Mmmm, but... I've always enjoyed work, you know? Training, and fighting, and -- and everything else, no matter how hard it was.
[There's something rougher in his voice, a little stumbling over the words, and it's hard to say whether it's due to sheer distraction or due to the subject matter. It sounds a little like some of those words might have spilled out without his meaning them to; Anon isn't nearly as disciplined during the conversation even if he is (in some way) doing his best, and he's preoccupied with watching all the parts of Natsuno he can reach right now and the way water beads on all of them amid curls of steam.
It really, really doesn't help when Natsuno tilts his head back, because that means his neck is bared, too. There's something almost predatory about the way Anon's started tracking the movements.
So when their gazes catch each other again, his is almost completely red, pupils shrunk to fierce slits as he watches Natsuno and his smile with that same intensity.]
Whatever you want. And whenever you want. I've always wanted to set fire to everything at least once.
[Okay, so his words might have started to veer nonsensical too, but give him a break, he's five seconds from just pouncing.]
I've never really worked so... [ There probably was a train of thought there, but it trails off like the water dripping from the ends of his purple hued locks. He's almost tempted to dunk his head under the heated water again, somehow that seems like it would be cooler than having parts of his skin laid bare like this.
It's not what he wants though, even if it would be easier (as if difficulty has ever mattered once he's decided on a course of action). The bright red irises with their predatory focus is just like it was after hanami, when he let himself drown in them until it was the only thought he had left. There's no fabric to separate them here, just water as clear and tempestuous as they are.
Almost reflexively, he cocks his head to the side exposing his neck more blatantly than before. There's no lack of thought put into the gesture; Natsuno knows what it means better than anyone else and the memory tickles in a way he didn't think was possible. A bubble of laughter rises from his chest, spreading to his lips and tongue—spilled words soft even as disjointed as they are. ]
Yeah. Then we're doing it. Whenever. Maybe even now.
[Anon's a little past words at this point, leaning forward when Natsuno makes that small and deliberate movement -- there's a sparking split-second where he catches his eye again, hungry and considering, before he actually does just pounce. It's not quite a lunge; he still manages to control his momentum somewhat, because they're still so close that he really only needs to shift a little.
But his breath is hot and quick in the midst of the onsen air and everything else for the barest of instants before he makes contact, and then his tongue is hotter when he licks up the drops and trails of water along Natsuno's collarbone and the tendon in his neck before biting down. Once, twice, deeper and lighter pressures like he's taste testing, searching out the pulse and soothing with a kiss or two in between. The last time he holds on a little with his teeth, almost thoughtfully, like a predator debating whether to tear out the throat -- closes his lips around the bite to suck briefly at it like a deeper kiss.
(And as deliberate and exploratory as all his motions manage to be, his focus almost intense enough to be something physical on its own, the thinnest layer of water and skin between them means that the galloping of his pulse comes through too; it thrums along with only a couple of stutters, whenever he actually bites down.
It's an easy but amazing motion, when he knows what Natsuno is.)]
[ There's a small muffled sound that escapes from his mouth at the initial contact. As quiet as he tries to make it, it's incredibly vulnerable, raw and new. The past fights with the present in his head, and even if that's all behind him and even if this is what he wants, his heart is hammering through his rib cage all the same.
It's after the first bite that he catches himself, catches the heat between the both of them and slides his eyes closed. This is an all new type of teeth on skin experience and it's tantalizing and intoxicating and there's not a single drop of blood on his tongue. The kisses and bites and everything in between pile on top of one another and his back leans into the wall of the onsen like he's toppling over from their weight, all while stubbornly refusing to actually distance himself from the touch. Everything about Natsuno is stubborn, including the way any new marks fade within moments, the skin seemingly unmarred. His heart is still pounding away in his chest, though for decidedly different reasons. Again he finds he can't stop himself from vocalizing what he's feeling, an unbidden moan wafting up to join the steam.
Honestly it's all a bit much—he wants and he wants and he wants but he feels like he's going to burst, feels like he's going to starve with the hunger snaking up his spine. He breathes once, twice, and forces his eyes open. This is new too, they're the same red as always but framed by black without a single speck of white. He's a jinrou after all, a predator dressed up in human skin until a hunt, until he gives himself over to all the emotions and impulses he usually keeps in check. ]
Anon. [ Just that one word—not a warning, not a plea. He's not sure what's going to happen, but it's the only thing he can manage. Everything seems remarkably still aside from their heartbeats resounding in his ear. ]
[This close, it's impossible to miss anything no matter how minute or quiet or muted it is, and that first noise slides down his throat like the water and slips between his ribs unbidden in a way that he's pretty sure he's never going to be able to pull out again. It's not the time to examine things like that yet, but--
But Anon responds all the same, to every little movement and noise and new discovery, with little noises of his own; they're hungry and a little inquiring, almost as involuntary. He can barely hear over his heart and Natsuno's heart and even the steam seems to have a noise, pressing against his ears and his skin like a background buzz; still not quite as thick as the one the sake gave them. But it's enough, and the moan knocks him further out of himself still, to the point where it's really, really hard to slow down at all.
But it's just as tempting to really survey the landscape, see the effects he's having across Natsuno's face, and the sound of his name tugs him back up again almost easily. Like he hadn't been losing track of everything except the next impulse a moment ago.]
Koide.
[He looks back up at him and into those red-black eyes and... licks his lips, languid and contemplative and maybe even intrigued. There's a curl of a satisfied smile there, too, a flash of teeth because he can't help himself.]
Mm, that's new.
[He goes straight for a kiss after that, the motion both familiar and somehow more deliberate. His lips are hotter and wetter than usual.]
