knifemonopoly | IC inbox

....

[It feels good to listen to this, but also, it hurts...

Atem smiles, but his eyebrows draw up. He's happy, but his heart hurts, but in a glad way...? Like something important's just been saved, and his heart's still stuck on the possibility of it being lost.

He...can't say anything. Not right now. Instead, he reaches out and either leans down, or pulls Ryou up -- either way, they're ending up in a tight hug. Tybolt can wait.

(Tybolt will put his little paws on their shoulders, getting up on his back feet. Me Too Me Too.)]

Edited 2022-04-13 23:55 (UTC)

[Ryou meets Atem halfway, pushing himself up on one arm and wrapping the other securely around the other monster's shoulders. He buries his face against Atem's chest, ears flattening back against his skull. It's not apprehension.

On the contrary...Ryou feels rather content. Even the feeling of small paws on his shoulder don't deter him. Not for a while...but eventually, he does glance up at Atem, his blue eyes--why are they blue? Is this a cat thing?--practically shining.

He looks silly like this, his tail tip curling lazily while his wings are splayed behind him haphazardly.

Thank you. For always being you. And for being a person who cares about someone like me...even when I'm difficult to handle.

[Because he is difficult. He tries not to be...but fails.]

[By the time Ryou speaks up, Tybolt has settled down...on Ryou. His back feet are on the ground like he's sitting, but his front feet and front half of his body are draped over Ryou's waist. He is breathing contentedly, his eyes squinting mostly shut. He can't purr, but he's making contented little leonine sounds. Things have been weird lately with Ryou, but he can tell things are better, now, and he's happy about it.

Atem looks down at Ryou as Ryou looks up -- the hand that's not under Ryou's arm that props him up goes to the side of Ryou's face, to tilt it up just a little, to hold eye contact.]

You're my heart, too. You're the person I want to handle, easy or not...I won't ever stop fighting for you.

[Even if the person he's fighting for Ryou is Ryou, sometimes.]

[Ryou just smiles brightly, honestly, and leans into Atem's touch. The fur on his face is soft and fine, so it probably feels nice. His wings flutter a little behind him, and it's not really for any bad reason. No more than the gentle coiling of his tail.]

I wouldn't ever stop fighting for you either. I know s-sometimes, I don't do it right. Your methods...they're always better than mine, but no matter what, I'll stand by you, and protect you.

[And he'll eventually move, but Tybolt is resting on him, and Atem is close, so so close to him that he stays where he is a minute longer...and only after that point does he reluctantly start to pull back, slowly, so that he doesn't startle Tybolt too much.]

[He strokes Ryou's cheek-fur, gently, gazing into his eyes. The blue has to be some kind of cat-thing...it's not as gentle or warm as Ryou's brown eyes as a human, but it's easy to get lost in, taking in every detail, every fleck of color on the iris.]

You'll discover your own methods, your own ways to get it right.

[He's never once stopped believing in Ryou. Ryou is going to find his own strength, even if the road is hard, and he stumbles and falls. Atem will be there to see to it that he gets back up.]

I know you're with me. You always are.

[When Ryou starts to pull back, Atem plants a light kiss on his nose. Tybolt makes a little noise of complaint, and rolls over onto his side, rubbing his head against Ryou's waist. Ryou can move, but Tybolt's going to hang onto cuddles a little longer. His kitty brain is lit up with kitty family feelings and "things are good" intuition.]

[There's just something about nose kisses that's absolutely charming, completely endearing...and it makes Ryou purr softly. All of it does. He's very relaxed...maybe a little too relaxed.

A bit too cat, perhaps.

But he settles back, crossing his legs beneath him and gently petting and stroking Tybolt while the purr builds in his throat.]

I will. I'll do it. I'll make Her see I'm useful.

[He knows he'll never get any further than this, which is why the smile he wears doesn't quite reach his eyes. He doesn't have the guts, but as long as he can support Atem on his journey, that's what's important.]

I suppose I'll have to adjust a bit to days. Y-you know, just a bit. For the sun, but I won't leave you alone at night.

