001. one year later

[hanikamu]

[The trees are clouds of pink and purple in the spring, wisps of petals whisked into the air by gentle winds as three of Karteria's foxes look for a spot in the park. Niki said today would be a good day for a picnic, and the other two were more than eager to have a nice picnic under the city's blossoming canopy. After Rinne lays down the mat and Niki lays out their meal, Takasugi plays a nostalgic song or two before Rinne applauds him with a loud,]

Gyahaha! Woooo! [The white wine in his cup sloshes around, spilling off the paper rim.] That's our Prez for ya! You sure know how to set the mood under the cherry blossoms, huh?

[The mood that Rinne ruined with his drunken cheering, probably.]

S'too bad Niki can't join in on our fun... I bet he'll like my super Rinne-kun surprise, though!

[He hooks an arm around Niki and gives him a tight hug! Or chokes him, if we're being honest about it.]

Comments

[takasugi]

( it's true that there's always so much on takasugi's mind, whether it's from the songs about serenading an unrequited love through the night and into one's bed-sheets or the extravagant promises he's made to both of them overtime. but when rinne speaks of the fondness in meeting them and their memories, his heart thumps a little louder to think of that instead, to feel his insides stir a little all at once with heat and alcohol.

takasugi tries to be careful when he sets down his shamisen, slinging the strap over his shoulder with a bit less grace than usual.

but he's too excited. or maybe it's something else entirely, this feeling. he almost reaches a hand out immediately, claws curled. )

I remember joking that you two should visit my grave at some point, and honestly, I still think it would be a bit funny. But...

( no, no. it's a kind of excitement. the overwhelming kind, where the fuzzy feeling in his head is surely what's making the tips of his ears redden further. inwardly, he thanks niki for being here, because if he weren't, takasugi's response might be completely different. he may have just leapt off the mat straight into rinne's personal space. )

So this isn’t for White Day? It’s for something completely different. I was honestly looking forward to a return gift for that unusual custom given I never had a chance to experience it in my lifetime. But this is actually way better. I’ve never received a gift from you, Amagi-kun, ... uhm. Especially one that means so much.

[hanabee]

[Oh... That's so like Rinne.

Usually, Niki was pretty good about things like this. Birthdays, holidays, the night they met, their first performance... Niki remembered these things as easily as he recalled any recipe. But the day they arrived here... That wasn't something he thought to commit to memory. It wasn't something he'd ever really thought of as worth celebrating. Even now, he still feels that way.

He is glad he met Takasugi, though. Nobody else would have looked out for them like he has. And he's also glad that Rinne has found something to celebrate here, too, despite everything. So Niki's smile is a little sheepish as he leans in to get a closer look at their gift.

If Rinne is happy, then he is, too. If Rinne thinks it's something they should celebrate, then Niki will, too.]

These are looking really fancy, Rinne-kun. You didn't buy them with my money, did you?

[He teases to stave off his own embarrassment, but they really are gorgeous, and Niki had always liked matching with him, so he's really happy, too. It's another treasure to add to his collection.]

I don't really wanna swap any of these out, though~. [Niki touches one of the earrings he's already wearing.] I guess you'll just have to help me out again.

1/2

[hanikamu]

You bet your ass I will. Everything that's yours is mine, remember? [Rinne punctuates that very thought with a lift of his chin and a satisfied smirk. He doesn't hold it for long; his smugness turns into fondness, and he claps a hand on Niki's shoulder to reassure him.] And everything that's mine is yours... I paid it off myself, so don't even worry about it.

[Niki's not surprised. Rinne figured. It's not food that's hard to come by, but Niki looks pretty happy all the same, and in this moment, that's all that matters to him. If his luck ever ran dry and Niki never came with him to this world, he wouldn't know who else to share his happiness with.

He ruffles Niki's hair.

As for Takasugi... He looks more than happy. Shocked, too. That means Rinne's the only thing on his mind now, right? Not dying or the people who left him behind.]

Shinsaku needs help with his, too. He had a lotta piercings on when we first met. He wanted to change himself — just like me.

2/2

[hanikamu]

...But Prez, doncha got a few gifts from me already? You sayin' you hated Rinne-kun's presents? And I gave you so many. Hmph! You meanie.

[Since his hand is still on Niki's shoulder, he starts shaking Niki in front of him like a whining child.]

Niiikiii, Prez is being mean to meee.

[takasugi]

Hah? Those weren't gifts. Those were keepsakes I took for myself, right?

