knifemonopoly | IC inbox

[Sweet talk is honestly exactly where Ryou wants them to make a nice happy little nest in. He loves feeling Atem move into his touch, react to him. He wants to do more...but he also knows they're limited by the fact that Ryou needs to shower, he smells like whatever scents have clung to his double-coat, which is frustrating since when he changes back, it permeates his day form's skin just a bit, almost like he's been sweating. It's not nearly as bad on skin though.

And...he's figured out by now that he doesn't sweat to cool off. Thus, cooling off is a private activity because you can't just pant around people, okay?

Atem's last words do pique his interest though, as evidenced by the raise of his ears and the tilt of his head to one side.]

Wonder what?

I might be able to clean your fur.

[He sits up a bit, off the eyeball pillows he's been leaning back on, softening the arm of the couch.]

Let me try it somewhere small...

[A test run, to see if it works. Atem picks a patch of fur on Ryou's shoulder, pushes the neck of Ryou's shirt aside, and glances up for confirmation -- the green light to let Atem give it a shot.

This part isn't over a part of Ryou's body that'll make him suffer awfully if Atem can't keep his power limited to the surface and accidentally kills off all his digestive bacteria. He can almost hear Giorno warning him about it.

Honestly, testing it on an animal they don't care about would be best, but that'd defeat the whole point of using this to save time.]

Oh?

[Okay, now Ryou's extra intrigued. He of course allows Atem to do as he likes. It doesn't bother him to have part of his shoulder exposed, he'd take off the shirt if it made things easier. But for now, he simply nods to give Atem the okay to proceed.

He knows he won't be hurt.]

Go on, then. I trust whatever you have in mind.

[It's said encouragingly, because he wants to know! He wants to see what Atem is going to test on him and despite the bumps in the road with regard to Ryou's health, he'd still put his faith in Atem wholeheartedly.]

[That faith matters to him. Atem doesn't want to let Ryou down by being careless. So, when a glowing zig-zag line appears on the back of his hand, and water starts to flow down his fingers and into Ryou's fur, Atem's cautious, careful, feeding it less power than he used when saving himself from Mukuro's bite. Come to think of it, it didn't seem to have done anything to her...this is probably going to be okay...

Still. This isn't a battle. His mouth is pressed tight, lips thin, eyes focused.

The water flows through and around Ryou's shoulder, then dissipates, leaving the patch of fur clean, and perhaps more valuably, already dry.]

[Ryou immediately shudders as he feels the water run through and across his fur, surprised at the presence of it at all. Since when was being a nephilim a free pass into extra elemental spells?

He doesn't have much time to think about it though, because after a time, the wetness...kind of just goes away, leaving Ryou confused and...impressed.]

...How did you do that?

[Also can he do it again? Please give Ryou a free instant-dry shower, he does not want to dry his tail!

But he's not going to ask...yet.]

It's a purification spell. I was worried it might backfire, but...

[He runs a hand over the fur patch.]

...it seems okay.

[Don't get careless. Keep it to the surface. This is a horror game, even baths aren't safe.]

Want me to do the rest?

Mmm. Good.

[Newf is patient. Newf sits, and does nothing. You may explore, strange cat.]

You're coming with me to that pre-christmas party then, I refuse to go alone.

[sniff

sniff sniff sniff!

Tybolt's tail lashes back and forth, and he puts two too-big lion paws on Newf's side. Hi? Hi??

His ~~owner~~ foster dad looks about as shocked, but much sadder. The halo resting just atop his head is the same wintry white as the sun outside, and the wings beside his ears pull in tight to the sides of his face. Atem's own lion tail hangs low, but tense.

Under any other circumstances, Atem would really, really like to go to this party. He sent Ryou to the party. He is terribly lonely not going, but the truth is--]

Noa, I...I can't. This temporary change...it's made me diffucult to be around. I get angry, and unreasonable...I got into half a dozen fights this month. I confronted AM twice!

[He looks away.]

I can't even tell if I've made terrible mistakes, or if I'm just thinking differently now. I can't trust my own judgment. Not like this!

Maybe when coins come in this month, I can pay Mana to end it early. Until then, though...