[He's going to get so little sleep as a manticore, isn't he?

...He has no idea how much sleep he is actually going to get as a manticore yet, but that's fine.]

[I'll make Her see I'm useful.

He hears that capital letter. A chill goes through Atem, for the second time this week -- that doesn't sound like Ryou. It doesn't sound like something Ryou used to want. He's going to have to keep an eye on that...how much does the Fog's opinion of him matter to Ryou?

But not now. Not when things are better than they've been. Not when Ryou's still getting used to having a tier-3-level power...not when he should be using it to protect himself. That's what it's for. That's what all of this was for...to protect themselves, and each other, and what matters to them.

So, Atem boxes that lurking fear away smoothly, like he boxed away his fear of not understanding the Millennium Puzzle, like he boxed away the fears that made him ask to go by Yugi for months, and away it goes, deep into the sea he skims over the top of. They're talking, instead, about schedules.]

You should spend all the time in the sun you can! Cats like that sort of thing, right?

[He closes one eye in a wink.]

And, I'll be here, when you come home.

Edited 2022-04-18 21:50 (UTC)

[Ryou doesn't know any better...and that's good. He probably wouldn't explain it right even if he was asked. He's not good at it.

He'd be terrible at trying to explain to Atem what the Fog makes him feel when She's wrapped around him in Dyster, like a cloak of encouragement, a whispered promise, a feeling of approval at what he does.

He couldn't explain that when she'd granted him his third tier powers, he'd thanked her for the gift.

Instead, he continues petting Tybolt and his tail flicks from side to side in a lazy pattern.]

Any cat that I've seen has enjoyed it. I wish I could enjoy it with you...but as long as you're alright with it, then...I suppose I'll try basking on the rooftop sometime on my own.

[The rooftop is nice at night. It might be even homier in the sun, he's sure of it.

...

By the time a week's passed, and the new fog has rolled in...Ryou's thoroughly decided that the sun is safe and good, and he sorely missed being under it. After over a year of being either effectively allergic in the sun, or thoroughly drained by it, being able to bask is absolutely rejuvenating. Plus, as a manticore he finds it exceedingly easy to sleep, under the sun or otherwise. Actually, he's only just waking up now, after taking a sorely-needed cat-nap post-mall outing. The fog was weak, and his powers were drained, it's only reasonable to want to regain energy.

...He's also a cat-man who likes to sleep, but who's keeping count of reasons?

Ryou raises himself up on hands and knees, then stretches languidly, his wings unfurling up and above him, then gently brushing the ceiling as he lets out a satisfied hum. Yep. Sleep is good. He missed sleeping this well, and not having to allocate energy to being solid all the time.

Once he's settled back on the couch, he has a look around, to see if Atem's within eyesight. If not, his next move will be to get up, pad to Atem's room and politely knock on the door, because for as long as they've been together, he's still never been able to sum up the courage to pop his head in without permission. Not that he'd ever stop Atem from doing it, but...Ryou's built different.]

[A bat-monster is curled up tight in a blanket burrito on the bed. He seems to have pulled it around himself in his sleep.

He is not breathing! This is, however, not cause for alarm. He begins to breathe abruptly when there's a knock on the door.

(The door is cracked open anyway, a courtesy for Tybolt.)]

Hrmgh? What? What is it?

[Ryou's so used to Atem not breathing at this point that it wouldn't have registered for him even if he had caught sight of it. Sometimes your boyfriend simply doesn't need to breathe.

And Ryou, admittedly, probably didn't breathe when he slept as a vampire (He didn't). So in that way, he also gets it.]

Sorry, were you sleeping? Please, don't let me interrupt...

[The vestiges of sleepiness were still working their way out of his voice, so clearly he feels very bad that he was disturbing his equally sleepy boyfriend.]

No, it's all right, I'm up, I'm up--

[A big toothy yawn! His tongue really does go on forever! Give him a second to extract himself from the blankets...]

It's a Fog day, even if it's weak, so I can sleep anytime...

[Ahh, no he feels really bad about this! But, since Atem insists, Ryou does push the door open, peeking his head in just in time to catch the most luxuriant bat-yawn. Honestly...]

