Totally, I'm glad you get it, Lobelia! β They're in a cute pink wrapper, lollipops specifically, with a special logo on the front. But if you're not sure, I'll take any and all lollipops you find, hehe.
[ it's as good of a shot as he's going to be able to take at this point; he still has some time left regardless. (even if going this long already has him concerned, but if nothing else he's wily and more durable than he looks—ichijiku can attest to that). ]
But that's 'nough about that. Or mostly about that~. Is arrangement whatcha wanna call it? What do you want, Lobelia? From me β.
[He hums, considering Ramuda's question as though it were a far more serious matter than it is. When he answers, his tone is amusedβ velvet over something sharper, like he's enjoying testing the weight of the words on his tongue.]
What do I want, hm...?
[He leans forward slightly, a smile curving slow and knowing.]
Careful, mon cherβ asking questions like that might make me think you actually mean to indulge me.
[He pauses, gaze flicking over Ramuda.]
But since you're offering... I'll settle for honesty. Not the kind printed on those silly papers, but the kind that slips through when you forget to act the fool.
[He gestures lazily, as though the exchange were sealed with a toast rather than a threat.]
[ he laughs, a particularly high pitched giggle. ]
Maybe I do~. I do find you interesting, you know. And you are plenty handsome too. Plus you're certainly not boring no matter what you think that word means. [ he might have kept chattering onward, but that threat begs to be answered. ]
I don't forget β. But playing all naive and innocent has it's place up until I need to make someone go bye-bye in the Sumida or worse. Not that I can't be cute doing that either, hehe.
[ but that is a truth so to say, that only a few privileged people back home know. ]
But back to you! Sure, I'll play with you as long as it's not boring.
[ what does boring mean to ramuda amemura? well, that's for lobelia to find out because even hinting at it is something he tries to avoid. for now he'll just raise his glass for a toast—deal? ]
[He laughs quietly, not mockingβ merely delighted. There's a spark in his eyes now, interest sharpened to something keen. Whatever mask Ramuda wears, Lobelia recognizes the artistry of it. After all, he's made a lifelong study of performance.]
Ah, so you do remember the script. I was beginning to think you'd forgotten your lines.
[He props his chin in his hand, his gaze warm but knowing.]
Naive, innocent, cruelβ whichever mask fits the moment, you wear it magnifiquement. But I suspect it's the one you never take off that interests me most.
[He raises his glass, mirroring Ramuda's toast with amusement in his gaze.]
As for boring... I assure you, mon cher, that's the one sin I've never been accused of. So long as you can say the same, I think we'll play together quite nicely.
[He takes a slow sip, the faintest edge of a grin curving his lips.]
Nuh-uh! I have a good memory β. [ he sticks his tongue out playfully; is it an act? is it a mask? ramuda would probably call it a reflection, appearances suited for different places and different people.
but he has a drink to wet his lips with as he shouts kanpai with way too much zeal, sweet with a little burn but that's also part of the fun. (this is what he tells himself in the moment, at least)]
Ahhh, that did hit the spot. [ a pleased exhale, and if it's one thing lobelia will see tonight it's that his alcohol tolerance is actually insane (he will always pretend otherwise in the presence of other company) ]
But that's enough of that kinda talk, wouldn't you say? This is supposed to be a date!
Hey, I'm the one who asked first! Kinda. [ he asked and didn't ask. ]
Buuut. That depends on what a date means to you. I go on all kinds of dates! [ he's a ho because a guy has to survive in a society where men are literal property of women. ]
Some people just want company, others just want someone to hold 'em as they talk 'bout all the crappy things that happened durin' their work week, and other people want somethin extra special~.
So right back at cha! [ he does however, lean back in. not a fraction of an inch, an entire inch. because this is who he is, he doesn't do things in halves. ]
[He closes the distance by a breath, not touching, merely near enough that to show Ramuda he isn't afraid of meeting him in the middle.]
But since you insist that you asked first, it's only fair I tell you what a date means to me. I prefer simplicity: to enjoy the person in front of meβ no mask, no pretense beyond the playful ones we choose. To see their colors when they stop hiding. To savor a little honesty... and a little mischief.
[His smile curls wider, just so.]