( truthfully. the longer takasugi gazes at the gorgeous little bands, the more a desperate part of him wishes there were only two in the box. but the thought of them all bearing the same brand is still appealing. it's a sign of companionship more than anything, that they'll gaze at in a mirror to think of each other.

a hand reaches up to rub one of his naked ears at the mention of marking it, though. the thin lining of skin is as smooth and sensitive as ever, takasugi's mouth creasing into a line at the thought of something jabbing straight through it. it's not that he doesn't want it. of course he wants it. he wants it bad, but.

... hold on. there's something more important to assess here. )

Shiina-kun, don't listen to him. Clearly I'm the poor one here, given I can't even get a good morning k... ( he starts, then stops. starts again, ) get a hug in the morning unprompted.

( he's leaning in to try and shake niki's other shoulder with a hand. )

[hanabee]

[Hello? Both of them?! Niki sighs in feigned exasperation as the two shake him in opposite directions. These two...]

Sorry, Prez. There's nothing I could do about that even if I wanted to. I mean, I've tried, actually.

[Niki's been trying for good morning kisses since they got here! Long before that, too! But Rinne's gesture is so sweet, he can't help the warm feeling in his cheeks when he ruffles his hair, and it lasts even after when he starts his dramatics. If Niki wasn't shy, he'd probably also be a bit more embarrassing right now... But he has a certain facade he wants to maintain in front of Takasugi, too.

"He wanted to change himself," huh... He wonders why. But then again, honestly, he thinks he already has a few ideas about that.

Either way...]

If Prez wants to be spoiled so much, I think us piercing his ears for him would be a good start. We've done this plenty of times, so I think we're not too bad at it at this point.

It didn't hurt so much this time around. [The imprints probably helped a lot to alleviate the pain.] You can hold my hand if it bothers you, though~.

[hanikamu]

He doesn't have to trust us with it when he can afford to get it done safely now. Then again, it'll be tough asking someone to pierce an Augmented...

[No comment on the good morning kisses. They're also embarrassing.

... Okay. Well. There is one thing he could do. Rinne turns away, cheeks reddening as he suggests,]

When we pierce him, I could kiss the wound better, I guess.

[takasugi]

......

( freeze-frame on the shaking. )

In that case, what're we waiting for? We should do it. We should pierce me right now. Slam me to the mat and ram it right through

( a sharp exhale of breath punctuates his drunken declaration, takasugi releasing his grip on niki to start patting the mat out to flatten it on the grass.

is that the sort of thing you do in public? it's takasugi, so he wouldn't care even if it weren't, but still. )

[hanabee]

Whoa, whoa, whoa, keep it together, Prez!

[Now it's Niki with hands on Takasugi's shoulders, but he doesn't shake him. He already knows that's not the kindest thing to do to someone who's had a few... or a little to drink. He shakes his head.]

Normally, I wouldn't mind, but we're not exactly prepared for all of that. Even if we can heal faster, I'd still rather do it safely. It's not just something you can do on a whim. What if you get infected?

[It's not like he doesn't get it, though. It's rare for Rinne to put kissing on the table first. Plus, he's being super cute right now! This would get Niki, too!]

Don't worry. I don't think the offer will disappear even if we have to do it later. Rinne-kun's totally weak.

[hanikamu]

Shut up. It's for White Day, that's all...

[Definitely not because he thinks Niki and Takasugi are being cute or anything. He folds his arms and turns away, ears flat against his head, but he's not guarded enough to curl his tail up. It lays still on the mat, red, bushy, and neatly brushed for the occasion.]

Don't go thinkin' you two can push me around. Less kissing, more partying!

["Slam me to the mat and..." What does Takasugi take him for?]

[takasugi]

( maybe he'd be more susceptible to the idea with more partying, true.

but takasugi is successfully placated with the hands holding him firmly and the promise of later. his eager energy turns to a satisfied hum at niki's earnest alarm and rinne's obvious deflection, and as he relaxes in posture to assure niki that he's totally not going to do anything drastic, those eyes the color of the occasional petal that whips by search for his drink. )

Either way, ... I'm fine with you two doing it later. I was just going to do it myself, but maybe it'll be more of a memorable experience if we were all there participating. You know. Respecting the wishes of Amagi-kun and his generous gift.

