, and he can't tell if it's real or not, can't tell if he's just gearing up to vomit or if it's words there, trembling and agitated; his tongue passes over his lips, wetting them, but he can barely feel it. with a soft rumble of a cough, he twists his head, a sopping pile of petals that he hacks up onto the mattress, blood dribbling down his chin, smeared at the corner of his mouth. )

Do you? Too bad. ( the grin he gives is stained pink, blood smeared over his teeth: neither of them care. ) I'm enjoying myself.

( a slight arch of his hips up, pressing them in against esi as he works his hand down between them--there's another panting breath, a firm push of his wrist, and with some effort, he finally winds his arm back, wiping his lube-stained palm all over the sheets next to him. )

Fine. Better be good.

( Too bad, he says, after that. Esikko exhales hotly, catching the wrist of that lube-messy hand after it smears. His other hand dips between them so that he can stroke himself, line himself up and press teasingly against his entrance. This motion is accompanied by the slow drag of his tongue from Dabi's chin to the corner of his mouth, words muttered against him. )

Enjoy yourself without wasting that.

( Esikko isn't forceful when he finally presses himself into Dabi, but he's hardly gentle, either. In the end, his movements are selfish, chasing his own pleasure even if it means rocking his hips in a little too soon, and holding himself there, pressed in as far as he can go, for a little too long. It's in that moment that he slips his fingers up from Dabi's wrists, lacing them together with the other man's in a pin against the bed. He doesn't care for this mess or any other when they're like this. He only wants to feel good.

As for why holding hands is apparently part of this, he can't answer— but he's not stopping to analyze it anyway. Instead, he pulls back and then rocks forward again, falling into a steady rhythm, his mouth constantly seeking out Dabi's to bury his soft groans, fingers squeezing tight. )

( it's not the first time he's fingered himself, and definitely not the first time that he's ever been fucked like this, but it's been a long time--a long time since he's been the one on his back, a long time since he's been the one not fully in control. there's a part of him that wants to resist, wants to resist the sheer feeling of pleasure that washes over him; there's a part of him that even thinks it's a little embarrassing, how eager he is for it, for the pain that stretches itself along the inside of his body, melting away into pleasure. it's one of the few things that he can still feel, in all its painful glory; his hips press in, chasing it, guiding esi in until they're pressed skin to skin.

he doesn't care how fast he goes, doesn't care if he's impatient, doesn't care if he's just there to seek the pleasure that he can get out of the situation. his head presses back into the mattress, a soft gulp of breath passed between them, and it's only once esi starts moving that he winds his legs up, the battered skin on his shins and calves brushing up against the backs of esi's thighs as he keeps him close. stupid, really: stupid, except it all just feels good, and so whatever happens, happens.

it's somewhere in that haze of pained pleasure that he realizes they're holding hands: that esi has him pinned to the mattress that way, and it makes him feel a little sick; this is the kind of fucking that he thinks people with feelings might do, desperate for that romantic intimacy, and he's not that kind of person, and he's scared of what being that kind of person would even mean. fuck that. still, he doesn't want to listen to esi bitching about it--better instead to focus on the rock of their hips, the taste of the blood between them, the fervent kissing that smears blood and saliva alike between them.

his hips slide up, meeting him with every push, forcing him in deep with every thrust; he's taking as much pleasure from it as esi is taking from giving it, and maybe it's okay if they're both selfish, like that. at least it means they're evenly matched. )

( Though Esikko pushes away any acknowledgement of the intense hold he keeps of their hands— the curling, the squeezing, the gentle and occasional swipe of his thumb over Dabi's— he can at least recognize one thing as he pulls back for a breath, just enough to get a fuller view of Dabi: he's cute like this. Isn't that interesting? That a man so scarred, falling apart, so sour, and blunt, and a little mean... that he could be kissing him so hotly, holding him in with his legs, matching his every move with just as much eagerness.

Fondness and excitement mix in his eyes before he leans back down, pushes back into him harder, and steals those lips again. He'd thought it before, back during the first time, that he could stand to enjoy something like this again. That it wouldn't matter how as long as their bodies were pressed together and he could feel his warmth like this. But now, without the influence of a game, he feels like he's confirmed it for himself; he'd like to keep this.

Isn't that a dangerous feeling?

Incredibly so. As his fingers tighten white knuckled into his grip of their joined hands, he hums into his mouth, kisses again, open-mouthed on the lips, and then at the corner, and then to his jaw, before he pauses there. )

...Can you feel it, when I do that?

( The question is soft, out of breath, a little distracted. It's something he's been wondering for some time now, but it seems all the more relevant now that he's trying to push other thoughts away, trying to angle himself in the perfect way to make Dabi's body tense around him just right, trying to catch the look in his eyes when he does.

Regardless of whether Dabi answers or not, he thinks he knows. It must be a no. He wonders, briefly, if he might be able to make something for that, if he'd even want it in the first place. And so he moves, back to his lips, his teeth gently scraping in a nip over the top before he curls his tongue hotly into his mouth, pressing his hips down sharper, harder, longer. It feels too good. )

( that feels like something he can understand--the bid to possess, to bid to keep something close, to have it within arm's reach. the way that esi grips at his fingers, the way that he presses into his palm: that at least feels more like things that he can recognize and appreciate for what they are. even if he's just using him as some kind of fucked up experiment, when it comes to this stupid blood disease, he can understand wanting to keep something right where he wants it, pushed under the weight of his thumb. it's like pinning a squirming beetle to a corkboard for display--it's easier to watch something if it's trapped, easier to possess if there's no option for escape. funnily enough, that puts him more at ease; he doesn't mind if esi wants to trap him there to fuck him until he's satisfied.

that makes more sense than anything else.

it's somewhere, lost in the middle of it all, that he realizes that esi's trying to talk to him--that he's asking him some asinine question in the middle of it all, in the middle of the pleasure, enough that he gives a half-hearted snarl of displeasure, his head rocked back into the mattress. he can't put the pieces together until he goes back to where esi's mouth is--some warm pressure south of his lips, to his jaw, and then his eyes squint open, vivid blue and annoyed. )

Your mouth? No.

( there's a small press of his lips together. it feels wrong, somehow, like admitting a weakness here, where he's at esi's mercy--his tongue laps over his own lips, tasting blood and spit there, the iron tang something that helps root him in the moment. )

Your dick? Yes.

( as if it should be forgiven, then--besides, esi's going back to his mouth and he accepts it, even lets a moan be smothered into the kiss, his hips rolling up, meeting esi's rhythm with a firm demand for control; oddly enough, he doesn't feel that budding need to vomit, yet, just that burning need to come. )

Fuck-- ( through gritted teeth, as he snakes away from the kiss to pant into esi's mouth. ) There, there--

( There.

That's the reaction he's been seeking— that moaning, that desperation, that need. Esikko moves to meet it, allowing the heat of their breath to mix together, a kiss in its own right. Even if it's only for this moment, and even if this moment was manufactured, manipulated into being by a selfish desire twisting around a golden opportunity, he can feel needed in this moment. That he can give something, answer a cry like that, is something that makes him shudder, his forehead touching to Dabi's as his hips rock forward again, deeper, angling himself just right. )

There?

( The word is exhaled out like a song, teasing in the way it lifts up towards the end. But he doesn't have the patience, right now, to follow through on any actual teasing with his body. He wants nothing more than to meet those words, and the soft, breathy way he almost-laughs just afterwards is a sign of his enjoyment. It's cute, his foul little mouth, the way he speaks through gritted teeth, the way he cuts himself off. He's beginning to wrap himself too much in this feeling, he thinks, but it's just a little indulgence... Just a little fun.

And Dabi is just tolerating it, after all. Even if he can earn these reactions out of him.

With each roll of his hips, he can feel Dabi growing closer, feel himself losing the grip on stretching this out any longer. Esi's eyes are half-lidded as he tries to focus enough to watch Dabi, as close as they are, foreheads touching— and his hand relaxes into a gentle squeeze. Here, just like this, he presses deep into Dabi with a shudder of his final release, groaning as he rides out the feeling. )

( it would be better if he could separate--if he could snarl at him for that tease, because yes, obviously it's there, obviously that's what he wants, what he's asking for, and esi's teasing him the same way that he's always teased him, in these situations; it would be better if he could drag his mouth away, if he could find some solace in berating him. but there's not enough breath for that, when it's shared between them--and he doesn't have the effort or the drive or the resolve to tear himself further away. trapped in this cloying heat between them, he feels like he can really feel something, now, his nerves alight, the tension between them forcing his body to curl and clench.

it would be better if he could just flatten himself to the mattress and ride it all out. but esi's on top of him, esi's touching him, esi's inside of him, and he can't rid himself of that feeling, either, or the fact that he's pressing in deeper, guiding himself in more and more, taking him in with deeper strokes. it doesn't even register, when esi finally orgasms, until he can feel the heat there: until he can feel his own body clenching in answer, teeth locked together, his voice a quiet, strained sound of desperation.

it feels so stupid, doesn't it? so cliche. but his head rocks back into the mattress, and fuck cliches, anyway, esi won't care: his hips press down, riding in against that feeling of him, his own orgasm taking him in quick lances of pleasure, his hips rolling to ride them out as the mess of feeling spills between them, sticky and warm against his own stomach. )

Fuck... ( panting, trembling, swallowing--he tries to find himself in all the warmth but can't, can't push esi off or even make up the excuse that he wants to. oddly, it feels good like this; oddly, he can't feel that tangled knot in his stomach anymore. )

Did it...? ( he has no idea if it worked. shouldn't mister magic know, here? )

( It's even better like this, feeling Dabi beneath him, around him, even after the fact— he exhales shakily, waiting for the last of their movements to slow to a stop before he allows his body to sink over Dabi's, laying half on top of him. He doesn't care about the mess, about the warmth now pressed sticky between them— or, he rather likes it. He hears those words as he tries to catch his breath, pressing his heavy exhales into Dabi's ear, his neck, as he does.

Did it work? He turns his face slightly, into Dabi a little more, and remembers their joined hands. Slowly, he slips his fingers from the grip and down to his wrist, instead, resting down gently. )

Didn't it?

( He realizes now, as he comes down from this high, that it had been some time since Dabi had coughed up any blood or any flower petals. Esi's lips curve into a small little smile, his fingertip tracing something on Dabi's wrist, idly. It seems like... he might have just gotten away with this little indulgence. )

You haven't coughed lately. ( It's only now that he finally slips out from him, reluctant as it is, and pulls his hand away along with it. He rolls a little more off of him, to his side, but the warmth and his own exhaustion (not to mention this tiny ass bed) keeps him close, his hand moving to rest over Dabi's chest, instead. Honestly, it would have been nice to stay like that for a while— but admitting that to himself, let alone to Dabi, is another story. And he already feels like he's pushing it by not immediately pulling away or distancing himself. )

How do you feel? Need to go a second time? ( It's like, mostly a joke. Half a joke. )

( he doesn't even realize it until it's gone--until the weight of esikko's hand shifts, and then it's just fingers that gently press down, fingers that idly trace at the scarred skin along his wrist. it feels like being released from a spell: it feels like he's suddenly free, and it's worrying that he doesn't like it, that he doesn't like the curl of esikko's voice or the idle way he touches him. that cloying, heated pressure isn't there anymore; with a slow swallow, he brings his own hand up, touching at the length of his throat.

maybe it did work. what a fucking ridiculous notion.

his legs part, bracing, to let esikko slip out from inside of him--his thighs ache, tensed too long, his whole body a warm, sluggish weight, and it feels a little embarrassing, a little like weakness, to be so blown out, to sag into the mattress. there's no cruelty in the way that he plucks esikko's hand off his chest; he's just moving it away so it doesn't slip on its own accord as he slowly eases up onto his elbows.

his head hurts. with a narrowed glance, he tilts to look down at esikko. )

I'm fine. ( his jaw locks, a grumbling sound in the back of his throat. ) ...Thanks. I guess.

( with another breath, he pushes to sit up fully, immediately reaching for his discarded clothes. experiment complete. )

( Just like that, and the warmth that was shared between them is already fading. It feels especially noticeable in these lower levels— or maybe Esikko was just a little extra worked up from all the blood. That had to be it. Still laying down in the shadow of their created warmth, Esikko's now free hand runs fingers through his own hair, idly, as if to fix it a little, and his eyes slide to follow Dabi's reaching arm.

It's not as if he didn't expect him to leave right after. He did, it would be weird if he didn't— so why does he feel disappointed? )

Mm.

( Ridiculous, he's being ridiculous, even as he smiles with his own words. It's making him antsy, is all— like he wants to fidget, move, do something. But there's no space to do it in this hole of a room, anyway. He looks back to where Dabi had been laying just a moment earlier, allowing his hand to drop back there. )

Well, if you find yourself with the same issue again, you know where to find me.

My friend! I hope you haven't forgotten about me?
I wanted to check on you. Have you gotten a new pair of ears and a tail? Lucky you, at least that cute bodyguard of yours can help you groom yourself. I'm certain you'll have the shiniest fur in the resort!

( Blatant flattery during a special little game is not lost on Esikko. But, that's not necessarily against his interests, either. )

How could I forget such a lovely face? It's unfortunate that my soft ears and tail have come in so purely white that they clash with the pink of my hair, but I suppose they're not as bad as they could be.

And yours?

Unfortunate? I call it a beautiful contrast. White is known for matching all the colors, after all. I'm sure you look as handsome as ever.
Mine match my hair, so I'm afraid there's nothing so special about my new look.
As we're both foxes, I trust you're aware why I'm contacting you, yes?

( this time he's gonna do more than lick thigh and dance!!!!!!!!!!! )

A meeting of convenience and benefit?

I admit I'm surprised. I thought you, of all people, would be covered in offers by now. Surely you're not dependent on little old me?

Not to say that I'm refusing, of course. I'd be happy to meet with you.

You flatter me! I should be the one saying that myself. Surely a charming princeling like yourself would have suitors begging for your time. I'm just one amidst many.
If you would find it in your heart to give me some of your precious time, I'm sure I can be worth your while. Not so bad an offer, is it?

And who of my suitors could be so worthy as you, Aventurine?

I happen to be free for the rest of today. I'm afraid my own room is hardly suitable for a meeting, so would you have a place in mind?

( not the fucking gardens... for one... he needs to stop fucking people there. his room is also... just ok, for a six, but he'd also rather not invite anyone there. imagine if he considered kirma's suite. lmao. )

I can book us a room at the Gilded Cage. We're still due a date, but I can at least treat you some food alongside something more fun. ( his own services, that is 👍 )
Of course, if you would like something different, I'd be happy to follow your wishes.

( hehe yayyy free fun times! )

How exciting... I'll have to get ready. I'd hate to show up in a poor state, so allow me some time to freshen up, and we can meet at your booking.

( It's annoying, though, that the addition of these fox ears and a tail have brought with them some feelings he'd rather not address. The idea that this meeting was purely convenience, purely a transaction, sat unusually hollow in his chest. It wouldn't normally be a problem, but now that he's made increasingly more aware of the empty afterthoughts, of how he'd like for this, at least, to be a little appreciated despite that...

It's vulnerable. Uncomfortable. He'll have to take time to shake that off, if he can. )

( give him some time to call them and make reservations, because for all that he's only a six, he at least stocks up on chips. with how easy it is to win them, he's not so worried about bribing the staff with a large amount of them, all for a nice service and a proper room.

someone will have to return to the slots after this. esi is such a luxury. good thing he can afford him. )

Our reservation is three hours from now, so you're given ample time to get ready. Shall I come pick you up, or shall you meet me there, your Highness?

I wouldn't want to waste your time. I can meet you there.

( His tiny little room sucks. He doesn't want it acknowledged at all. )

No time with you is wasted, my friend.
I'm looking forward to it.

( and then three whole hours come to pass... or a little less than that, because aventurine arrives a little earlier.

he's dressed up neatly, definitely in clothing that seems expensive - or he just knows how to dress himself when he isn't over-dressed in his stupid Did You Know I'm Addicted To Gambling outfit -, taping away on his watch while he waits.

and yes, he's wearing his cute glasses because i won't let mhy rob me of this. thanks. )

( Esikko arrives slightly early, though it's closer to on time than not. Dressed nicely with an untied cardigan to top it all off, it's clear that he spent time trying to make sure he looked nice. The blue of his shirt makes his eyes pop, and the soft pink of his hair blending into white-blonde roots and snowy white fox ears all seem to pull the classy look together.

He's incredibly poor here, but he's managed to find high quality clothes. A combination of "wedding day" gifts and Kirma's money, for sure. )

I hope you haven't been waiting too long.

( As he approaches, his fluffy tail wags behind him, slow and steady. Practiced. His eyes are sparkling, almost like an eager child. He thinks showing his excitement tends to add to his charm, so why not? )

You look as stunning as I expected. Your glasses are so unique! You just have to tell me where you got them. I've never seen such colors on spectacles.

You flatter me as always, my friend. And though I would be delighted to tell you where I got these, ( aventurine removes them in the process, tucking them safely inside his best pocket, almost as though to hide them from esikko's envious gaze (kidding), ) I much prefer the excited look you have on your face over seeing them on me.

( and for what it's worth, esikko's excitement doesn't quite add to his charm, in aventurine's eyes - but that means little for a man overcome with foxian desires, because those disagree with his opinion. his prior words had been filler, coated purely in honey, crafted especially for esi: that his ears, in spite of their contrasting color with his hair, would look good still. his instincts say it does, indeed, and aventurine can't help but look the man over.

he may not have met many royals or sovereigns in his life, but esikko certainly had the air of one around him, and his demeanor - at least the one he's willing to show others - reflected as such. )

Shall we, then? Our room should be room number 42. The staff has already been notified of our arrival. ( or well, his arrival, but they know he has a guest with him, so. )

Please, you can drop your flattery.

( As Esikko moves closer, he helps himself to Aventurine's arm, his own sliding around to grab it as if he's not several centimeters taller. It means he can't grab him as closely as he'd like, but that's fine— they can walk towards room 42 like this, and his own fluffy white tail wags gently behind him as they do. )

Too much sugar will spoil the sweetness of the moment. We're friends, are we not? So feel free to relax, even if just for this short moment. Though this may be a beneficial meeting, I'd like for you to be able to enjoy it rather than focusing on your words.

If your Highness so wishes, then I will ease on the compliments... though you underestimate how much of it I really mean. ( very little, but that's besides the point -

at least this is what he's good at - playing the part, wearing masks, following scripts. he'll be the servant of a princeling if need be, arm across his chest so esikko can hold onto it, and aventurine guides them to their assigned room.

it's nothing so fancy, of course. gilded cage is still very much a restaurant, though he's not so surprised to see a big bed in the least. for the players of game 52, they offer only the best of their services, and if their food, alcohol and overall atmosphere aid in the courting of a couple and the matching of cards, then by all means, they will provide all the necessary amenities.

at least this makes matters so much easier for him. )

We will be mostly undisturbed here, unless you call for a waiter. ( aventurine walks towards the menu on the table, swiftly flipping it over with his fingers, and skims the listed items. ) Feel free to order anything you want. Like I said, I will pay for it.

( a second later, his eyes land on esikko once more. ) Unless they have already served what you want, of course. ( he means himself, yes. )

...Does speaking like this generally work for you?

( Despite everything, it's a genuine question. Esikko finds himself more annoyed by the words spilling from Aventurine's lips than anything else, and it's strangely not the sort of annoyance that excites him. He's impatient, still, but it's in the way that he's been impatient for this entire game. Ears flicking, heart beating fast, wanting to do more...

Stepping up behind Aventurine, Esikko tests a hand at the small of his back. It's a gentle placement, nothing too sudden and nothing rough, to see if there really is any interest there at all. Perhaps that's what lacking? Everyone else he's been able to rile up. But here, it's like the riling is being pointed his way.

He's not a fan. Is this what he comes off like? )

Perhaps we can have dessert afterwards?

( Keeping his hand on Aventurine's back, he steps around to his side, his tail swishing behind to swipe against the other's. )

Or are you so bored, already?

( help???????????

at least aventurine finds no offense in the question. these kind of things are something he welcomes, instead - showing dissatisfaction, avoiding trust, brandishing caution. it reveals more about a person, it teaches aventurine what role to take and how to best play his cards.

he knows, too, that esikko is much like him, and that's what makes this game they play more fun. how much truth lies in the question, and how many of the colors he shows are real? some cards are higher risk, but not always high return.

whether esikko is an investment putting effort in... well, aventurine is willing to find out the answer to it.

his tail swishes at the contact against his back, but the gesture itself is welcome. aventurine looks up at his date, that same unfaltering smile on his face. afterwards implies there's a meal to be have right now. ) Aren't I supposed to be spoiling you? We can have anything you want, whenever you want.

( though his eyes never leave esikko's, aventurine brings a hand to the hem of his shirt, running it between his fingers. such a nice outfit - kirma had worn something similar, too, when they had their fun in the gardens. he threatens for a moment, just slightly, to slip his hand inside. it would be too easy. )

And if you're so curious, ( in regards to the first question, that is ) it does work quite well. People always behave exactly how I expected them to when I start speaking.

( which is a lie, of course, but aventurine's eyes still fall to esikko's lips, then back to his eyes. the implication is there. )

...Do they, now?

( Anything he wants, whenever he wants, is a nice idea. But somehow, Aventurine's later comments are irritating. He doesn't want to be grouped with the masses who follow unthinkingly with this blatant flirting and flattery. He doesn't want to be predictable in any way, shape or form. If he is, then what good is he?

With their tails tangling together, and that very pointed glance, Esikko huffs a little. He does want to kiss him— he quite likes kissing, it turns out. But he doesn't want to do it immediately after a comment like that, and so instead, he nudges Aventurine back. With a shove that's gentle but firm, he hopes to lower him into a seat at the nice little booth they've been given, his knee planting firmly between his legs on the cushion. )

That just makes me want to surprise you, you know?

( He knows he's getting riled up over nothing, and that Aventurine is a lot like himself in so many ways. He knows that saying this, out loud, is just going to open himself up for teasing. But at the same time, he wants his intentions known. )

( let esikko think he controls the situation, is what aventurine has decided for the night. he'll step back when esikko wants him to, sit down when esikko wants him to, not once blink away from esikko's own gaze, whether he wants it or not. roles come and go, and there's few to no games that aventurine doesn't know how to play. this is just another one of them.

he's not shy with his hands, brings them to his date's thighs, slithering up, hips to lower back to the base of his fluffy tail. his fingers are gentle against smooth fur, at the very least. careful as though they might just break. )

Lucky me, then. I'm quite the fan of surprises. ( not really, but that's besides the point. aventurine threatens to snake a hand up the other's shirt, teasing just slightly at skin, ) What does your Highness have for me?

Edited 2024-05-07 19:11 (UTC)

( What does he have...

Well, he'd like to cover that mouth immediately. There are a few ways he could do that, but the most tasteful feels right, in the moment. Without answering in words, Esikko leans forward, pressing a surprisingly gentle kiss on Aventurine's lips.

It's chaste, at least to start, and charmingly hesitant. It's not that he doesn't enjoy kissing— quite the contrary, he likes it so much that he's afraid to jump into it too quickly, or too eagerly. His inexperience likely still shines through in his actions, even if he's earned a new type of body count by now.

There's a pause, almost enough of one to allow words— but then he presses into the kiss once more, lips parting ever so slightly as he leans his body in just enough to threaten tipping them back into the seat. His fingers grip once at Aventurine's shoulder before trailing up and lacing through his hair, settling in place. )

( see? yapping away works for him. every time, this is one of the outcomes. if he plays his cards right - which aventurine always does -, his client will shut him up with a kiss, just like this.

a testing kiss first, that aventurine doesn't reject or shy away from. he hums in response, that same old smile plastered on his face and not an inch out of place. his ever-watchful eyes don't dare blink, lest he misses learning new careful information about the princeling. for example - despite his demeanor, regal with a teasing desire for control, he doesn't take what he wants when the opportunity is given. if esikko treads with care, there's something to test before he dives deep in. for a moment, aventurine wonders if it's just a lack of confidence.

lucky for his date, however, he does not open his mouth to speak in the interval he's given, and welcomes the second kiss as it comes. better this time, albeit still slow. it does show inexperience, but he plays along - the same parting of his lips, wide enough if esikko wants to experiment treading in, though aventurine does lick at his lips to tease.

he'll even lean back, really. enough to pull esikko down to him, his hands returning to his legs, resting on the princeling's thighs, as though a call, an invitation. his lap is free to sit on, after all. )

( As someone who quite enjoys kissing, he can't resist the tease of a tongue at his lips. Esikko leans into it, pressing his tongue into Aventurine's mouth with a new sort of confidence he wouldn't have had only days ago. This whole game is really doing things for him, honestly.

Settling his hips down into Aventurine's lap, he straddles him properly, snaking his hand between them to trail gentle fingertips across the other man's neck. Near that tattoo, in fact, though he hasn't a clue what it means. It likely doesn't translate.

His tail wagging behind him is a little embarrassing, but he gasps lightly for a breath against his lips, and refuses to pull back. There, his nose touched gently against Aventurine's cheek, he speaks low. )

Your surprise... Can it be anything?

( His thin, cold fingers trail higher along the neck, fingernails just teasing at what he aims to do with soft little motions, a ghost of contact. )

( like dog like owner, huh. aventurine smiles against their kiss once esikko seats himself down on him. cute.

it's cuter that he almost asks for permission on his 'surprise'. one would assume a prince would simply take, but for all of his smarts, aventurine isn't quite well-versed in the ways of royalty. there are planets and civilizations across the cosmos with those, all with different sets of rules and laws. none that seemed this... submissive.

though aventurine takes a moment to reply, assessing the situation and carefully crafting escape routes or certain behavior patterns necessary if anything went out of his control, the answer comes as he tilts his head back, exposing his neck. )

Anything you want, Your Highness. Surely someone of your status doesn't need to ask.

I don't.

( It's not the response Esikko would give normally, or in any sort of public setting. But right now, annoyed by the performative way Aventurine speaks, he decides to lean into this. He's already tried this once, and it's gone over well, so now he brings both of his hands up, tracing along the length of his neck as he presses hot, breathy kisses to the corner of his mouth. )

But I choose to, anyway. Isn't that nice?

( It's all the warning he gives before he wraps his fingers around Aventurine's neck completely, kissing him hard while squeezing. He starts slow, at first, and in between kisses he adds: )

Could you undo my pants~?

