10/29 --- Δ Haggard Traveler’s Reprieve?????

[gluttoning]

Who: ??? & you!
What: Something's starting...
Where: Δ Haggard Traveler’s Reprieve (Twilight Shoreline)
When: Sunday, 10/29
Warnings: Will be added as needed.

( Perhaps intrigued by the mail allegedly sent by CC Corp, perhaps visiting the Shoreline by chance, gating into the Area goes as it always does, until the music stays cut for longer than it should, and the black, liminal transition screen lingers for a little too long. The seconds tick on. They near turn to minutes. You can't struggle, you can't argue— you can only simply be, and it occurs to you that maybe you'll be trapped midway here, conscious, for maybe forever.

And then you hear static. Your vision warps; pixels strain into words, blurred and unstable. You see them combat for your attention; you see— )



( And then you load in. )

( POST NAVIGATION )
( Sign-in Comment (Mandatory) • How to Play • Mechanics

Phase 1 • Round 1 • Round 2 • Round 3 • Round 4 • Round 5 • Round 6

Phase 2 • Round 7 • Round 8 • Round 9 • Round 10 •
Round 11 • Round 12

Epilogue )

Comments

[tylorific]

You really think so?

[ Tylor laughs anyway, sound shifting as he glances over everyone. But his eyes are back in time to catch the nod. He can't see it, the way Tylor's expression softens from goofy to endeared. Wow, he really doesn't like hugs. What a weird fear, but at least it's one Tylor thinks he can help with.

The hand over Ramiel's moves to lightly skate the length of his arm, enough so that the other knows what's happening before he pulls him in and loops both arms around him.

Tylor wasn't lying about lying about liking hugs. His pulse is even, his hold as steady as his solid chest. Hugs are easy for him, so he gives Ramiel the warmest one he can engulf him in at this angle. On the plus side, it would also be really easy for Ramiel to hide his face if he hasn't broken free already.

So raspy it cuts out at certain words-- ]

See? Hugs aren't so bad, are they?

[aphonik]

[ 'Think', he says. He knows, thank you very much.

It's a fortunate thing he can't see that expression, because it'd probably embarrass him more than he is already; which is, quite honestly, a feat and a half. The beat before the fingers skin his arm feels like an eternity, and he doesn't really brace himself properly before the arms wrap around him.

There's a few moments where he's frozen stiff, unmoving as he registers the sensation he can't seem to remember, and when his own arms come up in an attempt to reciprocate, they're hesitant and clumsy. It's fairly obvious he has not really done this before, but it'd be even more obvious if the bright red of his burning face was visible.

Fortunately, Dosei can hide it; unfortunately, this just puts him even closer, and it faintly feels like his heart is going to rip right out of his chest. Holy shit, he's pathetic.

This is probably awkward, and part of him feels like running off into the wilderness where he'll never be found...but now that he's close enough to hear every crack in Tylor's voice, Dosei finds his lips pursing hard.

...At least the synthesizer can keep his voice steady. ]

Quit fucking talking if it hurts that bad, stupid.

[tylorific]

[ Tylor doesn't mind the awkwardness, the freeze he tries to patiently thaw. He accepts it all readily into his arms along with the rest of Ramiel. And for a moment, he's still and warm for him. With no motive beyond comfort, he shifts to more easily tuck him in against his chest and to shield him from the sights of everyone else.

It's hard to miss the pounding of Ramiel's heart like this, a counterbalance to Tylor's steady beat. Oblivious Tylor chalks the heat up to fear. One he is set on soothing. Ramiel can probably feel more hear the little rumble of a laugh at that worry over his voice. ]

Okay. But I like talking to you.

[ It's just as light as ever, despite the increasingly painful sound of air. After, though, he goes quiet anyway. ]

[aphonik]

[ Wow. He might actually be dying. Well, he was before, but the shift that shuffles him further against Tylor's chest has his arms clenching a bit tighter and face burning a bit hotter. He despises fire, but if he were to burst into flames right about now, he might actually be ok with it.

And now he's laughing at him. There's a moment of silence, and then Dosei's mouth opens, the distinctly electronic sound of the synthesizer replaced by a small, irritated, raspy hiss. ]

Ugh. You're gross.

[ There's a notable lack of proper venom in it, though, despite how he tries to come off.

A blink, and the color of Tylor's armor comes to light- or everything does, to be specific. Ah, so that was all it took. He really could just shove off and run now, freed of his blindness and obligations. He doesn't really have to do this anymore, obviously humiliating as it is.

...There's hesitation, even if it isn't noticeable, before he speaks again. Opposed to Tylor's, suffering from new injury, Dosei's rasp sounds nearly dusty, like something that's been unused on the shelf for years yet matching in pained rattle. ]

Then do it later.