[ The moment their lips touch Natsuno sighs, pleased and heavy and noticeably less quiet than before (there's not a point in holding back is there?). For a second it's enough, the sweetness of the venom dripping from his fangs saccharine and dulling all the stimulation around him to a pleasant hum. But in another beat his heart pumps again, and it's washed away, everything coming back into hyper focus.
The world around him is full of speckles of blue with his eyes like this, even if they're far from being in the dark. Blue isn't what he wants though, it's red. Red, so much red it's all he can think of as he pulls Anon further into the kiss fervently and carelessly. It's the opposite of how he usually is when they're like this, because somewhere in the back of his mind he always tries to be careful to avoid any pricks (even if he's failed at it more often than not). But here it's deliberate, something akin to nibbling if you can call it that.
Greedily he'll drink every single drop he can get, all the while grasping for more—literally even, with his arms that found their way looped around Anon's chest for better leverage. It's way too hot to be this close and it's more intimate than they've ever been, but those are thoughts that are easily lost in the steam and pleasure of everything else. ]
[Anon drinks everything in, the sighs and the familiar sweetness of the venom that flavors a good deal of their kisses these days, like he's the one currently stealing a taste or five. And in a way he is, of course; he crowds Natsuno up against the side of the onsen because everything is still too hot and slippery, and it might be the temperatures or it might be the larger shot of venom or it might just be Natsuno blurring out his thoughts and knocking him off balance in all the ways.
He lets himself be moved and shifted as long as it's closer, as long as there's more contact and more skin under his hands searching for both purchase and something grounding. This is truly uncharted territory and it's as exciting as it is disorienting, so he lets Natsuno's instincts guide them for the moment.
The nibbling itself is strangely thrilling and also maddening all at once, the contact just there but not quite enough, and it draws out an impatient groan. Greedily, Anon tries to deepen the kiss even more, even though they're already wrapped all the way around each other and way too deep into all of this. He probably wouldn't know the word moderation if it slapped him in the face with the entire onsen's worth of water right now.
(His blood is hot, runs hotter than a human's even if it's easy to mistake it for the conditions in the onsen the way Natsuno is doing it -- what can't be missed is the faintly electric aftertaste, like taking a quick shot of energy, something that can't be found in any human anywhere.)]
[ Any semblance of thought he has left shatters at the first taste of Anon's blood. Feeding is always an intoxicating experience, but that jolt of energy drives straight through his heart—he physically shudders as it floods through his veins before biting down for more.
And at this point it is biting, with his complete lack of inhibition spurred on by Anon's greedy insistence. This isn't how he's supposed to drink blood but that's alright, because if he was doing this the normal way he might actually just pass out from the sheer overload of stimuli. Actually, the tickle in the back of his neck should be the first sign that he can't keep this up forever. He's hot, really, really hot and there's nothing he can do to cool off with the humidity and how tangled up they are together, not to mention how heavy he feels with the venom only adding to it all.
But that doesn't matter right now. In the not so distant future it will, but for now he lets himself sink deeper and deeper in every way possible. His nails dig into the striped skin beneath them as he's pushed into the wall of the onsen, eliciting another moan. This would be a good time to remember he has to breathe, but that comes secondary to the blood, kisses, and skin-to-skin contact. ]
[Anon makes a noise at the first real bite, low and lengthy and it's part-gasp and part-laughter somehow because he is an absolute disaster honestly but he's a disaster who's intimately familiar with the wide and brilliant spectrum of physical sensation, embraces all of it like a part of himself because it is, all of it is. Natsuno's reaction feeds into his, frissons on top of the new and interesting kind of pain he's tasting and exploring right now.
Tasting his own blood is always interesting, but now it's mixed with a potent cocktail of venom and the now-familiar soft-hard intimacy of Natsuno's mouth, his tongue and fangs. And as with any kind of pain -- usually fight-related but he is definitely learning all kinds of things tonight -- it gets his blood up, both literally and in spirit. There's another soft low noise when Natsuno uses his nails and lights up a dozen other pinpricks across his skin, because Anon is nothing if not vocal, even if asking him to string a sentence together at this stage would be like asking him to pull away even a little right now.
He doesn't pull away; ignores the increasing tightness of his chest (Natsuno's grip is fierce and he pushes harder into it) and lungs and the dizzying flurry of motion as they both try to get impossibly closer. Because he knows his limits, at least he usually does, and the temperature isn't it and the biting isn't it and the blood probably dripping haphazardly into the onsen isn't it either.
They are definitely crashing past all kinds of limits but he's always loved doing that, too.]
[ Natsuno has never known his limits well. Not as a human and certainly not as a jinrou. He's the type to push and push until he literally can't go anymore, and he winds up face down in someone else's bed or on his back in a ravine. That's not going to change, especially right now.
There's a long groan as he's pressed further into the hold he started, that causes him to push back and create just the smallest amount of space between him and the wall. It might seem sudden given his insistence up to this point, but it becomes clear seconds later when his wings suddenly sprout from his back in a spray of water and steam. He lets himself get pressed into the wall again immediately after, an audible sigh of pleasure and relief despite his likely uncomfortable position. There's even a bubble of laughter that steals what little oxygen he has to spare.
Everything is a mess and he can't really move his wings like this as half submerged as they are, though he does try (he needs to touch with them too, wrap them up even tighter together). Now there's a mix of feathers in the onsen on top of everything else, but he hardly notices with how hot his blood is boiling. Have his limbs always felt so heavy and his tongue so clumsy? It has to be a side effect of the blood he still can't get enough of, and the black spots at the edge of his vision are clearly just feathers. ]
[The groan vibrates through both of them, as closely as they're linked right now, skin and mouths and fangs and everything else -- at some point Anon's hair has tumbled mostly out of his towel, too, and there's long unruly loops of pink falling into the water and over his shoulders and between them, soft and soaking in the pool and steam. This onsen has really seen better days at this point, but there's no thought to spare for any of that.