Edited 2021-12-01 14:25 (UTC)

[Noa is of course trying to be civil. He sits on Newf and listens, and watches, and...well, even if he isn't saying it, a cat's disappointment is clear.] ...I see.

[AM is...rather serious news after all.] I suppose this...explains why there was no follow up as to our 'night out' then...

[Newf ignores all of this. Instead she remains there, laid down, tail occasionally thudding as she pants away the great heat of her coat. She moves her head toward Tybolt, but keeps it low- no scaring small things, no no.]

[HE IS TREATING THIS CAT SO TERRIBLY UNJUSTLY.

Atem's tail curls first one way, then the other, miserably.]

I'm sorry. It's my fault...but it has to wait.

[She turns her head, and Tybolt immediately flops down on his side, showing his round little belly. He reaches up with a clawless paw to pap her face. He's been carefully taught to play gently. Atem keeps an eye on that, but he's not worried enough to interrupt what he's saying, and the hot, awful shame of not being someone who can be counted on that comes with it.]

There should be plenty of other people you know at the party. Ryou's there. Once you arrive, you won't be alone at all!

Hmn.

[That, if anything, only has Noa curl up more on the spot with narrowed eyes.] Don't act as if you're that replaceable. I mentioned our owed night out for a reason after all.

[Ahh, what a cute weird thing! Newf is equally gentle, nosing Tybolt's belly and letting the lion pap away.]

What?

[Noa--!

Noa wants...him...to be there?

....

Atem's a lot of emotions right now. He needs a second. It takes him by surprise even now when people (besides Ryou) just want him around, not to win a game, or take care of a problem. Noa wants to go to a party with him, him, and is willing to call in a favor to make that happen.

Is it really that impossible to keep himself under control for a few hours? What is he, an animal? Even a baby lion knows when to retract his claws. He's got to at least try, right? For Noa?]

...okay.

I'll go. It might be a little awkward...I told Ryou and Annie I wasn't going. Is it okay for me to show up anyway...?

Hmn!?

[Well that was unexpected. Noa's head snaps up, but not without some hope. He did, after all, hope to have at least a bit of time at the party with a friend.

And well, Ryou's someone he knows, but he's hardly as close to them as he is to Atem. So-]

Well...perhaps a little, but if anything they'd be pleasantly surprised wouldn't they? If you're coming, I can make sure to reign you in if you seem to be doing anything odd- how's that?

[Some very gentle head-wrestling is going on with Newf. The little furry scuffle undercuts a lot of tension.]

All right. I'll trust you...I don't want to get in a fight at a party someone else worked hard to put together! Annie has enough on her mind already without me causing trouble.

[Is this a good idea? Atem wonders. It might not be. But he's going to give it everything he's got, to be there for his friends, without breaking promises or disappointing them.

He sees a flash of teeth headed for Newf's ear.]

--Tybolt, be gentle.

[The command is heeded, and the teeth go away. Fur gets licked instead. Bath time, not bite time. Newf is pride now.

If nothing else, Noa is a Fog priest, and fully capable of holding Atem back. He has Atem's full permission to grab him by the scruff of the shirt Marik-style and haul him off.]

Edited 2021-12-01 15:21 (UTC)

[Excellent. He doesn't even need to ask!]

I feel fine, so I see no reason why we shouldn't do it. Do you...need me to remove my...um. My clothes?

[Look they may have been together but even so, the idea of stripping in front of Atem for this kind of thing is still something he'd prefer getting permission for. It shows in the way his cheeks are slightly pink, and in the way one ear flops sideways uncertainly.]

Only if you want to.

[Someone's feeling well enough to joke. It's very hard not to, when Ryou has expressive little ears like that. Look at them. They're positively adorable.]

[Ryou can tell that Atem's joking, they're around each other all the time, and quite honestly? Atem's one of the few people Ryou feels like he can joke around as well. That's why the corner of his mouth curves upward in amusement, before he shifts back a little and hooks his thumbs at the hem of his shirt.]

That's disappointing.

[...Is all he says as he lifts his shirt over his head, slowly and deliberately and definitely not to be sexy, just to be a shit. When he finally pulls it completely off and drops it to the floor, the look on his face definitely gives away that he's got jokes of his own.]

