[Sometime long after he's supposed to be home from helping out at The Roost, Kazuma slips inside their home. He's careful, doing his best to be quiet as he eases the door shut.
He wholly expects Ryunosuke to be sound asleep in bed, it would seem.]
[Ryunosuke is curled up on the couch, legs tucked underneath him as flips through a book in the low lantern light. It's late, he knows it's late, but he can't seem to find the will to sleep knowing what dreams await him.
He glances up when he hears the door and smiles a little.]
[Being greeted at the late hour, especially when he expected Ryunosuke to be asleep, causes Kazuma to freeze on his way toward his room.] You're still awake...
[He resists the urge to pat his hair to check for errant static strands--at least the low lamp light might hide the color in his cheeks. While they may all well be on the same page, there's still something mildly embarrassing at the thought of it being noticed.]
I would have thought you'd gone to bed hours ago. Couldn't sleep, I take it?
Unfortunately, not at all. [He shifts, setting his feet on the floor as he puts a marker in his book.] Though I should probably...at least attempt at some sleep.
[He says, though he doesn't make any more moves to leave the couch.] How was the Roost?
An attempt you likely wouldn't be thinking of making if I hadn't come home. [He knows him too well to not guess at that much. Regardless of the inability to sleep, if he was engrossed in a book, it could have been hours before he thought to put it down.
Despite his own need for sleep and his thoughts to encourage Ryunosuke to make that attempt, he moves to join him on the couch.] The Roost is fine. Despite the hours, it's good to have something of a routine when things are quieter like this.
You caught me there. [He admits with a small laugh.] I just got caught up reading. [Which he started when he couldn't sleep, to begin with.]
I'm glad you found a routine that works for you. [He leans back on the couch, resting his head against the cushioned seating before he glances over at him.] Maybe I should drop by while the two of you are working and grab a drink sometime.
Oh? [He laughs as he settles back against the couch, leaning into Ryunosuke's space.] It would be nice to see you there...I'm sure Manabu would like to have you drop by too.
[Though he can only imagine that it might cause a problem or two if they both managed to fluster Manabu while in the same space. Or it could be hilarious. Oh the potential.]
Are you going to tell me why you couldn't sleep in the first place?
The smile soon fades, however, when Kazuma asks him what is keeping him up. He shifts in his seat, lifting his legs up again to draw his knees to his chest.]
Oh, it's nothing really. It's late. Why don't we try and get some sleep?
You don't really expect me to believe that, do you? That it's nothing...[How could it be? When even the thought of it seemed to cause him to draw up into a defensive ball?]
...Is it what's happened in the past month? [That seems the most likely connection.]
[Caught again. He sighs, turning away from Kazuma as he looks at his feet.]
It's nothing you need to worry about. [He says quietly. His eyes dart over at his question, and he tries not to move, but he slowly nods his head in the affimative. Definitely about what happened in the past month.]
Ryuu...[The attempt to brush him off is met with a sigh. And the confirmation that follows very nearly earns another one. Instead, he shifts to face him more fully. He reaches out, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.]
You must know by now, where you're concerned, I will worry. You mean too much to me, for me to ignore when you are dealing with something. [He looks him over, the concern clearly etched on his face.] You...don't want to talk about it, do you?
It's not a matter of having to worry...I just think it comes with the territory of caring about you.
[He may not have relaxed completely, but it is a relief to see Ryunosuke start to unfurl himself form the defense posture. He knows his partner trusts him, but it still hurts to see him so closed off.]
I understand...I think it is something we need to talk about. Eventually. And I will be here to listen when you are ready to do so. [There was a lot tangled up in it, but Kazuma knows it's not something to press. He was there, he can imagine why he's not in a place where he's willing to talk about it yet.]
Do I really need to talk about it? [He asks, almost with a whine as he rubs his face.] I don't particularly want to relive the details of my demise, but it constantly haunts my dreams.
[He doesn't want to talk, but at the same time, maybe talking will help -- just not now.] I thought if I stayed up late enough exhaustion would take me. So far I'm just tired but not enough to sleep.
I think you do. [He knows it isn't what he wants to hear, but he isn't going to lie to him either.] And if you talked to me, you wouldn't have to go through all the details...
[He'd actually rather not relive it either if he's honest. But Ryunosuke had to talk about it with someone, and he would gladly volunteer.] If you don't make moves to actually process anything, it will only get worse.
...We could try to sleep first if you'd like. It may come easier with some company.
I know. I know, I just... I don't think I'm ready to talk about it.
