[ it's almost like nothing happened yesterday— like he didn't get those wings, like he wasn't trying to bring yan qing back from whatever was happening back at the tournament. if it weren't for the faint scars still on his body, he wouldn't have believed it himself.
but it's there in the way yan qing's knee bumps against his, in the way he takes his time today despite the fact he doesn't need to. ]
Thanks for the meal, then.
[ it's not the first time they've eaten together, but it's the first time yan qing's made him anything. and maybe that says something too, something that makes his chest tighten again in the same sort of way yan qing has always made him feel.
he lets his knee linger against yan qing's, swallows down the bacon and the egg and the weird fluttery feeling. ]
[Everything's going so well. Elmott rests against Yan Qing a little longer than usual and Yan Qing's trying not to let it affect the way he speaks. He's not used to this, the subtle shows of affection that he doesn't make. Between the comfort Elmott gives and the unfamiliarity of the situation, Yan Qing thinks he could mess up at any moment.
[ everything's going so well, it's nice and comfortable and their knees are touching under the table. very sweet, almost romantic, even. but elmott is not prepared for yan qing's answer and had taken that moment to take a sip of his tea.
so he chokes on it, and manages to avoid getting it on yan qing and instead gets it all over the remains of his breakfast. nailed it. ]
[ sometimes it's hard to tell whether or not yq is just teasing him or if he's actually telling the truth; this is one of those times. elmott's face is an unsurprising shade of red that matches his hair, his expression caught between annoyance and embarrassment as he tries to pull himself together again. ]
No. [ he is going to steal a piece of toast off yan qing's plate tho. he deserves this ok. ] Quit messin' with me.
[And he lets him steal it, because that's fair. Like he said, he doesn't need it. He's satisfied with simply watching Elmott eat and get flustered at the mention of, well. That.]
Aww. But you got excited, didn't you? That's nasty, El. Hahahaha! [literally just make him shut up please] ...I don't think I ever told you what I am. You know about familiars, doncha?
[ he chews the toast with a little more hostility than necessary, willing his face to cool down. it doesn't really work but he's trying. more importantly, what yq says is a good distraction at least. ]
Not that much, but yeah. [ like anila's sheep maybe?? ] Is that what you are?
Something like that. [He takes a sip of his tea.] I'm a Servant. Hmm, how do I put it... A Servant can be aaaanything from history or myth brought to life. Usually, mages summon these types to duke it out in wars, and they're pretty high-level, you know? But my circumstances are a bit different this time around. In other words, I ain't human and it's a miracle I ain't dead yet.
[He leans back.]
But Servants are pretty strong... I can't imagine why a mage would risk their life to go up against one. [hint hint]
Edited (ehhhhh adds to this) 2020-02-07 01:14 (UTC)
So they summon you to fight their battles for them?
[ it's clear that he doesn't seem to be a fan of it, but mages come in all types. it's not his place to pass judgement on magic he isn't familiar with. but that doesn't mean he has to like it. ]
Yeah, well. [ wow don't call him out like this?? ] Not all mages are the same. Some are dumber than the rest.
Do I know it, haha! [Then, with a hint of playfulness in his smile:] I kinda like the dumb ones, though.
Well... This time around, we're fighting something even greater. Billions of lives are at stake and all that. But I'm here for the time being, so until I go back... I gotta make the most of this, I guess.
[This, meaning this particular moment, the momentary warmth — everything. Before he has to go back to the cold reality of the Lostbelts, he has to try and commit everything here to memory.]
Haha. Sorry, that's pretty heavy for breakfast conversation, ain't it? Why don't we talk about something else?
I said before you could get as real as you want, remember?
[ but that sounds familiar, if only because that's a regular day in the life of djeeta's crew. something is always threatening the skies and it's up to the singularity to save the sky dwellers, etc. but elmott had chose this of his own volition, from what it sounds like, yan qing didn't have that luxury.
he picks at the leftovers of yan qing's plate, tapping the side of his foot against yan qing's shin without really thinking about it. ]
... You ever thought of staying here, if you could have that choice?
