002. where are we hurrying to

[takasugi]

( to be lacking in new merchandise as an idol is dire, apparently, but without a decent photographer to call their own anymore, things have been rough. a couple handmade badges and flyers won't do it forever. the fans need something more personal, or so takasugi is very easily led to believe, and so who better to take up the task of learning the equipment than their tech savvy president? finding another augmented that can even come close to the way a certain someone had effortless portrayed their personalities like stories to canvas sounds daunting, at least, so he takes to the work with little complaint at first.

the studio is small, the garish light setup tilting as takasugi angles a black umbrella at the side for a softer hue.

the backdrop is a dark shade, and as he stands in front of rinne with hands raised together in a rectangular shape, his notched brow creases. )

You know, for as much as you two pushed for me to be the sexy one of the group, you would've filled the role easily.

( he steps forward, closing the gap with the ease of a man who always steps with the grace needed to draw at a moments hesitation.

at rinne's front, there's a beat. a single moment of pause before he starts undoing a tie, starts tugging open a collar so gently as to do nothing more suggestive than reveal the skin of the younger man's collarbone. he runs the edge of a claw lightly against bone, making sure the creases of fabric are pushed to the side just so. )

So maybe you could stand to be a little more.provocative in these. Everything about you reads as seductive to me, at least ... your very first fan.

Comments

[takasugi]

( ... ?

he can't tell if that's sarcasm or not, thanking him like that.

his heart skips a beat as he tilts his head back, chin lifting to let his newly fitted earrings dangle with the movement. has rinne ever stopped to thank him for the way he lavishes on the genuine praise? he can't recall. he can't recall it, but that doesn't mean he's going to point it out and embarrass him further. the gratitude curls in him like fingers might around a hand, takasugi sliding his own helmet on carefully so as not to squish his ears too hard. being a fox man is so convenient until it isn't. )

Sound good? It sounds great. You always see people walking down the board walk with their arms locked, sharing that "ice cream" thing.

( so he's never had any. he hadn't thought to want any, all these confections a luxury he was still getting used to.

this is the moment when takasugi lifts his arms, hesitating just a bit before gripping the hem of rinne's jacket. before pressing palms smoothly and steadily against his waist to catch something sweeter than severe. rinne always seems to stiffen when he does anything too forward, takasugi has learned, so he's careful. he snugs rinne's waist in a tight little hug, tugging him in a closer. you know.......... for safety reasons. totally just safety reasons, rinne's muscular build so fun to hold onto. )

There isn't anything about this I would change right now. I'm just happy to spend time with you... feel your muscles relaxing... and enjoy the breeze. I used to waste so much time thinking about how we shouldn't be seen like this in public because of the group, but now I can't imagine being without it. Well. That, and you told me not to worry, so I'm taking it to heart.

[hanikamu]

[ If it sounds like sarcasm, that's just Rinne trying to hide his embarrassment. No one's actually had the guts to tell him he looks good without an insult or a favor to ask. He's just not used to it, or this: being hugged from behind and told exactly how one felt about him. Takasugi can't see it, but behind Rinne's helmet, Rinne can't stop smiling. ]

Yeah, and I still stand by that. This world ain't gonna be like this forever. Doesn't matter if we're crazy. They're gonna change their minds about us sooner or later. We just gotta shake things up and show 'em how good we look together!

[ Why's everyone so obsessed with his muscles, though? He's never skipped a day, but he'll definitely have to work out later. He's not about to disappoint Takasugi when he's being this cute about it. ]

Hang on tight, Prez. I'm gonna get us ice cream in no time.

[ With that, he starts the engine and drives off! ]

I don't think I ever asked. What's your favorite flavor?

[takasugi]

( the road is smooth, aside from the occasional bump of tire that effortlessly lifts his butt of the seat. he squeezes in tighter, leaning into rinne's shoulder. )

You think they have red bean? If not, ... the standard flavor for sweets is...

( is... something. look. the only sweet stuff he eats on the regular comes from the treats that niki makes. other than that, there was... )

Strawberry.

