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

[hanikamu]

[He takes his hands back and rubs the back of his neck in thought. Innovation is how they're going to strike big in this world. In anything.]

I don't wanna waste all this for nothing, but...

[Quietly, he says,] There are just some things I want only you to see.

[takasugi]

( his ears perk up. the little admission tap-dances on his heart, distracting takasugi from all the serious matters and financial issues and even the desire to make fun. he taps the camera a couple more times absentmindedly again, his gaze drifting as he feels a bit sheepish about a simple truth he missed in all his excitement: that just like the photos meant only for him, there are spectacles that even rinne would keep hidden from the rest of the world. obviously, right? maybe not too obvious for a man who gets caught up in his fantastical imagination. he moves in to close the gap, lowering the camera next to rinne to show him the digital display. )

Ah, ... well ...

( rinne is so cute. why didn't he just say that? takasugi's affection levels are bouncing all over the place ⬆️⬆️⬆️. )

We can delete them, ... and just edit some of our old bromides and plaster flowers or whatever on the border.

( just photoshop it. easy. he lets his tail brush against rinne's in a sign of reassurance, holding it up so he can erase the contents freely. )

But before we return the equipment and finish for the day, ... that reminds me. I wanted to make a little request. You know, as... yours. Something I've been thinking about for a while now. I haven't had a good chance to ask what with our busywork and the public watching us outside the studio.

1/2

[hanikamu]

[Rinne smiles, relieved. He was hoping Takasugi would understand. Takasugi always does.

He fiddles with the camera, browsing through the photos in the display as he deliberates the deletion of each one. He stops at the photo with his thumb in his trousers. The same thumb hovers over the button now, hesitant. It's very good picture. Maybe even a little too good. At the very moment he hesitates, Takasugi calls himself the very word he's never sure how to feel about.

Yours.

It shouldn't rattle him as much as it does. It's not like he's forcing Takasugi to do anything. But when Takasugi holds himself back, he wonders if it'll always be a good thing. The words of his AI come to mind...]

2/2

[hanikamu]

Heh! Finally using your privileges? Kyaha! Go ahead, cutie. The great Rinne is all ears.

[He leans back, standing tall with one hand on his hip and both ears at attention.

He never deletes the picture.]

[takasugi]

( every picture with amagi rinne in it has a natural charm to it, in takasugi's opinion. he watches rinne thumb through the results, where the lighting captures the full contours of his face and the shadows of his coquettish stare, a glimpse of his lover, separated by time and distance against a backdrop of rose-red. but for all it enticed takasugi, when it really comes down to it... if someone made him choose between the two, he would say he prefers the ones rinne took for him specifically, without instruction and his own imagination as a gamble to trade for a private photo of takasugi's own.

he’s curious what rinne thinks he’ll ask for, though.

something desperate? something crazy? he’s never made a request like this, and for a fleeting moment, he imagines just turning around to walk away in embarrassment. there’s no space to pace here, but all the nervous energy is bubbling up in his feet, making him feel like he could bounce, and. when rinne calls him "cutie", it at least makes things a little easier. no one from his time could ever imagine him radiating with this much enthusiasm to ask for something, maybe, where takasugi had simply made demands instead. )

... I wanted to take what they call a "couples' selfie" together, so I can use it on my phone. You'll take one with me, right? Of course you will.

( great. cool. he says it boldly, a hand on his own hip and all the energy of a man who's struggling to keep it together when asking for something so...

commonplace. intimacy rolls off his tongue much easier, the poetry of it all coming so naturally, but when it comes to something like this? it's like attuning to a hug. )

After we get you cleaned up, though. And after... I don't know, we figure out how to pose together. I've been wanting to try this for ages now.

[hanikamu]

[Rinne had no expectations. Really. Whatever Takasugi had planned to ask, it surely wouldn't be anything he couldn't give him. Takasugi has been very, very careful about that. But even if Takasugi was as reckless as he often was, Rinne wouldn't have agreed to this entire arrangement if he knew he couldn't handle it. And a man of the Amagi clan can handle pretty much anything—or so they were taught.

A couple's selfie, though... A soft chuckle escapes him as he sets the camera down.]

That's been on your mind, huh?

[Rinne remembers, of course. Takasugi's slimmer frame had barely filled Rinne's shirt in, almost like a woman waking up in his own room the morning after. He looked so adorable next to Rinne then. No one would have guessed he could kill a man without hesitation.]

What, tired of your wallpaper already? [He leans in, hand on his hip.] Come to think of it, I dunno what you've got on that thing. You never lend me your phone...

[Does Takasugi have an opening Rinne can use to steal it?]

