no looky for real this time

[preordain]

Comments

[tearduct]

He's your friend.

[Said just as automatically. Lavi and Ryo are friends, that is what it's called, dingus. Maybe not on Ryo's side... But maybe Ryo got some friends?

The corner of his mouth lifts, but then he tries to school his face. He wants to teasing say, "Your boyfriend?" but knows that'll make Ryo irritated.]

Please tell me you didn't try killing him all the time.

[He gives Ryo the carrots to go in.]

[preordain]

It's what he deserves.

[ nothing will ever be funnier than ryo ending up in the same place as itto. ]

Anyway, it was interesting. Teyvat has a lot of similarities to Earth in many ways, but also some drastic differences.

[tearduct]

Ryo....

[Itto was an idiot (so is HE), but he is too good of a boy to think Itto deserves to be killed.

Even though Akira bit him once.]

Yeah? Like what?

[KEEPING RYO TALKING BY ASKING ABOUT NERD STUFF... He also just would rather listen to Ryo be smart than evil. It's... kind of attractive. The intellect.

Giving Ryo some mushrooms now...]

[preordain]

[ the way ryo refused to move out of his room with itto because he didn't want to give itto the satisfaction of having the top bunk. the pettiness is so real.

he will take the shrooms and put it in the pot. ]

The more familiar one would be Inazuma-- where Scaramouche was originally from. It has many similarities to the Edo period of Japan, in terms of culture and architecture. Then there's Liyue, where Childe had sent Lavi to, which holds a resemblance to ancient China.

[ the professor is jumping out ]

[tearduct]

[When you're a himbo, there is literally nothing more of a turn on than someone being smart to you. It was one of the reasons he liked Ryo so much anyway before... everything terrible happened.

He hadn't lied when he told Ryo he thought Ryo was smart and handsome!!]

Oh... That's weird. But, like... in a cool way? Do you think our worlds were connected somehow? It's funny how they were like different time periods for us.

Did you like it?

[preordain]

Well, there's enough different versions of Earths that the idea of there being worlds that are similar in nature but still different isn't too out there...

[ there could be so many studies on this!! it's why he brought back so many books from teyvat... he has a lot of time to waste... ]

... it was an interesting place.

[tearduct]

[He hands Ryo some onions and also a can of peas. In the soup pot.

And he sort of lets out a nasally exhale.]

It sounds interesting. Do you ever want to go back and keep exploring? Or live there too, I guess.

[He knows they talked about it, but. Still.]

[preordain]

[ into the soup pot.... he is squinting at this pot. ]

... I went back occasionally, to pick things up. I left abruptly the first time.

[ he sets the can down. ]

I never really thought about it further though. I always meant to end up back here.

[ he never did mean to leave hell permanently. ]

[tearduct]

[Americanized soup... This is his suffering for Boston.

He takes the can from Ryo so he can put it with other things to throw away at one time. He keeps his eyes down.]

I wish you would have agreed to that sooner... About us staying here. I mean, I get... why you didn't now. I'm... not mad or anything.

[He looks up.]

Sorry. I-- It's fine. I know you meant you would always just come back here after whatever you did for a while, not that.

[preordain]

... I just didn't think you'd choose something else.

[ well. someone else.

which was his mistake, he supposes. he just assumed that as long as they reached some sort of agreement before the party, that everything would be fine in the end. he wishes he had more time then, and then after he had nothing but time.

he changes it back to the other topic. ]

But it's fine. The cat probably shouldn't travel that much with so many things that could eat him.

[tearduct]

[He thinks about how long (to him, not Ryo) he was waiting for Ryo to accept their destinies.

There's no fight or argument when Ryo changes topics. He goes back to messing with the soup--preparing the chicken. He does have to let it cool a little first.]

I can stay with him if you wanted to travel again.

[This is still not satisfactory because he would not get to go, but it's fine.]

[preordain]

Why would I want to go somewhere without you?

[ the whole problem is that akira hasn't been here!

he glances over to where jd has decided to flop down, temporarily giving up on the idea of getting food until he notices that he has someone's attention. ]

Alex can watch him. It just wouldn't work for anything too long.

[tearduct]

I know...

[HE KNOWS. Ryo wouldn't do it if he didn't agree to go.

He follows Ryo's look to JD. NOW THEY ARE BOTH LOOKING and JD does the head lifting chirrup of curiosity.]

I mean... he is in hell, so not much would bother him, I think. If Alex didn't mind looking after him, it'd be okay. And maybe time passes differently here and there...?

Uh, how long was I gone again for you?

[TOO LONG. He is so mean in his stupidity.]

