[When 76 didn't try to squirm out from under him or shove him off, he remained lounging in his current position as he gradually softened in the younger man. His eyes stayed closed as he savoured the sensation of fingers combing through his hair, shivering when those same fingers caressed his back accidentally through the white locks that hung down his back.
He stretched out his legs, not bothered by them hanging off the edge of the mattress. He shifted his hips, pulling himself free of 76, but still he didn't move off of the younger man. He was cozy and comfortable, nuzzling 76 with his nose as his breathing calmed again, and he felt himself relaxed and settled more than he had since arriving in this place.
For once, his guard was mostly down.
His hand stroked the underside of 76's thigh where his nails had dug in then stroked back up over hip and side.]
Mmmm, gonna get up to clean us. You want anything? I'm only getting up once.
[Meaning, despite the situation, he planned on staying around rather than fleeing. In the distance, the sound of residual fireworks were going off.]
[Didn't linger -or think too hard- over how easy it was to stay like this, but it as easy to simply chock it up to being tired out for once due to the act and leave it as that. Went hard, and he could admit that he felt more relaxed than he ha any right to; far as he was concerned at least. Let the thought pass.
Had felt that shiver, and was enough to keep fingers moving slowly. A little shudder came with that trailing tough from his thigh to his side—
Corner of his mouth twitched at the question, taking in a slow and deep breath as he took the time to think at least that much-]
Thermos filled with water in my bag there, large. [Could both probably do with some water, a quiet offer to share it.] Jar of moonshine if you want any of that, too.
[Both were in the same bag. Noted that the offer also meant that, well. Apparently Reaper was staying and 76 had no plans of leaving himself.]
[He slowly lifted his head from where it rested against 76's cheek so that he could look the direction of their discarded outfits and more specifically the pack in question. They should probably eat some of those dumplings that 76 had decided to wait in line for tonight as well, and he expected if he brought them over that the younger man would eat a bit.
He lingered where he was as his skin cooled in the air, and then he nodded as if to motivate himself. He finally set his hands and pushed himself up, uncaring of the state of his nudity as he stepped over discarded pieces of armour and feathers to grab 76's pack. He grabbed some of the dumpling in their packages as well.
He seated himself next to 76 and rooted through the pack looking for water and a cloth, adding the water to it. He tossed the dumplings at 76.] Put those in your face before they go stale. [Then he began to wash the evidence of their union off of 76's skin starting with belly and working his way down.]
[His hands moved off of Reaper once he started moving to get up, stretching just a little to get a feel for himself as he remained on his back for the moment. Staring up at the patched ceiling- and not for the other man's privacy. They'd seen each other naked hundreds of times simply from either communal showers or the few times they'd shared a living space out of necessity; all times when younger, but it didn't lessen the fact it didn't bother him.
More a reluctance to pull himself together, listening both to Reaper's movements in order to place him in his walk and the fireworks going off in the distance. Sounded almost muffled with how far away it all was, the forest between them and the festival's last hoorah.
He caught the dumplings in hand, propping himself up enough with a few pillows just to not make the clean-up hard for Reaper when he took initiative.]
You want any, or am I eating on my own? [Popping one of the more savory dumplings in to his mouth once he pulled out the container. ]
[He busied himself with his task of cleaning up his partner for the night, at least respectful enough for that. It was a routine that he found oddly comforting and one he hadn't particularly had to do much with his last boyfriend. It allowed him to keep his hands busy so that he wouldn't think too much about the fact that he had fallen into bed with 76 unprompted.
He nudged the younger man's leg up so he could wipe between them too. No one liked the stinky mess of dried cum, and a hot shower wasn't exactly an option for their little safe house. So this was how it was going to be.]
Maybe once I finish cleaning us up. Eat up, and if there's any left, I might take it.
[He wouldn't be upset if 76 ate that bag of dumplings. There was another on the table. 76 probably hadn't eaten in awhile anyway.
He sat back and cleaned himself up after he had finished with 76.]
[76 did his part of keep that leg up and too the side for the clean up there, propped a bit on and elbow as he leaned back and- well. He moved as needed to give Reaper that access rather than making that end of the clean-up difficult for either of them, not much thought needed for it and. Well.
