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knifemonopoly) wrote2021-02-05 06:28 pm
knifemonopoly) wrote2021-02-05 06:28 pm
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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. | ||||
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They're hiding. And they're doing so for a reason. Ryou wants to find a way to fix it but he's not sure how...]
You aren't someone I'd think of as being dishonest. I know you don't like lying, Atem. Even down to the games you make, you make sure that you are telling the truth and letting people impale themselves on their own sword.
I get it.
But your friends don't just appreciate you because of the things you do for them. And...m-maybe this place is awful and painful, and we suffer here...but you should know that at least I value you as a companion. Sometimes it's nice to sit together, play a game, talk about our friends, and not have to do anything.
No fighting. No fixing. Just you and me talking.
[Ryou shuffles closer, using his clawed foot to gain purchase so he can lean in and kiss Atem on the forehead, just below the crumpled up disaster of a shed.]
I think that's enough for everyone. You don't have to fight for everyone all the time. You don't have to stop either, just remember that we like you even when you're just relaxing.
[..."Relaxing" and "Atem" are two words that don't generally go together, but if Ryou has to remind him about taking time to breathe and not be busy, he's going to do it. Right in the middle of this shed.]
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You've been...telling me that nearly from the beginning, haven't you?
[Atem's torn. On the one hand...he doesn't like putting time aside, when there's something Yugi needs, that he needs to work on. But on the other, as his forehead is kissed...he feels very warm.]
I love you.
I should tell you that more, shouldn't I?
[He tilts his face up, and his snake half pushes the rest of him the rest of the way. He's going to kiss Ryou on the mouth. When he breaks away, red slit-pupilled eyes meet glowing ones--]
I love you.
[He doesn't try to dislodge Ryou's hands from the separating skin layer, but Atem does plant his own hands on either side of Ryou's waist, and his face is up close to Ryou's, and the snakes are hiding less and reaching for Ryou more -- which gets them out of the way of the ones that haven't come out yet. The shed starts to smooth out, as serpentine eyes give a very doe-eyed look.]
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Then...whatever you were trying to do goes to waste.
Ah, but before he can verbalize that, he's rendered silent by three little words that get his heart beating faster, make his face heat up something awful. He doesn't know how to respond to that, at all...
Then he doesn't have to because they're kissing, and the only important thing was to curl his fingers against Atem's scalp, not hard enough to scratch but just to have something grounding him there.
Once they part, and Atem says it again, Ryou lets out a soft little heh, his ears twitching a little.]
I...I love you too.
[It feels so nice to say it. He's put his whole soul into this, without even realizing. He can feel the snakes wriggling between his fingers, but it takes him a moment to refocus. It's only when some of the yellow snakes slip into his line of sight that the affectionate look on his face seems to shift.]
It's time to get you out of this, once and for all, now.
[He pushes upward, helping the remaining hairsnakes free themselves. But even as he works, he can't stop himself from leaning in again, for another quick kiss.]
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Yes.
[The last third of his snakes are pulling themselves free as Atem lets out a long, slow breath with that word, his face still way too close to Ryou's. He brings his snake half around, catching on some of the branches and terrarium paraphernalia Giorno left, until the skin tears, a few feet below the waist. He needs it off, needs to be out of it, and he starts pulling most of himself out, without breaking eye contact -- turning the shed inside-out like a 15-foot stocking. There's still the last of his hair shed, and some of his back, and a bit around his chest and waist that needs to come off, but most of it, as long as he doesn't move too fast, he should be able to get--he needs it off, once and for all, like Ryou said--]
mf'er i thought i hit send...
There's no reason why Atem's confirmation should have him shivering a little. Of course...of course he wants to be out of the shed. But he's so close, the word chased by that slow exhale...and Ryou's just a silly, needy little romantic but damn, does it take every bit of his self-control not to kiss Atem for a third time. Instead, he holds the remaining bit of hair shed up until the last snake pops free, then flicks it aside.
