[ He definitely doesn't feel older. He's always just been the kid, and that Aguero acknowledges him as older makes him laugh, bright and sheepish. ]
Birthdays where I'll always turn twenty-two? You really are magic.
[ Logically, that's not how this works, but he's going to attribute his weird circumstances to Aguero and thank him for it. He returns the kiss to his cheek with one of his own, wherever he can reach. ]
I know the wait will be worth it, because that means I get to celebrate with you. Every year for the rest of my life.
That really will be a long time if I have anything to do with it, you know.
[ things he's sure tatara knows, but he has another little confession to make. he smiles, not looking sheepish but a bit...devious. this is something he's been holding for a while both because he hasn't been sure how to address it and then the whole being dead thing, but now's finally the time. ]
People in the tower live to well over five hundred. We stop aging once we get to our prime, whatever that is. It's an effect the Tower has on our bodies, so it would happen to you too.
[ Tatara isn't even ready for twenty-five. Much less fifty. Or even a hundred!
The smile he offers Aguero is small and sheepish; he takes his hat from his head and plops it on him. There, now he has more room for mischief. ]
I think I'll concentrate on getting to twenty-three first. [ He wiggles in his spot, pressing his back to Aguero's as he shimmies down, eventually so that he can nestle the back of his head on his shoulder. ] There's not a lot of point if I don't make it there first...
[ A beat, and he tilts his head up to look at his face again. ]
[ aguero in turn waits until tatara is settled, adjusting his new hat on an angle to shade them both from the sun and the rest of the world. his arms drape securely around his boyfriend, a reminder that those years will be theirs together, because they're inseparable now.
the smile he offers is assured and overflowing with confidence in contrast. tatara doesn't need to do a thing including worry, aguero will take care of it all. ]
It better be for my sake. If you get anymore irresistible I won't be able to control myself at all.
[ he can barely do that now. ]
What about me? Do you think I'll grow more than I already have?
[ There's a cheeky glint to Tatara's eyes when he grins. They both know, though unsaid, that Tatara is always tugging at Aguero's fetters of self-control. Maybe it's okay if he ages a little more, he thinks. He pictures a day where Aguero literally can't keep his hands off him and—
He sighs, and lifts a hand to cup his opposite cheek. ]
Of course you will. You're strong already, but I know you have so much more room to become even more powerful.
[ He still fully believes Aguero will rule the tower one day.
His hand sneaks up his cheek, like he's counting the inches that make up his face. ]
[ he'll have to get so much stronger to even face his father, let alone stand a chance of beating him, but that's alright. there's a new sort of conviction he carries in him to do so, as aguero has no intentions of disappointing his boyfriend.
the bright flash of blue says as much, as does the sly grin that plays beneath tatara's fingers. ]
Oh? Do you have that much of an appetite for climbing, Tatara?
[ The glint of coral speaks for him before he can answer, and all he does is chuckle.
Tatara's tastes are pretty obvious, at least he thinks. And Aguero fits right in that box in ways he's a little too embarrassed to say out loud. ]
What? Does that surprise you? [ He grins, pink dusting his cheeks, and his fingertips begin to play with the ends of Aguero's hair. ] I am going to the tower with you, after all.
Not really~. [ he thumbs over the dusting admiring the colors, choosing for once to let his real impulse sit until later. this isn't mercy, this is just being opportunistic. ]
My father's very tall, so maybe you'll get lucky. I've been told I mostly take after my mother, though. [ he tilts his head slightly, enough so that tatara will have to chase after the strands without being completely out of reach. ]
What about you? We haven't really spoken about your family outside of HOMRA.
[ His eyes flutter at the touch, and his grin widens as his fingertips chase. For one moment, he inhales deeply, calming the painful beating of his heart in his chest. Aguero is gorgeous. He's so lucky.
As he twirls a finger around a strand of blue, he laughs. ]
Is there much to talk about? [ He'd much rather think about Aguero's mother and father and thousands of siblings. ] I don't have parents anymore, and I don't know if I have brothers or sisters. HOMRA's my family.
If you don't think so, then no. [ mostly he's just curious and it feels like now is a good time to squirrel away all he can about the love of his life without the pressure of anything else. ]
But I had to ask, just in case. [ now it's his turn to sigh, just a little sheepish. ] Baam didn't have family in the biological sense either, so maybe that's part of my type too.
