knifemonopoly | IC inbox

[He gives Ryou a little kiss, just a quick one, one that's preceded and followed by a nuzzle of foreheads. It is disgustingly affectionate. Then, he nods, and the zig-zag line on his hand glows white again. Water flows over Ryou's face, starting at his hand, moving through Ryou's hair, over his ears, then travels down his back, his arms, and over his tail. It's wet at first, then dry, and leaves the fur and skin clean and nearly scentless. There's a light smell left, but it's just Ryou, and water, and a little bit flower-sweet.

As long as it doesn't seem to be doing harm, doesn't seem to be affecting anything below the skin, and Ryou doesn't mention discomfort...he sends it down Ryou's legs, too, all the way to the padded bottoms of his feet. First wet, then dry, fresh and clean.]

[Just as it had been the first time, the sensation of being saturated by water is very strange, and Ryou's immediate reactions are to simultaneously close his eyes against it and shiver, as well as splay a hand on the couch as if he's worried that the water might soak through. His tail fur flattens out, his hair flops in front of his face--

--and then he's dry again, his fur fluffing out and his hair bouncing back into its fluffy, usual styling with feathered ends and all. It doesn't hurt or feel weird--outside of the sensation of being wet-then-not-wet, so he lets Atem continue down his legs. This time he gets a good look at the fur on his feet being saturated like someone's poured a glass of water on him...then fluff up, clean and dry.

His nostrils flare a bit as he examines himself. He...smells nice. Almost perfumed.

And then he has to ask, because he remembers something from a couple months earlier:]

...So am I holy and presentable to the gods now? I wouldn't want to embarrass you.

[He smiles, only lightly teasing.]

[He lets out a relieved breath, when it seems to go smoothly -- that ends in a heh! Ryou remembers that, huh?]

Yes. No god or spirit of the dead would be offended by the way you smell now.

[Atem reaches out to pet the nice, clean tail, once, admiring. Look at that fur. Usually, it takes ages to get it this clean and dry -- he knows, he hears the hair-dryer going.]

[Ryou's tail matted exactly once and brushing those things out had been very painful. Once was enough to know that he needed to blow his tail out after a shower. But he wasn't going to give up showers or baths, okay? They were so easy as a werewolf!

(Except the drying)

He looks pretty pleased with the results himself, and the tip of his tail curls up a little.]

Thank you...you've saved me possibly falling asleep in the bath, haha...

[No seriously. He drags after transforming in the morning. Speaking of which...he attempts to bite back a yawn. Ugh, no. No, he wants to stay up with Atem...this is the worst scenario...]

You're exhausted.

[A quick kiss, to Ryou's temple. He really does smell nice like this. It's hard to keep his hands away from Ryou's hair; Atem winds a strand of it around one finger.]

You should go to bed. It's been a long day!

[Ryou sighs because he knows it's true. But that doesn't mean he has to be contented with that scenario. So, he takes Atem's free hand in both of his own, then brings it to his cheek, nuzzling gently into the palm before planting a kiss there.

His eyes flick towards Atem, and he speaks against his hand, which mildly muffles his words.]

...Come with me, please?

[Every night he asks this, even though it's selfish, and even though Atem lets him get away with it. But tonight, especially, he wants to be near Atem and hold him close. This time, there's a subtext hidden within those words, a layer of concern, of guilt, that's buried so deep that even Ryou doesn't realize it.]

Of course.

[If Atem suspects guilt, it's buried deep, too deep for him to want to dig up tonight. He's been put at ease; the whispers in his mind, the pointing fingers, the damning spotlights, are all quiet, for now. Sometimes, those things aren't worth disturbing...Atem will take this peace while he can get it.

He agrees immediately, not in order to assuage guilt, but because it's where he wants to be for the next hour or so.

Atem floats up off the couch a few inches, turning his hand to take Ryou's hand as his feet land lightly on the floor, and pulls him toward the bedrooms.]

[Ryou follows, getting to his feet and deciding that, for today, his shirt can stay out here. He doesn't really need it anyway, not with the fur that covers his upper body just about everywhere but his lower arms and hands.

Now that they're on the way to the room, he's realizing how heavy his steps feel, how hard it is to walk. And then, when they reach the room it's like a cascading wave of exhaustion's threatening to pull him over. He sees his own bed and he wants in.

He yawns again, his free hand rubbing at his eyes as he takes the lead, pulling Atem into his room.]

Maybe...I'm more tired than I thought.

[Maybe he'd just done a lot of stuff today that he can't erase and that took a lot of mental energy to deal with. PERHAPS.]

