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Entry tags:
- *event,
- ace attorney: miles edgeworth,
- arrow: felicity smoak,
- cardfight!! vanguard: ren suzugamori,
- covert affairs: annie walker,
- critical role: caleb widogast,
- critical role: mollymauk tealeaf,
- critical role: nott,
- doctor who: jenny,
- ffxv: ignis scientia,
- ffxv: prompto argentum,
- got: loras tyrell,
- gundam: duo maxwell,
- it: richie tozier,
- kingdom hearts: axel,
- kingdom hearts: kairi,
- kingdom hearts: roxas,
- little witch academia: diana cavendish,
- love live: yoshiko tsushima,
- marvel 616: bucky barnes,
- marvel 616: natasha romanoff,
- mcu: bucky barnes,
- mcu: rocket raccoon,
- mcu: steve rogers,
- one piece: trafalgar law,
- outlander: brianna randall,
- outlander: claire fraser,
- overwatch: jack morrison (soldier 76),
- penumbra podcast: juno steel,
- penumbra podcast: peter nureyev,
- punisher: frank castle,
- saiyuki: genjo sanzo,
- star trek: james t. kirk,
- star trek: kathryn janeway,
- star wars: luke skywalker,
- star wars: padme amidala,
- stargate: john sheppard,
- stargate: tamara johansen,
- tasm: peter parker,
- the 100: emori,
- the 100: john murphy,
- the punisher: frank castle,
- torchwood: ianto jones,
- torchwood: jack harkness,
- voltron: allura
❪ event ❫ spirited away
|
PRELUDE Entry to the forest is not only overgrown with vegetation, but seems to be growing at an increasingly alarming rate. Any attempts to clear the vines will be met with even larger ones growing in its place, and it only confirms Nurray's findings as true. The only way in is across the sound from Nadril, entering the forest from its snowy back yard. It doesn't stay cold for long; as one ventures further into the forest, the snow will disappear, as though it was completely out of place in the first place. The red sun's warmth will take its place soon after— and before long, you'll feel too warm for the clothes you came with. That's when you know you've entered the heart of Josa Forest. WITHIN THE FOREST  The forest seems to be thick with a profound presence that can’t be ascertained. While venturing through it, one will feel like there are being watched or followed. This feeling will only intensify as metallic-scented drops of rain begin to fall between the clearings in the trees. Unfortunately, what many don’t realize at this point is that this is how the forest itself eats. How it subsists and lives through the minds of those who eventually get lost in it. Wandering this far in is akin to walking into a lion’s jaw, or rather… straight to its stomach. But, the forest has a way of making one stay. While it swallows someone up, it shows them sinfully beautiful and picturesque sights. Even showing them people or things that are familiar to the lost. All of which will urge them to go in deeper and deeper. But, while the forest begins to prey on the mind of their victim— they will suddenly hear an elegant and alluring voice urging them back. This voice promises them comfort and safety. Promises to be kind and open. Promises she has a place for them where they will never feel displaced or unwanted, or lost. Before they can fully accept, they will find that they are whisked away in Barthala’s embrace. Some will be taken, wiped of all their previous memories and inserted new ones. Others will find they have no prior memories at all of themselves, only urged to go on with regular life. What is prevalent is the forest's desire to turn you. Metamorphosis is a phenomenon that occurs only to certain individuals, and there is no rhyme or reason to them. Some adventurers would find themselves changing by the minute, the hour, or the process may even take days and weeks. The forest toys with you, but it only wants to draw you closer to its core — as though there's a story there it wants you to see and understand. Will you go on anyway, knowing the forest has already has its claws on you? I. ALL ROADS LEAD TO — YOUR NEW (NEW) LIFE  Adapting to an entirely new setting isn’t always so simple. People often say that assimilating oneself to the environment happens fluidly, and before you know it, you’re a part of it. In Dranbu, these words hold an uncanny sense of truth. When you awake, your day begins like it always has. Your daily routine meets largely unchanged, except a few tinier details. Perhaps, you’ve realized your true calling is an occupation within the villages itself. Maybe in farming up strange medical herbs, maybe in acting as a witch doctor for the people, or maybe you find yourself drawn to the arts and you really enjoy sculpting fellow villagers in the nude. Once you commit these tasks, you realize, it feels like what you’ve always done. As if it were natural, as if you’ve done them for years, and maybe you have? At least that’s what your gut is telling you, and slowly your memories will too. At the end of the day, when you return home, you realize you’re not alone. You have a partner