Maybe he was using the dumplings as something more to keep occupied with himself rather than think much on the fact of how they'd gotten to this point. The reason for the need of it and, well. Letting the man have the task.]
There's some sweater ones- might save you at least one of those.
[He'd do more than that, but this was an easier conversation to fall on to, and he sat up after scoot backwards a bit once he was cleaned up enough to Reaper's satisfaction. Legs loosely folded as he allowed himself to eat slowly.
The dumplings were still good and, surprisingly, still warm. Must've been the packaging.]
[While he might be concentrating on the task at hand, he was watching 76 out of the corner of his eye occasionally. 76 seemed pretty comfortable, and he could honestly say that they were seated rather companionably with each other. This was a strange day since they had been generally agreeable with each other after they had began to move around together.
He washed himself off and then tossed the cloth aside so that he could deal with it later. Then he made a point of pulling his hair over his shoulder and combing it out with his fingers. Of course, just the big tangles as he didn't care enough to work everything out.]
Might, huh? After I served you so well, my Prince?
[He smirked and wasn't offended by not being saved food. It was fine. He didn't need to eat.]
You could always take the dumplings and eat if you let me take care of your hair for you.
[He gestured a bit at the half-assed finger combing that Reaper was doing as he spoke, using the dumpling container in hand to do so. He was a little responsible for the mess it was in after all, given how he was pulling on it and had kept at least one hand in it all.
That and, well, 76 figured it was easier to have someone else help with longer hair. He could do it.]
Or would my Knight be opposed after the way he served?
[He raised an eyebrow at the suggestion that he needed his hair to be tended, but he expected that refusing would cause a fight. He was actually willing to avoid one tonight, since the fireworks were going to go for awhile yet, and he was still relaxed enough to be a touch more passive than usual.
He flipped his waist length hair back over his shoulder and moved to closer to 76 and turned around so that his scarred back was presented to the younger man. He pulled his knees up even as he took a drink from the water bottle and offered it back to 76 before the younger man started on his hair.]
No, you did make a mess of it. All that hair pulling.
[He would exchange the water bottle for some of the dumplings. Okay, he would eat one or two.]
[At least, for now, it seemed they were both willing to keep the peace between them. Some tension worked out, probably- and not thinking on why too much. It happened, burned a lot of energy and whatever else. Physical and exhausting in ways not managed too many other ways for either of them.
He did snort a bit, shifting so he was sitting with his legs folded closer to himself to make plenty of room for Reaper there.]
Weren't complaining as it happened.
[Passing the dumplings to Reaper as he took that bottle of water, drank from it, and then set it aside for the moment.
Reaper would be treated to the feelings of claws moving over his scalp as 76 was very much using his claws as a comb to work out every knot he came across. Carefully. He was taking care in combing out that hair even with what he worked with.]
[It was interesting that they could sometimes achieve some version of companionable with each other now and again these days. He supposed that 76 had disarmed him a little in nearly dying, the stupid moron, but he had never intended the younger man to die. He had his own version of what should happen with Jack, and he still stuck to that here, even if he shouldn't as it wouldn't matter in the end, right?
Still, for now, it was in both of their best interests to keep the peace. 76 wasn't the worst company to keep sometimes. Maybe. He made certain to stop any memory of the good ol' days as it were.
He took a dumpling from the container and took a bite, chewing slowly to savour the taste. They weren't half bad, though perhaps they were made better by someone else combing out his hair for him. So he sat and enjoyed the grooming that he had long denied himself and ate a few dumplings before rustling through 76's bag for some of that moonshine.
Fine, they'd make an evening of it.]
Neither of us was complaining. Guess both of us are owed a little roll in the sheets now and again.
[He made the remark airily, without intending that it would happen again between them.]
[Claws worked from root to end in their combing, felt against scalp and looping it over hands to make sure it was smooth in the lacking of knots way. Any dead hair was more or less rolled together and set aside as he worked and once all of the knots were out? Well, 76 idly started a loose braid. Figured Reaper would protest if he felt what was up and didn't want it.