There's no thought at all just yet. He makes a needy noise back that's cut off when the wings appear, buffeting them both a little bit despite their motion being restricted by the water. Despite everything Anon nearly loses his grip, or loses track of where he is in the sudden rush of water and feathers and everything else, the world blurring completely for a moment.
He manages to grab a breath, two, and things come back into focus. There's a vague thought that they've been here for a long time, but he doesn't want to let go of Natsuno at all, especially now. He wants to touch those wings, he wants their cool wind back, he wants to be touched and it all threatens to knock his awareness back away and spinning again. But. But, he manages to shift them both to the edge of the onsen somehow, even as he winds himself ever tighter into their mutual mess. From there, he can drag himself out of the water without ever letting go at all.
He's disoriented but luckily his brute strength still isn't, they haven't quite reached the limits of that yet, and even with the weight of the water and the muzziness of everything he can take Natsuno with him. The slightly cooler air somehow helps.
And he can reach those wings now, freed as they are from the onsen. That might have been his real goal in all of this.]
[ There's not much he can make sense of right now, and like before he doesn't fight any rearranging or shifting—as long as they're still touching, as long as they're still one mess of red, pink, and purple. It's only when they're completely out of the onsen and he's flush against the ground, feathers bristling to shake the water off, does he realize just how far they've come.
Ahh he's still-they're still completely bare and now without even a layer of water between them. He tries to mumble something that starts out sounding embarrassed, but it's no use between how drunk he is from the venom and everything else. Instead he winds up making a high pitched sound that comes more from his core than his throat; he's always had little defense when it comes to his wings, let alone when he's vulnerable like this. They beat clumsily in response, entirely uncoordinated as he cycles between bursts of pleasure and the weight of sleep pressing down on him all at once. ]
[The ground feels almost as good as everything else, it's the stupid thought that Anon manages now that they're both faceplanted down there, everything still too close and damp to be entirely comfortable but like hell he's letting go now. Even if it would be a little more practical. He's done his practical thing of the night.
Natsuno's flailing just gets the laziest blink first, because with all the exertion and changing of positions Anon is also discovering how dizzy he is now, even as he does his best to separate wing from skin from stone floor from steam in the slip-slide of his perception. It's way harder than it should be but Natsuno's voice helps tug him back a little into himself and makes him dizzier somehow all at once. He manages a soft breath and curls forward, pulling Natsuno into a very clumsy, slightly off-center kiss. It helps, because contact always helps.
His contact with the wing he managed to reach is also way too clumsy to be soothing, but he does his best to smooth it down and over them both, with some vague idea that they're probably not going to move so might as well have a blanket. At least, he has no interest in moving; he leans his head against Natsuno's instead and closes his eyes.]
[ Kisses always help. They're grounding, even when he's literally flat on the ground and still can't tell sky from stone. He murmurs after Anon pulls away because yeah of course he still wants more when he's worked up like this, but the strokes on his wings help even as clumsy as they are.
He lets himself catch his breath for what feels like the first time in hours, and belatedly tries to adjust his wing that's now a makeshift blanket. The second wing follows after, though it's far from the cocoon he usually bundles them in, but it's good enough. Everything really is hazy, and it's not just from the heat like he thought earlier. His blood feels like lava at this point too, still bright hot but lazily moving through his veins.
Trying to get more kisses is too much work, but laying like this feels just as good and growing more appealing every second. Yeah, he can just tuck a bit closer and rest his eyes, that feels really good too.
...
They've been sleeping like this (or the reverse, albeit never this messily) pretty much since their reunion, so the weight on Natsuno's chest doesn't cause him to startle. What does register however, is how hot it is—not hot actually, but humid.
Hnnn he hates summers in Sotoba. He must have fallen asleep with the window closed again even if he's been trying to break out of that habit. Nevermind that he has wings and is aware of Anon nestled on top of him, the present merges with the past pretty easily when he's this drowsy. ]
Mmn I thought it was supposed to be fall already... [ He's not opening his eyes to complain, he's plenty comfortable and stubborn to stay like this. ]
[There's a sleepy grumble from Anon as he shifts slowly toward wakefulness, because he can feel as well as hear when Natsuno starts talking -- it's been a while since he's slept quite this hard, even in all the nights they've spent curled up together. It's hot and close and very different from the arid heat of his home, or the usual temperatures of the island, or any of the flower-strewn dream they're in.]
Mmm... Spring...
[Yeah, that's all you're getting from him for the moment. Word-wise, at least.
It's actually way hotter than it usually is when they wake up together, too, but the soft tickle of feathers and Natsuno's hair are familiar enough that Anon just settles into it and contemplates burrowing back down into oblivion. He does reach over, though, and his kiss lands squarely on Natsuno's chin because he's trying to do it only half-coordinated with his eyes closed.
He also makes a face to himself because his face is kind of sore, but eh. It happens, and he's still too far from awareness to bother with figuring out why.]
Did we skip winter? [ He's perfectly capable of being himself while half asleep, as his parents and Tohru learned. The kiss gets him to open his eyes blearily however, his vision slowly coming into focus. At first it's pretty much what he expected, he can't see what's around them because of his wings (undescript ceiling aside). But as he smiles and looks down, the sudden sight of swirls and stripes makes his heart skip a beat.