( is it nice? the answer is that aventurine doesn't really care. he's not used to having his permission or consent asked when it comes to sex, at least. everything is always taken and demanded and a job to be done, so things like that become inherently irrelevant. perhaps the truth of the matter is that consent is always granted, if he can weaponize it. perhaps aventurine is just desensitized to it all.

for all it's worth, he has been choked before, can tell esikko's form is lacking. yet he responds as if not, trying to keep his breathing in check, trying to reciprocate kisses despite the way he keeps his mouth half-open to make sure he can breathe.

as for the request... his eyes fall down, and though he can't quite see the front of the little princeling's pants, the gesture says it all. what a cruel request to make, but aventurine's hands still trail from his lower back to the front of his pants, undoing buttons and pulling down zippers with scary accuracy, in spite of his predicament.

he manages a smile, still - teasing, mocking perhaps, as though to say that was nothing. give him a real challenge, esi. )

( That smile, that ease with which he acts— it's all a taunt. It's as if nothing he's doing matters. As if this is just some song and dance for Aventurine, without a care in the world. As if Esikko has absolutely no control over the situation at all.

He can't have that. One of his ears flicks slightly in consideration, his hands shifting upwards to press his thumbs further into Aventurine's neck. When Esikko pulls back slightly, it looks like it's for a breath and nothing else. But when he presses back in, he seals their lips almost like a lock, and the trickling of blood trails metallic taste down Aventurine's tongue and throat. It's a considerable amount, enough that when Esikko does finally gasp back, there's red covering his mouth, staining his lips as he licks them.

It seems as simple as that for about a minute. Esikko kisses, alternating the pressure of his squeezing to keep things interesting. But then something forms from within Aventurine's throat. At first it's scratchy, an irritant— then it's filling, a bloom.

It's a special little rose, enough of an obstruction that it may cause him to choke without relief. Esikko's hands loosen because of it, parting from his kiss long enough to watch those eyes as the thorns begin to jostle against his insides, each and every prick of them causing both pain and arousal. More choking, speaking, or moving— they all mean more of it. And the rose seems positioned in just the right angle to make it difficult to breathe, threatening death without delivering. )

( now that's a surprise, and not one aventurine minds severely. even blindfolded he would have recognized the taste of blood on his lips, forced down his throat as he still struggles for breath. a part of him worries that there's something else in there, that this is far more than just the simple exchange of blood, smeared on their lips. a more bold, reckless part of him doesn't care - he has full trust that his luck will keep him safe.

he doesn't expect anything that comes right after, though.

it starts much like an uncomfortable feeling that could easily go ignored. he would have blamed it on the way that esikko's hands wrap around his neck, the varying pressure on it, perhaps the disgusting feeling of blood on his throat that makes him want to scratch it. it worsens by the seconds, and if esikko had longed for a different, vulnerable expression of aventurine's face, well - there's certainly confusion in his eyes.

it begins with a hacked up cough, painful every time his throat strains. he chokes up, then coughs, reaches for his neck, coughs again. for all of aventurine's self-control - and he can almost hear jade in the back of his mind telling him to keep his emotions in place, never to show pain, never to show vulnerability -, his face contorts in pain, and he can tell he's starting to sweat. his ears fold back, and out of reflex, aventurine hides his left hand behind his back. still, and perhaps foolishly so, he attempts a laugh, though all it does is make him cough even more.

he can tell he's running out of air by the seconds, and worse still, he likes it. his right hand reaches for esikko's clothes, perhaps in want, perhaps as a plea. he's getting hard, weirdly enough. together with the natural fear of death, there's arousal and desire, though aventurine couldn't be able to quite tell what he really wants right now. he chokes up again, his mouth and shirt a wet mess of spit and saliva, but even when aventurine attempts a look at esi - he's still smiling, or certainly attempting to smile.

he can't die here. he can't. he can't, and yet, part of him nearly longs for it. )

( This is much better. Aventurine may be holding that same attitude, but there's something about the threat of death that causes a reaction in anyone— those coughs, the reaches, the squirming— and it's the look in his eyes that brings a curl of a smile to the edge of Esikko's lips.

This, he can work with. Without the need to keep his delicate little hands on Aventurine's neck, his rose does the work for him. As the minutes tick past, and the magic bringing that flower to life grows weaker, the only hint at its eventual passing will be the occasional bitterness that comes out in the taste from exhales.

In response to that reach, Esikko presses a soft little laugh into Aventurine's lips, his now-freed hand snaking between them to palm at the other man's growing arousal. )

As I thought... you're quite cute like this. Is this a face you get to make often, I wonder~?

( He doesn't have the same smooth expertise that Aventurine does when it comes to undoing another man's pants, but he's as efficient as he can manage while in his lap like this. Unbuttoning, unzipping— these exotic clothes are so annoying sometimes— and then he's dipping his hand in, slender fingers wrapping around the blonde's erection and pulling him just barely free from the constraints of his underwear and pants. He doesn't bother pulling them all the way off— just enough out of the way to get a few proper strokes, his kisses lowering to Aventurine's jaw, and then... his neck.

One kiss in particular lodges a thorn nicely from within him. As he swipes his thumb over the tip of his cock, his eyes narrow with great interest, words mumbled into warm skin. )

Oh, but I expect you can't talk much, right now. You shouldn't try.

( it's quite like aventurine to try and find information even from this situation, when his life is being threatened and he's so vulnerable in someone else's hands. for example - he can tell esikko has wildly sadistic tendencies, if watching him struggle like this is anything to go by. complimenting him when he's suffering from phantom pain? absolutely nuts, if nothing else. though some of his body enjoys the attention, the undoing of his belt and unzipping of his pants, trying to balance fear and pleasure, aventurine finds, isn't something he enjoys very much.

something else he has noted is that esikko likes to have control, that the cards are in his favor and their little game is going his way. fine, then. aventurine can play along to that, lower his head to esi's shoulder and lean there, needy and wanting, so desperately seeking more of that touch to his lower half yet unable of jerking his hips to chase after it.

aventurine tries to speak nonetheless, but the next time he hacks up a cough, blood comes out in splutters. despite all, he learns something from this too - that it's not illusionary magic, not the phantom feeling of a thorn inside his throat, but possibly a real one. it dirties esikko's nice and tidy shirt, a thin string of blood running down his chin, and a part of him wonders if this, too, will anger him. his right hand tightens its grip on esikko's clothes, a quiet plea.

surely his intention isn't to kill aventurine here, when so many had watched them walk together into his room. surely there are other ways of making him this pathetic, if esi enjoys seeing it so much. aventurine will play the part, really. but surely his luck would keep him alive here, right? )

Relax.

( Esikko's words are shockingly gentle, considering everything else he's done this far. He clearly does enjoy this, the state he's put Aventurine into, and there is absolutely no upset about the blood on his fancy clothes. After all, can't he simply buy new ones on Kirma's chips?

Or have them washed, he supposes.

He strokes him more to show his pleasure, long fingers enjoying the tease of pressing over his tip and dragging down, of slowing and then speeding up, of alternating squeezes and gentle touches. He's taking note of each and every reaction from Aventurine's body, enjoying the control, as guessed.

But as he leans in, there's another interested to be noted. His tongue drags across Aventurine's chin, licking the dribble of blood up where it had been choked in an elaborate show of enjoyment. Licking his lips afterwards, the stain of the red still fresh on his lips, he giggles beneath his breath. )

You'll be fine.

( As if he knows that he must be afraid of dying, as if he finds it laughable right now. With the attention he's paying to the other man's dick right now, it seems he's completely abandoned his own search for physical pleasure for the pure enjoyment of this— of control, of manipulation, of making someone want what he's doing so badly that they can hardly take it, even at the edge of their life. )

( relax, he says, like this is quicksand, and the less he struggles, the easier breathing will be. counterproductive, then, with the attention he's receiving, and for all the gasps and moaning aventurine tries to let out, he chokes and coughs more. the pleasure is impossibly nice, and even the ears atop his head can't decide whether to fold back or lean forward.

sadistic, with a desire for control, and totally into blood. nothing like a prince, and for a painful moment, aventurine can't help but wonder what he puts kirma through. that will be something he can assume and find out the answer another day, later.

in the present, aventurine nearly wishes esikko had licked his chin clean then kissed him right after. his eyes settle on his face, the textbook perfection of beautiful, though he knows well this is his fox instincts talking than anything else. relax, he said. if nothing else, aventurine does try to control his breathing, inhaling in particular ways that do not set off his coughing fits. worse comes to worst, he would faint, and have to trust someone he doesn't trust with his vulnerable body.

aventurine allows himself to lean back, left hand still clenched into a fist behind his back, but he brings his right hand to rest on top of esikko's, fingers wrapping around his own, if only to try and seek more friction, something faster, something more pleasurable. he manages, too, to nurture a smile back on his bloodied mouth. )

... Don't you think, ( his voice is strained when aventurine tries to speak, hoarse and weak, and he chokes a few more times before continuing, ) I deserve a little more?

( is he just digging his hole further down? maybe so. but it wouldn't be aventurine if not. )

( As Esikko watches this, his tail flicks with interest behind him, a measured sort of swaying like he's watching his prey squirm before he can pounce. His own ears are alert, and one flicks slightly at the speaking from Aventurine— it takes a lot to make noise around that rose, and so it's interesting to hear him try. Just for the sake of asking for more? )

What more do you want, little fox?

( Esikko presses a harder kiss to Aventurine's throat, digging the thorns in further. His hand strokes, slowing when it seems like Aventurine is at his most desperate, speeding up again when he whines for it. He's having too much fun.

But he's not against doing more... if Aventurine can ask for it, that is. )

( absolutely sadistic, if not downright a psychopath. good. aventurine is always likely to end up falling on the hands of those kind of people. what is he, if not a crazed gambler who plays with his life as a worthless chip of high value?

he winces not at the pain, but at the lack of proper friction. he's way better at handling those, but the half of him that desires intimacy wishes only to be spoiled and wanted, to have his desires met and granted, to feel the ecstasy of pleasure and lose himself to it. it's maddening, coupled with the uncomfortable feeling in his throat, it's too much for a normal person to bear.

coupled, even worse, with the fact aventurine isn't the kind to give in so easily - he finds the strength to lean back, straighten himself up. he's a pale mess, sweating and bloodied and disheveled all around. the fingers around esikko's tighten their grip, albeit leaning on the weaker side, and he moves their hands together, a far steadier pace than he had been granted at all. )

Like this, ( aventurine attempts to say, in between his own pleasure and the excruciating feeling in his throat, ) but I suppose a princeling like you... doesn't have much experience in this?

( Of course Aventurine is still trying to be in control. Of course he's still managing to be as obnoxious as possible. His eyes narrow into his smile as their hands join, and he humors him with a steadier pace. )

...I have experience enough.

( Nipping again into his throat, he leaves a pressure with his kiss that makes those fading thorns dig in further. Another leaf falls down his throat, and Esikko focuses on his strokes now. Faster, steadier, a way to make him lose his breath other than the obstruction he's currently dealing with.

He won't keep teasing him, then. He'll move this along. )

( instinctively, aventurine attempts a laugh, and is punished all the same with blood splatters coming from his throat, sullying his clothes further, some of it even falling onto their joined hands. amidst his struggle, he has room to laugh in his mind, think that if nothing else, his blood can at least be used as lube. wouldn't that make it useful?

every attempt at inhaling leaves him wincing and wheezing - combined with the increased pleasure, it's torture in its own way. the moans that escape his throat are uncomfortable, a cacophony of incoherent noises that are hardly appealing. his expression contorts into something incomprehensible, and aventurine leans in again, rests his head on esikko's shoulder, succumbs to the overwhelming sensations.

he has nearly half a mind to attempt a warning, but decides against it before the feeling rising up from his stomach bursts into splutters, the high of his own climax leaving wreathes in his throat that deprive him further of air and forces him to hack up more blood. it's unsightly in every way possible, but he has even less of a mind to care about that at all. )

( It's a satisfying ending. A poetic one. The fluids that escape Aventurine accent one another, he thinks. Esikko allows him the full experience of it, stroking along with the spasms of that orgasm until he finally slows, granting his sensitive length one last swipe of fingers, of blood and cum together, over the tip. The man before him must be exhausted, now, but Esikko doesn't give him the rest just yet. Tipping forward, his opposite hand moves between them, ignoring the mess of blood to grip Aventurine's chin and tip it upwards.

The rose in that pretty little throat is in its death throes now, twisting within the confined space, dropping petals rapidly now, and jabbing thorns even more so. Esikko catches Aventurine's lips in the last of its moments, wanting to taste the blood, to feel as that breath struggles, feel his body weaken just before the moment that the blockage fades away completely.

Then, and only then, does he pull back from the kiss, his own breath laughed silently out against lips darkened with blood.

Just like that, it's done. Esikko seems satisfied enough without the need for an orgasm of his own, and that much is clear in the way he stays close, the way his arms wrap around him as if a hug from a monster like him could ever help. There's an exhaustion of his own that he buries with the motion, not wanting it to be seen, and he doesn't say a word. )

( aventurine has experienced many hardships in his life, and this one, he'll say, might make it to top ten most excruciating encounters he has had. not very high, mind, but certainly worthy of being in the list.

the kiss isn't even good, from his part. he has neither the strength nor quite the will to reciprocate, struggling for the last remnants of air that he can get while esi all but takes it away, in more ways than one. what's drool on top of blood and cum, either way? when they're both already this messy, perhaps it's a welcome contribution to the many fluids that have come out of aventurine only. doesn't that seem unfair?

it's only when they part that aventurine realizes he can breathe again. he chokes a few times, suddenly finding himself struggling to actually return to normalcy, and the hug - it certainly doesn't help much, though he only thinks of it as weird. he doubts it's an expression of affection, and sees, instead, something far more wicked in it. the ears atop his head turn and fold back, more honest about his confusion than his face is - because, of course, as he's wont to do: he manages a weak smile back to his lips. )

I didn't take you for a hugger, princeling. ( and he's not even going to reciprocate that, his right arm resting on his stomach and his left... finally free of hiding, from behind the chair. it's only then that aventurine realizes his palm, too, is bleeding, from how hard and how long he had kept it clenched. ) But I suppose this means I was a good date, then.

Would you have preferred if I pulled away instantly?

( Esikko is tired, truthfully, but he makes it sound as if he's done this for Aventurine's sake. The other truth of the matter is that it wouldn't matter, either way. In fact, if this bothered him, he might have chosen it more purposefully all the same...

But for the moment, Esi is pleased. There's no orgasm for himself, but plenty of material for later, when he feels like being that vulnerable in his own time. And still, both of their Watches have lit up with the reward. Convenient. He laughs, incredibly performative, as he pulls back slightly. Eyes trail over Aventurine's face, taking in the bloody mess that he is now. )

Hmm. But of course, you have my praise. What a fine date you were.

( He pulls back now, fixing his clothing, smoothing it, tucking it, adjusting it— he can't fix the blood stains so immediately, but he doesn't mind that part at all. )

For that, I won't trouble you for dinner. Unless you'd like to send a steak to my room? ♥

( yes is the honest answer, but aventurine doesn't say anything at all. they have done things far more audacious than a simple hug, aventurine being nearly tortured all the while, yet it's really the hug that throws him off.

that's to say, aventurine appreciates the distance, when it comes. being a mess of fluids is nothing new, though he mourns for his formerly white pants, he's not self-conscious over his appearance, and whether esikko truly looks him over or not. for a man like him, he figures, the sight is an appealing one. if only he knew that, as soon as esikko turns around and leave, aventurine will force vomit out of his throat to make sure nothing undesired was swallowed or lingers inside his body. just another fluid, right out of his body. funny, right? )

When the princeling asks, I have no choice but to obey, right? ( lord.

but as aventurine allows himself to relax on the chair, exhale a very well-deserved and longed for breath, he makes the mental note that esikko is really, really high-maintenance.

(not a bad thing, at this point time, ironically. for a suicidal man, it's almost a perfect match, really.) )

Your wish is my command. Just let me know how you would like your steak, and it'll be delivered.

...Rare. ♥

( Said with a twinkle in his eye that will only become relevant far later, Esikko smiles, taking a happily little step back, and another, before twirling to turn for the door. )

Thanks for the good time, Aventurine.

( He doesn't waste any more time here, and with one last little wave of his fingers, he ducks out. )

( as promised, the delivery of esikko's gift comes at random, but surprisingly, it does manage to find the man inside his bodyguard's quarters than out and about. a golden peacock staff member arrives with a large package, and bows their head. Delivery to Mr. Bloemrose from Aventurine.

they instruct esikko (or kirma?? whoever takes the package) to be careful with it, both due to the contents inside and for how heavy it is. inside is a beautifully crafted strawberry cake with macarons of varied flavors, custom-made from the wonderful staff at great tit.

alongside the cake is a small note that reads: May this cake be a celebration of our profitable friendship. -Aventurine. )

( CAKEEEE. Kirma can have a slice first to check for poison! )

( for two guys from the same world, they sure avoid each other a lot. well, esi avoids him a lot, to be more accurate. more and more, kirma is getting used to the difference between incidental and deliberate absence; as the days pass after the casino rights itself, he notes they have officially passed into the territory of the latter. that means... they have a problem.

today, he employs a new strategy for handling it. )

Where have you gone?

Edited (eepy and stupit) 2024-05-28 21:46 (UTC)

( Despite the illiteracy of his bodyguard, it had seemed he was getting more and more used to sending out messages like this. If this Watch wasn't so thoroughly attached to them, Esikko would have ditched it long ago to have some sort of excuse for a lack of a reply. Unfortunately, though, not replying to this would only end worse, and while he's still trying to understand what causes Kirma to flip out earlier in the month, he's not keen on pushing it. )

Oh, just out. Did you need something?

( a guarded answer, but one nonetheless. thanks for replying to your completely normal dog that did nothing wrong. )

I might.

( ...

here's an idea: ) If I said it was you?

( flattery... his weakness... )

Me? Weren't we only recently together? You miss me already?

Some time ago. It's already back to the half moon. I haven't seen you since it was full.
Are you back to your room?

Edited (stupit and eepy!!!) 2024-05-28 22:02 (UTC)

( Ah, had it really been that long already? Well, maybe if certain dogs weren't swearing their loyalty as a pet to others...

Honestly, he'd been busy looking into certain magic things anyway. )

Hehe, I suppose it has been that long.

I'm not in my room currently. I'm out. You can't track me so far with that nose of yours, then?

( making a mental note of this )

Edited (sweating too tho) 2024-05-28 22:06 (UTC)

I could. This is an invitation for you to cooperate.
Unless you'd prefer being run down.

You were cuter when you were telling me you missed me.

Will you treat me to something, if we meet up?

( so................ he's cute? )

Am I ever not treating you to something?
🙁

( not right now he's not )

So you won't buy me a drink? I could ask someone else, I suppose.

( 🥺 )

I didn't say no.

( sigh.

the place he wants to go... he wants nice drinks, not shit ones. so, unfortunately: )

The Gilded Cage? I'm nearly there.

( which place is that agai—

oh. )

This place has many establishments. You know.

This one has the best drinks.

Or are you going to be strange again once you step inside? Can you handle yourself?

Since when have you been drinking enough to know that?

( let's not talk about that second part. )

Is there a problem with me having preferences?

You have too many of them.

Are you coming, or should I invite someone else?

I didn't say I wasn't.

If you keep me waiting too long, I'll get bored and ask for more company.

( It's what Esikko sends to get Kirma to move more and talk less, but he's not about to invite someone to this little get together when he hardly knows how it's going to go himself. The previous encounter in the gilded cage was one thing, but now it's their incident in the lobby that's on his mind. That look in his eyes, the sense of falling into ice water...

He sits at the bar, dressed in yet another outfit bought with Kirma's chips. It seems he's discovered the joy of nail polish, his nails decorated in a lovely red scheme to match his outfit for the day, his eyes skimming over the special cocktails of the week. )

( one innocent totally normal dog who’s done nothing wrong, reporting for duty. unlike esi, he didn’t dress up for a fancy time; he’s a bit modernized, though, owing to his adoption of that mysterious futuristic garment called… sweatpants. since he has the sense not to text back, esi’s last warning sounding off in the halls as he trots his way to the gilded cage, it doesn’t take much longer for him to arrive.

being at the bar means esi is visible, which is convenient. it makes it easy for kirma to slide into the seat next to him instead of having to hunt him down— a task that would be much easier now, without all of the partygoers present. still, it’s one he would prefer to avoid. there’s no outward display of relief, not even a half-hearted greeting, but kirma bumps his shoulder against esi’s, leaning on him for a bit of attention. hi. )

What does it say?

( the age-old question, at least when it comes to certain illiterate men. while he peers at the menu as well, it offers him absolutely no information. )

( The bump is something, though he would have preferred a more direct compliment or greeting. Still, it's easy to tell that Kirma isn't in any sort of terribly bad mood, and so he bumps back ever so slightly as he draws his finger down the page of the menu. )

It's a list of their special drinks. Their ingredients, names, so on... I don't want to read it all to you, so you can just tell me what sort of drink you like, and I'll pick you a surprise.

Bitter? Sweet? Sour?

( oh, it was taken in good faith. that’s rare. kirma certainly isn’t complaining— his tail wags behind them as his eyes follow the line of esi’s gesture and he puts more weight onto the little (like, cute) prince. he leans and leans on them until suddenly, they’re cheek to cheek. for no particular reason.

perhaps absence does make the heart grow fonder. )

Not sweet. ( thinking. ) Not sour.

( he does not know how many cocktails he just eliminated in four simple words. he shifts position to account for the uneven tilt of his body, but it means one hand is gripping the rim of the barstool, right up against esi’s ass. don’t… worry about that. )

Make it a good surprise. ( :3 )

Hmm...

( It definitely rules out a lot of the options. But if there's another strong flavor, it might help balance out any sweetness, right? And so, Esikko lands on a drink called Death in the Afternoon. The irony of it isn't lost on him, and so he orders it, though he doesn't explain at all that there are added effects to these. It's a Dirty Shirley for himself, and then he's folding his hands as he watches the bartender make them.

The closeness is... a bit much. But Esikko likes the attention, at least right now, and so he's willing to lavish in it for the time being, innocently pretending he hasn't noticed a thing. )

Do I get a prize if you like it?

( That's what he decides to say when the drinks are finally set out in front of them. Kirma's is in a tall glass that tapers towards the bottom, a golden color with a single rose petal on top. Esikko's is far brighter, red as he is, bubbly, and decorated with cherries, and slices of lime and orange. )

( good thing he can't read, otherwise that drink name would be a bit upsetting! he's also not paying attention during the order, too busy trying to see if he can pick out any letters on the menu. the results are not flattering.

it's the arrival of the drinks that finally catches his attention, pressure lifting off of esi as he leans in to give the drinks a sniff. the stark difference between them makes it clear who's meant to take which; it doesn't stop kirma from immediately moving to pick up esi's intended glass, giving it a sippy.

aaaand setting it back down. smack. he glances over at him then, catching his eye— )

Checking for poison.

( something that would be a bigger risk, were esi the one behind the bar. )

( Annoyed at the thievery, Esikko puffs out an exhale as he takes his own glass, dragging it back to himself. )

Alcohol is poison. So I don't get a reward?

( He's huffy about that, too— his flirty little comment gone wasted... He doesn't want any of Kirma's drink, and so he makes a show of wiping his thumb over where Kirma had just taken a sip before taking one himself. As if they've not shared more than spit. He's a brat. )

( wow. you'll kiss your dog with tongue, but you won't share a drink? )

Other poison.

( doesn't count if it's socially acceptable. )

You have a lot of impatience, for a rank four.

( and when he picks up the correct drink to give it a try, it's partially to hide his smile. though the events of the game had been a rollercoaster, to say the least, the return to normalcy afterwards felt welcome, satisfying. enough so to put him in a such an uncharacteristically good mood, at their reunion. it won't last forever; june promises to have some dark moments in store. right now, though...

right now, the drink is surprisingly good. kirma's palate might just be off-kilter from a lifetime of scavenging and rot, but the light sweetness complements the heavy taste of the absinthe, and maybe that is something worth a prize. )

Isn't my company the reward? — You'd say something like that, if it was my asking.

That's my company, though. Not yours.

( Esikko knows he has to nurse this carefully if he wants to keep his wits about him. Not that he has to worry too much, he supposes. Kirma is his bodyguard, right? Nothing bad will happen.

Even if that last time, and the time before... Hmm.

He draws his fingers around the rim of his glass. )

And must you bring up my rank? Don't say it so loudly. I'm working on fixing that, so I won't be that number for long.

( oh. but he's working on fixing that too, you see. )

Do you really need to do that?

( there's a shift in the air, some of the playfulness draining away. it's a good opportunity for another drink; kirma has no concerns about moderation. he doesn't even have concerns about savoring it, tossing the rest of the glass back, leaving the rose petal stuck to the side in a wilted memory of what it once contained.

with that settled, his chin finds its way to rest on esi's shoulder, the weighty pressure of his body returning in full pointed force. )

We don't both need to be highly ranked. Isn't that inefficient?

( That mood shift is ominous, and so Esi stills his fingers around his glass, side eyeing the dog on his shoulder. )

What do you mean, inefficient? You're a high enough rank. All of our points can go towards me.

( Lifting his drink, he takes a long sip, eyes closing. When he sets the glass down again with a sigh, he tries to push past this. )

So, do you like it? It sounds like you might just like it.

( wait, he wasn't done being ominous. but— kirma does a side eye of his own, back towards the drinks. he wouldn't expect esi to tolerate the obvious plan of staying irrelevant in order to further boost kirma's status, even if it would be easier in so many ways. it's annoying, if only because it isn't as though esi doesn't benefit from it. he isn't the type to be such a good person as to not want those benefits, either; for all that he's taken from him, this bit of charity is where he draws the line?

a small huff escapes kirma's chest, and he scoots the barstool a little closer. thigh to thigh, his hand releases esi's seat in order to slide up his hip instead, fingers wiggling into his pants pocket on the side. hiii. )

It was fine. ( can't you tell? ) Since I'm a generous person... I'll consider a request of yours, as a prize.

( consider being the operative word. if it sucks he won't do it. maybe. )

( ...He'll let the foul vibes go if only because the drink is good and Kirma is clearly needy. Wanting.

It's nice, to be wanted. He turns to look at him, their faces nearly touching, a small smile now in place. )

A request? Can I save it?

( normally, he wouldn't see any harm in that ask. knowing that there's going to be a significant update sooner than later— )

There's nothing you want now?

( the fact that he's not being scolded is heartening, though. enough that his fingers wiggle a little further in, and that he flags the bartender down for seconds. )

( Why is his dog so damn thirsty today )

Haha... It almost feels like there's something you want, at least.

( Lifting his glass to his lips, he leans back a little into that wiggling hand, meeting his eyes. )

But I want to save that request.

( hmm. suspicious. he can only assume esi means to use it on something dire, behind closed doors, something well outside the scope of a cutesy exchange. on the other paw, he's still not being thrown off or lectured for being handsy... )

... Fine.

( mild disappointment leaks through, his usual barriers already weakening under the influence of alcohol. let's be lightweights together. the second drink arrives, and, after a moment's consideration, downs it just as quickly as the first.

it does not help his pawsy status. without a drink to hold onto, his free hand settles for gripping esi's thigh instead, as his tail sways. given another ten minutes or so as the second drink truly takes hold and... let's just say horses. )

( So grabby... It's incredibly distracting. The drinks here are, of course, prone to causing arousal or heightened sensitivity, and so Esikko is hyper aware of every touch, grab and lean.