So then, which version of yourself are you offering me tonight?
I was more honest with you already! [ no one else has seen him be much else other than a cheerful pink who flits around like a hummingbird. there are a few who probably have an inkling that he's more perceptive than he lets on, but that flash of ruthlessness has been for current company only.
all this talk of masks though...man this is giving him dejavu and that makes him feel all ughhhhh. (absolutely none of this shows on his face or in his heartbeat, he's had more than a few years and more than a few bodies to perfect how to control himself--to pick up what should be second nature to him, but isn't.) not that it changes reality though either, that he's at a disadvantage and therefore needs to reach for anything and everything he can grab onto.
in the end, it's not all that complicated. he knows what he's willing to offer and he knows what he isn't, and as long as that line isn't crossed, he'll continue to play. maybe he'll even have some fun. ]
So let's go with mischief β«. [ it should be no surprise that ramuda isn't shy, so forgive him (or don't) for him closing the remaining distance, mwah. it's a cute kiss, both hands framing lobelia's cheeks with just a bit more force than is required. ]
For now β. [ out there like a tease, because it is. there are other reflections to him, but if ramuda has his way, he'll always keep the deepest one hidden. ]
But if I warned you, what would be the fun in that? [ he says it with the lilt of a giggle but he doesn't laugh (a near thing, because he is ticklish), the weight of it more solid than any of his airy giggles. he's aware of what position he's in, he's aware of the hands on his own, he's trapped!
but he doesn't make a move to escape, nor does he look uncomfortable. his smile is if anything, amused. this is a familiar place in many ways, and ramuda amemura is equal parts stubborn as he is daring.
[Make no mistake: Lobelia is very fond of secrets. He guards his own like precious jewels, but other people's? Their secrets are poetry, irresistible and intoxicating. Keeping them from him while holding him close will only draw out the very worst in him. But Ramuda knows that, doesn't he? Ramuda courts danger on purpose, and that fascinates Lobelia endlessly.
So he'll indulge him. He lets his hands fall away from Ramuda's only to slip to the nape of his neck, guiding him forward into another kissβ longer, deeper, but only just. Call him a tease if you wish. Lobelia savors slow pleasures, patient as a man who knows dessert tastes sweetest when it's threatened by the possibility of being the last.]
If you wanted to trap me, you should have been prepared for what happens when I stop holding back.
[ today is today and tomorrow is tomorrow, what's dangerous is often fun and what's fun is interesting. it's a tenet he lives by, because there's something he's searching for too, something that's shaped him more than years of conditioning and biology were capable of, despite their best efforts. he's always thinking about it even when he shouldn't be, even when it runs counter to his other biggest motivation: survive.
but ramuda's not really thinking too hard on it right now. he lives easily in moments (a reflection of his true nature in ways big and small), so it's easy to let himself fall into the kiss. slow but sweet, a drizzle of honey rather than a bright punch of sugar; his lips part for it just as readily. ]
Should I? All that makes me wonder is why you'd hold back in the first place.
[ he'll remove one hand, but keep the other where it is, smile all mischief (as promised). ]
[Lobelia's laugh is soft, almost self-amused. Ramuda is all impulse and sweetness, isn't he? A rare treat for someone like Lobelia. After all, few people keep his company on purpose, and for good reason.]
Hold back? If this is what you think restraint looks like, you should pray you never see the alternative.
[His fingers trail from the nape of Ramuda's neck down to his shoulder, a featherlight touch that leaves warmth in its wake. It's not possessive, not yet, but the promise of it glints sharp beneath the gentleness.]
You kiss like a man who's never feared being bitten. Dangerous, non? It makes me wonder what you'd do if I stopped tasting and started devouring.
[He leans in, lips brushing Ramuda's cheek, not a kissβ just a ghost of one, cruelly withheld.]
[ heh, it's kind of ticklish; the way ramuda doesn't quite left himself giggle is perhaps his own version of a tease. though he likes it, of course. ]
Well, yeah. But maybe I like it dangerous? β [ a rhetorical question considering, but he says it anyway as he tends to do. he cocks his head so they're closer, but holds right there. ]
Do you really need me to tell you my answer? Or do you just want to hear me say it? Hehe, not that I blame you.