A cave? [ A surprised look of sympathy flashes over his features for a brief second. A cave is pretty destitute of all things, but knowing this shifts his perception of Aguero just ever so slightly. Tatara knows he grew up rich, yet that he could fall for Baam—and now him, even though he doesn't know—tells him that material wealth doesn't mean much to him when it comes to love.
Not that he ever thought Aguero might have an ulterior motive. Like he ever doubted their relationship as sage and wizard ever changed anything. It didn't, it doesn't, he never did, but it's nice to know. ]
We had a roof over our heads, but we couldn't afford food, much less heating or AC. [ Or, like, proper bedding. ] It may as well have been a cave. Maybe cavemen are part of your type, too.
[ aguero's alterior motive is to spoil tatara rotten.
baam's case is different in that he was literally trapped there and left alone, but that's not important right now. he looks down at tatara, entirely serious. ]
You know I'll never let you want for anything, right? Even when we have to move or if suspendium values crash, I'll make sure you're always comfortable and never hungry.
[ A bit of his silly edge softens, and his fingers shift to press gently into Aguero's cheek. Tatara sees it in everything he does and says, and that devotion sits firmly and comfortably in his stomach. ]
And I'd do the same for you. Even if we ran out of food, I'd teach you how to forage.
[ Mm, he's a little low for a kiss on the cheek, so he'll opt for gently pinching Aguero's cheek instead. ]
[ forage... in the wilderness maybe. in society he'd sooner kill a man and steal his wallet, but those are thankfully details he doesn't need to worry about now. instead he lets him most of his edges soften under the pinch, even if he looks a little pouty about it. ]
Tatara. [ he knows, though he'd rather be the one doing all the work. as many skills as tatara has (varied, random, surprising), aguero acknowledges and appreciates the support he offers him personally. he needs the teasing, the care, the blind optimism as much as he needs his skills with a knife and political machinations.
a poke of the hand that pinched him back, mostly playful but with a hint of stray contemplation. ]
I know you're not a fighter, but you're probably going to be stronger there than you were here or back in Japan. You'll be an Irregular, someone who was born outside the Tower, and that lets you bypass some rules and restrictions that normally apply to everyone.
[ His fingers dance on Aguero's cheek in retaliation (?) for the poke, serene gaze resting on his boyfriend. He's cute when he pouts. He likes hearing his name. ]
Hm? [ Tatara and stronger don't usually go together in the same sentence, so he doesn't actually get what he's trying to say at first. He was never strong, not even with his Aura, especially now as a regular human. He's not sure how any of that would change in a worst case scenario.
His lips twist in amusement, and he tilts his head up to get a better look at him. ]
I haven't given you a summary of how the Tower works, right? [ he smiles, more than a little sheepish. ]
I didn't tell anyone, because I never expected to think back on my time here let alone take someone back with me. [ ahh, he can't help but go for a kiss on the hand that's tickling him. that's better even if it's not enough. ]
But essentially each floor in the Tower is ruled by an administrator. They're not a person, but something more like the Spirits of each country here. Whatever rules they establish govern the entire floor, such as no fighting on a certain day of the week, and requiring an exam to gain access and leave. They also control the environment: some floors are completely aqueous and others are toxic unless you ingest local flora to gain immunity.
Everyone in the Tower has to follow those rules as the system compels them to do so one way or another. But Bam was an Irregular and you'll be one too—someone outside the system. It also means you could learn techniques someone like me couldn't, if you wanted.
[ That's a little shake of the head on Aguero's arm (chest? how low has he sunk at this point?), and gazes up curiously at him. He knows some things, like some people need to pass trials to go up the tower. That reaching the top is an honor worthy of accolades. That people have magical powers. That was it, really. So the answer he gets is intriguing. ]
Huh. [ He blinks, the gears in his head suddenly whirring. With no real concrete context, there isn't much he can suggest or do, but there's one obvious place his head goes. ]
So I can skirt around the rules for you. [ Suddenly, he grins, presses his back to his chest. ] Right? I could help you in other ways other people can't, right?
[ Tatara would do anything short of murder for Khun Aguero Agnis. ]
Most people would ask what being outside the rules could do for them.
[ power, authority, control.
but of course tatara's mind doesn't go there, and it says something of how he's just accepted they're both hopeless when it comes to one another that he doesn't even try to push back. it still tickles though, the faintest stroke of pink accentuating his bright blue. ]
[ His full name goes straight to his heart, and for a second, he can't breathe. His face reddens and his mouth gapes with awe, and he's just. He's so lucky. ]
Wow...
