[Kaeya flicks an ear and sighs, grabbing the bottle on the table and finishing off what was left in it.] Really.
I suppose I have to get used to these ears and tail eventually. [and his current senses. He's stuck with them for the rest of a very long life.] And no, no. Aether isn't that person.
You'll see him in my memories eventually. He's quite hard to miss. [Again his thoughts drift to Diluc. He sighs and leans all his weight into Takame like a cat seeking pets.] It's complicated.
...but I wish it wasn't. [He says softly as he looks away.]
I may... I may not. [He knew as well as Kaeya did. There's a long pause, as if he half expected a vision to come to him in that moment and he tensed again, bracing for the pain.
It never came, for a mercy. But Takame didn't know how to respond to Kaeya after that. He's had his share of relationships with people that were... complicated. It could mean anything, and he never knew what to do. He wasn't an eloquent man and didn't even understand his own heart.
Being a long time friend of a Miqo'te, however, he knew their mannerisms. And by force of habit brought a hand to Kaeya's ears and... pet them.]
[Kaeya had resigned himself to drinking more and just trying to bury the uncomfortable talk he'd started. But a hand brushes his ears and runs down in soothing strokes. For a second he goes rigid with shock.
If he weren't so drunk he'd have cracked a joke or said something. It feels nice. He hasn't had a nice touch since he got to this land and with all the shocks of late...and the loneliness.
He leans into the petting hand and goes boneless against Takame's shoulder. He tips his head up, turning it slightly to get the best angle for the comfort he can't admit to himself he craves.]
[That was about the response Takame expected. Something about Miqo'te ears that always put them weak in the knees when pet.
For as new as the ears were for Kaeya, Takame was an expert at handling them. His hair felt as soft as it looked, merging perfectly with the fur of his ears. Slow strokes became gentle scratches when Kaeya shifted.
The fact that he was doing something correctly made his tail sway more. Or maybe it was touching something warm in the cold bar next to what was basically a "primal" of ice. Takame was too drunk to care, there were ears to be pet.]
[A low rumbling sound builds in his chest, tentative at first. Then it grows as Kaeya presses into the fingers and turns his head. His purr is soft, a little reedy.
His tail drapes itself over Takame's lap as he shifts closer, almost into Takame's lap. This is nice. He's so drunk.]
He was so concentrated on it that he barely noticed when Kaeya curled up against him and his tail plopped right into his lap. Ah, it felt like... owning a cat. Now he couldn't move.
Takame didn't let up on Kaeya's ears, continuing to scratch lightly but his free hand stroked down the length of his tail, patting down any fur that threatened to bristle. It was relaxing for him, keeping his hands against warm fur and keeping a rhythm where both his hands moved in perfect sync. Or near enough it didn't matter, true rhythm was hard to keep with drunk and fumbling hands.]
[If he were sober he wouldn't settle himself more in Takame's chair on his leg. He presses his face into his arm and sighs, relaxed and content. It isn't something he can lose himself in.
But this is just...nice. His purr falters as he starts to drift off. He shifts and it starts right back up. Then slowly fades away as he passes out.]
[Takame was thrown a bit when the purring suddenly came to a halt and Kaeya went completely limp against him. What happened to the sound?
He frowned a bit, looking down at the lump of a Miqo'te in his lap. Completely passed out.]
Ah... [That explained it. He ought to get him into a bed, that was the kind thing to do was it not? He stood up from his chair and the world began to spin. Hells. He shook his head lightly, rubbing his eyes before lifting Kaeya up in his arms and watching his feet as he moved slowly to the proprietor who gave the two a look.
Assuring him that Takame was good for the tab, he hailed for a room to be readied where Takame was led. Sheer muscle memory led his steps without him tripping over himself, not that it stopped him from wavering on the way even as far as the inn room bed he placed Kayea onto.
... then the limit of his tolerance and fatigue took him and dropped right onto the bed himself, half on top of Kaeya.
By the time morning came around he had the man pulled into his arms with his face buried in hair and sheets to shield his sensitive eyes from the light.]
[He wakes up feeling warm. His head is killing him but the usual pleasant soreness is missing. Not a fun night then. Kaeya opens his eye and grumbles. He tries to cover it with one hand but his arms are trapped. Panic rips through him and he jerks his head up, looking over his shoulder.
To the man sleeping peacefully, strong arms wrapped around him. He stares. Then his face dusts with pink and he looks straight ahead. He can remember the soft touches to his ears. He'd shamelessly leaned into it.