( sticky, all between his fingers. dripping down the corners of his mouth on a hot summer's day. a red that flushes fond on his cheeks when he recalls rinne's expression. )

But I want to try something new. How about I get that, you go for strawberry, and I can have a taste? A sample for your Shinsaku? In other words, we'll share. Or can you get multiple flavors, because if so, I'll just do that. How many scoops can you get at once? How much is—

( a dip in conversation as they pass under a covered gate of the city, remnants of a recent spring shower dripping light on their helmets. )

[hanikamu]

[Now their shoulders are wet... But it's okay. Rinne would rather focus on Takasugi's questions.]

One at a time, damn.

[Can't let Takasugi know he's eager to answer them, though.]

We can get as many flavors as you want, so long as you can eat 'em all. And if ya can't, we'll just haveta come back for more.

[Strawberry, though. He'll keep that in mind. He remembers how that ice pop trickled between their fingers that day, how it tasted...

But now's not the time to get distracted. This drive should be safe and quick.

It doesn't take long for them to arrive. Rinne skids into a spot near the boardwalk entrance and kills the ignition, nudging the kickstand with the sole of his boot. He unfastens the buckle and shucks his helmet off. With a few shakes of his head and a hasty comb of his fingers, he puts some style back into his red hair before hanging the helmet back on the handle.]

Whew. I forgot to say, but it's been a while since I've been on one of these... You good back there?

( 1 / 2 )

[takasugi]

( more than good. he's a little too awestruck at first to answer, where he could honestly watch rinne fix his hair and explore every extension of this bike for hours. takasugi loves different, sure, mostly with his words, but here his fascination pounds like the purr of the engine instead of a love language, and he'll miss a moment that felt way too short: his hands wrapped around rinne's waist while the world rushed past them. okay. the day isn't over, and there's still the surprise on the shore he wants to show off, but still.

giving each other a light smile every day isn't enough. for all rinne acts like he wasn't meant to be held around him even now, it only makes takasugi want to hold on harder.

anyway. he's dramatic, his own helmet coming off slow to settle on his seat. it takes some styling of his own to pat down red, to prop two long strands of white back in place. )

My thighs are a little tingly is all. From the occasional bounce and from holding still for so long, maybe.

( he runs his black palms against the inside of his legs briefly for emphasis, squeezing what little fat there is to show off in tight pants. but it doesn't take longer than a minute for him to saunter up casually beside rinne, newly secured silver dangling on his ears and the aforementioned ice cream stall just nearby. )

As far as coming back for more, ... I don't know about that. I've been thinking about it more seriously. Leaving for good, I mean.

( 2 / 2 )

[takasugi]

... Ah, I can see the flavors from here. Having non-human eyes is such an advantage, like, all the time.

Oh. They've got peanut butter. Peanut butter, Amagi-kun!

( like, remember? remember? the flat of his palm glides against the back of rinne's shoulder, steering him. )

"Brown butter almond brittle"? How're they making so many unique phrases taste like a whole new thing? I've got to try it.

[hanikamu]

[Rinne's thoughts are still on Takasugi's shocking plan, but the man's joy is infectious. Who's the older one between them again? Not that Rinne minds. He was also like this the first time he had ice cream. Niki bought them some one summer, and both of them ate it straight from the tub until their stomachs ached...]

You can grab that one and whatever you like, then. I'll get peanut butter and whatever else than can fit on my cone. Then we can share. We pay by the scoop, but what else is money for?

[With a grin, Rinne takes Takasugi by the hand and brings him along to the ice cream stand. He has no difficulty ordering from the menu. His grip is firm, squeezing gently when he wants Takasugi's attention.]

Looks like we can get three scoops each. Wanna taste 'em first before we buy some? [He doesn't wait for Takasugi's answer. He turns to the vendor:] Hey, mister. Can we try the brown butter almond brittle and butter pecan? Thanks!

[The lanky vendor takes a small wooden tasting spoon and scrapes for both of them a curl of each one.]