( time to carefully pluck niki off so he can get back to drinking. his lips rest against the rim of a cup after tilting his head back for a generous sip. )

This is about when someone would take an umbrella and unfold it to catch as many petals as he can, I think. Or else we play a game and the loser has to down an entire cup and then some. Back in the Kiheitai, we would often get the youngest member to tell a story and if no one laughed, we made him drink, but... surely you both have more something more interesting.

( he rests the arm holding his cup over his knee. )

Or maybe you can just share some of the few joys you've experienced as an idol since we've met. That also works.

[hanabee]

[So this is also for White Day... That definitely explains a few things. Rinne always cared about his appearance, but it did seem like he'd gone the extra mile, and... Hehe. That's cute. Cute!

As Takasugi starts to settle down, Niki does as well. His thinking was much the same—while he and Rinne had done it on their own out of necessity, both back then and now, it was still a fond memory, and he figured if they did that for Takasugi, it would be more meaningful for him, too. It was for Niki, anyway. It won't even be a traumatizing experience... Probably!

Niki picks back up the container of food and opens it to reveal fluffy white rice.]

Hey, Prez, I want a White Day gift, too~.

[He prepared some cookies the other day, so he's already paid up, as far as he's concerned! Not that he really expects anything, though.

As for Takasugi's request... Niki tilts his head for a moment, but not too long. His answer is pretty easy.]

I guess for me, I'll always remember how you two were after our first show. I never expected Prez to have so much fun with this idol stuff, so seeing him so excited made me really happy.

[He hands Rinne a container, too. There's fish inside this one, seasoned lightly.]

Rinne-kun, too. That was probably the first time in forever that he could perform without worrying about everything else. It made me glad that we decided to keep being idols here.

[Or, more specifically—it made him happy that Rinne didn't want to give up. Niki had already made that decision long before.]

[hanikamu]

Yeah. I'm happy that we got this far without stepping on anybody.

[With no one's destiny in his hands, Rinne's finally free of the duty that's burdened him for so long. He takes the container graciously and uses his chopsticks to take a piece, not once ever being clumsy.]

But it wouldn't have happened if I didn't know someone could still love me.

Before coming here, with the way things were the last time I was on stage, I didn't think that could ever happen again. But Shinsaku listened to my song, and Niki was with me all the way. It's tough, being an idol and an Augmented. I've been feeling lucky, though.

[He rests his chopsticks against the container's rim, still holding them, still thinking about the days they spent promoting and practicing.]

If nothing else, I'm just glad I got someone to watch the cherry blossoms with. Heh, not that flowers are anything special!

[He's said too much. He'll turn around to face this cherry blossom tree and go back to eating now.]

[takasugi]

( good. the sweet, heartfelt declarations of life shouting out of them is what he wants to hear.

their suffering hasn't all been noble, just like anyone else's experiences in life. but as long as they believe that this partnership between young men from the future and a man soaring in from beyond the grave has benefited them, takasugi feels content. the gentle buzz of alcohol fills his head as his chopsticks glide past bits of fish, hovering in the air until he finally locates the container again. as a muttering of wind lifts his bangs, stray petals clinging to red ears that fan out atop his head, takasugi smirks. )

I've made so many memories here, the good and the bad.

But I can say without a shadow of a doubt, deciding to be an idol with the two of you is something I'd never take back.

( he clacks the sticks together, waving them about dramatically. no, he hasn't managed to stick that fish yet... )

"In human affairs, there are partings, and you have been kind; That we could chat for half a day shows a karmic bond." ... A little something from my diary long ago. Some fan-service. It's wild to realize that initially, I wanted to use both of you to rise above this city, where now I could pretty much care less unless we're having fun. But I suppose there's no way everything wouldn't have turned out all right so far, especially with someone as noteworthy as me around. Mmm. Definitely.

[hanabee]

["Without stepping on anybody" is definitely a key phrase here. Niki had only ever done what he was told, but he'd never liked how they had to cause trouble for other people back then. Deep down, despite everything Rinne had been through, Niki was sure he didn't like doing it, either, so it's nice to be able to see him on a stage where he can be free of all of that.

Still, while Niki's glad that Rinne's found things to be happy about here, it's still a little sad to think that he has no idea just how much everyone... Mmm. But maybe there's no point in dwelling on that right now. This is a moment to celebrate, after all, and all Niki can do is hope that one day, Rinne will see all those beautiful things he has yet to experience.

So Niki shelves that thought for now and keeps smiling, although...]

Prez is saying some really cool and thoughtful things here, but I feel like he slipped something seriously suspicious in there just now...

