Waking the Dead 2.0 || July 5-11, 2063 || The Wait

[kawaakari]

[Beautiful as Seigi is and generous as your hosts have been, it is hard to forget why you're here again.

Zangyaku is carrying on as per usual, as if your presence doesn't mean anything. It isn't a dismissal, though: it's an acknowledgment of the work that you must do, and that they are, by merit of your presence, helping you do it.]


General OOC Notes:
+ This is a catch-all post for any interactions that take place during the in-game period I indicated. Make sure to label your subject lines accordingly!
+ You're all staying at close to the Wolf's Ward, which is the wing devoted to the Blade King and the Wolfborn.
+ You're free to move around until about 7 PM. You have free run of the base.
+ You can, regardless of whether you have a license with Zangyaku or not, join in on minor routine engagements like patrol, or helping out at any of the divisions.
+ There is a free teleport back to Falner. You can go any time, as long as you're back before call time for the vigil with Ginko Takasugi-Vice from 8 PM until 4 AM.

General behavior of significant NPCs in the area:
+ Kasumi is your host, and effectively the officer in command for this leg of the operation.
+ Hikaru is generally NOT around during the day. He only turns up around dinner time to eat with everyone, take a temperature check on his end, and then immerse himself in his own work.
+ NPCs that have been fielded out to watch over David Young and Minato Arisato are available on call.
+ Other NPCs may be available on request. Just ping me?

Comments

nyawww...

[ktotheatothez]

[There may have been a content sigh at that kiss... And snoring thereafter. It's a good, long while before he wakes up, and the only reason Kaz wakes up is because one: his stomach growled and two: he can't find his phone.  

Three: These aren't his quarters.  

Wha-a-a-a-- a huge yawn interrupts his thought processes and he realizes how light it already is outside. He finds his phone under the pillow he'd been hugging, which smelled like...]  

Oh.  

[His eyes bug out a little when he realizes that it's your scent. He unlocks his phone - your anniversary, the cheeseball - to find your text. So he replies:]    

SENT: 10:27 AM

Mmh. I didn't wake you, did I? Homed in on you again. M'not going anywhere for a while... Smells too nice in here to move. ;)

 

lol

[riskythunder]

[By then, Nico has finished breakfast and is already midway through some sparring rounds with the juniors and his usual partners-in-crime.

Dropping all of that, though, now that Kaz is awake.]

SENT: 10:31 AM
Haha, don't worry about it! I probably auto-piloted myself since I don't remember you ever coming in. Just kind of woke up and found you beside me. :))

Want me to come over and join you? I'm free for the rest of the day.

[ktotheatothez]

[He checks the time. They've got a while, and hopefully Josh has at least taken a break.]

SENT: 10:32 AM
Well, yeah... I wouldn't mind having you to myself all day today.

[He's blushing a little, but he's got his reasons for wanting to have Nico to himself and not all of them involve sexytimes. He still doesn't know how Nico Awakened, really.]

[riskythunder]

SENT: 10:35 AM
Give me a bit, then! I'll just wrap up here and take a quick shower.

[Because he kind of doesn't want to roll right back into bed with you, smelling of sweat and dirt.]

[ktotheatothez]

[He totally wouldn't mind if you came back without that shower, besides, he loves all the ways you smell. Except for that one time when you both got covered in rain-mud.

He doesn't reply because it feels oddly like being 18 again and falling asleep in his safehouse and waking up to find a text saying that you're coming over. Back then, yes, he needed to, because it was all new and uncertain.

Nowadays, it feels wonderful and normal, but the butterflies never quite stop their fluttering in his stomach. So he's still on the bed, lying on his stomach at the foot of it with his eyes on the door.]

[riskythunder]

[Which gives Nico the perfect view of you sprawled and looking absolutely wonderful when he does come around.

Grinning and he hunkers down to kiss you.]

Hey.

[ktotheatothez]

Hey yourself.

[He's taking the sight of you in right now, and glad that he's on his stomach. Serious talk first.]

How was patrol?

[Or small talk first, but whatever. He can't get over the fact of auto-piloting into your room.]

[riskythunder]

Eh, pretty normal. Nothing ever happens in Tokyo.

[Nothing very serious, anyhow. Petty crime is still a thing, and there is the occasional major engagement dealing with some group or another.

And plopping down right beside you.]

How was first watch?

[ktotheatothez]

[At that he pulls himself up into a sitting position, cross-legged, with his head on your shoulder.]

Hmm... Well, I was going to take a twelve-hour shift then come see you but I just couldn't keep my eyes open.

[He blushes, he was nodding off in the presence of Ginko Takasugi-Vice. Eep.]

I may have to make up for it. But not tonight. So I'm kinda gross and you're all fresh.

[riskythunder]

I could wait for you to remedy that situation.

[Or join you.

Yes, that is what the goofy smile on his face is saying.]

[ktotheatothez]

Hmm. Too bad you went and showered already. I'm gonna... Yeah...

[The smirk on his face is really quite naughty, but nothing you aren't used to. He stands and heads straight for the bathroom, closing the door but not locking it at all.]