His face, a little flushed from his own drink, ducks down slightly as Kirma downs that second one. )

You're going to get trashed like that. You're even worse than me, aren't you? Drink some water.

( Kirma is not "worse" than him... they even out, height vs muscle, probably. )

Not interested.

( all the drinks in all the worlds are at their disposal, and esi thinks he should drink water? hardly. instead, his hand lifts to tap on the menu, drawing esi's attention back towards it. )

Pick out something else for me.

( demanding, pushy dog. four months ago, he wouldn't have dreamed of making a request of him at all; funny, how much one little incident can change a man's outlook forever. he hasn't said no to esi since, of course— but the option is always there, now. the vindictive part of him might be buried deep now, but it still hopes esi recognizes that fact, too. )

( He's pushing it. But after a brief pause, Esikko decides he's feeling too relaxed to focus on it for long. He'd rather not invite any touchiness, and so... )

You've gotten bossy.

( He leaves it at that comment, eyes skimming down the list again. He's finished one drink, is now well into another, and he points out the classic Sazerac, ordering it for him. )

For the record, I won't be helping you if you grow ill from this.

I wouldn’t ask you to.

( not in so many words, anyway. how many years has he spent alone, even after being in esi’s company? enough that it’s hard to envision anything else, no matter how much he’d want it, to be in his care— the earnest kind, without knives or twisted words. an impossible dream, to be sure. too many thoughts in rapid succession has the fingers in esi’s pocket curling, digging in at his hip. a sign of things to come… maybe. )

The point of this place is to enjoy ourselves, right? So—

( a small interruption, at being served, again. a new drink means a new round of sniffs, as if to try and piece together what’s in the glass with his meager knowledge of foreign spirits. hmm… )

— That’s all I’m doing.

( and maybe, being bossy is part of that, a little. surely esi can understand the appeal of acting in such a manner, given that it’s practically his default state of being. )

( Hmmm.

While Kirma begins sniffing his new drink, Esikko reaches to take a strand of his dark hair between his fingers, winding it around them in a curl. )

Oh? Are you trying to take me back to your room, tonight?

( he doesn't know )

I suppose I could be convinced.

( ... he doesn't know )

It's our room.

( he isn't so put off by the terminology as to add any emphasis to his correction, but the drinks do a long way towards blunting the edge to his feelings. the slight pull to his hair makes him turn, head tilting towards esi— towards the touch. )

You need to be convinced to return home?

( ...Hm. Lots of things to think about coming from this conversation alone. Piecing them with previous conversations? Should be a giant red flag.

But he ignores those. )

I'm aware that you share your space with me, but...

( Letting Kirma's hair slip away from his fingers, and therefore bringing his touch back so that he can finish off his second drink, he offers a smile. )

I don't have a key. And so many others seem to make it their home away from home, too, don't they?

Not that I mind what you do with your own space, of course. ( He does. ) But it is difficult to think of it as mine, so won't you humor me and invite me over?

Not that many.

( immediate and defensive. the people, the person esi obliquely refers to has also been a point of silence since—

kirma shifts in his seat again, pulling his hand free from esi's pocket. he doesn't withdraw completely; his chin ends up on esi's shoulder, staring, no, gazing up at him. the sazerac sits on the bar, forgotten, condensation collecting on the surface of the glass. it doesn't have to be difficult. that's all on esi, he thinks. again: if they actually worked together instead of always being at odds, maybe that problem wouldn't have to be so prominent, either. convincing him of that fact, though?

the plan is already in motion, one way or another. )

... Stay over. ( plink. ) The staff finally fixed the bathtub.

( it seems as part of righting all of clubs' efforts, a few other unintentional fixes were caught in the ripples of energy and electricity. while kirma is none too happy about it, the ghosts have also left him alone enough that he's willing to try and see if it stays that way without his little "offerings." )

( Oh... So he won't have to run to Kizuna's after anything happens? Esikko lifts his chin a little, clearly interested, before reaching out to lightly boop Kirma's nose. It's the alcohol hitting him, too, surely. )

Hehe. I suppose I can stay for a night or two.

( That's how he's left feeling right now, anyway. And riding on that, he reaches with the arm not currently being leaned on, picking up Kirma's drink for a sip of his own.

As expected, though, it's far too strong for his taste, and he sticks his tongue out a little in disgust before pushing it at Kirma. )

After you finish this.

Wait, let me—

( he learned a trick for this, you see, back during cocktail roulette. kirma's head lifts so he can chase after esi, one hand cupping his cheek in order to pull him into a kiss. the taste of the cocktail is a strong one and his ears flick back and forth, but he doesn't pull away; his tongue slips in to his mouth, chasing the hints of sweetness leftover from the fruity monstrosity he'd been sipping at, earlier. smorch.

the thing that sticks out the most to him is how quickly things change. not just here, in the peacock— every lifetime feels as though it drags on until the point they finally meet again, wherein they promptly collide in a whirlwind of violence and blood for the second, two, three it takes for them to have to start all over again. in this one, they've hardly known each other, have nearly spent more time together in this gilded cage (lol) than back home, and yet— here he is, shoving his tongue down the crown prince's throat like it's just another tuesday. it's inexplicable.

maybe that's why the only thing they can ever think to do is die at each other's hands.

when their lips finally part, kirma stays close. there's also like, no hiding a sweatpants boner so... sorryyyyyy 🙈 )

Stay for two.

( he won't actually have the choice, but maybe it'll go over easier if he thinks he had some agreement in it. )

( It's not what he's expecting at all, so there's surprise in his eyes as Kirma kisses him. No, it's not just a kiss— he's shoving his tongue in his mouth, in public?

He doesn't dislike it at all, responding after a shocked hesitation, even leaning into the kiss as it finally parts to chase every bit that's left. His face is flushed from more than just alcohol now, and a puff of air escapes his lips as he looks away to hide it, pushing the drink at him more firmly. Drink this!! )

...Two. Sure. So long as you make it good.

( That's his teasing little comment, an agreement even if he's so reluctant to admit it. He wants to be wanted, so of course he wants to create a little push and pull...

Not as much as it's going to create, but. That's for another day. Right now, his eyes are finally sliding back down to that sweatpants boner (hello.), and he laughs a little under his breath, sliding his palm to run over Kirma's thigh. Kinda cute. )

Those drinks certainly got to you, didn't they~?

( he laughs a little, too. the drink can get chugged now, he guesses. slowly but surely, he's getting better at drinking whiskey without the burn in his throat making him cough, step one of a long journey to having any sort of tolerance at all. his tail wags, and on the surface, things couldn't look more different from their last time at the cage, only a few weeks ago.

but on the inside— though spades is a feather-light touch, practically invisible but for how the space where it intersects with his brand stays cleared even in its absence, kirma's thoughts are still firmly planted in visions of dark times past. how long before more of them play out on this particular stage, he wonders. maybe it doesn't actually bear thinking about; it'll happen, or it won't. tonight feels like the second option. tomorrow morning? )

You think it's the drinks?

( it's a little the drinks. he likes to imagine it's more the company. spicy mayo is his favorite, isn't it? esi's saving grace here is that he'd need at least three more drinks to try fucking him in public again, without any suit pressure. )

Maybe you'll have to carry me back. ( lmao )

Not a chance.

( He could make a joke about being able to carry a part of him, if he cut it off, but. Esi decides to let that slide for now, giving a little laugh of his own as he pushes his barstool back. Standing shows that he's a little wobbly, though it's nowhere near the amount he'd had back the last time they were here...

But it's enough to be relaxed. To be happy. And so, why not? )

If it's not the drinks, is it something I did? ( He's trying to look as cute as possible right now. Of course. )

Come on, then, let's get going. If you fall over, I'll leave you there, okay?

( thanks for not ruining the moment by being a freak!

their journey back to the room is a winding one, punctuated by stumbles and the occasional return to their earlier kiss, against a wall here, in the elevator car there. the lingering effects of esi’s selections have kirma pawing at him in an uncharacterically clingy manner, more for attention and closeness than anything else; the power of knocking back three strong drinks in a row with nothing to temper them shouldn’t be underestimated. that’ll be a lesson well-learned in the morning.

thankfully, it’s still the evening. this time, when kirma fumbles with the door lock, it’s from the looseness of his body and a vision that threatens to swim rather than an unfamiliarity with the watch. another thing he’s begun to get used to, and even take for granted. the suite inside is as much the same as it is changed. the layout seems to have flipped itself, and there are a few, more subtle changes: an alternate upholstery pattern, a different tile in the kitchen. none of their belongings are out of place, and that’s what counts. probably.

kirma doesn’t think to mention it, already dragging esi towards the bed before the door even clicks shut. it’s his turn to be the impatient one, though just for a closeness rather than any specific intimacy; more than ever, he doesn’t care what happens, as long as it starts that happening, like— ten seconds ago. )

( It's kind of fun, to stumble back to a room like this. So why was so Kirma against the flirty phrasing of inviting him back in the first place? Who knows. But now, they're there, the room is spacious and comfortable, unlike his own, and he eagerly follows Kirma, his eyes only briefly acknowledging the changes to the room. That's a thought for later.

For now, he grabs a fistful of Kirma's lazy looking shirt, fingers curling tightly so that he can yank him into a kiss as they walk. It's stumbling, and he's sure he slips into an accidental bite of lip or tongue more than once, and maybe steps on Kirma's foot somewhere, but it's heated, it's nice, it's exactly what he was looking for.

Something mindless. Something to not think about while the floating feeling of alcohol runs through his body. Something... consistent, maybe. Something less risky than the less.

The more he reaffirms it, though, the more some strange, creeping anxieties seem to crop up. And so he focuses on the taste of the alcohol on Kirma's tongue, on shoving him back onto the bed and crawling into his lap immediately after, on craning his neck downwards to meet his eyes and kiss the corner of his mouth again.

He doesn't want to talk. He just wants to feel. )

( not his lil pawsies???? bro...

it's an injury easily soothed by mouth and tongue, though. a little flinch, and they've already moved on, kirma offering no resistance to esi's shove, all lazy smiles and wags. times like these, he thinks he could get used to the resort's hedonism. a soft whine escapes his lips against esi's. this lap situation is nice and all, but it's not enough. not while there's a pleasant burn in his stomach, and the warmth of esi's body is enough to match it, somehow.

his hands slide around, trying to find esi's waist, batting uselessly at the elegant layers he has on. can you get this fancy shit off, please. it's far more obtrusive than anything kirma is wearing, a fact clearly communicated by the erection pressing against esi's thigh. (time will tell if that thing actually gets the attention it needs, though.) another quiet noise, and his hips roll upward, trying to increase the degree of contact.

— but seriously, the clothes. the clothes! at least take the shirt off; he's desperate for a little skinship, here. )

( The impatience is clumsy and palpable, and Esikko laughs into the kiss for it. He pulls his hands back to himself to assist in undressing, discarding his things to the side one taunting layer at a time, all while leaning in, kissing, shifting more into his lap—

Ah, but pants make this a little difficult. With one more hard kiss to the mouth, he drags his tongue against Kirma's before pulling back, slipping to his feet so he can wiggle out of his clothes the rest of the way.

He's being showy about it. He's trying to make him even more impatient, of course. Is there something you want, Kirma?? Something you're dying for?? He'd love to hear it. )

( and between every layer, kirma is pawing, pulling. his shirt comes off easily somewhere in the middle of that, and he’s pressing their bodies together at every opportunity, reluctant to let esi go, necessary evil though it is. there’s even an audible noise of complaint as he stands, the neediness clear from the points of his ears to the steady rhythm of his tail against the sheets. )

Hurry—

( a demand clipped short by gritted teeth and a hiss that suppresses a far more desperate, needier noise that wells up in the back of his throat. he swallows it for now, opting to instead reach for esi’s bared waist, trying to drag him back preemptively. there’s no real force to the grab, or else esi might not have any choice but to comply; perhaps the communication of intent is what matters most.

there’s a distinct shift once he’s allowed to have his way, though. kirma wraps his arms around esi, presses his face into his chest. this was the realest endgame all along, you see— the compulsion in the drinks combined with an already present desire results in a need for feel rather than any particular action. )

—?

( Esikko expects when Kirma is needy. He expects the pawing, the tugging, the pulling. Each time, he takes his sweet time getting the last of his layers off, living up every bit of the attention that he can. But when he's pulled closer, when Kirma simply rests into him in a hug...

It makes him freeze, for a moment. This was deeply uncomfortable. No, perhaps it was so achingly comfortable that it wrapped back around to being uncomfortable— Esikko feels at a loss for words, and he hesitates before bringing his hand down on Kirma's head in something like a pet. )

Is that all you want from me?

( The words that finally do come out are low, and he presses himself against Kirma, aiming to push him back and follow close. His free hand moves to run along Kirma's side to his thigh. All he knows how to do is turn this into something more expected. )

( would it be so wrong, if he said yes? from esi’s movements, he knows the answer. it does not stop him from trying to hold on for as long as he can, though there’s also little resistance to being pushed down, his arms relaxing as the distance between their bodies increases again. it isn’t that the touch at his thigh isn’t nice, or that he doesn’t feel any arousal. what he’s looking for is something far more intimate, though— regardless of if it’s a real want or an aftereffect of whatever they put in those drinks.

the drinks… are likely the easiest scapegoat, here. )

The only thing I want is you.

( what harm is there, in admitting that much? there isn’t quite a smile on his face, but there’s an adoration in his gaze as he stares up at esi. one hand comes up, tracing the line of one of esi’s marks with a finger that moves on to tuck a lock of hair behind his ear. a tender gesture better reserved for a lover in more than the physical sense of the word. )

… However you’ll have me.

( and whether he’s wanted in return or not. )

( It's a scary feeling, that tender gesture. Perhaps it's because it's something he can't write off, something he can't explain away— or maybe it's the echoes of tender gestures that come with it, the overwhelming feeling in overlay, again, and again, on top of itself. It's suffocating, like there's going to be a point where he can't lift his head anymore, can't take in another breath after what he feels.

But right now, he can. Right now, something burning inside of him can hold onto that tenderness, and he has a direction for it. Leaning down, Esikko touches their foreheads together, his hand guiding Kirma's thigh to wrap around behind him all while he watches those mismatched eyes. )

...I can't be the only thing.

( His words are mumbles, eyes focused on Kirma and yet somewhere through him, all the same. He knows there is more that he wants. That there's no way the relationship he's seen growing with a certain blonde man isn't something he can claim to want. He knows that there's so much more than he, a useless prince still learning magic, has to offer.

But of course he wants to have that challenged. Wants to see Kirma meet him completely, to feel the warmth of their bodies crossing and connecting. When he pulls his forehead away from Kirma's, it's to duck down so that he can kiss him, fingers curling sharper into the base of his thigh.

It's not cuddling, no. But it's the only way he's learned how to express himself so far. )

( hmm. even in his current state of mind, hearing that as esi's response is enough to make him pause, his ears twitching even as the rest of him revels in the simple contact of them resting on each other. he cannot begin the guess at esi's thoughts, when that same man is the furthest thing from his mind right now, too singularly focused on the heat of the moment. maybe if he hadn't been drinking, he could've made the connection. maybe. )

You are, ( is all he can say, without that. a statement as earnest as it is simple, spoken from a place that cannot imagine anything that could contradict it. a place that also won't be in this room, come morning, when everything falls apart and unravels between the both of them.

that problem is for future kirma to deal with, though. the current him's primary concern is with the kiss, with opening his mouth to take in the lingering taste of sweetness and alcohol; it's with letting his arms circle esi's neck to pull him in all the better, running an open palm along the breadth of his back. unfortunately the trazie is hitting here And he's being kind of a pillow princess so this is the end of the tag now. goodbye )

( Kirma gets to be the royalty tonight, huh. Well, that's fine. Esikko would be doing whatever he wanted regardless, and the affectionate attention he's receiving right now feels nice over the buzz of the alcohol. He kisses deeper, hand slipping from Kirma's thigh to position between his legs. He swipes a finger playfully along his ass, cupping his balls into his palm before he drags up and over his shaft, curling into a gentle grip.

Here, he giggles a little into the kiss, clearly pleased with himself. It's fun, to tease like this. To do what feels strangely like was always meant to happen, but never could— and as his teeth graze gently across Kirma's bottom lip, he allows himself to forget anything else. )

( there is a part of him that wishes it could be this way forever. some say the magic fades once you get used to a thing, but— how many lives have they spent together? enough that it surely would’ve happened by now, were it possible. yet kirma never tires of any moment with esi, no matter how fraught things are. even when he’s agitated, complaining, sulking, the spaces between each thought are filled with warmth, and maybe that’s the true thing that anchors him there. if they could somehow come together without those things, though?

it’s akin to a pleasant dream, and right now, he gets to live it thoroughly. his legs part further, angling to try and facilitate esi’s movements, whatever they may be. the giggle is enough to pluck a heartstring, sending so much tension along the sinew that it feels ready to snap. really, why couldn’t it last— why couldn’t they thread themselves together, if they’re already irreversibly intertwined— to his addled mind, it all seems so straightforward. so easy. truly, the way it all backfires will shock him.

that doesn’t matter quite yet. right now, in this room, he’s more occupied with the body atop him; with a hand, he traces the shape of the still-healing gouges down his torso, a gentle echo of the violence from that day. there’s something akin to regret in his gaze, his fingertips lingering at the same spot they’d once pushed in so deep. there’s new skin there, knit soft and pink over a lurid moment, and maybe, with any luck, in another month there’ll be nothing there at all. )

( Soft touches over scars where he'd been so much less gentle before do not go unnoticed by Esikko. They're answered with a curve of his lips, a smile that could almost be called understanding, one that might border on it— it's complicated, the way he feels about that encounter. The way he feels about the two of them at all, stuck in an endless cycle of give and take, and by his own doing. His feelings shift by the day, the hour, the minute, and isn't that how it's always been? Isn't that what's the most exciting?

It feels like Kirma is someone he can toss aside and still look back to find there, waiting. There's a security in that, in the constant test of setting him free, of pushing him back and then pulling him in.

Right now, Esikko only cares about this warmth, the giddiness encouraged by alcohol and closeness. He turns his face slightly, as he leans closer, positioning himself so that his long fingers can wrap around the both of them together. Maybe just this is nice, a lazy, comfortable sort of stroking, a togetherness that feels right. His nose nudges into the side of Kirma's face, unusually tender, and he plants a new kiss there, at his jaw line. )

𝑫𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒆? ♥
𝑴𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒔 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒚 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝑰 𝒅𝒐 𝒐𝒘𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖.
3𝒂𝒎.
- 𝓔𝓼𝓲𝓴𝓴𝓸

( The note is handwritten, this time, on a page from a notepad with the Golden Peacock's name and logo on it. It's the middle of the afternoon when Esikko slips it, folded neatly into a little square, into Dabi's palm. He hardly leaves time for a reaction, giving a little wave as he steps back, half a skip, and turns to leave the suite. Dabi's been so kind to let him sleep here, despite the interruptions, but he has some things to gather and prepare for.

⚘
In the gardens, it's not difficult to find Esikko. Most of the people who are out at this hour are in the lower levels, indulging in alcohol, drugs, sex, or all of the above. Esi, though, is situated just to the side of a plot of unlabeled flowers. There's a large variety of them, some his own plantings, but most belonging to the House— but his set up is actually on the pathway and grass just beside it. There are various things set out in a clear formation; candles, tufts of rabbit fur, strands of hair, flower petals, and separate plants arranged along with the geometric patterns of the blood drawn beneath them. The projected moon and stars above them help create quite the scene, as false as it is.

Esikko is there, crouched down, his finger tracing out the last blood trail of a line in one of his complex shapes. Beside him is an assortment of jars of blood, including the very one he had Dabi cough into back during the flower illness that spread across the resort. The rest were gathered by him personally, too, like stealing from the clinic, or asking his bodyguard, or even bleeding himself. An elaborate little setup with a strange not-so-little collection. The only other thing on his person is a little golden journal, branded with the Golden Peacock, clutched in his hand.

The Prince lifts his head when he hears someone approaching, and pushes himself to stand up. )

You came. ( There's something like happiness in the tone he uses, and he folds his arms in front of himself, holding the journal there close to his chest. )

Are you curious? You want to see how I can put this all to use, right?

( This is clearly thrilling to him. Not just the blood— the magic, the things he's about to poke and prod at, and maybe even the company. He's made a lot of use of Dabi lately, and while it's not like him to dwell on guilt or anything like that, Esikko can't help but want to show his own usefulness in return. To reach forward the only way he knows how. )

Come here.

( honestly? the scene makes it look like some kind of occult bullshit.

he stands there, just beyond it, wondering if he's made some kind of mistake. no, the flowers in the elevator had been real, and that had been blood magic, plain and simple; the other things that esikko has done haven't been fabrications or lies, either, not the things that he's witnessed. so it isn't like esikko's lost his marbles or something, or like he's claimed some book of the devil to draw a summoning circle out of pig's blood and rabbit fur; the thought does make his mouth press together, fighting against a placid smile.

no, whatever this is, it's a real kind of magic. just nothing he's ever believed in--which isn't all that peculiar, considering that he believes in so little.

he's dressed like he dragged himself out of bed; there's an oversized black hoodie draped over him, the hood itself pulled up over messy hair, and he's got on a pair of slim black pants on underneath, bare feet pushed into slides. his gaze rolls over the scene in front of him, like he isn't sure where he can even move without messing something up: so he stays, resolute, stranded in place. )

Kinda was hoping I'd never see that again. ( with a glum, playful nod towards the jar he knows is the one he hacked his flower guts into. )

You wanna tell me where I can go? I don't wanna get in the way of your show, little prince.

( he lifts both of his hands up, sleeves sliding, as though surrendering himself to be moved and placed by esi as needed. )

Really? It doesn't bring forth any fond memories?

( Teasing as brightly as he is, it's clear that Esikko is excited. Excited to do some magic, to show some usefulness, no matter how small, and to see just what he can find for himself. Though he puffs out a sigh as he steps over the markings of blood and offerings and candles, it's clear he's not actually bothered. If anything, he's glad to not have any of his hard work trampled over.

Still, he circles around Dabi and places his palm against his back, a gentle push guiding him forward. )

Just step over anything marked, it's not so difficult, is it? Here, and...

( When they've reached the center of it all, he signals the stop with a little pat of his hands, satisfied. ) Just sit here. This is all just set-up— it all looks so excessive, but I'm only going to be working in a small space.

( After he takes one more look at it all, he seems satisfied, sitting down himself and pulling the jars of blood closer still. As he continues to speak, he dips his hands into the blood like it's nothing, watching it drip from his fingers as he begins to lift again. As he does, it strings thicker from the drippings, and he focuses. )

I thought you might want to know what sort of things I can gather from picking at the soul of this place. You know, like... a lens through to its core, seeing where strings are tied, what sort of things hold it up. Just don't touch these yourself.

( He's next to Dabi, rather than across from him, so that he can see much of the same that Esikko does. A lifted bloody hand paints across the air in front of them, and as he does, the blood seems to crawl like accelerated roots of plants, twisting and curving up and down in a complex web. It looks more like the web fades off where the blood ends, no harsh endings, just plenty unrevealed. And when he's "painted" enough of the blood that his palm is completely covered, some dripping down to his arm, to his clothes, not that he seems to care— he allows his hand to hover in front of it, like he's searching for the best spot. )

It's like a skeleton. There's no secret technology that can do this sort of thing, right?

( well sure, he could have figured that much. still, he takes it exaggeratedly slowly, stepping carefully, refusing to even get close to anything that he might smudge out with his shoes; when he's finally situated in the center, he realizes that this might have been a fool's mistake--why didn't he ask about what esikko was going to do? and now here he is, standing in the middle of it, and for all he knows? this could be some fucked up spell directed at him.

so he sits, with a wary glance at esikko, peering at him from beyond his hood. at least he sits down next to him, which he thinks bodes well for the fact that they're in the middle of all this, here. sitting criss-cross, he dips an elbow down against one of his thighs, tipping his chin into his palm so that he can watch him work.

bizarre, really. it's not like the little lunatic hadn't told them plenty of stories of playing with blood, the occasional sad little quip from her childhood that she quickly covered up so as not to reveal too much. those had been the moments he had related to her best: that feeling of being all wrong in your own skin, that feeling of being unloved in your own skin. a disappointment. a reject. is that the reason why esikko's father didn't want him doing all this, too?

still, his eyes open a little wider at the mention. )

...This place has a soul? So it's some living thing?

( he doesn't know if he believes that, or not. even if it's some kind of special fortress, some kind of special prison, there's no reason why it would have a soul. still, he lifts his gaze, watching the movements, watching esikko, watching the blood. )

Does that mean you can find the way out? Looking at all this.

( There's something refreshing about being asked such genuine, interested questions. The motives don't matter, what Dabi is getting out of this doesn't matter— what matters is that he's doing something that can tell him so much more, and someone is looking past all the blood to see what really matters. Questions, ones with answers, ones with possibilities. There's no disgust that he can see in Dabi's eyes as he glances to check, and it's hard not to feel giddy over that. Even Kirma constantly talked down on his blood magic, no matter the lifetime. No one else ever got it.

He hooks a bloody finger around one of the strings, and it vibrates with sudden intensity. Esikko's only response is to curl his other hand into the fabric of his pants, over his folded legs, as he closes his eyes to focus. )

I had suspected it had a soul, but like this, I can confirm it. I don't know that I'd call this "living," but it is its own entity. There is a possibility to find information enough to determine a way out, too, or if there can be one, but it's a matter of where I look... You can ask me things as I go, if you think something sounds relevant.

( His grip on the string tightens slightly before he tugs it just enough to put a strain on it. Dabi can likely feel the strange sensations in the air due to this magic, like a window's been left open to a draft of energy. Esikko opens his eyes again, studying the way it moves, reaching a second hand up to touch it as well. )

This one, here— it's a connection between the suits visualized. Hearts and Spades, opposing, and then this— ( His added hand shifts again, to grab a different string and tug much the same. It's intertwined with the first quite closely. Blood continues to drip from the movements. ) —yes, it's Clubs and Diamonds. They're all within this entity, like its arms and legs, but opposing one another. And...

( Both hands trail along the bloodied strings, or roots, following to the intersection of so many others, tangled. He has to close his eyes again, struggling to process what he's feeling. Small flowers begin to bloom, here and there, along the map of stringy roots, and there's the smallest start of a nosebleed in Esikko, but he's ignoring that right now. )

That's... strange. I knew some of the guests were no longer alive, but a large handful of them seem to be somewhere in between...?