...was it really that hot that they decided to sleep topless? Yeah that kinda makes sense but. Blushing here and averting his eyes before he can look any farther to his conveniently placed wall of feathers, thanks past self. He's pretty awake now and doing his not to fidget even with the heat rising in his cheeks. Speaking of that, maybe unfurling his wings a little will help, though he stops short of uncocooning them completely. ]
Ehhhh? [ Just that one drawn out enunciation because where in the hell did they decide to sleep? He hasn't even taken a real look at just how much of a mess they are yet, his brain kinda fizzled out at topless. ]
[At the least he's getting more coherent, even if Anon's tucked himself back against Natsuno's shoulder at this point and is mumbling into it; it's something like a real answer, even if he's a little more awake now as he licks at his lips when talking more tugs on sore spots there. Hmm. That's definitely the lingering taste of blood in his mouth?? Still not anything all that out of the ordinary.
That being said, the wings moving to let more light in and then Natsuno's funny exclamation jostle him a bit more and he finally bothers to open one eye. Oh, right, that's Natsuno's bare shoulder. Nice. Instead of doing anything useful like examining their surroundings, he reaches out to sleepily pat at the feathers by it.]
Ah... Where is this? [a blink or two where he slowly registers what's beyond the skin and feathers] It's too early and I feel like I need a bath already...
[Well, now the humidity is real and there's steam for some reason and he's starting to get the lay of the land in several different directions at once. Hmm. He looks down, blinks some more, and contemplates their predicament.]
[ Natsuno's growing increasingly flustered by the second, but the feather pat still gets him to glance over Anon's way. He's wondering that too, the question jarring something in his memory. Bath... bath... ]
Onsen? Onsen. We're in an onsen. [ Wait. Being in an onsen means— his smile is visibly nervous here, enough that he just misses biting his lip by accident. That was a close call but why is there a hint of blood at the corner of his mouth? Instinctively he licks at it with his tongue, and several things happen at once.
1.) He's hit with a jolt of energy that's like static electricity. 2.) Said energy makes him startle to where he can't avert his eyes from the situation and looks down. 3.) He realizes they're actually naked despite the past minute or so he's spent in denial pointedly looking anywhere but down. 4.) Not only are they naked, they slept naked and they're still wrapped around each other while being naked. 5.) He straight up yelps, somewhere between a yell and just incomprehensible embarrassed noises. 6.) As a result of all of the above he basically jumps straight upwards, beats his wings and crashes head first into the ceiling. 7.) He lands back where he started the night, with a loud splash in the onsen.
Proceeding that there's some very loud splashing and flailing until Natsuno eventually surfaces, completely red and looking like he wants to die. At least he probably didn't manage to drag Anon through all of that? ]
Sorry, sorry! [ What is he apologizing for? Probably everything. ]
[Well. You know. It's definitely a more exciting awakening than he's had in a while, and though Anon hasn't gotten dragged all the way up to the ceiling nor into the onsen he definitely got bowled all the way over from his comfortable spot on Natsuno, protesting the whole way.
He sits up from where he's ended up sprawled flat on the ground from the initial kerfuffle when he hears the splash, blinking even more as he starts trying to put the past few moments (and really the whole night before, which is coming back now, but that's secondary!) together with Natsuno somehow ending up in the onsen again. Oh, and he's still completely naked, hair having dried in a tumbled, frizzing mess all over which helps a little but definitely not enough now that the wing screen is gone. There's feathers all over and at least one on top of his head just sitting there.]
You-- What--
[He seemingly goes through several different and largely confused expressions and then just. Dissolves into helpless laughter, kind of the way they started this whole fiasco but exponentially louder and less controlled, because how else is he supposed to react to all of this???]
You just... Ahaha, the ceiling, and why are you--
[Yeah, no, you're not getting a single coherent thing out of him until he manages to stop laughing, which might be never at this rate.]
Mmnphfn! [ That sure is an answer but it's the best he's got between his flailing and the water and everything else. He lets himself sink until only his nose and eyes are visible above the water and he just pouts.
His wings are all wet again, there's feathers sticking out at every angle, and there's probably some wood chips in his hair from how hard he rammed into the ceiling. It really is hilarious and he would probably laugh too if he wasn't busy trying to figure out how to die for the fifth time.
Wrapping his wings around himself with considerable effort in the water, at least he can spare this part of his dignity. Until he takes a look at Anon, visibly blue screens at his continued naked existence and then turns to face the wall like an indignant cat. At least he's taken his head out of the water again, though. ]
I-shut up. Mmnnn I just-I don't know! Sorry! [ Continued verbal flailing will continue, but he almost managed a full sentence this time. ]
[Wow, he was almost recovered but the completely incoherent reply from the water sets him off again, so Anon is left trying to wipe tears of mirth and master himself again even as he also completely refuses to stop watching Natsuno back even though it really isn't helping his anything right now. He's almost as red as Natsuno from laughing at this point.
Eventually (very eventually, probably a little bit after Natsuno's already gone back to his wall and winging life in there), he does manage to calm down enough that he could probably manage full sentences. Maybe. Maybe they could also continue to communicate in flailing and half-choking noises, who knows.
And the first thing he says?]
Mm, well, I'm not. Sorry, that is.
[Because of course it is. It's all cheek and cheer, Anon having settled into a cross-legged sit that's all curled over himself because like, damn, that was a workout first thing in the morning, but at least it also means that if anyone walks in his hair can mostly prevent him from flashing them. Progress!
The grin on his face as he peers over at the onsen is both amused and fond. And also still about two steps from losing out to laughter again, because what kind of wet cat-bird is this.]
But you should come back out here! It's a little cold, and I mean, I could follow you in there, too, but I'm not sure that would help.
[That's definitely cheeky. And he's probably joking, but do you really want to risk it.]
[ There's some shifting in the water at Anon's cheekiness, but no reply from Natsuno for once. He might seem like he's very intent on just staring at this wall, but a few beats later with a long huff he stands up and starts to shake his wings out. His cheeks have some residual red to them but he's no longer as bright as a stop sign, so it's progress.