who shares the same values and whom you love deeply. Or maybe a spouse whom you’re always arguing with. But, even that will feel as commonplace as the rest of your day. All you know is that the day that might have started off not being yours is entirely yours and yours alone. IV. THE HUNT — THE BOUNDARIES BEYOND  For some, placated is synonymous with bored. While there is a sense of wonder in the beauties of nature that adorn the woods, serene forest life isn't for everyone. Those seeking more adventure can explore the challenging slopes of Waco Mountain. Barthala's influence is weaker on those bluffs than in Josa Forest itself, so thrill chasers won't be disappointed. Lose the path, slip on loose rocks, fall into a stream and spend a night wet and cold, there are many perils that come with traveling a mountain-side. Scattered ruins offer some shelter, their walls carved with images resembling Barthala, a dragon, and three other stranger creatures. While the deity's pacification does not flow as deeply through this region, all are still save from mortal wounds, and the veil cast over their memories will not lessen. If you have made it this far, however, there is no reason to try to return to the main city of Dranbu. Accommodations are always available in the neighboring villages: Phares in the north, and Stroln in the south. These villages are in friendly competition with one another, and will tempt travelers with women and men of their kind in order to draw in business to their hotels. FINAL OOC NOTES
No REP is available for this log. REP will now be primarily available through achieving NPC quests, which will be available on the 19th! Please keep an eye out for that!
Dranbu is entirely available for exploration! You may find that most of Wyver and Olympia Flora/Fauna may be found in the forest as well. For more information on your characters' (opt-in) Metamorphosis, please refer to the November Outline!
QUICK NAV
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a little aii, a little c.
If you're talking about why it's suddenly like a million degrees hotter [ juno don't exaggerate ] in this one clearing, then I guess? Jeez...
[ he looks over at ren and then quickly stalks over towards the tree line, as if he can somehow figure out the difference between this area and the one outside it. unfortunately, juno's no scientist. nor is he familiar with most greenery - mars is practically a desert after all. ] The hell is going on here...
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For now, his tone remains light and amused even as his fingers pinch a little deeper into his coat pockets.] You're the detective, aren't you, Juno-san? Maybe it'll be a good way to keep your skills sharp to figure it all out. It does feel a little bit strange, though, doesn't it...?
[Strange and warm and...oddly sensitive, and that's what pings Ren to what the feeling reminds him of with a brief blink of realisation. When he and Molly had been transporting goods for Koralle and Molly had insisted on double-checking the crates' contents, he'd had the same sort of feeling from what escaped. It's not the full effect of what they'd been transporting, nor had it been then, but there's a certain similarity to the feeling Ren got from those faint aphrodisiac fumes back then that he's definitely noting, because it might spell trouble if it goes on too long.]
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[ he grumbles just a bit more as he walks the perimeter of the clearing, each footstep feeling uncomfortably heavier than the last. this forest makes you all kinds of... exhausted... or hot and somewhat bothered. enough that juno's shoulders are itching underneath the layers he keeps on, along where his blaster is strapped. he turns to take a look at ren before walking over to meet him, having found nothing too remarkable in the area he'd been pacing.
but the closer he gets to ren, well, there's something to be found there by the time he meets him, shoulder to shoulder.
and there's no real preamble to what he does next, reaching out with a hand and taking a free cluster of strands of ren's hair, holding it up a bit. against his fingers, there's a fine sort of powder, scattered among the strands. it's too much to have been dumped on him, rather...
he tilts his head. ]
You've got this stuff on you.
[ his touch lingers, if only because he totally has to keep looking right? fingers draped in red strands of hair, eyeing the fine granules that look like motes of dust. ]
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That just makes me think I should take you to see more...missing out on something as beautiful as that for such a long time means there's a lot to make up for, right?
[Maybe one day he could even take him to Zoo, the forested nation of Cray that he can still conjure in his psychic images, but...well, that's for when he actually ever admits to anyone he has those powers.
