altimit | [ closed ] Winter in September (October, November...) (dungeons + catchall)

[ Ganymede is so receptive and cooperative right now. Michel can't help but feel the weight of that responsibility, the edge of awareness that it's both his fault that Ganymede is in this state and that Ganymede is still trusting him to make it right. ]

...Alright. Can you accept my party request?

[ One task at a time, and he hopes that dividing Ganymede's attention between the present and the unreality of the game menus doesn't make things more difficult. Michel rises along with him, winding his arm around Ganymede's waist to support him before quickly tapping through the menus to make a party. As soon as Ganymede accepts, he'll get them back to the Guild. ]

[ Sometimes, actions have consequences.

At least he doesn't seem angry? It isn't like Michel ran away and tried to deny he was responsible. Not that Ganymede expected he'd show that amount of callousness, though. ]

From you? Always.

[ He accepts the party request right away. After the small bits of things navigated and they're back at his place, it's probably not a disaster from last time? He is, at this time, leaning against the other male thanks to the arm around him. ]

We're here. Maybe we should try to cook up other ideas for that potential armor set...

[ One or both of them have probably cleaned up since then! There's probably even a little extra furniture from before Michel went gathering. And a defense buff potion or two left on the table, although Michel hasn't been doing alchemy himself. Nothing worth wondering about.

He doesn't seem inclined to let go of Ganymede yet, although they're back safely. Instead he steers him gently towards the bed so he can sit down, his expression still pensive beneath his customary calm. ]

I'll take suggestions. Since apparently armor can have area debuffs, I was considering something that buffs the party instead. But your dances already take care of that.

[ Is that code for Michel trying to give him gifts and be a cute tsun about it? He's adorable. He even has a quiet questioning glance towards Michel about the potions even if he can figure where the furniture came from.

Ganymede firmly plants himself down on the bed, though. He's still holding onto the other's hand at least once he does. The sense of wanting to cling tight is very much mutual. ]

What about something that increases the time of buff durations that can be allowed to the party, and can be stacked with potential accessories?

[ That's an easy one to come along too. Can one imagine elongated buffs time and stacking potential? It can create an easier time running dungeons. ]

[ Is it tsunness? Listen, it's just easy to leave them like that and not make a big deal of things...

He makes a noise of consideration and settles himself beside Ganymede in case he wants to continue leaning. He's not going anywhere else with Ganymede still holding onto his hand, practically speaking. And until he's certain that Ganymede has returned to his senses, he's not letting go of him in return. ]

That would be useful, if the kit can manage it. Then there would be no need to change my equipment back.

[ He does dungeons alone more often than not, but all he needs is solid armor for his solo runs. ]

[ Sure, Michel. Sure.

Ganymede turns the leaning into a bit of a cuddle, literally rotating himself a bit to manage it, raising his free hand to hold onto the other's back. ]

Anything's possible, right? I'd say it can't hurt to give it a try.

[ ... ]

...Were you the one who set down the potions?

I'll drop by the shop later.

[ Michel might be incredibly awkward about this still, but he leans into contact like a flower — or a particularly persistent weed — growing towards the sunlight. He shifts himself obligingly into the cuddle. ]

Ah... if they're cluttering things up for you, I can leave them in my room. I thought you might have more use for defense boosts than me.

[ Michel could never be anything like a weed to him. But he does feel a burst of warmth and happiness when the other shifts to make the cuddle more easy. ]

No, I want them here. They're not getting in the way.

[ Ganymede says immediately and firmly. ]

And...thank you. I'll be sure to use them if I need to.

[ Oh. Michel brightens again a little, leaning his cheek casually against Ganymede's hair. He isn't any good at giving gifts, but that wasn't a complete failure at all. ]

Good. I can always trade for more.

[ Kara's going to get more furniture than she can shake a stick at. Or else he'll bribe Fai. ]

How are you feeling...?

[ It's the opposite of a complete failure, really. ]

How many more were you thinking of getting me?

[ He should be thinking of making Michel something too. Or getting, for that matter. But, he has a hard time choosing when there are so many options available... ]

Better. I think I can stand on my own two feet again, and perceive everything around me well enough.

If you use those up, I mean...

[ Ganymede, don't make it sound like he has no common sense! Keeping a steady supply here is just a reasonable thing to do.

Michel nods, a little more tension easing from his shoulders. He'd just been wondering if he should do something more. Get him a drink, or wrap him in a blanket, or something... ]

I'll leave the armor in my room, after this. [ No more accidents after this one. He's determined. ] ...It's a familiar feeling for you, isn't it?

Oh, I definitely will.

[ ...Something went over Ganymede's head because he wasn't thinking Michel would get an unreasonable supply, help.

He doesn't seem to need much more, but the blond's also unwilling to let go, and might be a little off in ways that he think seems normal. That's fine too. ]

...You could tell? Or maybe, it's because you know what happened to me, those years back?

[ The feeling of being so broken. But maybe he had also had a feeling when he broke down in this very room. Though his reaction then hadn't been so...muted. ]

[ It's fine. If he's still hanging on tightly, Michel doesn't need to extricate himself yet. He lets himself settle closer again and reaches up to run his fingers through Ganymede's hair again. ]

I assumed, from that memory.