He figured it would be the easiest way to help keep all of that hair out of the way for now.]
Jar would be too the right, by the way. [Would be a black and red sparkling look. Blackberries and raspberries, with a bit of cherry, on top of that usual taste that came with even a sweetened up honeyshine.]
Yeah, sure.
[Rather than argue or linger on the point, just slowly continuing that loose braid of his.]
[This aftermath to a pleasurable event like before was usually disappointment or at least a quick pack up and go. It felt strange to be sitting on the mattress with the place smelling of sex and letting 76 actually tend to his hair. It was a conflicting sensation where part of him wanted to be up and away and the other part of him was content to just sit for awhile longer and let aftercare take place.
His hand shifted in the pack and found the moonshine bottle, pulling it free so that he could remove the lid and take a sip of it. The liquid set his mouth and nasal cavities on fire in a pleasant way, allowing him to ignore the fact that he knew that 76 was braiding his hair. That was just not something that happened often, if at all.]
You going into business as a distillery next?
[He took another gulp from the jar before setting it carefully on the mattress slightly behind him where 76 could grab a quick drink of it.]
No, this is personal use because it'd likely kill anyone else.
[No real exaggeration either, he knew how strong it needed to be do have any sort of wanted effect for either of them. Wasn't safe for normal consumption by any standard, but was what was needed to get him feeling anything. Was another person he shared it with, and gave a hell of a lot of a weaker version -still watered down with juice and honey- for the Harvest.
That was where it ended.
He did hold the brain in one had so he could snag up the jar and deep a deeper drink, letting it burn before it was set right back down where Reaper had placed it. Finishing up the loose braid before he leaned and plucked a dumpling out of the container Reaper likely still held.
Moved to the side so he wasn't directly behind the other, carefully as to not knock over the jar, shoulders rolling after popping the dumpling in to his mouth. Ignoring the situation for what it was in it's entirety, for the most part.]
Not a bad hobby to have here for personal use, if you ask me.
All the more reason to give it out. A sip should knock them on their asses.
[He was certain that someone aside from them might be able to survive it, but maybe 76 just wanted the personal stock to share between the two of them. Nah, that was a bit too personal and hit a bit too close to home of the past. Besides, if it didn't kill everyone else, it would surely make them go blind. Either would amuse him.
He turned his head just a touch so he could look over his shoulder as 76 took a sip from the jar and growled half-heartedly at the dumpling being stolen. He felt the braid at his back, and he made no motion to take it out.]
Hobbies are a good way to set down roots I hear.
[He watched 76 next to him, even as he picked up the jar and sipped from it pointedly.]
Watered down version does that well enough for the few who've wanted a taste.
[There was one other person he shared the unaltered version with, woman that had a similar issue for different reasons. Companionable, liked her attitude and it was easy to fall a little nostalgic in shittalking amongst other conversation. Solid fighter, good person to know.
... also a few other things in common now, they'd discovered.
Still, he reached through shadow to snag the other dumpling container and pop it open, depositing one of the sweet-filled dumplings in the one Reaper held before popping another in to his own mouth, snorting a bit.]
You water it down? Damn shame. People need to learn their limitations, so don't baby them.
[It was 76's moonshine though, and he had no rights to dictate how it was made. That's just the way that it was, but he could complain about it all the same. He was good at complaining, as good as he was looking for and forcing solutions. This wasn't a moment that needed a solution, so he instead took another drink and offered the jar out to 76.
Then he took one of the desert dumpling and shifted where he sat so he could lean just a touch so that his and 76's shoulders could touch. He'd chalk it up to the burn of alcohol in his throat, belly and nose if asked about it.
Fruit juice works well enough- gotta help supply the bar part of the Harvest somehow. Which means I can't have someone die in the pub through alcohol poisoning trying to teach them a lesson.
[It was only ever a couple of jars of said watered down honey moonshine, just so Tifa had something to mix with to get a certain look with a kick to it. Carried some with him as well, just in case, just for a little something when he didn't want to get drunk off his ass.
Worked well in a few other situations, too.