That is true...but there's no rush, you know.

[He moves in closer, his tail tip flipping from side to side lazily behind him. Once he's close enough, padded fingers reach out to stroke the side of Atem's face. He has to. It's not often that he's like this, and Ryou wants to touch his fuzzy face. It's cute.

(Ryou your standards)]

Yes...I figured since it's foggy, we could head up to the roof and...well, if the sun's not so bad, then...

[He trails off. It's stupid, he doesn't want to ask, really.]

[Liquid red eyes fall closed at the touch, giving in gently and easily, practically tame.]

Then...?

[He rumbles it, tilting his face slightly into Ryou's fingers. Go on, he's listening.]

[His thumb keeps stroking along Atem's cheek. Sometimes it's the simple moments like this...the affection, which keeps him going. Ryou's, perhaps, a bit too sentimental.

But then again, Atem already knows by now that he's dating a romantic.]

Then...maybe we could try gliding. Flying, I'm not so sure on. I can't get my wings to move right when I want them to. But only if you're not too tired.

I don't know. Part of me wants to stay here like this!

[He bumps his face a little more actively into Ryou's hand. Atem likes being here, likes Ryou's manticore form, likes afternoon naps with his boyfriend and his pet, likes the touch. But they don't have an infinite number of fog days, and Atem's only able to fly at something close to Ryou's size right now...he wouldn't be able to catch Ryou if something went wrong if Atem could only fly in travel form. If they're going to do flying/gliding lessons, now's the time to do it.]

But, as long as we can pick this up where we left off...I can help you learn your way around your wings.

[Ryou is more than a little touched at the thought that Atem would prefer to laze around the house and also likely in bed with him. He knows that with the wings it's not that easy...

...and he offers no thought at all to the fact that he had also accommodated Atem's wings in whatever form had them. That's just polite. But what Atem is doing is THOUGHTFUL! There's a difference!

Either way, though, it's just as thoughtful that Atem is sacrificing part of his time to this. So Ryou continues to offer scritches. He leans and bumps noses with his bat-faced boyfriend, then affectionately licks his cheek for good measure.]

We don't have to do it long. I just want to get better at having them since...I'll be like this for a while. Then we can catch another nap. I don't think I've ever appreciated a good nap so much as I have lately.

[Atem's bat-purr is louder in his fog form. It's clearly audible, rather than being mostly vibration. The cheek lick brings it back out.]

Okay. We'll get some wing practice in...and then we'll nap!

[He bumps their faces again. Then, a long, narrow tongue slips out to lick Ryou's cheek back. Share scents, show everyone they're attached, they protect each other.

It's with reluctance but resigned determination that Atem hauls himself to his bare, gold-clawed feet. Practice is a good idea. Flying is an important skill...it'll help Ryou to get more comfortable with his wings....]

[Ryou seems pleased with the lick back, and lets out a soft little trill that almost, almost passes as a closed-mouth meow. If they weren't going to wear themselves out further with trying to fly, he would have curled up against Atem's chest right then and there and put his wings to quite a different use--enveloping the other and keeping him close.

But flying. Ryou wants to learn how to do it. There had been something freeing about it, back when he was a vampire in his fog form. He'd been terrible at it then too, but...well, trying to sort it out with Yugi had been nice.

...at least, before Yugi disappeared. It still makes him sad to think of that...but he tries not to linger on it. Instead, he bumps his head under Atem's chin once he's standing, then moves to the door.]

It's kind of strange when I'm shorter than you, isn't it?

[It's said pretty matter of fact, not to jab. The change in perspective is always interesting to him.]

[Out of Atem's room they go! With easy-going casualness:]

I don't find it strange! As long as you don't mind the shape, any height is fine...

[He doesn't feel any different about Ryou whether he's taller or shorter. He only notices the practicalities, and how when he's bigger, the world around him feels smaller...]

What I like about this one is that it lets me fly...and hold you in a different way, with the wings.

[He opens the front door and heads out into the hall, making for the steps that lead up to the roof. He really does like being on the 8th floor...roof access is so easy.]

