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. It's enough for them to know you're taking care of me.

[he lets kuroo hold him tight, and then murmurs,] If your parents were here, I'm pretty sure I'd be nervous, too.

[captaincatblock]

I'm going to. [kisses his forehead]

Hmmm. They'd ask about practical concerns, then congratulate me on my good taste.

[hellacene]

Really? [then again, with kuroo the way he is, he probably shouldn't be so surprised with the way he describes his parents.]

Tell me about your childhood.

[captaincatblock]

Well, maybe there would be a little more scrutiny, but I think you'll pass their criteria. [That is, smart and not a golddigger.]

I would say it was the usual Versian life of a noble, but my generation is actually the first in Mars that has anything even established by way of tradition. My grandparents were Terran, after all, who flew to Mars to do research. [looks a little distant as he thinks about it, leaning his chin on Tsukki's shoulder] I spent my childhood learning things that would make me a good Count. Martian geography, space, territory management, a bit about Earth... Then I also spent a lot of time getting into loads and loads of trouble.

[hellacene]

Sounds very much like you. [he feels comfortable settling into his lap, leaning his weight against kuroo's body and feeling how warm he was as he holds him. quietly,] What happened to your parents?

[captaincatblock]

[His hand goes to Tsukki's hair, then he looks up, to the side, sighs when he realizes he can't get out of this. Kuroo leans forward to kiss Tsukki's forehead, then only leans back enough to talk. So no one overhears them. It's not that the guys don't know, but he doesn't want them paying attention and fussing.]

My mother died in childbirth when I was about ten. The baby didn't make it, either. My father died in a freak accident in the mines we manage when I was fifteen. Everyone thinks it was an assassination, but we'll never be sure. [And that is how he became a Count.]

[hellacene]

[there's a bit of awkward shuffling around them, since the space is small and there's quite a lot of people watching the movie. it's hard not to pay attention to their rather subdued tones when they talk, but luckily there's plenty to be engrossed on at the screen as the movie goes on to some fights involving armies.

tsukki holds his hand tightly.] I'm sorry.

For what it's worth, you wouldn't have to worry about that kind of history with my family. [a slight laugh. because they're fairly normal.] I'm the worst they have, and you're dealing with me a lot better than both of them have. They'll take care of you, too.

[captaincatblock]

[Sometimes, privacy is just a matter of everyone else pretending they don't hear anything, after all.]

There's nothing to be sorry about. [Smile, kisses Tsukki's nose.] And I look forward to being... being family with them. I'm not sure what we'd do together apart from talk about you, though. [What an odd word, family.]

[hellacene]

[he shakes his head.] Honestly, there're a lot more things more important to everyone else in that house than just talking about me.

[he and his brother got along well, despite earlier hurdles. he should've known they'd conspire against him too.]

[captaincatblock]

I'll learn it from them eventually. [leans back, checks where the movie is at.] I just need to make time and make sure to talk to them often.

[And maybe bribes. Bribes...]

[hellacene]

They like it when you do. Akiteru is getting used to the idea of you being a Count, still, and I think my mother's intimidated by that as well, but both of them always ask me about you and your health.

[or, well, in the case of his brother, whether he's being cared for and if he's spending enough time with him.]

[captaincatblock]

Terran families seem fun. [pokes Tsukki's nose.] Don't worry, I'll be sure to get along well with them. I wouldn't want them to ask for you back...

[And then there's roaring on the screen as the movie gets to another fight scene. Kuroo winces.] I'm glad we didn't have to fight those Terrans.

[hellacene]

[he winces at the idea of a somewhat medieval earth having to face kataphracts.]

Please. If it happened to you again, you'd probably surrender to the first blond elf you'll see.

[captaincatblock]

They can try all they want, but they'll never be as good-looking as you. Why, look at those pretty eyes. [He makes a show of peering at Tsukki's face.]

[hellacene]

Ugh. [addressing everyone else beside him:] Take him, please. I can't stand this torment any longer.

[he'll move on to sou - ] From now on, we're together. [and sou just squawks, asks him not to joke like that, he's too young to die!]

[captaincatblock]

No one can take me from you, Kei. [nodding to himself in conviction.]

I wouldn't kill you, Sou. No, no, my friend. [And then he narrows his eyes to fake a threatening expression and Sou gets distressed and hides behind Tsukki.]

[hellacene]

He's lying, [tsukki tries to tell him, but of course he gets scared and says "that means he's planning something worse!" and people are laughing and offering sou their early condolences. tsukki, for his part, continues to play with him and even moves to hold on to his arm.] You should be more responsible with me, you know.

["tsukishima please!"]

[captaincatblock]

[he sighs dramatically] I should have kidnapped you and then just lived with you in the Arcadia. Then you wouldn't try to replace me with these young upstarts. I guess I'll just have to get rid of all of them.

[Everyone else starts protesting, because that's unfair! Only Sou's the one trying to usurp you! We would never! ("Well, maybe we might," Lev says, and gets smacked on the head)]

[hellacene]

Your optimism is appreciated, Lev.

[but he stops teasing sou after a while, letting him off to scramble away from them while tsukki gets back to drinking his rootbeer float beside kuroo.]

Having a platoon of young lovers sounds like my kind of thing.

[captaincatblock]

[He pouts, then sighs resignedly in his dramatic fashion, and kissing his cheek.] As long as I'm your number one, I suppose I'll concede to it.

[hellacene]

[feeds him ice cream from his float.]

Because I'm generous, you can take the number one and number two spot on my list.

[captaincatblock]

[He takes the ice cream, and then kisses him again with sticky lips, punctuating every other word with a smooch.] My boyfriend is the kindest best boyfriend ever.

[hellacene]

[rather flustered, he pushes away kuroo every time he kisses him, but of course that matters little to kuroo himself. he gets laughed at his efforts to try and fend him off.] That's gross, don't do that!

[captaincatblock]

Of course not. [Licks the bit of ice cream he managed to smear on Tsukki's lower lip.] I didn't do anything. See? No evidence.

[hellacene]

That's even worse.

[it's stupid, but he turns red anyway because he's well aware everyone's watching them now and kuroo is a lot more comfortable at this than he ever will be. still, the next time he eats the ice cream from the float, he leans his head towards kuroo instead, letting him hold him close while he eats.]