[ Aguero's love is heavy, but he loves every ounce of it. His eyes shine, as does his smile, and he suddenly starts wriggling between Aguero's legs. He pushes himself up again and turns himself around, folding his legs under him and presses his hands to Aguero's chest. He leans forward, nose almost touching nose, just so he can look at every detail in his boyfriend-almost-fiance's gorgeous blue eyes. ]
Soon you'll have to say Khun Tatara Totsuka, right?
[ He heard that in the bar, and don't think he hasn't been rolling that around in his mind since. ]
[ this feels like a test of willpower, one tatara can clearly see in how he holds himself back from closing the space between them. blue reflects light, fireworks, sunshine, all bundled together with adoration and love, burning brighter with obsession.
just like his cheeks now are, with the future unfurled before him. the thought had passed through his mind when he spoke, but it will always be hard for him to say some things despite his usual brutal honesty. that's another reason they belong together, filling in each other's gaps until they overflow and become one. ]
One day. [ just like what he kept saying at the bar. ]
[ Tatara smiles because he knows only the endless expanse and possibility of the sky can hold the sun and all the fireworks in the world. He loves the purple, because it's them and it's his, but the blue is Aguero and he loses himself in that gaze for a little longer than normal.
He'll get to do that forevermore, too.
A sheepish, boyish grin decorates Tatara's face, brushed pink, and he gives one, firm nod. ]
I am. Because that's when everyone will know I'm yours.
[ Funny, because marriage has never really crossed his mind before, either. ]
he leans in, taking a long, messy, heated kiss. every word of that declaration seems tailor made to hit him in his heart, reverberate through all of his bones. the shape of those words linger on his lips and tongue, and he licks his lips to make sure he takes every bit into himself greedily. ]
...I don't think I've felt this insane since you agreed to be my boyfriend. [ his way of expressing he's happy that there's not a church or court here on the beach, because he might agree to just marry him here and now- (no, he will be patient because he needs to ask properly, but more importantly he needs to make it legal in the tower. he won't be like his father and take on partners for play only).
though that does remind him. ]
I want to keep our same anniversary in the Tower. [ they've been dating a few months now but it truly feels like forever in a good way. ]
[ Hehe. The kiss he gets out of it steals his breath away, sets fire to the heat in his stomach. His eyes fall shut, lazy, and he'd be more than happy to melt into this forever, but he has to breathe at some point, and it will break eventually. With a sigh, he lets his head rest on Aguero's shoulder, head tilted to gaze up at him.
Insane? They seem pretty sane in Tatara's eyes (but then again, he knows he's the weird one, etc, etc).
Fingers lightly dance on Aguero's lips as he speaks, in lieu of another kiss. ]
Which anniversary? [ There's that little grin over his lips again, the cheeky one. ] When we met? When we first kissed? When we decided to start dating? [ When they first slept together? Tatara gently, slowly, sensually presses his fingers to Aguero's lips instead of asking that out loud, but it's there in his touch. ] Or when you gave me the ring?
[ wow put your fingers near his mouth and you'll get—
not bit, but suckled. is this worse? aguero isn't thinking, letting his impulses run wild. ]
When we started dating. [ that's the big one to him, along with when he told him that he wanted to keep living. but celebrating that on it's own is almost morbid and he'd rather pick a new date with entirely happy associations instead (like when they get married, whenever that is.). ]
If we're celebrating all of those I'm behind in giving you gifts~.
[ Is it worse? Or better? Tatara breathes deep, trying to even out the hitches in his breath and calm himself, because he likes how that feels. He'll wiggle his fingertips on Aguero's tongue, just to see how he responds.
His cheeks are pink, too. And it's definitely not from the sun. ]
Hehe. [ He likes the gifts. But he knows he doesn't have to say that out loud. ] That's not a bad anniversary. We'll just have to find other ways to celebrate the other days.
[ Well. Even if it's not official, he'll find small ways to celebrate. ]
Do you remember the date? [ He asks, because Aguero might already know the exact date. Either way, the surrounding dates are in his sage tome, so— ]
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Birthdays where I'll always turn twenty-two? You really are magic.
[ Logically, that's not how this works, but he's going to attribute his weird circumstances to Aguero and thank him for it. He returns the kiss to his cheek with one of his own, wherever he can reach. ]
I know the wait will be worth it, because that means I get to celebrate with you. Every year for the rest of my life.
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[ things he's sure tatara knows, but he has another little confession to make. he smiles, not looking sheepish but a bit...devious. this is something he's been holding for a while both because he hasn't been sure how to address it and then the whole being dead thing, but now's finally the time. ]
People in the tower live to well over five hundred. We stop aging once we get to our prime, whatever that is. It's an effect the Tower has on our bodies, so it would happen to you too.