He doesn't have anything to say at all, he just presses his face into Atem's neck. He doesn't even want to see the rest of the shed come off anymore. Distantly, he recalls that he had wanted to watch the process...but right now it's not important.
Letting his fingers latch onto Atem's shoulder loosely while he pretty much nuzzles him is the only remaining priority in mind.]
100% done that pfff
...
Really nice, actually. He might have to be careful, he thinks, as more old-scales peel away from new scales, and his arms slip around Ryou in something closer to a hug, and there is gentle little-snake investigation of Ryou's hair wherever they and their little tongues can reach. He sighs, contentedly, as some of his freed snake half gets pulled underneath him, across Ryou's knees. Atem wants to be holding Ryou right now, he's missed feeling up to it for the last, what, week? Terrible, to absolutely hate the idea of touch 95% of the time the whole first week you have a boyfriend, and a cleared, vibrant, exfoliated loop of snake tail curls around behind Ryou. I've got to be careful, he thinks, distantly, but does absolutely nothing to stop himself.
When the last of the tail-shed goes, pulling over the uneven, stumpy, bony protrusion at the end, there's a rattly little sound, not unlike a cup of dice, if dice were made of bone.
The rattle's back!]
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But Ryou doesn't move away or do much more than hum a little when Atem starts to coil around him. The shift of the snake half across his knees, against his back...feels nice. Even through his clothes, he feels like he can identify every single scale, the power of the musculature that makes up the snake tail just as comforting as the arms wrapped around him.
Atem might not be able to regulate his temperature, but that doesn't stop him from feeling warm to Ryou.
When he hears the rattling, he's curious. Curious enough to pull away, but not before impulsively kissing Atem's neck. He doesn't do it for any big reason other than he's here and he can.
But then he pulls back, and he seeks out the sound of the noise.]
Hmm! Your rattle...haha, well. Better late than never, I suppose.
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I suppose! It was actually less trouble not to have it.
[He doesn't remove himself from the lap he's slithered into, but he does bring his tail around into their field of vision. Atem lifts the little bone-sistrum and gives it a shake! It doesn't mesmerize monsters, but it sent humans he slithered past into a half-religious-half-rock-concert frenzy, and that was awkward.]
If I go out before I change back, I'll have to wrap it up again...
[But he'll worry about that later, if he even goes out. There's only one section of the shed left, stretching from under his arms to a few feet below where the snakescales start, and Atem looks at it appraisingly.]
Okay. Time to cut the rest off.
[He's gonna go at it with claws, make a tear, and peel it off like dried glue, unless Ryou steps in with a different idea.]
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It even makes a sound that would be conducive to music! Biological instrument!]
I suppose it's for the best that you do...
[Ryou would have liked to see it in action, but mesmerizing a human probably wouldn't be a good idea at the best of times, even if you have to eat them.
At any rate, when Atem starts to peel off what remained of his shed, Ryou lets him do it on his own. They're at the end of it now, and he's fairly certain Atem can manage that last piece. If not, then of course Ryou will help him!
For the moment though, he kind of...glances at the mess of inside-out old snakeskin all over the apartment and seems to consider something.]
So...What are we going to do with all this skin? Do you...want to keep it?
[For memories?
...Ryou wants to keep it.]
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(He's also technically naked, but he's spent the last two months losing the will to wear actual clothing bit by bit. This is the logical conclusion.)
But his attention is drawn from his own body, to Ryou, to the piles of snakeskin around them. Ugh, his memories of this time were terrible.]
I don't.
I say we burn it.
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It...seems a waste, but I understand...
[SO THEN WHY DOES HE LOOK DISAPPOINTED IF HE UNDERSTANDS?]
Though...if it doesn't make much difference to you, might I keep a few of your hair-snakes' shed skin? Just a few, not all of them. I feel as if it would be a reminder of them, rather than the actual ordeal that the rest of this represents. And then yes, if you really want to burn it, I support you.
