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[swordfucker]

Guren Ichinose | Red | #A5211F

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[passio]

Ah—

[ dextera is not good at lying, and thus he gives himself away when he shakes his head, a pink flush creeping up his cheeks.

he’d felt so brave, like it was the most important question he’d ever asked, but now he realizes he was just tricking himself. ]

I asked.

[swordfucker]

Oh.

[ He’s quiet, still frowning, trying not to look too bothered about it all. But he is...!! ] Sorry. I’m pretty sure he’s got it out for me, in general.

[ Guren rubs the back of his head and looks away. ] I bet he gave you the run around on your question, too. Don’t pay any attention to him, he’s just an asshole.

[passio]

[ kyrie actually gave him good advice, amidst it all, but dextera can’t talk about that with guren. he can’t. so he’ll just nod, and try his best to lie through omission with his muteness working in his favor. ]

It’s fine.

[ and he rubs his wrist, where his bracelet is missing—still with guren, of course. ]

I didn’t mind.

[swordfucker]

[ Guren doesn’t know what that means. How could he not mind? It’s weird to him, right? Probably makes no sense. Worries him. He sees that gesture, as small as it is, and reaches to gently take that wrist in his hand. ]

You’re sure? He’s bad enough I thought he might make you wanna reconsider hanging out with me. [ A real worry buried under a dig, and he smooths his thumb over the side of Dextera’s hand. ]

[passio]

…

[ dextera doesn’t know what he feels. when guren takes his hand like that, he’s sure guren must also be able to feel the way his pulse quickens. he shakes his head, and he’s suddenly torn between running away and staying right here, like this, forever. ]

OK.

[ a quick reassurance, and he touches guren’s hand. wordlessly, a promise that he wants to keep spending time together. ]

[swordfucker]

[ it’s strange how fingers over a wrist can be intimate, but the way guren moves his now is unmistakably so. He wants to feel him more, and he doesn’t know how else to say it. Ochako’s words linger in the back of his mind, encouraging him to say something before it’s too late.

But he’s already decided Dextera doesn’t deserve that burden, right? He pulls his hand back with a smirk. ]

Good. [ A pause, and he looks to the side. ] I know you don’t really like my place as much, but you can make yourself comfortable however you want.

[passio]

[ guren pulls his hand away from dextera before dextera can even think about trying to keep a hold on it, but he doesn’t protest. they’ll have plenty of time for touching later, he thinks. he hopes. ]

I like it. [ it’s not that he doesn’t like guren’s place, after all! the fireplace was great when it was colder, and dextera was learning not to fall in the water or get doused by the rain.

these days, the air is warmer, but that just means dextera needs to suck it up and come over. ]

Your room.

[swordfucker]

[Guren watches him, hand on his hip, something held back in that small smile of his.]

Will you still like it if I say those brats are in here all the time? They could walk in any moment.

[They won't, and it sounds like they're not really up to much in their respective rooms, if they're home at all.]

Really, it's fine no matter what you think, but you're welcome to come over whenever. I know I get caught up in my work sometimes.

[Sometimes he forgets to visit for a few days because of that...]

[passio]

[ sometimes dextera feels like a kid, when guren talks about “his work” like that, but the reality is that dextera just doesn’t have anything to apply himself to here. his skillset has no use, except for theorizing things that have no meaning. ]

…

[ dextera nods, and then a little smile pulls at the corner of his mouth. ]

Middle of the night?

[swordfucker]

[It's amazing how much he can want to touch someone just for the sake of touch. It's never been quite like this before, and it feels like it gets worse every day. He's noticing it so much right now that he can't look away from Dextera, but at least he's grinning.]

...You can come over in the middle of the night. I only have good reasons for that, by the way.

[So shush!!] And, they usually don't bug me in the middle of the night, either. It's an all around win.

[passio]

[ dextera is attracted, too—hopelessly so, in a way that would have him sighing dreamily if he ever forgot himself for too long. he just likes guren.

his imagination presents him with a scenario where he comes to guren’s, late at night, to find guren sleeping—and rather than retreating, he comfortably settles in next to him like he belongs there.

the fact of a fantasy is obvious on his face, as he looks at guren, but it’s impossible to tell what he’s thinking about specifically. he exhales. ]

Next time. [ they’re both sleepless, that is ] I’ll come to you.

[swordfucker]

[See. He can tell what that look is, he knows that he's lost in it, but Guren still just chalks it up to Dextera being a weird tactile softy. He watches him, watches that exhale, relaxing his eyes a little before he looks away.]

Good. I have an actual bed, you know. [...] Sorta.

[He's offering that they share it...? Maybe? It's gone just as soon as it was there, with him wandering around his room so often. Like now, moving over to his laptop.]

Not that the floor at your place is that bad.

[passio]

…

[ is that an offer for tonight? or is he just throwing it out there? dextera isn’t sure, and he doesn’t want to presume, so he follows guren with his eyes until he feels like it’s safe to just ask. ]

Tonight?

[swordfucker]

[Guren watches him, considering that. He hadn't meant tonight, but... now he wants to, and his thoughts are busy working this out in his silence.]

Only if you want to. I wouldn't want to keep you from Leliel for too long.

[But... Maybe he wants to see if Dextera would even be interested. There must be a limit, where he finds it weird, right?]

[passio]

[ dextera laughs softly, covering his mouth—he’s less embarrassed about the prospect, when guren brings up leliel so casually. ]

She has friends.

[ that means, of course he wants to stay the night. there’s nothing in the way. ]

[swordfucker]

[He had considered checking his laptop like he normally does when he's in here, but with this new development, he decides against it. His hand touches the closed laptop, and then he's pulling away, back towards Dextera.]

Then tonight it is. I've got to put that cola somewhere it'll stay fairly cool, but I don't have any other plans today. We can do whatever you want until you feel like sleeping.

[Good deal???]

[passio]

[ dextera doesn’t have his chess board here, but maybe it’s just as well—their matches are still fun, there’s no denying that, but there’s a tension he can’t seem to shake whenever they start to chase each other around the board. ]

Just watching.

[ what an innocent answer—all he wants to do is be around guren, as guren conducts his usual business. ]

[swordfucker]

[ That’s so cute but so embarrassing... He thinks the tension of being watched is going to make him want to die, but that’s fine. It’ll be fun... in a weird way. ]

I don’t get up to anything interesting. It’s all working on my laptop and accidentally falling asleep in the chair.

[ Honestly, ] But if you wanna come with me to put the cola away, I won’t stop you.

[passio]

[ dextera nods. he’s sort of already craving more soda, but he doesn’t know how to ask for that when this was a gift for guren. if he wanted cola for himself, he should have asked! ]

Hmm.

[ falling asleep in his chair, though… ]

You are older.

[swordfucker]

[Dextera will get more cola every time Guren has it. But too much caffeine is bad out of nowhere, Dex!!]

Hey. [That gets a look, though he's close to a laugh.] What's that supposed to mean?

[passio]

[ dextera will learn his lesson when his heart tries to beat out of his chest at three in the morning, because he’s not good at remembering things unless there are dire consequences. ]

…

[ at guren’s pointed, playful inquiry, dextera shrugs—turning his face away to hide the smile that threatens his cool expression, and hurrying out of guren’s room. the cola, you see… it needs their attention. ]

[swordfucker]

[HEY

Guren follows close, still looking close to laughter, or at least close to wanting to reach out and throw Dextera onto a soft surface. It's a normal desire, he thinks.]

Is it just me, or are you getting cheekier? [But, he'll go down with him to take care of the cola.]