[riskythunder]

[Oi, oi oi --

Give him a bit to stare at the door, note the fact that it isn't locked, weigh options, wonder about whether he --

-- yeah okay sure why not. Getting up to follow you now.

Yep.]

[ktotheatothez]

[Okay, yeah he was really glad you followed him into the shower. He'd kind of forgotten that you liked it when he did that. That shower took just a little bit longer than it should have, but hey, you're both clean now.

Kaz takes a while to get dressed, but even then it's only half-dressed: his pants, underwear, socks and a tank top. How he snuck those into your room, well... He's your boyfriend. He has his ways. When he's done, he finds his way back into your space and just sags against you.]

That was nice. Like... Really nice.

[riskythunder]

[Nico, in the meantime, is perfectly content with having nothing but his underwear and pants on. Similarities, and all.

Cuddling you now, because you smell wonderful at the moment.]

I kinda wonder if it's because it's been a while, or because it really WAS nice.

[Saying that jokingly, of course.]

[ktotheatothez]

Hmm. [Kissing you now.] Both.

It's been a while, sure, but hey...

[You smell just as good to him, though. But he looks up and fixes you with a look.]

What's on your mind, though?

[riskythunder]

Other than you and this engagement? Nothing much.

[Not really, anyway. Nico's the kind of boy who'd shelve things that might be issues or become issues without even knowing it if there's work to be done.

You'd know this well.]

[ktotheatothez]

Mmhm. Nicholas, you think that maybe,[He presses a quick kiss to your lips.] in the four years we've been together I'd know when you were shelving. What's up?

[The fact that he just called you Nicholas - not Nico, not babe - means it's serious talk time. You've got something on your mind and your boyfriend wants to know what it is.]

[riskythunder]

Well...

[Now he actually needs to think about it. Put all of those feelings and senses into words.

Huh.]

It just strikes me, you know. We're doing a really serious engagement right now, but it doesn't feel anywhere as bad as some of the things I experienced at Tian.

[There's a start.]

[ktotheatothez]

Mmhm. [And he fixes you with a look that says, 'go on, I'm listening'. And yes, this may seem less... intense for now, but he's not going to say anything. Not just yet. He's waiting on you to continue 'cause he knows there's more.]

[riskythunder]

[Now he's looking pensive as he's dragging you both over to the couch in his room. Give him a bit to light up.]

It was just... eye-opening, you know? Being stationed in a country that's been flagged as problematic for the Vigil. You don't know who your friends are outside of the people in your own base. You see, firsthand, what happens when you get careless, or make a bad call.

[He doesn't want to go into details. It's too fresh.]

[ktotheatothez]

[Okay. There we are. As soon as the two of you are seated, Kaz closes the very small gap between you two and threads his hand through one of yours.]

Okay.

[Kaz knows this. After all, he'd made a carelessly bad call not too long ago himself. He wants to press, because there's more and he knows it. But another time, perhaps.]

I'm not going to ask what happened, but it opened your eyes to something, whatever it was. Talk to me.

[To punctuate that, he's pulling you closer. He clings when it's serious talking time, you know this.]

[riskythunder]

[He's pretty much melting into your touch, both because he's an affectionate person by nature and because he needs it right now.]

I was thinking of joining the Senshi before. I've changed my mind.

[Glancing over in your direction.]

Once this is done, I'm going to apply for the Zashiki-Warashi.

[ktotheatothez]

[And he holds you in a way that says "right here, I've got you."]

Zashiki-Warashi, huh. House-guard.

[Your boyfriend is a selfish sonovabitch right now, because his first real thought is 'Good, it means you'll be a little less at risk out there', his second thought - which he voices - is:]

What happened out there?

[Kaz's arms are wrapping around you now, keeping you in that circle.]

[riskythunder]

Too much, Kaz. Too much.

[He sounds much older than his years right now, and he's so grateful for your presence. So grateful it hurts.]

There were just never enough people holding the fort. We kept losing operatives to injury, or to just plain out exhaustion and trauma, and the folks who should have been helping them were too boggled down by everything else to do it properly.

[ktotheatothez]

[He sits quietly for a second, face buried in your hair as he listens. It hurts him to see you like this, but he knew - you both did - that this was going to be a thing you'd deal with at some point. He eventually breaks the silence that settles when you finish]

Nico, when you were assigned to Tian... I was worried. I'm not going to lie and say that I was okay with it every day. Somehow, I had to hope you'd be okay, that nothing would happen to you.

[He thinks about what he wants to say next, because it is a little selfish of him.]

If you'll be at the base, I can at least rest assured that you'll be safe most of the time, and that the base will have a pretty clear line of defense. We're Hunters. We're never always safe at any given time.

[He's nuzzling at your temple, just 'cause he can.]

Go where you think you'll be the most help. That's all I think you should do. You're a great fighter, but Zangyaku's filled with fighters. You've got a mind for organizing, and that'll help out when it comes to getting the base in order.

[Then he remembers what else the Zashiki-Warashi do.]

Besides, I think you make a great surrogate dad.