...Is that okay?
[He won't do it if it's not okay. He respects your wishes, Atem.
He's going to filch your eye caps though.]no subject
I guess that'd be all right...but, if they start to smell bad, they've got to go!
[He gestures to the piles and piles of skin around them.]
I can't think of any good use to put this to, can you?
[No, really, he's asking. The burning is personal, but negotiable if Ryou has an idea Atem thinks is better.]
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...Focus. He's been asked something.]
Of course! I wouldn't keep something that would make the house smell unpleasant, you don't need to worry. As for good uses...I'm sure some apothecary or business would buy a shed naga skin for their own purposes. Perhaps we could trade it for something valuable.
...But again, there's no need for something so complex if you'd rather get rid of it quickly.
[He's pretty sure monster parts should be worth something. Then again...maybe naga shed is common. How often do nagas shed? Hmm...]
cw monster fetishists being gross
But selling it to a pharmacy makes Atem think about snake-oil cures, the kinds of things people put into traditional medicines. He'd have to vet the business, so that parts of him wouldn't be used to take advantage of trusting Bavanites.
...it also makes him think of the kinds of people who want to be involved with monsters. The people who approached him when he was a vampire, sweating and heart-fluttering, offering to let him bite them. He's not sure he wants someone sticking their face into his old skin like a girl's panties, or...or climbing inside it for weird reasons.
He shudders; Ryou will feel it.]
Maybe we could. I know people do buy monster parts! But we'll have to be careful who it goes to...
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Ryou is in the fortunate position of not really having many people care for his monster type. He's just a shadow creature, what can he even do? Ooh he can possess people. Who even wants that?]
Well...if it takes that much thought, then maybe burning it is easier. Whatever you want, Atem.
[He affectionately kisses Atem's cheek. They're all wrapped up in one another, may as well, right?]
...For the record, I'm glad the shed's gone, because you look very nice now that you're out of it. Your scales are practically glowing.
[Atem seems like he could use a proper compliment after the ordeal, and Ryou's happy to oblige. His scales do shine quite nicely. All of him looks better without the dulled coating.]
How do you feel?
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(Ryou is also a little freaky, but in a respectful way, so Atem doesn't mind it at all. Ryou's type of fascination doesn't make him feel like all Ryou sees is the type of monster Atem is at the time, which is how it is with humans -- instead, Ryou liking the weird stuff about him makes Atem feel more comfortable with it, with himself.)
How does he feel? He runs a clawed hand over one arm.]
I feel good. Better than I have in a week! The new skin's a little raw, but it's like I've just come out of a really hot shower...
I'm glad it's gone, too. Thank you for looking after me!
[Because, really, Ryou had been a saint through the whole process. Patient with Atem's whining, attentive, doing research into what Atem needed, willing to put up with uncomfortable heat and damp...man, Atem's lucky to have him.
He leans in to put a brief but warm kiss on Ryou's mouth, one clawed hand coming up to hold Ryou's jaw. He's missed that, too, all this week.]
I don't know how this would've gone without you.
[But he knows it'd have been worse. Way worse. He'd have been blind, alone, anxious, with no idea how to care for himself or when it would stop.]
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Mmm...I'm sure you would have done just fine. You're good at everything, Atem. But...I would have helped you even if we weren't...you know, dating. H-heh heh. True friendship is evidently helping your roommate out of his own skin.
[He's joking about it of course, but it's better to joke than to admit to Atem that the humidity had contributed to Ryou passing out a few times. Shades don't do well in dampness, and anytime he used his powers...anytime he had to go intangible, it did let water filter through. Despite feeling sick for a fair percentage of the time Atem was shedding though, Ryou would have kicked up the humidity even further, for even longer, if he'd had to.
...He hopes he hid it well enough that Atem never noticed.]
I'm glad it came off so cleanly, for the most part! Now that it's over, you can use that shiny new tail of yours to hug me all you like, if you want to pay it forward.