The thought, however, distracts him - gaze zoning out still watching Juno, making it look somewhat like he's staring at him rather than through him and somewhere into the abyss - until Juno steps up close to him and he starts back to reality with another blink. He's never one to complain about a little playing with his hair, but what Juno points out on it is definitely something worth paying attention to, and Ren slips a little bit of his own hair through his fingers as well to investigate it more closely.
Wouldn't want to interrupt Juno's attentiveness to his own section, after all.]
It's pollen...but this is a lot even for walking through a forest... [Raising his head, he scans the top of Juno's hair, and with no hesitation on his own part, brushes his fingers through the top of it a bit, fingers toying through the brown curls. it's harder to see on Juno since his hair is shorter, but he's definitely got some too.] It's in your hair too, actually.
[He twirls his finger through that bit of Juno's hair delicately and lazily, apparently not interested in withdrawing just yet either, especially since this has only gotten him more suspicious. The crate Ren had seen the contents of that time had been fruit, after all - plant material, if not quite the same type.
Somewhat cautiously, Ren lifts the section of his own hair he's threaded through his fingers up in front of his face and breathes in. There's some faint difference in the air quality that's developed over a while of their progress through the forest, but scenting the pollen up close makes it much more obvious - a subtle, but pleasing and warming scent that makes his skin prickle that little bit more acutely.]
Hmm...so it's like that, is it...? [His tone is soft and thoughtful, and perhaps slightly amused. It's probably a good thing his hands are currently occupied, otherwise he might need to shove them back into his pockets for his self-control's sake.]
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in any case, the moment ren's fingers toy just a bit at some of his hair, he stops, touch slipping a little from the pollen and the hair and everything else. ]
It's like what?
[ concern edges in his voice, particularly at how amused ren sounds (it's faint but it's there and that alone has juno questioning just what the hell this stuff is.) juno knows what pollen is in theory, that'd be silly if he didn't. there are plans on mars, after all, they just don't grow naturally there. ]
You think it's poison?
[ could attribute to the warm feeling, flushing slightly down his neck, creeping like a hand at the base of it, more pleasant than not, but also somewhat paranoia-inducing, as is typical of juno's immediate assumptions. ]
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[It's just like Juno to assume poison, though. He probably has more experience with what the feeling actually is than Ren would at this point, but he can't say it doesn't have some similarities to things like fear or sickness - warmth, heat, high heart rate.
Ren's fingers toy with his own hair a little as he observes Juno's reaction a bit, because he's certainly being attentive in a very fun sort of way to the bit he's holding. In the meantime, his other hand keeps wandering its way through Juno's curls akin to someone absently petting a cat, because...why not, right?]
It's not very fun if I just tell you, though... [Even if Juno's probably going to worry himself into a lather over it if he doesn't, which is equally undesirable. Making a compromise with himself, he lets out a reluctant, amused sigh.] Surely you can think of a good kind of feeling that makes you warm and sensitive and attentive, right?
[He gives a significant glance to where Juno's fingers are still threaded through Ren's hair. If Juno doesn't get it from that hint, he supposes he might take pity just for the sake of if things get any worse. Ren has far more self-control than one would probably assume by now, so though he's definitely feeling the aphrodisiac that much more now that he intentionally breathed it in, he's mostly keeping the effects squashed down for now. How long that's actually going to last is the real question, though, and he'd rather this not go sour in a bad way.]
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the fact that ren almost wants to make a game of it, tells him that a) he must know what this crap is and b) he's not all that concerned about it in the way juno is. it doesn't lessen his anxiety over the whole situation any less, being covered in some weird dust that makes his skin crawl.
he lets out a sound, a strangled groan.
because the hint alone makes it pretty clear enough that while this stuff is benign it's not as benign as juno might like. ] I... okay, okay, I get it. I... damn it.
[ withering, because it's not the best situation to be in, not in the middle of the woods and definitely not walking through them with someone that juno, for the most part, considers a friend. still. the touch is still there, and it's almost like he isn't aware that he's still this close and that one finger is just very idly winding around a thick lock of it. ]
So what, you think we can like... wash this stuff off or...? [ look this isn't something he deals with on the regular. ]
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It's not going to do anything about what we've already breathed in...though I suppose it might stop it from getting too much worse. Until we have to keep walking and probably walk under it again. [There's a shrug at that. Ren's not overly fussed about it - Juno might be more on the lines of friend, but it's also a situation where he doubts either of them would have particular regrets about it escalating - but he does prefer to make his own choices about this sort of thing. It feels too much like he's fulfilling something else's whims otherwise.