[Despite what he says, though, he puts down his food for just a moment as he takes it upon himself to reach for the bottle of alcohol and refill Takasugi's cup while he attempts to locate some food.]

I don't really care if someone is famous or not, but it's pretty cool that we get to hang out with someone like this. We'll have to find even more fun stuff to drag Prez into. ♪

[Because Rinne and Niki had always lived like that, always looking for new fun things to try.]

1/2

[hanikamu]

[Rinne truly hasn't grasped just how much people have come to love him, and Takasugi is seriously being suspicious, but neither of these things matter right now, because...]

Mm, I got an idea♪

[Takasugi enjoyed being an idol, after all. Like with Niki, it's nothing he had to do in return, but Rinne appreciates that he humored him at all. Rinne needs to thank him.]

2/2

[hanikamu]

[Two hours later, they're back at home, full from their picnic. The basket's been emptied. The dishes, cleaned. Cool water from the faucet runs as Niki washes their implements in the bathroom. The silver earrings are in the same red box, waiting on a nightstand. On his bed, Takasugi does the same.

The swing of his door cracks the silence. It's Rinne with an armful of towels.]

Kyaha! Kept ya waiting, didn't I? This sounded fun to you, so I talked it over with Niki and figured we could make it fun for us, too.

[He closes the distance between them a few strides, tail swaying happily as he places the towels next to where Takasugi sits.]

Well, we wanna do this anyway, so don't sweat it.

[He doesn't move to sit. He isn't starting anything without Niki.]

To be honest, I thought you'd get your ears pierced sooner. [A jet-black claw reaches out to trace the soft rim of Takasugi's fox ear.] Those piercings were a big part of your look, you know? I've only seen 'em a few times, but even I knew that.

[takasugi]

The government used to prohibit men from wearing cool accessories like that, so naturally, I went all out as soon as I got the chance. Like I would let them tell me who and what I could do as soon as we got the ball rolling on the resistance front. But here, I didn't bother fitting my band or my silver dangles back on. These ears are too... it feels...

( he swallows, casually tilting his ear just out of reach.

it's only been two hours, and yet the drink still whispers about in his head. niki kept obliging in filling his cup, and takasugi never denied him, and so... and so... how many cups had it been? honestly, he hadn't been counting. that's just a given when you're living it up beneath the beautiful spring scenery with your trusted companions. anyway, this is going to hurt. it's totally going to hurt more than usual, and even if takasugi isn't squeamish or anything, he'd rather take a cut from a blade than stab straight through these super cute ears of his.

... but he's the one who said they should all do it together? okay. ... okay.

maybe he should just act cute while they're waiting. uhmmm. )

You'll both be gentle with me, right? Right, ... Amagi-kun?

[hanikamu]

[Rinne snorts.] Didn't ya tell me to slam ya down and ram ya through? You'll be fine. The coolest guy from Choshu can take anything, right?

[The cute act earns a ruffle of his hair, though.]

Me too. I didn't want anybody telling me what to do. [The same hand drifts from Takasugi's hair to the left earring closer to his head, the second from the top. His fingers trace the silver ring.] When I had Niki help me pierce my ear a second time, I told him I wanted to keep that feeling a part of me...

For that feeling, I said I'd do anything.

so niki entering flows better

[takasugi]

( oh, right. he had said that.

said that because... (a moment, his thoughts interrupted by the sunlight that always passes warm through his hair) ... there was a reward.

when he recalls the reward, takasugi feels all the confidence that never actually left swell up in his chest again. that's right. the tempting reward of lips pressed to a fresh wound, a something he could never resist in a thousand lifetimes. still, there's something enchanting about the way rinne talks about this whole ear-piercing business, beyond the fact that they had both wanted so desperately to break away from what bound them. something that makes the hesitation on the edges of takasugi's voice and his cute act fade away into a sense of complacency. he crinkles his claws into the edge of the bed, distracted by the dreamy lilt in his tone. )

Anything, ... huh.

( he repeats it easy. the stars are so bright in rinne's eyes when he speaks of it, and takasugi's tipsy brain can't help quietly lamenting over not being the reason for their sparkle.

which, ... will he ever stop feeling these ugly little pangs of jealousy? no? of course not. thank you brain, for helping him deliberate over the painfully obvious. )

I'll do anything for that feeling, too.