( he knows better than to reach out and touch it--knows better than to lift up a hand, strum his fingers in as though any of this belongs to him. this isn't his place, and more than that, this isn't something that he understands; he watches, eyes trailing from where esikko's fingers touch, to the way the blood moves, to the strange feeling, almost like a chill that settles around them. it makes him want to shrug further into his hoodie, but he's already warm, burning up beneath the fabric; he's listening, despite the way his gaze lids, a little, as he watches.

the suits connected, like arms and legs. opposites, branching out. which would put something else as the heart, wouldn't it? something else at the center. the house itself, maybe, if it can be some kind of entity like that. a bizarre thing.

the flowers look familiar, but he doesn't want to admit to that. there's a press of his lips together; it's easy to stay silent, easy to be patient, but as esikko lets the information leak, so does his body: a flicker of his gaze finds that little nosebleed, dribbling down to curve over his upper lip. )

Somewhere in between? Not alive, and not dead either? ( quietly--one arm lifts, a sleeve that rubs, lightly, across esikko's nose, smearing the blood there, staining it over his sleeve. )

Isn't that true for most of us? ( it isn't a challenge, like he knows better: but more trying to map the information together. ) How are we alive, here, if we're still alive back home all the same?

( The gesture, as small as it is, grounds Esikko a little. The more he digs into this, the more it feels like something is digging back, and so it's easy to get lost in that. To want to push past and rush forward with an impatience that matches his desire for information. With the reminder, he considers those questions, eyes moving back to trace along the bloody "skeleton" he's forming. )

It's different. ( Calmer, confident, he says this. One of his hands parts from the web, but then just before its destination, pauses. Hovers, as he gives another sideways glance to Dabi. It feels foreign, somehow, to stop and give any sort of warning, any sort of semblance of a request for permission, but he finds himself doing it before he realizes, and so— ) ...You'll likely feel this one, just for a second.

( It shouldn't be an unpleasant feeling, as his bloody fingers find the root of this complex tree that leads straight to Dabi. It's almost like the touch of cold fingertips up along a spine, when Esikko briefly reveals that connection, a too-sensual stroke along the string that's admittedly at least partially indulgent. But with a slow breath in, he adds quickly: )

Your soul is still very much something still alive. Like... ( And this comes with the smallest breath of a laugh ) —a candle that's still brightly burning.

( His touch lingers a bit longer than he originally meant for it too, but then he pulls back, suddenly, eyes over focused on the web as his original hand slides along a particularly thick root, more flowers still blooming. )

These ones have gone out. But they still feel warm. Does that make sense?

( it isn't asking for permission--more like asking for forgiveness, when esikko touches whatever the fuck it is he touches, whatever it is he thinks he can reach inside of him and feel. despite his disbelief, he feels it all the same, like a cold hand in the early morning hours, fingers tracing the ridges of his spine, beneath the seams of damaged and healthy skin alike. a little like there's someone inside of his own skin with him, someone curious and eager, someone that makes him feel--alien, there, for a moment, lips pressed together against a sound, like he could tear a hand in and burn the intrusion out of himself.

he probably wouldn't have given permission, anyway--not that he thinks it would have stopped esikko, anyway. but he doesn't lash out, doesn't boil up with anger, either: too late for that, and not like he feels anger, either. just something odd, and strange, like they've shared something intimate that he's not sure he likes.

a scoff of breath, stubborn and bated. ) Yeah... alive. The soul is willing, the body isn't.

( but his gaze slides, moves away from esikko to look into his lap, like he's--embarrassed, or something, like he doesn't like it being called out like that.

better, then, to focus on what else they have here. more information. )

...Maybe it's like that, then. ( a brief glance up, then down again. ) Warm, because the soul is there, even a little bit. But maybe the body is different.

( Soul is willing, body isn't... Esikko flicks a glance in Dabi's direction, just briefly catching the way his head dips. )

The body... You might be right about that. It's hard for me to tell from here, with this, but— I'll write that down.

( Later, when his hands are less busy. Right now, he opens his mouth a little, like he wants to continue that thought, like he could probably ramble about souls and bodies for another ten minutes— but his wandering fingers have gathered as much information as he can get, right now, and the House wants to rummage right back. His eyes dart right back to the skeleton of what he's working with as bloody roots wrap around his wrists, threatening to work up further as Esikko's body slumps into unconsciousness.

Thankfully, it only lasts a matter of seconds, three or four, and then he's jolting back awake with a short gasp, yanking his wrists back and free with a snap of bloody strings that sounds more like a tree root being ripped from soil. From there, all of his hard work falls apart in an instant— blood loses shape and splatters to the ground, the offerings he'd placed around burst into flames and burn right out in curious fires that don't seem to spread. )

Damn it— ( Well, now it's even more of a mess than it had been before. There's blood on the both of them, not helped as Esikko places a palm on Dabi's leg to steady himself as he's sitting, his other lifting to touch curiously beneath his nose, where far more blood than the last time is rushing past the smeared blood from before. It's a little dizzying. )

It searched back. ( Just, an explanation for this very messy ending to what he wanted to be a neat, helpful, useful gathering of information. He cups his hand over it now, and when it begins to drip through that, pinches his nose. God, why, the biggest thing he's bothered to show Dabi and this is how it's going, that's just Great— ) But I was able to get a bit more... I can write it down, maybe. I can give you a summary, in text, if you want.

( for a moment, he wonders if it's some sort of possession--a little hilarious to think it, all things considered, but he's still not convinced that this isn't some weird kind of occult magic or something bizarre like that. what would even possess him, the spirit of the resort itself? believing that the whole thing has a soul is one thing, but going this far would be something else entirely: and someone like that stupid j guy would probably know about that kind of thing, and would have at least teased some kind of information. still, it's undeniable that esikko slumps forward like he's suddenly unconscious; with a discerning eye, he waits to see what might happen.

at the very least, it's not very long. life breathes back into him, and with it, comes the end of the magic show--at least as much as he can assume. blood spatters, flecks of it staining his hoodie, flinched onto his thighs, but it doesn't bother him; it's not the first time he's been covered in blood that probably doesn't belong to him.

with a slight wince, he lifts up a hand again. )

Slow down. You can write it later.

( his fingers bodily pull esikko's hand away from his nose, just so he can see the damage--with a click of his tongue, playfully annoyed, he reaches in to pinch his nose himself. )

Put your head forward. Breathe through your mouth. Slow.

( this is getting esikko's blood all over him, too, but he doesn't care. )

( Write it later? There's an immediate rush of worry that comes with that. What if he forgets? What if he doesn't get the chance? What if any number of mistakes leads to this being some useless mess? )

But—

( The pinch to his nose being replaced by Dabi's puts a stop to his thoughts, for the moment. With the pause of that rush, he becomes aware of just how dizzy he feels, how losing even this much blood can be an annoyance for someone like him. And so he listens to the instructions, as calm as they are, even if the first breath through his mouth is more of a frustrated exhale. He closes his eyes in an attempt to keep things from spinning.

There's blood everywhere, but it's only Esikko's that smells oddly floral, and so strongly so. Not even the jars of blood mixed with flower petals manage to smell so much like a flower field, between the sickly smell of injury it normally carries. Only his that's unusually cold, that seems to drip like it has a mind of its own, curving over arches of knuckles and palm with a subtle slowness. But that's all that seems to be different, and as Esikko focuses on breathing, it at least becomes clear that he's not going to pass out again.

Though this nosebleed is going on for a bit longer than he'd like, the pinched nose is helping. )

I've made a mess out of you. ( Spoken with a huff that's close to a laugh, though a little too irritated with himself to carry properly, Esikko slides the hand on Dabi's thigh over a little, smearing some of the droplets of blood. But... )

You must not mind so much, if you're grabbing my face after that.

They're not my clothes.

( dryly--he doesn't care if esikko smears his own blood into them, smears the blood he's collected into them. these aren't the clothes that had been designed for him, fireproof, ragged like his mind; these aren't the clothes he kept in an old dirty backpack, when he'd been living on his own, the only few items he ever possessed there. it would be easy enough to send them all out to be cleaned, and even easier still to just request that the house deliver him new ones. easy enough to shell out a little cash for them.

it doesn't matter. not his clothes, not his skin. esikko's blood smears a soft, gentle scent on his skin, but it doesn't matter.

with a slight narrowing of his eyes, he pulls his hand back for a moment to assess--his nose is still dripping, but it's not the gushing of before, puddling around his palm and fingers. with a soft sigh, he puts his hand back in, pinching gently. )

And I've had my dick inside you. Think I care about a little blood?

( there's some wry amusement in his voice, all the same. )

You're not gonna stay here, are you? You're gonna go back to your room, write in your little journal, and wash your face.

...Most people do, even if you make that sort of comparison.

( It's a mumble, sounding even funnier with his nose pinched shut again. It's disappointing, that this is over like this. That he didn't find some full, secret connection, or the key to getting them out of here. That he passed out for half a second and now this little outing is going to end, right when he was starting to feel a little useful.

He leans his weight forward a little, pushing through the gentle hold of Dabi's hand at his nose to rest head against chest, like the softest of headbutts. And since he doesn't mind the blood, since he doesn't have any attachment to these clothes, he reaches a bloody palm up to scrunch at the front of his hoodie, a pathetic cling. Wait, don't try to leave so quickly. )

I don't even have a sink to wash my face at in my terrible little excuse for a bedroom, you know.

( Those words combined with his sulky little hunch show, he hopes, that he wants to go back to Dabi's room, not his own. That he wants to borrow his space for just a little bit more, while he's so freshly avoiding the other he'd been using. ...That's when something hits him, though, and he shifts, lifting his head enough to peer at Dabi's in the normally reversed orientation of being "taller"— and moves his free hand to smear a little streak of blood across Dabi's cheek. )

Maybe we should clean up together. ( devious. )

( it's such a strange, unusual feeling--it's not the first time that someone has fisted up the front of his hoodie, but usually that's in their dying moments, begging him, cursing him, trying to reach for him through the fire. the way that esikko touches him is more pleading, like a child begging to stay up another few hours, or for another few bites of a good snack. with a slow breath, he straightens out his shoulders; careful, he keeps his hand pinched at esikko's nose, not letting the movement disrupt him from his task.

it's only when that head lifts that he lifts his own brows in expectation--and his face doesn't change, even as esikko smears a streak of blood across his cheek.

his eyes lid, like he's going to get angry; carefully, his hand lowers from esikko's nose, blood pooled into the palm, dripping down his fingers. )

Maybe you shouldn't invite yourself over. ( mildly, as he lifts his bloody hand to push it back through esikko's pretty hair, mottling it up, strands stuck together as he brushes out the strands; when he's done, he paps esikko's cheek with his palm in playful punishment. )

But if you ask me nicely, I guess I'll let you use the shower. You look like a fucking mess.

( he does not, at least, agree to clean up with him together just yet--that'll be the next hurdle esikko has to jump, made apparent by the slow curve of his smile. )

Can you stand?

( Esikko expects anger, some sort of smart ass comment, or a firm rejection. Bloody fingers through his hair, though, catch him completely off guard. There's an annoyed sound that slips out, one of weak protest, but by the time he lifts his hands to try and swat Dabi's out of his hair, he's already getting a pap to the cheek, the gentle "punishment" of it earning one closed eye as he waves him off. )

If I don't invite myself, who will?

( His brows are furrowed, his face a little red, and he's undeniably pouty over Dabi's reaction, without any real heaviness to the irritation lying beneath. The comment he'd just made comes out without a thought, without a pause for the implications of how he thinks. Instead, he spends a second hovering a hand cluelessly over his own head, debating if there's anything that can be done at all with the state of his hair now, for the walk down. But with a huff, he gives it up and drops his hand. )

Fine. You want me to say pretty please? I can stand.

( But he does use Dabi's shoulders as a brace, placing a hand on one to push himself up and snatching his journal off the ground with the other as he goes. )

Pretty pleaaaase. ( Dryly, as he gathers a few more of his jars and shoves them into a bag. And then, with a slower sort of turn, he looks back at Dabi again, his eyes and the tense way he grips at the bag over his shoulder giving away his uncertainty, even when his words come out snappy. )

You're really going to make me shower alone?

( his gaze watches, mild, tracking, as esikko cleans up--gathers up his jars, gathers up his journal, doesn't make any move to smudge anything out. if this is a little corner that he's claimed for himself, then it probably doesn't matter; still, he's careful about it, as he eases up onto his feet, careful as he steps away, just as he'd stepped in. he doesn't want to fuck anything up on accident--easier to push his hands into his sweatshirt and wait for him, assuring that he doesn't wobble when he eases up his bag.

he thinks he could offer to carry it--then decides against it. his eyes narrow, playful, looking esikko down once, then back up again. )

You? Nah. You'll shower with me.

( as if it had been that easy all along--and with another curve of a smile, he eases back a little more, already intent on heading towards the exit, to head towards the elevators, to head towards his room. he'll wait, at least, for esikko to fall into step beside him before he leaves--after all, he doesn't know how he feels about that comment.

if i don't invite myself, who will?

he may not be willing to put it into words, may not be willing to keep extending out invitations to his room like it's some kind of halfway house. but the implication of his body language, of the way that he sticks close to him, the way that he takes charge at the elevator, once they arrive, to hit the button for his own floor: that should speak more than his words will. )

You're such a tease.

( Those are the words Esikko decides on, in response to that acceptance, but his lips curve into his own smile with the sideways glance he gives him. It's also not lost on him, the closeness, the body language, the initiative— and while he doesn't connect it to being due to anything he'd said, he can at least realize that if Dabi really didn't want him to come over, he wouldn't be acting like this.

When the doors open to Dabi's floor, Esikko hesitates only a moment to be sure that no one else is walking along the hall before stepping out with him, readjusting the bag on his shoulder. )

Hmm, should I be thinking of ways to thank you for the shower? ( Teasing, he dares to lift a hand just enough to brush feather-light against Dabi's hair. The risk of being swatted away is worth the reward, he thinks. ) Washing your hair? Your back? ...Something else?

( Flirting when his hair and face are caked with blood, at like, four in the morning. )

Princeling~
I have an offer to make you, and this is one you won't want to miss out on. What do you say? Tempted?

( He never enjoys when Aventurine texts him, but somehow doing it out of the blue is even worse. As much as the temptation is there to ignore it completely...

He is, in fact, tempted to hear this offer. )

What could you possibly have to offer me?

My life.
Or rather, I suppose I should say my corpse?

( thank you kirma for that information, but also, it doesn't take a genius. they did have quite the messy date, months ago. )

Whatever experiment you want to do, anything you want to try. As long as it kills me.
After that, you may do with my corpse what you will.
Ah, with a few exceptions, of course. I would very much like to keep my limbs intact, if you don't mind.
Have I caught your interest?

( Now that's unexpected. Esikko hadn't previously been giving this conversation his whole attention, but he certainly is now, dropping the pen he was using to write in his journal to focus on these words. He rereads them a few times. )

My, you've actually caught my interest, this time.

But I have some questions.

1. What do you get from this? If your death is all it is, is it not simple enough to kill yourself? Why reach out to me?

2. How, exactly, do you plan on making it clear that this is a mutual deal? I'd rather not deal with any fans of yours attempting to hunt me down afterwards.

1. I believe in a mutually beneficial friendship, my friend, and is that not what we have? You have a particular hobby that is not easy to indulge, and I would like to extend you a helping hand.

( it is, in part, bullshit, but he can hardly make himself the vulnerable party here. the truth is that he doesn't have the means, no weapon or powers to take his own life, not to mention despite all, aventurine is halted by fear of something he has long longed for.

so, the next best thing is murder, isn't it? )

2. Haha. You flatter me. You truly think I have fans? I'm no celebrity, just a merchant with a penchant for gambling.
I have no interest in putting you on the spot for this. Did I not say it before? This is a mutually beneficial friendship.

I want to find out whether 'death' exists in the resort. That, in itself, is information I would like to obtain, and I believe it would prove to be useful to you as well.
After all, for this hobby of yours. Would it not become more accessible if 'death' has no lasting consequences? I'm sure for someone like you, it opens several new doors, does it not?

( Esi's messages are far more spaced out than usual. There's no emotional, instant angry typing back. He has to consider this carefully, after all.

This is entirely relevant, in a number of ways. He has to cover his bases, but... )

If it's going to be the end of your life, I'd rather not deal with your lies. Speak honestly with me, at the very least, and I'll be honest with you. So... is it that you can't bring yourself to do it? Is this related to the way you've been ignoring my poor little ex-bodyguard?

Not that I care, of course. You can do what you want.

This is something I can agree to, so long as some conditions are met. I'll agree not to remove any limbs, but can I keep some blood? Secondly, if death does not exist here, and you return, I would like to hear about it, as it's relevant to our little "study" here. Third, I can tell whoever you want about this, so long as you handwrite a letter for them yourself, making it clear this was your own choice.

As you can see, not all of my demands are for self-benefit alone.

However, I'd like a payment in chips, as well. Since you won't be needing them. Is that fair?

( absolutely fucked up that esi knows about that, but aventurine will do what he does best: ignore, deflect, lie. )

Nothing so complicated, my friend. I simply do not have the means. My little bet with J didn't grant me what I asked for, after all. ( in part. he was still lucky with his loss, so it checks out. )

You may keep some blood, though not all. If I do wake up, I would prefer not to find myself anemic, on top of everything else.
I will share my findings with you as well. Consider it payment for being so generous.
Are you still scared someone will come for you? There's no need, but if it would ease your concerns, then I will play along. I do not wish to bring you trouble, my friend, only employ your abilities. You have shown me some of them before, after all. And dare I say, it was an unforgettable encounter.

Better yet, as proof of my sincerity, I would be happy to transfer you all of my current chips. You may keep all of it, in case I don't return. If I do, I only ask for half of it back.
How does that sound?

Hmm. A deal, then.

And when is this new date, then? I can make time for it whenever you'd like.

Would you be available in the next hour? My schedule is completely free.
As for the place, you may choose wherever you feel comfortable. I'm only a guest, after all.

( He's still forever suspicious, but ultimately, he's willing to bet on this being some sort of emotional flaw in Aventurine rather than anything actually meant to harm him. Esikko is just being used as a coward's tool.

It's fine. He's been used by worse. )

I'll prepare and be ready in an hour, then. As for the location... your room won't be a problem, will it? Unfortunately, mine is a tad small.

( lucky you, esi. any other time and his room would've been completely unavailable. but now it's a little too lonely, a little too quiet, and whatever secrets he had in it have left once topaz did too.

maybe it is a good dying grave. )

If you find a six's room to be large enough for what you have to do, then by all means.

A six may pale to a ten, but it's much better off than a three.

See you then.

2,500 chips, if you could.

( i lived bitch 👋 )

( Almost immediately, the chips are sent over, all 2500. He keeps his promises, see? You just have to make sure you ask for the right things. )

Well, that was quite the nap you took, my friend. I don't suppose you'd mind answering just a couple of things for me about how you're feeling?

It's a miracle, after all.

( wowwwwww. you kill him AND you steal his 'my friend' from him? he sees how it is. )

Haha. What can I say? The clinic's bed is quite comfortable. You could give it a try, if you need a better night of sleep.
But yes, ask away. That was part of our terms, after all.

( Oh, just the one time. To let him know how it feels. Just to be cute, you know? But anyway, great, on to business! )

How do you feel overall? Do you remember everything before your death? What about during your time being brought back?

Have you received any new cards?

If you told me my death had been just a dream, I would have believed it. Hardly feel any different.

( aside from the 🙂 scars on his chest 🙂 that is. )

I remember everything from before I died. ( feelings included )
As for during, at some point I started dreaming. Likely after the doctors and nurses brought me back. I don't have any recollection from the week I've been asleep.

( as for the cards.................................... )

Two new ones.

Consider those a bonus for your cooperation.

( And now, for some questions that may be shocking. )

How is Kirma? He's by your side, isn't he?

And, now that it's all over, do you regret asking for your own death? Or, perhaps only the way it was acted out? Or nothing at all?

( he hates it. thanks. also what's the point of that question???????? prick. )

He's not.

( which is a lie that esi will also likely know it's a lie, but it's fine. aventurine doesn't want to answer that, nor does he owe him that answer. )

Is that part of your study as well?

No. It's my own curiosity. You don't have to answer it, if you'd rather not.

( His answers have already given more than he usually does, which means that Esikko has successfully found a crack to slither his way into, like a weed through concrete. )

I simply wonder if you'll value life a little more this time, or waste it again. It doesn't matter to me.

My, though, I'm being treated like such a villain right now. Wasn't this your request in the first place? You might deny that he's there now, but he was with you the entire week you were there. I think you owe me at least a little thanks, for overriding that pathetic way you two were dancing around each other.

If that's how you gauge my answers to you, then go ahead.
But you're right. It was my request, and you were only doing your part.
Inviting him was not part of it.

( even though he knows that's his own fault, but still. )

It's my turn to ask questions.
Did something happen to you this past week? Did the House find out?

Inviting him wasn't against it, either. I'm sure you realized that, though.

But fine, I don't mind answering. Nothing happened to me at all. I can't say for sure if the House found out, but I didn't particularly try to hide it.

Considering how the cards were earned, I'm not sure if the House cares about death.

Figures a princeling enjoys having an audience. No one to praise you for your hard work? Must be upsetting.

( just saying. anyway! )

Next question.
Why does Kirma call you 'honored son'?

( don't worry about how he knows that, btw. )

( The joy of making Aventurine annoyed crossed with his own annoyance at those first comments... )

I can answer that if you tell me how you know about that. I thought you didn't recall anything that happened after your death?

I don't. That wasn't a lie, princeling. ( /derogatory )
But maybe you're just unlucky? A shame, really. Would that I could share some of my luck with you.
You should be more careful about where you place those vines of yours.

( ...So that's how it is. Hmm. There's a pause, but it's not too long. )

Honored son... That's what you're curious about?

He was just referring to me the way a servant would. It's nothing more than his annoyance shining through.

A servant who's skilled at magic, perhaps even more than you are? That's surprising.
No wonder the mere mention of him gets you so worked up. You look down on him, but aren't you the one who has to look up all the time instead?

( this is all a gamble in itself, a compilation of assumptions from what aventurine has experienced and what he has heard. no emotionally stable behaves the way esikko does, and that is a lot from the guy in dire need of therapy. )

A pool of blood makes for an awful company. You might want to reconsider your tastes.

As flattered as I am that you're reaching to try and get your hands around my heart, you're wasting your time; there's nothing there. ( lie )

My tastes haven't landed me in the grave. Can the same be the said for both of you?

Haha. But that's not surprising in the least, is it?

( just saying. )

What else is left once you're the only one alive, Esikko? A pool of blood and a string of corpses around you for you to reign over?
I guess dead men doesn't have ears to listen to your words, and a mouth to argue back in disagreement. Your affinity for corpses isn't unfounded, it seems.

You're quite angry with me, but you're the one who set the rules. I only showed you the holes in your thinking.

Unlike what you're saying, I have no interest in corpses like you— people with perfectly healthy bodies wasting their time and space as cowards, doing nothing but moping around about their unfortunate lives, waiting for the chance to escape.

What a waste. If nothing has changed in your mindset, then you should have stayed dead.

Hmmm? I'm not angry at all. ( he is )
It is as you say. I set the rules, and you found a loophole. That's how you efficiently play a game.

I must say, I actually feel honored. 'If nothing has changed in my mindset'? That almost makes it sound like you want it to change.
Do you want me to be alive? Is that what you truly wish for, princeling?
Then don't worry. I am quite hard to kill, and as you have seen, even when I die, I come back.
You will see plenty of me still, Esikko. This cowardly corpse has a lot of unfinished business, after all.

Maybe try harder next time?

So you do still have a death wish. I'll keep that in mind.

Are you done? Because I stopped asking questions some time ago.

One more.
What magic did you use on me?

( sure would've been a romantic question if he weren't lowkey accusing him of being the reason he's afflicted with hanahaki now :\ )

Didn't I walk you through what I was doing well enough? It was blood magic.

The name of a game does not explain its rules, princeling.
I know first hand you can use it to put your plants and vines inside my body. Or you mean to imply I should believe you didn't use that to experiment on me?
Really, you could just have asked first. Have you not heard of consent before?

Excuse you. Was it not consent that I received, when you said I could do whatever I wanted to kill you, so long as I didn't remove any limbs?

But also, I have no idea what you're talking about. I didn't put anything inside of you, other than that knife. Kirma added the extras.

Did you wake up with something strange?

( haha you could say kirma added the toppings.................... )

That's right. However, once dead, that statement no longer applies, does it?

There's remnants of petals inside my heart. ( lungs, actually, but also esikko doesn't deserve the full picture. ) Knowing how you like your magic, shouldn't you be flattered that I thought of you before anyone else?
Even the House. Perhaps this is the kind of pedestal you've always longed to be on?

If I had done something to you, it wouldn't be nearly as pleasant as that.

Perhaps the House is on my side. Maybe it thinks you've wasted time and resources on your own self pity, so it's slapping you on the wrist.

The House is on your side, but it saw fit to reward me with two cards despite my death, and it bothered to bring me back to life. Your reasoning seems a little flawed, princeling.
In fact, I would argue I have gotten quite lucky with how it all turned out.

You're simply still a piece in the game.

But, sure. Congratulations.

And yet some pieces have more value, and others are closer to the finishing line than others.

Pleasure doing business with you, Esikko.

( ASSHOLE he's not going to say anything else >:( )

Are you busy?
And if you are. Change it.

( Ah. He nearly forgets his whole agreement with Dabi, types up some snippy response— but he deletes it before he sends it, and he's sure that's what counts. This is still valid interaction number one! Of three!! )

Well, it looks like I'm free. Why?

( meanwhile, guy who has no idea: )

Apparently yesterday was my birthday.
I've learned it's tradition here to do something kind for people when that occurs.

( Ugh. )

Hiyori did mention something like that.

What would you like to do, then?

Come out with me.
I'll even let you pick where to go. Since I'm a generous royal.

( unspoken: unlike you. also unspoken: hehe. )

( Oh, he hasn't even realized. This might be a little fun. )

I suppose I can do that much for you. We could start at a walk in the gardens?

( his second-least favorite place! right after the spa! he's actually being the nicies one right now! )

Meet in thirty minutes.
I have something for you to wear. So don't worry too much about the outfit.

( This is the worst possible thing he could read right now. WHAT does he have for him to wear? WHY is he doing this right now? It's suspicious. But he has to stick to his guns, and so... )

See you then.

( Despite how his normal short answer would result in him completely ghosting Kirma, Esikko actually shows up. He's dressed casually, comfortably, since he was told not to worry— slacks and a simple shirt. He stands near the flowers, since he's sure that's where Kirma will know to look, and scrolls on his Watch as he waits. )

( him, suspicious? never.

it is a wagging dog that trots up to esi, easily finding his scent in the breeze; a plain box is tucked under his arm, and he tilts his head by way of greeting as their eyes meet. esi looks much the same as always; kirma expected no less, and yet, there's a tiny sliver of disappointment in it, for all the time they've spent apart. that's fine. the box is then presented to esi without much fanfare. its contents include a red evening dress, a pair of short heels, and... a dog collar.

don't worry about that one. )

I can turn around while you get ready.