He did take that offered drink, letting the burn and warmth it filled him with just set in, passing it back before taking another savory dumpling. Whether he leaned back against Reaper or not wouldn't be acknowledged, but his own weight could be felt a bit. Mutual leaning.]
You're still working the Harvest? [Of course he knew that.] You really are laying down all the roots here, no matter how much you deny it. Meeting the locals, working at a pub, making a little home for yourself and friends.
[He chuckled darkly, though it was quieter and smoother than usual. Thank the moonshine for starting to set in, which meant he was needling to point out that 76 was settling in rather than using it as a weapon.
He took another bite of dumpling, chewing on it slowly as they leaned together. Off in the distance, the flowerworks were slowing down.]
[A savory dumpling was used to sort of wiggle and gesture towards Reaper once 76 had picked up another.]
You keep saying that, but it doesn't make it true. You've got a hell of an imagination with me running through it.
[He wasn't setting down roots, he wasn't making friends. 76 was for all purposes making connections to leave behind for the Harvest itself, so that Kazuma and Susato could pick up when he was gone- should either of them still be there. Tifa, too. Would be a large supply of the moonshine to be used, and he would bring up the Harvest if he ever found any 'locals' making other things.
Not leave anyone in a lurch when he eventually left. The allies made would not be left to pick up broken pieces.]
Oh don't worry, my imagination tends to go to dark places. I still think you're putting down far more roots here than you ever would have intended. It's amazing what stealing your revenge away for a time will do.
[It had happened to him in Deerington, and he expected that it could happen with 76. The younger man might actually be more stubborn than he was, especially when it came to hunting for a tidbit of intel or finding a battle to fight in. Fewer fights here, and tonight the only thing they were likely to fight over was the blanket.
76 was finding people to care for him. That was a dangerous.
He sipped the jar and then offered it back to 76, feeling the warmth of the alcohol spreading through his body. It kept him relaxed more than he would otherwise allow for.]
Just because I've been out of it for a few years doesn't mean shit, Reyes. Prepared to get the hell out of here and back to it the moment the chance arises- but until then I'm not going to be a useless shithead.
[He'd never could be anything less, no matter what it did to his body or his mind; the never ending stress and frustration when stuck behind a desk, unable to go out and do something. Hands tied or risk making a bigger mess rather than doing anything to help-
The wear and tear was never just physical, and perhaps it unfortunately showed.
He did take the jar on offer, and perhaps he took a bigger drink from it than he meant to. Didn't matter, the burn was what he wanted, and could offer it right back to Reaper in turn.]
You mean you can't actually sit idle for any length of time. You're all about building those communities and making them stronger... getting back to your roots. [Way back in the early days of the war and being the Strike Commander before the weight of constant political idiocy had broken the man.] At least you've proven on more than once occasion now that you're still looking for love. [He said the last work mockingly. This wasn't love; it never could be.
Or so he held the personal opinion of. He knew the depths of his emotions when it came to 76, but the history and his own monstrous nature told him that it could never be reciprocated. Lightning didn't strike twice in the same place.
They shared the moonshine in a parody of old times. He stared across the little remote safe house, letting the alcohol soak into his flesh and calm his mind as much as the sex had. If anything, he was more agreeable than he could ever count on being now.]
But not putting any down. If people have to live here, they may as well have some solid foundation of connections they can build more on. [Rather than running around without any sort of base and only going through motions of survival. People were still appearing here, it wasn't just those already here to worry about.
Eyes rolled as he popped in another dumpling to chew and swallow down-]
Only thing funny about that is you assuming I think I can be loved.
[He'd given Kazuma a lighter answer when the kid poked in to how he felt, if he'd ever think about it, but it was far easier to be blunt now. The warmth and buzz of moonshine and it being Reaper.
Just took a deeper drink from the jar before he was passing it back to Reaper.]
Keep telling yourself that, Jack. Maybe someday other people or yourself may actually believe that. You can't keep them at arm's length as much as you think you can. [His tone was far less argumentative than it normally would be on such a subject, like this was more of a playful debate than something he needed to win. Thank the alcohol building in his bloodstream for that.