He takes a few more seconds staring at the absolute wreck of the onsen with its many feathers, ceiling bits, and escaped towels before trudging out. Laboriously (but without really making an effort to cover up, it's kinda a moot point while he's up) he makes his way over to the grinning infernal and plops down with a sigh. Crossed legged seems like a good idea, though he has a half wing screen going on, chin resting in his palm. ]
's not cold. [ He is totally sulking here, and still somewhat mashing his words together but the effort is what counts probably. Using his other hand to straighten out a feather and mumbling in that direction. ]
[It's said as Anon immediately leans their shoulders together, taking advantage of the newly restored closeness first of all. He was a patient gremlin who waited 5 whole minutes under a dent in the ceiling and a rain of feathers, he deserves a reward.]
And anyway, I bit you first.
[He should not sound so proud of this, but too bad.
There's a bit of a pause then, almost-but-not-quite thoughtful. If Natsuno looks over at any point he'll get to see Anon looking away and scritching at the mark on his cheek with his non-leaning hand. He's still a little red, but it's probably remnants of the laughing. Probably.]
... We should probably pick someplace other than the onsen next time, though. [...] Can we?
[He definitely peeked over at Natsuno when he said that. There's still that irrepressible cheeky quality to his voice, but there's something almost tentative, too. Coupled with his mannerisms you could very nearly call it bashful.]
[ It really is impossible for Natsuno to stay sullen for long when they're together, given that he relaxes into the touch instantaneously like the past five minutes never happened. He doesn't really know how to address the reassurance other than with a quiet mmn and to stop staring stubbornly at his wings though. That means that he gets the unexpected bonus of seeing bashfulness(?) across Anon's features, which is something he hadn't unexpected. Somehow that makes it all better, and he pauses in his feather preening to reply. ]
I know, I wanted you to. [ A late comment on the biting after all and then- ] Yeah, I'd like that. We should pick a better place to sleep too. [ Yawning. ] I'm still tired...
[ It might be all the excitement from earlier, but they probably didn't sleep long either and they've been through a lot in the past several hours. ]
[There's a happy hum that might be a response to Natsuno's softening into the contact or it might be an affirmation of the biting thing or it might just be a satisfied assessment of the state of the mutual biting. There's a lot going on here, so maybe it's all of the above at once, too.
After a moment Anon shuffles positions a bit and then plops his head down against Natsuno's shoulder. This makes it harder to actually move to do anything they're discussing but for the moment he's busy also yawning, because it's hot and comfortable and Natsuno is next to him and that's a dangerous combination in the earlyish AM.
Granted, time is a little strange around here, anyway.]
So it's a promise. I want to go back to sleep but also, bath...
[Contemplative and entirely without any semblance of moving or even glancing the way of the baths. Which are right there. Maybe later.]
no subject
[There's something rougher in his voice, a little stumbling over the words, and it's hard to say whether it's due to sheer distraction or due to the subject matter. It sounds a little like some of those words might have spilled out without his meaning them to; Anon isn't nearly as disciplined during the conversation even if he is (in some way) doing his best, and he's preoccupied with watching all the parts of Natsuno he can reach right now and the way water beads on all of them amid curls of steam.
It really, really doesn't help when Natsuno tilts his head back, because that means his neck is bared, too. There's something almost predatory about the way Anon's started tracking the movements.
So when their gazes catch each other again, his is almost completely red, pupils shrunk to fierce slits as he watches Natsuno and his smile with that same intensity.]
Whatever you want. And whenever you want. I've always wanted to set fire to everything at least once.
[Okay, so his words might have started to veer nonsensical too, but give him a break, he's five seconds from just pouncing.]
no subject
It's not what he wants though, even if it would be easier (as if difficulty has ever mattered once he's decided on a course of action). The bright red irises with their predatory focus is just like it was after hanami, when he let himself drown in them until it was the only thought he had left. There's no fabric to separate them here, just water as clear and tempestuous as they are.
Almost reflexively, he cocks his head to the side exposing his neck more blatantly than before. There's no lack of thought put into the gesture; Natsuno knows what it means better than anyone else and the memory tickles in a way he didn't think was possible. A bubble of laughter rises from his chest, spreading to his lips and tongue—spilled words soft even as disjointed as they are. ]
Yeah. Then we're doing it. Whenever. Maybe even now.
no subject
But his breath is hot and quick in the midst of the onsen air and everything else for the barest of instants before he makes contact, and then his tongue is hotter when he licks up the drops and trails of water along Natsuno's collarbone and the tendon in his neck before biting down. Once, twice, deeper and lighter pressures like he's taste testing, searching out the pulse and soothing with a kiss or two in between. The last time he holds on a little with his teeth, almost thoughtfully, like a predator debating whether to tear out the throat -- closes his lips around the bite to suck briefly at it like a deeper kiss.
(And as deliberate and exploratory as all his motions manage to be, his focus almost intense enough to be something physical on its own, the thinnest layer of water and skin between them means that the galloping of his pulse comes through too; it thrums along with only a couple of stutters, whenever he actually bites down.
It's an easy but amazing motion, when he knows what Natsuno is.)]
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It's after the first bite that he catches himself, catches the heat between the both of them and slides his eyes closed. This is an all new type of teeth on skin experience and it's tantalizing and intoxicating and there's not a single drop of blood on his tongue. The kisses and bites and everything in between pile on top of one another and his back leans into the wall of the onsen like he's toppling over from their weight, all while stubbornly refusing to actually distance himself from the touch. Everything about Natsuno is stubborn, including the way any new marks fade within moments, the skin seemingly unmarred. His heart is still pounding away in his chest, though for decidedly different reasons. Again he finds he can't stop himself from vocalizing what he's feeling, an unbidden moan wafting up to join the steam.