[takasugi]

( "dating" and "boyfriend" might be the best words ever conceived, takasugi is soon discovering.

because when rinne does what he was planning and takes control, every squeeze of hand fills the garden of his heart with enough flowers to dust the whole boardwalk in pink.

in fact, it only takes one quick lick of his sample before he's nudging in closer, pressing their shoulders together tight in a move that's completely unconcerned with the clerk's presence. he lifts the small tasting scoop of almond brittle and angles it towards rinne's mouth, eager. maybe even too eager. )

Here. Here... You, too. Lick mine, too.

( the words drip with more sugar than a pint of ice cream can contain. his tail wags. )

And don't worry about the pay. It's all on me for today, so. This brown butter whatever whatever isn't half bad.

( but really, all he cares about now is seeing rinne's mouth close around this spoon. )

1/2

[hanikamu]

[The spoon touches Rinne's upper lip, and Rinne sputters and seizes Takasugi's wrist before anything else happens.]

S-stop. Let me taste mine first. I can ask for another one!

[His face grows hot. Takasugi's voice sounds so cute. Please. He doesn't mind being lovey dovey like this, but there's no reason for them to do it now.]

2/2

[hanikamu]

[So, before anything else, he tastes the butter pecan. The spoon lingers in his mouth as he holds it there and savors the flavor. Soon, his long fluffy tail starts to wag. If only he could describe the sweetness of this ice cream melting in his mouth! No, Takasugi can't have it.]

[takasugi]

( he can't, but if rinne is into it enough to disregard him, then it must be good.

so instead of pulling on his wrist, takasugi rises on his tiptoes. it isn't often that he needs to, what with the two of them closing the distance in height without a second thought. there's a small sliver of butter pecan at the corner of rinne's mouth, takasugi gently pushing his lips against it to then suck at the skin. there's a silky smoothness to it that he isn't used to, this ice cream stuff, and so he can't help making a smacking noise before the wet of his mouth pulls away. another hungry press would be too much with nothing left.

especially when all the blood in him is rushing giddy after the act, greedy and unashamed for once. )

Ah... Actually, I'll have what he's having.

( a pause, takasugi running tongue over his mouth to clean the tasty remainder of butter pecan. )

That and a scoop of strawberry.

1/2

[hanikamu]

Wha—

[Rinne raises his arms in defense far too late. The wooden spoon falls from his mouth and clatters on the pavement. All he can shield himself from is the shocked look of embarrassment on his face after Takasugi dares to do what no one else but Niki would.

At least the ice cream man is taking this all in stride.]

2/2

[hanikamu]

[Soon, they each get a cone of ice cream with three scoops. For Takasugi: brown butter almond brittle, butter pecan and strawberry. For Rinne: peanut butter, butter pecan, and salted caramel. They leave the stand as soon as Takasugi pays.]

... Thanks. Usually I just get whatever Niki's having, but I thought I should switch it up a bit. You don't really go for sweets, though, yeah? Just strawberry.

[Rinne finds Takasugi's hand again, their leather sleeves touching. Unlike what a fan who's seen him on stage might expect, Rinne eats his ice cream daintily, with smaller licks. The scoop of peanut butter ice cream Takasugi wanted is at the very top.]

Juuuust strawberry...

( 1 / 2 )

[takasugi]

( takasugi's having such a good time, even if the hardest part of their date so far is being able to tape down the want to rasp against rinne's cheek and kiss him in all this leather. there's still time, though. plenty of time to corner him somewhere safer, his mind refusing to focus solely on the food.

the way rinne had kicked the bike's stand to park, thick legs lifting off the pedal... it's permanently engraved in his mind now.

he's slow when he eats, preferring to take small bites that work to cool the inside of his mouth. this would be perfect for a summer's day more than a spring one, maybe, but takasugi squeezes the hand in his all the same. )

Just strawberry. It's the most important part of my ice cream concoction, actually. If I could eat it every day, I would, this delightful sweetness that leaves an impression on you. It's the perfect flavor that fills me, that I can't help hopelessly craving on the daily... the strawberry, I mean.

