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[swordfucker]

Guren Ichinose | Red | #A5211F

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[swordfucker]

Upstairs.

[On a bookshelf, just like that dumb embroidery. Yes, he's soft enough to keep it and not throw it away.]

Why, do you want it? [Obviously he's not going to be wearing it ever again.]

[passio]

…!

[ is that a real offer? there’s a moment where dextera’s eyes light up like the answer is yes, but then he remembers his manners and quickly shakes his head. it’s not even that he wants the crown for any reason. he just likes having things, like a hoarder.

he also didn’t ask in order to get the crown, but now guren has implanted the thought in his mind. ]

[swordfucker]

[ ...Alright, it’s fine. He’s got a big room, and even if it is spotted, it’s not his fault. It should work out. So, he looks at Dextera knowingly as he finishes his second glass, setting it aside to be cleaned later and leaving the colas where they are so he can move them to the basement later. To stay cool!

For now, his hand finds Dextera’s wrist, and he tugs lightly to lead him. He’d rather help his room become a little comfortable for Dextera than hide dumb embroidery. ]

I don’t mind if you want it. I told you it’d suit you better.

[passio]

[ there are a lot of things happening, and dextera tries to swallow down the entirety of his glass of cola to follow guren’s lead. he manages not to choke, but a shiver does run down his spine at the sensation of all of those bubbles, all at once. he sets the glass next to guren’s, and then follows along. ]

Just try.

[ just let him wear it… once. ]

[swordfucker]

[Later when Dextera has to burp because he drank that too fast, I hope he learns a lesson.

In the meantime, Guren is leading him quietly up to his room. He tosses a glance at the rooms of his roommates as he passes, like he's keeping in mind Dextera's comfort, but ultimately, they don't come out, and he's free to lead him into his room.

And thankfully, they're not hiding in there, either. He lets Dextera's hand go and moves over to grab it. It's sitting on his desk, right now, next to his laptop, since he was trying to pick a spot on the bookshelf to place it for good. He's done some redecorating since the quests with learning, if Dextera hasn't been here since then, so the bookshelf is a new, sturdy one. His knives are no longer laying out in the open, and...

Well, he still has a hole in the ceiling. He really doesn't seem concerned with that.]

Here. [Walking back, he places the crown on Dextera's head for him.]

[passio]

[ luckily for guren, dextera doesn’t notice anything yet, because the crown is taking most of his attention. he is… delighted.

it’s not like he ever had even a chance at winning positivity prince, or king, so this crown was never in his reach, but it feels kind of cool to wear it. he reaches up, touching the ugly wooden thing, and straightening it on his head.

he smiles, a little shy. ]

Heavy.

[ heavy is the head that wears the positivity crown ]

[swordfucker]

That's the weight of responsibility.

[He's so full of shit, he thinks he's so funny. But he said that with a smirk, taking in that image of Dextera in a crown for as long as he can. It's cute... it's warming. He thinks he would have looked better getting crowned for it, looking surprised and happy.

It's so dumb looking, and that's why it's endearing.]

You look good. [He meant to say it looks good on you, but, good enough... He can play it cool.]

[passio]

[ dextera laughs, covering his mouth because that’s definitely a giggle and not a chuckle or anything cooler—his high voice betrays him, too often. ]

Suits you.

[ a decision he’s made, then, as he removes the crown to place it back on its rightful head. he gestures to himself. ]

Duke. No crown.

[swordfucker]

[He laughs at that, too, but he doesn't move the crown from where it is.]

You're just gonna lower yourself like that? Come on, you can be a Prince, too. A rebel Prince who doesn't feel like wearing his crown because he's too busy showing off how humble he is.

[He pushes his finger lightly into Dextera's forehead. Just like that!]

[passio]

Ah!

[ dextera closes his eyes against that playful poke, pushed back just a few millimeters as his hands come up to bat guren away, though he fails to actually make contact.

yeah, some rebel prince he’d make!! he’s a loser. ]

[swordfucker]

[ ...He grabs those hands, because he can’t resist, wiggling them in the air between them a little. ]

You’re really gonna have to learn how to punch a guy for messing with you too much. [ He drops those hands. ]

[passio]

[ the craziest part is that dextera can throw a punch, but he’s just such a mild person that he doesn’t really want to hit anyone he doesn’t have to.

he takes one of guren’s hands back, still relishing touch between them. ]

I can.