With a slight, knowing smile, he trails his fingers down the lock of hair that Juno is winding his finger around, and takes Juno's hand once he reaches it.] We'll need to find some water for that, but if you really want to pull my hair, I'll keep that in mind for later.
[Ren gives him a rather wry wink before turning to see if there's anywhere close by they could use for washing - it's mostly greenery around this particular part, but he imagines if they want a spring or waterfall, the forest will provide before long.]
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[ it's true, it won't do any good in terms of what they've already ingested from just being out here, but juno's keen on at least getting the crawling feeling off of his skin. there's a weird violation about it that he's not keen on.
like right now when ren touches his hand. it's electrifying and he blinks like he's been in a trance all this time, a sharp flutter of lashes as his fingers curl just a bit around the touch and he "uh"s numbly. he doesn't get much word in before ren turns around, already searching it looks like, and juno joins him in the same, though his hand doesn't leave his. he could pull it back at any time, but there's a satisfying comfort in the touch enough that he doesn't let go.
the wandering they do doesn't last long, following the path through the grotto. as the forest tends to do, it provides for their need - water in the form of a small clearing, craggy waterfall, lush grass, trees that drape forward as if to shield the area from lookers on.
he lets out a sigh, and maybe it's in slight amazement because... well. it is beautiful (he wonders for half a beat if this is what nureyev always feels like, with his habits of roaming - new places that take your breath away so easily, strangely stunning in how they present themselves.)
it almost helps him forget about the aphrodisiac sticking to his skin, and likely his insides from the exploring they've done.
when he lets go of ren's hand, he feels only slightly bereft, fingers already climbing up to shuck his coat off down to his elbows. ] That's as close to a shower as we're gonna get. I'll take it.
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Sure enough, they're welcomed with water soon enough, and Ren smiles slightly at the sight of the waterfall. This sort of thing is familiar enough to him that he has a bit more control over himself than Juno, but he's definitely not going to tease him too much for reacting like that when he comes from somewhere like Mars.
His fingers twitch a bit when Juno lets go of his hand, but he distracts the fidget soon enough, shedding his coat fully already and neatly folding it around some kind of lump inside. Juno might remember the inner pocket Ren kept his deck in from their first conversation.]
Haven't you ever bathed in a natural spring before, Juno-san? It's basically the same thing. They don't seem to be as common here as where I came from, but there's still a few like it, I think.
[That might explain the readiness with which he's unbuttoning his shirt (though leaving his black collar in place for now), revealing skin just as unmarked and smooth as the rest of it underneath. He may or may not be staring Juno right in the face as he does it, though, a slight and amused smile playing around his mouth.]
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No, never - they don't really exist unless they're man made in like. Some hotel or whatever.
[ there's a soft whisper somewhere against the nape of his neck, warm like summer on some arboreal planet, the rustling of the leaves on the tree branches bringing him to huff slightly and let his jacket drop into his hands. he doesn't fold it half as neatly, merely draping it over his arm and then draping it over that again to create a kind of lump, setting it down away from the water along with his gun and holster.
that works.
the fact that ren's looking at him now rather pointedly as he unbuttons his shirt brings him to stare back with a semi deer in the headlights look. he's not shy but he is
definitely not used to this. out in the open. so when his shirt comes off, it's pulled haphazardly over his head, sliding down his arms and revealing a vastly different landscape. juno's hands are scarred up, sure, and his forearms are sometimes privy for the view of some if he's dropped his jacket off, but the rest of his body is a veritable road map of where he's been - an errant knife, a laser burn. there's half a moment's worth of hesitation as the balmy air hits his skin before he gives the shirt a haphazard toss to the side to join his coat. ]
So what, you like do this all the time back home?
[ god he's hot and it's taking ever ounce of his nerve to not find some way to cover his face that feels like it's burning down his neck. ]
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[He's not even just saying that out of personal amusement with Juno's general discomfort with these kinds of situations - it's definitely a very different beast to any manufactured version of it. That's just how nature is, to him.