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[ Tatara isn't even ready for twenty-five. Much less fifty. Or even a hundred!
The smile he offers Aguero is small and sheepish; he takes his hat from his head and plops it on him. There, now he has more room for mischief. ]
I think I'll concentrate on getting to twenty-three first. [ He wiggles in his spot, pressing his back to Aguero's as he shimmies down, eventually so that he can nestle the back of his head on his shoulder. ] There's not a lot of point if I don't make it there first...
[ A beat, and he tilts his head up to look at his face again. ]
When do you think my prime will be? Now?
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the smile he offers is assured and overflowing with confidence in contrast. tatara doesn't need to do a thing including worry, aguero will take care of it all. ]
It better be for my sake. If you get anymore irresistible I won't be able to control myself at all.
[ he can barely do that now. ]
What about me? Do you think I'll grow more than I already have?
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He sighs, and lifts a hand to cup his opposite cheek. ]
Of course you will. You're strong already, but I know you have so much more room to become even more powerful.
[ He still fully believes Aguero will rule the tower one day.
His hand sneaks up his cheek, like he's counting the inches that make up his face. ]
Hmm, and maybe a few centimeters on top, too...
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the bright flash of blue says as much, as does the sly grin that plays beneath tatara's fingers. ]
Oh? Do you have that much of an appetite for climbing, Tatara?
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Tatara's tastes are pretty obvious, at least he thinks. And Aguero fits right in that box in ways he's a little too embarrassed to say out loud. ]
What? Does that surprise you? [ He grins, pink dusting his cheeks, and his fingertips begin to play with the ends of Aguero's hair. ] I am going to the tower with you, after all.
[ —Wrong "climb," but. ]
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My father's very tall, so maybe you'll get lucky. I've been told I mostly take after my mother, though. [ he tilts his head slightly, enough so that tatara will have to chase after the strands without being completely out of reach. ]
What about you? We haven't really spoken about your family outside of HOMRA.
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As he twirls a finger around a strand of blue, he laughs. ]
Is there much to talk about? [ He'd much rather think about Aguero's mother and father and thousands of siblings. ] I don't have parents anymore, and I don't know if I have brothers or sisters. HOMRA's my family.
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But I had to ask, just in case. [ now it's his turn to sigh, just a little sheepish. ] Baam didn't have family in the biological sense either, so maybe that's part of my type too.
Though he grew up in a cave.
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Not that he ever thought Aguero might have an ulterior motive. Like he ever doubted their relationship as sage and wizard ever changed anything. It didn't, it doesn't, he never did, but it's nice to know. ]
We had a roof over our heads, but we couldn't afford food, much less heating or AC. [ Or, like, proper bedding. ] It may as well have been a cave. Maybe cavemen are part of your type, too.
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baam's case is different in that he was literally trapped there and left alone, but that's not important right now. he looks down at tatara, entirely serious. ]
You know I'll never let you want for anything, right? Even when we have to move or if suspendium values crash, I'll make sure you're always comfortable and never hungry.
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[ A bit of his silly edge softens, and his fingers shift to press gently into Aguero's cheek. Tatara sees it in everything he does and says, and that devotion sits firmly and comfortably in his stomach. ]
And I'd do the same for you. Even if we ran out of food, I'd teach you how to forage.
[ Mm, he's a little low for a kiss on the cheek, so he'll opt for gently pinching Aguero's cheek instead. ]
Between us, we can overcome anything.
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Tatara. [ he knows, though he'd rather be the one doing all the work. as many skills as tatara has (varied, random, surprising), aguero acknowledges and appreciates the support he offers him personally. he needs the teasing, the care, the blind optimism as much as he needs his skills with a knife and political machinations.
a poke of the hand that pinched him back, mostly playful but with a hint of stray contemplation. ]
I know you're not a fighter, but you're probably going to be stronger there than you were here or back in Japan. You'll be an Irregular, someone who was born outside the Tower, and that lets you bypass some rules and restrictions that normally apply to everyone.
But you won't need to fight.
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Hm? [ Tatara and stronger don't usually go together in the same sentence, so he doesn't actually get what he's trying to say at first. He was never strong, not even with his Aura, especially now as a regular human. He's not sure how any of that would change in a worst case scenario.
His lips twist in amusement, and he tilts his head up to get a better look at him. ]
What do you mean?