[Well! That's bold, isn't it? Look, he's in a good mood. It's fine. This is the Ryou Bakura that Atem gets to see whenever he likes, right up until they start kissing or something, and then the boldness melts away.]
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And -- heh! True friendship. Isn't that right. Atem absolutely believes Ryou would have helped anyone he cared about through something that difficult, because he's a good friend. Atem likes that about him! But...the amount of effort, the sacrifice of time...Atem appreciates what was done for him, and what it took to give it.
...then, Ryou makes a request. It's not quite phrased like one, but the implication's clear enough. He grins, a little wicked, a little warm, and he pushes Ryou backward -- forward for him, backward for Ryou -- onto the blanket pile. He doesn't move fast, it's not a shove -- it's playful, and he hovers the human half of his body about a foot above Ryou's torso, juuust out of hairsnake reach (though they're reaching down, giving it their best try), a hand still at the back of his neck.]
You don't mind, then?
[--as coils wind behind Ryou's knees and start to curl down his shin. It sounds like Ryou wants to be held, and Atem, even though his nerve-endings are still jumpy and new, wants to hold him back! This seems like a good situation.]
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...Yes. Even when he's basically put in a request to be canoodled with, he's still going to worry about Atem's comfort. This is his life. This is how he operates.
Ryou smiles, though the way he does so edges on a smirk, because he can see the snakes reaching, but they're not even remotely the biggest thing on his mind. No, that's reserved for the coils slowly working their way around his legs, the hand at the back of his neck...basically any other contact.]
Atem...come on. You asked me to date you through a Ouija Board. I spent a week moisturizing you. If I minded anything about the situation, I probably would have said something about the humidity...or your grumpiness. Not your snake half.
[He reaches up, runs a thumb over Atem's cheek, and then curls his too-long fingers around the back of his head. He doesn't mind putting his fingers in Snaketown, but he does kind of miss Atem's normal hair sometimes.]
I love you. All of you.
[And he means that so sincerely and without innuendo that it's probably depressing, if saccharine.]
nothing nsfw but oblique references
Besides, Atem's still a little warm from a minute ago, from remembering the reshuffling of priorities, about how the kind of memories he wants to make before he moves on, and from holding Ryou's hand during a difficult part of the shed removal, and I love you, and a face in his neck. The trust and closeness are things Atem wants more of too much to shy away yet.
He'll just back off in time.
And, yes, he'd been grumpy. Atem really had been a monster this week, and Ryou has the right to call him out on it. But Ryou had been so kind, and so patient, putting up with the humidity and a true beast of a patient. Look at him? Ryou loves him? He's heard romance get called the dating game, and if that's true, Atem's won it. The thumb on his cheek pulls a smile out of him, softens his expression.]
Good. Because I'm really taken with you, and I don't want to wait until it's gone to hold you!
[The snakes at the back of his head apparently agree; they're cuddling up to Ryou's hand. Atem leans down for another snake-tongue-surrounded kiss; as he does, the end of his tail curls itself around Ryou's shin. It's not the safest move as far as snake anatomy goes, but as long as Ryou doesn't start making soft little sounds or start with the please thing, he should be fine. He'll lie down next to Ryou in a minute, and it'll be fine. Just like all those other times they slept close and nothing happened. It'll be all right.]
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And the now...is pretty darn great. They're here, together again, with nothing to think about but each other and lord help him, Ryou has definitely been excited to be close to Atem again, without the stress of the shed wearing on both of them. He's pretty sure that as long as they stay here, everything will be fine.]
Heh...haha...that's very...sweet.
[Unfortunately when he's kissed, he can't help the little hum, but it's more relief than anything else, and it's brief.
It's just his way of saying I missed this, while they lose themselves in one another, and his fingers settle comfortably between the snakes and his clawed toes twitch a little, before curling inward.]
