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it's on the hard nos list, sorry for your loss
[ Yeah, Nate knows exactly how Ian feels about him from a physical perspective at this point, so it's not altogether shocking. People can forgive a lot if you look like you model underwear for Calvin Klein, and while Nate is aware of it, he tries not to use it as a crutch. Forgets, more often than not. ]
I didn't tell you? It's all plastic surgery.
[ It shouldn't feel this easy to be like this with him, he knows, going back and forth like a game of ping pong. Even with their background, their decade, it shouldn't feel this easy. He shouldn't feel so known.
But he does.
Maybe more concerning: he likes it. ]
One hunch-removal later, here I am.
I didn't tell you? It's all plastic surgery.
[ It shouldn't feel this easy to be like this with him, he knows, going back and forth like a game of ping pong. Even with their background, their decade, it shouldn't feel this easy. He shouldn't feel so known.
But he does.
Maybe more concerning: he likes it. ]
One hunch-removal later, here I am.
welcome to catholicism, please keep your arms and legs inside the guilt trip at all times
( He emits a low, impressed whistle. )
Well, you could never tell. That's a really heart-warming transformation story. They did a great job.
( It really shouldn't feel this easy. Considering his tendency to run for the fucking hills before Kyna tempered it, standing under a "please be magical and impressive" tree on an actual date with someone he actually cares about is practically the twilight zone. It should have him itching at the gums, it should have him searching for the first immediate out to escape a slowly building tension.
It doesn't feel like that. It feels comfortable. He may not be as steady and open as Nate yet, but the fact that he's trying is comparatively huge, for him. )
I can't relate, I've always been really, really good looking.
Well, you could never tell. That's a really heart-warming transformation story. They did a great job.
( It really shouldn't feel this easy. Considering his tendency to run for the fucking hills before Kyna tempered it, standing under a "please be magical and impressive" tree on an actual date with someone he actually cares about is practically the twilight zone. It should have him itching at the gums, it should have him searching for the first immediate out to escape a slowly building tension.
It doesn't feel like that. It feels comfortable. He may not be as steady and open as Nate yet, but the fact that he's trying is comparatively huge, for him. )
I can't relate, I've always been really, really good looking.
that is
certainly a request
are you going to return the favor?
certainly a request
are you going to return the favor?
sure
as long as I get yours first
( Being the very healthy individual he is, he's gotta use it to gauge just how much of himself to give away in turn. A template, because that's exactly what you want in a partner when navigating something like this.
He may be on 'try to relationship' levels, but he still sucks. Sorry, man, this is who you chose. )
as long as I get yours first
( Being the very healthy individual he is, he's gotta use it to gauge just how much of himself to give away in turn. A template, because that's exactly what you want in a partner when navigating something like this.
He may be on 'try to relationship' levels, but he still sucks. Sorry, man, this is who you chose. )
[ Yeah, no, this is a familiar song and dance. ]
ian
sixty stories
ian
sixty stories
is it a trigger that's working?
i'm serious about this, though. if i'm going to give you any kind of list i need some guarantee you're going to be honest in return. overstepping boundaries on accident is not really my thing when it can be prevented.
i'm serious about this, though. if i'm going to give you any kind of list i need some guarantee you're going to be honest in return. overstepping boundaries on accident is not really my thing when it can be prevented.
ok, i'll see what i can come up with, birthday boy.
Yeah, really humble, too.
[ Nate mumbles, rolling his eyes. It's about as much humility as Victor Sullivan might show on a daily basis, which is to say, none whatsoever. The amount of ego that man could carry on his sixty-plus year old shoulders is the stuff some people can only dream of.
Nate thinks he'd like Ian. ]
I was a pretty goofy-looking kid, so. [ His mouth twitches in a little smirk. ] I can't relate.
[ Craning his head back to follow the growth of the tree Nate catches sight of a skylight far, far away. Not sure how all the requisite solar energy reaches down here to achieve anything remotely resembling photosynthetic to keep this tree alive, but it's the future, after all. The silence settles but doesn't drag, and after a long moment Nate looks across the way at him. ]
Wanna find trouble in another room?