[He doesn't know. He doesn't want to think about it because in the end, it's not like he can. It's not like he would. Even if Ritsuka could show him that he had a choice, he wouldn't have the heart to abandon them when they still need him. He can't be too selfish.
But he feels Elmott right in front of him, comfortable enough to reach out to him like this, and he doesn't want to ruin this.]
That would be nice, wouldn't it? [His smile doesn't reach his eyes, but it tries.] If everyone could stay here, a lot of our problems would go away, just like that.
Not that it's a problem... Servants are just ghosts, anyway. They're never supposed to stay for long. The same goes for everything else, right?
[ They're never supposed to stay for long. The same goes for everything else, right?
something cold sinks into his stomach, leaves a sort of bitter taste in his mouth despite the bacon and toast he had earlier. yan qing isn't wrong; they may not be the same, but it applies to them both — one day he too will burn out like his flames, returning to the ash it came from. staying here wouldn't allow him to escape that fate either, if he somehow doesn't make it back first. ]
Guess so. [ that's the thing about connections, sometimes they can still break no matter how much you want to hold onto them. elmott had known from the start that all of this would be temporary, but it didn't stop him anyway. ] You're kind of a pain in the ass for a ghost, though.
[ his tone is dry, but he looks up at yan qing through his lashes, fighting down the beginnings of a smile. ]
But I guess that's how I'll remember you, even after you leave.
[He ducks his head and huffs out a laugh, embarrassed and giddy for once. He's riding on a high and it still doesn't feel real, after all that's happened. Was it really this easy to find someone who fit him the way he'd only ever imagined? Reality is stranger than fiction, he thinks, if it will let him have what was unattainable within the margins of those pages, those waters.
Honestly, he wants some things to last forever.]
Shut up. I ain't going anywhere, alright?
[He can't control the heat that floods his cheeks, and he can't bring himself to upstage Elmott either, but maybe he's better this way.]
[ it doesn't work that way, elmott knows. a lot of things are out of their hands; neither of them could be here the next day, that's just how it is here. but even so, he chooses to believe anyway. for as much as he'd struggled in life, for all the cynicism that's made him weary, he's always held on to that bit of optimism that never left him.
who knows. maybe one day, they'll run into each other again. yan qing's left his mark in his life in just a few months; he doubts he'll really forget him at all. ]
Mm, [ there's an ache in his neck that's likely from sleeping on his couch for so long, but other than that, he's fine. ] I got you to thank for that.
[ he didn't actually expect yan qing to stay for as long as he did. but, ]
[ ugh why. like, he gets it, the guy goes around giving fake names to people he meets, elmott doesn't think very many people know his actual name. so it doesn't surprise him when yan qing requests it, it just feels really intimate for some reason. ]
Thanks, Yan Qing. [ he says it quickly, ducking his head to hide the pink in his cheeks. ] That good enough for you?
[Ah, there it is. There truly is something different about someone important saying your name... Yan Qing's tickled pink himself, and he's looking forward to hearing it more. He snorts and leans in, but honestly? He can already see Elmott's ears flattening against his head.]
What're you getting shy for? [He nudges the side of his leg from under the table.] I'm the one who should be blushing here!
Shut up. [ he wants to disappear beneath the table entirely, especially when yan qing leans in and nudges his leg. he can't do anything about his ears but he does cover his face with one hand. ] I ain't shy, all right, stop lookin' at me like that.
[ except he also likes the attention so. what a dilemma. ]
... I kissed you then because I didn't know what else to do.
[ compared to him, yan qing is perfect. he's attractive, strong, loyal and clever; he runs circles around elmott any day and sometimes he doesn't know how he keeps up with him. his face feels like it's burning just thinking about it again. ]
I don't know if it counts. I guess it wasn't really one, but, [ he blows out a sigh. ] If the circumstances were different then, yeah. I'd kiss you because I'd want to.
[Elmott isn't like Yan Qing, but Yan Qing thinks that's what he likes about him. He never acts with pretension. He can be sure everything is genuine. Sometimes he's so genuine, it's overwhelming. In his embarrassment, Yan Qing moves to pick up their now empty plates and bring them to the sink.]
Well, nothing's stopping you now.
[Nothing except these dishes, that is!]
