[ Wu smiles into another kiss to stop that train of thought right there. He really loves kissing Mako, loves it when Mako kisses him, and he still has that flutter of excitement that he actually gets to kiss Mako, even all these months later. ]
Nope, no bugs. Right, Fritter? No bugs! She says there's no bugs.
[ She doesn't say that, but she looks up at him with big eyes, and then scampers off the stage and to a closed door along the wall. ]
Oh, is that the way upstairs? You're such a smart raccoon, princess.
[ Mako breaks away from him to follow Fritter, since apparently this is now how they're making their choices. In Mako's defense, he's been around too-smart animals for a while now, and even though he's still suspicious, it does turn out that this door leads to a stairwell with a window at the top of through which dusty light shines.
Maybe she's onto something.
He pushes the door open further and turns around, raising both brows at Wu. ]
Doesn't have to be bugs. Could be a bed full of eelsnakes. Door could lead to a room full of blood.
[ ...teasing? ]
But the raccoon says it's safe. Who am I to say it's not?
[ Implied "more than you," but he's teasing, and brushes his fingers over Mako's ass as he moves past him down the short hall. There are a few doors on each side, but Fritter moves to the one directly to the left and Wu opens it to show a set of stairs. Wu reaches down and picks Fritter up before he starts to climb the stairs. Maybe he is trusting her too much, but he can't help it. There's no reason not to trust her! ]
Well, if there are eelsnakes of a room full of blood, we've dealt with worse! Come on, Mako, are you scared of a few eelsnakes?
[ He shoots Mako a grin as he starts to climb the stairs ]
[ Mako shoots him a look as he passes, fighting a smile. ]
Yup. Terrified. Dying was nothing compared to eelsnakes.
[ He follows closely behind Wu, though, noting the way the stairs creak under their feet. The light outside is fading into a gold-tinged afternoon, painting the walls with squares of color from the windows. It's nice, but it's very possible there are just offices or another theater, more private, up here. ]
If there's nothing here, we can find a place next door or nearby. Not everybody lives where they work. That's just a king thing.
[ Wu really feels like there will be. He feels like when he opens the next door, he's going to love what he sees. It's a feeling, thrumming in him, radiating from Fritter, their emotions in sync in a way he's never felt before, but that it a comforting warmth and steadiness that he might just need.
On the landing, he pushes open a door and gasps, which turns into a cough from the dust but... the room is beautiful. It's big and open with high ceilings and a kitchen tucked away in a corner, an old velvet sofa and a faded carpet in the middle. The windows are dirty, but light trickles in, and Wu is immediately in love. ]
Mako, this is...
[ He lets out a squeal of delight, and runs into the room, running his hand over the velvet, going over to the kitchen, to the windows, to the door in the wall. He opens it and practically leaps for joy ]
[ A strange feeling creeps over him—content and warm, wrapped up in surprise. It could just be a sauna but something tells him it's not, that this place is the closest he and Wu are going to get to a home here, and...
It's just for the two of them. Mako pauses in the middle of the living room, turning to look through the dirty windows out over the bit of Cellar Door that can be seen through the panes.
Something warm curls through him, chased by a feeling he can't name. ]
It... looks like our first apartment.
[ Maybe it's the high windows, the half-light glinting on everything, the wooden floors and the little pot-bellied stove tucked against a wall to keep things warm.
Maybe it's the fact that there's another staircase, narrow and railed, pressed against the wall by the door, leading up to a screened-in platform that turns out to have a bed. Mako wanders up with his voice caught in his throat, letting his hand trail carefully through the dust, and then pushes open one of the screens to look out over the whole thing. ]
[ Wu lets out another gasp, and barrels up the stairs, practically slamming into Mako's back, arms wrapping tight around him as he peers into the loft--
There is a bed. It's huge and the blankets are old and crumpled, but it's there and Wu can just imagine waking up with Mako here, basking under the morning light from the tall windows. ]
This is amazing!
[ He hangs off of Mako, leaning into to press a messy kiss to his cheek ]
Oh, it is our first apartment! You and me, living the life in this new city!