( which isn't entirely true. they all know takasugi doesn't listen, but for now, he's happy to just repeat it. )

[hanabee]

[Needles, corks, alcohol, a bowl of ice... Niki washes his hands thoroughly as if he were preparing to cook dinner.

The first time he did this, he was reluctant. It had taken a lot of convincing from Rinne to do it back then! But Niki figured it would probably be the only time he'd ever have to. Now, years later, it's the third time? Kinda funny, when he thinks about it. Maybe he should turn this into a side hustle? He wouldn't say he's good at it, but he hasn't messed it up yet, either... he thinks.

It isn't much longer before Niki returns to the room with his tools. He sets everything on a towel on the bedside table, but one look at Takasugi and he's still... really obviously tipsy! Niki tilts his head.]

I know I said I didn't mind, but is this really okay? I don't think the alcohol's worn off yet. [And, like, maybe that's a good thing, but...] You sure he won't regret it later?

[He still takes a seat on the opposite side of Takasugi, though. Someone here is getting pierced either way.]

[hanikamu]

[As soft as Rinne was being earlier, once Niki enters the room, he's back to business. There's no time to waste. If Takasugi wants this done, he'll get it done.]

Don't sweat it, Niki. He's been talking about it all summer. Like hell he's backing out now! Besides, our Shinsaku's gonna be a good boy for us now that we're both here. Right?

[He places a hand on Takasugi's chest and pushes him down on the bed a little too assertively. He hovers over him, sitting up as he soothes the man's racing heart, careful enough not to scratch with his sharp claws. Maybe there's a reason he was able to talk about his piercings at all... Niki can probably smell the alcohol on them both. Did Niki bring a glass of water? It might serve Rinne better.]

He can run if he wants to be a pussy! But if we're doing this, then he oughta stay still... It ain't my fucking fault if I stab him with a needle.

[Hopefully, that gets rid of any doubts Takasugi might have — be it for or against this.]

[takasugi]

( not to worry. takasugi isn't upset at being manhandled per the usual. in fact, he quickly falls back into his usual swagger, ready to boast about being the most eager or handsome one in the room, especially at rinne's words that he might book it like a coward.

he leans his head back further into the mattress, arms folded across his chest. he openly sighs, so hopelessly dramatic in the face of a simple task. )

Ahhh. This is kind of familiar, you know.

( laying on his back, staring at a ceiling. only for once, there's a handsome man over him instead... soon to be two, so it isn't all that bad. )

But I don't think either of you have felt what it's like to experience a real stabbing, right? So that gives me an edge over you two.

( in what? he keeps on rambling, a stupid smirk on his face. his red tail drags across the duvet lazily, as if it's reminiscing about some past encounter. )

As you can imagine, it hurts like hell. It happens in an instant, too. The pain stings right through you, but none of that matters as soon as you get your point across. Or get it right through them. Sort of like this piercing that's about to happen, but not really?

[hanabee]

Why is he saying that like it's a competition? I'd like to never be stabbed, thanks. I don't even wanna think about it! I'm pretty sure this isn't going to be that bad, either...

[Niki's starting to wonder, is this guy actually afraid of pain or something? Or is there some sort of trauma he doesn't know about? Well, he's pretty sure most people aren't excited about pain, but also...

Rinne had never been this nervous about it, looking back. If anything, it was Niki who was afraid to pierce him. Still, if Takasugi is more nervous than either of them, isn't that kind of cute...?

There's also the problem of Rinne, though. He is a little more drunk still than Niki thought! But that's okay. Niki's taken care of drunk Rinne more times than he can count at this point, so of course he's prepared a glass of water for him, too.]

And I don't know if you should be stabbing anyone right now, Rinne-kun. [He grabs the glass from the table and offers it to Rinne, before he does anything else.] I'll start prepping him while you sober up. ♪

[He grabs a towel and presses the bottle of alcohol to it. Then, he climbs onto the bed to sit closer to Takasugi's ears.]

Ah, wait. Which one should we pierce first?

[hanikamu]

[Niki knows Rinne so well! As Rinne pushes himself off the bed and toward the table, he calls it:]

Left. He had more piercings on that side. [He downs the entire glass, emptying it with a satisfied sigh before speaking up again.] Unless Prez has got other ideas.

[He's sobering up, but he could stand to be better. He doesn't want to hurt Takasugi, either. He pours himself another glass of water with the pitcher on the table.]

Either way, we'll be making our point clear: Shinsaku's with us as much as we're with him. Once he puts this earring on, no one can deny that.