Why not? [He rubs the back of his head.] It could be a lot of fun! Seeing what's out there beyond the stars... it's just science fiction where I'm from.
A fantasy that hasn't been realized. We haven't even mastered flight.
[his mouth quirks in a little smile, charmed by that perspective.]
I-it's still kind of a fantasy even where I'm from. I mean--not that it can't be done, but... [he ducks his head briefly, then looks up skyward.] More that...no matter how many times you're out there...it feels like you're a pioneer. There's so much of it out there that we'll never know, so...
Yeah? I can imagine that. [He finds himself looking up at the sky, really wondering what it would be like. What was out there?] It's strange how massive the universe is and we may never know what's all in it.
Still, it must be amazing getting the chance to see it all. You must have so many wild adventures that you could tell me about.
I-if you like! Of course. [his smile takes on a sheepish quality; he's always been one for talking up the railway more than himself, but as for himself, that's a different matter.] My platoon...we've all gone through some crazy stuff together. I mean- maybe...not as crazy as what happens here sometimes, but...it definitely still counts.
[at least in talking like this, Manabu isn't as hyper-aware of their states of undress, or the way his skin periodically prickles with goosebumps before warming over again in the midst of conversation. he's long forgotten the constellation marked on his chest - something he'd spent a few minutes fussing about prior to climbing into the water, even! go figure: he can have a nice time and not be all up in his own head with unease.]
You know you're always welcome to tell me stories about where you're from. [He points out, resting his arm on his knee.] I mean I'd love to hear more about your platoon, and what sort of things you got up to.
[Really he wants to know more about Manabu. Everything that he's willing to share. He feels like he's done an awful lot of talking. Does Manabu know more about him and his friends than he does of Manabu? He hopes that this quiet time together may help shed some light.]
I mean you could tell me anything and I'd enjoy listening. [He grins.] So tell me about a wild adventure you had.
Okay, um... [he looks upward thoughtfully.] Lemme think... There was...when I first joined, falling into the Time Knot... Or the ghost train... Or that weird kid who stole my partner's memory... Or that time this old lady thought I was her son and made all my teammates do chores for me...
[he'll just keep rattling off things until Ryunosuke cuts in to pick one.]
[He can't help but snicker at the last one, because really. Some old lady managed to bully his teammates into doing chores? That must have been quite humorous, but he manages to cut in before he rambles much further.]
Ghost train?
[Sure this sounds like he's asking more about it, but Ryunosuke doesn't really do too well with ghosts. They're just scary, okay!]
[ghost train, huh? Manabu looks back with a lopsided smile. Mako zeroed in on that one, too; must be something detective-y law-types hone in on first? or just a sign of the kind of company Manabu's drawn toward.]
It was...more weird than spooky. I mean, how did a train full of ghosts even happen? And why's it on the official Galaxy Railways registry? [his shoulders shrug up.] I have no idea! But we had to investigate a platform where this young woman's brother vanished from, claiming he was chasing after his late fiancée. Turns out she was right...
[he lifts his hands out of the water to gesture.] It was a real, glowing train! Manned by a standard Railways conductor machine man and everything. Me and Louis -- aa, one of the members of my Platoon, Louis -- we managed to catch a ride on there and find that guy. It was really full of ghosts!
So it was an official train for the Galaxy Railways? [He looks perplexed. How could a ghost train have an official registry?] That is weird.
[But then he starts talking about the ghosts he pales a little. He doesn't like the idea of ghosts, and the idea of being haunted. And considering Japan loves their spirits you can imagine how he deals with stories of that nature.]
S-so you and Louis actually rode the train?! Was it dangerous? [It sounded terrifying, actually. Going through a mysterious train filled with ghostly passengers with no real destination in mind.]
[Manabu, who hasn't glanced the alarmed look on Ryunosuke's face yet on account of looking upward as he recalls, hums a thoughtful sound.]
Mm...I think it might've been if we stayed. But we weren't there for very long. We found the man, got off at the next stop and met up with the rest of the platoon. Aa-! [now he sees the look and hastens to wave off the worry.] But, but it's okay! We got out safe! And got that guy back to his little sister, safe and sound.
That's a relief. [And he looks less worried knowing that they were able to get off the train safely and able to reunite siblings. Sounded like it wasn't as scary as it sounded, but he's pretty sure if he was stuck on a ghost train he'd be pretty terrified.]
I'm glad you were able to reunite them. [A pause.] Was... his late fiancée actually on the train? Or was it just something he conjured in his grief?