He's distracted very quickly from that train of thought by Juno's reaction to the shirt unbuttoning, though, and Ren's smile twitches that little bit wider at the almost stunned look he gets in response. He hesitates a moment to watch Juno shed his own shirt, sliding his own off much more carefully and folding it up as well before he sets it down. He's not really paying much attention to it as he does, instead taking the opportunity to pick over Juno's scars with his gaze. The movement of his pupils pauses, briefly, every few moments, taking a disturbingly accurate catalogue of every sensitive point that's been wounded before. In comparison, Ren's chest is completely unmarked - it seems like he hasn't even been hiding anything in the way of scars - and his gaze travels up slowly from Juno's chest to his flushed face with visible amusement.]
Public bathing was kind of a thing in my culture, so I did it often enough-- [He stops, however, before he can explain further, eyes having flicked to one of Juno's arms. Speaking of back home...
Brow furrowed slightly in curiosity, he reaches out for the arm with the tattoo, drawing it out a little more to confirm his initial impression.] This is Benzaiten, isn't it...?
[He supposes some gods must have made it to Mars, considering Juno's name, but it's interesting to see one that's familiar to him...and particularly in this kind of context. That's a significant amount of skin to dedicate to the image of a god, even for someone devout, which he doesn't get the impression Juno is.]
Though you don't exactly seem like the religious type. [His head tilts slightly, a silent inquiry. Maybe it has some other significance.]
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but ben's too much to lie about when he's warmed over and flustered and emotions feel like strange beasts trying to claw their way out of his stomach. ]
Got me there. I'm not...
[ he's not the religious type. hell, he'd scoffed when nureyev had pointed out the relation of his own name to the goddess of ancient myth. it's funny, their names.
were it anyone else, juno might not even give an answer, just say it looked cool or whatever or it was a mistake from when he was younger. but it's not a mistake and ren isn't a total stranger. he's saved his ass a couple of times, weirdly stuck to him. he's familiar at this point. a friend? a friend. wow. ]
My brother, Benzaiten. [ he pulls his arm away. had a brother. he doesn't elaborate on that. ] Benten. Funny, right?
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Juno doesn't really need to elaborate on it, honestly. A tattoo that large would be a rarity to dedicate to a living relative, but in combination with the flinching, the hesitation and how soon Juno pulls his arm away, as if he wants to dodge the subject despite it already having been raised, there's very little else that would explain it. Condolences or sympathies seem unfitting for a loss that's obviously quite old, though, and especially one he doesn't know the details of, so after a moment, he simply hums some kind of affirmative to Juno's question, and follows it with the only thing that feels appropriate right now.] It's a beautiful memorial.
[Which Juno clearly doesn't want to talk about that much, and while Ren can be nosy, he does have a bit more respect for the legitimately wounding topics. Being careless about that can cause more harm to people he cares about than he'd like, so what he does instead is...tap the side of Juno's face as if calling him to attention before turning on the spot, making his half of a skirt twirl out to one side...and a good amount of his hair slap Juno in the face on the way through.]
But I guess I shouldn't distract you when you were so eager to strip yourself down for me, right?
[Okay, so it's not technically "for him", but he feels like that's more likely to be distractingly annoying to hear.]
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Hey!
[ juno waves at it sharply and shaking his head. ren's hair is still full of pollen and he shakes his head just a bit as he waves it away. there's a moment where juno's at a lack for words, a rarity, and he stares a moment at how utterly untouched ren looks. it'd maybe make sense, considering his occupation back home.
but that much unmarked skin is unusual in comparison to what juno stares at in the mirror. and it might take him a few slack-jawed moments between being smacked with hair (that he wishes he had a handful of in a brief flash of intrusive thoughts) and now to speak. ]
- Wait, what? For you? No?
[ (that's a question, not denial, juno.)
the hurry of it all and the flustering words are a pretty good distraction, and juno takes it, latches onto it because distractions mean he doesn't have to tell the whole truth, just some of it. the parts he's comfortable with. he leans against a tree and shakes his head, reaching down to undo the clasps on his boots.
there's a stiltedness to it as he starts to take one off, but briefly juno appreciates it (face full of hair aside). it's like his shoulders suddenly slacken a little more at the act, an excuse to drop it as he tosses one to the side and goes for the other boot.
it's nice. to just drop it. ]
Unless you actually like getting covered in weird... creepy flower pollen and having to strip down in the middle of the woods.