Had loved it. He'd wanted more of it and had probably been about to flirt if he hadn't been knocked out by the booze. Kaeya presses his face to the mattress. What an utter mess he is.]
[Takame's grip tightened a bit at the shuffling. There was a low grumble in protest at the light peeking through, his head was pounding... he was a fool to drink so much without much food or water.
Then it dawned on him who he was drinking with and who by extension he was clinging to. He gasped softly and his eyes shot open as he snapped his arms back to himself. The pain struck him like a hammer all over again as soon as the initial panic faded, which was rather quickly all things considered.]
Apologies... [He brought a hand to his head, half covering his eyes and rubbing the bridge of his nose with a soft swear.]
[The tighter grip sends a thrill dashing through him that he refuses to acknowledge. Not even close to time for that. He rolls away from Takame the moment he's free, laying on his side facing him.
With the sun warming his back he puts on his charming smile and props his head up with one hand and leaves the other resting on the bed. Nothing to see here, completely relaxed.]
It's fine. You had to carry me to bed. Seems only fair you got some rest yourself. But most people go towards a source of warmth, not the frost on their window glass. [His tail curls around his hip and drapes over his own legs to keep painting that picture of entirely at ease.]
I was not in the finest state to choose... [Takame was ashamed of himself. Sure, the fact that they both woke up clothed was a point in his favor but he tried not to be so careless in his drinking.
But he was weak to attractive people. Kaeya being the way he was didn't help. But Takame moved to sit on the side of the bed, his tail dragging sluggishly behind him. He'd rather move past this as if it was a one night stand, but there was work to be done.]
Terrible but it's fine. [Kaeya says as he sits up and stretches his arms up over his head. He can feel his back pop. The morning light falls over bare skin and he yawns, exposing sharp fangs.]
Mmm, a good workout will help.
[He knows exactly what he's doing. The way his shirt pulls tight across his chest as he sighs.]
[Terrible. Not surprising, Takame felt much the same but had the right face to hide it. At a glance one wouldn't be able to tell he was disgustingly hungover.
He watched Kaeya stretch, seeing the way his shirt tugged and rode up. Having a gauge of the man's personality Takame was sure he knew what he was doing. But for fear of offense, he would confirm first.]
Ah, what... did you have in mind? There is time before we must report to the alliance.
Ah. [Good thing he confirmed first. Better that what was proposed was something he knew well.] Of course. [ He nodded, but even that made his head spin...]
There... are training grounds we may use for that purpose. They are used by the Temple Knights, but I will request permission from Ser Lucia to use them as well. [Protocol was protocol, Takame was rarely one to break that, title be damned. The way Kaeya effortlessly spun ice around his fingers made him think back to his lost control and his tail twitched.]
... If you would like. [He’ll never be used to being asked permission. He was always the one asking. But a cold pack on his head for this hangover sounded delightful.]
[He twists his fingers and the ice gathers in his palm. Square cubes form in the air and become bars of ice. He hums as he closes his hand around them. Kaeya studies the ice and pulls off his gloves one after the other. He tosses them aside.]
It's best we get some kind of cloth to wrap around these. We don't want to press ice directly to the skin.
[His tail curls at the tip as he flicks his left ear.] They're going to last a while. Maybe longer than I can guess.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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I suppose I have to get used to these ears and tail eventually. [and his current senses. He's stuck with them for the rest of a very long life.] And no, no. Aether isn't that person.
You'll see him in my memories eventually. He's quite hard to miss. [Again his thoughts drift to Diluc. He sighs and leans all his weight into Takame like a cat seeking pets.] It's complicated.
...but I wish it wasn't. [He says softly as he looks away.]
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It never came, for a mercy. But Takame didn't know how to respond to Kaeya after that. He's had his share of relationships with people that were... complicated. It could mean anything, and he never knew what to do. He wasn't an eloquent man and didn't even understand his own heart.
Being a long time friend of a Miqo'te, however, he knew their mannerisms. And by force of habit brought a hand to Kaeya's ears and... pet them.]
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If he weren't so drunk he'd have cracked a joke or said something. It feels nice. He hasn't had a nice touch since he got to this land and with all the shocks of late...and the loneliness.
He leans into the petting hand and goes boneless against Takame's shoulder. He tips his head up, turning it slightly to get the best angle for the comfort he can't admit to himself he craves.]