I am curious. [ confidently, brightly, but notably without an overabundance of dazzle like some of his words tend to carry. it makes the words more solid, weightier, something more than a flutter in the wind. ]
[There's no shame in Ramuda's game, is there? Not that Lobelia minds. No, he rather likes people who chase what they want without letting shame hold them back.
There's nothing wrong with craving. With seeking out pleasures in life. Lobelia has lived his entire life pursuing happiness at any cost, so he certainly won't fault Ramuda for doing similarly. Still...
His words are a whisper against the shell of Ramuda's ear. Will he so much as shiver, or react at all?]
You ought to have a little more prudence, mon cher. A little more care for your own safety... your own life. To willingly walk into the maws of a beast is dangerous, concerning behavior, Tu ne crois pas?
[ shiver he does; he's not inhuman and despite the various reasons he acts like he does, one of them is undoubtedly the pursuit of pleasure. even still there's a sigh in it, not disappointed, but amused.
what should he be doing? well—he's here now and that's what matters in this moment. ]
The maws of a beast huh? But you haven't even bitten me! [ pure ramuda, as he leans forward barely, so their lips do brush, but that's all. ]
This is just how I live my life. So what if it means getting cozy with a beast if I like his company? That's not gonna scare me off, no way.
[He does wonder what Ramuda's breaking point is. In his travels, Lobelia has met all sortsβ those who tangle with beasts, those who yearn for their bite but quail when fangs find their neck. Where does Ramuda fall on that sliding scale? What would push him over that edge?
Well, they've got some time to find out. Breaking skin and bone is hardly romantic, though, so Lobelia refrains for the evening. Tonight, his kisses are soft and sweet in all the ways Lobelia decidedly isn't. He presses another to Ramuda's lips before settling back in his seat.]
It ought to, mon cher. You're asking for trouble, vous savez? I can't in good conscience encourage you... nor can I really stop you. If nothing else, spare some mind for your own safety, oui?
[ what a sweet kiss! ramuda is all smiles when lobelia pulls back, seemingly happy and content. he'll take another sip of his drink, finishing it off this time. ]
I know how I act and I know how I look [ he knows more than anybody else how tiny and pink and adorable he is, how people just wanna eat him up- ] but don't underestimate me β.
[ brightly as always, but there's a hint of sharpness to it. ]
Besides, I already agreed to play. I don't do take-backs, so stop trying to change my mind~.
Mon dieu... You do intend to keep me on my toes, don't you? I have no right to complain.
[And he wouldn't if he could. Lobelia may be accustomed to solitude, may never quite grasp what Ramuda sees in him that makes him worth lingering near, but some questions simply resist answers. Why anyone would take a shining to him is one of them.
He chuckles, finishes his drink, and sets the glass aside with a soft clink.]
Fair enough, mon cher. We'll play. Just remember... should you stumble and break a bone chasing me, I am no doctor. I excel at breaking things, not putting them back together.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[ it's as good of a shot as he's going to be able to take at this point; he still has some time left regardless. (even if going this long already has him concerned, but if nothing else he's wily and more durable than he looks—ichijiku can attest to that). ]
But that's 'nough about that. Or mostly about that~. Is arrangement whatcha wanna call it? What do you want, Lobelia? From me β.
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What do I want, hm...?
[He leans forward slightly, a smile curving slow and knowing.]
Careful, mon cherβ asking questions like that might make me think you actually mean to indulge me.
[He pauses, gaze flicking over Ramuda.]
But since you're offering... I'll settle for honesty. Not the kind printed on those silly papers, but the kind that slips through when you forget to act the fool.
[He gestures lazily, as though the exchange were sealed with a toast rather than a threat.]
Fair trade, don't you think? Your truth for mine.
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Maybe I do~. I do find you interesting, you know. And you are plenty handsome too. Plus you're certainly not boring no matter what you think that word means. [ he might have kept chattering onward, but that threat begs to be answered. ]
I don't forget β. But playing all naive and innocent has it's place up until I need to make someone go bye-bye in the Sumida or worse. Not that I can't be cute doing that either, hehe.
[ but that is a truth so to say, that only a few privileged people back home know. ]
But back to you! Sure, I'll play with you as long as it's not boring.
