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[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. ]

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[flaredo]

Good. [ it's said on the heels of a quiet exhalation. ] You don't sleep enough as it is, I bet.

[masakados]

[Naoki laughs a little.]

Well, I don't need to sleep that much. And... [His hand smooths an absent circle over her back.] I haven't been able to completely shake how vulnerable it is, even if it's different here.

[flaredo]

You didn't sleep a whole lot in that other world, then? Even demons still need to sleep, right?

[ She's doing her best not to look like she's flustered (she's not, it's hardly anything) in this position, and also not like she's tired (she is, but she wants to stay like this for a bit and let him talk). ]

[masakados]

Nah, I didn't.

I'd get a chance to rest, occasionally... There were these fountains through the Vortex World I could heal or relax at. But aside from little naps when I thought a place was safer, I didn't sleep long. It was just too dangerous.

[Naoki can distract himself when he talks to her, can ignore how his heart still pounds. And he can ignore her scent, definitely, surely (he can't).]

[flaredo]

All the more reason to nap when you can here!

[ Captain Optimism. He's still young, and demon body or not, sleeping peacefully can only do him more good than harm. ]

[masakados]

[Laughing, Naoki gives in to an urge, sliding his hand up her back, lifting it away so he can sweep his fingers lightly through her hair. It's fine, she already knows he likes her hair.]

I've been trying. I mean, I've already found the most comfortable place to.

[Hand moving from her hair, he taps his finger against her shoulder. Right. Here.]

[flaredo]

[ Yang angles a glance at her own shoulder-- and manages to look faintly surprised. ]

Me? I mean, if you wanna use me for a pillow, I may have to start charging.

[ She's kidding. ]

[masakados]

[Snorting, Naoki slides that hand back around to her back.]

A charge, huh? That would make it more tricky to just ask you to be my pillow a lot...

[And he's rolling right along with it.]

[flaredo]

A pillow like me's gotta get something out of it, you know!

[ Okay, guys. Followed by an emphatic tap to the chest. ]

[masakados]

Guess there's no choice. I'll have to settle for right now until I save up.

[His hand tightens at her back and he leans in, tucking his chin over her shoulder, closer than before. He's not going to get any calmer, he reasons, this isn't because he likes her and wants to be closer or anything. But he can't act all weird or...

Realising he's trying to rationalise it to himself, he almost shakes his head, but just settles in instead.]

[flaredo]

[ Okay. Okay, she's got this. Naoki is just moving in closer because he's had a rough night, she's a good friend he trusts, and it's not like they haven't hugged or been this close before. This is just like any situation with any other friend who needed some good old-fashioned closeness.

Except any other friend wasn't this hot and tattooed and shirtless and emotionally vulnerable at times in a way that kicked her in the chest (well, maybe there were a few of those) and this isn't working.

She'll care later. For now, Yang's tired, Naoki's close, and she sighs under her breath, her hair brushing against his cheek as she nestles closer. ]

Tonight's a freebie. One hour.

[masakados]

[Naoki can feel his chest squeezing painfully (with affection, so much affection) when she nestles in after that sigh. He smiles softly somehow, though, turning his nose against her hair when it tickles his cheek.]

A freebie, huh... Lucky me.

[He closes his eyes.] I'll walk you home after that. [If he doesn't somehow doze off and sleep for more than an hour, at least.]

[flaredo]

I'll be okay, but I'll stick around until you're up again.

[ Yang's sleepy too, after all, but she'll keep an eye on him first. Just to make sure he can fall asleep. ]

... Can you sleep like this, though? Need me to move?

[masakados]

[Looking out for him again, Yang-- Naoki smiles into her hair, shaking his head slightly.]

You can stay just like this, though lemme know if you get uncomfortable.

[flaredo]

Nah, I'm fine-- Ruby and I used to sprawl all over each other. [ she can probably sleep in any position now. But she shifts a hand, just enough to lightly stroke the back of his head. ]

So for now... better dreams this time, Naoki.

[masakados]

[Naoki sighs as she strokes his head, settled by it even as he wonders if he'll be able to drop off just like that--]

Don't think you have to worry there.

[He says, in a soft voice. He's pretty sure there'll be no more nightmares tonight. Just a gut feeling, though.] ...You should sleep a little too.

[flaredo]

I will. [ SHE ADMITS IT. ] Just gimme a few.

[masakados]

[Naoki's shoulders shake with his quiet laugh. Well, so long as she will, that's fine. He thinks it might take him more than a few himself.]

Okay. [His eyes close and he tries to focus on his breathing, steady and slow...]

[flaredo]

[ She focuses then, almost reluctantly, on the feel of his hair beneath her palm as her hand moves, continuing to stroke. It really would just be easier if she could tell him, get it out of the way-- but people didn't always react favorably when you told them you liked them. And in Naoki's case...

No, it was probably better to wait and see. Tonight definitely wasn't the time, at least. ]

[masakados]

[At least the hand moving over his hair is relaxing him, though Yang might notice that after a few minutes... he hasn't gone that complete lax he did last time he fell asleep on her, even if his breathing's steady like he is sleeping.

His mental coaching isn't working as well as he'd like. Damn it.]

[flaredo]

You're thinking too hard again... [ and it's a soft murmur, because she can tell there's a lack of give in his body. Yang's honestly unsure what else it'll take to relax him, but she's definitely pondering it. ]

[masakados]

Who, me? [He tries for laughing it off even if her murmur makes the back of his neck prickle and he's sure his face warms.

He's trying not to think, honestly, but it's awfully difficult not to think of her like this!! Naoki's head turns a little so its his cheek's propped against her shoulder.]

[flaredo]

No, the other person using me as a pillow.

[ SO DRY. ]

Calm down, demon lord, I'm not going to bite.

[masakados]

[Don't be dry at him gosh--]

I'm calm? [He says that but haha don't touch his chest 'cause his heart's hammering. He adds, playful:] I'm just enjoying some biting-free relaxing.

[flaredo]

And totally not sleeping.

[ WITH A SIGH because gosh Naoki, you're being difficult-- ]