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— ]
[ the problem with them being this close is that there really is no hiding the way they react to one another. aguero catches the halting breath and then catches the tips of tatara's fingers with his teeth. just enough pressure to not be gentle, to give him enough time to suck more.
he's obviously a little distracted when the question comes. ]
Mmmn. [ a pity he has to let tatara's fingers escape so he can respond. ]
Yeah, of course. I couldn't forget when I committed myself to you even if I wanted to. [ dates are fake but he definitely says the right one here, sometime in spring a few weeks after they all arrived. ]
That's the one. [ It wasn't a test by any means, but Tatara beams, and a little chuckle bubbles in his chest. Now freed his fingers poke at Aguero's cheek instead. He might still be thinking about his teeth on his fingertips but it's not enough to distract him from the sheer delight of having an anniversary.
Weird how he was content to celebrate all his lasts not too long ago. ]
I'm getting kind of excited thinking about it. [ Even though it was just a couple of months ago? Feels like it's just around the corner already. ] What should we do for our first anniversary? Like, ice skating? Rock climbing? Pottery making?
I think of everything we do as a date. [ If Tatara's fingers weren't so busy (playing with Aguero's face) he would assume his silly thinking face, so he'll simply have to make do with folding his lips into a sagely frown, closing his eyes, and raising his brows in mock thought. ]
So, potentially infinite, depending on how you define a date. [ He pops open an eye, grinning where his mouth doesn't. ]
Greedy~. [ not that he minds, but his mind instantly goes to how to define a date before letting the thought go, at least for now. he might be a little too distracted now to do serious thinking and those irresistibly cute faces aren't helping. ]
Well we have to have a nap in the afternoon sun and dance too.
[ Hehe. Hehe! Tatara is greedy, and he would be the first to admit it, especially when it comes to Aguero. How long will it take before he realizes he and his boyfriend are essentially the same?
His fingers stop their little dance, and instead, he loops the arm around his neck. The smile shines in his eyes, his cheeks, his lips. ]
That's a given. But I think we'll always have time for naps and dancing.
Dancing. If you want me to nap you'll have to tire me out first.
[ he is very awake and more than a little stimulated, stopping short of leading them into a chain of kisses by placing a finger on tatara's lip (he wants to see how it feels in reverse, heh). his other arm accommodates the gentle shift in their positioning, finding it's way naturally around his boyfriend's waist. ]
[ Tatara, appropriately, gently sinks his teeth into the tip of Aguero's finger, and grins. Tire him out? Gladly. He shifts a little closer between his legs, but—
He hears the sound of the waves washing on the sand somewhere behind him, in the back of his mind, and a light flashes in his eyes. He sits up straighter, one of his hands lifts to gently pry Aguero's from his mouth, and he laces their fingers together. ]
Hey. [ He tugs on Aguero's hand to draw him a little closer to him, off the chair back. ] Can you make us breathe underwater?
[ oooh, the sensation of teeth on his finger is interesting and he hums in consideration. not bad, cute actually, like all of his boyfriend is. he obligingly lets tatara move him around though, giving a gentle squeeze to their hands when they're brought together.
it takes the actual question to redirect his attention, blue eyes brightening like the crest of a wave. ]
I can. [ by now he's fairly confident in his magic, but he also might have practiced this particular spell after their jaunt through western country. ]
Are you asking me for a dance in the ocean, Tatara?
[ he knows he is, but he wants to hear him say it. ]
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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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he's obviously a little distracted when the question comes. ]
Mmmn. [ a pity he has to let tatara's fingers escape so he can respond. ]
Yeah, of course. I couldn't forget when I committed myself to you even if I wanted to. [ dates are fake but he definitely says the right one here, sometime in spring a few weeks after they all arrived. ]
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Weird how he was content to celebrate all his lasts not too long ago. ]
I'm getting kind of excited thinking about it. [ Even though it was just a couple of months ago? Feels like it's just around the corner already. ] What should we do for our first anniversary? Like, ice skating? Rock climbing? Pottery making?
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We can do all of those. [ it's a lot but isn't that just how they are nowadays? though- ]
I wonder how many dates we could fit into a single day.
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So, potentially infinite, depending on how you define a date. [ He pops open an eye, grinning where his mouth doesn't. ]
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Well we have to have a nap in the afternoon sun and dance too.
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His fingers stop their little dance, and instead, he loops the arm around his neck. The smile shines in his eyes, his cheeks, his lips. ]
That's a given. But I think we'll always have time for naps and dancing.
[ He thinks for a second. ]
Which one do you wanna do now?
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[ he is very awake and more than a little stimulated, stopping short of leading them into a chain of kisses by placing a finger on tatara's lip (he wants to see how it feels in reverse, heh). his other arm accommodates the gentle shift in their positioning, finding it's way naturally around his boyfriend's waist. ]
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He hears the sound of the waves washing on the sand somewhere behind him, in the back of his mind, and a light flashes in his eyes. He sits up straighter, one of his hands lifts to gently pry Aguero's from his mouth, and he laces their fingers together. ]
Hey. [ He tugs on Aguero's hand to draw him a little closer to him, off the chair back. ] Can you make us breathe underwater?
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it takes the actual question to redirect his attention, blue eyes brightening like the crest of a wave. ]
I can. [ by now he's fairly confident in his magic, but he also might have practiced this particular spell after their jaunt through western country. ]
Are you asking me for a dance in the ocean, Tatara?
[ he knows he is, but he wants to hear him say it. ]
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