[ what does boring mean to ramuda amemura? well, that's for lobelia to find out because even hinting at it is something he tries to avoid. for now he'll just raise his glass for a toast—deal? ]
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Ah, so you do remember the script. I was beginning to think you'd forgotten your lines.
[He props his chin in his hand, his gaze warm but knowing.]
Naive, innocent, cruelβ whichever mask fits the moment, you wear it magnifiquement. But I suspect it's the one you never take off that interests me most.
[He raises his glass, mirroring Ramuda's toast with amusement in his gaze.]
As for boring... I assure you, mon cher, that's the one sin I've never been accused of. So long as you can say the same, I think we'll play together quite nicely.
[He takes a slow sip, the faintest edge of a grin curving his lips.]
Γ notre arrangement, then.
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but he has a drink to wet his lips with as he shouts kanpai with way too much zeal, sweet with a little burn but that's also part of the fun. (this is what he tells himself in the moment, at least)]
Ahhh, that did hit the spot. [ a pleased exhale, and if it's one thing lobelia will see tonight it's that his alcohol tolerance is actually insane (he will always pretend otherwise in the presence of other company) ]
But that's enough of that kinda talk, wouldn't you say? This is supposed to be a date!
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A date, bien sΓ»r! Forgive meβ your enthusiasm is infectious. One drink and already you're turning the evening into a festival.
[He tips his glass toward Ramuda, a slow, appreciative gesture, eyes warm with mischief.]
Very well, mon cher artiste. No more musings on masks or mysteries. Not when you're so eager to get to the good part.
[He leans in just a fraction, voice velvet-smooth.]
So tell me... which part of our date were you hoping to begin with?
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Buuut. That depends on what a date means to you. I go on all kinds of dates! [ he's a ho because a guy has to survive in a society where men are literal property of women. ]
Some people just want company, others just want someone to hold 'em as they talk 'bout all the crappy things that happened durin' their work week, and other people want somethin extra special~.
So right back at cha! [ he does however, lean back in. not a fraction of an inch, an entire inch. because this is who he is, he doesn't do things in halves. ]
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Oh my... So many dates, so many roles. You make it sound as though you've charmed half the world and survived the other half. Company, comfort, confession... quel Γ©ventail! A lesser man might be intimidated.
[He closes the distance by a breath, not touching, merely near enough that to show Ramuda he isn't afraid of meeting him in the middle.]
But since you insist that you asked first, it's only fair I tell you what a date means to me. I prefer simplicity: to enjoy the person in front of meβ no mask, no pretense beyond the playful ones we choose. To see their colors when they stop hiding. To savor a little honesty... and a little mischief.
[His smile curls wider, just so.]
So then, which version of yourself are you offering me tonight?
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all this talk of masks though...man this is giving him dejavu and that makes him feel all ughhhhh. (absolutely none of this shows on his face or in his heartbeat, he's had more than a few years and more than a few bodies to perfect how to control himself--to pick up what should be second nature to him, but isn't.) not that it changes reality though either, that he's at a disadvantage and therefore needs to reach for anything and everything he can grab onto.
in the end, it's not all that complicated. he knows what he's willing to offer and he knows what he isn't, and as long as that line isn't crossed, he'll continue to play. maybe he'll even have some fun. ]
So let's go with mischief β«. [ it should be no surprise that ramuda isn't shy, so forgive him (or don't) for him closing the remaining distance, mwah. it's a cute kiss, both hands framing lobelia's cheeks with just a bit more force than is required. ]
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Then he laughs, a low sound that curls between them like smoke.]
Mischiefβ
[He echoes, tasting the word on his tongue as though it were a drink they shared.]
So this is the version of you I get. The daring one. The one who acts before he thinks.
[His hands lift, slow and deliberate, to cover Ramuda's on his cheeksβ not removing them, only holding them in place.]
You know... I think I rather like him.
[He leans in just enough, noses nearly brushing, his smile softening into something almost intimate.]
Though next time, mon cher artiste, you should warn a man before you steal his breath.