( not to say all that straight faced, but.

the ice cream stand isn't too far from takasugi's original destination, actually, a break of sand leading down a narrow cliff path towards the shore. in the distance, an alcove of rock rests near the sea, curving inward on itself as the gentle spring waves lap against it. )

( 2 / 2 )

[takasugi]

( just strawberry........

but the peanut butter looks so good. smells good, too, their bestial senses leaving little to imagination.

why didn't they discover a flavor like that in his time sooner, huh? don't tell the next world he finds himself in that he needs a grail to go back and orchestrate an earlier discovery of the peanut.

so. before takasugi leads rinne on down so they can have a proper talk, he stalls.

he tilts his head up, expectant, the corners of his mouth pink. )

[hanikamu]

O-oh. I like it, too.

[Does Takasugi ever get embarrassed by what he says? Rinne almost wishes he could be half as honest. A lax upbringing is all it takes, he supposes, to revel in the small joys life has to offer. Rinne turns around to say something and change the topic, but Takasugi is there, beaming with ice cream on his lip, and Rinne's shock is a small sound he makes when he's caught. Does Takasugi want a kiss back? Here, out in the open? Maybe the son of a rich man could get away with that, but a monarch wouldn't cause such scandal.]

... I think there's a bug on your ice cream.

[takasugi]

( hello? it never stops being adorable when rinne backs off from his insistent approach.

but instead of a flash of the usual disappointment, takasugi's face just crinkles fond. he lets it go for now, not at all intent on ruining their little afternoon out. as he reclines back, earrings dancing silver in the afternoon sun, takasugi's gaze drops down to casually observe the top of his scoop. whatever his true aim was here, he doesn't push. )

Do you remember how we first met, Amagi-kun? How you taunted me so effortlessly over Satsuma and Choshu, not even knowing if I was the real thing or not. When you told me where you were from, it felt like another land entirely, even though we're from the same country. Now I'm changed from that start between us irrefutably. I have new things to look forward to, and the two of you to look after.

( down the little path to the shore, then. takasugi ensures he goes first, the soles of his boots digging into dirt. there's hardly enough room for them to walk side by side, but maybe that's a good thing. it lets him focus ahead while he talks, his hand reaching back, still holding on tight. the sweet treat in his hand, not entirely forgotten, starts to drip down his knuckles. )

Every day is one I wake up to willingly despite the hardship here. And I know I mentioned to you that my aim was to spark something unusual and entertaining in this world's mankind, but even I can't fight the powers at be with no resources. More importantly, I want to see the two of you thrive without all the pain. I don't want you to think of it as me abandoning this place, and more...

( another squeeze of rinne's hand. another step. instead of the fresh scent of damp earth and crushed leaves in the great hollow, it's the murky waters below. )

I want to keep enjoying these beautiful days with you more than anything. You're having fun, right? I hope so.

( the salty ocean spray dances off the dark water, creeping up the sand as they meet the end of the path that leads down. )

That's why I'm thinking of thinking of making our legend known in another world, by burning what's left of Shouin-sensei's soul in Proto-Arahabaki for fuel.

1/2

[hanikamu]

[Rinne stops in his tracks. Leaving a world that never cared for them is nothing, and perhaps even correct. He can accept that. But when he looks up at what Takasugi meant to show him in this cave, he drops the treat in his hand entirely. He stumbles past Takasugi's shoulder and toward the sight in awe. Takasugi once promised to bring him across the ocean, but he never thought one man would go this far for him.]

Takasugi-san...

[The ship looks over them both in all its majesty. Proto-Arahabaki must be inside. And inside Takasugi's creation is...

The man who wanted to cross that same ocean.]

2/2

[hanikamu]

[He turns around, the upset is plain on his face.]

... Is there no other way?

What do you mean he's in there?

[takasugi]

Heroes like him and myself are permanently etched in the lines of history. When we saw that projection of him while doing... while investigating what I managed to conjure up in this world with my feelings again, I realized later, that's portion of sensei's soul must have gotten stuck inside there forcefully somehow. It sounds like the exact sort of thing he'd do to show me up.