[ this wouldn't surprise him. ]
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The fact that Juno's denial sounds more like he's asking himself if it's the case doesn't help his amusement any, and Ren's grin widens even as he flicks his skirt up in a somewhat teasing manner as if to say he should be more sure. With the angle of Ren's hips right now, the flick momentarily reveals the handle of that tiny dagger of his just visible above the edge of one of the pockets the skirt would normally hide.]
Hmm, mostly I don't like the idea of following along with something else's whims, but I guess as long as it's interesting, I don't mind too much. I'm surprised you're acting so grumpy about it, since you sounded pretty uncertain just now. Are you sure you didn't come up with this idea because you wanted to show off~?
[Ren's a bit like a shark when it comes to situations like this - as soon as he smells blood, he just keeps going for it, and the pollen isn't really helping that urge. Especially since Juno has a way of getting cutely flustered about things that makes it way too tempting not to tease him as much as possible when he gets the chance.
As he speaks, he hooks one foot around the back of the other to slip out of his boots one foot at a time - they're low ankle boots, though that's usually hidden by the length of his pants. It's an almost skillful motion, considering how useful getting one's footwear off quickly is where he comes from, and a lot quicker than Juno's ponderous removal of his own footwear.]
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[ which in juno's mind is the truth. he gives the other boot a final toss to join the other along with his socks, and if you think he's taking off his trousers, he's absolutely not, instead rolling them up to the knee and letting that be that. it's enough time to get the blood to leave his face, so when he looks ren in the eye, a single brow raised, he can look a good degree less flustered than before.
it's just in time to catch the little reveal of the handle of what looks to be a knife just along the line of ren's half skirt, and juno smiles just a bit at him. there's more fondness in it than usual, something juno doesn't catch and stuff away this time. he pushes off of the tree and grabs his blaster to tuck into the back of his trousers in an easy motion, practiced. the way you're absolutely not supposed to, but since when has juno ever been one for convention in this way? ]
In fact, I think you're way more into showing off than I am. [ he eyes the skirt pointedly. don't get flustered, don't get flustered, none of that, nope. ]
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He dips his back perhaps slightly more than necessary to do so, so his hips are still sticking out just enough. Juno's observation gets a faint laugh out of him as he straightens up, sweeping his hair out of his face as he takes a few measured steps closer that puts him just firmly into "uncomfortably close". His head tilts slightly as he looks down at Juno, as if he knows something he doesn't.]
But that's the funny thing, isn't it? I've never had a problem with showing off. You're the one who's always more stubborn about it, and yet here you are-- [And here Ren's hand is, rather suddenly, fingertips gentle yet commanding with their slight push beneath Juno's chin.] --putting your cute gun in dangerous places and trying to make yourself look like a challenge. Though I guess if you keep the cute smile, it might distract me from wondering if I should have worn my other boots.
[His normal boots aren't ideal for stepping on people, but boy is Juno's attempt at posturing making him want to try.]
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Oh yeah? [ his voice is pitched more than he'd like. between the proximity, close, thigh to hip nearly and the scent that's still lingering on the air even with the mist and water, juno's trying to find some sort of verbal ground to stand on. ] More like I hate getting caught off guard and the holster chafes without a shirt. [ excuses: he's got 'em. ]
Besides, [ it spills out before he can catch it, impulsive, you have to take it from him. ] if I don't make you work for that smile, what's the point?
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You know I've got a few tricks up my sleeve, though, so that's not much excuse~ [Juno doesn't technically need the gun, because Ren could more than likely flatten anything that menaced them at least long enough for Juno to get it, but he does give a conceding hum to the point about working for it.] I guess it's true that it wouldn't be quite as fun if you just gave it up that easily.
[He comes a little closer, measured, fingers soft enough to move away from easily if Juno wants and yet echoing that little bit of a demand. Ren's smiling face settles no more than a few inches from Juno's.]
So, since you wanted to wash up so much, you should go ahead, right?
