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.
[ How Elmott can say things like that without batting an eyelash leaves Yan Qing dumbfounded. Nostalgia hits him with the same comforting warmth from yesterday. It's been a while since he's heard those words, and even now it feels like Elmott's holding his hand.
Hmm. He might have to kill Elmott for turning him into a sap later. That aside... Yan Qing was only ever planning to go as far as behind Elmott's front door to hide his face, but now? ]
Haha... Hahahaha! Then I'll stay here until you've warmed me up! Body heat!
[It's the only warning Elmott gets before Yan Qing hugs him from behind.
This is probably very annoying when you're trying to wash dishes.]
[ he only manages not to jump right out of his skin when yan qing hugs him from behind, but he stiffens up anyway, his ears pricking straight up as he tries not to glance back at him over his shoulder. ]
I'm not your personal space heater, stupid. [ he doesn't shake yan qing off though, despite what he says. it's a little awkward to do the dishes like this, but it's fine. he'd never admit it out loud, but he's started to get attached to the proximity and all the little touches. ] Aren't you warm enough already?
But what if I freeze out there? I can't risk it. [The next part comes out a sultry, lazy drawl:] I don't have work today, so I can warm myself up aaaall I want.
[Of course, he only works whenever he feels like it, so.]
[ yan qing is too close — he should have expected this as a result, and the death grip he has on the mug is the only reason why he doesn't accidentally drop it when yan qing whispers against his neck. goosebumps break out all over his skin and he shivers, re-focusing on the task at hand instead of what yan qing says, or how he feels pressed against his back. ]
What, you wanna do the laundry with me? I don't need help with that.
[ That was a pain to deal with, too. For this opportunity, he'll do anything. He figures Elmott will see who he really is soon enough, but Elmott already knew this much, didn't he? With all his chores out of the way, his hands begin to wander down Elmott's abdomen... ]
[ he's not sure what surprises him more, yan qing wanting to do his laundry for him or the fact that he actually did it at all. yan qing's hands slide down and under his shirt and elmott feels his heart stop for two seconds, only to start again when the phone rings.
he takes the opportunity to squirm out of yan qing's arms, putting the dishes in the drying rack. ]
Go take it, I'm going out for a smoke.
[ and he ducks out of the kitchen quickly before yan qing can say anything, slipping out onto the balcony. ]
[Yan Qing watches Elmott walk away, his sigh blowing a stray lock of hair off his face. Something at the back of his mind tells him he's moving too fast, but he's sure Elmott's just shy. He almost wants to destroy his phone if it'll give him the time to think like this. They'd only known each other for this long — of course he shouldn't expect anything more. But it's okay. He's not the type to get impatient.
Though he does answer the call with irritation.]
The fuck is it this time? ... Ah, sorry. I was in the middle of somethin'. ... Haha, fuck off. He ain't your type. What do you want? ... Wh— Again? [There's a long pause as the person in the other end.] Yeah. Yeah. What do you want me to with it? ... Now? Can't it wait?
[It goes on like this, Yan Qing confirming the details until the call winds down into sounds of acknowledgement. He has this serious look in his eyes, but also one of annoyance, as if he's being made to do something that should have been done a long time ago.
When the call ends, he curses under his breath before throwing the door to the balcony open.]
Sorry, El! Gotta head out after all. I'll take your jacket.
[ it's rude to listen in on someone else's phone call, so elmott tunes what little he can hear of the conversation out, taking a long drag from his cigarette and feeling his nerves calm down a little. there's likely things he should say, things he should ask, but he doesn't know how to go about it or if it's really his place to do so. all he knows is that yan qing knows about everything he's tried to hide and it brings him both relief and apprehension; things could change, and he doesn't know if he's ready for it.
but then, he's already been changing since he got here, hasn't he? ]
—Hm? [ the door sliding open brings him out of his thoughts, and elmott turns around from his place at the balcony, stubbing the remainder of his smoke out on the railing. ] Oh, yeah. Sure.
[ elmott squints a little at the expression on yan qing's face, moving closer towards the door. he seemed so relaxed earlier... ]
[It isn't like Yan Qing doesn't know who or what he is. He's well aware that everyone thinks he's a troublemaker who isn't to be trusted. But for Elmott, he wants to be different. The last thing he needs to do is make Elmott worry — as much as he'd love to.