[ so there!! ]

[swordfucker]

[ Oh, he likes that. He likes it and it’s noticeable, and maybe his eyes are sparkling a bit too much. ]

Oh yeah? [ His hand shifts in that hold to try and wrestle his own grip out of it, but it’s still light. Even still: ] Then why don’t you punch me?

[ This is a dangerous path. ]

[passio]

Wh—?

[ no! dextera would never punch guren unless he had to, and even then, he probably would try to find another way. the fact is that dextera is combat ready, but against another person? how barbarous.

he shakes his head, and there’s an emphatic sign between them. a little exasperated. ]

Why?

[swordfucker]

[ Boo! He squeezes their hands and then drops Dextera’s again, but only so he can actually make a sign himself. It’s one he remembers from a few times, probably from chess... “Fun.” ]

Besides, otherwise I don’t buy it.

[ But he is only teasing now, and doesn’t expect much else. ]

[passio]

Hmm.

[ dextera is surprised and flattered that guren would offer him a sign in return—and he smiles, but there’s oddly something just a little competitive to it. he’s not going to deck guren in the face or anything, because he doesn’t want to, but he catches guren’s hand at the end of that sign and forces him to hold his palm there.

listen... let him do this. ]

OK.

[ once he’s sure that guren is on the uptake after all, dextera pulls back and throws his weight into a punch against guren’s hand. he’s got a surprising amount of strength behind it, for a guy who looks like he could be blown over by a strong breeze. ]

[swordfucker]

[ YEAH, PUNCH HIM!! Guren is grinning, of course, and he takes the punch to his palm smoothly, closing his fingers over Dextera’s fist to emphasize it. That was a good amount of strength! And even when Guren teases him by tugging on that fist enough to try and get Dextera to stumble closer into him, he doesn’t discount that. ]

You’re not bad. [ Still would’ve been more fun without warning, but that’s fine. ] You wouldn’t be able to use that sword of yours if you didn’t have strength, though. Let alone picking up that gun.

[passio]

[ dextera stumbles, because of course he does, but guren’s assessment is correct anyway—the rifle is heavy, and his swords are heavy, too. the one he has is one of the lighter ones, for that matter, and it’s still pretty brutal to pick up. ]

Told you.

[ he feels confident enough, defending himself against guren’s teasing—because he knows guren doesn’t mean it. ]

[swordfucker]

I’d still win.

[ Smug, and not letting go of that fist until it’s been held for a noticeable amount of time, he looks Dextera in the eyes. He enjoys their silly little games like this. He likes them so much... ]

You sure you don’t want this crown, though? I’m just gonna keep it on a shelf.

[passio]

[ dextera likes them, too. he never thought he would be the type to pal around with someone like this, but guren is so approachable—so easy to be around, in every way, and dextera adores him.

he only takes his fist back when he feels he should. ]

Yours.

[ he’s not budging on this. guren earned it… the prince. ]

The chickens voted.

[swordfucker]

Tch.

[ Don’t REMIND him. He clicks his tongue like that and stares off to the side. The chicken ballots are somewhere. ]

The chickens are a bunch of cheaters. Besides, they should vote for their own god damn owners, not me. [ It made no sense!! ]

[passio]

[ dextera can’t help but laugh again, at guren’s frustration. he was embarrassed, when he realized he had been played by kaoru asking about the names of the chickens, but he’s not a snitch. ]

They like you. [ it’s as simple as that. ] Popular with ladies.

[swordfucker]

[ DEXTERA, you traitor... Guren makes an unimpressed face, pulling the crown off his head and moving back to the bookshelf. ]

Very funny. Goshi should be here to take that instead. [ He doesn’t want to be popular with the chickens!! Anyway he’ll set this down nicely here. ]

[passio]

[ dextera is actually extremely loyal to his friends, so there!!

regardless, dextera’s eyes follow guren to the bookshelf, and it was bound to happen eventually. his gaze settles on the embroidery, and for a moment, he wonders if guren, for some reason… took his? but that doesn’t make any sense, and he doesn’t know how to ask about it, even though his staring makes it quite obvious. ]

…

[swordfucker]

[mexican standoff music swells

But really, Guren finishes putting the crown down and turns, finding Dextera staring immediately at what he was afraid he would. Guren stares right back, like he's still considering if he should offer an answer or make him struggle to ask in the first place.]