once more with shitposting

[allweather]

[Reim is loath to think it's convenient that the city needs to be put back together after everything. There's been so much loss, they've all felt it—but having something to do after Pandora is dissolved keeps everyone's minds off those things, more or less, so. It's a little convenient. It keeps people busy, himself included.

Most people, anyway... Reim has more than enough to do, from ironing out the details of the relief efforts (it's-not-Pandora-but-it's-mostly-the-same-people is not a viable organization name, the struggle) to dealing with people on a much more individual level, including trying to integrate the remaining Baskervilles— he's never been more stressed in his life!!

Unlike some people apparently on a quest to ruin the only peace and quiet he has in his schedule - locking himself in his office to eat meals - in between everything else. It's just after he's been to check up on Duke Barma, who is surprisingly... robust, if bedridden, and he's escaped that harrowing exchange only to find his office invaded and some kind of food out. It smells like food. That's not the lunch he ordered??

He sighs. It must be every day of his life at once. He will address... the office:]

Xerxes, come out of there.

[he doesn't even know where, but he Knows it's somewhere.]

Comments

[allweather]

[Okay, first of all.]

I don't want to hear that from you, the man still in his pajamas. And that's still my coat!

[Give him his things back and get dressed and then, maybe, his weird outfit will be fair game. Because, uh, it is weird as all hell. Why is he this way.

More seriously, he adds:] Somebody had to look after you back then. Even if you were acting like you didn't need it.

["back then"......he didn't stop??]

[holloweyed]

[Um, he gave a coat to him and never asked for it back? Even if it's not the same one, that makes all of them his to use. Clearly that's how this works.

But like, don't tell him that. This is getting too sappy for him.]

You didn't have to do anything, Reim. You just cared too much out of some misplaced sympathy for a stranger... and it was quite naive. Where has it gotten you?

[allweather]

[That's not how any of that works and he'll be sure to outline it in detail later, but for now, don't test him!! He's very good at passionate speeches.

He doesn't have a passionate speech planned for this precise moment, luckily. Instead he just says, simply:] Right here.

[Yeah...!! Suck on that!!!]

You should know better by now; I'll never give up that easily.

[holloweyed]

[Oh... That shut him up easier than he expected. Is right here really all that good to Reim, after how difficult he's been? Break considers just not answering, but silence on top of the guilt he's been pretending doesn't exist would eat him alive.

He has the decency not to take another drink, at least. He just lets them walk for a minute before he finally replies.] You should have, recently... I went back to how I was, back then. When I woke up here, I thought... I couldn't protect what's dear to me anymore, and so there was no point to a life in this body. I shouldn't have put you through that.

[allweather]

[Oh- honesty. That's a welcome change, despite the dip into these serious subjects.]

That's right, you shouldn't have. [Reim isn't going to baby him about that, because it was awful. His indulgences go only so far. But.]

Let someone else protect what's important for a change. You've already done enough.

[holloweyed]

[Well, he can deal with not being babied here. That would have been enough to leave it, and he would have gone on to say something superficial to play it off, but then Reim had to go and say something soft like that. How dare he pull on his heartstrings?]

I don't deserve you, Reim. [He sighs, proceeding to lean his head on his shoulder.] ...You can't say things like that when you don't fight, though.

[allweather]

[This sad old man... Reim acts like he's not going to baby him, but he still tugs his hand out of Break's grip to wrap his arm around his shoulders instead, so maybe a little. Sorry, he's not going to agree with anybody not deserving people who care about them!!]

Idiot. I saved your life without fighting! [At least twice? Give him credit or he'll start making a list.] Trying to push me away never works, so don't bother.

[holloweyed]

[It's unexpected, but this is too nice for him to put up a real fuss. He slows their walk instead, leaning his head back like he's actually appreciating the fresh air. Really, he just wants to drag out being held like this for as long as possible.]

I wish I could still see your face when you take that tone. [He puts the newly freed arm around Reim's waist, poking at his side.] You look so determined... it was more cute than it was threatening!

[allweather]

[This guy... Reim lets him be slow and lazy, but that poking hand isn't getting away without a swat from his other hand. Do not!!]

I was also twelve. [Clearly that statement was about his frenzied youth and not, like, a few months ago. Clearly.] And I'm not anymore, so— so let me protect you without complaining!

[Hmph!!]

[holloweyed]

[No poking?? Okay, but he's just going to walk his fingers up his side.]

It never got more intimidating to me. [It just stayed cute...] I don't know if I feel very safe... you're holding me like some strong man, but you're yelling like a child again!

[allweather]

[That's also bad and distracting, stop it. Reim lasts about five seconds before he grabs onto that hand and doesn't let go. No!!]

Because you don't listen to me! Whether you like it or not, that's what I'm going to do!

[Endure him, thanks.]

[holloweyed]

Hmmm? What was that? I wasn't listening.

[This is the man Reim has protected... he's smiling, though, even if he's trying to wiggling his hand free. Let him be annoying!!]

[allweather]

[He should backflip this punk into the sun... He does let go of Break's hand, but moves instead to stop this lazy walk entirely and step in front of him, grabbing him squarely by the shoulders. The only reason Break doesn't get his head boxed like Oz is because he's blind, you're welcome.]

Listen to me now! Stop pretending as if you don't care about anything! Everyone already knows that's a stupid act.

[Spoilers: everyone knows ur soft.]

Before you protect anyone else again, you have to protect yourself. I'll make sure of it!

[holloweyed]

[His shoulders tense, but unlike previous instances, Break makes no effort to push his way out of this. This is mild on the scale of how much Reim can yell at him, so he can't be irritated at getting manhandled. His smile faltered, but it returns more genuine, if a bit somber.]