( yeah he's being very sussy right now. )

( Suspicious. Esikko takes the box with a curious glance into the contents, his face immediately scrunching at the sight of not just a dress and heels, but a collar?

"Are you sure you didn't leave part of your own wardrobe in this?" Is what he wants to say. But he fixes his face rather quickly, puts on a little smile, and turns to walk towards a little alcove not far from here. )

If you want the surprise. Really, just make sure no one else walks up, and it should be fine.

( Is he... changing into this without even a comment about his outrage? Yes. Dress first! His shirt gets tossed to a bench to the side, followed by his pants, and he steps carefully into the dress, squinting at the size. Is this... going to work? )

( that's—

who's suspicious now? before esi turns, kirma twitches forward a moment, as if to yank the box back; his eyes narrow as he holds himself back from such a gesture, from showing how unnerved esi's acquiescence has left him. instead, his lips press into a thin line before he turns around, even allowing his eyes to close. he's certain he'd ear if esi tries to abscond and be able to catch him in time— surely, it must be something like that?

surely. one ear twists back, half-folded, as dubious as it is eavesdropping. )

It's not such a problem if someone does see you. Is it?

( sex casino or whatever. he has never given much thought to the collection of cards, neither his own nor other people's. he is also sure that esi cannot be entirely bereft of them outside of the three he's certain of, but he does also wonder, for the first time... what that total even could look like. frownworthy thoughts. if nothing else, he's sure however this night ends will at least be a, hmm, unique situation shared between the two of them. that's the best way to put it. )

... There's no one else around, before you get too fussy. ( he'd know. )

...Okay.

( That's all he says in response, a rather lacking answer to all of that compared to what he usually gives. But maybe it can be written off as him fitting into this dress, how short it feels on his long legs when he knows it should be long, how he feels squeezed in these heels.

It's the struggling with the collar that gets him to hesitate for a moment before finally clearing his throat a little and speaking up. )

Could I get your help with this part? ( Asking. ) It's a little hard to buckle when I can't see it.

( ... "okay?" that's it? already, this inspired a great suspicion in kirma, but hearing esi ask, request assistance with something instead of demanding or refusing, it's...

it makes kirma think he really shouldn't be within arm's reach once the collar is closed, if nothing else. maybe the reticence is audible in his padded steps as he turns back to esi, approaching as one would a wounded animal liable to bite, ears at asymmetric angles. taking up the ends of the collar, he pauses. )

You can't get angry.

( it's (the day after) his birthday. that's all the warning esi gets, before kirma buckles the collar, eyes pointedly rolled skyward. that half-hearted attempt at granting modesty surely will be enough to evade esi's wrath. )

Why would I...

( The collar buckles, and Esikko's voice trails off as he feels something shift. Everything, really— he shrinks a little, his body feels strange all over, like a tingling, and then—

When he blinks, it feels almost like he's just been woken from a dream. Scrubbing at his eyes doesn't tell him much, but the tickle of longer hair down his back, down the low cut of the dress, does. And the way his feet slide more easily into the heels. And the way his chest, small as it is even now, fills out a little more...

Oh. He's a woman.

Immediately, rage fires up inside of him, but he catches himself quickly, eyes staring down at his own body, a breath escaping in something that's at least an attempt at a puff of a laugh. )

... I see.

( Not! Angry! In fact, he smiles, though it's a smile that may be even more ominous, as he reaches over to Kirma, to put his arms around him. To make him nervous. )

So this is what you wanted? Am I cute, at least?

( He already wants to kill him, but if he can at least get a compliment out of this, it might soothe his rage a bit. A bit. And if not, then maybe the ominous feeling that his kindness will leave can be enough. )

( yay! kirma practically springs away at the sound of esi’s voice, expecting a reaction far more volatile; when it fails to arrive, it makes his hackles rise further, from the terror the absence inspires. the smile, too. one ear folds back, then the other, then— they alternate, paralyzed by the indecision of knowing there’s danger yet failing to see any evidence of it.

it leaves him entirely unprepared to escape the sudden embrace that follows, and he freezes under the weight of esi’s arms, not unlike a rabbit caught in a trap. who knew such a clever plan could backfire so drastically. )

……… Yes.

( he manages to choke that much out, strained as it is. while it’s the genuine truth, this also may have been one of the rare occasions worth attempting a lie if it weren’t. )

Ah, but you’re… ( how does he put this, ) actually not mad?

( his beans are so incredibly sweaty right now. )

( Mad? Mad? Oh, he's incredibly furious. In fact, it's fury that channels energy into the actions he takes, into the smile he's giving that feels weirdly ominous, or the way his hands hook together from around Kirma. He is absolutely going to ruin this man with kindness. )

Why would I be mad?

( It's laughable, saying that so sweetly, and so Esikko frees Kirma from his grip and takes a playful step back with a playful little laugh to release a little more of his tension. At the very least, this is going to be some fun fodder for later, for others— and so he lifts his Watch and taps through to the camera app to check himself out and snap a handful of posed pictures. )

Hmm. This is temporary, right?

( His eyes slide over to Kirma expectantly. )

( isn’t he enjoying it, just a little too much? that’s what kirma thinks— and in a way, that should be a good thing, that esikko doesn’t fully hate such a phenomenon. shouldn’t it? but.

in all honesty, there was a portion of this set up to be entirely at esi’s expense; a minor bit of fun, of mean-spirited enjoyment that in some ways would’ve been the real gift of the hour. without that, it makes him wonder if he misjudged things. maybe worse, misremembered them, a glaring flaw in an already imperfect memory.

more than anything else… he’s not sure where esi is taking them, so to speak, and that’s what unnerves him most of all. )

… Only while it’s on, ( is how finally he answers. the thought of inflicting such a thing on someone permanently and without warning strikes him as so thoroughly odd that he finds himself taken aback that esi’s mind would wander there first. ) Though I’m sure the house would be happy to negotiate, if you wanted more.

( a pause, both to chew his nerves down and to ensure that esi is done with his self-examination. ) Shall we walk? ( you know… their date… )

( Temporary. Thank the gods. He was going to have trouble keeping up this nice guy act if it wasn't. But it is, and judging by the angle of Kirma's furry ears, his plan is working fairly nicely, too. He seems unsettled, subtly so, and that's enough to lift the prince's mood just enough. )

Whatever you'd like. It's your day after all, so just lead the way.

( So friendly, so accommodating, he allows his arms to slip away from Kirma so that he can stand on his own. Here, he adjusts his dress a little, staring down at himself for a moment too long before he clears his throat and moves to walk with Kirma. )

Only while it's on sounds ideal, doesn't it? A short taste of something new. ( A pause, as he tries to formulate the next idea in a way that comes off more nice than it should. )

I take it you haven't had much luck with women, to be gifted something like this? I wonder why?

( It's spoken as if it's a genuine question. It's not. )

( sweaty pawed, kirma leads on. wandering the gardens, and— truthfully, even without the unexpected reactions, he hadn’t really formulated a plan past this point. collar goes on, ???, everything is great. that’s as far as he got. now—

the first two steps of that are ostensibly complete, but the third certainly hasn’t come to past. it might not come to pass at all, with the way esi is taking things so fully in stride that it wraps back around to him fearing for his life. somewhere, midway through the maze that he accidentally took them down after a wrong turn, he stops abruptly to turn back to esi. well, halfway back to esi; the rest of his attention comes as a sidelong glance with backwards ears. )

First of all— ( no, he hasn’t had much luck with women, but what does that have to do with anything? yet no articulate protest comes to mind, and he’s left staring in silence without any followup. no, wait, there’s one:

a sigh. )

You know, this isn’t… ( fun ) If you’d rather take it off and go. You can.

Oh, I don't mind.

( A lie, and one that radiates with the invisible anger lurking beneath his too-sunny smile. But there's a joy to be earned in Kirma's suffering, in the promise that will come because of it, and so he puts up with this. Does more than that, in fact, by reaching to take one of Kirma's arms in something like a hug, meaning to walk like this. )

You did have plans for us, didn't you? I thought that you must have, considering how you asked me out here. So, I'll follow your lead.

( it’s impressive, the way that being given permission can feel more like a leaden weight around your neck, one that threatens to drag him down into the depths. his ears flick back and forth again, tension pulling at the corners of his mouth, but— )

Okay.

( he will lead. a thing that he is known for being extremely good at and full of confidence in. yeah. whatever. they’re just following his plan, the one that he definitely has, that has him striding with a shuffled purpose deeper into the garden maze with his date(?) on his arm.

he risks another glance at esi, who does indeed look quite good— unfortunately enough for kirma. wait, he’s getting distracted. he mulls over how to try and recover things in his favor; for all that esi yaps about wanting to be pushed around and taken advantage of, kirma is sure that trying anything of the sort tonight would simply end with him headless. trying to escape was already a failure. that only leaves…

wandering and hoping for inspiration. )

Is there really nothing you’d want to do? Since you’re— ( poor ) That is—

( … )

What would my luck with women have to do with it? Or supposed lack thereof. ( he’s stuck on this after all. the callout post was unnecessary. :( )

Well, because you've just turned a perfectly good man into a woman.

( "Perfectly good" has an interesting definition, here, in which he means himself. The misogynistic implications are also ever present. Still, aside from that, Esikko is still acting rather... pleasant. His expressions aren't nearly as sour as they tend to be, he keeps his annoyance shielded from his face and his walk, and his eyes drift along the sights of the garden, happy to take in the sight of lovely plants and flowers as they walk. )

If you had luck with women, you could just go meet with one of them, right? ( A smile, amused and too bright, flashes Kirma's way as Esi lifts a hand to tuck some of his hair behind his ear. )

Anyway, if you're looking for ideas... A nice fancy dinner is something I wouldn't refuse. You can even get a slice of cake for your birthday. ( That he clearly wants to eat himself. )

Hello, stranger ♡

Mind if I ask you a question?

[OOC: H- hello... Sorry this is so random, but (NSFW) Dabi sent her.]

( ooc: I never mind random tags, inbox or otherwise! Laughing at this though, Dabi please. )

Hm? Well, I don't normally get messages like this out of nowhere, so it would be silly of me to decline and be left wondering. Please, feel free.

[OOC: haha, yeah, it gave me a good chuckle... and a good excuse to message some new characters!!!]

You're familiar with a certain fellow by the name of Dabi? Bit burnt, wants to burn the world down too? Ringing any bells?

( There's a brief pause. )

Yes. Is he in... trouble...?

( If he hurt this stranger or something, he doesn't really care. Actually, he's pretty much down for whatever sort of trouble he gets into, as long as he's fine. Why else bring him up, though? )

Oh, no, nothing like that. Sorry for the scare~

I just wanted to know how he was in bed.

( phew. )

Oh.

Did he ask you to ask me, or are you asking out of your own curiosity and research? Because my answer is going to change depending on that.

That's such a tease... Now I want to hear both...

But it's the former. Consider it a little game we're playing.

If you have to turn around and ask him if I didn't just make that up, though, no worries. I'll wait.

( Hmmm. A game. He's jealous just hearing that, but it's outweighed by the idea of Dabi sending anyone his way for an opinion on something like that. At the very least, it pushes off his reaction of the "small!! leave him alone he's mine!!" type that was his go-to for the latter option. )

You should expect even more teasing from someone like him. Consider it a sample.

Anyway, a solid 9/10. Because there's always room for improvement.

Come now, that's a bit vague, isn't it?

No particular praise for a certain sort of foreplay? No hints on how to turn him on? No secret dirty word to use?

Don't leave a lady dangling...

You wanted to know how he is, so I told you. I won't give you any secrets that might make him enjoy you more than he should~

No offense.

He's fun, knows how to make you feel special, and always manages to be exciting. That's enough, isn't it?

More than he should?

Now that's an interesting turn of phrase.

I'm not sure I know what you mean.

( he is so innocent and Normal thank you for asking )

No? Perhaps I'm reading into things, then~

Don't mind me.

Shall I come back by to mark if your review was helpful or not, and just how so... ?

Instead of helpfulness, why not come back and tell me if you agree? Then your own rating.

You can add your own details if you want.

It is the least I can do.

( UGHHH now he's gonna be here wondering about it the whole time. )

Glad to help.

[She would be very glad if he did. And then shared it. And then shared something else.

But for now,]

Thanks ♡

[ Fuuta's been burnt by this STUPID PLACE busting down his security filters for NO REASON at RANDOM TIMES that he doesn't trust the network much; at least he's never had that issue with private messages (so far). So. Esikko's last message there is answered by a few moment's silence, then a ping to his private messages, instead.

Despite the wait, its contents are brief and to the point. ]

is this about dabi

( Better that he does it, since Esikko has no concept of online security of any type. )

Yes. Is there anyone else you care about more? Am I misunderstanding?

you know for saying you weren't accusing me of anything
you sure sound like you're accusing me

That's because the more you type, the more uncertain and suspicious you sound. I already have to put in every ounce of effort not to tell you to back off, you know.

Not for any reason on your part.

I just want to know.

[ He can't help bristling at that, because -- who the hell does this guy think he is, giving him all this shit? ]

what
cause you thought i'd just back off if you told me to?
give me a fucking break
if it's not my fault then why are you starting shit over this huh

( sorry fuuta he's insane ): obsessive side piece )

Because I care about him. Because I like him.

But you were the one he took to that stupid little festival, and I can't truthfully say that I'm anyone "better" than anyone else, even if I want to be. So I only want to make sure that you truly feel the same. That this isn't messing around, that it's not the same as just anyone else for you.

[ He does feel a little prickle of guilt at that. Mostly because Esikko says that so bluntly, so easily -- 'I like him.' It had taken him ages to muster the courage to express that same sentiment, and even then, it hadn't been anywhere near this decisive.

And while it still pisses him off, because it's not like he has anything to prove to this asshole ... ]

so you're just gonna keep coming at me?
or are you gonna drop it if i make it clear to you

( "Drop it", he says, like it's that easy. The thought makes him angry, because to him, to someone who would rewrite fates and screw with time itself to relieve any ounce of loneliness that he could, this isn't just some small thing. It's something he wants to chase like air itself, and the mere presence of anyone else feels like a threat, like a risk to himself, even when it's not fair— when he knows that this whole scenario is unusual, meant to play with emotions, to confuse people and twist their fates together. )

I don't know. I'm not trying to "come at you" or whatever.

But if you make it clear to me, I'll try my best to leave you alone about it. If it's clear to you. If it's not, I'd like to know too, and then I'll still try to leave you alone about it.

It should be simple to say one way or the other. I just don't want him to be hurt.

[ 'It should be simple,' Esikko says, and Fuuta grits his teeth, because -- is it? Is it really so simple? Maybe it is for Esikko, but for Fuuta ... it's not that the sentiment itself is untrue for him. But he's far too aware of the potential weight of those feelings, the danger of voicing those thoughts out loud, every one of the billion ways things could and probably will go wrong afterward.

That's the reason for the long pause after Esikko's message.

Then there's a ping for a voicecall. And the moment Esikko picks up -- ]

I'm not messing around with him. [ It's said stiffly, his voice emerging tight from nerves, but he still forges on regardless. ] It's not that I think I'm better or anything, either. But I'm not fucking -- playing around. I'm not trying to hurt him. It's ... special.

[ He'd switched to voice just because it had felt like the most effective way of getting his sincerity across, but it does mean he just kind of awkwardly peters off once he's said his part. Even through audio, his tension is almost palpable. ]

( There's hesitation in answering, because he's not sure if he's ready to hear an answer either way, not sure which direction he's supposed to hope it goes. But he answers, Fuuta speaks immediately, and Esikko listens. )

Special... ( It's the first thing he repeats, a whisper of an echo as he deals with the strange sensation in his chest, like he's been stabbed. It feels like relief and disappointment at the same time, a strange flip-flopping made worse by the tension he hears in Fuuta's voice, by the lack of anything more... simply put. )

So... he matters more? Than anyone else.

( His voice is softer than his usual, more like the tone he'd taken when they'd run into that room, slightly bloody and panting for breath with fully activated suits. His breath now isn't anywhere near as ragged, but there's a subtle shake to it. )

Because it seems like that's what you are. To him.

[ 'More' gives him pause. Quantifying emotions like that feels strange, especially because he's not used to having enough data points on that front worth comparing. Even worse is the prospect of quantifying Dabi's emotions on that axis, the thought immediately making his stomach twist itself into a knot, and Fuuta only responds with a nervous grunt at first. He inhales slowly, exhales even slower. And then, mumbled quietly: ]

I ... guess. It's just different. For him, and for everyone else here.

[ And here, he pauses, because he doesn't know what that wobble to Esikko's voice signifies. His first thought is that the guy might cry, and he has no fucking clue what to do if that happens. It's why he hastily adds, ]

Is that enough? What you wanted to know. S'not like I'm trying to ... rub it in your face or anything, alright. If there even is anything to do that with. You were the one who asked.

( The long, tense silence with only the occasional sound of him shifting in place speaks far more volumes than him rambling on would be. He rarely lets Fuuta have the last word, after all, but right now— right now, he's coming up blank, losing seconds in large chunks as he struggles to process, to think, to speak. )

I know.

( Another pause, another struggle, a foreign strain in his voice. He's not— crying, okay, but he's definitely struggling with a wave of emotions that make him want to act drastically, make him want to throw a fit, or act like a child, or... Or maybe cry, or maybe get angry, or break something, or break himself.

But he's just quiet, instead, and then he tries again. )

It just... doesn't feel like enough. You sound uncertain. But even with you uncertain, he still...

( His voice creaks to a stop as he fidgets where he is, more shifting noises covering up the silence. )

Nevermind. Just don't hurt him. It's not enough to try not to hurt him, you know? ( ... ) Does it not bother you? When I'm around, when I... You don't hate me for it?

[ Here, his temper gets the better of him, just for a moment. His voice is growly with exasperation when he responds. ]

Of course I sound uncertain, you ass. You think I've ever had to deal with any of this before? All the bullshit going down in this place, [ sex, he means the sex ] or seriously feeling like this about anyone, or someone else ... thinking someone else might -- be like that. About me.

[ It's not that he doubts Dabi. But still, putting that notion into words still makes his chest fill with bees, so he cuts himself off with a grunt.

It's followed by a hard sigh and the rustle of him scuffing a hand through his hair. Ugh. This sucks. He knows that Esikko's (probably) not being a pain in the ass on purpose, either, and any flares of his temper are (kind of) misdirected. So after another huffed exhale, he speaks again, his voice tempered back down to something calmer, at least closer to his usual register. ]

... whatever. Don't talk about me like I'm some ... shitty girlfriend mistreating him. And why would I hate you. I'm only gonna be annoyed if you keep hounding me about this shit.

Because—

( Though Esi's voice lifts in his desperation to explain his thoughts, to explain his worries, he cuts himself off immediately with a rather pathetic, frustrated breath. Because he gets annoyed at Fuuta's very existence, because he hated him at first sight just for standing in Dabi's kitchen, because— because how can he sound so uncertain, how can he sound so... unworried?

It's not fair, is what he thinks. None of this feels fair. The silence carries on too long. )

Whatever. It's not hounding you to ask questions out of concern. It's just... I don't normally...

( His voice wavers again, struggles and cuts off and pauses as he tries to find a way to express himself, but he can't. He doesn't know how, and it's with a frustrated noise that he gives up. )

I don't know what else to do, okay.

... you weren't kidding about having never had friends, huh.

[ He doesn't even mean that disparagingly for once. Just, like, as a comment. Though he does sound a little weary as he says it.

It's not like he's going to blame Esikko for what sound like the fucked-up weirdo circumstances he grew up in? But he can't deny that it's a little exhausting, having to put up with this weird aggression because of it, when he didn't even do anything wrong.

Fuuta just grumbles in thought for a moment, awkwardly shifting and fidgeting with the folds of his hoodie where he's sitting, before answering. ]

Do you mean, like, you don't know how to act around anyone unless you're giving them shit. Or is it just me that you don't know how to act normally around. Because of everything that's going on.

Why would I have been kidding?!

( It's a quick snap, defensive, his voice still a little strained. It's a long pause after that, his breathing adjusting itself, his fingers settling from their fidgeting as he considers how to answer. )

I mean...

( Even when he plans it out, even when he knows what he should say, what he wants to say, how can he express it? He puffs out a breath. )

I always want things that I don't deserve, that I can't have. But this... this is the first time that I don't... I don't want to force it, to steal it.

( His voice is trembling too much. He doesn't like it. Doesn't like the way his chest aches when he talks, or his emotions threaten to rise to his eyes, like he's some kind of kid. Doesn't like that Fuuta gets to hear this, that anyone is, but he wants to explain at least a little. )

...I don't want to be selfish. But I can't stop feeling... ( Jealous, he can't say it. )

Ugh, listen. You... you know how to play those game things, right? Like the arcade, or whatever it's called. Would you... show me how? Let's just win him something together. It'll give me a way to feel like I'm doing something without... giving you a hard time. I guess.

[ This is painful to listen to.

Like, Fuuta knows he isn't soft or anything. Getting all mushy about emotions is some weak, girly shit, and this isn't even his problem in the first place. Whatever problems Esikko has with friendships, or unrequited crushes, or jealousy are his, and Fuuta knows that he's under no obligation to help untangle all that. (Not to mention, he doesn't want to think about how ridiculous it is that anyone's jealous of him. It's not supposed to be like that, not in any sort of meaningful way. His stomach hurts a little if he dwells on it for too long.) But even so, hearing the way Esikko's voice trembles, and he struggles through each sentence ... ugh.

Esikko is only answered with silence for a long moment. Then there's the sound of a heavy exhale. ]

Yeah, I can show you the arcade. Teach you how to play the games that'll get you the most tokens for prizes, or whatever.

[ Another pause, this one shorter. But Fuuta starts speaking, catches himself, corrects, then tries again, his voice an awkward mumble. ]

... but you know you don't need to, like, try to get along with me or anything, right. [ This feels ridiculous to say. And also a little cruel. Is it cruel? He doesn't even know any more. Fuuta makes an uncomfortable noise before forcing himself to continue, lest Esikko get the wrong idea. ] I mean -- it's not like I've been in your position before, but I know it sucks, having a crush go bad. Needing to see the winner be all ... happy, and shit. So if you wanted me to, like, avoid you ... I can. And you can do whatever, with Dabi, to make yourself feel better. If you want. Since it might be easier on you.

( There's a lot of silence between them, like this. It makes it feel worse, makes it all the more obvious how it's not Fuuta's fault, how that must mean it's his own, right? Esikko can't help but think that normally, anger would have flared up by now. That he'd be defensive at the suggestion, that he'd be angry at the ideas behind the word crush, that he'd be yelling about how he doesn't need his permission to do whatever he wants with Dabi, that it doesn't change anything.

But his anger feels... distant, right now. It's strange, it's lonely, when he can't even grasp onto something so familiar, and he spends a good few moments frowning at his Watch as he tries to figure it out. In the end, he can't. )

...I know. But I think if I avoided you, I'd avoid everyone, right now.

( How else can he explain that? He doesn't know. He just knows that he's been sleeping less, messing around with his magic more, more desperate to see some results, to try and earn some recognition. )

You can believe me or not, but I think... it's possible for us to get along. Despite everything. ( He's mumbling a little. ) I don't want you to feel pity for me, or anything, you know.

I’m not pitying you. I don’t bother with that stuff, it’s no good for anyone. It’s just … [ ngh. A nervous grumble before he reluctantly finishes. ] … it’s what I’d probably want. If I was in your position. That’s the only reason I offered.

[ Yeah. That’s the only way he can imagine tolerating the suffocating feeling of seeing someone you genuinely like go for someone else, instead. Especially if that other person isn’t particularly appealing.

… to some extent, he can’t even blame Esikko for being so pissy about this whole mess.

And to an equal extent, he has to respect that Esikko turned his offer down. That takes guts, he thinks. ]

… well, if you’re sure, then. Just don’t go snapping at me all the time about this, and I won’t rub it in your face. — I mean, I wouldn’t anyway, but … you know. You’re kind of an asshole, but you’re hardly the worst I know. Here, or back where I’m from. I think we could get along.

I... I don't snap over nothing, you know.

( Defensively, but still muted compared to his usual, Esikko can't help but retort with that. He feels like he's justified in his worries, in his concerns. Feels like it was right to point things out, here or there, to question things. He's not the type to back down, certainly, but he's not just snapping for no reason, right?

...Okay, well he does sometimes. Ugh. But not usually, not right now, not like this! )

Anyway. This hotel is only so big, anyway. I can't even avoid the people I do want to without them grabbing me in the hallways. ( ...He sighs, sounding tired. )

Um, we can do it whenever you want, I suppose. Just let me know a little in advance, since I've been working on magic at night.

Doesn't this technically count as you snapping over nothing. Since it's not like I did anything to you.

[ It's muttered softly, just because Fuuta can't fucking stand letting an argument like this where he feels like he's lost, but it's also not like there's a lot of bite to his delivery. His words are capped off with a quiet sigh, then the scuffling sounds of him rubbing a hand awkwardly at the back of his neck.

There's so much here he feels like he should be questioning. Where should he even start. -- well, with the easy stuff, he supposes. ]

I dunno your schedule, but I'm at the arcade a ton. There's vouchers for food and clothes in some of the machines there, and it's more reliable there than trying to win stuff from the main casino floor. Fewer people there giving you shit about your rank, too. [ It hasn't escaped his notice that Esikko's on the same shit tier as him. He doesn't know if Esikko is sensitive to treatment from the staff or not, but surely having fewer dirty looks thrown your way while you're minding your own business is a net positive. ] Just message me whenever you're bored, and I can probably head over if I'm not already there. Just not in the morning, I don't get up that early.

[ A pause, then. Followed by a small sigh. And then, grudging, because he doesn't really want to ask, but he feels like it's only right: ]

... and you know you should probably tell someone about it if you're getting, like, harassed or whatever, right. People grabbing you in the hallways. That's still kinda messed up, whatever's going on there.

[ Yes, he's kind of asking for details, there. No, he refuses to word it in such straightforward terms. ]

...No, it doesn't, since it has nothing to do with you doing anything to me.

( He could elaborate, but he doesn't want to, he thinks. It's tiring, talking about any of this, being honest at all, being vulnerable to someone he doesn't even want to be vulnerable with. At the same time, though, this is... something new. Something he hasn't tried, something that might change things, fix things in some small way here in the days leading up to a decision he's already made up his mind on.

The last part gets a long pause, though, and it almost seems like Esikko isn't going to reply— until he does. )

Dabi knows. ( His voice has been quiet the whole conversation, but there's an especially defeated tone as he says that, as he talks about any of this. ) I was kidnapped walking out of his room by that dog just right across the hall for three days. I don't even know if you noticed I was missing, since it's not like I own a room there or anything...