[His breath touches against Juno's face, the long hairs of his fringe almost reaching far enough to tickle it as well, and he'd really like to see how much self-control it's going to take Juno to walk away from him in this situation.]
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there's a half beat where maybe juno might lean in to kiss, but instead all it ends up being is the light brushing of noses as juno presses forward. and then steps to the side, reaching out to take ren's wrist and looking very resolute in his choice. ]
Don't mind if I do. And I'll take you with me.
[ because water is totally going to make this absolutely better and not worse. it's going to clear his head and it's going to make him forget away the twisting knot in his stomach or the warmth of ren's breath against his skin. ]
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Well, I guess that's one excuse. [He turns his wrist over in Juno's grip, long fingers circling around Juno's wrist in return. The curve of his nails dips just slightly into the skin as he raises the hand not quite to his mouth, as if to kiss it as a knight would to a princess, though his eyes are unwavering in watching how Juno reacts.]
I'm honoured to have the escort of such a thoughtful lady. [Again, his breath strokes over skin, and his voice is just as warm and inviting as the breath is, honestly. Even with the pollen affecting him just as much as it is Juno, Ren doesn't fluster or even show any signs of having lost any kind of control over the situation, merely taking his entertainment as he pleases like he would any other time.]
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[ that's it. that's the reaction, a turn of the head following because that's a surprisingly weird series of words that definitely just came out of ren's mouth that he wasn't expecting. that and the combination of warm breath against his knuckles, fingers curled around his wrist. it makes his insides turn again, something in his throat hard and difficult to push down. juno fights because that's how he is in nature, and the warmth of the pollen soothes back, already present and accounted for whether he washes it off or not.
it's futile and he knows it, be he doesn't care. that's just how he likes it, to fight the world head on.
except the world occasionally likes to fight back, like when he resumes to take a step back and his heel catches on something (an uneven raise in the earth perfectly made for tripping.) and well. ]
Crap!
[ gravity does the rest, with a pointed jerk to ren's arm given in turn because if they're gonna hit the water, then juno's going to make the most of it. ]
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He's not really paying attention to Juno's feet either, though, which means Juno achieves one thing by tripping over and dragging Ren with him - what's likely the most genuinely surprised look he's had the chance to see on Ren yet. There's an almost vague hum of surprise from his throat that comes with it, but that's all the reaction he really gets time for before they're toppling.
One thing Juno doesn't know about Ren, he's about to learn a big lesson in: Ren falls far harder than someone in his wispy weight class has any right to. The initial landing just about slams them both underwater - the water's barely deep enough to accommodate both of them on top of each other, perhaps thankfully - but Ren's either momentarily dazed by what happened or wants to see if Juno reacts first, because he makes no effort to break the surface just yet, head resting somewhere around the join of Juno's neck and shoulder and hand still clinging to his wrist a little.
At least he's light enough to shift easily.]
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juno will never know or understand. especially when he hits the water and feels the impact against his spine and the back of his head. it doesn't hurt so much as it shocks him, particularly when he goes under for that one brief second and surfaces in a flurry of sputtering gasps. where he was half hoping the water might be a cold shock, it's not. it's actually... well. it's warm. not weirdly warm, just perfect.
the fingers around his wrist are still there and very present, but ren's head is a weight against his shoulder that he has to shrug (softly) just a little bit. it's not rude, so much as it's just to try and stir him out a little - ]
You okay? Hey...
[ rough, full of breath, but the weight and the warmth and the feeling of ren's face in his shoulder is enough to get him to wriggle his other hand from the water and bring it up just a bit to help. where he might desperately drag him out, instead he tries to pull him up further onto his chest, wet hair and all, reaching up with both hands now to just push some of ren's hair out of his face.
it's still soft, even wet, and for a moment, juno's fingers catch there, stay where they are as he situates ren a little further out of the water and onto him, each movement worse than the last because what he really wants to do is press up closer. water was supposed to maybe make this better, but it just feels worse in the best of ways, enough that a thumb is trailing soft along ren's jaw as he speaks again. his hands don't want to leave. ]
I meant to do that. Just saying. The falling thing. [ a half laugh, and it's close. ] Never seen you look so surprised before.
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surprise i'm back after literally forever
wiggles brows
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