[ Nate mumbles, rolling his eyes. It's about as much humility as Victor Sullivan might show on a daily basis, which is to say, none whatsoever. The amount of ego that man could carry on his sixty-plus year old shoulders is the stuff some people can only dream of.
Nate thinks he'd like Ian. ]
I was a pretty goofy-looking kid, so. [ His mouth twitches in a little smirk. ] I can't relate.
[ Craning his head back to follow the growth of the tree Nate catches sight of a skylight far, far away. Not sure how all the requisite solar energy reaches down here to achieve anything remotely resembling photosynthetic to keep this tree alive, but it's the future, after all. The silence settles but doesn't drag, and after a long moment Nate looks across the way at him. ]
Wanna find trouble in another room?
( The roll of Nate's eyes earns him a grin, and the supposition goes unchallenged. You have to concede a few, pick your battles.
Goofy looking kid. He perks up like a labradoodle excited by a passing car. )
Yeah, go 'head.
( A nice sweeping gesture; lead the way. Where they go next matters less to him than throwing out this fun tidbit: )
You know... Sam showed me your bowl cut years.
Goofy looking kid. He perks up like a labradoodle excited by a passing car. )
Yeah, go 'head.
( A nice sweeping gesture; lead the way. Where they go next matters less to him than throwing out this fun tidbit: )
You know... Sam showed me your bowl cut years.
[ At this point, Nate has resigned himself to the fact that he's not escaping this evening unscathed. It's humiliation or nothing, apparently, and he prefers the former to the latter where Ian is concerned. He picks a doorway behind the tree and follows it through a small arcade, simple concrete columns where the projection flickers on belatedly and coats his hand in red as he drags it over the rough surface.
They become a series of torii, vivid and tall overhead. He kind of wishes they felt more sacred - like they're supposed to - than this. ]
Oh good, something else you can give me shit about.
[ His enthusiasm, he assumes, is catching. ]
Filled out your timeline yet?
They become a series of torii, vivid and tall overhead. He kind of wishes they felt more sacred - like they're supposed to - than this. ]
Oh good, something else you can give me shit about.
[ His enthusiasm, he assumes, is catching. ]
Filled out your timeline yet?
Workin' on it. I'm a lot closer than I was on that crane.
( Answered lightly, chin tipped up as they pass underneath each structure. A covered hallway descends into darkness toward the end, and then into a comforting, attractive pink hue.
Which is an interesting and slightly more serious question, so he returns it with one of his own. )
That bother you?
( It's postulated casually, his pace an amble, his hands in his pockets. It's not a set-up; he does his best to convey through body language that there's really no wrong answer. )
( Answered lightly, chin tipped up as they pass underneath each structure. A covered hallway descends into darkness toward the end, and then into a comforting, attractive pink hue.
Which is an interesting and slightly more serious question, so he returns it with one of his own. )
That bother you?
( It's postulated casually, his pace an amble, his hands in his pockets. It's not a set-up; he does his best to convey through body language that there's really no wrong answer. )
I don't know.
[ It's an honest answer, one he doesn't have to contemplate overlong as they step out of the wooden web and into something that resembles one of those Himalayan salt caves. They managed to pump the smell into the room, too, some kind of damn and humid saltiness that reminds him of deep caves, of oceans, of old, old places. Nice immersion.
Nate pauses by the "opening" to the little salt structure, hands resting on his hips as he stares at nothing in particular. His own fault, maybe, for shifting the tone for the less friendly and amicable. ]
...I'm sorry. I'm not used to being known, and- I mean, you don't- [ He laughs weakly. ] You don't even know the half of it. It's a lot. I'm- a lot.
[ It's an honest answer, one he doesn't have to contemplate overlong as they step out of the wooden web and into something that resembles one of those Himalayan salt caves. They managed to pump the smell into the room, too, some kind of damn and humid saltiness that reminds him of deep caves, of oceans, of old, old places. Nice immersion.
Nate pauses by the "opening" to the little salt structure, hands resting on his hips as he stares at nothing in particular. His own fault, maybe, for shifting the tone for the less friendly and amicable. ]
...I'm sorry. I'm not used to being known, and- I mean, you don't- [ He laughs weakly. ] You don't even know the half of it. It's a lot. I'm- a lot.
