i have cut to the feeling on repeat

[keeptrucking]

[Scene: two losers go to a shopping mall, because Daichi was wandering around looking disappointed in himself yet again and Joe has Better Ideas Than That. Daichi can't remember if he was actually asked if he wanted to be here, or if he was simply dragged along for the ride again and couldn't refuse once they were already at the mall. Joe just happens so much at once, despite all of Daichi's half-hearted complaining, so... here they are.

At the mall. Daichi is, at least, not sulking about whatever he was feeling inadequate about before. Instead:]

Man, my feet hurt... [Here, he affects his best (worst) Joe Voice:] Let's go shopping, Daichi! It'll be fun! —It's been nearly three hours and all we have to show for it is one magazine. C'mon, you could have done this without me.

[This menace... Why is he here, Joe? Why??]

Comments

[keeptrucking]

[Joe can be silent and still, but Daichi might make idle commentary. He can't help occasionally criticizing a few minor characters here and there... it's fine. He's witty and totally relaxed now, good job Daichi.]

Can you believe this guy? What kind of detective does his work like a dumb kid?

[Daichi, a professional adult, knows better than whatever this generic detective story is doing. That new flirty thing is... comfortable? But he thinks about it for a second too long, so how about he just reaches up to put his hand over Joe's? Nice. Let him watch more of this before the chill.]

god fuck balls shit dam

[armanyo]

[ before the chill, wow.

but joe lets him do that, mostly because it's much better than the anticipated spazz-fit or shooing away he expected. so he'll allow daichi to continue watching and making commentary. ]

A real amateur.

[ he says in concurrence to daichi's observation, an amused little trill to his words. he's half paying attention to the movie, mostly just watching daichi from the corner of his eyes. ]

embarrassing

[keeptrucking]

[before the chill, the new measurement of time. Daichi will keep holding his hand at this kinda weird angle, scoffing at the terrible detective. Look at him... engrossed. By mystery movies.]

Right? Is this movie about a mystery or a loser? [Daichi is the real amateur here... but never mind that. He's having a good time???]

why are half my accounts starting with a

[armanyo]

[ it's a pseudo-hand-holding but it still counts. given all the awkward encounters today, this is by far the most progress. but he's sincerely glad daichi is enjoying this horrible excuse for a movie. ]

Can't it be both?

[ he snickers, and oh look he'll squeeze that gay ass hand that's over his. ]

clearly you're A+

[keeptrucking]

[Secrets revealed: Daichi is easily plied with totally crappy entertainment. It does help that Joe is, you know, warm and comfortable and other soft gay things like that, but the movie really ties it all together.]

I... guess, but what kind of movie is that? Did you go back to comedy when I wasn't looking?

[This accusation!! He made a very specific request!! This time when Daichi squeezes his hand right back, it's scolding. Very... scolding.]

no you're not allowed to be smooth in daichi's account

[armanyo]

[ so scolding. how dare.

but joe laughs at the accusation and just cocks his head to the side. ]

Eh. When weren't you looking?

[ lazily, his fingers beginning toying with that scolding hand and attempt to slide their way into the spaces between daichi's. listen, it's a complicated process at this angle and at this juncture in this soft gay thing that's happening. ]

oh then i take it back :((( ur just lame

[keeptrucking]

[Yeah, take that. Daichi looks sideways at him - sideways and kind of up, since he's so thoroughly slumped against him here, hm - and... frowns. Or he tries to frown, then his face screws up like he might laugh and he just shakes his head.

The soft gay things are getting out of control, but not out of hand. Badum tsh.]

Forget it. Just remember, you picked the terrible movie, not me.

[He's finally learned he gets to touch hands more if he doesn't make a fuss about it, congratulate him for Keeping Cool.]

that pun.....

[armanyo]

[ the fact that daichi is remaining so cool is admirable. really admirable. it's almost as if he isn't the same idiot that gets kidnapped because he has to use the restroom..... ]

There were no objections~

[ yes, that's a tilde, because joe is actually lilting. he chuckles and tilts his head and why yes, his mouth is incredibly close to daichi's ear. ]

So ... who done it? [ the murder. not the gay things. ]

puns aren't smooth so i'm allowed

[keeptrucking]

[Don't lilt? And leaning so close to his ear is—not enough to ruin his whole cool guy watching a movie vibe, but it's enough to make him tense up for a couple seconds. Hi, Joe.]

M-maybe you should watch the movie and find out.

[yeah.....yeah!! It'd be cooler if he didn't fumble, but he can only do so many things in one day.]

[armanyo]

[ the crazy soda incident probably took all of daichi's cool points for the day, you're right.

joe can't help but notice the tensing. the fact daichi doesn't lean away or smack him upside the head for being a distracting moron is interesting. really interesting.

listen joe is very in tune with his own feelings on this matter but reading daichi is like parsing through ancient greek. he just doesn't speak that language. sorry for the fumbling. ]

Nah, I wanna hear your opinion. The movie will tell me eventually. [ said, accordingly still by his ear. ]

[keeptrucking]

[Look, Daichi's working some things out, give him time. His ancient geek (yes) might be cryptic at best but rest assured it's almost as cryptic to him, too. He vacillates between more-or-less certainty and... this.

It's a work in progress. He knows for a fact that he was having a perfectly good time before he Daichi'd it up again, so that's something.]