Honestly it's all a bit much—he wants and he wants and he wants but he feels like he's going to burst, feels like he's going to starve with the hunger snaking up his spine. He breathes once, twice, and forces his eyes open. This is new too, they're the same red as always but framed by black without a single speck of white. He's a jinrou after all, a predator dressed up in human skin until a hunt, until he gives himself over to all the emotions and impulses he usually keeps in check. ]
Anon. [ Just that one word—not a warning, not a plea. He's not sure what's going to happen, but it's the only thing he can manage. Everything seems remarkably still aside from their heartbeats resounding in his ear. ]
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But Anon responds all the same, to every little movement and noise and new discovery, with little noises of his own; they're hungry and a little inquiring, almost as involuntary. He can barely hear over his heart and Natsuno's heart and even the steam seems to have a noise, pressing against his ears and his skin like a background buzz; still not quite as thick as the one the sake gave them. But it's enough, and the moan knocks him further out of himself still, to the point where it's really, really hard to slow down at all.
But it's just as tempting to really survey the landscape, see the effects he's having across Natsuno's face, and the sound of his name tugs him back up again almost easily. Like he hadn't been losing track of everything except the next impulse a moment ago.]
Koide.
[He looks back up at him and into those red-black eyes and... licks his lips, languid and contemplative and maybe even intrigued. There's a curl of a satisfied smile there, too, a flash of teeth because he can't help himself.]
Mm, that's new.
[He goes straight for a kiss after that, the motion both familiar and somehow more deliberate. His lips are hotter and wetter than usual.]
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The world around him is full of speckles of blue with his eyes like this, even if they're far from being in the dark. Blue isn't what he wants though, it's red. Red, so much red it's all he can think of as he pulls Anon further into the kiss fervently and carelessly. It's the opposite of how he usually is when they're like this, because somewhere in the back of his mind he always tries to be careful to avoid any pricks (even if he's failed at it more often than not). But here it's deliberate, something akin to nibbling if you can call it that.
Greedily he'll drink every single drop he can get, all the while grasping for more—literally even, with his arms that found their way looped around Anon's chest for better leverage. It's way too hot to be this close and it's more intimate than they've ever been, but those are thoughts that are easily lost in the steam and pleasure of everything else. ]
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He lets himself be moved and shifted as long as it's closer, as long as there's more contact and more skin under his hands searching for both purchase and something grounding. This is truly uncharted territory and it's as exciting as it is disorienting, so he lets Natsuno's instincts guide them for the moment.
The nibbling itself is strangely thrilling and also maddening all at once, the contact just there but not quite enough, and it draws out an impatient groan. Greedily, Anon tries to deepen the kiss even more, even though they're already wrapped all the way around each other and way too deep into all of this. He probably wouldn't know the word moderation if it slapped him in the face with the entire onsen's worth of water right now.
(His blood is hot, runs hotter than a human's even if it's easy to mistake it for the conditions in the onsen the way Natsuno is doing it -- what can't be missed is the faintly electric aftertaste, like taking a quick shot of energy, something that can't be found in any human anywhere.)]
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And at this point it is biting, with his complete lack of inhibition spurred on by Anon's greedy insistence. This isn't how he's supposed to drink blood but that's alright, because if he was doing this the normal way he might actually just pass out from the sheer overload of stimuli. Actually, the tickle in the back of his neck should be the first sign that he can't keep this up forever. He's hot, really, really hot and there's nothing he can do to cool off with the humidity and how tangled up they are together, not to mention how heavy he feels with the venom only adding to it all.
But that doesn't matter right now. In the not so distant future it will, but for now he lets himself sink deeper and deeper in every way possible. His nails dig into the striped skin beneath them as he's pushed into the wall of the onsen, eliciting another moan. This would be a good time to remember he has to breathe, but that comes secondary to the blood, kisses, and skin-to-skin contact. ]
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Tasting his own blood is always interesting, but now it's mixed with a potent cocktail of venom and the now-familiar soft-hard intimacy of Natsuno's mouth, his tongue and fangs. And as with any kind of pain -- usually fight-related but he is definitely learning all kinds of things tonight -- it gets his blood up, both literally and in spirit. There's another soft low noise when Natsuno uses his nails and lights up a dozen other pinpricks across his skin, because Anon is nothing if not vocal, even if asking him to string a sentence together at this stage would be like asking him to pull away even a little right now.
He doesn't pull away; ignores the increasing tightness of his chest (Natsuno's grip is fierce and he pushes harder into it) and lungs and the dizzying flurry of motion as they both try to get impossibly closer. Because he knows his limits, at least he usually does, and the temperature isn't it and the biting isn't it and the blood probably dripping haphazardly into the onsen isn't it either.
They are definitely crashing past all kinds of limits but he's always loved doing that, too.]
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There's a long groan as he's pressed further into the hold he started, that causes him to push back and create just the smallest amount of space between him and the wall. It might seem sudden given his insistence up to this point, but it becomes clear seconds later when his wings suddenly sprout from his back in a spray of water and steam. He lets himself get pressed into the wall again immediately after, an audible sigh of pleasure and relief despite his likely uncomfortable position. There's even a bubble of laughter that steals what little oxygen he has to spare.
Everything is a mess and he can't really move his wings like this as half submerged as they are, though he does try (he needs to touch with them too, wrap them up even tighter together). Now there's a mix of feathers in the onsen on top of everything else, but he hardly notices with how hot his blood is boiling. Have his limbs always felt so heavy and his tongue so clumsy? It has to be a side effect of the blood he still can't get enough of, and the black spots at the edge of his vision are clearly just feathers. ]
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There's no thought at all just yet. He makes a needy noise back that's cut off when the wings appear, buffeting them both a little bit despite their motion being restricted by the water. Despite everything Anon nearly loses his grip, or loses track of where he is in the sudden rush of water and feathers and everything else, the world blurring completely for a moment.