I care about you. [He reaches up to pull on his cheek initially, but he stops before he starts. His thumb runs over his scar instead.] ... I'll do better, for you.

[allweather]

[...Well. That's better, although Reim has a few choice lectures about doing better for yourself before somebody else, but those can probably wait. If only because of the expression in front of him now, and the touch against his face—]

I think that's the first time you've actually said that to me. [In... FIFTEEN years... but it's fine, he knew all along. Hearing it aloud has stopped him from yelling, at least; his vice grip on Break's shoulders lessens, but he hasn't let go yet.] Xerxes...

[Nnnh... half a dozen things to say, and he hesitates. Damn it, Xerx!!]

You're a moron... and I don't want to lose you. So get your act together.

[holloweyed]

[Break blinks, almost missing what he says after that revelation. It never really occurred to him that he'd never said it for that long? It doesn't even begin to describe how much he feels for him. Give him a minute to process this, he'll even ignore that he's being called a moron.]

I... [He's still holding his face? His brain isn't really working anymore.] I'll have to stick around just to tell you twice as much to make up for it, won't I? I care about you more than anyone, idiot.

[allweather]

[It took him so much effort just to say "I'm glad you're alive," please, Xerxes Break being an emotional wet paper bag is nothing new. Still, Reim is right here as always, to patiently (and sometimes not so patiently) wait out his moments of startling clarity about what a dunce he is. Because he's a moron.

That aside, well—he was there, sort of semiconscious, for at least some of Break's exciting suicide run against the Baskervilles that one time. So. He, at least, isn't shocked by any of this. In that case... first he raps his knuckles against the back of Break's head, scolding. Then he pulls him into a hug, because it's been fifteen goddamn years and he deserves this!!]

I'm not the idiot. [adulthood: this.] You spend so much time dwelling on the past. Try being here for a change.

[holloweyed]

[He musters a laugh from the hit, but it's interrupted by the hitch of breath from being pulled into a hug. They don't usually go to this extent to comfort each other, and Reim doesn't have to, so why this? Why does he have to make it so much harder to be so dispassionate? Thank you, and damn you. He never knows what to do with this fluttering in his chest.]

Right here. [He's too much of a dunce to come up with something else to say, so he just gives up and places both arms around him to hold tight. This is the most effort he's put into touching someone that isn't carrying them around, appreciate it.]

[allweather]

[He appreciates it, don't worry. It's true that they've always handled comforting each other differently - very differently, they're too weird, enough that people at Pandora occasionally thought they weren't even friends - but here, and now... Reim means what he said, even if Break was too shocked by his own emotional hangups to really digest it; he doesn't want to lose this man. It hasn't been long since he almost did, over and over and over—don't make him go through that again. Idiot.

So: a hug. Spending weeks putting Break back together without any time off for himself and his emotions did a number on him, something he probably hasn't acknowledged in any real sense until this very moment. It's all he can do to hold Break against him like he'll find some way to disappear if he lets go too soon. He needs a moment... this is him taking it.]

Now you're listening to me... It's about time.

[They can keep walking... soon.]

[holloweyed]

[It's fine, because Break doesn't really want to go anywhere now that they're like this. All this time avoiding anything sincere, reserving touching to just teasing, and all it's done has left him a cold and confused mess. He makes a noncommittal noise in reply, standing up on his tip toes to bury his face in the crook of his neck.]

... You're too tall. [He finally mutters, muffled by this place he's chosen. Truly, Reim has won against his intense need to self depreciate. It's a feat.]

[allweather]

[This is the biggest accomplishment of his life so far, actually. Leaving aside the way he shifts automatically, before Break even says anything, stooping just enough to relieve Break of the need to lift himself off the ground for this. He'll accept the sore back he's sure to get from staying like this for too long, but know that he will blame Break for it repeatedly.

But now, he's content to stay here and hold him, leaning his cheek against Break's hair. Hmm...]

You're short. [Everyone is short when you're this large.] Don't fuss.

[holloweyed]

Shut up.

[He says, but there's a smile in his voice even if he's trying to hide it. Reim is stupid and much larger than what's acceptable, but he's also kind and considerate and it makes Break feel better than he thought he had the capacity to. Give him another minute of this before he looses his vice grip, withdrawing enough to "look" up at him.]

You're still too cute, you know. You're lucky I'm such a good listener, no one would take you seriously...

[allweather]

[The total fiction he is hearing right now. A good listener...! Since five minutes ago? Please. Reim does give him a look, punctuated with a judgmental little hum so Break knows just how far his eyebrow has risen at this point. It's gone, it's escaping.]

For your information, plenty of people take me very seriously.

[Punk. Give him another brief moment before he lets this hug end, keeping his arm around his shoulders like before. Now: more walking. There's probably a super extra rich people gazebo or something out here, that's where they're going.]

If you're serious about what you said... then that's enough for me.

[holloweyed]

[He appreciates this unnecessary emphasis on his disbelief. It makes him laugh again, which is like, two more times that he would have on a normal day. He places his hand back at back Reim's waist, minus poking at his side this time. He earned the right not to get riled up for maybe ten minutes.]

I keep my promises, Reim. [Like, the serious ones. Not the "I'll do my work on time" ones.] Are we not going back inside already? Maybe you have started to relax more...

[allweather]

[Ten minutes of gazebo time, coming up!! They are clearly not going back inside, since Reim would have fussed about it. He shakes his head, like he can't believe Break has to critique? Every plan?

Good, though; Reim squeezes his shoulder, a big fan of his sappy promises.]

This was your idea... I suppose I don't have to indulge you, so indulge me.

[They're just going to sit out here, which is the same thing they'd do inside, but with less stuffy office air and Reim trying to do work mid-conversation. So appreciate him, thanks.]