[ Even if the new city is scary and dark, he has Mako and Fritter and his friends and this new space. He sighs happily, squeezing Mako tight ]
[ The flush of warmth and love and excitement is almost too much. It's almost too good: this place, with a bed and a theater and Wu's sauna, light and sized for them. The nightmare is over, and Wu doesn't have to be king, and he's letting himself dream and want things, and Mako is—is so proud, but he can't just.
It's too nice, isn't it?
This isn't the kind of thing that happens for him. He did nothing to earn this, he didn't have to scrape and hustle. Sure, they'll have to clean it and put together new bedding and figure out how to get a sustainable supply of food, but this place is good, and there is a large, hurt part of Mako that can't just accept that. There has to be a catch somewhere.
(Why, he will wonder later, can't he just accept nice things? Why does it always feel like the other shoe is going to drop? Why can't he be like Wu and just sink into what life offers him with unrestrained joy? What's wrong with him?)
The force of it all catches at his throat, and Mako half-turns in Wu's arms, away from the bed and the square of thin light on the dingy wall, sucking in a breath that feels shakier than it should. ]
[ The feelings of concern press into Wu and his smile slips off his face. He frowns, because he's still happy. He's still very happy, but something isn't quite right. He looks up at the bed, then at Mako.
Mako looks concerned. Too concerned, for everything that's happening right now. Wu pets down his chest gently ]
I do. [ Shit. Wrong reaction. Mako actually winces, sucking in a small breath to try and shove the knot of worry down away from himself. He can't act on that, it doesn't matter. They're here, and this place has four walls and nothing is trying to kill them.
That should be enough. ]
It's nothing, Wu. It's fine. We should check the bed. Is it really your sauna?
[ He could let it go. He could, but he's so excited and Mako is so... not.
He's tired of being selfish. Mako said that he isn't really that selfish, and Wu wants to live up to that. He wants to give Mako as much as Mako gives him. ]
Something's not fine. What, what are you worried about?
[ It takes Mako a while to say something. Dust drifts around them on lazy air currents, settling on skin and surfaces alike. This place has good bones. Mako has no reason to feel the way he does, but Wu is asking, and Mako can tell how worried he is, and that's his fault. Wu was enjoying this until he...
He sucks in a little breath, pressing his palm flat to Wu's back. ]
[ Wu's quiet for a moment, considering the question. He wants to protest: no, it's not too nice! It's perfect.
But Mako has a point.
Nothing was given in Deerington without taking twice as much away.
But he doesn't want to believe it. He wants this place, this theater, this loft, his sauna. He wants it and Fritter brought him here, and it just feels so... right ]
I... suppose so? I suppose it is pretty nice. Are you worried, that something awful will happen because we have something nice?
I sort of feel like we're supposed to be here. Like this place is... welcoming us home.
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reddosmod) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
countryclub2021-08-09 05:25 pm
no subject
[ Wu smiles into another kiss to stop that train of thought right there. He really loves kissing Mako, loves it when Mako kisses him, and he still has that flutter of excitement that he actually gets to kiss Mako, even all these months later. ]
Nope, no bugs. Right, Fritter? No bugs! She says there's no bugs.
[ She doesn't say that, but she looks up at him with big eyes, and then scampers off the stage and to a closed door along the wall. ]
Oh, is that the way upstairs? You're such a smart raccoon, princess.
no subject
[ Mako breaks away from him to follow Fritter, since apparently this is now how they're making their choices. In Mako's defense, he's been around too-smart animals for a while now, and even though he's still suspicious, it does turn out that this door leads to a stairwell with a window at the top of through which dusty light shines.
Maybe she's onto something.
He pushes the door open further and turns around, raising both brows at Wu. ]
Doesn't have to be bugs. Could be a bed full of eelsnakes. Door could lead to a room full of blood.
[ ...teasing? ]
But the raccoon says it's safe. Who am I to say it's not?
no subject
[ Implied "more than you," but he's teasing, and brushes his fingers over Mako's ass as he moves past him down the short hall. There are a few doors on each side, but Fritter moves to the one directly to the left and Wu opens it to show a set of stairs. Wu reaches down and picks Fritter up before he starts to climb the stairs. Maybe he is trusting her too much, but he can't help it. There's no reason not to trust her! ]
Well, if there are eelsnakes of a room full of blood, we've dealt with worse! Come on, Mako, are you scared of a few eelsnakes?
[ He shoots Mako a grin as he starts to climb the stairs ]
no subject
Yup. Terrified. Dying was nothing compared to eelsnakes.
[ He follows closely behind Wu, though, noting the way the stairs creak under their feet. The light outside is fading into a gold-tinged afternoon, painting the walls with squares of color from the windows. It's nice, but it's very possible there are just offices or another theater, more private, up here. ]
If there's nothing here, we can find a place next door or nearby. Not everybody lives where they work. That's just a king thing.
no subject
[ Wu really feels like there will be. He feels like when he opens the next door, he's going to love what he sees. It's a feeling, thrumming in him, radiating from Fritter, their emotions in sync in a way he's never felt before, but that it a comforting warmth and steadiness that he might just need.
On the landing, he pushes open a door and gasps, which turns into a cough from the dust but... the room is beautiful. It's big and open with high ceilings and a kitchen tucked away in a corner, an old velvet sofa and a faded carpet in the middle. The windows are dirty, but light trickles in, and Wu is immediately in love. ]
Mako, this is...
[ He lets out a squeal of delight, and runs into the room, running his hand over the velvet, going over to the kitchen, to the windows, to the door in the wall. He opens it and practically leaps for joy ]
Mako! My sauna!
no subject
[ A strange feeling creeps over him—content and warm, wrapped up in surprise. It could just be a sauna but something tells him it's not, that this place is the closest he and Wu are going to get to a home here, and...
It's just for the two of them. Mako pauses in the middle of the living room, turning to look through the dirty windows out over the bit of Cellar Door that can be seen through the panes.
Something warm curls through him, chased by a feeling he can't name. ]
It... looks like our first apartment.
[ Maybe it's the high windows, the half-light glinting on everything, the wooden floors and the little pot-bellied stove tucked against a wall to keep things warm.
Maybe it's the fact that there's another staircase, narrow and railed, pressed against the wall by the door, leading up to a screened-in platform that turns out to have a bed. Mako wanders up with his voice caught in his throat, letting his hand trail carefully through the dust, and then pushes open one of the screens to look out over the whole thing. ]
Up here. There's a bed.
no subject
There is a bed. It's huge and the blankets are old and crumpled, but it's there and Wu can just imagine waking up with Mako here, basking under the morning light from the tall windows. ]
This is amazing!
[ He hangs off of Mako, leaning into to press a messy kiss to his cheek ]
Oh, it is our first apartment! You and me, living the life in this new city!
[ Even if the new city is scary and dark, he has Mako and Fritter and his friends and this new space. He sighs happily, squeezing Mako tight ]
no subject
It's too nice, isn't it?
This isn't the kind of thing that happens for him. He did nothing to earn this, he didn't have to scrape and hustle. Sure, they'll have to clean it and put together new bedding and figure out how to get a sustainable supply of food, but this place is good, and there is a large, hurt part of Mako that can't just accept that. There has to be a catch somewhere.
(Why, he will wonder later, can't he just accept nice things? Why does it always feel like the other shoe is going to drop? Why can't he be like Wu and just sink into what life offers him with unrestrained joy? What's wrong with him?)
The force of it all catches at his throat, and Mako half-turns in Wu's arms, away from the bed and the square of thin light on the dingy wall, sucking in a breath that feels shakier than it should. ]
no subject
Mako looks concerned. Too concerned, for everything that's happening right now. Wu pets down his chest gently ]
Mako? You don't like it?
no subject
That should be enough. ]
It's nothing, Wu. It's fine. We should check the bed. Is it really your sauna?
no subject
[ He could let it go. He could, but he's so excited and Mako is so... not.
He's tired of being selfish. Mako said that he isn't really that selfish, and Wu wants to live up to that. He wants to give Mako as much as Mako gives him. ]
Something's not fine. What, what are you worried about?
no subject
He sucks in a little breath, pressing his palm flat to Wu's back. ]
Don't you think it's a little too nice?
no subject
But Mako has a point.
Nothing was given in Deerington without taking twice as much away.
But he doesn't want to believe it. He wants this place, this theater, this loft, his sauna. He wants it and Fritter brought him here, and it just feels so... right ]
I... suppose so? I suppose it is pretty nice. Are you worried, that something awful will happen because we have something nice?
I sort of feel like we're supposed to be here. Like this place is... welcoming us home.