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[secrowtary]

Comments

[actus]

i can still come over. even if you don't need me.


and oh. haha.
i haven't heard it before. not really.
did you like it? should i not say it?

[secrowtary]

No, please. I wouldn't dare to disturb you at this late hour. I mean...not any further.

[ Hibiki doesn't reply to the rest of the message and it seems that he's gone offline again— ]

[secrowtary]

[ Except, he doesn't text. This time, Akira will hear his voice. It's a bit shaky unlike him, but it's definitely Hibiki: ]

W-Would you like to hear it...?

[actus]

[ oh my god. he sits up in his bed regardless. ]

Who doesn't? I didn't mean to pressure though. Ah... I sometimes say things without thinking of the consequences.

[secrowtary]

I know you didn't mean that.

[ He wouldn't ever think that Akira wanted to pressure him into saying anything. ]

Akira Kurusu. [ A pause. He's not going to need a few hours break this time, hopefully. ] I...like you.

[actus]

[ great thing they're not texting because it'd be such a hot pink and full of accidental hearts. ]

I'm glad. [ a beat. ] Really glad.

[ another pause. ] You sure you don't want me to come over?

[secrowtary]

[ Did somebody say texting.

He can't say that out loud. Not after telling him that he wouldn't dare to disturb him at this hour. ]

If you could...

[actus]

Yeah. I'm not far. I'll be over soon.

[ he isn't switching back to text, just naturally answering the text aloud. he's already half-way through pulling on a hoodie and slipping his shoes on. ]

Don't fall asleep before I get there.

[secrowtary]

I'm so sorry for asking you that. And there's no possibility of me falling asleep, I assure you.

[actus]

It's really fine, I promise.

[ he's chuckling softly, heading out the door, hand absently on his signet.

It won't take him that long to get there, quietly knocking on the familiar door from earlier in the day. ]

[secrowtary]

[ Hibiki has been waiting, leaning his back against the wall next to the door until he heard knocking. With no delay, he opens the door and locks his eyes on Akira. ]

Thank you for coming...I didn't want to make you worry back then. You surprised me a little.

[ Not just a little, but there's no good way of saying that he needed that much time to regain his composure. ]

Come in, please.

[ He's so flustered right from the beginning, even though he seems to be fairly calm. ]

[actus]

[ he looks fine, which makes akira calm down considerably. okay. okay he can handle this. ]

Ah. It's fine. I caught you off guard.

[ yes he was terribly worried but he kind of put that on himself. you can't just send that text out of nowhere akira. ]

I don't sleep much, anyway.

[secrowtary]

You certainly did.

[ There's no annoyance in Hibiki's voice, however. Just pure embarrassment that he overreacted like this. ]

Neither do I.

[ With that said, Hibiki takes Akira's hand in his and leads him further into the room after closing the door behind him. Thank god hand holding is allowed whenever, even this late. Hibiki's cheeks turn bright pink when he realizes that their best option to sit and talk is his bed because he only has one chair in his room. A slight oversight on his part. ]

Please, make yourself at home.

[actus]

[ his teenager brain is going to need to turn off for awhile. he's going to ignore the late hour coupled with sitting on the bed and holding the hand of the person he really, really likes. no - he needs to focus. ]

I'm glad you're feeling better.

[ there, keep the conversation going. that's exactly what one does.

he gives a reassuring squeeze to hibiki's hand as he sits down. ]

[secrowtary]

[ Sitting just next to Akira makes him realize the seriousness of the situation. They're alone in his room. At night. Sitting on his bed. And he is the one who asked for this.

Lost in his thoughts, he doesn't really pay attention to what he says, just replies automatically. ]

I'm glad I'm feeling better too.

[ Wait, what. No. That's not what he wanted to say. ]

I've been just thinking that I used to scold my boss every time he brought a woman to his room and now I'm...

[ Hibiki, you're not helping your case?! ]

[actus]

[ you're making this so hard on him, hibiki. no pun intended. promise.

akira listens. he listens and then he laughs, another grin tugging up on his lips. ]

Ah... how embarrassing.

[ deadpan.... but then he smiles once more. ]

I don't know your boss, but I'm pretty sure you're different than him. [ he is going to nonchalantly shift around so he's sprawled out on the bed, nudging his head into hibiki's lap, trying to use it as a pillow. he's truly the best? he blinks up at him, a bit owlishly. ]

I doubt he's a Cute Captain.

[secrowtary]

[ At least he has enough common sense not to talk about details. That would make things even more awkward.

