no looky for real this time

[preordain]

Comments

[tearduct]

[He is too nervous… Ryo will have plenty of time to hear about the idiocy of hosting later, though.

Briefly, he pauses as Ryo’s chin fits over his shoulder, giving Ryo room. But then he carries on with what he’s doing with the chicken. Gotta cook the chimkin.]

Yeah. A few times for modeling, but most were like vacations. Italy a lot. [Vincenzo…] A few places in Europe. Korea. Taiwan. New Zealand once. Oh. Dubai once. It was way too fancy, but the scenery was nice.

[preordain]

Mm.

[ that's good, since akira probably would have had more freedom to move around away from japan. he thinks that it might have been nice to see those places with him, and then abandons the thought so he won't linger too long on what could have been. ]

Which was your favorite?

[tearduct]

[He bumps Ryo’s head with his own softly. Then he hums.]

Mmm. Hawaii. You didn’t mind being outside because it was all pretty. It was like… paradise. Always warm, you could smell the sea, the fruit was good.

But I liked Norway too. Because of the northern lights. All the stars.

[It also reminded him of something, but he doesn’t say what.]

[preordain]

[ the sea, huh... that's one thing you don't get here. there are islands that can simulate it rather well, but it's not really the same as the real thing.

he lightly bumps akira back. ]

That sounds nice. [ ... ] It's amazing, how beautiful the world can be when you get a chance to see it.

[tearduct]

[Yeah. So stop trying to destroy it, RYO. “He wasn’t trying to destroy it.”]

I know. It was nice.

[And something he’d have liked Ryo to see, too. With him.

He leans his head against Ryo’s now instead, and he’s quiet for a long moment. But then he lifts his head so he can glance at Ryo a bit.]

Do you want to go see other places…? Maybe we can find one that’s kind of like the earth.

[preordain]

[ ah... that is an option. there's nothing really stopping them from not only staying in hell, unless they really want to be punishing to themselves.

but, at the same time, that kind of feels like it would be letting god win. if their fate was to always be miserable no matter what, then wouldn't it be nice to go out of their way to try not to be? ]

... we can. I can show you Teyvat, too.

[ he knows it rather well, and while there's probably some changes since the last time he's been, it's like not enough to make him lost. ]

[tearduct]

[A slight grin comes to his face. Soft! But a grin.]

Okay, it’s a deal then. We’ll go see some other places together. We can come back here when we’re done.

[Or they can, like, move somewhere else if they happened to find a place that worked out. But he doesn’t mind returning to hell to “live.”]

Together.

[preordain]

[ there's a pause, and he will slowly wrap his arms around akira's waist. it's a loose hold, at least. ]

Right. Together. I'd like that.

[ something to look forward to. he already knows there are other versions of earth, anyway, going by the other people they were stuck here with. they can probably find one to visit if they want to be nostalgic without the whole potential baggage attached. ]

How's the food?

[tearduct]

Me too.

[He does not say anything about the hold because there are gay feelings there even if Ryo assumed there wasn't any because Akira was a moron who said there wasn't in order to move on. It's fine.

He lifts up one of the pieces of chicken, one that has been cooked through, so Ryo can taste it with the sauce added. He just needs to sort of thicken it with the coconut milk I'm forcing Ryo to have.]

You tell me.

[preordain]

[ ryo is going to think this is unrequited for the rest of their lives but is still going to continue to flirt with akira anyway because it does not matter anymore. what's going to happen? he gets rejected again? he fears nothing

but he will taste the chimkin... and chew it... and swallow... ]

It's fine.

[tearduct]

[I HATE RYO SO BADLY. Akira also hates him, but cannot do anything about it just yet because it's only been, like, a day. Technically not just a day for him, but like a day since they've met.

He watches Ryo, wondering if Ryo gets literally any pleasure out of any kind of meal. He smiles wryly, and then he tries one himself to make sure it isn't a disaster.]

Are you going to eat any?

[preordain]

Sure...

[ he might as well, since it's the first day back. celebration or whatever.

he will let go of akira though and step back. he's going to go find plates... jd wanders back in, waiting to be fed. ]

[tearduct]

Okay. The rice is almost finished.

[Ryo celebrating before returning to being himself, content that Akira is here...

He watches JD prowl back in, and he smiles a bit. He's going to pick some of the chicken out of the curry, rinse it off, then spoil JD by putting it on the floor for JD to inspect and hopefully eat.

