[Okay, Atsushi is going to take Inaba's hand with one of his own. Then he's going to hold his free hand up and try to turn his fingertips into claws, as he often does when he's fighting. But nope, it's still human, so long as Inaba has the nullification on.
So he looks up at her finally, with a look of absolute befuddlement on his face.]
[Though what is important now, at least in Atsushi's mind, is a bit difficult to bring up. And as his mind wanders in that direction, his cheeks start to turn pink.]
S-so, um...we can touch each other now too, right?
[ Even if it might be difficult for him it's. . . actually, no. It's hard for Inaba to bring up, too. Because in spite of how she acts very much like a prude at times to the point where she can tease easily, when it comes to acting on it she's just a little bit hesitant and nervous.
Which is probably why her cheeks color like a beet red tomato, freshly picked from the garden. ]
I mean, yeah. . .? I've been thinking about using it for that ever since I got it.
[Atsushi jumps a little when Inaba grabs his shoulders, and her desperation makes him swallow down a bit of nervousness. But soon he's nodding, and instead of responding verbally he leans in to capture her lips in a kiss.
It's not technically anything special, all things considered. They have kissed many times before, it's nothing new. But after a moment or two of being tense, Atsushi finally relaxes into their kiss. He's always tense, that's what being an anxious ex-assassin gets you. But he's always been tenser during their personal moments, and it's only now when they kiss and he feels nothing from Byakko that he can finally relax and let himself actually enjoy kissing Inaba.
[ The familiarity of the kiss is what makes her shoulders easily relax, any of the worries that she could possibly have in the moment soon washes away. But she notices that slight difference in the way that he kisses and it's enough for Inaba to start ushering him further into the room, towards the bed.
As much as she enjoys this kiss, having his lips on hers, she craves more than that.
[The bed is good. It's soft and safe and they can lay down and learn all the other ways to kiss each other's bodies.
Atsushi goes with Inaba's ushering, but when he goes to sit on the bed he tries to pull her down with him, urging her into his lap. She should go sit with him, he wants to touch her as much as possible right now.]
[ Well, she doesn't care about being pulled down onto his lap. In fact, she does wind up breaking the kiss when she does it, just leaning to press her forehead against his own, her cheeks still flush. ]
I really missed you, Atsushi. . .
[ Her voice is needy, yearning and her voice breathy. ]
I missed you too. It was scary, watching you in that house. Knowing that you could die at any moment. I haven't felt that helpless since the hotel.
And I...I don't want to leave anything left unsaid, nothing left undone.
[Because they could die at any moment in this world, and even if death isn't quite so permanent he still doesn't want to bank on people getting revived. ]
[ She laughs a little bit bitterly that it's almost like someone who's used to having their coffee with sugar in it was suddenly drinking it black; a mistake in a Starbucks order.
Her hands move to grab his own wrists as if that would somehow stabilize her.
But it doesn't, not entirely. Her gaze drops a bit because guilt eats at the pit of her stomach at his words. ]
I didn't help much in alleviating your fears since I kept on volunteering when I had the chance to. . . Even when I was very much aware that I could have died. But I always thought that it would have been better if it was me, not them. If I could protect the others. . .
I'm an idiot, though. I knew that it would hurt you if I did that.
[ Her grip tighens ever so slightly; she doesn't want to let him go. She wants to stay with him. Even if they can come back to life, that doesn't change the simple fact that death is scary. That being alive is honestly a good thing. ]
But in that case. . . whatever you need to say, I want to hear it. And whatever you want to do, I want you to be able to do it. Life is just too goddamn short to have regrets.
You're right. It was terrifying to watch. Every time you volunteered yourself, it felt like my heart was being squeezed. If you had actually died, I...I don't...
[He closes his eyes, and he squeezes her hand back.]
But it kept others from being in that position, didn't it? By volunteering, you protected others. Even if it was hard to watch, I'm glad you did it. Because you helped the others, you spared them from death and trauma. ...well, more trauma, I guess.