The best angels have a strength of character I wish I had. I think I get what you mean? I could ignore little stuff but as an Arachne some of the things that would only make me mildly annoyed fill me with rage now. It has to be different if you're feeding on souls. Souls CARRY something. Hm. Be prepared to more or less do a walk of shame if you want to repair those relationships later on down the road. He triggers some of my rage responses. He also taunted me over targeting men who have done bad things. I shouldn't let it bug me but given the things I'm afraid to talk about on a computer? Ugh. Someday when I'm not so keyed up I'll talk to you about it. There's other stuff too but for now it's fine. I don't want to stress you out. I lost someone recently. I don't feel like alienating you and us not talking over something I could just sit on.

It's not that I don't want to talk about it. It's that it's okay, if now isn't the right time for that conversation. Becoming a nephilim affected my patience in a lot of ways, but not this one.

Let's talk again when we're feeling more like ourselves. When we can meet in a better place, and understand each other's hearts.

I won't be making up with AM, I think. The rest....it depends.

But, Annie, what's a walk of shame?

Go on, go on.

[He's the one following, but Ryou gets urged into bed with a big curling-forward wing gesture, a gentle shoo!

Atem really does miss sleep. It's convenient to not have to worry about pajamas and sleep positions with all these wings, but being able to turn your mind off, to come at a problem fresh? He's cut off from a part of human experience he had even when he was a vampire.

But this temporary change will be over soon. He'll float onto the bed after Ryou does, on top of the blankets, so that when he gets up, he doesn't disturb Ryou more than he has to...]

Good. Because this is about the nicest birthday I've had ssssince...hm. Since before the whole Ring thing. I wouldn't want to be thoroughly pleased about it while you weren't!

[And he is thoroughly pleased. Seriously, before Ryslig he lived alone in his apartment and mostly kept to himself. Even with friends, he didn't like to draw too much attention to himself. But here, he had someone who had thought it through enough to buy him wine, watch scary movies with him, buy him sweets...

It's just!

So nice!

Nice enough that now that they're facing each other, Ryou leans in for a greedy little kiss that's all wine-flavored with sugar from the macarons as well. He's buzzed, but the relaxed state is counteracted by all the sugary things he's eaten in between.]

I feel like my words aren't coming out right. Please don't feel bad for needing to delay or anything. A lot of stuff has happened and I don't know how to talk about it. Also never apologize to AM. He is a monster. I can't confirm he has hurt fellow monsters, but I've seen with my own eyes what he will do to humans, given even an inch. He is a dangerous person. Do NOT engage him without a big plan or back up. Walks of shame? Well. It's a catch-all term for when someone is themselves after being out of sorts in some way. They know they did something that embarrassed themselves or others. Maybe even hurt? Anyways; it's called a walk of shame because usually you're walking in the day after with all these words you need to say about how sorry you are. It's like atonement. Don't atone to AM. He'll take advantage.

Don't worry! My judgment's not so bad that I'd try to make up with AM. It won't get me anywhere...he DOES hurt monsters, if he gets the chance. That's why he works at the prison. Don't EVER get monster-arrested, Annie. EVER.

I know what you mean about words not coming out right. Let's talk again, off the laptops, when we can do it without a walk of shame.

[...oh, Ryou...Ryou actually tastes really nice.

Atem didn't expect that.

Maybe that's weird. Maybe, as a vampire, he's more attuned to that sort of thing than usual. Maybe he's just drunk! But Atem finds himself with dark purple bruise-blushes forming on his face, and fingers curling in Ryou's shirt, and he's returning the greedy little kiss with open enthusiasm.

The best birthday in that long? Really? This would be kind of sad, and Atem would be mad about it, if he weren't, you know, busy. Next year. Next year this won't be so last-minute. Even if the whole peninsula is falling apart, Atem will make sure Ryou has as many friends as possible around to spend the day with him.

First, though, kissing. When it breaks, Atem still has the little purple splotches high on his cheeks.]

...you're sweet...

Good. Also no because Miles would be very disappointed. I like him too much. Pfft. I'm sorry but I love how many things I have had to teach you. At least I never had to explain Horny Jail to you.

No, because I do pay attention to the network, even if I don't post myself all of the time. You explained it to someone else, so I didn't have to ask.

You'd have had to explain even more to me if I came here straight from Egypt, without Yugi's memories of the 1990s. I know there are a lot of differences between 1997 and 2019, but year 15 of King Akhenamkhanon's reign would have been a much harder adjustment!

