knifemonopoly | IC inbox

[Atem glances toward the drawn window curtains, where sunlight glows threateningly at the edges.]

That might be a while...it's not a fog day, yet.

[He looks back at Ryou.]

You could take some of mine.

O...oh.

[Ryou had followed Atem's gaze and decided that yeah, he didn't really want to fight ingrained instincts to stay out of the sun today. But then he'd been offered blood, which...well, that's usually his job, isn't it?

Before he can stop himself, he blurts out:]

But you're a vampire.

[And then, he can feel his face heat up in embarrassment because that was a silly thing to say to someone who can switch their monster whenever they like.

LISTEN HE'S BEEN ASLEEP FOR NEARLY TWO WEEKS HE'S STILL NOT FULLY REBOOTED--]

Heh!

[That's okay! He's not gonna call out Ryou's brainfart.]

As a naga, though, I'd have blood to spare.

Yes, I suppose you would...

[Ryou very nearly sighs, but the truth is, he's happy that Atem's not making fun of him at the moment. He's still a little groggy, and definitely wouldn't say no to a snack, except.]

My bites don't really feel too great though. Are you still alright with that...?

[Ryou's not a vampire, so he doesn't get the soporific bite. That's usually what his tendrils are for when he's hunting, but he's not going to force himself on Atem like that, never.

He kind of wants Atem to commit though, not just for feeding purposes. Ryou's pretty fond of his naga form. He's fond of all of Atem's forms, but that one gives superior hugs.

You know, since it's a full-body kind of a thing.

~~Atem you got with the weirdo.~~]

[He considers it for a long moment, then nods.]

It won't be the worst pain I've felt. If it's for you, then I'm okay with it!

[And, decision made, Atem switches his shape out: as always, he dissolves into fog bit by bit, starting at the fingers and going up the arm, rematerializing on the other side with different nails, different skin, different hair.

The fog travels out behind him, coalescing into a long, red and black tail. The snakes at his head shake their little heads, like they're waking up after a long sleep!]

[That's honestly the most flattering thing Ryou's heard in a while, and he's friends with Chiaki Nanami, so that's pretty impressive! A flush of gray darkens his cheeks, but doesn't quite reach the tips of his ears.

(yet)

as Atem starts to change. And once the shift is complete, Ryou's first instinct is to reach a hand up and let his fingers gently weave through the snake-hair. Time to say hello once again, they look extremely cute, sleepy and fresh as they are.

He gets it, buddies. He just woke up too.]

It's a little silly that I was scared of this version of you at first, isn't it? Being scared of a god is one thing, but you're you.

[The snakes don't ball up or hide: instead, they climb on Ryou's fingers like branches, sniffing them with their tongues, rubbing them with their little chins.

Atem's red eyes flick upward, and he says with a tease:]

Should I be jealous?

There's no need, I'm simply being polite. You know they don't like it when I ignore them. You, on the other hand, are possessed of higher thought processes.

So...surely this wouldn't bother you, right?

[Ryou says this while stroking the back of his thumb under the chin of one of the snakes. Maybe, just maybe...he's doing it to be a brat.

But Atem wouldn't dare punish his poor, hungry boyfriend would he? His poor, pitiable, hungry boyfriend who isn't going to be able to resist biting sooner than later.]

[Oh, now it's a game. He folds his arms and fixes Ryou with a challenging look, his fangs flashing in his mouth -- but the snakes are relaxed and playful, energetic without being aggressive.]

I don't recall getting the same attention a minute ago. Shouldn't I be the one who gets to kiss you first?

[Kiss. Flick tongues on. Whatever. Close enough.]

[Oh...?

Ryou leans in closer, his fingers curling in to cup the back of Atem's head, pulling him closer, or if Atem's feeling sassy and that doesn't work, then he leans in to close the distance himself.]

If anyone should be kissing anyone, it should be you kissing me, since I've been asleep. Right? So what are you waiting for?

[Well?]

[Ryou is perhaps the only person permitted to pull Atem in like this. Atem doesn't fight it: he's pulled in, and the snakes nose their way around Ryou's forehead, his hair.]

Maybe I should have tried kissing you to wake you up...I only kissed you on the forehead, while you were out.

[It's a sweet admission...but he gets back to flirting almost right away.]

I should make up for that.

[He's playing -- but he will go in for a kiss, there, because he has missed Ryou, alone in the house.]

[The snakes tickle, and Ryou almost smiles, but Atem's words are what push him to it. It's less of a back-and-forth when Ryou ends up charmed by Atem's behavior. It's nice knowing that he was cared for in his sleep, and Ryou's always been tender when it comes to romantic admissions.

So he returns the kiss with enthusiasm, wrapping his other arm loosely around Atem's back. Feeding is important, he can't put it off too long, but...he won't avoid a chance to kiss his boyfriend. Especially at this point, when they've both fallen asleep involuntarily in pretty quick succession. Time is fleeting, and one of them could be pulled back to the Sea of Stars at any time.

