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

[hellacene]

Don't be ridiculous.

[the rest of the page is covered with advice about cheating boyfriends, uninterested wives, distant children, and the like. tsukki flips through them without interest, until he gets to the swimsuit page.]

Your popularity will definitely increase again after you give out these mags.

[captaincatblock]

I wouldn't say that my popularity's decreased. More of... Their loyalty is shared now, which I approve of. [peers at the magazine...]

We should go swimming in the ocean one of these days. Will Tsukki wear a swimsuit for me then?

[Kuroo does not know how to swim.]

[hellacene]

A swimsuit .... I have a decent pair of trunks, you know.

[speedos just look so embarrassing .... ] If you're not in a hurry, let's go to the beach, then. [oh - ] We might need to buy some supplies first for that, but it shouldn't be a problem finding them.

[captaincatblock]

[shakes his head, smiling.] No, not today. We should get you settled in at the landing castle first, and get your things sorted out.

[Besides, Tsukki looks nice in whatever he wears, and Kuroo has seen him naked. The swimsuit can wait.]

[hellacene]

[oh, that's a better idea.] Alright.

[he leans his chin against his shoulder as they make their way back to the base.] What did my bosses say to you?

[considering it went well .... ]

[captaincatblock]

They kept on pointing out to me that I'm depriving them of a valuable resource, one who cannot be replaced very easily, so won't I reconsider or postpone the leave I declared for you? [Kuroo looks amused.]

I suppose they thought my bribe wasn't enough. But at least they aren't maintaining Arcadia anymore or using personnel on it, so by my calculations, that adds significantly to the benefit they're receiving.

[hellacene]

They couldn't figure out how to open Arcadia, and announcing to everyone that they have a knight's Kataphract with them is asking for trouble. [rather amused;] For a long time it was one hell of a doorstop in that old hangar.

I sort of feel bad for them, having to deal with you when you're on a mission to get what you want.

[captaincatblock]

Their mistake was keeping me a secret from their allies for too long. [Grins smugly. Kuroo bought time and was pretty successful with it.]

But secretly, you're pleased because you like to see me mess with other people.

[hellacene]

[he's a bad supporter for their cause. tsukki just smiles at that, not really being able to deny it.]

You don't let me see you get serious with everyone often.

[captaincatblock]

[He smiles, and hopes deep inside that Tsukki won't have a cause to see him at war, and kisses Tsukki's cheek.]

What can I say, I keep my qualities secret. It keeps you interested.

[hellacene]

I suppose all I have to do at this point is to just wait.

After all, I'll be with you for most of the time.

[no matter how big the castle is, there's only so many places they can be in it.]

I bought my games with me. I think my brother packed my consoles too. They'd look nice on a big screen.

[captaincatblock]

You know, it makes me very happy to hear you say it like that. [Kuroo looks pleased at the mention of games, though.]

You'd be happy to know that Kenma rigged a few of our stuff to work with Terran devices. I think you two will get along together, he spends all his free time playing games now.

[hellacene]

I'd be happy to play with someone good.

[either way - ] You should play with us, too.

[captaincatblock]

I will, of course. [No way he'd miss hanging out with his best friend and boyfriend.] It'll be nice for Kenma to have someone to hang out with, too. He's too quiet all the time.

[hellacene]

[it occurs to him that he doesn't know them well enough, even if he's met them for the first time today. kenma he sort of knows because kuroo's talked about him a lot, but the rest of them - ]

Tell me about your men. At least, the ones I should know.

[captaincatblock]

Well... [No, Kuroo wants to talk about you! But he obliges.] Kai and Kenma are the ones who take over the duties in the castle when I'm not around. Kai handles day to day operations, as well as managing communications with the other landing castles, and he has a bunch of people under him keeping us stocked. Kenma handles everything that the pilots might possibly need, including their training regimen, equipment stock, the mechanics...

[he shrugs] Most of the people you'll probably hang out with are the pilots and mechanics, since they're always in the hangar and have very few duties outside of it. Lev is a hotblooded, excitable idiot, but he has talent. Yamamoto is solid on the field and a complete weakling for women. Let's see... Sou is cheerful and reliable. Yaku is our head mechanic, and a complete and total mother, but don't tell him I said that. He might be grumpy at you for being tall a while, but as long as you don't point it out, he'll be the best person for you to talk to. [He trails off as he counts his staff on his fingers.]

[hellacene]

[ahh what else can tsukki say about himself. he already found out too much ....

hmm - ] Kai is the one with the buzzcut, isn't he? And Kenma is the one with the blond and black hair. [they were the first two he saw in the castle, so they were easily recognizable.] I think I saw Yaku in the hangar where the Stygis are ....

I'll keep an eye out for the others. [after all - ] I have to get to know your family, too.

[this family, anyway.] Though, judging from their expressions earlier, you seem to have talked about me quite often.

[captaincatblock]

They'll love you, I'm sure of it. [Complete confidence that his team will want him to be happy, after all. Besides, Tsukki might be a little prickly, but he has a lot of merits that surpass his faults.]

Oh, maybe a little bit. [Looks away.]

[hellacene]

Tell me.

[go on, flatter his ego. he'll even give him a kiss to convince him.]

[captaincatblock]

[He looks a little embarrassed.] I missed you a lot, so I suppose I might have spent more time complaining about how I wanted to see you to my men than I should have...

[clears his throat] But of course I told them that you're an amazing mechanic, who's very knowledgeable about science, with a sharp tongue and a witty personality. Always cool and calm, despite the war. And fantastic eyes.

[hellacene]

You told them about my eyes? [kuroo these are your men, you are so weird.] They didn't need to know about what you thought of them.

[captaincatblock]

[He looks at Tsukki fondly.]

It was lonely without you.

[hellacene]

[hmph.] I was lonely, too, but it's not like I told anyone I missed your stupid hair.

[well, no, he said other things. like how his kat was useless and he was annoyingly earnest and cocksure and he hated that he had left .... it was all very personal and sappy, for tsukki anyway.]

[captaincatblock]

From what you told your family yesterday, you were complaining a lot about me instead. [Nudges him.] You might complain about my hair, but we both know you like it.

[hellacene]

[urgh.] I suppose I was.

Any other hairstyle would look weird on you. [he presses his hands on both sides of kuroo's face.] I can't recognize your face when your hair is wet.