( Another pause, a sigh. Every word sounds avoidant, like there's a lot he's not filling in. There is. )

He's not some risk or anything, especially not to anyone else. He used to be my bodyguard, and he thinks he knows better than me, or whatever. It's just stupid.

[ A brief pause. Then because, as usual, he has no impulse control, Fuuta ends up muttering, ]

Why the hell would I have assumed you were kidnapped if you were gone for a few days. Any normal person would just think you were staying with someone else.

[ Which is to say, no, he hadn’t noticed at all. For some reason, he feels a tiny bit bad about it.

That aside, he follows up his shitty excuse with a low grunt, not sure of what to say. Maybe — ]

Your bodyguard. So he’s the guy that you killed before, huh. [ He grimaces to himself. Saying that out loud felt worse than he’d expected it to be. Then maybe — ] Is that what you meant that he’s still obsessed with you or whatever? [ Oh, no, that feels even worse. There’s a trace of fluster creeping into his voice when he clears his throat and tries again. ] I mean, that’s still messed up, though. Even if you came back, and even if the guy has his reasons. … guess it’s hard to do anything about it, though, if he’s ranked that high and you’re … not.

[ This really is just all coming out wrong. There’s a grudging pause before finally, he gives a small sigh and admits defeat by properly, somewhat sincerely managing: ]

… are you okay?

...

( Are you okay? What a simple question, and yet Esikko is left considering it for far too long. Left thinking about just how many people have ever asked him anything like that, have ever seriously wondered. He frowns to himself, picking lightly at the edges of his Watch as he answers. )

I'm fine. His new little boyfriend gave me a scar, though. That... one on my chest, if you... remember.

( From their little hookup, he means. It wasn't over his heart, but mirrored on the other side, straight and made by a knife, deep and recent. )

Aside from that and the downrank, it was mostly just humiliating. I'm not very strong, so of course I couldn't get out from handcuffs chained to a bed, and I couldn't use any magic, either. I tried yelling, but the walls are rather thick on the higher levels, it seems.

[ Fuuta is uncharacteristically silent in response, and for a longer moment than Esikko might have expected. When he does speak, his voice is quiet, grim. ]

… I dunno if I could talk about it like that, if that were me. Saying its “just humiliating.” If I went through that.

[ Handcuffed to a bed, screaming for help, left helpless while being scarred. It sounds like the sort of horrific shit that should only happen in horror movies or true crime shows, not in real life. And yet, here they are, with Esikko saying he’s fine.

Fuuta exhales roughly, hating the way his mind conjures images that feel just a little too vivid. Maybe it doesn’t help that he knows all too well what it feels like to be hurt by someone and knowing they’re enjoying it, thinking it’s justified. ]

That’s fucked up, that it happened to you. Something like that shouldn’t happen to anyone. You should be angrier about it, I think.

( It's interesting, because he's leaving a lot out. A lot that he doesn't think he can bring himself to say, and a lot that he doesn't think any normal minded person would ever want to hear, anyway. But at the same time, he's not upset like any normal minded person would be either, is he? He's just annoyed, he's angry, sure, but because he wasn't strong enough. The scar over his chest is annoying as hell, it's hypocritical, it's all over something he was asked to do, something he was paid for, and yet—

And yet he still wonders. )

...What if I deserved it?

( He scrubs at his face a little, fingers running through his hair and letting the audio sit in a few more seconds of silence before he continues. )

They seemed to think I did, and it's not as if I'm a good person. You've said similar before, haven't you? I am someone who's killed people.

… I dunno.

[ He’s given the matter a moment of thought, but he’s ultimately too tired to mull over it for too long. Fuuta’s answer is quiet and hoarse, muted. (Days, weeks, months he’d mulled over it in Milgram. He’s tired. ]

I dunno, alright. … I used to think anyone who did something wrong deserved to be punished, and shouldn’t get to complain. But I dunno any more. Maybe it’s not that simple.

[ Maybe some things are wrong, regardless. Or maybe sometime it’s just not any of his business, what someone’s done wrong, what they deserve.

Esikko might hear the sounds of a mattress creaking and sheets rustling as Fuuta flops over from where he’d been sitting. He inhaled, hesitates, then exhales before speaking. ]

Do you think you deserved it? To be asking me stuff like that. … if you’re trying to say you deserved it, so it’s not my business, then I get that, too. I’ll leave it be.

No, I don't. But when so many people insist that you do, isn't it natural to doubt that?

( Once again, he doesn't feel like he's just speaking for his own issues here. Thinking that anything who did something "wrong" deserved to be punished has him immediately thinking back to Dabi, has him wondering, worrying, and then pushing it all aside. )

I don't know why I'm talking here, like this. Maybe it's just that I'm not used to having the opportunity. ( Most people don't seem to listen. Here, it's somehow different. )

… I get it.

[ The words come soft, much softer than Fuuta usually ever permits himself to sound. Less gentle, more weary, but sympathetic nonetheless. ]

I get what you mean. How it messes with your head, when there’s too many people saying that kinda stuff, over and over again. … how you start believing that, ‘cause you feel like you’re gonna go insane otherwise.

[ Fuuta peters off with a sigh before he slouches where he’s sitting; there’s the rustle of fabric as he thoughtlessly tugs down the hood of his hoodie, finding comfort in that familiar shadow falling over his brow. Maybe just a little of the usual toughguy bluster has faded from his voice when he speaks again. ]

Well, you can talk if you want. I’m not gonna promise I’ll always be on your side, but I can listen, at least. I know those old school traditional types think you gotta just bottle everything up, but that’s dumb. Might as well let it out. [ He says, when he would absolutely refuse to ever talk about his own issues. But you know, it’s different when it’s for someone else, so. He means it, when he says he’ll listen. ]

( Well, at least that last sentence earns a laugh out of Esikko, even if it's more like a breath, or a scoff. )

I guess that may be true here, but it certainly wasn't at home. Everything a crown prince says is taken apart piece by piece.

( What can he even say, anyway? There's so much he hasn't, so much that he's not used to, that he doesn't even know where to begin without specific prompting. Instead, his mind wanders to future plans. To the chain he's going to break from Kirma. To the realization that by not trying to force Dabi into one in exchange, he'll truly be alone. To the way he's been slowly picking at the seams of the House, and now he finally thinks he's found a crack to pry open...

Hm. )

I plan on trying something. Against the House. ( It seems out of nowhere, because of course it is. But it's been at the back of his mind for months now, ramping up even more with every emotional change in him, with every single decision or action against him that makes him want to be more reckless in exchange. )

Can I tell you when I'm about to do it, so you can notice if I go missing?

[ Wh -- what is with people here just changing subjects on a dime. He barely gets the chance to roll his eyes about the 'crown prince' nonsense before Esikko comes in with the swerve, and Fuuta ends up making an incredulous noise. ]

Haa? Against the House? What -- [ Actually, no, he doesn't really want to know. Doesn't want to get dragged into suicidal bullshit this is. ] -- isn't that dangerous?

[ No, he knows that's a stupid question. He doesn't want for an answer before giving a dubious huff, not giving Esikko a chance to answer. There's some more important he wants to address, instead: ]

I mean. You can tell me whatever you want. But I better not be the only one you're telling. Like -- you know I can't do anything if you go missing, right. [ Yet again, frustration creeps into his voice. It's not like he likes feeling so weak and helpless, especially in comparison to everyone here who can fight, or use magic, or whatever else. ] So I dunno why you'd tell me, unless it's so I'll let someone else know. [ Dabi, presumably. ] ... you could tell'em yourself.

...It's dangerous, sure. But I'm getting too antsy to sit around doing nothing.

( Esikko isn't sure how to explain his logic, but he's confident in it. People want to go home, or get out of here. If he can open pathways for that, if he can cross things enough that people can hop wherever they want to, isn't that fine? Isn't that something he'd be remembered for? Something he'd gain some sort of acknowledgement for?

And maybe he's always been the type to get a little out of control when he's upset. The type to put things on the line, even if he still wants to live. )

...You don't have to do anything, anyway. But you should stay with him ( Dabi, though he doesn't have the heart to say his name in this context, still jealous ) when I start things, just in case. If you weren't already.

And, if I'm gone for more than a few days, you both can notice. That's all.

[ He gets it. Sort of. The sense that somebody needs to do something instead of just sitting around waiting for things to change. He's weirdly reminded of the time he'd tried to punch out Es, back at the start of Milgram, though he's not sure if that's a good thing to be reminded of. ]

... fine. You can let me know if you want, I guess.

[ A pause before he clears his throat and adds, perhaps with a bit more force than necessary: ]

But this better not be some dumb ploy where you're trying to get him to pay attention to you by doing something dumb, you hear me? [ Wait, never mind, that came out a bit harsher than he'd intended. A muffled grunt before he grudgingly lowers his voice a notch to add, ] ... he'd probably just get pissed if you did something that stupid, so. Don't go acting like a moron. It doesn't help anyone if you just go get yourself killed and come back fucked up.

( That earns a huffy little exhale, like he's in disbelief. )

I don't need dumb ploys to get his attention, you know. I've been planning this for months, and he's been there for some of it.

( A tad defensive, he says this much, and though his tone doesn't reach the normal volumes it can when he's usually upset, it's still noticeably bothered. Naturally. )

It might be possible that I can open paths to our original realms, so it's relevant to everyone, him included.

[ Selfishly, his first thought is, 'who said everyone wants to go back to where they came from?'

Even worse, even more selfishly, it's followed by the guilty thought of, 'and I don't really want him to go back, either.' Dabi, that is. Where he'll probably kill at least one other person, and then die. ]

... sure. Good for you.

[ Fuuta might be trying to feign casual, but he's never been a good liar. Anyone would be able to hear the pause before he'd been able to muster that response, the uncomfortable tightness in his voice, the way he's forcing those words. He takes a quiet breath before tacking on, equal parts half-hearted and tense: ]

You shouldn't get all confident before things actually work out though, you know. ... how sure you are that this is gonna work out?

If it does work, I'm not going to force anyone home, you know.

( Ironically, Esikko doesn't want to go home either. But that's not something he wants to admit out loud, because it's not something he wants to have to explain, so this is all he gives. At the question, at least, he can answer in more detail. )

I've been able to find out a fair amount on the House already, with minimal interference, and I've been able to alter things like time and fate in my own realm. Even still, it's not something straightforward. It's only a 50% chance of any sort of successful traveling between realms, considering there's a lot I haven't been able to dig for.

( He's so much more focused when he talks about his magic, and it's clear in his tone, his steadier voice. )

But as for risks... It would be difficult for me to list every possibility, but rest assured the majority of it would be risk for me. My body is weak, so it's a strain to do magic like this, but I shouldn't die.

And even if I did, I have things in place to come back on my own terms. I've done that before.

( He sighs a little. ) Nothing is ever certain, even when you think it is. This is no different.

[ Esikko sounds more confident than ever talking about his magic, but it just earns a weary sigh from Fuuta. ]

You talk about all that stuff like I'm gonna understand it. I told you there's no magic where I'm from, didn't I? It's all just made-up stuff. Fiction. Even if I sorta get it, I'm not really gonna believe any of this stuff until it's actually happening and I can see it.

[ That goes the same for the positive and the negative. Whether Esikko manages to become their collective savior and finds a way for them to all go back if they want, or whether he fucking ... explodes, or something. He'll just have to take things as they come, he supposes.

So he grudgingly circles back to the only thing he can think to say. ]

Just don't do anything stupid. This place can do a lot worse than just kill you, so.

[ B-baka, it's not like he cares about Esikko's wellbeing. It's not like he'd rather the guy didn't get blown up or psychologically tortured by the resort's security. ]

...If I didn't know any better, I'd think you might be worried about me.

( Idiot that he is when it comes to these issues, his voice delivers that with a tired little laugh. It's the same laugh that always tends to come when he's hiding that sting, the sting that always comes when he's decided for someone else that he's not liked. )

But it's so not to bother Dabi, right? Well, it's fine. I'll be as careful as I can be.

[ He's not sure if he's more annoyed that Esikko is being this obtuse, or the fact that he's actually going to say this shit out loud and force him to address it. Fuuta doesn't bother stifling the frustrated grunt that escapes him before he mutters, ]

No, you dumbass. It's because normal people don't want other people getting fucking ... tortured and executed by the security of a goddamn sex resort. What kind of psychopath do you think I am.

( What's the normal reaction to have to hearing all of that? Hmm. )

...So would you care? If I was tortured or executed?

[ wh ]

Are you seriously asking that out loud.

You wouldn't think anything like "good riddance" or "thank god it was him, not me" or anything?

( He's ignoring what Fuuta just said to continue like this... )

[ Oh god this guy's for real. Give him a second to rub a hand at his face, and he is trying very hard not to sound too exasperated when he responds. ]

I mean, I'm not in any rush to wish that I could die instead of you.

[ Which he thinks is reasonable? It's not unreasonable that he doesn't want to die? And then, scowling, because in a very weird way, having to say this out loud is more embarrassing than the fact that they've fucked: ]

... but no, I wouldn't think 'good riddance.' Yes, I'd care if you got tortured or executed, because that's messed up. These are stupid questions, don't ask them again.

( Huh...

It makes sense when Dabi says that to him. It makes sense that Kirma keeps saying those sort of things, because he's been with him for so long, been so weird no matter what's happened to him. But this? This doesn't make sense to him. And when he tries to think, would he care if Fuuta was tortured or executed? The obvious "no" isn't so obvious. It falters a little, combines with a sinking feeling. Maybe he'd care a little?

But, undeniably, he'd also be a little relieved if Fuuta died. How can it be both at once?

And why would Fuuta care about him at all...? He doesn't exactly want to ask, either, and so... there's just awkward silence on his side of the line as he processes it. )

... hello?

[ He's going to be so pissed if this guy just trying to hang up on him after making him answer that bullshit. ]

Are you fucking serio -- I can see the connection's still open, you asshole. Say something.

Ah— sorry.

( It's rare that he apologizes, but it comes out quickly this time, a mumbled thing rather than anything too deep or thoughtful. )

I was just surprised. It's not as though I've offered you very much in any way...

But... thanks. I suppose.

Don't thank me for that. [ It's grumbled irritably, because what the hell is this conversation, truly. ] You're right that you've been a pain to deal with, and I'm pretty sure you're gonna keep being weird at me, so I'm not looking forward to that. But that's that, and this is this. It's basic human decency to not want other people getting messed up. Especially knowing what kinds of things this place can do.

[ Sigh. ]

... why do I need to explain this to you? I know you're a prince or whatever, but don't you know this much? I thought royalty are supposed to have citizens to protect and care about.

Wh... what sort of impression do you have of royalty, exactly?

( He's baffled by that last line, honestly, and that comes across in the way he stumbles over his own questioning of it. )

We have citizens, but it's all... performative. My father is rotten, and he hates our citizens just as much as they hate him, not that they can say as much without worrying about their own necks. We'll sit down to dinner with "esteemed guests" that could just as easily get into a fatal accident on their ride home, or be arrested for attempted poisoning, you know? There are no friendships, there's no concern for anyone but themselves.

( To him, it brings to mind how Fuuta always mentions how his magic sounds fantasy, like a fairy tale. All of these assumptions or understandings of relationships beyond how to use or be used are what sound like fairy tales to him. Ugh, but there's no way he's going to say that aloud. He huffs. )

It's just... You know, this place has been entirely different from what I'm used to. In that way. It makes sense, if you think about it... Our lives were never meant to pass like this, and yet here we are.

[ Oh. Okay. So Esikko is a 'edgelord grimdark depressing fantasy' crown prince, not a 'designated happy-ending vaguely RPG-flavored high fantasy' crown prince. Noted.

On Fuuta's end, there's a brief pause as he listens to Esikko's entire explanation. Then, slowly: ]

... okay. But -- you get that that's messed up, right. Where you're from. How things were. You get that that wasn't good, right.

( There's a bit of silence as Esikko tries to decipher what, exactly, Fuuta means by this. )

...I know my parents are shitty, if that's what you mean. Aren't everyone's?

( the glistering of bright yellows is blinding in ways kakavasha is not used to in the least, and as he's led down hallways seemingly endless, his eyes never truly look forward; instead, there are walls, and things hanging on the walls that kakavasha doesn't know the name of, and furniture kakavasha doesn't know the name of, and objects kakavasha doesn't know the name of, sitting atop the furniture - but if there's one thing he knows, is that it reflects light so beautifully he would have loved to show it to his sister. maybe, once he finds her again in such a huge place, they can look at all the pretty things this weird dream has to offer. maybe he slept, and suddenly the men in black from beyond the stars took him somewhere safe, somewhere away from sigonia? even though no one in here is wearing the same clothes they do... oh well.

this isn't sigonia, and there's no sand on his boots, and everything is so new and exciting, why should he ever worry? the nice people said they would take him somewhere with other children, and maybe his sister would be there, too, but -

when they walk past another long hallway, he spots another child, around his height, who seems seemingly lost... shouldn't they also be taken to where the other children are? but the tall, kind people are getting farther and farther from them - but they seem lost, and that must be scary, right? kakavasha looks back and forth, between the other child and the tall people walking away and decides, eventually, to turn around the corner, and run towards the other child.

he's all smiles, at least, excited to see someone else potentially his age? all the other kids in their clan had been slightly older than him, so isn't this exciting? and maybe he should have worried whether the kid even speaks sigonian, too, but if he thinks about it, the tall people who were not avgin could also understand him, so - well. he might as well try, and if he waves and smiles and sees as harmless as he could, maybe he won't scare off his new friend! )

Hi! Are you okay? You seem lost... The nice adults said they were taking me somewhere safe for children, so you can come with us if you want!

Edited (kys asu) 2024-09-17 05:56 (UTC)

( Esikko is lost. He's been lost for a long time now, unable to find the painting that leads to the castle, unable to find his family, unable to get anyone to look at him or take him seriously. Everyone's been kicking him out of all the interesting places, shooing him away, and so he's decided to inspect some of the plants that are put up as decoration. He's in the middle of this now, one hand tenderly touching the petals of a flower that he just quietly reassured ( Don't worry, you're still growing. Your bloom will be even more beautiful next year. ) when he notices there are eyes on him.

At first, he feels nervous. Strangers are dangerous, he's been told, but how could that be true, when he'd met that puppy, when he had been so nice to him? And here, as the child his size waves and smiles, Esikko feels he can let his guard down a little, shoulders relaxing. )

What... adults?

( Voice curious and awfully quiet, he leans to one side and then the other, as if trying to see past Kakavasha to find these so called adults. But whoever he was following— are they still there? )

Um, I'm not lost, though, I'm... I just like plants.

( He's lost. )

( and kirma… is merely himself.

that self at least has some measure of power, here in the casino. the kind that allows him to flag down the staff, as they walk on, entirely oblivious to the fact that their charge has darted off, and offer, you know, to take over? the resort is awfully chaotic, given the game, so would really they mind a short break from it? most of all, as a royal—

he doesn’t actually have to finish that line of thought, actually, before the staff members practically disappear into thin air, so fast do they scamper away. he makes a note to try and lead with that, next time; unused as he is to having something like clout, the rare occasions he attempts to wield it always end up on the awkward side of things.

it’s easy enough from there, to follow the scent of sand and turquoise, to kakavasha’s detour. he’s merely acting on assumptions, at this point, but there are few in the casino with eyes quite as piercing as the brief glimpse he’d had. to then see who kakavasha has reunited with, as he approaches the both of them—

if only some of aventurine’s luck could have rubbed off on him. )

Are both of you… here alone? ( this, too, is awkward. he doesn’t dislike children— quite the opposite, in fact— but he’s never quite sure how to approach them. ) The other staff asked me to take over, ( kinda ) but they didn’t say where you were trying to go.

So that's a plant too? It's so pretty! All the ones I've seen were so dry... ( < boy who has lived his entire life in a barren desert.

there's a child-like wonder in his eyes at something new yet recognizable all the same, as though finding an old friend all grown up now. they gleam with fascination, and the topic of adults helping them completely drift from his mind for a moment -

until, of course, another one shows up. though this is one kakavasha doesn't recognize, there's something there, too. a lingering sense of trust, that despite being in an entirely new place away from everyone he knows, this person is definitely someone he could trust with his eyes closed.

which means him and his new friend would be totally safe with him! )

Are you also part of the staff, mister? ( because he seems like an important person!!! ) They said they would bring me somewhere they were keeping the children, but I ended up separated from them because I was worried about him...

( a look at his new friend, who's allegedly not lost. )

We were just looking at the plants, though. Aren't they pretty?

Puppy...?

( Though Esikko had been entirely ready to go on a long, excited ramble about plants and how he could show Kakavasha all of them, how he has even been practicing to make some of them, it all drops the second he sees that familiar tail. Those ears. But more than both of those, the eyes.

He's so tall, though, and as Esikko steps closer, reaching out, his hand hesitates, eyes big and wide like he's not sure what to make of it. But his smile is unmistakable. )

It is you, Puppy! You've gotten so big! How did you do that? I wasn't able to find you, after that day, and I thought... I was... I mean, where did you run off to?

( after seeing plenty of the fuckery in the resort--he knows things didn't go right. so there's a delivery, in the early morning hours on the fourth: in a small box outside esikko's door are a few different sized bottles of blood--all capped, all relatively full--and a few bottles of cold tea, all neatly tucked together to keep anything from breaking. the card taped to the front of the box reads: )

don't know which one you'll need more.
i'm pissed, but i'm here. just like i said.
x 荼毘

( he hasn't been sleeping much, with how things are happening, but there's little else to do some nights than return to his room and try. the bottles are a surprise that make him pause. tea is always wonderful. blood is helpful too, and a disgusting (though not to Esi) little taste of each bottle confirms that dabi provided this himself.

it's a horribly foreign sensation, almost like he wants to cry, but not necessarily as a bad thing; nothing comes, though, and a while into the night he sends a text he doesn't expect a reply to. )

Thank you

( it all helps, really. even the little card that he tucks between the pages of his journal to keep. )

it didn't work, huh? you hurt yourself.
we're coming up with a better plan next time.

It would have worked if I were the version of myself from that painting. It's irritating to consider

Hurting myself would have occurred either way, probably. I suppose it depends what part you're referring to

( he's not just bummed, he's also angry with himself, hence the distance of his words. )

What's a better plan? If it would have worked if I were stronger.

fuck that guy. we hate that guy.

you learned something, yeah? by doing it all. so it's not worthless.
we'll think about what to do next. in the meantime, drink my blood.

( he wants to point out how sweet Dabi is for all this, but he doesn't want it taken away... so he just pauses instead. )

It makes me sound like a vampire or something. But it gives me energy, you know. Strength, a little. I can tell from the taste that it's yours. Sorry if that's gross.

Nothing bad has happened to you for it, has it?

it's not gross. think i would've been offended if you couldn't tell.

nah, i did it myself. you need more? i've got more.

You always do know how to lift my spirits. You need to keep some of that yourself, you know.

Can I have it from the source next time?

( half joking, half shooting his shot )

you got vampire teeth i don't know about, or you just want to cut a vein open?

( okay, he laughs at that. )

It'll be a surprise.

guess i'll wear something open.

You should do that anyway.

At least around me, anyway.

yeah? and why's that?

Isn't that obvious? Because you're nice to look at. And I happen to like looking.

pretty sure i'm supposed to be disgusting to look at, little prince.

Well, I'm supposed to be many things I'm not.

Don't waste your time with anyone who says as much. I mean it, you know.

and if someone says nothing at all, either way?

That might as well be an insult.

Hasn't anyone else complimented you on your appearance?

sure, i guess. bits and pieces.

That sounds more like a no, doesn't it. Aside from me? I don't really shy away from saying what I think.

What about ( your little boyfriend, he types and then erases to fix ) Kajiyama?

what about him? you worried he likes the same bits and pieces?

I like more than bits and pieces. I think I've made that clear. I like all of you.

then why ask about him?

( a very long pause of him trying not to get too angry when he's already dealing with his body on the verge of collapse )

What do you mean, why... I'm going to go back to a bad mood like this. His painting harassed me enough.

his painting harassed you?

whatever, we can talk about it later. do you have a place to sleep? you're not gonna get everything back by drinking blood and water.

( Later... later is probably better, when he's not all pouty about it. Right now, Dabi is being nice despite his own annoyance at a situation he warned Esikko about being careful with— so he shouldn't have tried to poke holes in his own jealousy anyway. )

The one assigned to me, I guess. It's a little crowded from my prep but the bed has a clear spot.

I didn't want to bring more trouble to your door, and I don't know how this will end.

you can sleep here if you decide you want to. i don't give a shit about this place, or trouble.

What if I can't make it to the elevators?

then i guess i have to haul your ass up here.

Can you carry me gently, this time? I actually haven't managed much sleep yet.

But only if you don't get too angry if I overstay my welcome.

stay until you feel stronger. i'll rope off one of the guest rooms just for you.

You'll never get rid of me.

But really, I do appreciate it. Thank you.

I'm the one who looks terrible right now, though, so don't commit it to your memory or anything. Don't look too closely.

But I'm not saying not to look at me at all, okay? You know what I mean.

yeah, yeah. look but don't look. sure. that makes perfect sense.

It does!

Anyway, it seems like only a few locations are tearing through reality so I suppose things could be worse. The House is rather noisy, but maybe I'll get away with this.

if anything worse happens, let me know.

Okay. Yes, sure.

( he doesn't actually think he'll get away with this one, somehow. it's weirder to him, though, that he finds himself hoping he's the only one who gets in trouble for it. )

If I'm going to be sleeping in your suite's guest room I suppose I could make a sleep aid. Less worry that the walls will crash in, up there.

So I guess I'll see you when you come by.

lay on the floor and look dramatic, otherwise i'm not carrying you.

What if I kick you for that and it's so pathetic you take pity on me, instead.

You could also just help me walk if you're so against it. You're basically arm rest height.

tall bastard. i'm throwing you over my shower.

Boooo.

Is it too embarrassing? To hold me properly? Even a piggyback ride? I'll fetch something off a top shelf for you?

Hehe. I'm kidding, I'm kidding, so don't leave me down here, okay?

What did you do?

( It takes him a while to get back to this, considering he passes out at first... But he does. Eventually. )

Can't you tell? Magic.

I'm fine, by the way, thanks for asking.

I could tell that much. Be more specific.

It's irritating when you act dumb like this when I know your senses are keen. You could figure it out if you tried.

I ripped up some of the House's roots to try and access paths to other realms. There were a few side effects in the process, and I can't tell if it will work, yet.

Perhaps I want to hear it from you. Perhaps it's hard to believe you still manage to be so willful and. ( tired voice, ) Fucking stupid.

( not that it comes across. )

What can you tell?

That I'm tired, and that my body is more useless than I thought. That realities are shifting in some way and will likely manifest in something within a few days.

Are you out of people to help you?

( pointed? maybe. )

Have you ever considered trying to work with what you're given instead of altering the world in an attempt to suit your wishes?