( 1 / 2 )

[takasugi]

( he doesn't need an opening. unlike last time, when takasugi felt embarrassed and tried to cover it up...

now, he flips the device out of his pocket and willingly slides it into rinne's grip. a smile of his own from nearly a year ago greets him, radiating the gentle warmth that sunflowers need to welcome the sun each morning. takasugi's never changed it from what his own AI snapped that very moment, always looking to it right before bed... before a performance... before packing a modicum of his personal items to move into their home... )

I wouldn't call it tired. I was planning to keep it the same for as long as possible until the image was permanently imprinted beneath my eyelids, actually.

( hello? )

But I don't have a lot of you to call my own, exactly. I don't have a lot to call my own in general. And I was thinking... if I have to gaze at you like this all the time, I’d like to be a bit selfish and see myself there too, even if just for a moment. Something I can hold with me irreversibly, like a timeless piece of the night sky. Not even a poem or a flower pressed against a page can evoke as much as a picture at times. That's why I keep saving all these bromides of you, and...

( 2 / 2 )

[takasugi]

( then he bumps into rinne's shouder, tapping a claw against the glass surface of his phone. )

Putting that aside, though, doesn't it just sound fun? Here. I'll lean into your neck, and—

1/2

[hanikamu]

[Rinne circles an arm around Takasugi's shoulders and lifts his jaw to force his gaze upon him, safflower pink looking up at sky blue. For a long time, under the studio lights, he doesn't say a word. In this life, Takasugi has nothing but this. What else can he say to that? Thank you feels like a mockery. Sorry does not even begin to describe it. He parts and wets lips as he looks at a point beyond his eyes, noses touching while he tries to find the words that can mend even a fraction of Takasugi's breaking heart.]

Why'd it take this long for you to ask?

[As if Rinne is someone he can't touch?

If anyone didn't deserve to be with anybody, it's...]

2/2

[hanikamu]

[No, he won't let that thought win now. With no one else watching within the four corners of this small studio, Rinne closes his eyes and presses their foreheads together.]

I'd do anything to tie my fate to you, you moron. That's what we talked about, didn't we?

You chose me. I wanna remember that.

[Even if this weren't a dying man's wish, it isn't as if he'd hate this side of Takasugi to be a memory. A picture will be proof of it.]

[takasugi]

( ah.

maybe he'll die now, actually. all the yearning one man can possibly have convalesces into a ball and bursts right in the center of his chest, threatening to choke him with happiness over being forced to look at what interests him the most in this world and the next. his cheeks feel so hot. the smile on his own face turns radiant, all the words like honey to a man who always tastes rinne's kindness like he's starving for it. and he is, always, starving in a sense. he doesn't really have a reason to be, but there are several reasons at the same time. this gross want to monopolize rinne for his own can't twist into something that traps him so violently like those other fans might, though.

this needs to stay something unique. rinne asked him to haunt him, but takasugi, he... he licks his bottom lip, fumbling for the phone to angle it towards them. )

Right. I am being pretty stupid about this, huh.

( pressing foreheads together is so good... so good. he could do this forever. but it doesn't make for an easy picture. he leans into rinne's neck, tilting his gaze and the frame. )

Actually, ... Amagi-kun. I still have a gift I haven't given to you for that holiday you were so eager about. White Day, it was? It's a little ways from here, though, on the shore. Something special I wanted to show you. Something I wanted to talk to you about. And, uhm... do you think you could be the one to drive us there, actually? My legs feel like jelly thanks to the smooth way you're always cupping my jaw. There should be a bike parked out front.

( from the very beginning, this "job" of theirs was just a setup. )

[hanikamu]

[A present? From Takasugi? Rinne grins, feeling giddy. The special treatment isn't lost on him. It's sweet that Takasugi takes whatever he teaches him to heart. A year ago, Rinne never would have thought a strong, capable man like him would even listen.]

Sometimes I get the feeling you just want me to drive you around... Kyaha! One thing at a time, Prez. Rinne-kun can't do it all. First, say cheese!

[His larger hand envelops Takasugi's own as he holds Takasugi's head, tucks it into the crook of his neck, and brings the Syntrofos up at a better angle. At the camera, Rinne beams.

Click!]

Send that one to me later. I'll get dressed, then we can go on our date.

[He'll call it a date. That's what this is, after all.]

