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[sunshrouded]

Is this how it works? Ha! Got it!

Hey, this is the equivalent of getting in touch with the mighty Kumou Tenka - yours truly - if I'm otherwise busy. Tell me what you need and I'll get back to you as soon as possible! Talk to you soon.

Comments

[deontology]

[.... ah. That's...a warm feeling, right? Tenka's concerned about him and cares? That's...a good thing. (Of course Tenka cares, he's his partner, why was that even in question--)

The voice of reason is pretty easily drowned out right now, if it's even there at all anymore in his head.

He nods.]

I appreciate your concern. [He does!!! He's even smiling a little. dokidoki

no really where did the sousei go from a few days ago who was trying to convince Tenka he was invincible?]

You are often away for long hours at your workplace. I don't like it.

[no really what the fuck]

[sunshrouded]

[ . . . . . . . .

Tenka's always wanted Sousei to show more emotion - to have more feelings. Except rather than changing Sousei himself, Tenka just wanted to create an atmosphere where Sousei would have reason to smile. Like how Taiko always made sure that the shrine was warm and full of laughter when they were kids.

This isn't what he wants. This is something changed in Sousei and Tenka doesn't like it.]

Sousei.

I have to go to work. We don't have much time before we actually have to start paying rent on this place and we should still keep some money saved up.

[ . . . . ]

Why do I have to explain this to you?

[deontology]

[He's explaining, but it's hard to say if it's making any progress in sinking in. Sousei shakes his head a moment later at that, frowning now.

He doesn't want Tenka to go.]

You should stay. I will go and deal with those problems.

[he'll work. Tenka will stay home. Nobody will take him away then, and it'll be fine.]

[sunshrouded]

[ . . . . . ]

Are you trying to turn me into a housewife?!

[SERIOUS TRAIN OF THOUGHT DERAILED]

[deontology]

[And...Sousei doesn't take the bait. He's not derailed in the least. Rather, calmly, he shakes his head.]

No, of course not.

[...]

I am just minimizing the threat.

[sunshrouded]

[ . . . . . . . . . . . . .

It bothers him. He's not sure when his partner left and this weird Sousei came in.]

When did you get so boring?

[deontology]

[That strikes a chord, though maybe not in the way Tenka was hoping for. Boring is...bad. Tenka clearly doesn't like boring. If Tenka thinks Sousei is boring, then...maybe he'll leave after all.

Unacceptable.]

Then I will fix it. Don't concern yourself with it. [don't leave]

[sunshrouded]

['Then I will fix it.' It's a far cry from when they were kids and whenever Tenka accused Sousei of being boring, he'd be met with an indignant 'What?!'

That wasn't boring. That was fun. This? This is still boring and more than that, it's worrying.

So Tenka, irritated as he is, immediately gets up to head for the door.]

I'm going to get answers and a doctor. You stay here.

[deontology]

[And immediately, Sousei is reaching for Tenka's arm, alarmed.

Does it...really bother him that much? This is something he'll have to fix, clearly... And quickly.]

Wait. Don't.

[don't!!]

[sunshrouded]

[Tenka's arm is snagged and he's frowning even as he looks back at Sousei. Then he's turning and resting his free hand over Sousei's on his arm.]

Hey.

Do you trust me?

[deontology]

[The question doesn't make sense to him in this context.

He frowns, looking down at the hand on his arm.]

...Yes.

[...but.] I do not want you to leave.

[sunshrouded]

Sousei, you're not well.

[Don't you get it? How is this not sinking in? They're not on the same page and Tenka isn't sure how to deal with it.]

You need to stay here. I'll be back once I find out what's wrong.

[deontology]

I'm fine.

[More certainly--more firmly.]

Do not leave.

[sunshrouded]

Don't you get it? You're not fine! That's what I'm telling you to trust me about!

[Which is about when Tenka doesn't hesitate to smack Sousei upside the head out of habit.]

Stop being stubborn!

[deontology]

[And...Sousei wilts a little. Regardless of whatever less-than-pleasant urges he's had towards other people who wanted to get too close to Tenka, none of those exist with Tenka.

He just wants Tenka to stay.

Instead, Tenka's reacting like this.]

Don't leave.

[It's as steady as ever but...there's a plaintive note to it, hidden deep down.]

[sunshrouded]

[ . . . . when was the last time he'd seen his partner, proud and mighty and stupidly arrogant as he was, wilt? That, more than anything else, manages to inspire a bit of doubt in Tenka. When it was Hirari or even the doctors, Tenka had no problems leaving.

But....

He sits on the couch now, sighing deeply.]

... Sousei.

I'll come back. Will you let me go if I promise to come back?

[deontology]

[Tenka's seated again, and that's a relief. But...

... Even if he promises he'll come back, there's no guarantee. Sousei hesitates at that--and then frowns.]

You may leave and never come back--again. I won't let you.

[sunshrouded]

[ . . . . . . wait, hold on.]

"Again"?

[deontology]

Yes.

[Hope you weren't expecting elaboration...because instead Sousei is just grabbing Tenka's arm again.]

I am fine. I do not require medical attention. Stay here.

[sunshrouded]

[He was expecting elaboration and he doesn't even react anymore when Sousei grabs his arm.]

What do you mean by "again"?

[deontology]

You left before. For ten years.

[Sousei frowns.

There's some...truth to this. Some truth to the fact that Sousei doesn't want that ten year break to happen again, that he did miss Tenka during it, and that it was awful--

But this is still so foreign, so different from Sousei's usual approach to things.

But nonetheless...]

I won't allow you to be taken away like that again.

[sunshrouded]

[ . . .

Damn. He shouldn't have asked.

Tenka can tell there's some truth, he knows Sousei well enough to understand that. But he also knows Sousei well enough to understand-]

When you get back to your senses, you're going to be mad at me for asking like this.

Nevermind.

[And then he's sighing, flopping onto the couch, not caring when he collides into Sousei a bit.]

[deontology]

[He's 100% correct, Sousei's going to be mad that all of this happened in general. But for now, he's satisfied that Tenka isn't going to leave.

He relaxes then, and doesn't care that Tenka is somewhat flopped on him, because he's going to lean right back.

Clingy? Absolutely. Clingier than he has ever been for the past 25 years of his life in these two days? Yes, 100%

But he's satisfied.]

[sunshrouded]

[So clingy. So clingy that Tenka feels weird about accepting it. This is the sort of clinginess that he would expect from a child - from Chuutarou - from his brothers right after their parents passed away.

Not from his partner.

But regardless, he feels guilty enough to stay. He stays for the rest of the day, just relaxing with Sousei and trying to ignore how strange his partner has gotten. When he crawls into his futon to sleep that night, he tries to tell himself that it'll get better in the morning.

Or he'll sneak out and make sure it does.]

[deontology]

[It's gotten worse.

The moments of clarity and coherence breaking through are basically nonexistent as the second day passes gently into the third. Now, there's nothing he can think of, as he lies there and stares at the ceiling, but that this is too far from Tenka.

(He won't let anyone take Tenka away, but surely that means then that he deserves to be close to Tenka than this?)

Sousei gets up a little past midnight, when the thoughts are too pressing for him to bear, and neatly and mechanically straightens his futon, folds the blankets, and makes sure everything is tidy. Then, quietly (without hesitating in the least to knock or ask for permission), he enters Tenka's room, moves towards the futon, and invites himself right in, crawling under the blankets.

For now, this is close enough.

(This is closer than Sousei in his right mind would ever want to be with another human being, even his partner.

But then, the influence of this place sure doesn't seem to care about that.)]