[Ryou takes the compliment at face value, not at all catching on that it could be meant literally. Instead, he's finding himself thoroughly charmed with the fact that Atem is blushing, which tends to be, in Ryou's opinion, a special thing. He's not always fresh off a feeding, after all, and sometimes the color's harder to see.

So, naturally...he presses a kiss to one cheek, then the other, smiling all the while.]

I think you're the sweet one. H-haha!

[He continues to pepper gentle kisses all over Atem's face--his forehead, the tip of his nose, his lips (briefly), and then along his jawline. He's not sure why he's so terribly fascinated with Atem's skin...he just is. He wants to kiss every bit of his face!

Someone...gets very lovey when he's drunk.]

Then let us head off as soon as possible~ I assume you would need to get ready, at least.

[Noa either ignores the matter with Tybolt and Newf, or simply has that much faith in the animals. Newf for her part is oblivious. Bath time, very good. Biting would have also been fine, as she is nothing if not durable and patient. The dog's tail swishes slowly, and panting continues.]

[None of Atem's clothes are worn, exactly; nothing about his pants and shirt could be described as sloppy.

But they're not party clothes that you wear when someone you care about a lot is throwing an event.

Noa's very right.

But, man...he's going to Annie's party after all....that makes a little swell of happiness spin around in his brain, kind of like holding Tybolt or Big Sven for the first time.]

Y-yes...!

[What does he wear? He wasn't going to go. What's appropriate? Is there something traditional for a holiday party? Atem remembers what Ryou was wearing, and Noa just wears cat-sweaters all the time...he remembers something about a sweater contest...are sweaters right? But he doesn't have any sweaters, just the one coat that's altered to be wearable around his wings, and actually, that might simplify his decision a lot--

There's a flurry of activity for about two minutes. Clothes get changed. His face gets washed. His hair gets brushed and arranged. Eyes get lined. Teeth get brushed. This probably would have taken longer if Noa didn't stay in the other room, but as long as Noa doesn't follow him in to watch, Atem can move at his real speed, not the pinned-to-a-board crawl he's stuck moving at when someone's got eyes on him.

Tybolt is unperturbed and continues to have a bathing and wrestling match with his new buddy.]

i am already so tired of being a vampire how do you do this every day

[And Noa of course will patiently wait- with his eyes closed even, curled in a loaf on the ever sturdy Newf's back. He only cracks one open when Atem appears again, or at least...when he hears him.

At that point, he purr, impressed.] I've heard about nephilim speed, but I've never seen it in action like this. You managed that well...~

Heh!

[Even though Atem's higher level now -- level 35, maybe, with some ranks in other monsters -- it still feels pretty cool to get a compliment on his abilities from a level 100. Atem remembers when he was just learning how to use his mist to get past doors and review files...

His two normal eyes close for a moment, flattered, as the forehead one regards Noa with fondness and pride. Being alone really isn't good when you're sad, is it? Noa coming along, inviting him to go somewhere...it's really the best thing.]

It's not moving fast that doesn't feel natural.

[His eyes open, his head tilts. More seriously:]

How do I look?

[This isn't asked the way a vampire would ask it; Atem can see himself in mirrors these days. It's almost startling, the unexpected movement...but it makes the eyeliner easier. The reason nephilim-Atem is asking is, he's checking to see if this is an appropriate way to dress for a friend's holiday party. It's a plain shirt, a gray coat modified to button around his wings, and plain blue pants, but purple cloth floats around his neck like an antigravity scarf, and he's got a collar and a couple sets of earrings, bracelets at his wrists, and of course the Puzzle. He just wants to know if he's breaking any party fashion rules, since he's never been to one like this before.]

[The response doesn't come till late at night -- there's been some temp growing pains. But come it does.]

Oh, you went for a temporary change? This is a good time of year to do it! Some parts of being a vampire are hard...but the powers are pretty cool.

The speed and mist are my favorites. Did you get those?

Sorry about leaving your message so long. I spent the last day and a half without any hands!

[His switch to demon is complete, and it has completely removed any brain to mouth filter Atem might have had.]

Edited 2021-12-06 16:40 (UTC)

NOT on purpose. i would never do this on purpose.

[Giorno, that's rude.]

i got the speed and mist and wings and bat. the bat is okay now that i figured out how to not be a bat. but dying is exhausting and my eyes hurt and i can't go outside in the daytime and i'm starving and i can't drink coffee

what happened to your hands??????

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morning, 12/5. <harmonia>

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<Player1>

<harmonia>

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.