Ryou doesn't want any regrets.]

[Komaeda continues to dig one-handedly, and albeit, quite a lot slower than Atem does. He's too preoccupied with his thoughts, and the feelings Atem fills the space of his skull and ribs with. It shouldn't be surprising to hear, at this point, that the other enjoys spending time with him, but... It still feels like it's sometimes asking for too much.

His head bows slightly, obscuring the bluish tint that rises to his cheeks with the long tendrils of his anemone-like hair.]

I think I'd have liked that, honestly... Maybe if I hadn't disappeared, or if we hadn't fought...

[—or if Komaeda hadn't made things worse by telling Atem that he was in love with him—]

...Then we could have become comfortable with each other, like you are with others.

[Ryou wraps an arm, but Atem wraps his body -- starting with the closest bit, Atem's snake-tail starts to wind its way around the back of Ryou's legs.

This is going to continue until the kiss ends -- and when it does, and Atem pulls away, there's really only so far Ryou can go unless he decides to take refuge in intangibility.]

Now -- you should tell me where it is you're planning to bite me! I'd rather be prepared for it than caught by surprise.

Maybe.

[The hole seems deep enough, now...Atem puts his own bag in it, then waits for Komaeda's to join it, looking over at him.

How does he feel...? A little nostalgic, if you can be nostalgic for something that hasn't happened.]

And maybe I still would have taken you up on this. Because I think this is going to be fun!

[His tail wags in the dirt, making a little semicircle in the fallen leaves and debris.]

[It should be almost morning by now, Atem thinks. It's a little hard to tell, with the patches of mist that drift by, but the sky looks like it's getting lighter.

They buried their things, Atem threw sticks in the lake for Komaeda to fetch, they laid out by the fire to dry, they ate snacks, and they ran around following scents for a little while, but the conversation's dropped off for now. Atem is lying on his back by the fire, gazing up through the trees.

There's something weighing on his mind, in the peaceful, companionable quiet.

Atem knows that Nanami is one of Komaeda's first, best friends. That if anything happened to her, he wouldn't hesitate...Komaeda is more or less stable right now, but that doesn't make him not dangerous.

If Komaeda finds out how Atem hurt her, last month...

...well. Atem is due a penalty, for fighting a monster for the sake of a human. And he thinks, surrounded by the woods' sacred fog, that he would rather know who it was coming from, and when, than be caught by surprise.]

Hey, Nagito...

...

...you remember what I was like, when we met in the memory fog, right? A few weeks ago.

[The coils around his body are expected, if heavy and a bit disbalancing. If Atem wasn't wound around him, Ryou might just have toppled over. But...they're close now, closer than they usually are, and so when they part from their kiss, Ryou laughs breathlessly at the practicality of what Atem's asking there.

It's funny to him, that they've gone back to business even though Ryou's entangled like prey within the warm coils of Atem's snake half.]

H-hahaha! You're asking where I'll bite you, when you've got me in your clutches like this? It seems like the reverse, doesn't it? Like you could stop me, or worse.

[It's probably weird that he's saying that, isn't it? But...Atem must understand Ryou's weird thought pathways by now, honestly.

Ryou shifts a little, not quite pulling away, but at least bringing his arm closer to himself, or so it seems, until he takes one of Atem's hands in his own, pulling it to his lips and pressing a kiss against the knuckles. It...takes almost more restraint than he has, not to sink his teeth into skin, but when it's someone he cares about, Ryou really does push himself a little harder to do the right thing.]

Would your wrist be okay? I'd feel bad biting your neck, or anywhere with scales.

[He knows what Ryou is like, and while the comment about "you could be the one preying on me~" catches him a little by surprise, it's not surprising.

It makes him brush his coils over Ryou more, because he's happy, so happy that Ryou is awake again. Little weirdo, he's so cute.

Atem lets his left wrist be taken, and he shifts so that his coils are bunched under him, giving him an impromptu chair for support in case this is worse than he expects. He sees Ryou struggle a moment to hold back, and that warms his heart, too: this can't be easy for Ryou, holding back, but he's doing it anyway.

He nods, and braces for the bite.]

Yes. Go on, it's all right.

[There's always so much of Atem like this, isn't there? Even though he doesn't really gain height, he's still massive! It's a comfort, if a strange situation.

That's not too important right now though. What's important is the fact that he's being encouraged to take what he needs and not to hold back anymore. Whether it makes sense or not, hearing that seems to sharpen the desire for blood, enough that his eyes seem to glow just a bit brighter as he turns Atem's hand over in his, baring the skin there. Instinct leads him to the best place to bite, and with as much care as he can muster, he does just that.

