Guys' Night [OPEN]

[seafloor]

WHO: Dudes, dude. Bring all your dudely Outsiders, bro.
WHAT: Man I sure wish I could tell you Cracking a cold one open with the boys
WHERE: The Onsen
WHEN: 4/11
WARNINGS: Alcohol, nudity, dad jokes... This'll be updated accordingly

[ A few days after the girls have had their fun (cause girls just wanna have fun), another blanket text sweeps over the Outsiders' inboxes. This time, it's from Kaito: and he is proposing a very original idea that all the guys should come by the hot springs in a few days' time. Gossip and bathing are optional, but an empty stomach is mandatory.

Several pictures of newly purchased smokers, grills, and even a fucking pizza oven can be seen at various points throughout the message. There are also mountains of stacked beer and soda cases. Kaito's apparently going to be cooking enough to feed the whole base, or so he purports.

Where did he get all the money for this? Whatever, it's free!

He also adds in no uncertain terms that if any girls try to show up and sneak a snack, he will send them home with a stern warning and a bottle of water.

If you take him up on the invitation, welcome! It's a spring cookout and Pitmaster Kaito Nagano is going to be serving up enough barbeque to temporarily turn the onsen area into a Texan territory within Japan. Seriously, there's gonna be a metric fuckton of food and booze, and the hot springs will be right there when you're ready to get hot and hungover.

There are absolutely no plans after food. Feel free to stick around and socialize, but you will not be publicly shamed for just yoinking a plate and dip setting. Probably.

Aside from the barbeque, there are some horseshoes and cornhole boards set up (google it, it's safe, this is not a bit it's just a funny name for an american game) for dudes to try their hand-eye coordination at after having one too many drinks.

If you're feeling particularly brave, Kaito's got an ice box full of artificial fish (all the meat's artificial, let's be real) that you can try to attract a feral cat with. Good luck. ]

(( ooc: hello yes i didn't want The Boys™ to feel left out so feel free to make top levels and just get some general cookout social time in with your boyos. make it as friendly or awkward or awkwardly friendly as possible. go nuts. get naked. cause a ruckus. [ insert toxic masculinity here ] ilu ♥ ))

Comments

[lifeprice]

I'm not that kind of person. Not even influenced.

[ Lifting his hand, Aki reaches out to touch Tsurumaru's face, then stops, carefully. He doesn't push, but leans close into his space, bracketing him gently.

The warmth of his blush makes his face radiate. ]

Are you going to stop me now? Or can I have one, Tsurumaru-san?

[cranekin]

(It's warm. He's warm. He's so close he can feel it and he watches Aki much like the same way he had before; quietly, studying, considering, thinking, measuring the distance, calculating the next move.

... And he closes his eyes and leans into his touch, bringing his hand up to Aki's, keeping him there, right where he wants,)

This is the kind of person you are.

(Without the twisted, intoxicating effects of the rift to impair him. He opens his eyes, looking up at Aki almost demurely. He may not say anything at first... but even if there are still blossoms out here, the fluttering of a cherry blossom petal in the air seems perfectly timed, doesn't it? )

I'll allow it.

(He smiles. He won't stop him.)

[lifeprice]

[ It's been a long time since Aki wanted anything like this - not to kiss someone, or do more, because that's a way of coping, but to be... Tender, soft.

A part of him thought he might have lost it.

The kind of person that he is makes him hum softly, a gentle sound as he nudges their noses together once again, the tenderness and romance of the moment not lost on him. He's not made for this kind of thing (born and bred in violence and loss and grief and suffering) but happiness has been granted to him.

Perhaps he is allowed. Tsurumaru is allowing it.

Leaning in, he tilts his head just enough that he can press their mouths together, one hand resting lightly on Tsurumaru's waist, the other cupping his chin, just enough to tilt it to make the kiss as perfect as possible.

He wants it to be good. ]

[cranekin]

(He stays still, holding his breath as Aki leans in.

He raises his face to meet Aki and when their lips touch, he gasps, taking a breath just before he leans in. It's gentle, it's tender, it's soft, but it feels like so much. His heart skips, it twists, it beats, and he wishes he could keep it still as this feeling rushes through him like blood in his veins. He's had this human form and heart long enough that he thought he had a handle on it but right now, he can't help but be taken by what he feels. His chest feels full and he's so aware of the heart inside it.