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But the weather's going to cool off, soon, and the nights will be longer, and this form won't be as good for the weather as his vampire one. He'll miss his heartbeat...he'll miss feeling at home with himself, even if part of it is weird...
Arms wrap around Ryou, to go with the tail, and Atem settles down beside him, once the kiss breaks. Ryou's getting pulled very close, under Atem's chin, and hands slide unhurriedly up his back over his shirt as Atem breathes a contented sigh. Breathing, too, he'll miss breathing.]
You're the one who's sweet. I can't believe it, sometimes...
[I love you, all of you. Nothing he's shown Ryou has been rejected. One by one, the doors in the dark, impossible maze of his heart have been opening, and instead of being afraid of the dark and the traps, Ryou's accepted them for what they are. Atem isn't uncomfortable with being himself, but...it's nice, showing someone you care about who you are, and being loved for it.
His snake-tail squeezes Ryou lightly. Whatever he's thinking about, it's nice.]
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Having Atem's chin on his head makes him feel very secure and warm. It's as simple as that. Not that the snake half doesn't make him feel secure. He's happy...and he's not in terrible pain, which makes it even better.]
Mmm, heheh. It's...h-hard to believe that I would be able to hear you say these kinds of things, actually. That you'd think so fondly of me.
[...Why does he sound fit to cry? He doesn't feel like crying, because crying is a sadness thing, or a release of one's tension. But he doesn't feel tense, he feels relieved!
Ryou presses his face against Atem's chest, not caring that there's no layer of clothing separating them. His hand migrates from the snair, lowering so his fingers can settle comfortably against Atem's back, holding him close, just like he's being held close.
Sometimes you want to be so close to someone that you can hear their heart beat. Sometimes you just need to let your emotions wash over you, because processing them is way too hard.]
You're perfect.
[He doesn't even have any real reason to say it but Atem needs to know. He is perfect.
After saying it, Ryou presses a kiss right to the center of Atem's chest, slow and warm, a loving gesture that lingers.]
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But Atem doesn't want to think about things like that. He wants to think about how Ryou and the blankets and pillows all feel soft against his new skin, though every texture is distinct and unique. His chin settles into Ryou's hair, and his coils shift a few inches, slithering forward, feeling.
The last half a foot or so of his tail curls around Ryou's ankle when he's kissed. Atem draws a breath. Mmmm he's not wearing anything and that was on bare skin, he's gonna have to be careful, he is still warm, this is the restless feeling he had before but didn't identify until it was too late...
...but also, Atem doesn't want to let being scared of what might happen if things get heated force distance between them. Not when he's feeling this much comfort, and affection, and appreciation, and also being around Ryou means that anything bad had to go through Atem to get to him, which feels good and right and the way things should be. So, he doesn't back off; instead, his fingers trace little circles and other irregular, random patterns over the back of Ryou's shirt, across his shoulders. His hands want something to do, and this seems okay. He hums!]
You're a romantic.
[It's a light tease, an affectionate accusation, softened by the warmth of his tone and even further by the noses of the foremost and longest snakes sticking themselves into the top of Ryou's hair.]
But it's true! I'm very fond of you.
[That's punctuated with another shift in the coils, one that's obviously settling in, making himself perfectly comfortable.]
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[He hums it against Atem's chest, and he doesn't really care all that much about whether he's putting them in danger of snanatomy. This is what he'd wanted since before Atem started shedding, and he is going to have his cake and eat it too, dammit.
Besides which, the fingers tracing patterns across his shoulders and back are pretty nice, and he wouldn't discourage Atem from that at all. That and the hairsnakes burrowing into his hair have Ryou half a second from humming again, though this time he stops himself. He can't stop the goosebumps that travel down his arm though, tingling pleasantly down his skin.
He shifts, to look up sideways at Atem without really dislodging him. It doesn't matter if he sees him or not, it's the thought.]
Hm! I'm the romantic...but you're the one whispering sweet nothings, holding me close? Is it going to be like this all the time?
...B-because I don't mind it.
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