It'll hurt, but the angle he chooses means that of his mouthful of pointed teeth, only two pierce, though it's not a neat puncture like what Atem himself might have managed. Ryou makes a gentle sound as he feels the skin give way--maybe it's his way of trying to apologize?--until the rush of blood flows into his mouth.

Then...sorry or not, he latches onto the wound, drinking greedily. It feels as if he hasn't tasted blood on his tongue in years, maybe decades somehow. It'll be a long moment or three, before he can think past the euphoria that comes with sating his monstrous hunger...but if anyone can catch his attention, it would be Atem, right...?]

[Atem has only once been on the receiving end of a feeding bite -- from Ryou, as a vampire. Atem has fed on many of his friends, but very rarely has he been fed on.

Maybe it's high time he gave back.

But even so, this is nothing like vampire feeding. Atem winces when the teeth pierce skin -- he's been through a great deal of pain, much worse than this, but that doesn't mean he doesn't feel it -- and his wrist burns under Ryou's mouth as his blood is drawn up and out of his body.

It's not...pleasant. It's not fun. But it can be endured, and he will endure it for Ryou: he breathes slowly, deeply in and out, holds his wrist docile against Ryou's mouth, and stands fast. It feels like holding a heavy door open: he won't be able to hold out forever, but for now, he stays put despite discomfort. It's for Ryou's good -- and knowing who he's doing it for is what makes the difference. His coils shift a little tighter where they wrap Ryou, but other than that, he doesn't make an effort to stop Ryou yet.]

[Ryou is used to his prey struggling and tensing, and that's why he normally pins them down with his tendrils. He feels less guilty when he's hunting, because he chooses his marks for a reason--they've done something wrong, something Ryou had to weigh against them to feel as if he can kill them.

Sometimes it's men, sometimes it's women, but when they struggle, he doesn't care. He eats them and ends their lives, and they should feel relieved that it really does end their life, and that he moves as quickly as he can when killing.

This though...he can feel the coils around him stiffen, if subtly. He knows this isn't a good experience, and after a few long seconds, he's sated enough to try and pull himself back.

It really does take a great deal of effort, but Ryou has practice with it. After all, killer he might be, but...he can actually spare a human. He's done it before, and may well have to do it again.

He lets out a shuddering breath, the taste of Atem's blood still lingering on his tongue. His thumb presses against the wound he'd made, to try and stem the flow, and he murmurs quietly:]

Sorry...I know you offered, but...I'm sorry.

[Sorry that it hurt. Sorry that he's an inelegant blood drinker.

(sorry i can't take more)

No. He shakes his head, frowning. None of that.]

[Atem shakes his head in return. He lets Ryou put pressure on the bite wound, not insisting on looking after it himself.]

Don't be. It's like you said -- I offered!

[It hurts, sure, but Atem's not in any kind of unbearable pain from it. His expression and voice are clear.]

I wanted to give you what you needed. I'm glad I was able to.

[His head is held up -- there's pride in the angle of his neck, in the way he holds his head. This is something he was glad he could do: it didn't need to be fun or painless to be worthwhile.]

whacky shit over you think? money under yer door from the month before, that rain stopped super fast

i got a big boat a yak or whatever

named it flash-their-tits in yer ancestors honor

you an the boy invited for a june i dunno yo 2nd or 3rd or something cause 4th always brings shit beach slash boat party

yer gonna have to buy so much beer brotha

Edited 2023-05-31 19:26 (UTC)

[And that, more than anything, brings a darker grayish tint to Ryou's cheeks, because as usual, kindness like that makes his heart feel warm. Feeling important to someone is quite possibly one of the nicest things one could experience. Or at least, for him it is.]

I'm sure I could have taken more, but there's no need.

[Already he's feeling better, and it shows--he looks less haggard, and more attentive.]

I guess sorry isn't the right thing to say after something like this, right? So instead...thank you for helping me. I don't think I'd be up for a hunt right now.

[Personally, he's up for doing pretty much nothing, other than a quick trip to the conbini so he can get baked sweets. But most immediately, he thinks he should probably address the bite he'd made.]

If you let me out for just a moment...I can get some first aid.

[He could totally just phase through Atem, but that'd sting and he's made Atem hurt enough! No more of that!

In fact, it's got him wondering if he can ask Mana for the ability vampires have to pacify those they bite. It'd make things easier during Ryou's hunts, but more importantly, it would mean he didn't have to cause immense pain if he bit his friends out of necessity. Certainly worth thinking about...]

[He nods! Atem doesn't want apologies, but the appreciation is good -- and he does want first aid, actually, yes.]

Yes, I'd rather not leave this open...

[He gazes down at the puncture wounds, then -- with more than a little bit of willpower, he doesn't want to, but he should! -- unwinds his tail from Ryou.]

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SKIPPING AHEAD TO THE CONFESSION

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cw, blood, vampiric feeding

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<soundsurfer>

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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.