Not that he can say anything once Akira truly makes himself at home. Which he told him to do himself, so here's that. His voice just won't come out, especially after the Cute Captain remark.

Instead, he'll thread his fingers into Akira's hair, meeting his gaze a little while later. ]

Of course I am. He's more of a Carnivorous Colonel.

[ DID HE REALLY SAY THAT ]

I missed you. I'm usually fine on my own, but...I missed you.

[ It's been a day? Maybe even a few hours?? What he has just said is true, though. Even if it's silly. ]

[actus]

[ he definitely understands the sentiment. akira had grown up a loner for the most part, and even with the friends he made the since moving, he always found himself slightly out of place. he was fine with wandering around alone.

the hand in his hair feels absurdly nice and he closes his eyes. there's a short laugh at the nickname though. ]

I like that one. Good job.

[ carnivorous colonel he can't believe this. he keeps smiling though. ]

I missed you, too. [ missed this. ] ... I had a squirrel yell at me and a guy in a suit tell me to stop sassing him. It's been a day. [ he tilts his head more into the touch. ]

[secrowtary]

Thank you, Teasing Thief.

[ He's on a roll. ]

A squirrel? [ Hibiki tilts his head a bit, clearly puzzled. Could it be...no, Makoto wouldn't yell at anybody. Well, except Kagura. He gets special attention he sure deserves. ] A literal squirrel? [ He can't believe he's asking this. ] Or a squirrel girl, perhaps? And well, I can't blame that man in a suit. You are sassy.

[ In Hibiki's mouth, however, it's a compliment. ]

[actus]

Teasing, huh...?

[ he's so stupidly proud of him for these nicknames. ]

Yeah. She turned into a squirrel and started sassing me for awhile. Then mentioned something about feeding a toy poison? It was a weird day.... [ he sounds a bit mentally tired if anything.

he peeks open an eye to peek up at him. ] Do you know her? Hakuno?

[secrowtary]

Don't tell me you're surprised.

[ Because of that nickname, that is.

Hibiki's fingers don't stop combing through his hair even for a while. He would have never thought how relaxing this might be. While he almost froze when Akira rested his head on his lap, but he finds himself calm and not too embarrassed about the situation they're in.

There's nothing wrong with being with someone at night, right...right? A blush creeps on his cheeks, but he keeps the thought to himself.

He's also trying to make out what exactly happened, but feeding a toy poison leaves him just as confused as Akira seems to be. ]

No, I don't. One of the soldiers I know happens to be what you would call a squirrel girl, I suppose. But her name is Makoto.

[ Have fun picturing one of your friends as a squirrel, Akira. ]

[actus]

[ see? it doesn't have to be kinky, hibiki. it can literally be discussing each other's days and hair petting.

akira laughs at the inevitable image of makoto turning into a squirrel. ]

Ah... I suppose squirrels are more common than i thought. We sometimes got turned into mice. Never squirrels, though. [ the mice had been cute, anyway. ]

You can shove me off if you get tired and wanna lay down, by the way.

[secrowtary]

[ Wow, excuse me, he's pure. He doesn't know what kinky means.

It's his turn to picture Akira as a mouse...of course, Byakko comes to his mind too, of course. A tiny mouse thief sitting on top of a huge cat's head. Hibiki can't help chuckling. ]

I suppose so. Well, I've never been turned into an animal, so I'm lacking experience in this matter.

[ Not that he's eager to change it, though. ]

I'm fine. If...if you want to sleep here, I won't mind. It's getting really late, after all.

[ He can't even say this in his normal voice and lowers it to a mere whisper. ]

[actus]

[ akira is also so pure. all purity. he's never had a dirty thought in his life. no sir.

the offer makes his face heat up. his heart begins thundering loudly in his chest and a rush of adrenaline fills him. it's just sleeping. that's all it is. but it's falling asleep next to someone, trusting they'll be there in the morning, that they won't hurt you. it's warmth of another person nearby. ]

Mm. You did make me come all this way, yeah. [ he hums it, clearly joking, but he has zero intention of leaving the bed. ] I hog blankets, fair warning.

[secrowtary]

[ Of course. That's Akira for you.

But if he thinks that Hibiki will sleep that night...he's gravely mistaken. His poor heart won't let him, it's simple as that. ]

I already said that I'm sorry. [ Is he...really sorry, though? Maybe it's better not to answer that question, actually. ] Don't worry, I can take of myself. I like you, but don't think that I'll be easy on you.