I was fearful, but you know what? I'm proud of you too.
[ Inaba honestly doesn't have any good words that she can say to that. Instead, she just slips her eyes shit and listens to his words and steadies her breathing.
Although she laughs a bit at what he says at the end, though. ]
I really didn't do that much for you to be that proud of me, Atsushi. I almost died several times back there. I had to be saved by other people because I couldn't do anything for myself.
[ In a lot of ways, she still feels inadequate. That's why she wants so badly to do something to change herself; she's wanted that for the longest time, because she's always seen herself as 'dark', as someone who had difficulties seeing the light. ]
And there were so many times when I just backslid. I thought of myself as a monster that didn't deserve anything, and I wanted so badly to go back home. Even if that meant. . .
[ She shakes her head. ]
But that's not the kind of person I am now. I'm different now. From both my past self and my 'future' self that was written down. And I think that maybe I can finally move forward.
I. . . want to do something in this world that only I can do. And I want to be able to do as much as I can for you. But more importantly, I just want to be with you right now and just not think too much about everything. If you'll allow me.
Because I love you so much, Atsushi. I don't want to let you go again.
Then don't let go. Let's just be together right now.
[There's a lot he wants to say about Inaba's self-confidence and everything that's happened in the last few weeks, but he holds off on that. They will have plenty of time for that later. Inaba has already said she doesn't want to think right now, and Atsushi is going to respect that.
He also doesn't want to kill the mood. Because as supportive as he's being, he's still a teenager with his girlfriend in his lap, and he's just been told that he can finally have sex without mauling anyone. He definitely wants to support Inaba's wants in a physical way, if he can.]
[ Hearing something like that is really earnestly sweet.
It's in a way that she honestly feels like she doesn't deserve, sometimes. But talking about everything - about how she actually feels about things is definitely an unfortunate mood killer, and she's honestly relieved that he understands that.
They can talk about it all later.
When she's not so focused on wanting him in so many ways that she's thought about the last couple of weeks. Which is why, with another squeeze of his hands, she leans in to kiss him once again, yearning and needy and wanting. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[He sounds even more confused, and now his cheeks are pink.]
But I- I know it's the new moon right now, but even now we still have to worry about the tiger!
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[ She places her hands on his shoulders, not looking at him directly now because she really, really needs to just be blunt about it. ]
I have nullification now. It's fine.
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[Okay, Atsushi is going to take Inaba's hand with one of his own. Then he's going to hold his free hand up and try to turn his fingertips into claws, as he often does when he's fighting. But nope, it's still human, so long as Inaba has the nullification on.
So he looks up at her finally, with a look of absolute befuddlement on his face.]
When did you get that?
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. . . well.
Long story short, a fortune cookie happened. During the weeks I was gone.
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[The gears are starting to turn in his head, and he's starting to get what she means.]
All the time?
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Um, I could have it on all the time, but I don't need to.
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[Both in power use and in personality.]
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[ She will take the compliment. ]
Anyway, that honestly isn't all that important, right?
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[Though what is important now, at least in Atsushi's mind, is a bit difficult to bring up. And as his mind wanders in that direction, his cheeks start to turn pink.]
S-so, um...we can touch each other now too, right?
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Which is probably why her cheeks color like a beet red tomato, freshly picked from the garden. ]
I mean, yeah. . .? I've been thinking about using it for that ever since I got it.
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[Wait. No. He needs to explain it better.]
I-I mean, not the other stuff if you don't want to, but kissing...? I, um, I want to see if it really does work.
[If kissing led to more he honestly wouldn't complain, but he's also not going to push the issue either. He's too much of a bottom, sorry Inaba.]
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[ Her words are immediate as her hands move to grip onto his shoulders, desperation dripping from every syllable. ]
Don't make me wait any longer, Atsushi.