Listen... His baby.]

[preordain]

[ ryo watchies this happen with a disapproving look, because he is 100% the kind of pet owner with a very strict feeding schedule and akira is not adhering to it.

but he'll go put the plates and utensils on the table, and then he will take a moment to stand at the table and wonder what the fuck happened today to lead to this. it's still kind of surreal, and he isn't fully convinced that by next morning it'll turn out this was some sort of messed up dream, but

it's nice. this can be nice. the ugly thoughts are still swimming in his head but he can push them away for today. he walks back to the kitchen. ]

You're not still spoiling him, are you?

[tearduct]

[He is the good cop, yeah. So now JD is gonna be acting rebellious from bring spoiled.

He gives JD some brisk scritches on each side of the head, and then hurriedly washes his hands as Ryo comes back.

Not caught red handed, but JD is clearly finishing the chicken piece on the floor…]

He’s hungry, Ryo… It was just a snack…

[preordain]

[ >:(!!!

his expression is still disapproving. his gaze shifts to the cat and he sighs ]

This better not cause issues later.

[ he goes back to wait at the table ]

[tearduct]

[He watches Ryo leave again, and then he glances at this cat. Issues may or may not arise because the cat realizes Akira will give him snacks.

It’ll be fine. This is little different than Ryo being lenient with him because Ryo is very gay.]

It’ll be fine, right, JD?

[He carefully carries each of the two pots out to the table, placing them near where the plates are set. Ryo gets a smaller portion just in case his biblically eldritch status continues to make him mostly impartial to food. Rice on one side and curry on the other side.]

[preordain]

[ ryo just watches this happen. he is watching akira very intensely, and honestly it can be confused for him being gay, but he's actually just thinking about the cat thing and trying to figure out if he's going to have to make changes to this schedule now

funny how he was fine with so many other things but this is the one that is making him go BITCH..... ]

What else can you make?

[tearduct]

[RYO GETTING SO WORKED UP ABOUT THE CAT SNACKS IS SO FUNNY. Akira is as oblivious as always simply because he thinks Ryo will let him.

JD comes to sit by him a bit under the table, cleaning the face. He may or may not jump in his lap in a while. They can wait and see.]

Uh… Simple stuff. Omelettes, congee, stir fry. [He has to think about it.] Sushi. Katsu. Ramen.

Oh. Spaghetti or alfredo.

[preordain]

[ oh that is simple "ryo don't judge" he will

but he'll eat some of the curry. he may not really need to eat but he'll do it for you, akira. ]

I guess we can get the ingredients for those at some point... do you want to look at other parts of hell? They really weren't exaggerating when they said this place is huge.

[tearduct]

[RYO!!! He can't help he never learned to cook elaborately when he was with a bunch of rich people who just had personal chefs all their lives!! LOOKS AT RYO!!

He has plenty of time (and necessity it looks like) to learn now...]

I can get them the next time we go. [He really is being made a housewife... He glances at Ryo as he eats.] Sure?

Are there some places you like?

[preordain]

[ he really is being made a housewife...

but he has to think about it. asking ryo for things he likes is a tall order. ]

There are some interesting ones. I would have preferred them over some of the ones we had when you were here before.

[ gazes in clown island ]

[tearduct]

[Ryo, please learn to like things. Things that are something besides just Akira. And, like, murder.

Something like a laugh tries to come out of him, but he covers it with the back of a hand to pretend like he isn't amused.]

Some of them were bad, yeah. I'll go with you to see some.

[Two pointed ears ease up over the edge of the table. Then the tops of two familiar eyes. They look across at Ryo. JD has apparently finally decided to sit in Akira's lap.]

[preordain]

[ ah. the cat.

ryo just stares at this for a moment, before reaching for his phone and just

snapping a picture.

and then he sets his phone down like he didn't just do that. ]

[tearduct]

[????

He pauses mid-chew as Ryo snaps the picture. He forgot how fucking weird Ryo is about pictures. This is fine. HE ISN'T EVEN POSED. He doesn't understand why the photos have to be so candid when he looks ridiculous, but at least JD is cute.

With his free hand, he scritches the cat under the chin and on the chest. Seeing JD big and fat and happy makes him smile.]

Thanks for looking out for him for me. I'm glad he had a good life.