[Which means it's likely going to need to be forced out of him. He wasn't planning on talking about his death any time soon. What was healthy processing? He still has not processed the Sleeper Farm.]
Company? [He glances over at Kazuma, before he nods.] Company would be nice, actually.
I'm not sure that there is a moment of being truly ready to talk about this sort of thing. You just...have to at some point. [As though he could really talk, when it came right down to it.] I...don't want to force it out of you. But I won't simply let it drop either.
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I just live in your inbox
Date: 2022-10-01 11:13 pm (UTC)He wholly expects Ryunosuke to be sound asleep in bed, it would seem.]
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Date: 2022-10-02 08:56 pm (UTC)He glances up when he hears the door and smiles a little.]
Welcome home, Kazuma.
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Date: 2022-10-02 09:18 pm (UTC)[He resists the urge to pat his hair to check for errant static strands--at least the low lamp light might hide the color in his cheeks. While they may all well be on the same page, there's still something mildly embarrassing at the thought of it being noticed.]
I would have thought you'd gone to bed hours ago. Couldn't sleep, I take it?
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Date: 2022-10-02 09:25 pm (UTC)[He says, though he doesn't make any more moves to leave the couch.] How was the Roost?
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Date: 2022-10-02 09:36 pm (UTC)Despite his own need for sleep and his thoughts to encourage Ryunosuke to make that attempt, he moves to join him on the couch.] The Roost is fine. Despite the hours, it's good to have something of a routine when things are quieter like this.
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Date: 2022-10-02 09:40 pm (UTC)I'm glad you found a routine that works for you. [He leans back on the couch, resting his head against the cushioned seating before he glances over at him.] Maybe I should drop by while the two of you are working and grab a drink sometime.
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Date: 2022-10-02 10:42 pm (UTC)[Though he can only imagine that it might cause a problem or two if they both managed to fluster Manabu while in the same space. Or it could be hilarious. Oh the potential.]
Are you going to tell me why you couldn't sleep in the first place?
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Date: 2022-10-02 11:01 pm (UTC)The smile soon fades, however, when Kazuma asks him what is keeping him up. He shifts in his seat, lifting his legs up again to draw his knees to his chest.]
Oh, it's nothing really. It's late. Why don't we try and get some sleep?
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Date: 2022-10-02 11:05 pm (UTC)...Is it what's happened in the past month? [That seems the most likely connection.]
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Date: 2022-10-02 11:09 pm (UTC)It's nothing you need to worry about. [He says quietly. His eyes dart over at his question, and he tries not to move, but he slowly nods his head in the affimative. Definitely about what happened in the past month.]
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Date: 2022-10-02 11:17 pm (UTC)You must know by now, where you're concerned, I will worry. You mean too much to me, for me to ignore when you are dealing with something. [He looks him over, the concern clearly etched on his face.] You...don't want to talk about it, do you?
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Date: 2022-10-02 11:26 pm (UTC)[He drops one of his feet back onto the floor, trying to unfurl himself, to make himself look more open and less defensive.]
Not particularly. [He hates admitting that cause he knows he can go to Kazuma about anything.]
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Date: 2022-10-02 11:32 pm (UTC)[He may not have relaxed completely, but it is a relief to see Ryunosuke start to unfurl himself form the defense posture. He knows his partner trusts him, but it still hurts to see him so closed off.]
I understand...I think it is something we need to talk about. Eventually. And I will be here to listen when you are ready to do so. [There was a lot tangled up in it, but Kazuma knows it's not something to press. He was there, he can imagine why he's not in a place where he's willing to talk about it yet.]
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Date: 2022-10-03 09:45 pm (UTC)[He doesn't want to talk, but at the same time, maybe talking will help -- just not now.] I thought if I stayed up late enough exhaustion would take me. So far I'm just tired but not enough to sleep.
I'm not sure what else to do.
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Date: 2022-10-03 10:50 pm (UTC)[He'd actually rather not relive it either if he's honest. But Ryunosuke had to talk about it with someone, and he would gladly volunteer.] If you don't make moves to actually process anything, it will only get worse.
...We could try to sleep first if you'd like. It may come easier with some company.
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Date: 2022-10-03 11:33 pm (UTC)[Which means it's likely going to need to be forced out of him. He wasn't planning on talking about his death any time soon. What was healthy processing? He still has not processed the Sleeper Farm.]
Company? [He glances over at Kazuma, before he nods.] Company would be nice, actually.
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Date: 2022-10-03 11:36 pm (UTC)[Stubborn.]
...Yours or mine?