You need anything else? I can fetch you something from the drugstore real quick if you need it.
[ it's like yan qing is waiting for him to make the first move, the way he invites him to do so but doesn't say it outright. he feels put on the spot, like he should do something, but he can't bring himself to just yet. ]
I'm fine. [ before he can talk himself out of it, he joins yan qing at the sink, nudging him to the side a little so he can wash them instead. ] Let me do it.
[ when he reaches over to grab the dish rag, he leans in to kiss yan qing's cheek. it's more a peck than anything, but it's close enough for now. ]
[ This is not a kiss he's used to. It's not the kind that makes him see stars or fall to his knees, not the kind that melts him down and makes him succumb to whatever spark or force or flame had struck him in the moment. But it makes him remember who he is all the same. His face is beet red as he stands still, his brain still trying to register what had happened. Did Elmott really do that? He expected this much, but—! Maybe he teased him too much after all? He places a hand over his cheek and slowly looks over to Elmott washing the dishes.
Just kidding! He can't even do that. ]
Y... You!
[ Up until now, Yan Qing thought he was ready for whatever came their way. When it came to receiving affection however, he was totally unprepared. ]
[ it's fine because elmott can't look at him either, adamantly staring at the plate in his hands as he scrubs it with more force than really necessary. his entire face is just as red and only gets redder with yan qing's reaction; he can't believe he did it and he was the one who kissed him. ]
Shut up. [ don't talk about it or he'll never get the courage to do it again. ] And bring a jacket with you if you are. It's cold out.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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but it's there in the way yan qing's knee bumps against his, in the way he takes his time today despite the fact he doesn't need to. ]
Thanks for the meal, then.
[ it's not the first time they've eaten together, but it's the first time yan qing's made him anything. and maybe that says something too, something that makes his chest tighten again in the same sort of way yan qing has always made him feel.
he lets his knee linger against yan qing's, swallows down the bacon and the egg and the weird fluttery feeling. ]
What do you need, if you don't need to eat?
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He figures he should be honest.]
Sex.
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so he chokes on it, and manages to avoid getting it on yan qing and instead gets it all over the remains of his breakfast. nailed it. ]
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I'm kidding! I'm kidding! Sort of. Hahaha, should I make you another plate?
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No. [ he is going to steal a piece of toast off yan qing's plate tho. he deserves this ok. ] Quit messin' with me.
[ huffs....... ]
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Aww. But you got excited, didn't you? That's nasty, El. Hahahaha! [literally just make him shut up please] ...I don't think I ever told you what I am. You know about familiars, doncha?
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[ he chews the toast with a little more hostility than necessary, willing his face to cool down. it doesn't really work but he's trying. more importantly, what yq says is a good distraction at least. ]
Not that much, but yeah. [ like anila's sheep maybe?? ] Is that what you are?
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Something like that. [He takes a sip of his tea.] I'm a Servant. Hmm, how do I put it... A Servant can be aaaanything from history or myth brought to life. Usually, mages summon these types to duke it out in wars, and they're pretty high-level, you know? But my circumstances are a bit different this time around. In other words, I ain't human and it's a miracle I ain't dead yet.
[He leans back.]
But Servants are pretty strong... I can't imagine why a mage would risk their life to go up against one. [hint hint]
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[ it's clear that he doesn't seem to be a fan of it, but mages come in all types. it's not his place to pass judgement on magic he isn't familiar with. but that doesn't mean he has to like it. ]
Yeah, well. [ wow don't call him out like this?? ] Not all mages are the same. Some are dumber than the rest.
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Well... This time around, we're fighting something even greater. Billions of lives are at stake and all that. But I'm here for the time being, so until I go back... I gotta make the most of this, I guess.
[This, meaning this particular moment, the momentary warmth — everything. Before he has to go back to the cold reality of the Lostbelts, he has to try and commit everything here to memory.]
Haha. Sorry, that's pretty heavy for breakfast conversation, ain't it? Why don't we talk about something else?
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[ but that sounds familiar, if only because that's a regular day in the life of djeeta's crew. something is always threatening the skies and it's up to the singularity to save the sky dwellers, etc. but elmott had chose this of his own volition, from what it sounds like, yan qing didn't have that luxury.
he picks at the leftovers of yan qing's plate, tapping the side of his foot against yan qing's shin without really thinking about it. ]
... You ever thought of staying here, if you could have that choice?