( Ouch. There's a long pause. )

I'm not out of them. I'm trying to be mindful.

Why do you think it's my wishes I acted on? I don't want to go home.

I’m surprised to hear you’re acquainted with that word. Congratulations.

Who would? But I also assume you don’t want to stay here.

( ... )

There are a number of people that do want to go home. Ones who have spoken to me.

( HE JUST MEANT BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM… it’s fine… )

Their worlds must be better than ours.

You care enough to do something like that. ( that was a question, but ) I never realized hedonism would be the thing that finally made you think of someone besides yourself.

( Urgh, he bristles at that. Hedonism... maybe, technically, at the start, but it makes him upset, makes him annoyed, and when he's already exhausted and his heart is feeling like it might just give out, he has to take a moment. )

Why did you message me? Just to check if Aventurine might be in danger?

Do you think everything I do now is about him?

( ok actually: ) No. I can see why you might believe that.
I could tell you did something. So I checked on you.
That’s all.

A simple reaction out of habit?

Would you rather I said nothing?
Ignored everything you did. Pretended as though your presence has no relevance at all.

If it doesn't, then yes.

If it did, you'd have said as much, right? "I was worried." You would have said that to him.

It doesn't matter. I cut what was holding you back, so stop troubling yourself with me. I'll be fine on my own. ( LIE, NO HE WON'T )

Then I won’t message you again.

( spongebob title card voice: two minutes later )

What are you going to do?
If it works. If they go back.
Whoever it is.

I thought you weren't going to message me.

And why are you assuming it's one person. This benefits multiple, you know.

Perhaps as a convenient excuse it does.
I don’t believe you’ve become that altruistic. There must be someone in particular you’re thinking of.

Stop speaking as if you know me better than anyone else. ( But he does, at least in this way, and it's infuriating. )

There was one realm I was going to try to enter myself. That's all. I didn't tell anyone as much.

( HE LITERALLY DOES, )

Uninvited.
Which one?

Why is that any of your business?

Is it such a secret?
My guess is fairly solid. I believe.
But I’d prefer to hear actual confirmation.

I'm not telling you anything. Stop sticking your nose in my business.

( :dognose: )

Should I say it then?
If I opened the door. You might be able to hear it in addition to receiving the message.

Ugh, shut up! I'm not even up there right now!

Leave me alone, I'm trying to rest.

Fine.

( THREE minutes later, this time, )

Have you eaten?

How are you still so desperate when you already have a boyfriend. Is he neglecting you again?

Why do you keep bringing him up? It isn’t like that.

More importantly. I can make king dumplings.

( rolls his eyes

but dumplings, you say )

If you really want to bring me king dumplings, I won't refuse you. But I'm staying down here. Before you ask.

In the basement. That’s unlike you.
I’ll be down soon.

Hey, Essiko

I wanted to check in. You doing okay?

( What he really means is: were you kidnapped again? Blink twice if you need help?? )

( This is so much nicer than getting a "What did you do." message. Definitely bodyguard worthy. )

Oh, you didn't forget about me? I'm touched.

To be perfectly honest, I've been better. I messed with the House a bit, and would you know it marked up my skin with this ugly looking tattoo on my neck? Horrible.

Really, though, I'm alive, so I suppose that's fine. And have you been staying well, with all that's happened this month?

What can I say, you made an impression.

From what I've seen so far, sounds about right for this place. Anything I can do to help?

Alive is better than the alternative. And so far, looks like I'm dodging some bullets.

Well, at least you're safe and well.

As for what you can do... Well, I'd rather not trouble you with tasks without repaying them, and there's nothing so urgent. Not now, anyway.

Now, company, on the other hand, would be a fine thing that returns its own payment. But I don't like to request that; it comes off desperate.

For now, anyway.

It's no trouble. I'm asking because I want to help.

Company is easy. You can come by if you want.

Really? You're not overflowing with visitors after offering yourself so freely to help anyone who asks?

There's only been a few of you

Guess my boyish good looks aren't enough to get people to trust me to lend a hand.

Hehe. Then I feel even more special, I suppose.

Your looks don't hurt your case. But don't be so bothered; it's not that I don't trust your word. I just assume you must be one of two types. Either you'll expect something of me later, unspoken or otherwise, or you're the type who gives his all to anyone who needs it, even if it bleeds you dry.

Of course, that's just a guess. Why don't I visit, then? Where's your room, again?

Yeah, well, I wanted to be a cop for a reason.

If you're not busy, I'm always happy to have some company.

( Insert room number here!! )

You know, I don't imagine that's a common quality even in the police force. You're like a storybook knight, huh? How cute.

I can be over in an hour, then.

( And he will be, if there's no complaints!! With a simple little knock on the door. )

You know, you're the second person to throw that word around.

( It doesn't take long after the knock comes before he's answering. The door opens to the small but neat room, and Leon himself looks relaxed enough in jeans and a t-shirt. )

Hey, Esikko. ( He greets with an easy smile as he steps aside, motioning him in with a smooth sweep of one hand. He closes the door quietly behind him, then nods his head towards a pair of slippers near the door. ) They're all yours if you want. ( As he says it, he takes a couple steps further into the room, gesturing to the space around them. )

Make yourself at home.

( Not that there's much to his room. Everything seems pretty standard for the small space, but at least it's all neat for the moment. The only things that might seem to stand out are a couple of books on the nightstand with a few pieces of paper tucked between the pages. ) Can I get you anything? ( As he asks, it might be obvious that he's checking the other man over - looking for injuries or any sign that something might be off. This is their first time meeting in person, so it's not like he has much of a reference for Esikko on a good day. But it won't stop him from checking. )

( As Esikko enters, it's with a small vase of chamomile flowers. It seems rude to visit someone without a gift, and seeing as plants are his specialty and always mildly relevant, why not? He's dressed in hanbok himself, but he eagerly slips from his shoes to the slippers once inside, then gets to peering around.

It's a bit funny, honestly, how this room now can look "big" to him. When he first arrived here, he'd have considered this poor, or quaint. Being stuck in the basement levels has been a bit of a wakeup call. )

Oh, no, I'm fine.

( Esikko looks a little tired, though really this is one of his better energy days, and there are only a couple of noteworthy things to him. The red marks beneath his eyes are consistent as always, but fairly visible in person, and try as he might to part his hair to the right enough to obscure the view of the new branded tattoo on his neck, he can never fully manage it: it's visible both from the side and the front, in different parts, reading TRANSGRESSOR.

He eyes those books on the nightstand, but tries to pace his own nosy curiosity, instead finding a seat wherever there might be one available. A couch, if there is one, and if not, then the bed will do. )

What have you been up to, then? Anything exciting?

( The flowers are unexpected, but Leon finds himself reaching out quickly. )

Here, let me.

( He takes the base, setting it aside before turning his attention back to Esikko. As he does, he takes a moment to look him over, following the line of his clothing, the colors and shape of them. Not something he's familiar with, that much is immediately clear by the curious way he regards him. But his eyes find their way up and towards the tattoo on his neck and what he can see of the tattoo there. It brings a thoughtful frown to his lips, but he doesn't linger on it before his eyes are back on his face.

There's no couch, so where Esikko ends up is the bed, and Leon sits beside him after a moment. There's a respectable distance between them - enough that either of them could easily reach out and touch the other, but still plenty of distance for them to have their own space and not feel crowded. )

Me? ( He replies with a soft huff, shaking his head. ) Nothing as exciting as you, it looks like.

( Getting shot at by his doppelganger, getting trapped in a portrait of the nightmare from back home... Exciting isn't the word he'd use.

He twists slightly to better look at Esikko, glancing at what he can see of the tattoo again. )

Does it hurt?

( Esikko hesitates for only a moment before angling his head to the side so that Leon can see the mark a bit better. He's not a fan of it— irritating side effects of being terrible for his shopping desires aside, it's ugly, and a little large, and difficult to hide without looking ridiculous. But that's the point, isn't it? And sitting around being ashamed of it would only be letting the House win. So. )

Not at all. It appeared just as suddenly as our mark tattoos. The House wasn't a fan of me trying to create a way home for its residents, I suppose.

( Though he was given space between them, Esikko takes up a bit of it now with his palm on the mattress, leaning closer as he tilts his head for one last angle, curling his hair out of the way with a slow drag of his fingers. )

It was that obvious immediately, was it? ( He sounds a little bothered by that, but it's ultimately a light sort of whining, followed by him straightening himself and dropping his hand away from his hair with a sigh. )

( It's only when he notices Esikko tilting his head that he realizes he might not want attention to be called to it. The thought has Leon turning his gaze elsewhere, attention forward as he leans back with his hands on the bed behind him to support his weight. )

A way home? What'd you do?

( Leon does glance over again, but his attention is on the other man's face this time. A place where it settles easily, one brow going up slowly. ) Must have been pretty bad if they decided they wanted everyone to know you've been up to no good. ( But he can't say he blames him. If he had some kind of ability or special skill, he can't say he'd be able to stop himself from giving it his all to try and find a way out of here for everyone. Being given a tattoo for it feels like a small price to pay. )

To put it simply, I grabbed onto the House itself by the very roots of this place and attempted to rip through space and time.

( That's the simple version, apparently, and he tilts his head a little in his explanation. )

It messed with it in a variety of ways, but ultimately, nothing was permanent. Unfortunately.

I was told you got a job at Birdbucks, but I didn't see you around when I walked by today.
That's a shame. Did I miss your shift? I would have loved to get a drink made by you.

( < guy who totally knows he was fired btw )

( Ugh why is he texting him. He doesn't have to be nice to him anymore, he already got his nice points!! )

Oh, I'm certain you'd love nothing more than to drink my spit, you slut.

It really is impressive that Kirma managed to argue my staying employed for a full day's shift. But no more. You'll have to source your spit elsewhere.

( wow. esi so funny. )

Hahaha. Isn't kissing just the exchange of spit? We've done that plenty, I would say.

No need to be so cautious around me. I just thought it would be a good opportunity to chat. And if you're ever in search of work, the casino would be happy to welcome you. We always have open spots.

As if I actually need a job. I just thought I'd pass the time and make the lives of a few others a bit more difficult.

Is that so? And if I told you there's an audience that enjoys being degraded and mistreated at the casino by a pretty face like yours?

They're a little less willing when the House has marked me. Even less so than your own marks, I assume.

Antagonizing the House, are you? I wonder if that makes you my competition or my ally.

Do the staff and guests look down on you more often now? I guess it explains your mood as of late.

Certainly you must have noticed that I did? Earlier in the month. This moon business is something else.

I'll be an ally by coincidence, I suppose.

Which is why I don't mind mentioning the downsides, even to someone like you. They're more suspicious, the staff members.

So that was your doing, huh. Color me impressive. You're more capable than I thought.

( sorryyyyyyy he's pushing buttons! )

Figures they're downsides, to someone like you. But if the staff is more likely to ignore you, don't you think you would come off unpunished more often?
Unless you tempt the House again, of course. But that's an achievement even I haven't been able to do, so isn't that impressive?

( Annoying asshole. Esikko just rolls his eyes at the first part and moves on, though. )

That's the thing, though. It's not that they're ignoring me more, it's that they've branded me. "Transgressor." It's written across my neck, and as soon as someone sees as much, they won't stop paying attention. I've been accused of multiple things that I didn't do because of it.

( branded on the neck, huh. that sure sounds familiar. grats for getting some pity points, esi. )

And knowing the House, that's just something that appeared on your body all of a sudden, wasn't it? Or did they finally grace their dear 'transgressor' with a visit?

Of course it just appeared. The House is an entity itself; it's not going to send some messenger.

( well ok his sympathy levels decreased then. fucka you )

Haha. Is it not? You speak as though you know so well of it.
But I'm not surprised. Even after all that you've done, even the House doesn't think you're worthy any sort of visit. I wonder if that will make you strive for something bigger next time?

You're incredibly irritating to speak with.

Would a whale visit something it swallowed? Don't be an idiot.

In any case, I'm sure that would benefit you, wouldn't it? If I did all the work.

( 'you're incredibly irritating to speak with' damn... make out with him to shut him up then? )

It would not, but doesn't that benefit the one swallowed? If it remains alive, it's considered a parasite, is it not?

Do you truly think I would treat you as a disposable pawn? If I had the means to catch the House's attention like you do, I would have long done it.
And here I thought you'd see yourself as unique, rather than someone to be used. Or is that only with me?

Is this why Kirma is left feeling neglected? You're too busy talking nonsense at everyone else and avoiding your feelings?

Anyone can catch the House's attention. It just requires work.

Does he feel neglected, or does he just miss your company? That's something you could figure out yourself, you know.

So you don't think yourself as any special. That's a shame. And here I thought we could have room for another future partnership.

He's your problem, now. I'm ignoring everything else you said because you're entirely too annoying.

Hahaha. That's a shame, then. Seems like not even my sincerity will get through you.

Your animosity is one-sided, Esikko. Wherever you think it will take you, I wonder if you'll be pleased with it.

don't look behind you.

( This, of course, makes him do the exact opposite and immediately look around everywhere in hesitant confusion. )

What??

you don't see that there?

the ghost. better duck.

( don't worry. he's bullshitting. )

( Despite himself, he takes another look..... A poutier one, not that it matters, since nothing is here!! )

You're teasing me.

You know, it might work better if I couldn't sense spirits already. Are you somewhere around here, or are you just trying to imagine what sort of face I might be making right now?

what kind of face are you making?

If only there were some way you could know~

A cute one, though. Miss it?

maybe i do. cute people always get missed.

Do they? Maybe I'm not cute after all, then.

I do miss you, though. For whatever that might be worth.

What's on your mind, Dabi?

what's on yours? you got sulky all of a sudden, pumpkin.

Too much, I suppose. Maybe I'll kill someone about it.

I'm not sulky.

( a pause )

Do you only maybe miss others too?

not answering until you vomit your brains out all over me.

I hope that's metaphorical.

You said words don't matter compared to actions, which is true enough. But they do still matter, so I pay attention.

Not just the maybe thing, though it would be easy to convince anyone that's all I care about.

"Cute people always get missed." It made me wonder what sort of mindset you're in right now, and who I might blame for it. That's all.

what if it's you?

you didn't tell me you missed me until now.

That's not fair. I told you I liked you. I tell you you look nice. I say plenty unprompted.

Did I do something, really?

( He thinks that maybe he's worrying too much over this, but he also can't stop. )

oh, we're back to that word.

you didn't do a thing.

I could use a different word. Or do you prefer me to not say either?

You're not telling me what you're thinking.

i prefer you just be honest, whatever that is.

i'm thinking that something's wrong. what's wrong? you're unhappy.

Sorry. I'm a bit messier than usual lately.

I guess I'm just jealous.

jealous of what?

( he gets annoyed again, at first, because from his side of things it must be obvious. he must know. )

Your little boyfriend or whatever

my what.

Did I stutter?

he's never used that word. no one has. so you're pissed at me for something that isn't real?

First of all, I'm not mad at you. I didn't say I was, right?

Second of all, he didn't use the word either, but he certainly made it sound that way. I'm "allowed" to spend time with you, though, so I suppose I should ignore all of his comments on it and be happy.

You knew who I meant even without him ever saying as much to you?

you only get upset about him.

Well he keeps going on about you choosing him over me, you know. Can't I be upset over that?

i don't even know what to do with that.

I thought you were. Together, I mean. Sorry.

But you're not, then?

i'm alone.

Is that what you want to be?

you should know what i want to be, esikko.

I do. I wanted to see if you'd say it.

You can talk to me about it all. Or anything. You know.

say what?

maybe you should just kill me. said you wanted to kill someone about it all, right? might as well be me.

You're the last person I want to kill. Why? Why would you run away? What would it help?

run away from what? i'd just come back in this hellhole.

There has to be a reason to suggest it. When I think of the same, I'm running away in some way, even when I know I'll come back in the end.

Tell me more? Please.

about what? i'm just trying to make you happy.

So you're still not giving me your own thoughts?

Why do you think I'd want to kill you? What kind of person do you think I am? Do you think I'm lying?

If you wanted to make me happy, you'd say you like me too. And mean it.

So I don't understand.

my own thoughts? i'm pissed off. i don't know why the fuck this is happening or what the fuck is going on.

i just wanted to do something cute for halloween. with you. scare you a little, make you laugh. and now we're here.

You could have said that.

( there's a pause, as he tries to process the foreign feeling of guilt )

I wasn't trying to make you angry. I thought that I was playing along. But then I began to think too much.

I'm not very good at these sorts of things.

Talking to you at all makes me happy, just so you know, so you don't have to... try.

I don't suppose you'd want to restart this from the ghost part again?

forget it. it's nothing. at least you told me things even i don't know.

it doesn't make you happy unless i say exactly what you want me to. and i'm shit at it.

What? Wait, why would you think that?

"if you wanted to make me happy, you'd say you like me too. and mean it."

Ugh that's

It's, of course I'd want that!

Don't you also want specific things? Specific attention?

That isn't me wanting you to be something you're not. It's wanting me to be something different. I'm the problem, obviously. I even ruined this conversation.

you're not a problem. or the problem.

I was sitting angrily in my own jealousy over something that's not even true in the way I thought it was.

I could name a handful of people that would disagree with you.

But I still appreciate it. I was just explaining.

what would make you feel good? right now.

Me??

I mean... A number of things, I guess.

Like maybe a movie with you. Or gardening... though I do that alone, so I get lost in my thoughts. Watching the fake stars? Climbing up to those giant nets in the trees is exciting, but I'm always worried I'll fall.

Or just a bath. It's been a while.

What about you...?

been awhile since you took a bath? nasty.

right this second? cold beer. something pretty to look at, pressed up against me. a real breeze. fake stars would be fine. sleep that actually works.

Oh be quiet, I shower!

I could arrange most of those, you know. If you'd want my company after all that. Want to try one of my potions? I'll mix it with beer, if you want.

oh, so he just wants me to be an experiment.

I have another guy for that, actually. Pre-tested products only for you.

Unless you're feeling adventurous, I suppose. But the sleep ones benefit me, so I know they work well.

might as well give it a try. i don't have to do anything for it?

Not at all. If you want a specific type, such as sleep without dreams or nightmares, or sleep with dreams, then I can also arrange that.

The only noteworthy thing is that you'll find it difficult to be woken up for a few hours at least. Such is the point, after all.

that's fine with me. no nightmares type sounds good.

Being able to help you with something also makes me feel good, it turns out.

I'll have it ready.

Esikko-kun, Esikko-kun! 😊✨ Guess what?

I have another gift for you! Except this one's not from me, it's from someone else from my world!

( this is surprising, and confusing! )

A gift...? Why? Who?

From Leo-kun! This is him!

[He attaches a photo of Leo, who's striking an adorable (?) cheeky pose. You know, an Uchuu~! kind of pose.]

And it's a long story, but basically, he's looking to get out more! He normally sits in his suite all day, composing music. So I rattled off the names of people I know, and I'm helping him make friends with them! 😊 Kind of like the matchmaking service you mentioned that time.

[And "friends" isn't all. He needs people to take care of Leo's suit now that Rinne's gone. But that can happen later!!]

As for the gift, it's an audio file! Leo-kun's really big on music, even compared to us other idols. And he said that if you understand this song, you'll understand him! 🎶 Ready to listen?

[Actually, Leo said that if you don't like the song, you won't like him. But the way Hiyori phrased it sounds friendlier!]

( this is even more surprising?! )

...Well, he's cute, I suppose, but I'm not sure I understand why he'd need friends if he doesn't like to even leave his suite.

But sure. Send it, I guess?

Right? Isn't he? Leo-kun's a fellow idol, so he's almost as cute as me! And I just assume everyone could use more friends~😊

[With benefits. He needs people to take care of Leo's suit! The more, the better!!]

Anyway, here it is! Listen to his song, and hear his passion! 💗🎶

[And now he's going to send over the same mp4 file that Leo already sent him. The song is none other than Leo's new solo! Fittingly enough, the lyrics are addressed to a prince...ss.]

( Interesting. He hasn't imagined he'd ever care about songs in any deep sort of way, really. The concept of an idol is still lost on him, even if he can appreciate music— so he goes into this expecting to be underwhelmed. Instead, he finds himself considering the lyrics, the way they match up with the rhythm, the way they work together to carry the tone.

And he thinks maybe composing music and weaving spells aren't so different from one another. Spells are very particular when it comes to words, when it comes to every little detail.

It would have gotten more points if it wasn't so heterosexual, though. )

His song, as in one he composed, as well? Not bad. I do like it. It's clever. Unfairly cheery.

But does he know you're trying to set him up with others like this?

( Not that he cares, himself... He'll fuck any pretty face, so it's not like he's hard to get over here. )

[The solo, of course, is addressed to Leo's fans. Those are the "princesses." While listening to it, he tried to put himself in the mind of one of them!

But perhaps it also occurred to him somewhere in there that a song about making music that could reach beyond a palace window was rather fitting. He remembers that conversation.]

Yes, he sang *and* composed it! It's so cheery because it's meant to be uplifting. To reach his fans' hearts and raise their spirits up! 💕 That's what idols do!

And yep, he does know! When I said I'd play matchmaker, he said "I admit I probably need one." People here keep disappearing, which is making things harder for him and everyone else. And too much loneliness isn't good for anyone.

[Nor is turning to stone or becoming a basket case due to lack of sex.]

( He likes the lyrics and the song a lot more than he's saying out loud, because that's embarrassing to admit? Don't call him out, okay. He might have more in common with Eichi than even originally thought, but shh!! )

I'm beginning to feel suspicious about why I was chosen for the role of assisting someone lonely... You better not be aiming pity at me. You're already causing me to feel it for this guy.

[He's just going to leave out the part where he told Leo he thought this would be great for both of them because Esikko is sad and lonely all the time 😇]

Lots of reasons! For example, you're a prince, and Leo-kun's in a unit called "Knights." They act like knights and address their fans as princesses, so I'm sure you can see the connection there. That's even what his username is. It's @ Knights!

And I wouldn't feel too terribly sorry for him. He's usually upbeat. Plus he has me to ease his loneliness!

Though I guess the last one applies to you too.

( A wise decision, Hiyori.

He can't help but feel skeptical. What kind of connection can come from being set up like this? It feels like an arranged marriage, with how it's being discussed. Mutual benefit, his status brought up... Ugh.

But it's also a little new, a little exciting and fun, to be set up in a more casual setting like this. So. Fine. )

I have no idea what you're talking about. Being alone isn't the same as being lonely, you know. ( says loneliest man )

But he is rather charming from how you present him. I only hope you're not setting me up with someone who turns out to be dull, you know? If he only cares that I'm a Prince, I'm afraid he might be disappointed.

( he doesn't know that waxing poetic about how his hands are too bloodstained to be a real prince would only help, probably )

Nope, not dull at all! I'd describe him as whimsical, with moments of surprising ingenuity. You never know what you'll get with him 😊

[For example, he sometimes acts like an unruly pet. But given Esikko's dog experiences he won't be mentioning that, either.]

And he didn't really care about you being a prince, by the way. I was just trying to brainstorm people for him to meet! So I said, "I know two princes! That seems like a good fit, since you're a knight!"

Well... good, then.

So what am I supposed to do? Invite him over? Find him somewhere? Should I expect a message?

By the way, I've just recently become an Ace. It's such a relief.

["Should I expect a message?" Oh, honey.]

Definitely not the first one, since he gets lost easily! But perhaps if you had an agreed-upon meeting spot, the second one could work! Preferably somewhere near a piano, since those tend to be the locations he remembers. As for your last idea...

[.....]

Maybe you should just send him one! After all, I did tell you his username. You could tell him what you thought of his solo!

And did you? Congrats! 🎉 That must feel like sweet relief. Jun-kun became a so-called J-rank, so we've been enjoying his suite. I'm not sure how much longer all of this will last, but if they forget to change us back, I won't complain too much, even though they downgraded me. I do know some people who would complain, though.

So you'd like me to make the first move. Should I approach with a pickup line? Should I serenade him and claim you sent me? Hmm, I wonder.

( He's teasing, mostly. But okay. )

But I mean, I'm an Ace... as a real rank change. For the mixup, I was designated a King, but in the middle of it all, I was given the title of Ace, and the option to switch over whenever I'd like.

So, if you end up booted back down to a lower rank, we'll just have to enjoy tea at my place.

[Esikko was joking, but...!]

Definitely do the second one! I'm sure he'd love a serenade!

[He's dead serious.

As for the second half of the message, that has him blinking slowly. Then he's just shocked!]

Really? That's a huge upgrade! How on earth did you manage *that*? It's good to hear that something went right in your life for once, but it's a real shock!

I was joking. That's embarrassing... I don't think I've ever sang for anyone other than myself, so it certainly wouldn't be a first date, you know? Besides, I just messaged him.

As for the how on my rank, I'm afraid it's a secret. ♪ As much as I'd love for the chance to brag about it, that's just how it is. I can say it was a surprise to me, as well.

[(He's definitely filing away the information that Esikko sings to himself!)]

No? Well maybe if you're lucky, he'll serenade you instead~💕

[But now onto other matters.

Did he just sleep around a lot? That's how people normally boost their rank, isn't it? (If that's the case, then it means he's an even better candidate to deal with Leo's suit!!) But if it was something obvious, he probably wouldn't be so secretive about it.]

Now I'm even more curious! You didn't trick them into giving you a higher rank using magic, did you?

This really is a shock. Your luck always sounds so awful. But I know if Rinne-senpai was here, he'd say, "You've just got to keep spinning the wheel, and one day you'll hit the jackpot!"

Anyway, you should show me what your big fancy suite is like! There must be lots of room for flowers, right?

( no!!! don't hold onto information like that, it's embarrassing!! )

I didn't use magic at all. But I truly can't tell you, so stop asking.

Instead, I'll happily show you my suite. I'm currently decorating it, slowly, and it most certainly has plenty of room for plants, flowers and all!

[He will bring it up when Esikko least expects it 😊]

Fine, fine, if you say so!

[Still curious though.....]

And great, just let me know when! I'll bring party poppers and party hats so we can have a proper housewarming! 🥳

Haha. Okay, I can only imagine what a party popper is, but I'll let you know.

[On the day of the 25th, Esikko will receive a delivery!

The delivery is a Christmas present of course, and the gift is a nicely-wrapped tin of chocolates. But not just any sort of chocolate! The floral kind.

See? I combined your interests! This is more of that newfangled "chocolate" stuff you said was delicious! And each one represents different flower. Now you know what a Christmas gift is!

PS — Hope your date with Leo-kun went well!

The note is signed with Hiyori's signature.]