[preordain]

[ oh fuck the cat noticed. ryo quickly glances away, leaving akira to die via a cat who will now want attention. ]

Long enough.

[ at least, long enough that ryo gave up on the idea of actually seeing akira again. ]

She likes cats.

[tearduct]

[DAMMIT, not him!!! He hurriedly goes back to the chicken, but JD has already seen the looks. So JD zooms over to meow and love on them.]

I'll ask her ahead of whenever you feel like going then. JD, please. You aren't starving.

[He will

just use his hands to shred the shit out of this boiled chicken regardless of whether it's hot or not. Heat doesn't bother him, he's a demon...]

[preordain]

[ he just watches akira do this. the atmosphere may be a little tense, but ryo will always be gay first, and that means watching a guy be a little weirdo.

there's a sigh, and he picks up the damn cat. no food. ]

You were surprised that I still had him, right?

[ jd. ]

[tearduct]

[WAIT I FORGOT TO CAP OUR 666 COMMENT NOOOOOOOO

Akira dumps most of the shredded chicken into the large pot with the veggies, but... he... saves...

a little leftovers.......

Sheepishly, he turns to offer them out to JD who is being held nicely by Ryo. (my suggestions wanted to offer Ryo's McDonald's for that????)]

Yeah, a little... I didn't think you wouldn't take care of him, I just... thought you might not want him around...

[preordain]

[ OFFER HIM MCDONALD'S some mcnuggies.... homo's influence is here as well.

jd will happily go to eat this. ryo thinks this cat is fucking spoiled. ]

It was difficult at first. [ he'll admit that much. he had never been that fond of jd, and afterwards it was kind of a blatant reminder of what had happened. ] But then I figured that even if you didn't come back for me, you might eventually want to check on him.

[ and now he is weirdly attached to this cat in the way you might trauma bond to something. jd is his dumb cat now, even though he won't ever admit to this out loud.

jd meows as he chews. ]

[tearduct]

[He stands there feeding JD little scraps of chicken while having a very serious conversation.

JD is spoiled.]

Ryo... I would have come back for you. I wanted to even... I said I would would... because their lives aren't like our lives. I was telling the truth when I said you were the only one who understood.

I would check on JD, sure, but I would come back for you.

[He's too soft to know when to quit a bad ex.]

Thanks for taking care of him for me.

[preordain]

[ god. he is going to be bitter about this forever and he would be even more mad if he knew the dumb bullshit kaoru was saying about him. sometimes you never let go of grudges, which is definitely healthy.

he adjusts his hold on jd. he's like ten seconds away from pulling him away because he does NOT want this cat getting overweight. this cat has a meal schedule. ]

... you owe me a couch. He scratched up my first one.

[ he doesn't even have that couch anymore ]

Oh. That reminds me.

[tearduct]

[Aaaaa, his JD....... Luckily, he only has a single piece left, so he

puts it in his own mouth while looking a bit sheepish about the couch even if it doesn't matter.]

He needs some boxes or bags to play in... but not ones that will suffocate him.

[He pauses in the middle of licking his fingers.]

Huh?

[preordain]

[ he sets jd down onto the floor before he wanders off... from the sound of feet on steps, he is headed upstairs.

he comes back down a few minutes later with something in his hand. ryo walks right up to akira so that he is just inches from his face, and then he reaches over to gently place something onto his ear. it's a familiar earring. ]

You came back, so it's yours again.

[tearduct]

[He truly has to pause and exchange a glance with JD because he thinks he did something that made Ryo mad? A little hitched noise is.made im his throat...

He hurries to wash his hands. He might have to race upstairs for Ryo. JD is differently grooming the face, so he isn't any help.

By the time he turns around, he startles at Ryo's sudden return.]

Ryo, I--

[Oh, Ryo is close? Gonna kiss??? His lips part a bit...

--Oh. He blinks owlishly as Ryo clips the earring on, hand lifting to touch it like he doesn't trust he knows what it is.]

Ryo... You kept it.

[preordain]

[ help. the whirlwind of confusion akira just went through that ryo is unaware of.

he takes a step back-- not too far, but just enough so that he can observe it better. ]

I took it off so I wouldn't lose it.

[ he says this casually, as if this wasn't an emotional gift that akira bestowed on him while ryo was sobbing like a stupid baby. that was embarrassing he is never going to bring it up ever. ]

[tearduct]

[He really went through it, and all of it was embarrassing so he equally won't say anything about it.

A soft smile curls his lips. Nothing matters except the fact Ryo kept it...

He reaches out to hook his fingers around the back of Ryo's neck, and he draws Ryo in so he can hug him tightly to himself.]