captaincatblock | Get into the van, kiddo.

[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]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

captaincatblock

[Tilts his head, even as he produces the player and hands it over.] What is it, then?

[He glances at the glass, and his nose wrinkles.] You'd be surprised. The blind's there for a reason. People crawl outside the landing castle all the time, and carriers and other kats pass by. It's less traffic and noise than on Earth, though.

[He once woke up to Lev stuck to his window outside like a lunatic, pounding at his window for help.]

From:

hellacene

Nothing. It's nothing.

[he takes the player with him. it looks like it's been used all the time, and that makes him smile.

tsukki goes to the window to look at the view, glancing at the bits of the landing castle he can see from there. he can see some of the carriers around, so maybe it's not so private after all.

still - everything's so nice.]

From:

captaincatblock

If you don't tell me, I'll call you all sorts of horrible nicknames. [In front of the staff.]

[He opens another box, which looks to be a mini fridge, and produces a glass and a bottle of wine. Just a bit of something to celebrate.]

From:

hellacene

[tsukki rolls his eyes.] I'm sure most of them will be more interested in the embarrassing stories I have of you.

[he never really got any better at drinking, so he takes the glass hesitantly from kuroo as he sits on his couch.] Maybe if I get drunk enough, I'll tell you.

From:

captaincatblock

These guys know the worst of it, love. [But he agreeably sits down with Tsukki, pulling the blond to lean on him with an affectionate kiss on the cheek.]

[It's actually Terran wine that was shipped to Mars and ended up back in this side of the universe. Kuroo points out the label on it with a chuckle.]

From:

hellacene

[automatically pushing his hands on his mouth to make him shut up.

he leans against kuroo, enjoying their time on the couch while the stars were right outside the window. everything looks so lovely and he's done so much for him. it's really overwhelming.]

What happened to you, after they took you back?

From:

captaincatblock

[takes a sip of the wine from Tsukki's glass, because he's lazy to go retrieve his own.]

Hmmm. I had to help round up the other Orbital Knights, inspect the landing castles who no longer had their masters, and see to their turn over to the Empress. [His hand wanders lazily over Tsukki's stomach.] Since I was mostly a neutral party, it was convenient for her to send me as a messenger that was not likely to get shot for asking for their surrender.

There were some duels, you know. But not on a Kat.

From:

hellacene

[so a count gets to be a lot busier than he thought. he lets kuroo drink from his glass, leaning his head on his shoulder, his fingers moving through the folds of his tailcoat.]

Sounds dangerous. But you managed to come back even then.

[he takes a drink from his glass, and then tells him part of the thing that he couldn't say earlier:] You're really impressive, Kuroo.

From:

captaincatblock

[He smiles, and traces Tsukki's lower lip gently with his thumb, as if to catch some wine there.] I'm glad you think so. It's not always that I manage to impress you.

Besides, of course I would come back. I said I'd show you the stars if I could manage it.

From:

hellacene

I didn't think you would. As far as I know, you disappeared.

[he presses a small kiss on his thumb.] And I didn't know what to make of that.

From:

captaincatblock

They didn't tell you what they did to me? I mean, you were the one managing me...

[sighs, and noses at Tsukki.] I'm sorry, Kei, I should have contacted you sooner.

From:

hellacene

They told me you had to go back because it was orders. There's not much I can do after that since we got busy with rebuilding the city afterwards.

[so, it's not like he wasn't told, it's more like he got angry and had decided to focus on something else.]

Nevermind. You're here now.

From:

captaincatblock

You're here now. [strokes his hair tenderly.]

I have to say, though, red looks good on you.

From:

hellacene

You're biased.

I like the black jackets some of your men were wearing. Those look good, too.

[he finishes the rest of his wine, toeing his boots off his feet so he can gather them under his red coat. he likes it, but the black one will probably make his skin look even paler.]

From:

captaincatblock

You can wear those if you want, but people might mistake you as part of my staff. If that's all right with you, then go ahead. [Kuroo obviously doesn't care. He adjusts them a bit, also removing his boots, so that he's stretched along the couch with Tsukki's back to his chest. With a view of the window, of course.]

You know, I came back here and I couldn't stop thinking that you should have been able to come with me.

From:

hellacene

That might be useful for me from time to time. [although people are certainly going to notice that there's this blond terran walking around unlisted later on .....

he pulls the coat closer towards him.] That's why I said it's a good thing you're not king.

[and it's a good thing he doesn't have any ambitions beyond maintaining his position as a count.]

From:

captaincatblock

Even though you sometimes forget I'm a Count? [He's wheedling about the earlier topic, gives Tsukki more wine.]

It's pretty useless for me to be an Emperor, though. It's too many limitations, not enough benefits.

From:

hellacene

Other people won't forget you're a Count, even if I do.

[you're getting him drunk for this, don't think he doesn't see it.] I don't think I'd like you to be an Emperor, either.

From:

captaincatblock

No, I don't think you would. [kisses Tsukki by the ear, and runs his hands up Tsukki's chest.] I wouldn't be able to pilot my Kat then, wouldn't I?

From:

hellacene

I can't really drink if you're feeling me up.

[he's not complaining, though, just sets the glass on the table on the side. he gets back on lying on top of him, leaning his head against his palm while he props his arm on his chest.] I can't wait to meet everyone.

[all of the people kuroo talks about, including the owls he likes. before, they were just stories, and now he has something more.]

From:

captaincatblock

They're pretty happy you're here, too. [Laughs.] Mostly because now I can shut up about how excited I am to bring you here. It was pointed out to me that maybe I should tell you in advance, but I really didn't want to ruin the surprise. And, you know, nerves.

[He idly strokes Tsukki's back.] Did I tell you that I missed you? I missed you a lot.

From:

hellacene

That someone who told you to inform me first was smart.

[he warms up to kuroo's touch, half closing his eyes at the feel of his hand on his back.] As if you haven't told me that a hundred times since we met again.

Tell me something else. [what a demanding princess.]

From:

captaincatblock

[It was basically everyone but Yamamoto and Lev.]

[Kuroo smiles, looks up at the ceiling as if in thought.]

When I came back here, I couldn't sleep at all unless I had your music player on. [It was kind of lonely.] I kept wishing that you'd somehow just be next door, so I could sleep in your narrow bed.

From:

hellacene

You're too sappy.

[but he looks happy at that, anyway.] It's a good thing we're not enemies, there's plenty for me to use against you just by listening here.

[not enemies anymore, at least. it's a bluff, anyhow.]

From:

captaincatblock

But you like it when I'm sappy. [Don't pretend otherwise, Kuroo can see right through it.]

If we were enemies, Tsukki, I would surrender to you on day one. Hmm, that sounds familiar somehow.