Inbox;

[flaredo]

"Heeey, you've reached Yang! Well, actually, you didn't reach far enough, 'cause I'm not here right now! But don't yang up! Just leave a message on this baby, and I'll get back to you soon enough, okay?"

[ Please specify VOICEMAIL, TEXT or CALL. ]

Comments

action;

[masakados]

[Once he stops fussing over it, it is pretty nice to feel her fingers switching from ruffling to combing through his hair like that. Naoki sighs too, quietly, contentedly.]

Thanks.

[It's a single word, but he says it with a soft smile. He's grateful for her, for so much.] I won't. I'll fight against that with everything I have.

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[flaredo]

I know you will.

[ C'mere, boyfriend, she's just going to sling one arm over you for a hug. ] You're the strongest person I know.

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[masakados]

[Naoki nestles in close, sliding his own arm around her, snuggling his face right into one of her shoulders.] Mm... are you counting yourself?

'Cause you're the strongest person I know.

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[flaredo]

We're tied. Probably.

[ She's never had to restore an entire world before on her own. ]

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[masakados]

[Naoki laughs quietly into her shoulder, fingers tracing the line of her back tenderly.]

Tied... Mm, that works. I like that, I think.

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[flaredo]

We're a team, after all. [ Another sigh, more relaxed; she's already snuggling. ]

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[masakados]

[He can't keep the feelings of adoration down when she snuggles like that-- and especially when she refers to them as a team. He kisses her shoulder, happy to snuggle her back.] Mmhmm, a team.

...I couldn't ask to be a part of a better one.

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[flaredo]

I won't tell Yurlungur and Long you said that.

[ But her arm around him tightens, almost protectively. No more bad thoughts about yourself, okay-- ]

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[masakados]

Thanks-- though I'm sure they'd survive the news.

[He can't possibly think any more bad thoughts about himself now, as he nestles in closer into her arm. It's not a concern or issue of his that's easily solved, but... goodness knows being with Yang helps with it every day.

And he wants to believe what she's said. That he can do it. He just has to trust in himself.]

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[flaredo]

I don't know, Yurlungur might actually be pretty devastated.

[ ... She says, with a yawn. So much for going for dramatic emphasis. ]

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[masakados]

That'd only be his pride because I'm not crawling to him to beg to be on a team with him...

[Naoki sweeps her cheek after she's done yawning.] Sleepy?

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[flaredo]

A little. [ She'll admit it. ] Long boring night before you, you know.

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[masakados]

At least I made the end a little exciting.

[He strokes her cheek again, eyes soft.] Hopefully in a good way more so, though. [--referring to what they just talked about. He wouldn't have wanted to bring her down with his worries.]

action;

[flaredo]

It's always good with you! [ And she rubs her cheek against his hand, beaming. No harm in being honest. ]

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[masakados]

[Ahh--] I love you.

[Just like that, without forewarning, but it's fine now to blurt it out whenever he starts thinking it especially strongly. He'll shift his hand just slightly to kiss her cheek where she was rubbing it against his hand.]

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[flaredo]

[ He'll feel her cheek heat up, but Yang's laugh is a light one. ]

You're too good with the sneak attacks, aren't you?

[ Not that she isn't happy to hear it, but her heart-- ]

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[masakados]

[Oh, did he catch her off guard? He strokes her cheek absentmindedly.]

I didn't used to be, but guess I'm getting better at them. Probably thanks to you.

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[flaredo]

If I'm being given credit for it, I'll take it. It gets me such good things!

[ Cheek strokes, too! ]

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[masakados]

Like my love confessions?

[Grinning, he thumbs at her cheek next, playful.]

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[flaredo]

Yep. I'll never get tired of hearing those.

[ Followed by another, more muted yawn. ]

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[masakados]

Good thing. I've got a lot of them left in me.

[But at her yawn, he strokes his hand over her hair.] Get some sleep, Yang.

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[flaredo]

But I wanted to talk more...

[ She's gotta protest. Out of obligation. ]

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[masakados]

In-between yawns?

[In an achingly fond way, he strokes her hair, slow and rhythmic...] Sleep, we'll talk more tomorrow.

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[flaredo]

You bet we will. [ It's a soft mutter, though, and she keeps both arms around him, the grip slackening but never fully releasing him as she gradually drifts off against him.

That hair thing is too damn nice. ]

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[masakados]

[Naoki just smiles, saying nothing more but to comb his fingers repeatedly through her hair. This really does soothe her, doesn't it...?

He kisses her head when he feels her emotions settle into the more indistinct ones of sleep, whispering a good night before closing his own eyes.]