[takasugi]

( as rinne leaves to change, takasugi glows over the image on his screen. it's almost a fetishistic ritual to lift it in the air triumphantly above him, to reel it back down and then lift it again. the way this joy almost hemorrhages straight through his ribs and into his soul is so intoxicating. he tries to think back to another time he might've been this elated to achieve something, and maybe, surely, the adoration pumping through his veins is similar to the first time he was allowed to sit in on those classes in an academy no one approved of. takasugi presses two fingers against his wrist, searching for the hurried thump of his pulse... to remind him that he's alive.

to remind him that this body is real and there will be more times. more photographs. all he needs to do is set their course properly.

all he needs to do is live.

he thumbs with the device to set it as his wallpaper, and maybe he's well and truly lost his mind at this point, but ... he presses his lips gently to rinne's forehead on the screen, reminiscent of the same one he'd felt on his own in a dream just weeks ago. no one can see right now, so it's fine. no one can see as he obediently sends it to... ah, it's still saved as AMAGIBIGDICK69 on his device. funny. actually... while he's waiting, why doesn't he change himself? it cost a fair amount to rent this studio, so he might as well rock a red biker jacket and some black boots that will definitely support him better than these sandals that will simply struggle to shuffle about in the sand.

when rinne is ready, he'll find takasugi waiting just outside, a hand threading through strands of red to flip them back over his shoulder.

a helmet rests in his grip, sitting on a thin hip. strangers walk past, muttering to themselves over whether or not an augmented should have a permit for these things. )

What took you so long? Did you get lost in the racks trying to look your best?

( just saying. he's clearly hyped that rinne referred to it as a date... )

[hanikamu]

[ The picture arrives in the middle of Rinne changing out of his shirt. He pauses to look at it, the corner of his lip quirking up at how happy Takasugi looks in his arms. This is his first fan in Karteria, huh? If Rinne being his affectionate self makes Takasugi happy, he should keep at it.

Finally, Rinne comes out to greet Takasugi in the change of clothes he gave him — a big, red leather jacket with fur trim, and a pair of skinny black pants that bring attention to his long legs. He saunters toward the bike with his usual confident swagger. ]

Fuck you! I woke up like this. [ He has a pair of sunglasses on....... Someone's also stupidly excited they're doing something different. Like hell he's going to admit he spent two minutes admiring their selfie, though. ] Sick ride, pretty boy. You make it yourself?

( 1 / 2 )

[takasugi]

Let's just say I juiced up the rental a little more so it can go with the wind. Oh. And I made sure to borrow one with a higher seat, too, given how tall you are. I understand what it's like to be squeezed in between the heat of those strong legs of yours with barely any wriggle room, so...

( he lifts a foot to tap it twice against the side of rinne's leg for emphasis, drawing the words out on his tongue like melting sugar.

maybe it's a little juvenile to tease after all that, but takasugi loves the energy. he loves to see rinne enjoying himself, the beat of it stirring his own excitement further. as his tongue presses against the side of his lip, playful, he gives rinne a very obvious look-over, sketching size difference and the lines of his tight clothing to memory. he’s always had a good sense of fashion, but this outfit was picked out just for their date, wasn't it? that makes it special. that's what gives it meaning.

... date.

the word rolls about in his head again, bringing back all the forbidden warmth from their last one, the cool touch of the dark and of a promise he couldn't keep. )

( 2 / 2 )

[takasugi]

It was a necessity to find one that fit us both, but I think it'll do. The spot I wanted to show you has a bit of a rough path down to the shore, but if you want to do anything else first, it's totally up to you, Amagi-kun.

( literally. he'll hand over the helmet, his smooth fingertips always careful not to catch the back of rinne's hand to accidentally rip into his flesh.

there's another one latched onto the motorbike by a clip, takasugi fitting the small of his rear onto the cushioned back seat to start feeling out the ride. it's clear from his curious expression that he's never been the passenger, or at least, it might be clear from the way he fidgets excitedly and keeps patting his knee. there's an energy to him that's not unlike the sort of driver that zips in and out of the fast lane. takasugi rights his posture as he waits for what he's meant to hold onto, tail bunched behind him. )

[hanikamu]

[His face is heating up. Stop it. He's not used to these compliments — especially the kind people don't owe him. As he rides the bike and takes the front seat, he plays with the helmet in his hands a bit, feeling out the weight of it as he distracts himself from the sound of his racing heart. This bike is huge, and Takasugi's so excited. Rinne can't help but feel a rush from just standing here. What kind of date does Takasugi want this time? What is he expecting? How should Rinne meet him there?]

Thanks for the compliment. As for our next stop, I dunno. I'm still kinda stuck on the legality of your mods...

Well, that just comes with dating a criminal.

[He puts the helmet on.]

Let's get some ice cream by the Water's Edge first. I got a feeling we'll need a sweet treat before everything else. Sound good?

[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. )