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It's not technically anything special, all things considered. They have kissed many times before, it's nothing new. But after a moment or two of being tense, Atsushi finally relaxes into their kiss. He's always tense, that's what being an anxious ex-assassin gets you. But he's always been tenser during their personal moments, and it's only now when they kiss and he feels nothing from Byakko that he can finally relax and let himself actually enjoy kissing Inaba.
The difference is like night and day, really.]
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As much as she enjoys this kiss, having his lips on hers, she craves more than that.
She wants him. ]
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Atsushi goes with Inaba's ushering, but when he goes to sit on the bed he tries to pull her down with him, urging her into his lap. She should go sit with him, he wants to touch her as much as possible right now.]
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I really missed you, Atsushi. . .
[ Her voice is needy, yearning and her voice breathy. ]
Is this. . . okay?
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And I...I don't want to leave anything left unsaid, nothing left undone.
[Because they could die at any moment in this world, and even if death isn't quite so permanent he still doesn't want to bank on people getting revived. ]
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Her hands move to grab his own wrists as if that would somehow stabilize her.
But it doesn't, not entirely. Her gaze drops a bit because guilt eats at the pit of her stomach at his words. ]
I didn't help much in alleviating your fears since I kept on volunteering when I had the chance to. . . Even when I was very much aware that I could have died. But I always thought that it would have been better if it was me, not them. If I could protect the others. . .
I'm an idiot, though. I knew that it would hurt you if I did that.
[ Her grip tighens ever so slightly; she doesn't want to let him go. She wants to stay with him. Even if they can come back to life, that doesn't change the simple fact that death is scary. That being alive is honestly a good thing. ]
But in that case. . . whatever you need to say, I want to hear it. And whatever you want to do, I want you to be able to do it. Life is just too goddamn short to have regrets.
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[He closes his eyes, and he squeezes her hand back.]
But it kept others from being in that position, didn't it? By volunteering, you protected others. Even if it was hard to watch, I'm glad you did it. Because you helped the others, you spared them from death and trauma. ...well, more trauma, I guess.
I was fearful, but you know what? I'm proud of you too.
cw suicidal ideation
Although she laughs a bit at what he says at the end, though. ]
I really didn't do that much for you to be that proud of me, Atsushi. I almost died several times back there. I had to be saved by other people because I couldn't do anything for myself.
[ In a lot of ways, she still feels inadequate. That's why she wants so badly to do something to change herself; she's wanted that for the longest time, because she's always seen herself as 'dark', as someone who had difficulties seeing the light. ]
And there were so many times when I just backslid. I thought of myself as a monster that didn't deserve anything, and I wanted so badly to go back home. Even if that meant. . .
[ She shakes her head. ]
But that's not the kind of person I am now. I'm different now. From both my past self and my 'future' self that was written down. And I think that maybe I can finally move forward.
I. . . want to do something in this world that only I can do. And I want to be able to do as much as I can for you. But more importantly, I just want to be with you right now and just not think too much about everything. If you'll allow me.
Because I love you so much, Atsushi. I don't want to let you go again.
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[There's a lot he wants to say about Inaba's self-confidence and everything that's happened in the last few weeks, but he holds off on that. They will have plenty of time for that later. Inaba has already said she doesn't want to think right now, and Atsushi is going to respect that.
He also doesn't want to kill the mood. Because as supportive as he's being, he's still a teenager with his girlfriend in his lap, and he's just been told that he can finally have sex without mauling anyone. He definitely wants to support Inaba's wants in a physical way, if he can.]
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It's in a way that she honestly feels like she doesn't deserve, sometimes. But talking about everything - about how she actually feels about things is definitely an unfortunate mood killer, and she's honestly relieved that he understands that.
They can talk about it all later.
When she's not so focused on wanting him in so many ways that she's thought about the last couple of weeks. Which is why, with another squeeze of his hands, she leans in to kiss him once again, yearning and needy and wanting. ]