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For as new as the ears were for Kaeya, Takame was an expert at handling them. His hair felt as soft as it looked, merging perfectly with the fur of his ears. Slow strokes became gentle scratches when Kaeya shifted.
The fact that he was doing something correctly made his tail sway more. Or maybe it was touching something warm in the cold bar next to what was basically a "primal" of ice. Takame was too drunk to care, there were ears to be pet.]
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His tail drapes itself over Takame's lap as he shifts closer, almost into Takame's lap. This is nice. He's so drunk.]
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He was so concentrated on it that he barely noticed when Kaeya curled up against him and his tail plopped right into his lap. Ah, it felt like... owning a cat. Now he couldn't move.
Takame didn't let up on Kaeya's ears, continuing to scratch lightly but his free hand stroked down the length of his tail, patting down any fur that threatened to bristle. It was relaxing for him, keeping his hands against warm fur and keeping a rhythm where both his hands moved in perfect sync. Or near enough it didn't matter, true rhythm was hard to keep with drunk and fumbling hands.]
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But this is just...nice. His purr falters as he starts to drift off. He shifts and it starts right back up. Then slowly fades away as he passes out.]
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He frowned a bit, looking down at the lump of a Miqo'te in his lap. Completely passed out.]
Ah... [That explained it. He ought to get him into a bed, that was the kind thing to do was it not? He stood up from his chair and the world began to spin. Hells. He shook his head lightly, rubbing his eyes before lifting Kaeya up in his arms and watching his feet as he moved slowly to the proprietor who gave the two a look.
Assuring him that Takame was good for the tab, he hailed for a room to be readied where Takame was led. Sheer muscle memory led his steps without him tripping over himself, not that it stopped him from wavering on the way even as far as the inn room bed he placed Kayea onto.
... then the limit of his tolerance and fatigue took him and dropped right onto the bed himself, half on top of Kaeya.
By the time morning came around he had the man pulled into his arms with his face buried in hair and sheets to shield his sensitive eyes from the light.]
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To the man sleeping peacefully, strong arms wrapped around him. He stares. Then his face dusts with pink and he looks straight ahead. He can remember the soft touches to his ears. He'd shamelessly leaned into it.
Had loved it. He'd wanted more of it and had probably been about to flirt if he hadn't been knocked out by the booze. Kaeya presses his face to the mattress. What an utter mess he is.]
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Then it dawned on him who he was drinking with and who by extension he was clinging to. He gasped softly and his eyes shot open as he snapped his arms back to himself. The pain struck him like a hammer all over again as soon as the initial panic faded, which was rather quickly all things considered.]
Apologies... [He brought a hand to his head, half covering his eyes and rubbing the bridge of his nose with a soft swear.]
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With the sun warming his back he puts on his charming smile and props his head up with one hand and leaves the other resting on the bed. Nothing to see here, completely relaxed.]
It's fine. You had to carry me to bed. Seems only fair you got some rest yourself. But most people go towards a source of warmth, not the frost on their window glass. [His tail curls around his hip and drapes over his own legs to keep painting that picture of entirely at ease.]
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But he was weak to attractive people. Kaeya being the way he was didn't help. But Takame moved to sit on the side of the bed, his tail dragging sluggishly behind him. He'd rather move past this as if it was a one night stand, but there was work to be done.]
How do you feel?
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Mmm, a good workout will help.
[He knows exactly what he's doing. The way his shirt pulls tight across his chest as he sighs.]
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He watched Kaeya stretch, seeing the way his shirt tugged and rode up. Having a gauge of the man's personality Takame was sure he knew what he was doing. But for fear of offense, he would confirm first.]
Ah, what... did you have in mind? There is time before we must report to the alliance.
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It's so simple now. He barely has to think about it. He reaches out but doesn't touch Takame.] I can make us ice packs for some of it.
They're quite useful. With your permission.
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There... are training grounds we may use for that purpose. They are used by the Temple Knights, but I will request permission from Ser Lucia to use them as well. [Protocol was protocol, Takame was rarely one to break that, title be damned. The way Kaeya effortlessly spun ice around his fingers made him think back to his lost control and his tail twitched.]
... If you would like. [He’ll never be used to being asked permission. He was always the one asking. But a cold pack on his head for this hangover sounded delightful.]
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It's best we get some kind of cloth to wrap around these. We don't want to press ice directly to the skin.
[His tail curls at the tip as he flicks his left ear.] They're going to last a while. Maybe longer than I can guess.