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But he feels Elmott right in front of him, comfortable enough to reach out to him like this, and he doesn't want to ruin this.]
That would be nice, wouldn't it? [His smile doesn't reach his eyes, but it tries.] If everyone could stay here, a lot of our problems would go away, just like that.
Not that it's a problem... Servants are just ghosts, anyway. They're never supposed to stay for long. The same goes for everything else, right?
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something cold sinks into his stomach, leaves a sort of bitter taste in his mouth despite the bacon and toast he had earlier. yan qing isn't wrong; they may not be the same, but it applies to them both — one day he too will burn out like his flames, returning to the ash it came from. staying here wouldn't allow him to escape that fate either, if he somehow doesn't make it back first. ]
Guess so. [ that's the thing about connections, sometimes they can still break no matter how much you want to hold onto them. elmott had known from the start that all of this would be temporary, but it didn't stop him anyway. ] You're kind of a pain in the ass for a ghost, though.
[ his tone is dry, but he looks up at yan qing through his lashes, fighting down the beginnings of a smile. ]
But I guess that's how I'll remember you, even after you leave.
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Honestly, he wants some things to last forever.]
Shut up. I ain't going anywhere, alright?
[He can't control the heat that floods his cheeks, and he can't bring himself to upstage Elmott either, but maybe he's better this way.]
You feeling better?
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[ it doesn't work that way, elmott knows. a lot of things are out of their hands; neither of them could be here the next day, that's just how it is here. but even so, he chooses to believe anyway. for as much as he'd struggled in life, for all the cynicism that's made him weary, he's always held on to that bit of optimism that never left him.
who knows. maybe one day, they'll run into each other again. yan qing's left his mark in his life in just a few months; he doubts he'll really forget him at all. ]
Mm, [ there's an ache in his neck that's likely from sleeping on his couch for so long, but other than that, he's fine. ] I got you to thank for that.
[ he didn't actually expect yan qing to stay for as long as he did. but, ]
So... thanks.
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And I accept your thanks! But only if you say my name again.
[As much of an optimist he seems, Yan Qing can be quite the opposite. He wants to make sure Elmott remembers that name, too.
He does remember, doesn't he?]
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Thanks, Yan Qing. [ he says it quickly, ducking his head to hide the pink in his cheeks. ] That good enough for you?
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What're you getting shy for? [He nudges the side of his leg from under the table.] I'm the one who should be blushing here!
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[ except he also likes the attention so. what a dilemma. ]
You're never shy anyway, so it doesn't matter.
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What? Hahaha. Even I get shy, you know! I get shy, angry, sad and scared... Even a perfect guy like me feels things like that.
[Yes. He said it.
And he's still looking. And smiling.]
But now I'm starting to learn what kind of person you think I am. Is that what made you wanna kiss me?
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[ compared to him, yan qing is perfect. he's attractive, strong, loyal and clever; he runs circles around elmott any day and sometimes he doesn't know how he keeps up with him. his face feels like it's burning just thinking about it again. ]
I don't know if it counts. I guess it wasn't really one, but, [ he blows out a sigh. ] If the circumstances were different then, yeah. I'd kiss you because I'd want to.
[ not because he has to. ]
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Well, nothing's stopping you now.
[Nothing except these dishes, that is!]
You need anything else? I can fetch you something from the drugstore real quick if you need it.
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I'm fine. [ before he can talk himself out of it, he joins yan qing at the sink, nudging him to the side a little so he can wash them instead. ] Let me do it.
[ when he reaches over to grab the dish rag, he leans in to kiss yan qing's cheek. it's more a peck than anything, but it's close enough for now. ]
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Just kidding! He can't even do that. ]
Y... You!
[ Up until now, Yan Qing thought he was ready for whatever came their way. When it came to receiving affection however, he was totally unprepared. ]
I should go to the drugstore after all.
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Shut up. [ don't talk about it or he'll never get the courage to do it again. ] And bring a jacket with you if you are. It's cold out.
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