He manages to grab a breath, two, and things come back into focus. There's a vague thought that they've been here for a long time, but he doesn't want to let go of Natsuno at all, especially now. He wants to touch those wings, he wants their cool wind back, he wants to be touched and it all threatens to knock his awareness back away and spinning again. But. But, he manages to shift them both to the edge of the onsen somehow, even as he winds himself ever tighter into their mutual mess. From there, he can drag himself out of the water without ever letting go at all.
He's disoriented but luckily his brute strength still isn't, they haven't quite reached the limits of that yet, and even with the weight of the water and the muzziness of everything he can take Natsuno with him. The slightly cooler air somehow helps.
And he can reach those wings now, freed as they are from the onsen. That might have been his real goal in all of this.]
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Ahh he's still-they're still completely bare and now without even a layer of water between them. He tries to mumble something that starts out sounding embarrassed, but it's no use between how drunk he is from the venom and everything else. Instead he winds up making a high pitched sound that comes more from his core than his throat; he's always had little defense when it comes to his wings, let alone when he's vulnerable like this. They beat clumsily in response, entirely uncoordinated as he cycles between bursts of pleasure and the weight of sleep pressing down on him all at once. ]
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Natsuno's flailing just gets the laziest blink first, because with all the exertion and changing of positions Anon is also discovering how dizzy he is now, even as he does his best to separate wing from skin from stone floor from steam in the slip-slide of his perception. It's way harder than it should be but Natsuno's voice helps tug him back a little into himself and makes him dizzier somehow all at once. He manages a soft breath and curls forward, pulling Natsuno into a very clumsy, slightly off-center kiss. It helps, because contact always helps.
His contact with the wing he managed to reach is also way too clumsy to be soothing, but he does his best to smooth it down and over them both, with some vague idea that they're probably not going to move so might as well have a blanket. At least, he has no interest in moving; he leans his head against Natsuno's instead and closes his eyes.]
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He lets himself catch his breath for what feels like the first time in hours, and belatedly tries to adjust his wing that's now a makeshift blanket. The second wing follows after, though it's far from the cocoon he usually bundles them in, but it's good enough. Everything really is hazy, and it's not just from the heat like he thought earlier. His blood feels like lava at this point too, still bright hot but lazily moving through his veins.
Trying to get more kisses is too much work, but laying like this feels just as good and growing more appealing every second. Yeah, he can just tuck a bit closer and rest his eyes, that feels really good too.
...
They've been sleeping like this (or the reverse, albeit never this messily) pretty much since their reunion, so the weight on Natsuno's chest doesn't cause him to startle. What does register however, is how hot it is—not hot actually, but humid.
Hnnn he hates summers in Sotoba. He must have fallen asleep with the window closed again even if he's been trying to break out of that habit. Nevermind that he has wings and is aware of Anon nestled on top of him, the present merges with the past pretty easily when he's this drowsy. ]
Mmn I thought it was supposed to be fall already... [ He's not opening his eyes to complain, he's plenty comfortable and stubborn to stay like this. ]
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Mmm... Spring...
[Yeah, that's all you're getting from him for the moment. Word-wise, at least.
It's actually way hotter than it usually is when they wake up together, too, but the soft tickle of feathers and Natsuno's hair are familiar enough that Anon just settles into it and contemplates burrowing back down into oblivion. He does reach over, though, and his kiss lands squarely on Natsuno's chin because he's trying to do it only half-coordinated with his eyes closed.
He also makes a face to himself because his face is kind of sore, but eh. It happens, and he's still too far from awareness to bother with figuring out why.]
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...was it really that hot that they decided to sleep topless? Yeah that kinda makes sense but. Blushing here and averting his eyes before he can look any farther to his conveniently placed wall of feathers, thanks past self. He's pretty awake now and doing his not to fidget even with the heat rising in his cheeks. Speaking of that, maybe unfurling his wings a little will help, though he stops short of uncocooning them completely. ]
Ehhhh? [ Just that one drawn out enunciation because where in the hell did they decide to sleep? He hasn't even taken a real look at just how much of a mess they are yet, his brain kinda fizzled out at topless. ]
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[At the least he's getting more coherent, even if Anon's tucked himself back against Natsuno's shoulder at this point and is mumbling into it; it's something like a real answer, even if he's a little more awake now as he licks at his lips when talking more tugs on sore spots there. Hmm. That's definitely the lingering taste of blood in his mouth?? Still not anything all that out of the ordinary.
That being said, the wings moving to let more light in and then Natsuno's funny exclamation jostle him a bit more and he finally bothers to open one eye. Oh, right, that's Natsuno's bare shoulder. Nice. Instead of doing anything useful like examining their surroundings, he reaches out to sleepily pat at the feathers by it.]
Ah... Where is this? [a blink or two where he slowly registers what's beyond the skin and feathers] It's too early and I feel like I need a bath already...
[Well, now the humidity is real and there's steam for some reason and he's starting to get the lay of the land in several different directions at once. Hmm. He looks down, blinks some more, and contemplates their predicament.]
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Onsen? Onsen. We're in an onsen. [ Wait. Being in an onsen means— his smile is visibly nervous here, enough that he just misses biting his lip by accident. That was a close call but why is there a hint of blood at the corner of his mouth? Instinctively he licks at it with his tongue, and several things happen at once.
1.) He's hit with a jolt of energy that's like static electricity.