I thought I was "beautiful."

[Funny thing about being a werewolf: Ryou has (almost) normal irises and pupils. So now Atem has to contend with the smile reaching his eyes in a more obvious way, and how Ryou really does have big, dumb eyes that make him look almost twice as soft as he could ever look while being a shade, with light-voids on his face.

At any rate, Ryou crosses his legs in front of him, since he knows his paws are dirty as well (and he's glad Atem's going to purify them, because he already feels bad about putting them on the couch).]

You are!

[He takes hold of both Ryou's hands in his, the grin on his face widening, mischief joining the fondness in his eyes.]

But I'm not a "randy old vampire" anymore. As an angelic monster type, I'm much more inclined to protect your honor...

[heh heh heh. Angels probably shouldn't lie, either, but here he is, acting like he didn't follow that shirt's journey up with his three front facing functioning eyes.]

Edited 2021-12-01 16:44 (UTC)

My honor, he says.

[Ryou shakes his head, but laces his fingers with Atem's anyway, because this is fun and warm and good. He's feeling terribly relaxed in this situation, enough to continue the playful tone.

Certainly enough to get his tail wagging, traitor that it is.]

Do earthbound angels still abide the same rules? Fallen to the realm of man...? Do as man does, right?

[Don't make him DM at you, sir. He can fluff it up all he likes.]

Heh heh...!

[This is the funniest thing. It's so fun how Ryou just falls into playing sometimes, like they're making up their own rules of reality, and he supposes today the game is fallen guardian angel.]

I'm sure I have no idea what you mean by that.

[Ha ha ha, he's gonna play back, winding their fingers tighter together, the tufted tip of his lion tail plucking itself up in an irregular rhythm, quick and playful. Casting the spell can wait. This goofing-off is relaxing, reassuring. Everything feels all right.]

If you weren't such a good creature, I'd think you were angling to seduce me.

[Oh, he's good now too? Ryou laughs, and it's such a genuine sound that even though they're playing off each other like this...the emotion is pure. He can be as sassy as he wants, but in the end, he loves Atem and there's always going to be an undercurrent of earnest care.

He likes it much more than worry.]

That's not quite how I expect you to purify me, but werewolves are cursed beings. Maybe that's what you're here for. To lift the curse of the damned.

[Ryslig weres dont work that way, but logic doesn't matter, shut up brain, he's busy. Very very busy with wagging his tail--which is moving faster and he can't stop because he is having fun--and idly running his thumb across the back of one of Atem's hands.

Truthfully...these are the kinds of things he wishes they could do all the time. Playing out loud is still a game. He'd game with you anytime, Atem.]

[Oh, the idea is there's a curse?

He switches to deadpan.]

If it washes away your wolf ears, I'm not doing it.

[He has opinions. He lets go of Ryou's hands, actually, to rub Ryou's ears between his fingers, getting his ring and pinky-fingertips into Ryou's hair. Soft! Cute! These must stay! He wants to pet them!]

They're too cute to get rid of!

[Ryou lowers his head, and his tail wagging slows as he relaxes, because yes, happy, but also yes, ear rubs.

The deadpan is totally lost on him, he's gone.]

Mmm...I like them too, if I'm being honest...

[He hums the words out quietly, because having his ears pet is a surefire way to relax him completely, evidently. It's only by sheer force of will that he doesn't drop his head onto Atem's shoulder and doze off right there.]

[Sweetheart. Precious sweet puppy boy, absolute treasure of a person.

Atem has to let go and lean his face in, so he's almost nose to nose with Ryou. One hand goes to his cheek.]

All right. I'm going to try to get you clean. If it starts to feel weird, or you feel anything happening below the skin, tell me right away, okay?

[A sleepy Ryou smiles softly, then closes the distance, booping Atem's nose with his own big pink one. Honestly, you can't just put your face there and not expect someone to bump noses. That would be criminal.]

I'll tell you, don't worry.

[Implicitly, he trusts that nothing will go wrong.]

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WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, PLAYER1. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 10.11.0.0.01 * PLAYER1 has joined 10.11.0.0.01 <PLAYER1>** If you're looking for someone you knew as Yugi before June, you've found him! It's Atem, leave a message.