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But if I warned you, what would be the fun in that? [ he says it with the lilt of a giggle but he doesn't laugh (a near thing, because he is ticklish), the weight of it more solid than any of his airy giggles. he's aware of what position he's in, he's aware of the hands on his own, he's trapped!
but he doesn't make a move to escape, nor does he look uncomfortable. his smile is if anything, amused. this is a familiar place in many ways, and ramuda amemura is equal parts stubborn as he is daring.
so, what next? ]
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So he'll indulge him. He lets his hands fall away from Ramuda's only to slip to the nape of his neck, guiding him forward into another kissβ longer, deeper, but only just. Call him a tease if you wish. Lobelia savors slow pleasures, patient as a man who knows dessert tastes sweetest when it's threatened by the possibility of being the last.]
If you wanted to trap me, you should have been prepared for what happens when I stop holding back.
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but ramuda's not really thinking too hard on it right now. he lives easily in moments (a reflection of his true nature in ways big and small), so it's easy to let himself fall into the kiss. slow but sweet, a drizzle of honey rather than a bright punch of sugar; his lips part for it just as readily. ]
Should I? All that makes me wonder is why you'd hold back in the first place.
[ he'll remove one hand, but keep the other where it is, smile all mischief (as promised). ]
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Hold back? If this is what you think restraint looks like, you should pray you never see the alternative.
[His fingers trail from the nape of Ramuda's neck down to his shoulder, a featherlight touch that leaves warmth in its wake. It's not possessive, not yet, but the promise of it glints sharp beneath the gentleness.]
You kiss like a man who's never feared being bitten. Dangerous, non? It makes me wonder what you'd do if I stopped tasting and started devouring.
[He leans in, lips brushing Ramuda's cheek, not a kissβ just a ghost of one, cruelly withheld.]
Tell me... are you curious enough to find out?
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Well, yeah. But maybe I like it dangerous? β [ a rhetorical question considering, but he says it anyway as he tends to do. he cocks his head so they're closer, but holds right there. ]
Do you really need me to tell you my answer? Or do you just want to hear me say it? Hehe, not that I blame you.
I am curious. [ confidently, brightly, but notably without an overabundance of dazzle like some of his words tend to carry. it makes the words more solid, weightier, something more than a flutter in the wind. ]
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There's nothing wrong with craving. With seeking out pleasures in life. Lobelia has lived his entire life pursuing happiness at any cost, so he certainly won't fault Ramuda for doing similarly. Still...
His words are a whisper against the shell of Ramuda's ear. Will he so much as shiver, or react at all?]
You ought to have a little more prudence, mon cher. A little more care for your own safety... your own life. To willingly walk into the maws of a beast is dangerous, concerning behavior, Tu ne crois pas?
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what should he be doing? well—he's here now and that's what matters in this moment. ]
The maws of a beast huh? But you haven't even bitten me! [ pure ramuda, as he leans forward barely, so their lips do brush, but that's all. ]
This is just how I live my life. So what if it means getting cozy with a beast if I like his company? That's not gonna scare me off, no way.
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Well, they've got some time to find out. Breaking skin and bone is hardly romantic, though, so Lobelia refrains for the evening. Tonight, his kisses are soft and sweet in all the ways Lobelia decidedly isn't. He presses another to Ramuda's lips before settling back in his seat.]
It ought to, mon cher. You're asking for trouble, vous savez? I can't in good conscience encourage you... nor can I really stop you. If nothing else, spare some mind for your own safety, oui?
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I know how I act and I know how I look [ he knows more than anybody else how tiny and pink and adorable he is, how people just wanna eat him up- ] but don't underestimate me β.
[ brightly as always, but there's a hint of sharpness to it. ]
Besides, I already agreed to play. I don't do take-backs, so stop trying to change my mind~.
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[And he wouldn't if he could. Lobelia may be accustomed to solitude, may never quite grasp what Ramuda sees in him that makes him worth lingering near, but some questions simply resist answers. Why anyone would take a shining to him is one of them.
He chuckles, finishes his drink, and sets the glass aside with a soft clink.]
Fair enough, mon cher. We'll play. Just remember... should you stumble and break a bone chasing me, I am no doctor. I excel at breaking things, not putting them back together.
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I have a specialty too, you know. You'll just have to wait and see what it is β.