So he grins and bears it.]
Yeah, I'm good. [A bright smile. How could he smile any other way now?] I just gotta take care of something at work real quick.
[He's... never actually talked about what he does for work, has he? Yan Qing doesn't give Elmott the time to ponder on that. He steps forward, grabs him by the collar, and pulls him in to quickly press his lips to Elmott's for extra chroma.
The next time he speaks, he has Elmott's jacket on and one foot out the door.]
Catch ya later!
[If Elmott tries to catch him before he leaves, he's already gone. He hates being in his spirit form, but whatever Yan Qing's up to, Elmott's better off not knowing.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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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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Hmm. He might have to kill Elmott for turning him into a sap later. That aside... Yan Qing was only ever planning to go as far as behind Elmott's front door to hide his face, but now? ]
Haha... Hahahaha! Then I'll stay here until you've warmed me up! Body heat!
[It's the only warning Elmott gets before Yan Qing hugs him from behind.
This is probably very annoying when you're trying to wash dishes.]
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I'm not your personal space heater, stupid. [ he doesn't shake yan qing off though, despite what he says. it's a little awkward to do the dishes like this, but it's fine. he'd never admit it out loud, but he's started to get attached to the proximity and all the little touches. ] Aren't you warm enough already?
1/2
[Of course, he only works whenever he feels like it, so.]
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As mischief tugs at his lips, he whispers, his breath hot against Elmott's neck.]
And then you can do whatever you want with me later.
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[ yan qing is too close — he should have expected this as a result, and the death grip he has on the mug is the only reason why he doesn't accidentally drop it when yan qing whispers against his neck. goosebumps break out all over his skin and he shivers, re-focusing on the task at hand instead of what yan qing says, or how he feels pressed against his back. ]
What, you wanna do the laundry with me? I don't need help with that.
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[ That was a pain to deal with, too. For this opportunity, he'll do anything. He figures Elmott will see who he really is soon enough, but Elmott already knew this much, didn't he? With all his chores out of the way, his hands begin to wander down Elmott's abdomen... ]
And I'm making a lot by just being here, ain't I?
[ ...and under his shirt.
Then, Yan Qing's phone rings. ]
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he takes the opportunity to squirm out of yan qing's arms, putting the dishes in the drying rack. ]
Go take it, I'm going out for a smoke.
[ and he ducks out of the kitchen quickly before yan qing can say anything, slipping out onto the balcony. ]
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Though he does answer the call with irritation.]
The fuck is it this time? ... Ah, sorry. I was in the middle of somethin'. ... Haha, fuck off. He ain't your type. What do you want? ... Wh— Again? [There's a long pause as the person in the other end.] Yeah. Yeah. What do you want me to with it? ... Now? Can't it wait?
[It goes on like this, Yan Qing confirming the details until the call winds down into sounds of acknowledgement. He has this serious look in his eyes, but also one of annoyance, as if he's being made to do something that should have been done a long time ago.
When the call ends, he curses under his breath before throwing the door to the balcony open.]
Sorry, El! Gotta head out after all. I'll take your jacket.
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but then, he's already been changing since he got here, hasn't he? ]
—Hm? [ the door sliding open brings him out of his thoughts, and elmott turns around from his place at the balcony, stubbing the remainder of his smoke out on the railing. ] Oh, yeah. Sure.
[ elmott squints a little at the expression on yan qing's face, moving closer towards the door. he seemed so relaxed earlier... ]
You alright?
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So he grins and bears it.]
Yeah, I'm good. [A bright smile. How could he smile any other way now?] I just gotta take care of something at work real quick.
[He's... never actually talked about what he does for work, has he? Yan Qing doesn't give Elmott the time to ponder on that. He steps forward, grabs him by the collar, and pulls him in to quickly press his lips to Elmott's for extra chroma.
The next time he speaks, he has Elmott's jacket on and one foot out the door.]
Catch ya later!
[If Elmott tries to catch him before he leaves, he's already gone. He hates being in his spirit form, but whatever Yan Qing's up to, Elmott's better off not knowing.]