( I don't know is a pretty valid answer. Relationships are complicated, platonic or otherwise. People are complicated, and it's not a mystery to either of them by now that he can relate to the sentiment.
He stops when Nate does, apparently his trend for the night. Falling into step, letting him dictate the pace. Partly because as far as Ian's concerned, he's already put himself plenty out there by asking. By planning it. The last thing he plans to do is push the momentum here. )
It's okay, no, I get it.
( Earnestly, no offense taken. )
I think it freaks most people out in general, let alone... I mean, you've been through a lot of shit. But--
( His hands come up placatingly. )
I'm not saying now, but just so you know, whenever you wanna... talk about any of it, I'm not gonna judge you. I like who you are right now.
He stops when Nate does, apparently his trend for the night. Falling into step, letting him dictate the pace. Partly because as far as Ian's concerned, he's already put himself plenty out there by asking. By planning it. The last thing he plans to do is push the momentum here. )
It's okay, no, I get it.
( Earnestly, no offense taken. )
I think it freaks most people out in general, let alone... I mean, you've been through a lot of shit. But--
( His hands come up placatingly. )
I'm not saying now, but just so you know, whenever you wanna... talk about any of it, I'm not gonna judge you. I like who you are right now.
[ I like who you are right now hits him square in the solar plexus and Nate turns his head to look at him, on the edge of baffled. He needs to stop pushing this man away.
How many times now has Ian reached out with a genuinely compelling reason beyond wanting to know for the sake of knowing? A few, at least. There's an effort being made on one end and Nate sure as Hell isn't playing fair, burying things the way he always does, avoiding them altogether because it's easier if someone gets the neutered, edited version of his life. The fun version. The cool, exciting adventure. He used to side-eye his own brother for this tact - still does - but Nate isn't exempt from it's temptation either. ]
I like who you are right now, too.
[ He says sincerely, and without reluctance holds out his hand. ]
And I'm working on it. I promise.
How many times now has Ian reached out with a genuinely compelling reason beyond wanting to know for the sake of knowing? A few, at least. There's an effort being made on one end and Nate sure as Hell isn't playing fair, burying things the way he always does, avoiding them altogether because it's easier if someone gets the neutered, edited version of his life. The fun version. The cool, exciting adventure. He used to side-eye his own brother for this tact - still does - but Nate isn't exempt from it's temptation either. ]
I like who you are right now, too.
[ He says sincerely, and without reluctance holds out his hand. ]
And I'm working on it. I promise.
( Ian, on the other hand, does demonstrate a little reluctance. His lips tuck into his cheek and his expression turns self-aware, a little self-mockery somehow written in the edges. Yeah, he knows it's stupid. He knows Nate knows he knows it's stupid. He reaches back, because he was never not going to, he's just bracing himself for the inevitable embarrassment.
Talk about being afraid of being known. To Nate that means his personal history, to Ian that means giving up what's actually going on under the surface he tries to project. Namely, the stupid flush of gentle pleasure he's got buzzing in him over I like who you are right now, too.
Just two idiots glowing blue in a salt mine — a not entirely fabricated salt mine, at least.
Anyway, it's worth it — as Nate can surely feel radiating off him — to slightly embarrass himself for the opportunity to thread their fingers together.
To gently lighten the tone, he offers: )
Would it help if I showed you a really embarrassing memory of my tween years to make it even?
Talk about being afraid of being known. To Nate that means his personal history, to Ian that means giving up what's actually going on under the surface he tries to project. Namely, the stupid flush of gentle pleasure he's got buzzing in him over I like who you are right now, too.
Just two idiots glowing blue in a salt mine — a not entirely fabricated salt mine, at least.
Anyway, it's worth it — as Nate can surely feel radiating off him — to slightly embarrass himself for the opportunity to thread their fingers together.
To gently lighten the tone, he offers: )
Would it help if I showed you a really embarrassing memory of my tween years to make it even?
Edited 2021-02-17 04:40 (UTC)
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