I think— I think it was the old lady? [commit, daichi!!] Y-yeah! There's always a twist like that!

[armanyo]

The old lady? Oh man, that'd be great. I bet she kills in her pajamas.

[ joe please.

the ancient geek is strong with this one. he's very patient and will wait however long it takes for this geek to figure out if he wants to netflix and chill or just netflix and banter. it's kind of presumptuous for him to do anything too forward on his part. after all, he's the guy that had a girlfriend and can't take anything seriously. daichi would just think it's a joke. or something? ]

[keeptrucking]

[Besides Daichi being himself and throwing a wrench in the smooth flow of things at the precisely lamest moment, this definitely already looks like a fair amount of chill. Pre-chill. Something.

Daichi knows this, mercifully. He's holding hands with Joe for like the third time today, he knows. He even clued in to that big surprise before he put on Joe's clothes.

...but Joe is more than a little notorious for not taking anything seriously, good self-awareness!! Daichi's struggle is very serious.]

In her robe and fuzzy slippers? That might actually be funny, unlike this detective...

[He may die here making quips...... Here, he'll give it another minute or so and then squeeze Joe's hand again. Cryptic.]

[armanyo]

[ you and your cryptic hand holding? it's not fair. it's really not fair.

joe's brows furrow and he stares at the detective again. he's scrutinize the poor sap. ]

Ehhhhh, a real stick up the ass. I wonder if he knows Ronnie and Yamsy.

[ and yes, his thumb is tracing absent-minded patterns on the back of daichi's hand now. it's subtle, but it's still chill. so chill. it's the chilliest. ]

[keeptrucking]

[It's plenty fair after all that nonsense with the fries. Daichi's unintentional revenge: this.]

Dude, at least they're good at their jobs. Isn't this more like "every other lame JP's agent: the movie"?

[Daichi "I'll talk smack but only when they're far away and can't arrest me" Shijima, laying down the FACTS.

Hand update: not making it weird again. Continue.]

[armanyo]

Heh. I dare you to say that to Yamsy.

[ he'd pay real yen to see that, to be honest. but he has to agree.

so back on the topic of that hand. joe keeps doing what he's doing, in that case. there's only so much you can do with a hand, so there's no real room for an escalation. not yet.

he does find it necessary to remain close to daichi's ear, his laughs coming in quiet, hot bursts. sorry, man. sorry. ]

[keeptrucking]

Do you want me to get in trouble?

[Is he not the butt of everyone's jokes enough, without being actually in trouble with Yamato? Don't do him like that, man.

Meanwhile that's so much Joe, once again. Daichi slouches a little more to escape the laughing, though he winds up just giving Joe a look from down here where he's now resting on his shoulder.]

[armanyo]

[ well then. ]

Haha, it's fine! I'll burst in and play the role of the Knight in Shining Armor.

[ that's not how it works. or does it? is it that simple? either way, joe returns that look with a lop-sided grin, eyes sparkling and downright playful.

he's entirely comfortable sitting like this thank you very much. he's even going to squeeze that hand again. ]

[keeptrucking]

Yeeeaah, that'll totally work. Then when we're both in trouble, Makoto can beg for our freedom. We'll owe her favors for, like, a year.

[See how it's a stupid plan? Because it's stupid. Not that the whole knight thing isn't charming in its own dorky way, and not that Joe right now isn't very... close. And good-looking. Very persuasive things!

But god, it's dumb. Daichi is still giving him a look. In fact he's just looking at him, the Yamato crisis fading quietly into the background. Hmm!]

...Knight, huh? Aren't you already, kinda...? [look he's talking about scarfnapping and it's supposed to be a joke, but also. but also.]

[armanyo]

[ did you just call him a knight? did you? because that's gay, daichi. that's really gay. ]

Heh. You think I'm a Knight? That's probably the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me.

[ look, he's being modest? for once? the hand that isn't with daichi's rubs the back of his neck, because wow? even if daichi meant scarf-napping that's quite the compliment!!! ]

[keeptrucking]

I, uh— [tbh his instinct is to immediately take it back with a lot of no ways and obviously nots, but... he'd feel mean, after Joe takes him seriously...

dang!!!]

I mean, sure? Don't- don't tell anyone I said that, though.

[armanyo]

Oh no, I'm gonna text Hibs right now.

[ please god no.

joe still appreciates it all the same, though, and he squeezes daichi's hand one more time. there's even a playful swing to it afterward. ]

[keeptrucking]

What?! No, whatever you do, don't tell him— [He will tell! Everyone! Everyone will know and they will probably march on Joe's apartment just to make fun of that super gay thing Daichi said??

This is what he assumes, anyway. Love those guys. Give him a moment to realize this wasn't actually serious—] You—nnh. You're gonna give me a heart attack.

[armanyo]

[ CHILL LITTLE SCARF MAN. ]

Oh man. If I was going to give you a heart attack, I have a lot better and clever ways to do it.

[ he wouldn't actually tell hibiki about this. that's too cruel, even for a joker like joe. far too cruel. ]

[keeptrucking]

[nooooo.....]

Yeah, I bet. [He knows he's no match for Joe at this... stuff... whatever this stuff is, ahem.] Well, try not to kill me before the end of the movie, okay?