( alas, if only it didn't come from esikko. truth be told, aventurine stares long and hard at the box, as though a simple look would help him sort out the true nature of the side-effects of each and every pill. since he liked it, huh. how so considerate.

ironically, aventurine's gift back - because he has manners, despite all, and what is he if not a well of money - is surprisingly considerate, despite not being masked as such. a well-wrapped box that finds itself at esikko's door, and the insides include a wide assortment of incense, and candles, and even an aromatic humidifier. they are all personal recommendations, is the truth; scents and smells that soothe, and relax, and even help with one's sleep and dreams.

the note: May you find peace and calm within the storm. - Aventurine )

( left outside of esikko's suite, in a rather large gift bag--like he couldn't find the size he wanted--is a watering can that's been painted to look like a big red mug of hot chocolate, with the spout of the can painted like an uncurved candy cane. inside of the watering can, neatly folded in tissue paper, is some lingerie (listen, he thought he'd like it.)

next to the watering can is a small black pot, filled with soil, that has a tag sticking out of it that gives instructions on how to grow whatever is inside of it: he won't say, but as it's something that can bloom on and off all year, esikko will soon discover it to be anthurium if he takes care of it right. finally, the more grotesque gift is another jar of his blood: this one much larger than any of the others he's given before, with a cheeky sticker on the outside that says 'refills available'.

there's a card inside, stuffed with a dinner voucher for two for the gilded cage and a message, written in his handwriting-- )

don't sell yourself short, little prince.
you do deserve it. happy birthday.

x 荼毘

( This will be the most spoiled plant to ever exist... Everything else is treasured as well, of course. Enough that he does have to send out a text after some time. So today is his birthday, on this calendar, it seems... )

Thank you for the gifts.

So, when are we going to make use of this voucher, you think?

oh, you're taking me?
figured i wouldn't be presumptuous.

You could be, though. Of course it would be you.

You're not busy today, are you?

today? nah. you share a birthday with someone i'm not fond of.

so i'd rather get drunk and fat with you than think about it.

Someone you're not fond of? Who? How dare they, when this is my first time having a birthday on a calendar like this.

( it's probably easy to imagine that he is actually offended by this, a little )

But you said you don't want to think about it, so nevermind, let's drink then! We can save the dinner for another time. Want to come over? I've gotten one of those TV things, and I have plenty of alcohol.

just my stupid perfect brother. don't worry about it.

you wanna go eat, we can eat. i'll even let you dress me up.
it's your birthday, do the shit you wanna do.

Ugh. Him. It's my day now. I'll be sure to carve my own memory over this day. So...

So yes, you're right, but the thing is... how do I say this? It's been difficult trying to go anywhere today. People are acting weird.

I do like the idea of dressing you up, though...

acting weird? that's just how they act on someone's birthday.

well, whatever you want, just tell me. i'll shower now at least.

So it's normal? It's as if they have no concept of personal space.

I want... Let me dress you up and we can go out to eat. But afterwards, I do just want to relax in one of our rooms. I don't care which, as long as it's just the two of us.

think so. that seems to be how everyone's birthdays went.

alright, you got it. i'll come by your suite once i'm done, so get whatever you want to put me in ready. you know, since my fashion sense sucks.

It's a rather tame insult, isn't it? Coming from me, anyway~

Hehe. I'll get it all ready. Don't take too long, or I'll let my ideas run too wild.

( given their close proximity, it doesn't take long for him to rasp his knuckles at esikko's door--the shower had been quick but thorough, ensuring that he won't leave the smell of smoke and dying skin on whatever it is that esikko picks out for him to wear. he's not entirely keen on dressing up, usually, preferring to stick to his monochromatic wardrobe, but for someone's birthday, especially esikko, he's not going to make a fuss about it. if it's the one day a year he has to wear something colorful, so be it.

for now, at least, he's got on a loose t-shirt and a pair of pajama pants, blue plaid (see, some color makes it into his choices), and a pair of slides, as though fully intending to return back to esikko's room after their dinner date for sleep. makes more sense than coming over fully dressed, anyway.

his head tilts, waiting, as he gropes in his pocket for the package of cigarettes, confirming they're still there--it smells oddly floral outside esikko's door, which is somewhat typical, but this? it smells....stronger. demanding. has he been playing around with magic, again?

eyes narrowed, he knocks again, a little more insistent. )

( While the scent of his own blood has been a problem lately, an assortment of heavy duty enzyme cleaners have assured that his place only smells of the flowers he keeps in it. Until today, anyway. Try as he might, scrubbing wasn't enough to get this new floral smell off of him, one like camellias, almost like tea. He feels like it's a little tasteless, lingering wherever he walks like it does, but it does well to cover up the lavender and chrysanthemum stemming from his bandaged back, so maybe he shouldn't complain?

He'd complain even less if he knew those insistent knocks were due to it. As it is, he thinks Dabi must just be playing around with him, and so Esikko moves to open the door even as he's still putting in a second earring, smiling as soon as he sees that he's in pajamas. )

Come in~ I haven't set anything out for you, but now that the model himself is here, I can play around, right?

( How many times is he going to make him change... For now, he steps away from the door and leaves shutting it to Dabi, busying himself with finally securing his second earring. Dabi's been over before, but there are more plants, here and there, rearranged, and a bit more furniture as well. The front door opens into a sort of foyer of the suite, and up the stairs is where Esikko's bedroom is, which is where he's heading now. )

I should have gotten that big purple ribbon, already.

( the esikko that appears at the door seems--as normal as he can be; there's no bandaging that he can see, for now, and that smile might be weak, but it isn't pained--his eyes narrow, considering, as he slips inside. it's almost worse, now that the door isn't between them, and though he can tell that there's a lot of ambient smells, the combination of all of those damn plants inside, it isn't them that's causing this, either. it's a scent that isn't esikko's blood, isn't any of his flowers, or any of the cleaning agents that he's used to smelling in the higher rank rooms: so what is it? in a way, it makes him feel almost dizzy, as though the first full inhale does something that he doesn't quite understand.

he struggles out a laugh, half a chuckle, as he edges the door shut behind him, steps out of his shoes, and follows, bare feet padding along up the stairs. )

You don't wanna save that for dessert?

( mildly, bemused--there's something about the distance between them that he doesn't like, which means that he's jogging up the last few steps in order to come flush to esikko's back, sliding an arm around his waist from behind.

a playful roll of his eyes, as he guides them both together, hip to hip, to the bedroom door. he knows where it is. )

Don't think I wanna go out to dinner and have someone else than you looking at me.

( it's almost like he doesn't understand his tongue saying the words--like it says them without his consent, and with a soft huffing breath, he uses his free hand to edge open the bedroom door. there, at least, he'll let esikko go, mostly because he assumes that he'll have to get the myriad of outfits he'll be pushed into; his head is spinning a little, and that sweet, floral scent has only gotten worse, as though it's rubbed off on him from being so close. )

I like to eat my dessert first, when I'm able.

( It's strange, how foreign the sound of feet hurrying up after him are. Esikko notices it right away, a scratch at the back of his mind that's just uncomfortable enough to try and ignore. After all, the wrap of an arm around his waist from behind feels pleasantly possessive, and the little laugh that slips from him as he's guided along is so completely genuine that it feels— it feels like the sort of thing that might happen in a dream of his. A fantasy, actions not meant for him or normally aimed at him— but a dream is something where that's safe to be so. Here, the warmth of Dabi tucked so close to his side, and the words that wrap around him in sweet, over the top greed, are dangerous. He closes his eyes in a blink that lasts longer than it should, as if to extend that feeling, but then he's released, and the shocking difference of the emptiness at his side snaps him out of it.

He exhales softly, pressing into the room with an almost skipping step, like the energy might help him carry him through the moment without getting too stuck in his own head. )

No? ( It certainly has him beaming from the attention of it all, fleeting or not, and he flashes that smile back at Dabi with a little twirl of his steps. Like each one backwards is as inviting as it is distancing, curious to see if he'll stay in the doorway like he is. )

Well, I'd certainly have no complaints about having you all to myself, you know. ( His feet come to a stop in front of his wardrobe, where he turns to begin shuffling through the clothing he's managed to collect so far. ) But we might not have much in the way of dinner, if we stay here. I suppose we could order room service...

( He tosses one shirt, a nice, sleekly patterned button-up, onto the bed nearby. )

( like an insect, drawn towards the sweet smell, he lingers, steps forward, works himself towards the interior of the room like he can't let a certain amount of distance stretch between them; his possessive feelings aren't particularly unusual, given the way that he can easily sink towards obsession with certain things, but to be so blatant about it is new, and feels almost like the feelings tumble out of him before he can even think to pull them back. impatient, he swishes around the end of the bed, hands sliding down into his pockets like that might keep him from reaching out to touch esikko again.

the shirt gets a bemused look of dismay: it's not a bad shirt, but it's definitely something that he thinks esikko would like to see him in, more than he'd like to put on. )

Think about it. We get the ribbon, we fuck around with it, take a bath, order room service, fuck again...

( in a drawling tone, amused--but it isn't his birthday, and he really isn't going to deny esikko anything. in some ways, he thinks that going out might be better, if only because esikko will get the kind of attention he deserves, on a special day, from the staff.

--that, of course, does bother him a little, eyes narrowing at the thought, but he tries to push it down. instead, as he pries out a hand to point, playfully, at the bed: )

So am I wearing just a shirt, now? Where's the bottom part?

( Already, standing at the wardrobe like this was beginning to be a struggle. Dabi isn't loud behind him or anything, but he feels hyper aware of him there, the soft padding of his footsteps, the shift of cloth moving from hands sliding into pockets. Esikko's hands linger on an article of clothing that he can't really pay attention to, and the more Dabi speaks, the further his attention drifts.

From the clothes. Not from Dabi.

Those last questions earn a breath that can almost be mistaken for annoyance, with the way it follows a click of his tongue. But he whirls on his feet, dragging his hands away from the slacks he'd been barely looking at to cross back towards the bed, towards Dabi. )

You— ( Drawing that out just a little, Esikko leans into his next steps, hands reaching out to fist into the front of Dabi's shirt. ) —are being so impatient.

( And he loves every minute of it, from how he's smiling. He ducks his head enough to press their lips together, chaste yet insistent, balling his fists tighter. ) So now you don't get to wear anything. Give me a pass to do this ( a nod at the shirt on the bed ) later, and take it all off.

( Demanding. )

( immediately, his hands go up, like a prisoner that's being accused of something terrible--palms spread, fingers splayed, a surrender as esikko reaches out to grip the front of his shirt. his lips spread into a grin, easily amused; his gaze draws down to find the same sort of smile on esikko's face.

still, he can't help but tease-- ) 'You~ Are being So~ Impatient~'

( it's high-pitched, absolutely not at all a proper imitation of esikko's voice, but it doesn't matter. that teasing is easily swallowed up by the kiss, a chaste little thing, enough that he chases it back again to kiss esikko one more time, lightly, before he draws back to let him speak.

his gaze goes towards the bed, to the shirt, and then back to esikko again, amused. )

You're making me go to dinner naked?

( another playful drawl, but he lets his hands fall, squeezing in at esikko's waist on either side. )

I'm your doll tonight. You undress me.

[ There's ... some sort of fuss going on. Why the hell is there such a fuss going on here. Fuuta had walked into the store without much thought, just intending on picking up a new hoodie to replace one of his older ones, but it doesn't take him long to cotton onto something being weird. None of the employees are running up to bother him for being high-rank, and are instead all crowded off near the other way, chirping and cooing excitedly as they crowd around ... something. Or someone?

It takes him a moment of squinting and leaning over to try and peer past the mob, listening to the excitted chatter, to connect the dots.

'Oh, please let us give you a makeover!' 'No, you need to try these on first!' 'Not those, try these on first! It's your special day, you want to look extra glamorous, don't you?' Almost a dozen employees are crowded around Esikko, almost cornering him where he's been shopping, and it's only when Fuuta clears his throat loudly from right behind them that they turns to look at him. ]

Look, I'm not a snitch or anything, should you guys be doing that? [ He might have started strong, but Fuuta can't help balking a little when he feels so many eyes on him, and his gaze skitters nervously towards Esikko. To make sure that he's not, like, interrupting anything. ] Like, crowding one person instead of ... working.

( Of all the people that could come to his "rescue," he hadn't expected it to be Fuuta. Still, there he is, visible through a crowd of strangers that have seemingly lost the concept of personal space. Most of them are trying to warm up to being so bold as to touch him, but at least two of them are in physical contact right now— one girl hanging off of an arm that he's holding awkwardly a little away from himself, like she's a bug, and some guy with a hand on his opposite shoulder, trying to convince him to try some other sort of clothes.

And so, the relief in his eyes is palpable, even if he tries to hide it behind a defensive sort of double take, like he's checking to see if Fuuta is just going to walk away or not. )

There you are.

( It takes him a moment, but he breaks off from the clingy ones and past the oggling ones to walk closer to Fuuta, ignoring the desperate pleas of "Wait, w-we are working! You'd look so nice in this, don't you want some help putting it on?" and other such comments to touch a hand to Fuuta's arm, instead, urging him to turn with him. Walk, walk.

He knows he smells a different sort of floral, today. He knows no amount of showering helped him get it off, whatever it is, and that even though it's far more faint and subtle than the scent of his blood, that it's like tea more than anything else, it's been attracting people to him like flies to garbage. And, as much as Esikko wants to be loved, to be appreciated...

It feels wrong, feels fake, to be swarmed by people he doesn't even know. It's like he's the Prince all over again. )

Let's, um, hurry and buy whatever it is you wanted here so we can be on our way. Since we have plans and all.

( He's terrible at this when he's distracted and bothered, apparently. )

[ In truth, he's not even sure himself why he's bothering to intervene.

Like -- this isn't any of his business? Esikko can take care of himself? And wasn't he the one casually talking about being showered with gifts because he's a prince, or whatever? In truth, Fuuta's already sort of regretting have injected himself into the situation, especially when he feels multiple pairs of eyes settle on him as the various employees tear their loving gazes away from Esikko to assess him instead. Feeling so many stares fixed on him has his nerves bristling, his stomach churning a little, and Fuuta does almost start backing away.

It's only that strange, sweet smell in the air that keeps him rooted in the spot for a few seconds too long. And once Esikko closes the distance between them, well. -- that affirmation means he did the right thing, right? So he doesn't need to feel so unnerved by the stares fixed on him. He's doing a good thing! He knows he is! ]

Uh. [ Actually, the last thing he cares about any more is hoodies. But Esikko makes the suggestion, and it feels weirdly hard to just say 'no.' ] Sure. Right.

[ He isn't thinking at all when he turns back towards the racks of hoodies he'd been looking at -- snagging Esikko's hand as he turns away, to make sure he's keeping the other close even as he snatches up the garment he'd been looking at. (It's almost the same as what he's wearing right now???) ]

( It's a relief, even if Esikko is a little troubled by the idea of being indebted to Fuuta. It's not even such a new idea, specifically— but isn't that worse? Having him step up in a needed time like this? Does he want something from it? Or, is it just that moralistic obligation of his?

Ultimately, watching the eyes of the crowd shift from himself to Fuuta and being pulled away by the hand is enough to calm that paranoid corner of his mind. He ends up swiping his own Watch for the quick payment, getting some sort of "birthday discount" for them along the way. He tries to ignore the eyes that still linger on them as they check out and begin to leave, instead tucking himself closer to Fuuta to speak quietly to him. )

Coming to my rescue as a knight? Is that the sort of role you enjoy? I'll reward you with a kiss, if you really want.

( He's teasing. )

[ He should probably protest that Esikko doesn't need to pay. He could've paid for the hoodie himself? It's not like he asked for that discount or anything? But -- he's having a weirdly hard time mustering up his usual flavor of combative barking. Maybe because his mind is a little overwhelmed by thoughts of how nice Esikko smells.

Which is a slightly creepy thing to be thinking, he knows. And it's not like he's unused to that weird, floral scent that Esikko usually seems to carry? Something about his blood? But it's a bit different this time, a heady aroma woven through the very air around them, and Fuuta finds his thoughts spinning a little every time he inhales. He's scattered and distracted enough that he gives a little jump when Esikko suddenly pulls closer to him, and he ends up holding his breath for a moment, his voice emerging a little squeaky as a result when he yaps: ]

-- s-shut up. You think I'm some loser trying to roleplay as a white knight in public? Get real. [ This would be a lot more convincing if he wasn't reflexively wrapping his arm over Esikko's back, hand squeezing at Esikko's shoulder to pull him even closer. Fuuta clearly isn't even thinking about what he's doing, his gaze still nervously scanning the crowd bustling around them. ] Just bothered me that they were making all that fuss and not even doing their jobs. They're still employees, aren't they? Even if this place is like this. So they should've been doing their job.

[ Unfortunately for him, all that yapping means he needs to take a breath afterwards. There goes however much he'd gathered his thoughts, and before he can help himself, he ends up adding, ]

And you looked like you were having trouble. So.

...So you wanted to help me from that trouble?

( The way he asks it is playful, followed by a soft laugh that absolutely doesn't mind the way he's pulled closer. It's cute, watching Fuuta get overwhelmed by this strange behavior that's been following him around the resort. He's connected the dots, by now, figured that there was something off about this scent he's been fixed with today. But this?

This is nice, as long as he doesn't think about it for too long. The attention, the care, the huffy little embarrassment because he's getting to him. Even if it makes some core part of his heart ache deeply with want, with the need for something he can't have, that doesn't belong to him— even if this is just another of the House's cruel-and-kind little games... Why shouldn't he enjoy it? )

Thank you.

( It's the only reason he thanks him so genuinely. Words like that are normally hidden behind layers of stubborn huffiness, but today, he tucks closer just enough to nearly whisper them into Fuuta's ear, like they're just for him to hear. Manipulative, maybe... But he's not the one who made this scent, and it's his birthday, so is it really so wrong to try his best to have fun with it? )

It was overwhelming, to be honest. Everyone has been acting so strangely around me, when they've never cared before... I almost want to run away and hide, you know?

[ Esikko never thanks him like that. Hell, most people in general never thank him like that. It's not for lack of effort, but people just don't seem to appreciate it, even when he's done his best to help them? 'Thank you' are two simple words, too often the only reward he wants for doing the right thing, but constantly hovering just out of his reach.

So hearing those low words practically husked into his ears is -- well, jarring mostly? But also, it sure does send a squiggle of something hot and flutter-y dancing through the pit of his stomach. Fuuta jerks back a touch to give Esikko a Look, a little wide-eyed and startled ... but more than that, a hot flush coloring all the way across his cheeks, up to the tips of his ears. He hadn't looked this flustered even back when they were actually having sex.

Whatever meager dregs of resistance he might have put up against Esikko's scent crumbles. ]

Nngh, well. I can't blame you? [ His voice sure wobbled weirdly for a hot second there, and even as he hurries to look away, Fuuta reflexively pulls Esikko a bit closer to him; the hand reaching up at his shoulder slides down, in part out of the discomfort of reaching up like that, but in part because it just feels natural, to instead hold at Esikko's waist to tug him close. ] It was bad enough when we changed rank and started having to deal with all the ... fans. Like our ranks even mean anything. Still fucking annoying. And it looks like they were being even worse, so.

[ A hard swallow. Fuuta keeps his gaze trained ahead, his brain not giving him the chance to hesitate before he blusters, ]

I guess there's no helping it. I'll stick by you for a while, just in case.

I lived. ( bitch )

Did you get what you wanted?

And for how long have you been alive? Quite some time, I believe?

What do you think.

What makes you say that?
I'm inquiring after your welfare here. You could be more appreciative.

Hiyori told me how to search for you on the registry. To show that when you left the clinic, you were alive.

Also, my health is deteriorating. I'm dying.

You're always dying.

And you aren't???

Not of my own volition.
What did you do to make it worse?

Why are you so quick to jump to that?

If I'm wrong. Feel free to correct me.

( ... )

What do you want, to decide to speak to me now? Are you finding yourself low on that feeling of superiority?

That can't be. It's so endless for you.

Am I not allowed to see how you’re doing? It’s been some time.
But I doubt this place will let you die.
Perhaps you’ll only suffer forever.

You'd like that, wouldn't you?

( Ugh, hitting him in his big worry. Rude. )

I'm terrible. Congratulations. Hope you're having a great time.

( ? rude is a different guy? )

Not indefinitely.
Believe it or not but I don’t solely wish you ill.

( bc he ****— )

I’d invite you over for dinner but as I recall. The last time we were together it ended poorly for me.
I feel like our attitudes in this conversation have been switched.
Given everything.
What right do you have to be mad at me?

Not solely, huh.

In any case, I don't need a right to be mad at you. Just take it as a borrowing of all the rights you had to be mad at me that you failed to use.

I don't believe it works that way.
But I suppose there's no stopping you either.

( for a while he doesn't reply.

but eventually he does, and the break between is far shorter than it had been for a long while here in the golden peacock. )

Why contact me now? Like, why now, and not earlier, and not later.

Obviously I missed you.

( no hesitation, btw. )

But I didn’t earlier. And I might not later.
It’s impossible to say.

( Part of him is annoyed what seems to be a simple truth.

The other part is convinced that he never missed him in the first place. That Aventurine must have taught him how to lie, or that he's lying to himself. Either way? It's irritating.

He doesn't want to admit it's upsetting, either. )

You could stop missing me entirely if you just commit to leaving me behind.

Is that what you want me to do?

Why are you still thinking about what I want?

Do you want to play at being miserable and abandoned?
Then fine. I can leave you to it.
But it won’t actually feel any better. Whatever spite you have will be wasted.
You may as well still be on that mountaintop. In spirit if not in flesh.

What is it that you want me to say to you? To do? Are you hoping I'll give up and swoon into your arms??

( don't say yes. )

( ……… )

I mean.

I wouldn’t mind that.

Ugh. I know you're wagging your tail, so stop that. It's not happening.

( whisper voice: heehee )

If you ever change your mind you know where to find me.

[ This is like, probably? Ten to fifteen minutes after delivery. ]

i forgot the date!!!!! i mean i knew it was coming but i was focused on the songs for hiyo and forgot it was coming even though they were thematically related you know? sorry!

are you super busy or can you meet me somewhere? it's ok if it's later or not today if you are. (⁠〒⁠﹏⁠〒⁠)

There's no need to apologize, is there? This isn't a holiday I'm used to... I just thought I'd try it.

Still, we can meet. I'm just in my suite.

there is though! i meant to make something to go with it you know!! but anyway pick indoors or outdoors and i will tell you where to go! indoors is if you wanna see me play piano outdoors is if you want the choreography instead.

and then we can do something fun after the first live performance of tsubaki movement one! why are you sitting in your room? let's go on a date after ok!

( ...Well, he was sitting in his room sulking a bit about his failed chocolates, honestly. But he was planning on watching them perform, and this all sounds nice, so it's not hard to convince him out. )

Hmmm... inside, then. A date sounds nice, too. Is it a surprise where we'd go? Let me straighten my hair a bit more, and I'll meet you wherever you say for the piano.

it's a surprise for me too! i'm the type who likes figuring it out with the person in question.

[ He actually has that answer on tap because they of course have interviews as idols and "ideal type" and "ideal date" come up often enough. Leo likes things like outdoors musical festivals and figuring things out with his date rather than preplanning a lot.

He sends the location of a piano with a nice window view but sort of tucked out of the way of usual foot traffic. While he can't find a lot of things Leo has the locations of all the pianos memorized. ]

so the dress code is whatever! i'm sparkly and red though~

[ He means he's dressed for idol work. Which seems to involve sparkly and red today. Apparently he's not changing out of it. ]

Red is my favorite. How lucky am I that this holiday suits me completely?

I'll see you there soon.

( And, as promised, he does show up! He's wearing pink rather than red, but that's just a shade of red if you ask him anyway. His hair is straightened, making it even longer than its normally barely-past-the-shoulders waviness, and he's tied it into a loose and low ponytail, a white ribbon accentuating it.

While waiting, he's absolutely looking over the piano with curiosity. )

[ It's a nice piano. Luxury casino hotel resorts tend to have those, even if many of the staff apparently can't really play them per the very first TDM, so Leo never feels bad about hogging one whenever he feels like it. Not like he'd feel bad anyway, but it does mean there's usually one open somewhere and that's all he needs.

References are Hard, but Leo shows up essentially in the kind of sparkly get up you'd expect of an idol with a themed gig: tight red slacks and a shirt with glitter to it, cut low and comfortable. For once his hair is more neatly braided back (not his doing) and he's got dangling heart earrings in and a matching choker, since he mostly only wears jewelry for gigs.

He looks more well rested than last time and also bubbly as hell, coming over happily to hug because he's just Like That with people. Throwing himself at his friends and those he likes is just how he lives; mostly people learn to catch him or shove him off. ]

Hey! I liked them a lot, they weren't bad. You actually looked up some notes, right?

...Really? You're not lying, right? If you are, I'll get angry, you know?

( So he says, but Esikko is already smiling at the compliment, head held all high like he has any reason to be proud about those attempts. Well, they were pretty, at least... He knows that much, so he easily follows the topic of their design, quietly accepting the hug, and giving his own fairly delayed return. It's a little awkward, since he hasn't done much hugging in any of his lifetimes... )

Could you tell? I suppose you would be able to, considering your enthusiasm... Yes, I borrowed some books from the library and did my best. There were plenty of rejects in the process.

( Pulling back, he gives Leo another once over, an approving hum slipping out as he traces down along his braid. )

We don't have a day like this, where I'm from, so...

Huh? I don't really do white lies or anything, you know? I mean, I'll lie about some things, but not this kind of thing. If I say I like something, I like it. If I don't like something, I'll just say so!

[ Usually pretty rudely, in terms of how blunt it can be. Leo is as Leo does. He's honest in many ways and the ways he isn't are more avoidance than anything else. He doesn't always like to address the things that are more difficult, but it's not like he says they aren't there all the time. He just talks about other things. ]

Anyway, this is a day that's common for us. Though, usually guys have more to do with white day, I guess...? For idols Valentines' does tend to be a thing where we end up making chocolates, though. Anzu organizes a bunch of events or whatever...Rittsu's the best from Knights at making chocolates, though. I prefer to eat 'em than to make 'em~!

Hi.
We haven't met yet, but I'm Zagreus.
I was dared by someone to send an erotic photo of myself to a few people, and to avoid sending you something unsolicited, I thought I'd check to see if it was welcome first.

( omg. free sexy pics? he hopes they aren't disappointing. )

Hello, Zagreus. I'm Esikko. You're far more polite than most people here, you know? Go ahead and send one to me.

You're already doing me a favor, I'd hate to be rude on top of it.

[ anyway, here is the nude.... enjoy. ]

To be fair, I can't imagine anyone who'd dislike receiving a picture like this. I suppose if they don't like men?

You have a nice body, don't you? I'm jealous~

Better to be safe than sorry, is how the saying goes?

But thank you, that's kind of you to say.
And I've seen your profile, you've nothing to be jealous about.

Hehe, now you're just flattering me. You must be new here; I'd certainly recognize you otherwise.

My name is Esikko. I've been here for quite a long time, you see.

ic inbox

wow first??

ew now my inbox smells like dog

rolls around and muddies up the place

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