Get into the van, kiddo.

[captaincatblock]

[Peace is a funny thing. It's been teased and denied for so long that now that it's happening, it's almost weird. He'd missed most of the drama with the princess and her traitorous Terran Knight -- not that he's fully convinced of it, but if it gains them this peace, then he won't question it -- but he had been returned to his kin as Earth's first peace offering.]

[Kuroo hadn't been too happy about that, hadn't even had the time to say good bye to Tsukki after being whisked away by a couple of generals and then thrown into political chaos. But he had endured it, because he knew that eventually, the princess would get to the small issue of Kuroo's kataphrakt and how he intends to spend his time on Earth. He could be a diplomat, he'd offered, or teach his fellow Versians about Terrans, since he's learned a lot. Anything, he had added meaningfully, if he allowed him to keep his landing castle close to Earth if not entirely on its soil.]

[He'd gotten some leeway in the end, after weeks of endless talks, so here he is now striding into the hanger where they kept his mech, in full Count regalia. Oddly enough, he only has Terran escorts with him, and they back away well enough when he reaches his destination.

Tsukki? Oiii, I'm looking for your mechanic, Tsukishima Kei. [first he calls out, and then just outright asks someone to find Tsukki for him]

Comments

[captaincatblock]

It's been so long since I held you last. [Looking a little lightheaded himself, leaning his head back.]

And it's nice to not have to worry about anyone watching.

[hellacene]

[he's quiet, mulling things over as he gets back to finishing his strawberries. finally, he says,]

I'm surprised you never thought of looking for someone else.

[he had the time and the resources, after all.]

[captaincatblock]

[Maybe just the resources.]

I couldn't picture anyone else I wanted to share this with. [lightly] I thought it would be better for you not to be involved with a Count back in his position anymore, but. I told you, didn't I? I'm greedy.

[hellacene]

[a slightly embarrassed laugh, because of course he thought about that too, and he lasted for a day or so.]

And how long did you decide that I shouldn't be involved with a Count?

[captaincatblock]

Until yesterday. [his hold tightens nervously around Tsukki's waist.] Until you made your choice to stay, I really didn't know how it was going to go. I'm a little reckless when it comes to you, I guess.

[hellacene]

You're hilarious.

[but it's .... sweet, and he likes that he has that effect on him, because it's the same for him too. but, hm, since they're being honest - ]

I thought you went back and established a dynasty, while you were away. At least we can stop being nervous now?

[captaincatblock]

Deal. A successful negotiation! [kisses Tsukki's ear]

Although I'm not sure why you think I'd want to propagate. Do you?

[hellacene]

"Propagate" .... you're not a plant, you know.

I mentioned it because that's what a whole lot of you do. [a sigh.] It's boring. I don't want it, it's bad enough I have to take care of you.

[captaincatblock]

[With a straight face.] How do you think Versians populate?

[shrug] I don't plan on it either, so there. We'll have each other until we're old and gray and retire in some unknown planet somewhere.

[hellacene]

I'm not falling for that anymore.

[shoves.]

We'll have a garden full of daisies and strawberries.

[captaincatblock]

[nudges him back] And pet sheep.

[hellacene]

[scoffs.]

You're going to become a farmer at this rate.

[captaincatblock]

It seems like a peaceful life. [Agreeably.]

Did you just work at your military base all the time I was gone?

[hellacene]

Occasionally. Sometimes they pulled us into different areas to help .... we're a small base, though, so that didn't happen all the time. And then my team struggled to do some of the repairs when the funding got cut, but that's just the usual crap.

[something nicer:] I took a two-week vacation in the summer and went with my parents to Kyoto, just for sight-seeing. It was nice. Mom enjoyed it a lot.

[captaincatblock]

Terran money seems to be a big thing on Earth. Bigger than in Mars. [chin on Tsukki's shoulder.]

Is sightseeing a thing your family likes to do? I've been doing nothing but go to a lot of your countries.

[hellacene]

You can do a lot with the right amount, that's why. [he leans his head against kuroo's.]

It's rare that we have the time to do it. I sort of wished we did it a bit more, but with how things had been ....

[captaincatblock]

I can always give you a ride to wherever you want to go. [Since he gets special permits and the like.]

Hey, what was up with you and your brother? Did you have... trouble in the past?

[hellacene]

[he frowns. he doesn't like talking about akiteru back then, since he's done all that he can to earn his way back to tsukki's trust, but the memory still stings. it's only recently that he talked to him again.]

Something like that. He's made amends now, but .... he was a pain in the ass a while ago.

It doesn't matter. [but he hates that it happened, fingers pressing angrily against each other at the thought of it.]

[captaincatblock]

[Kuroo notes the sudden tension from his question, which makes him very curious. Akiteru seemed like a good sort, and he obviously adored his brother. What could he have done? Kuroo pulls Tsukki's hand to kiss at his fingers.]

Tell me about it?

[hellacene]

[he lets kuroo kiss his fingers, and then tells him the story, in a quiet, but rather frustrated tone. about the time the war started, and when akiteru joined, and how he had been so fervently enthusiastic about helping, about serving for a good cause, because he wanted to protect them. he looked up to him and thought the world of him. no matter how hard the war was, he always came back -

until one day he'd found out just how difficult the toll was on him, and how his service was actually eating him alive. bad enough that he got taken off the front lines, and it was a while before he was even allowed to service again. all this time, he had lied to him about his work and how much in danger he really was and had kept the whole thing to himself until it was just too much, and he'd found him in his room a horrible mess. pathetic.

things have been strained between them ever since. akiteru's been doing a lot better after a round of therapy and medications and the like, but he and kei never talked the same way that he did. what he didn't tell kuroo was that he felt a bit guilty about it. like all of his admiration pushed him to do worse, or something.]

[captaincatblock]

[He listens to Tsukki talk about Akiteru, kissing at his shoulder in the interval as he thinks about the situation. It doesn't surprise him though. Akiteru seemed to have that sort of personality.]

I can see why he did what he did, but lies like that never end well. You're sort of even with him now, I guess, since you being lovers with a Versian Count's got him worried halfway to death.

[hellacene]

I didn't want to be even. [quietly - ] I just wanted him to stop being reckless.

And anyway .... he's better at things now. That's a lot more than I can ask for.

[captaincatblock]

He seems to be trying hard, in any case. [kisses on the cheek] I hope you don't have a falling off because you had to move all of a sudden.

[hellacene]

I doubt that we will. [a slight smile.] He's persistent, too.

[kuroo's been doing a lot of the kissing, so - he gets one on the lips, slow and sweet, hands moving in between his own before he pulls back to tell him,] We should try and do this as often as we can.

[captaincatblock]

[Kuroo's always down for kissing. He smiles at Tsukki even as he kisses back.]

I always have time for space picnics.