[Not that he blames him either way. Losing someone so close would be difficult for anyone. He understands, at least a little bit.]
[Manabu hesitates, his expression growing more somber as it lowers back down, watching the dappled reflections of light on the water.]
Yeah. Yeah, she was there. She...was going to keep him there, even if it meant him dying, too. Until she realized...that wasn't fair. To him. To his sister.
So I think...she's going to stay on that train for a while. Maybe...until he's really ready to meet her there.
[...]
Come to think, I...I don't know how anyone gets on a train like that. That is, I didn't...see anyone I knew there, who likely could've... [his brother. his father.]
I hope that they can be reunited one day. [He smiles a bit.]
Yeah? I was going to ask that... I'm almost glad you didn't see anyone you know. I can only imagine that it would have made it difficult to leave.
[Leaving a loved one behind must have been difficult for that man to do, but he was reunited with his sister in the end. A happy ending in its own way.]
Would you have wanted to see someone on that train?
[he hesitates, shooting a brief glance Ryunosuke's way before his gaze drops again.]
I'm...not sure I would. Want to see them there, I mean. [a beat.] That is--unless...they were happy about it, I mean. Father and Mamoru...both worked on the railway, too. So...if they wanted to be able to keep doing that, protecting people? Then, maybe, but...
[he shrugs his shoulders up, glimpsing the murky reflection of the constellation on his breast just briefly before the water's too disturbed.]
I don't think it would've been really good to see them there.
[Ah. He could understand that. He likely wouldn't want to see his family on the ghost train either. Especially not really knowing their fates and why the train wanted them to begin with. Really the train itself offered up more questions than answers and who would want to be stuck on a train in the afterlife?
There was the grim thought that those who died on the train were destined to remain but he pushes that aside.]
Sorry, I didn't think this topic would go this way. [A rather grim one for a hot spring affair.] Are you all right?
[Because thinking and talking about the death of family members...it's not easy and often it just brings up memories that he may not necessarily want to think about. Ryunosuke certainly doesn't want to talk about his own dealings with death in that regard, certainly not when they're supposed to be relaxing.]
[Manabu startles a little at the sound of an apology, sitting up straight as a board with eyes big, both hands coming up and shaking a little.]
A--i-it's nothing to apologize for! Sorry! It's not like you'd know this or that about the story or...or all those things in the past. [he starts to ease up a bit with a bit of a confused look.] Though I...I guess...you'd know eventually, right? Just by merit of, um...this... [he points back and forth at each of them sheepishly.]
Only when you felt like you were ready to tell me! [He responds, putting up his hands and waving them slightly in a "no" fashion.] I mean I'd like to hear more about you, about where you're from... your family - but when you're ready to talk about it.
[He knows that family is complicated.]
But, I do like knowing more. [He admits with a smile, moving a little closer without it being too close. He reaches out to take Manabu's hand gently.]
[like clockwork, Manabu's hair starts to fluff up with a fresh, static buildup - not the greatest thing when sitting in the water, but if it deters Ryunosuke, it really doesn't show (it does kind of frizz up his hair, too; it's like touching one of those funky static energy balls from Spencer's, which everyone here totally knows about).
he gulps his heart back down, so it just seems content to drum all the faster for it.]
Ye-yeah? [shut up of course he does he's not a liar.] That-- I mean... M-me too! Of course! [he squeezes the hand reflexively, like that stamps in his resolve, but his faltering tone sabotages that pretty quickly:] I just...don't want to mess anything up. Sorry. [his eyes wince.] Jeez, it's making me sound pretty wishywashy....
Don't be sorry. [He pauses, before saying softly.] I don't want to mess anything up either.
[Manabu must know that he wasn't the only one to feel that way. That this was just as nerve-wracking to Ryunosuke as it was for him. He's never been in a relationship before, not really finding himself interested in pursuing one in the past (he was an academic, even if he wasn't the best student).]
For what it's worth, I think you're doing fine. [He chuckles lightly before he leans over and kisses his cheek.] You're enough, Manabu.
[when the hell does it get easy? Mako and Wu make this kind of thing seem like just an everyday thing - like going to the grocery store or cooking... does it really wind up that way? or are they just really good at hiding how giddy and nervous this stuff gets them, too. Manabu would ask, but...jeez, man! it was embarrassing enough when they found out about date one!
...something to think about later, especially when that train of thought is easily derailed by the reassuring kiss. he peeks over the bridge of his nose at him just as you're enough hits his ears, and that's enough to keep him from second-guessing and just tilting his head in to kiss him back. there's no way this gets grocery-store mundane, he's convinced.]