[ ...Maybe. ]

[tylorific]

[ Tylor is content to sit and hold Ramiel as long as the other allows him to, through silence and clenching. He's comfortable in the quiet. And the gross comment only earns Ramiel a gentle squeeze as if that had been a compliment instead.

He doesn't notice the hesitation, not when he's being distracted from his own pain with affection. It's nice, this warmth. Familiar and unfamiliar; easier to forget the throb of it with Ramiel's face hot against his chest. Tylor's curiosity is there, a million questions bubbling up only to be quashed beneath the agreement to not talk.

Humming wasn't banned though. ]

Mmmhmm.

[ Tylor's hum is a happy promise. But it's pained too, as he moves rest his cheek on Ramiel's head. Unseen by Ramiel, his eyes close. And the sigh that follows is a blissful one. ]

[aphonik]

[ Part of him wonders if this would be worse, were Justy like some other people here. Teasing, or whatever. The fact he's so quiet and sincere seems to dig under his skin even worse than a jab ever could...the urge to go ram his face into a wall to stave off the embarrassment superheating his skin is indescribably strong.

At the very least, it's the same thing; hard to focus on the pain and blood sticking to your skin when your heart is beating 5000 miles per hour. Dosei jolts a bit in surprise at the...humming? What?

It still sounds off, though, and he's five seconds from growling out another warning, at least until the other opts to promptly rest his cheek on his head. That, and the sigh that follows, have his thoughts freezing all over again. Even if his hands were about to come off, now they're stuck there for a while longers.

But it's...nice. It's warm. The sort of thing you imagine people feel when you see them do this sort of thing in movies. The knowledge of the other's leg is, really, the only thing stopping him from yanking off and vanishing into the ether to go contemplate his life for a few hours, and he doesn't even know why.

It won't stop him from angrily mumbling, volume on his synthesizer cranked down without thinking much of it. ]

...Gonna have to find someone to drag you out of here, since I sure as hell can't do it.

[ Baby twink problems. ]

[tylorific]

[ His instinct, at Ramiel's jolt, is a protective little squeeze that relents almost as soon as it's tensed. As the peaceful moments linger, Tylor remains oblivious to Ramiel's inner turmoil but not the heat of him in his arms. His hands offer slow comfort up the other's back at the low synthesized answer.

He wants to tell him how cute both voices are, but he'd agreed not to talk so Ramiel is spared for now. ]

Mmm.

[ His responding hum this time is softer; still cracked and still carefree. Almost dismissive, as if he'd barely given a thought to how he would be getting off the beach. What is more important to him now is this moment. They're both alive, despite it all, with hearts beating and breath still filling their lungs. Out of synch but complimentary, steady and rapid. Tylor wants to hold on as long as he can. It's almost as much providing comfort as it is receiving.

Yet eventually, it feels too serious without words. So Tylor's hands still, his arms tighten, all to trap him playfully so he can rub his cheek on Ramiel's hair like an affectionate cat. One that's fat and old and has no shame. ]

[aphonik]

[ He's. 5000% certain this is much for a simple hug. At least, he's pretty sure; he doesn't really have a point of comparison. Either way, Dosei's making his best effort to not look like a man on the verge of a heart attack, because that would probably be 10 times more embarrassing than just getting caught hugging someone.

Part of him does want to let go. It's a bit much, it's almost overwhelming, and the deep-seeded fear of someone else perceiving him as any form of vulnerable leaves a salty and bitter taste on his tongue. Perhaps this is normal to some people, but he can't even recall the last time he actually even let somebody touch him for longer than a few seconds.

( It's also uncomfortable, in itself, to think of how comfortable this is. )

The crack in his voice is distracting, brows furrowing steadily, but as he raises his hands to push himself off, he finds them slipping with a choked noise of surprise at the grip that tightens around him. It's the cheek rubbing across his head, much like one of his cats in the early morning, that has him snapping back to reality and squirming like a pet trapped in his owner's arms. Release him, fiend!! ]

The hell- [ Fortunately, a fake voice is easier at hiding the embarrassment in his hiss. ] What are you, a cat?! Knock it off!

[ Well, at least he's not a frozen mess anymore. ]

[tylorific]

Nya.

[ It's cute meowing not talking, gravelly as it is, as Ramiel is released by the hugging fiend. But Tylor doesn't move away so much as he simply relaxes back and allows Ramiel to leave or stay, near or far; to do whatever he likes to the chorus of Tylor's pained but delighted laugh that trails off into the clouds.

His weight is taken by his arms as they fall back lazily. One takes over for both as he lifts one scraped up hand to sign << thank you >>. He doesn't know a lot, not really, but it's as expressive as one would expect from him. At least he's moved beyond tossing I love you carelessly at him. Not that Em is spared when Ramiel isn't around. Don't mind him following up that heartfelt thanks with a miming of drinking before he points at Ramiel with a nod. Close enough. ]