[ He trails off again, not quite wanting to put it into words. The emptiness in Ganymede when he'd been kidnapped. Knowing how much worse it must have become, or the little Ganymede's told him about his state of mind from his rescue. ]

[ At the touch, Ganymede's eyes close for a temporary moment, letting the fingers lightly comb through them. ]

You'd be right. Even now I wish it wasn't true.

I know it's different now, though. I'm not alone. [ ... ] But if I were, I probably wouldn't be able to handle going through that again.

[ But he imagines he won't. Though sometimes he wonders if that too is wishful thinking. Still he comforts himself with the thought that it's highly likely he won't see Apollo yet again, hoping deep down the blade in his hand had done the job. ]

[ Michel leans in, hesitates, and then completes the motion to press a light kiss to Ganymede's forehead. ]

...You have so much strength within you. I believe that you could endure even that.

[ Logically, every human has limits. No matter how strong. Ganymede will likely always carry the scars from what he lived through, and the pain of having the same wound reopened is unimaginable. But even so... ]

I admit that it's ironic to say, when you're feeling like this right now because of me. And there's very little I can do for you. But at the least, I can promise you that you won't be alone.

[ He feels the gentle kiss pressed against his forehead. Sometimes, it's moments like these he's reminded that he's fortunate, to have someone like Michel beside him. ]

Every time you say that...

[ His ears burn a little, but it's always different hearing someone else saying those words he once repeated to himself in desperation, hoping he'd one day believe them. ]

You're also holding me, and saying those words. That means a lot to me. [ Beat, thinking: ] Maybe you can treat me to something nice in the future too. It'll be fun, for the both of us.

[ It's just as well Ganymede doesn't finish that thought, because Michel would surely be embarrassed all over again. Instead, he can just rest his cheek against Ganymede's hair again, satisfied that the sentiment reached Ganymede at least a little. ]

"Something nice"? As in, a meal...?

[ Anything that makes Ganymede happy would be fun for him too, it's true. But he's not exactly adept at knowing what that should be. ]

[ He'll probably say something like that for sure in the future, so ganba Michel... But he's glad right now just to continue to feel the other male close to him, the touch of the male against his hair making him wonder minorly about the game's realism for what must be the umpteenth time. Yet for moments like these?

Not really something of a complaint. ]

Yeah, it was actually what I was thinking of. I'd...be happy for us to go out and share a meal with each other.

No matter where.

Edited 2023-09-24 21:58 (UTC)

I don't know if they've programmed proper restaurants here...

[ There are the food vendors, so far. The cooking system...

Belatedly, he's realizing that it's unfortunate that the first place his thoughts went is something that's actually a little more difficult to achieve. He'll do a proper browse through all of the game's locations later and see what he can find. ]

...I'll think of something. I'd like to go somewhere with you.

[ A date, in the parlance of their times. ]

I don't know either.

[ A small pout starts to form on his face for a moment, but he wants to go and experience eating out with Michel. It's such a simple desire, yet he can do that thing couples do in restaurants, where they hold out a piece of food, and bring it close to their partner, and asking them to open wide.

...

Yeah he's just like this. ]

Me too.

...What kind of food do you like?

[ Has he asked before? He doesn't know, but it might help for future restaurant-huntings. ]

[ Michel, blissfully oblivious to how much he's going to die of embarrassment (and sappy contentment) in the future, frowns a little in thought.

Ganymede might or might not have asked him that before, but Tylor certainly has. He's not getting better at answering it. ]

I'm not particular. I eat whatever [ Didier sends ] I happen to have. Baking is too much trouble.

[ Does that narrow it down at all... ]

What about you?

[ He'll discover Michel's secret inclinations towards which food someday. The joy of well-cooked food by another person's hands might revive favorites previously unknown straight into the world of the living! ]

Seafood, pastas, sweets...things like that. I'm not too picky either, but those are basically the big ones.

[ This is making him a bit more hungry. And by a bit we mean a lot. Maybe because it's probably nearing dinner time for him. ]

...Was there anything you liked when you were younger, though? A certain kind of meal?

[ Somehow, it suits Ganymede... It makes Michel want to go look up restaurants and daydream about a nice evening out for what must be the first time in his life. ]

It's difficult for me to remember anything like that...

[ He had never thought about it all that much, until suddenly, food was whatever scraps were put in front of him. And then he'd completely stopped caring what he put in his mouth at all. But he strains his memory. He wants to come up with something for Ganymede, at least. ]

...Beignets? Oeufs en meurette. I liked both of those.

...That's good enough for me.

[ Ganymede murmurs softly, closing his eyes again. It seems all is forgiven but he hopes that Michel doesn't beat himself up too badly.

He feels like that's the type of thing he'd do. He'll probably remain like this for awhile longer, though, until either he for once actually commits the cardinal sin of asleep while playing or Michel reminds him to log out. ]

[ Michel's shoulders shake very slightly in amusement; what would Ganymede have done if it wasn't enough? Interrogated him until he manifested more foods he liked? He closes his eyes in brief contentment and wraps his arms around Ganymede to keep him secure where he is.

If he falls asleep like this, the AFK effect will probably be funny. But Michel isn't going to encourage him to move when he can keep an eye on him right here. Probably they'll both fall asleep just like this. ]

[ closed ] Winter in September (October, November...) (dungeons + catchall)

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we can probably build this or have this tag as a Wrap

YE <3333