( his tone is as casual as ever.

maybe even stiffly so, takasugi keeping his ice cream cone in place even as it drips down his hand. he doesn't look. )

All we are is pure energy to be used, originally. So this is fine. If anything, it's the smartest thing I could think of, and...

( he's already paced for hours, thinking about it. he pushes a smile. )

It's fine. No one else could do something this interesting, right? Maybe the magical energy of his soul will even guide us while we're navigating through real-world spaces across time.

[hanikamu]

[Rinne frowns.]

I don't know anything about your world's magic, and it sounds like you thought this through, so I'll take your word for it.

But you wanted to see him again, didn't you?

[takasugi]

( it's a question that sounds like a cloth tearing. a stark, hard rip through air that mists with the sea.

the amazing part about meeting someone who thinks similarly is that takasugi knew this wouldn’t be a walk in the park. Of course, rinne would have questions. he’s witnessed the worst of takasugi’s behavior and hasn’t turned his back to abandon him, for as easy as it would be to do. it means everything and more, to be given the possibility of being loved back like this.

but for as much as takasugi steeled himself for an argument, it doesn't stop his shoulders from seizing up. )

More than anything, ... I'd love to. To see my sometimes thick-headed teacher in the flesh and hear him criticize my methods wholeheartedly. To have another day in that classroom I had to sneak away just to attend. I never wanted to leave him in those final moments.

( he chokes down a helpless sound in the back of his throat, forcing his voice to even out again. presses his tongue against a knuckle to lick up a bright stripe of pink, dripping down his hand like the blood he wishes would fill him even now. it forces back an oncoming sadness, the taste of strawberry. it helps him meet rinne's gaze. )

But I can do my best to cut the part of me that bleeds and replace it with you. You're what falls out my mouth every time I mouth nothing specific just to hear my own voice—a spark of something interesting to come, that I vowed to give my life to and more.

[hanikamu]

[Rinne drops his cone on the floor. His fingers, still sticky with cream, reach for Takasugi's own. With that hand out of the away, Rinne finally closes the distance between them to pull Takasugi in for a tight hug. ]

Shinsaku, [he whispers into the crook of his neck, wetting it with his tears,] You don't have to try so hard for me.

[Who told him to give that up, anyway? Sacrificing a life that might as well be his own—even monarchs like Rinne don't want to do that. He sobs into Takasugi's shoulder, overwhelmed by how this man chooses to exercise his freedom every time.]

We can use something else, right? You thought of something.

[takasugi]

Something else...

( the sudden panic pounds in his chest for rinne's sobbing. )

The Katalyth... would surely kill us and infect where we're going. My own life is a no-go.

( but he's always had a better answer. as he digs hands into rinne's back, thinking of how in truth, he just wanted to show him the way the waves hit the rocks down here. he wanted to press the familiar scent of the sea into rinne's hand and share the bare memories he had left of hagi with him, but now it's all so...

takasugi nuzzles his face against all that red hair. he tries not to shudder, and surprisingly, his own tears won't come. )

Saying goodbye once was hard enough, Amagi-kun. I know you know that well enough. But running away from my dream, ... to live with you, and see our ideals come to life, would be even more unbearable.

[hanikamu]

[ Rinne's breath hitched, eyes wide open at the revelation that struck him like lightning.

Oh, that's right.

There was a reason they called Takasugi Shinsaku a hero.

There was a reason the light in his eyes danced like cherry blossoms in the wind and twinkled like the stars in the endless sky, drawing Rinne to him the way the love of even one fan would, cheering him on, guiding him like a shining beacon in the night.

When Rinne lost his way in the dark, all he could do was kill the hope that made him whole.

The one who wanted another answer wasn't Takasugi at all. ]

Yeah. [ His voice trembled, barely fighting the emotion that shook it. ] I know.

That man had a dream, too. You had more freedom than him, but he would have wanted to give that dream to you.

[ Even if it took his very own life.

Rinne didn't need a book to know that much. ]