He looked over at 76 next to him and stole a dumpling to eat in two bites. He shouldn't be eating, definitely didn't need it but hey, it tasted pretty good. As he chewed, he observed the younger man before slapping 76 on the back harder than intended. Another reason he didn't drink.]
You all wound up with self hatred? Just because you don't think you can be loved doesn't mean people don't love you, idiot. You're still such a blond sometimes.
[He took the jar and a long drag from it, relaxing into the burn of alcohol. He set the jar down between them so he could set his hands back on the mattress all so he could lean on them.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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He stretched out his legs, not bothered by them hanging off the edge of the mattress. He shifted his hips, pulling himself free of 76, but still he didn't move off of the younger man. He was cozy and comfortable, nuzzling 76 with his nose as his breathing calmed again, and he felt himself relaxed and settled more than he had since arriving in this place.
For once, his guard was mostly down.
His hand stroked the underside of 76's thigh where his nails had dug in then stroked back up over hip and side.]
Mmmm, gonna get up to clean us. You want anything? I'm only getting up once.
[Meaning, despite the situation, he planned on staying around rather than fleeing. In the distance, the sound of residual fireworks were going off.]
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Had felt that shiver, and was enough to keep fingers moving slowly. A little shudder came with that trailing tough from his thigh to his side—
Corner of his mouth twitched at the question, taking in a slow and deep breath as he took the time to think at least that much-]
Thermos filled with water in my bag there, large. [Could both probably do with some water, a quiet offer to share it.] Jar of moonshine if you want any of that, too.
[Both were in the same bag. Noted that the offer also meant that, well. Apparently Reaper was staying and 76 had no plans of leaving himself.]
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He lingered where he was as his skin cooled in the air, and then he nodded as if to motivate himself. He finally set his hands and pushed himself up, uncaring of the state of his nudity as he stepped over discarded pieces of armour and feathers to grab 76's pack. He grabbed some of the dumpling in their packages as well.
He seated himself next to 76 and rooted through the pack looking for water and a cloth, adding the water to it. He tossed the dumplings at 76.] Put those in your face before they go stale. [Then he began to wash the evidence of their union off of 76's skin starting with belly and working his way down.]
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More a reluctance to pull himself together, listening both to Reaper's movements in order to place him in his walk and the fireworks going off in the distance. Sounded almost muffled with how far away it all was, the forest between them and the festival's last hoorah.
He caught the dumplings in hand, propping himself up enough with a few pillows just to not make the clean-up hard for Reaper when he took initiative.]
You want any, or am I eating on my own? [Popping one of the more savory dumplings in to his mouth once he pulled out the container. ]
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He nudged the younger man's leg up so he could wipe between them too. No one liked the stinky mess of dried cum, and a hot shower wasn't exactly an option for their little safe house. So this was how it was going to be.]
Maybe once I finish cleaning us up. Eat up, and if there's any left, I might take it.
[He wouldn't be upset if 76 ate that bag of dumplings. There was another on the table. 76 probably hadn't eaten in awhile anyway.
He sat back and cleaned himself up after he had finished with 76.]
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Maybe he was using the dumplings as something more to keep occupied with himself rather than think much on the fact of how they'd gotten to this point. The reason for the need of it and, well. Letting the man have the task.]
There's some sweater ones- might save you at least one of those.
[He'd do more than that, but this was an easier conversation to fall on to, and he sat up after scoot backwards a bit once he was cleaned up enough to Reaper's satisfaction. Legs loosely folded as he allowed himself to eat slowly.
The dumplings were still good and, surprisingly, still warm. Must've been the packaging.]
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He washed himself off and then tossed the cloth aside so that he could deal with it later. Then he made a point of pulling his hair over his shoulder and combing it out with his fingers. Of course, just the big tangles as he didn't care enough to work everything out.]
Might, huh? After I served you so well, my Prince?
[He smirked and wasn't offended by not being saved food. It was fine. He didn't need to eat.]
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[He gestured a bit at the half-assed finger combing that Reaper was doing as he spoke, using the dumpling container in hand to do so. He was a little responsible for the mess it was in after all, given how he was pulling on it and had kept at least one hand in it all.
That and, well, 76 figured it was easier to have someone else help with longer hair. He could do it.]