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I didn't tell anyone, because I never expected to think back on my time here let alone take someone back with me. [ ahh, he can't help but go for a kiss on the hand that's tickling him. that's better even if it's not enough. ]
But essentially each floor in the Tower is ruled by an administrator. They're not a person, but something more like the Spirits of each country here. Whatever rules they establish govern the entire floor, such as no fighting on a certain day of the week, and requiring an exam to gain access and leave. They also control the environment: some floors are completely aqueous and others are toxic unless you ingest local flora to gain immunity.
Everyone in the Tower has to follow those rules as the system compels them to do so one way or another. But Bam was an Irregular and you'll be one too—someone outside the system. It also means you could learn techniques someone like me couldn't, if you wanted.
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Huh. [ He blinks, the gears in his head suddenly whirring. With no real concrete context, there isn't much he can suggest or do, but there's one obvious place his head goes. ]
So I can skirt around the rules for you. [ Suddenly, he grins, presses his back to his chest. ] Right? I could help you in other ways other people can't, right?
[ Tatara would do anything short of murder for Khun Aguero Agnis. ]
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[ power, authority, control.
but of course tatara's mind doesn't go there, and it says something of how he's just accepted they're both hopeless when it comes to one another that he doesn't even try to push back. it still tickles though, the faintest stroke of pink accentuating his bright blue. ]
But yeah, you're right.
I love you, Tatara Totsuka.
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Wow...
[ Aguero's love is heavy, but he loves every ounce of it. His eyes shine, as does his smile, and he suddenly starts wriggling between Aguero's legs. He pushes himself up again and turns himself around, folding his legs under him and presses his hands to Aguero's chest. He leans forward, nose almost touching nose, just so he can look at every detail in his boyfriend-almost-fiance's gorgeous blue eyes. ]
Soon you'll have to say Khun Tatara Totsuka, right?
[ He heard that in the bar, and don't think he hasn't been rolling that around in his mind since. ]
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just like his cheeks now are, with the future unfurled before him. the thought had passed through his mind when he spoke, but it will always be hard for him to say some things despite his usual brutal honesty. that's another reason they belong together, filling in each other's gaps until they overflow and become one. ]
One day. [ just like what he kept saying at the bar. ]
Are you looking forward to it?
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He'll get to do that forevermore, too.
A sheepish, boyish grin decorates Tatara's face, brushed pink, and he gives one, firm nod. ]
I am. Because that's when everyone will know I'm yours.
[ Funny, because marriage has never really crossed his mind before, either. ]
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he leans in, taking a long, messy, heated kiss. every word of that declaration seems tailor made to hit him in his heart, reverberate through all of his bones. the shape of those words linger on his lips and tongue, and he licks his lips to make sure he takes every bit into himself greedily. ]
...I don't think I've felt this insane since you agreed to be my boyfriend. [ his way of expressing he's happy that there's not a church or court here on the beach, because he might agree to just marry him here and now- (no, he will be patient because he needs to ask properly, but more importantly he needs to make it legal in the tower. he won't be like his father and take on partners for play only).
though that does remind him. ]
I want to keep our same anniversary in the Tower. [ they've been dating a few months now but it truly feels like forever in a good way. ]
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Insane? They seem pretty sane in Tatara's eyes (but then again, he knows he's the weird one, etc, etc).
Fingers lightly dance on Aguero's lips as he speaks, in lieu of another kiss. ]
Which anniversary? [ There's that little grin over his lips again, the cheeky one. ] When we met? When we first kissed? When we decided to start dating? [ When they first slept together? Tatara gently, slowly, sensually presses his fingers to Aguero's lips instead of asking that out loud, but it's there in his touch. ] Or when you gave me the ring?
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not bit, but suckled. is this worse? aguero isn't thinking, letting his impulses run wild. ]
When we started dating. [ that's the big one to him, along with when he told him that he wanted to keep living. but celebrating that on it's own is almost morbid and he'd rather pick a new date with entirely happy associations instead (like when they get married, whenever that is.). ]
If we're celebrating all of those I'm behind in giving you gifts~.
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His cheeks are pink, too. And it's definitely not from the sun. ]
Hehe. [ He likes the gifts. But he knows he doesn't have to say that out loud. ] That's not a bad anniversary. We'll just have to find other ways to celebrate the other days.
[ Well. Even if it's not official, he'll find small ways to celebrate. ]
Do you remember the date? [ He asks, because Aguero might already know the exact date. Either way, the surrounding dates are in his sage tome, so— ]
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