(And isn't that a little scary? A little overwhelming? A little dizzying? It's like experiencing humanity all over again.)

He finds himself reaching his arms up and around, behind Aki's neck and pulling him closer. He holds him, he kisses him, and he feels a lot of thing but he definitely feels good.)

[lifeprice]

[ It's been a long time since Aki let himself have this kind of softness, this kind of tenderness, a warmth inside of him that blossoms.

His life has been cold, like the winter that took his family from him: snow, falling down in front of his lashes, chilling him to the bone, an endless heartache that burned and thrummed through him like a staccato drumbeat. Years of sadness, of grief, of throwing himself into a job where the risk of his death was only balanced out with the hope of vengeance, and he thinks, he thinks of Hokkaido in winter, he thinks of coming home to pay respects, thinks of a quiet inn room and -

he's happy. This is what happiness feels like.

Tsurumaru pulls him closer, and he leans into it without hesitation, sinking against him as he tilts and presses into the kiss more, gripping him to hold him, to give himself over to the tenderness that he feels warming his skin. He's kissed people before, of course, he's fucked before, but it was never like... This. He liked the people he slept with. He didn't like them.

Pausing for breath, he only takes a moment before he's leaning in again to steal another kiss, thumb brushing gently over Tsurumaru's cheekbone, other hand gripping at the fabric of his clothes, as if afraid he might disappear like a dream. ]

[cranekin]

(He lets himself be taken, pulled closer and closer until the kiss breaks. The breath of fresh air brings with it clarity about this entire situation and he can't help but smile. He smiles, pale gold eyes flashing brightly like a flame.

(Yeah, this feeling of blood rushing through him, of his heart pounding in his chest, of feeling, of not having words... it really is like when he was brought from the sacred fire into this world.)

He smiles into the second kiss and manages something like a small laugh.

(It's just like before but much less miserable.)

Fingers brush the hair at the back of Aki's neck and he taps at him, giving him a signal before he breaks away, still holding on. Tilting his head back, clearly proud, smiling playfully, he teases,)

Satisfied?

(A light tug, closer to his level to whisper,)

There are others.

(Even if they're alone right now, tucked out of sight... they aren't really, truly alone.)

[lifeprice]

[ The gentle tap breaks him from his daydream, but he doesn't want to stop. The gentle brush of their mouths, the tenderness of it, the way he can reach and touch and draw Tsurumaru closer is addictive, but he's not going to push. It's a first kiss, a first shared moment, given freely after the confusion of the rift, and that's okay.

It's the first. That doesn't mean it needs to be the last.

Their noses nudge again, brushing, and Aki sighs a soft noise, pushing a little hair out of Tsurumaru's face. ]

It's enough, for now.

[ He feels... Greedy. Just a little. ]

I still want to kiss you again, but I can wait.

[cranekin]

(He leans against his hand, chasing the touch... Bringing his hands up from behind him, he holds the hunter's face in both hands, leveling their eyes with one another.

Tsurumaru will look at him. And he will look right back at him. )

You have nice eyes, Aki-kun.

(He looks better. Clear. Happier. More alive. It's a good look. But before he can elaborate or explain anything, he ruffles Aki's hair roughly, making a good mess of it all.)

Such a good boy. (Ruffle, ruffle,) I'll have to give you a reward.

[lifeprice]

[ Nice eyes? Has anyone ever told him that before?

Shaking his head, Aki tilts, pressing a kiss to Tsurumaru's forehead before his hair is... Messed up.

Scowling, he reaches up to pat it down gently. ]

Wasn't that my reward?

[ His hand moves, thumb pressing into Tsurumaru's lip before it drops away. ]

... Don't leave without saying goodbye.

[cranekin]

(He blinks, eyes almost crossing to look down and follow Aki's hand... and then looking back at him, lips parting just slightly like he could say something right now but decides to not.

(How surprising, Aki-kun can be..........)

He shuts his mouth. There aren't many people that can make Tsurumaru Kuninaga listen and follow instructions. No one in this world can really get him to.

But right now, some perfectly timed cherry blossoms flutter around him... and Tsurumaru Kuninaga nods. This time, he'll do his best listen.)