[Mako and Wu did make it look easy didn't they? He doesn't know if it gets easier, or if the nerves eventually fade. What he does know is that he enjoys spending time with Manabu in whatever capacity that takes. He likes Manabu quite a bit, and he'd like to continue getting to know him in any way possible. He smiles as he's kissed back, finding himself emboldened by the action to actually kiss him on the lips.
It's not really a ghost of a kiss, maybe over too quickly by the fact that he shyly backs up once he's done it. It's ridiculous! He shouldn't be as shy as he is but this sort of affection isn't... something he's used to? Isn't something he's used to seeing in public. Maybe it was just the time period he's from - displays of affection weren't meant to be public.
[even a little kiss is a lot, especially when it's still so new; Manabu lingers in place for a couple heartbeats before remembering himself and meekly ducking his head to hide the goofy half-smile tugging on his mouth.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2022-06-13 12:31 am (UTC)A fantasy that hasn't been realized. We haven't even mastered flight.
no subject
Date: 2022-06-13 12:39 am (UTC)I-it's still kind of a fantasy even where I'm from. I mean--not that it can't be done, but... [he ducks his head briefly, then looks up skyward.] More that...no matter how many times you're out there...it feels like you're a pioneer. There's so much of it out there that we'll never know, so...
no subject
Date: 2022-06-13 12:59 am (UTC)Still, it must be amazing getting the chance to see it all. You must have so many wild adventures that you could tell me about.
no subject
Date: 2022-06-13 01:14 am (UTC)[at least in talking like this, Manabu isn't as hyper-aware of their states of undress, or the way his skin periodically prickles with goosebumps before warming over again in the midst of conversation. he's long forgotten the constellation marked on his chest - something he'd spent a few minutes fussing about prior to climbing into the water, even! go figure: he can have a nice time and not be all up in his own head with unease.]
no subject
Date: 2022-06-13 09:02 pm (UTC)[Really he wants to know more about Manabu. Everything that he's willing to share. He feels like he's done an awful lot of talking. Does Manabu know more about him and his friends than he does of Manabu? He hopes that this quiet time together may help shed some light.]
I mean you could tell me anything and I'd enjoy listening. [He grins.] So tell me about a wild adventure you had.
no subject
Date: 2022-06-13 09:11 pm (UTC)[he'll just keep rattling off things until Ryunosuke cuts in to pick one.]
no subject
Date: 2022-06-13 09:20 pm (UTC)Ghost train?
[Sure this sounds like he's asking more about it, but Ryunosuke doesn't really do too well with ghosts. They're just scary, okay!]
That sounds uh...spooky.
[Tell him about it.]
no subject
Date: 2022-06-13 09:28 pm (UTC)It was...more weird than spooky. I mean, how did a train full of ghosts even happen? And why's it on the official Galaxy Railways registry? [his shoulders shrug up.] I have no idea! But we had to investigate a platform where this young woman's brother vanished from, claiming he was chasing after his late fiancée. Turns out she was right...
[he lifts his hands out of the water to gesture.] It was a real, glowing train! Manned by a standard Railways conductor machine man and everything. Me and Louis -- aa, one of the members of my Platoon, Louis -- we managed to catch a ride on there and find that guy. It was really full of ghosts!
no subject
Date: 2022-06-15 12:35 am (UTC)[But then he starts talking about the ghosts he pales a little. He doesn't like the idea of ghosts, and the idea of being haunted. And considering Japan loves their spirits you can imagine how he deals with stories of that nature.]
S-so you and Louis actually rode the train?! Was it dangerous? [It sounded terrifying, actually. Going through a mysterious train filled with ghostly passengers with no real destination in mind.]
no subject
Date: 2022-06-15 12:41 am (UTC)Mm...I think it might've been if we stayed. But we weren't there for very long. We found the man, got off at the next stop and met up with the rest of the platoon. Aa-! [now he sees the look and hastens to wave off the worry.] But, but it's okay! We got out safe! And got that guy back to his little sister, safe and sound.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-04 11:48 am (UTC)I'm glad you were able to reunite them. [A pause.] Was... his late fiancée actually on the train? Or was it just something he conjured in his grief?
[Not that he blames him either way. Losing someone so close would be difficult for anyone. He understands, at least a little bit.]
no subject
Date: 2022-07-04 02:58 pm (UTC)Yeah. Yeah, she was there. She...was going to keep him there, even if it meant him dying, too. Until she realized...that wasn't fair. To him. To his sister.