Oh, I don't mind. I'm just used to things being a certain way after so long. It's nice not having to duck doorways though.

[Being as tall as he usually is can be a menace, Ryou likes that sometimes, his monster switching takes him back to his once-human height. It helps him remember that he was a human, and that he missed it sometimes.

He follows after Atem, laughing awkwardly as he raises a hand to scratch his own cheek at Atem's words. It's not that he thinks it's weird, quite the opposite actually. He's just embarrassed.]

And...I suppose you're right. It's nice having wings and being able to hold someone you care about with extra limbs. I really never put much thought to it, and I've always had four extra limbs as a shade. That's pretty silly, isn't it? I should have been using them to keep you close.

[It's almost as silly as he feels using stairs to go up to the roof anymore. Walking? Why walk when you can phase up? For that reason, he also enjoys living on the highest floor of the complex, but...well, walking is currently necessary]

[At the last possible second, before they go out into the open air, where anyone might be present and anyone might hear--]

I wouldn't have minded that!

[A red-eyed wink -- and then, he's out in the foggy twilight, up on the roof. Better follow him, and be careful how you flirt!!

Although, the roof looks quiet...lucky for them, they have it to themselves...]

I don't imagine you would...

[Thank goodness no one's around, or Ryou might have sputtered incoherently. But...it's just the two of them. Ryou can tell, his ears hear so very much. So he lets it pass, even though his face heats up a bit at the implication.

He heads outside, then lets out a soft, satisfied sigh. Really...he does like it up here. Oftentimes for the darkness he can hide in...but right now, he enjoys the open air.

Once they're out completely in the open, he takes a long, deep breath. Bavan might be a city with a reasonable population...but it still smells decent around here, and besides that, Ryou smells more than just the city air. He smells many things, though not as clearly as he could when he was a werewolf. Still, he can isolate the scents of people they know, vaguely. They must like it up here from time to time as well.]

It's nice out, see? Worth the trip, at the very least.

[A small breeze ruffles through his feathers, and Ryou reflexively spreads his wings, allowing it to move along his primaries and also cool the membrane of his opposite, more fleshy wing.]

It is.

[He likes it up here. That feeling is carried in his tone...the roof's a good place. He has a lot of good memories up here. Atem takes a moment to breathe, too...

...before he turns to teasing.]

Ready to jump off the edge?

Jump? Oh, come now, we can't just jump eight floors down! That's silly!

[Right? Atem couldn't possibly mean it.]

...T-there's got to be a better way, right?

[RIGHT?!?!

Ryou's tail flicks nervously, then he moves closer to the edge, hands clasped to his chest. He doesn't do it on purpose, but all the same, his wing flare wide open, as if to somehow catch him if he slips. If only he could control them better while in actual flight...]

Did anyone teach you, Atem? I think...w-well, the first time that you took this form...wasn't it during the tree event?

[Yes, Ryou calls them events. He may as well just own up to the game rhetoric more openly, he does quantify it as such pretty often.]

[A little more somberly:]

Yes, it was. There was no one around to show me how to use my wings. But everyone I knew was missing...I knew that if I was going to search for my missing friends, the best way to do it was from the air. With my monster type, I was able to pick up speed fast, so I found the nearest hill, and...taught myself.

[It had been frightening. Lonely. Trapped in a new, unfamiliar body, having to learn it by himself...knowing his friends needed help, and knowing that if he messed up, he'd get caught like they did...]

But, of course, I mean a practice round! Jump off of that, back onto the roof, with your wings out. See if you can get some lift.

[He nods at the railing that runs around the roof. It's a few feet high...if Ryou jumps, he might be able to get enough height to glide.]

Don't worry. If anything goes wrong, I'll catch you by the back of your shirt, and make sure you get safely to the ground.

Edited (better format) 2022-05-01 22:37 (UTC)

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casual timeskip, lmk if it's not okay!

timeskip fine!!

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that icon will never not be precious

BATS CUTE

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sorry for this it just happened. i couldn't resist

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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.