Or would my Knight be opposed after the way he served?
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He flipped his waist length hair back over his shoulder and moved to closer to 76 and turned around so that his scarred back was presented to the younger man. He pulled his knees up even as he took a drink from the water bottle and offered it back to 76 before the younger man started on his hair.]
No, you did make a mess of it. All that hair pulling.
[He would exchange the water bottle for some of the dumplings. Okay, he would eat one or two.]
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He did snort a bit, shifting so he was sitting with his legs folded closer to himself to make plenty of room for Reaper there.]
Weren't complaining as it happened.
[Passing the dumplings to Reaper as he took that bottle of water, drank from it, and then set it aside for the moment.
Reaper would be treated to the feelings of claws moving over his scalp as 76 was very much using his claws as a comb to work out every knot he came across. Carefully. He was taking care in combing out that hair even with what he worked with.]
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Still, for now, it was in both of their best interests to keep the peace. 76 wasn't the worst company to keep sometimes. Maybe. He made certain to stop any memory of the good ol' days as it were.
He took a dumpling from the container and took a bite, chewing slowly to savour the taste. They weren't half bad, though perhaps they were made better by someone else combing out his hair for him. So he sat and enjoyed the grooming that he had long denied himself and ate a few dumplings before rustling through 76's bag for some of that moonshine.
Fine, they'd make an evening of it.]
Neither of us was complaining. Guess both of us are owed a little roll in the sheets now and again.
[He made the remark airily, without intending that it would happen again between them.]
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He figured it would be the easiest way to help keep all of that hair out of the way for now.]
Jar would be too the right, by the way. [Would be a black and red sparkling look. Blackberries and raspberries, with a bit of cherry, on top of that usual taste that came with even a sweetened up honeyshine.]
Yeah, sure.
[Rather than argue or linger on the point, just slowly continuing that loose braid of his.]
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His hand shifted in the pack and found the moonshine bottle, pulling it free so that he could remove the lid and take a sip of it. The liquid set his mouth and nasal cavities on fire in a pleasant way, allowing him to ignore the fact that he knew that 76 was braiding his hair. That was just not something that happened often, if at all.]
You going into business as a distillery next?
[He took another gulp from the jar before setting it carefully on the mattress slightly behind him where 76 could grab a quick drink of it.]
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[No real exaggeration either, he knew how strong it needed to be do have any sort of wanted effect for either of them. Wasn't safe for normal consumption by any standard, but was what was needed to get him feeling anything. Was another person he shared it with, and gave a hell of a lot of a weaker version -still watered down with juice and honey- for the Harvest.
That was where it ended.
He did hold the brain in one had so he could snag up the jar and deep a deeper drink, letting it burn before it was set right back down where Reaper had placed it. Finishing up the loose braid before he leaned and plucked a dumpling out of the container Reaper likely still held.
Moved to the side so he wasn't directly behind the other, carefully as to not knock over the jar, shoulders rolling after popping the dumpling in to his mouth. Ignoring the situation for what it was in it's entirety, for the most part.]
Not a bad hobby to have here for personal use, if you ask me.
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[He was certain that someone aside from them might be able to survive it, but maybe 76 just wanted the personal stock to share between the two of them. Nah, that was a bit too personal and hit a bit too close to home of the past. Besides, if it didn't kill everyone else, it would surely make them go blind. Either would amuse him.
He turned his head just a touch so he could look over his shoulder as 76 took a sip from the jar and growled half-heartedly at the dumpling being stolen. He felt the braid at his back, and he made no motion to take it out.]
Hobbies are a good way to set down roots I hear.
[He watched 76 next to him, even as he picked up the jar and sipped from it pointedly.]
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[There was one other person he shared the unaltered version with, woman that had a similar issue for different reasons. Companionable, liked her attitude and it was easy to fall a little nostalgic in shittalking amongst other conversation. Solid fighter, good person to know.
... also a few other things in common now, they'd discovered.
Still, he reached through shadow to snag the other dumpling container and pop it open, depositing one of the sweet-filled dumplings in the one Reaper held before popping another in to his own mouth, snorting a bit.]
I'm not setting down roots.
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[It was 76's moonshine though, and he had no rights to dictate how it was made. That's just the way that it was, but he could complain about it all the same. He was good at complaining, as good as he was looking for and forcing solutions. This wasn't a moment that needed a solution, so he instead took another drink and offered the jar out to 76.
Then he took one of the desert dumpling and shifted where he sat so he could lean just a touch so that his and 76's shoulders could touch. He'd chalk it up to the burn of alcohol in his throat, belly and nose if asked about it.
He nudged 76 with a light elbow to the ribs.]
Keep telling yourself that, champ.
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[It was only ever a couple of jars of said watered down honey moonshine, just so Tifa had something to mix with to get a certain look with a kick to it. Carried some with him as well, just in case, just for a little something when he didn't want to get drunk off his ass.
Worked well in a few other situations, too.
He did take that offered drink, letting the burn and warmth it filled him with just set in, passing it back before taking another savory dumpling. Whether he leaned back against Reaper or not wouldn't be acknowledged, but his own weight could be felt a bit. Mutual leaning.]
Keep telling yourself otherwise, gramps.
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[He chuckled darkly, though it was quieter and smoother than usual. Thank the moonshine for starting to set in, which meant he was needling to point out that 76 was settling in rather than using it as a weapon.
He took another bite of dumpling, chewing on it slowly as they leaned together. Off in the distance, the flowerworks were slowing down.]
I don't need to. I'm telling you.
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You keep saying that, but it doesn't make it true. You've got a hell of an imagination with me running through it.
[He wasn't setting down roots, he wasn't making friends. 76 was for all purposes making connections to leave behind for the Harvest itself, so that Kazuma and Susato could pick up when he was gone- should either of them still be there. Tifa, too. Would be a large supply of the moonshine to be used, and he would bring up the Harvest if he ever found any 'locals' making other things.
Not leave anyone in a lurch when he eventually left. The allies made would not be left to pick up broken pieces.]
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[It had happened to him in Deerington, and he expected that it could happen with 76. The younger man might actually be more stubborn than he was, especially when it came to hunting for a tidbit of intel or finding a battle to fight in. Fewer fights here, and tonight the only thing they were likely to fight over was the blanket.
76 was finding people to care for him. That was a dangerous.
He sipped the jar and then offered it back to 76, feeling the warmth of the alcohol spreading through his body. It kept him relaxed more than he would otherwise allow for.]
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[He'd never could be anything less, no matter what it did to his body or his mind; the never ending stress and frustration when stuck behind a desk, unable to go out and do something. Hands tied or risk making a bigger mess rather than doing anything to help-
The wear and tear was never just physical, and perhaps it unfortunately showed.
He did take the jar on offer, and perhaps he took a bigger drink from it than he meant to. Didn't matter, the burn was what he wanted, and could offer it right back to Reaper in turn.]
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Or so he held the personal opinion of. He knew the depths of his emotions when it came to 76, but the history and his own monstrous nature told him that it could never be reciprocated. Lightning didn't strike twice in the same place.
They shared the moonshine in a parody of old times. He stared across the little remote safe house, letting the alcohol soak into his flesh and calm his mind as much as the sex had. If anything, he was more agreeable than he could ever count on being now.]
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Eyes rolled as he popped in another dumpling to chew and swallow down-]
Only thing funny about that is you assuming I think I can be loved.
[He'd given Kazuma a lighter answer when the kid poked in to how he felt, if he'd ever think about it, but it was far easier to be blunt now. The warmth and buzz of moonshine and it being Reaper.
Just took a deeper drink from the jar before he was passing it back to Reaper.]
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He looked over at 76 next to him and stole a dumpling to eat in two bites. He shouldn't be eating, definitely didn't need it but hey, it tasted pretty good. As he chewed, he observed the younger man before slapping 76 on the back harder than intended. Another reason he didn't drink.]
You all wound up with self hatred? Just because you don't think you can be loved doesn't mean people don't love you, idiot. You're still such a blond sometimes.
[He took the jar and a long drag from it, relaxing into the burn of alcohol. He set the jar down between them so he could set his hands back on the mattress all so he could lean on them.]
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