So I think...she's going to stay on that train for a while. Maybe...until he's really ready to meet her there.
[...]
Come to think, I...I don't know how anyone gets on a train like that. That is, I didn't...see anyone I knew there, who likely could've... [his brother. his father.]
no subject
Date: 2022-07-10 08:11 pm (UTC)Yeah? I was going to ask that... I'm almost glad you didn't see anyone you know. I can only imagine that it would have made it difficult to leave.
[Leaving a loved one behind must have been difficult for that man to do, but he was reunited with his sister in the end. A happy ending in its own way.]
Would you have wanted to see someone on that train?
no subject
Date: 2022-07-10 11:35 pm (UTC)I'm...not sure I would. Want to see them there, I mean. [a beat.] That is--unless...they were happy about it, I mean. Father and Mamoru...both worked on the railway, too. So...if they wanted to be able to keep doing that, protecting people? Then, maybe, but...
[he shrugs his shoulders up, glimpsing the murky reflection of the constellation on his breast just briefly before the water's too disturbed.]
I don't think it would've been really good to see them there.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-13 08:21 pm (UTC)There was the grim thought that those who died on the train were destined to remain but he pushes that aside.]
Sorry, I didn't think this topic would go this way. [A rather grim one for a hot spring affair.] Are you all right?
[Because thinking and talking about the death of family members...it's not easy and often it just brings up memories that he may not necessarily want to think about. Ryunosuke certainly doesn't want to talk about his own dealings with death in that regard, certainly not when they're supposed to be relaxing.]
no subject
Date: 2022-07-13 08:35 pm (UTC)A--i-it's nothing to apologize for! Sorry! It's not like you'd know this or that about the story or...or all those things in the past. [he starts to ease up a bit with a bit of a confused look.] Though I...I guess...you'd know eventually, right? Just by merit of, um...this... [he points back and forth at each of them sheepishly.]
no subject
Date: 2022-07-13 08:46 pm (UTC)[He knows that family is complicated.]
But, I do like knowing more. [He admits with a smile, moving a little closer without it being too close. He reaches out to take Manabu's hand gently.]
no subject
Date: 2022-07-13 08:57 pm (UTC)he gulps his heart back down, so it just seems content to drum all the faster for it.]
Ye-yeah? [shut up of course he does he's not a liar.] That-- I mean... M-me too! Of course! [he squeezes the hand reflexively, like that stamps in his resolve, but his faltering tone sabotages that pretty quickly:] I just...don't want to mess anything up. Sorry. [his eyes wince.] Jeez, it's making me sound pretty wishywashy....
no subject
Date: 2022-07-13 09:02 pm (UTC)[Manabu must know that he wasn't the only one to feel that way. That this was just as nerve-wracking to Ryunosuke as it was for him. He's never been in a relationship before, not really finding himself interested in pursuing one in the past (he was an academic, even if he wasn't the best student).]
For what it's worth, I think you're doing fine. [He chuckles lightly before he leans over and kisses his cheek.] You're enough, Manabu.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-13 09:09 pm (UTC)...something to think about later, especially when that train of thought is easily derailed by the reassuring kiss. he peeks over the bridge of his nose at him just as you're enough hits his ears, and that's enough to keep him from second-guessing and just tilting his head in to kiss him back. there's no way this gets grocery-store mundane, he's convinced.]
no subject
Date: 2022-07-13 09:27 pm (UTC)It's not really a ghost of a kiss, maybe over too quickly by the fact that he shyly backs up once he's done it. It's ridiculous! He shouldn't be as shy as he is but this sort of affection isn't... something he's used to? Isn't something he's used to seeing in public. Maybe it was just the time period he's from - displays of affection weren't meant to be public.
Good thing it's just the two of them right now.]
no subject
Date: 2022-07-13 09:35 pm (UTC)I, ah...I-I get the appeal. Of that. Eh...eheh...
no subject
Date: 2022-07-13 09:59 pm (UTC)Y-yeah? Yeah. [He agrees, rubbing the back of his head.] Good.
[Eloquent.]
no subject
Date: 2022-07-13 10:10 pm (UTC)ah, but:] Uah, we...we should probably...think about getting out of here soon? Not sure how long we been here already...
no subject
Date: 2022-07-13 10:21 pm (UTC)This was nice. We should do it again sometime soon.
[Ryunosuke stretches his arms before he moves to stand.]
(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From: