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[twocomplex]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, COIN PRINCE. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 097.26.245.13 *** Coin Prince has joined 097.26.245.13 <Coin Prince> And how secure is this communication, really? <Coin Prince> Well, go on then, let's speak.

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[twocomplex]

If we could help our worries, they'd be worthless, wouldn't they?

[There's no point trying to control that, he says, while completely hypocritical. His arms wrap more completely around Ryan to hold him close, pressing his mouth close to his ear to comfort him.

He's still cold, but his robes help a bit, and Ryan feels quite warm.]

Close your eyes and rest here for a moment. Thoughts are clouding you and alcohol is no help, but I'm here, aren't I? [A small chuckle.]

You needn't worry about anything right now, Ryan. Only resting.

[averagemedium]

If I didn't worry I'd have nothing to do.

[That's emphasized with a huff, but he doesn't need to be encouraged twice. Oren's not warm, but this is comfortable enough despite the chill and- well, how pointy he sort of is, and resting sounds like an awfully good idea after the day he's had. Any other thought he has is met with but then I would have to move.

It may seem for a minute that Ryan's actually fallen asleep already; he's not moving, snuggled up to Oren as much as he can manage, and his breathing seems to have evened out.]

...you're too good to me. Y'know that? You put up with all of my shit and I don't know why.

[This is just physical, isn't it? They're friends, yes, and he cares for Oren, but-- he might not even know how to put it if he were sober. All he knows is that this feels like it's all more intimate than it's supposed to be.

(And that he likes it, honestly.)]

[twocomplex]

"Too good?" If anyone is "too good," it's you.

[Incredibly cheesy, but the way he says it is completely genuine. It's warm, settling in slowly, almost sheepishly, and he presses a soft kiss to the top of Ryan's head as a slow afterthought.]

Were you not here for me in every moment I've needed it? [He smiles against his head, now, giving his back a small rub in encouragement.] You should know I care by now.

Either you rest or I get up to fetch you some water, so do make a decision.

[averagemedium]

I know you do, I just.

[He shakes his head slowly, settling more heavily against Oren as he tugs the blanket over himself.]

...I don't know. I don't know what this is.

[And after a beat, he gets around to answering that last comment.]

I want you to stay here, though.

[twocomplex]

Your thoughts won't be clear until you've rested this away, at the very least.

[That's the most he says on that, a faint smile ever present as he reaches to pull the blanket more securely around Ryan.]

I'll stay here until you no longer have use for me. How's that?

[averagemedium]

...gonna be waiting a long time.

[He's almost mumbling, now, clearly just this side of drifting off as he noses closer and makes a few last-minute shifts to make sure the blanket is just so.]

Just promise you won't make breakfast. M'gonna do it.

[twocomplex]

[It's his cold he worries about the most. Their closeness is very comforting, with how often he feels freezing and can't quite fix it, but what does that mean for Ryan? Blankets or not, he watches him as he shifts to get comfortable and is careful to avoid as much skin contact as possible. Cloth, always cloth, even at his neck, pulling his robes closer...]

You flatter me even now. I won't, I promise.

[A hand smooths down Ryan's hair, encouraging him to drift to sleep.] Rest until tomorrow. We'll have more time to talk then.

[averagemedium]

Ffffine.

[It's sighed out under his breath, and it won't take long before Ryan drifts off, pressed close against him. Fortunately he sleeps solidly, out like a light as soon as he lets himself fall, and Oren won't find himself on the receiving end of any sudden starts in the night.

Of course, he'll probably find that Ryan is still kind of a pain to get away from if he tries to move out of his grasp and let Ryan warm up-- but however he's settled when he wakes, whether he's clinging to Oren or to the blankets, he will be extremely reluctant to get up.

Either the pillow's getting pulled over his head, or he'll bury his face against Oren to block the light. Good luck with that.]

[twocomplex]

[Sleep for himself is a little more difficult when you're worrying about warmth and don't have many blankets yourself, aside from Ryan. Perhaps he should have spent a bit more time climbing onto the bed to wiggle beneath some, but it takes him a couple times of waking up before managing it. Still, he keeps a wall of cloth between himself and Ryan whenever possible.

It's nearly the afternoon when he decides he can't let Ryan keep sleeping his day away. The retreat into his chest is cute, and he laughs, but soon enough he presses a hand to the back of Ryan's head.]

You'll freeze yourself this way. Your warmth is fading too much, come on—

[He shifts, nudging at Ryan to do the same.] Let's wake up.

[averagemedium]

Nnnoooo.

[It's almost a whine- he's not completely hungover, he wasn't that drunk, but he does have something of a headache and he still feels like sleeping. This is way too early... whenever it is.

Ryan rolls to lie face-down on the bed, tugging the pillow over his head, and mumbles a tune to himself.]

-if I just laaay here... ah, shit, what're the rest of the words...

[He huffs, annoyed, and reaches for Oren. With his head under the pillow like that, though, he's... not sure where to grab, and ends up just sort of flopping his arm different directions until he can latch on to Oren's.]

Don't make me get up, Oren, please.

[twocomplex]

Don't be so reclusive, Ryan. Will you truly leave me alone after promising to make breakfast?

[He has no idea what that tune was, but he'd laughed with it, and now he laughs again, rolling over to gently squish the pillow over Ryan's head. Just enough to tease.]

I'd get you water, but I'm afraid I'll only freeze it by the time I carry it here. Do you really intend to leave me abandoned this whole morning?

[averagemedium]

You could stay here.

[He shifts and lifts his head just enough to peer at Oren with tired yellow eyes, the pillow still in place; if the stray curls of hair peeking out from underneath it are any indication, it's a complete mess as usual.]

I mean, d'you have plans or anything?

[twocomplex]

Not really.

[Work, but that's later, and he can explain himself to Hans. Or offer a little apology, whatever works better for the time. For now, he moves the pillow away, confiscating Ryan's shield from the light and hugging it to his own chest.]

But I'm terribly hungry. [Rolling closer still, he reaches out with a hand to toy with Ryan's fingers, testing.] How are you feeling?

[averagemedium]

Like shit, what d'you think.

[There's no honest annoyance in his voice, just the same tired grumbliness it's had since he woke up.]

...god, I did promise breakfast, huh- think you might have to drag me to the kitchen though.

[Oren why can't you just let him wallow and be sad, god.]

[twocomplex]

Mmm, but if your mood has improved so little, how can we enjoy breakfast?

[Inching closer, he draws Ryan's hand to his mouth and presses a kiss at his fingertips, light and thoughtful.] Perhaps I'll simply have to enjoy you.

[His kiss travels, up to his wrist, and then he's leaning over to kiss at his chest. Playing, light teasing, trying to get him to lift his spirits, to see what he can get away with as he lets their fingers intertwine.]

[averagemedium]

Oren-

[That does get a small laugh out of him, short and almost startled. He still almost doesn't expect those sweet little gestures he gets from Oren, even by now, and just about every occasion it still feels like it's the first time.

He manages a smile, lacing his fingers with Oren's as well as he can with his webbing in the way, and tugs him closer.]

You already dealt with me last night, you sure you still don't mind...?

[twocomplex]

You say that as if it were trouble.

[Humming softly, he presses another soft kiss lower, towards Ryan's stomach, lingering there as their fingers link loosely like this. His eyes, though, flick upwards.] I've missed that smile. I'll stay as close as you need me, if I can keep it in place.

[averagemedium]

You usually do.

[His smile's a little wider now, settling more firmly in place as he meets Oren's eyes, and he reaches down with his free hand to comb his fingers through Oren's hair.]

I don't know how you manage it, but you do.

[It jars his memory a little, brings up something similar he'd said the previous night. I don't know what this is. He still doesn't-- just that he's fond of Oren, definitely attracted to him, and sometimes moments like this make him wonder. His expression fades into something more thoughtful, but he doesn't say anything else.]

[twocomplex]

[He catches that fade in expression, and it's enough to pause his own kissing. While he's no mind reader, he knows what's fresh in Ryan's mind, and it's enough to give him a direction. Moving the pillow behind himself, he moves closer and scoots himself higher, a free hand lacing through Ryan's hair at his neck.

His head shifts closer too, almost perfect for a kiss, but he lets their foreheads touch first, instead. A step before what could be.]

Don't worry so much on small details. [He nudges his nose a little closer, as well, offering a small smile.] We help one another, don't we? It's natural for me to be here.

So tell me, where has your smile gone now?

[averagemedium]

I was just- thinking.

[He shakes his head slightly, forces a smile back into place, but it doesn't quite manage to reach his eyes. Oren's affectionate with him, he's here when Ryan needs him, and he almost feels guilty for not coming to Oren looking for companionship first-- but this all started so quickly and so easily. It's far from what Ryan is used to, and especially after last night, he's afraid of losing it by assuming the wrong thing.

Instead he rests against Oren, head ducked so his face isn't so easy to see.]

About last night.

[And he intentionally doesn't specify what, hoping Oren assumes he means that failed date.]

[twocomplex]

[Oren smooths his hand around the back of Ryan's head, holding him closer, but carefully. He's still too cold for his liking.]

You like them quite a bit? [He tries really hard not to let jealousy seep through there, and he does fairly well. He can control his tone and words when he wants to.] May I ask who?

[averagemedium]

[He's cold, but he just doesn't quite care about it at the moment. He'd rather have Oren close than be warm, even if he does have to take a few moments to decide what to tell him.]

...a coworker of ours, I don't know if you've ever talked to him. Katsuya.

[He doesn't think he remembers seeing them talking, so this is likely safe, right...?]

[twocomplex]

[Katsuya.

His fingers pull back from Ryan's hair slowly, letting curls drop and slip out from between them carefully. The rest of him is rather still, but it could be that he doesn't want to freeze Ryan.]

We've only met recently. [He doesn't mind revealing this, already wondering about his options.] We were paired at the date auction.

He's awfully awkward, isn't he...?

[averagemedium]

--oh.

[His expression pulls into an almost guilty frown at that. Ryan isn't the best with people, but he's aware enough of the way Oren's hand puuls back, his touch going still. Whether it's surprise or something else, though, he really couldn't say.]

I- yeah. I guess he is, but y'know, I get that a lot too. [He manages a faint smile there, and continues, the words just tumbling out once he's started.]

We met not long after I first got here, on a kind of- platonic date, basically. We had things in common, seemed like it'd be nice. Then he was there when I first started changing.

[twocomplex]

[That explained it. He'd been there for him in the moments he needed someone the most. Oren can only imagine what those times must have been like. He's leaned on Ryan before from his own changes, but has Ryan been through any himself?

He watches him a little more closely, eyes drifting over him as if trying to find new ones. None that he'd noticed.]

A misleading start from the beginning, is that it? [Platonic date. His fingers rest at the base of Ryan's neck, still.]

He didn't feel the same?