2.) Said energy makes him startle to where he can't avert his eyes from the situation and looks down.
3.) He realizes they're actually naked despite the past minute or so he's spent in denial pointedly looking anywhere but down.
4.) Not only are they naked, they slept naked and they're still wrapped around each other while being naked.
5.) He straight up yelps, somewhere between a yell and just incomprehensible embarrassed noises.
6.) As a result of all of the above he basically jumps straight upwards, beats his wings and crashes head first into the ceiling.
7.) He lands back where he started the night, with a loud splash in the onsen.
Proceeding that there's some very loud splashing and flailing until Natsuno eventually surfaces, completely red and looking like he wants to die. At least he probably didn't manage to drag Anon through all of that? ]
Sorry, sorry! [ What is he apologizing for? Probably everything. ]
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[Well. You know. It's definitely a more exciting awakening than he's had in a while, and though Anon hasn't gotten dragged all the way up to the ceiling nor into the onsen he definitely got bowled all the way over from his comfortable spot on Natsuno, protesting the whole way.
He sits up from where he's ended up sprawled flat on the ground from the initial kerfuffle when he hears the splash, blinking even more as he starts trying to put the past few moments (and really the whole night before, which is coming back now, but that's secondary!) together with Natsuno somehow ending up in the onsen again. Oh, and he's still completely naked, hair having dried in a tumbled, frizzing mess all over which helps a little but definitely not enough now that the wing screen is gone. There's feathers all over and at least one on top of his head just sitting there.]
You-- What--
[He seemingly goes through several different and largely confused expressions and then just. Dissolves into helpless laughter, kind of the way they started this whole fiasco but exponentially louder and less controlled, because how else is he supposed to react to all of this???]
You just... Ahaha, the ceiling, and why are you--
[Yeah, no, you're not getting a single coherent thing out of him until he manages to stop laughing, which might be never at this rate.]
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His wings are all wet again, there's feathers sticking out at every angle, and there's probably some wood chips in his hair from how hard he rammed into the ceiling. It really is hilarious and he would probably laugh too if he wasn't busy trying to figure out how to die for the fifth time.
Wrapping his wings around himself with considerable effort in the water, at least he can spare this part of his dignity. Until he takes a look at Anon, visibly blue screens at his continued naked existence and then turns to face the wall like an indignant cat. At least he's taken his head out of the water again, though. ]
I-shut up. Mmnnn I just-I don't know! Sorry! [ Continued verbal flailing will continue, but he almost managed a full sentence this time. ]
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Eventually (very eventually, probably a little bit after Natsuno's already gone back to his wall and winging life in there), he does manage to calm down enough that he could probably manage full sentences. Maybe. Maybe they could also continue to communicate in flailing and half-choking noises, who knows.
And the first thing he says?]
Mm, well, I'm not. Sorry, that is.
[Because of course it is. It's all cheek and cheer, Anon having settled into a cross-legged sit that's all curled over himself because like, damn, that was a workout first thing in the morning, but at least it also means that if anyone walks in his hair can mostly prevent him from flashing them. Progress!
The grin on his face as he peers over at the onsen is both amused and fond. And also still about two steps from losing out to laughter again, because what kind of wet cat-bird is this.]
But you should come back out here! It's a little cold, and I mean, I could follow you in there, too, but I'm not sure that would help.
[That's definitely cheeky. And he's probably joking, but do you really want to risk it.]
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He takes a few more seconds staring at the absolute wreck of the onsen with its many feathers, ceiling bits, and escaped towels before trudging out. Laboriously (but without really making an effort to cover up, it's kinda a moot point while he's up) he makes his way over to the grinning infernal and plops down with a sigh. Crossed legged seems like a good idea, though he has a half wing screen going on, chin resting in his palm. ]
's not cold. [ He is totally sulking here, and still somewhat mashing his words together but the effort is what counts probably. Using his other hand to straighten out a feather and mumbling in that direction. ]
But I bit you.
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[It's said as Anon immediately leans their shoulders together, taking advantage of the newly restored closeness first of all. He was a patient gremlin who waited 5 whole minutes under a dent in the ceiling and a rain of feathers, he deserves a reward.]
And anyway, I bit you first.
[He should not sound so proud of this, but too bad.
There's a bit of a pause then, almost-but-not-quite thoughtful. If Natsuno looks over at any point he'll get to see Anon looking away and scritching at the mark on his cheek with his non-leaning hand. He's still a little red, but it's probably remnants of the laughing. Probably.]
... We should probably pick someplace other than the onsen next time, though. [...] Can we?
[He definitely peeked over at Natsuno when he said that. There's still that irrepressible cheeky quality to his voice, but there's something almost tentative, too. Coupled with his mannerisms you could very nearly call it bashful.]
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I know, I wanted you to. [ A late comment on the biting after all and then- ] Yeah, I'd like that. We should pick a better place to sleep too. [ Yawning. ] I'm still tired...
[ It might be all the excitement from earlier, but they probably didn't sleep long either and they've been through a lot in the past several hours. ]
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[There's a happy hum that might be a response to Natsuno's softening into the contact or it might be an affirmation of the biting thing or it might just be a satisfied assessment of the state of the mutual biting. There's a lot going on here, so maybe it's all of the above at once, too.
After a moment Anon shuffles positions a bit and then plops his head down against Natsuno's shoulder. This makes it harder to actually move to do anything they're discussing but for the moment he's busy also yawning, because it's hot and comfortable and Natsuno is next to him and that's a dangerous combination in the earlyish AM.
Granted, time is a little strange around here, anyway.]
So it's a promise. I want to go back to sleep but also, bath...
[Contemplative and entirely without any semblance of moving or even glancing the way of the baths. Which are right there. Maybe later.]
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