Briefly he wonders if Aoba is cold and that's why he's tugging the blanket over them, and briefly he wonders if they should just properly get under the sheets but opts out of that. He's comfortable in their position and in no rush to move, especially when the other man is lying on top of him.
It's an innocent request simply because... Crowley didn't want to go from zero to one hundred that quick? But apparently Aoba doesn't care, jumping straight up when he has the chance and for a moment the vampire thinks he's speaking to someone else entirely. ]
Huh? [ It's a small noise that leaves his throat, completely unintentional. ] Oh. Well that's different. [ He can't remember if someone has ever said that to him before, however. ] I mean if that's what you wanna do then maybe we can try it out. I've never been in that position before.
[ Anyway. ]
But if you wanna do that then I want you with a blindfold.
( Aoba looks up again, eyes wide, mouth open before he just... laughs. what the heck...?! )
I wouldn't be able to see what I was doing.
( and it's not something he ever frequently does. but he quiets down pretty quick, resting his head down against warm breastbone. now that he's gotten that off his chest, he's really not all that sure of what else to say.... that want had been one of the most recent, even if its something he's not looking to act on right now.
what he wants... )
... I don't know. There's not a lot... that I want.
( a softer murmur, as he turns away from what they've been doing, since Crowley's.... somehow managed to satisfy most of his wants as far as sex is concerned. )
I guess... I want my parents to come home. They've been gone for a while. ( and he's waiting, still, hoping for the day he can greet them again. glancing up, he offers Crowley an apologetic look, )
Sorry. That's probably not the kind of thing you wanted to hear, right?
[ He doesn't seem offended at all when Aoba laughs, only looking at him with his signature smile as he quirks a brow. Well he didn't say no so look who wins at the end of the day. ]
I'll just guide you. [ The pads of his thumbs slowly draw circles against skin, tempted to move up the man's back. ] But you're always touching me so I'm sure you'll be fine without my help.
[ Aoba has stared and touched him with an eagerness that could rival against anyone else who has seen him stripped of every article of clothing. Even now, while they're lying down, he still can't keep his hands off of him.
--But, of course, the same thing could be said about Crowley.
However the topic shifts, heading towards something much more melancholy. They were just talking about flipping their usual positions around and blindfolds, just how that turned into a conversation about missing parents is... well it's odd. ]
I didn't say that. [ That look Aoba gives him receives a smile, however, one that he hopes appears to be out of comfort because he's just lost right now. Unfamiliar, unaware, he doesn't know what to do with emotions he's lost over the centuries; sympathy, solicitude... he's certain that he's not even able to properly express those anymore. ]
I want to get to know you.
[ Because they're only starting to do that after fucking like three times. ]
( the way Crowley's thumbs circles against his skin draw a contented noise, something that's mostly a sigh that could easily delve into a groan of happiness. Aoba's fine with it, that Crowley can't keep his hands to himself either, because he... really likes being touched like this. by him.
and while he's not against the blindfold he's a little amused Crowley seems so interested in it. even if it's going to block a fantastic view, and maybe make him a bit nervous. seeing Crowley is reassuring. but that's something they can tackle later, if that's what they move on to after ... this. cuddling? this must be cuddling, Aoba realizes a bit belatedly, rubbing his face against the other man's chest again. they haven't done this before.
... well. for like, two minutes, after the first time. )
Yeah...?
( he wants to... get to know him? Aoba wants that too. wanted it before, even, but didn't say so, because... sex with no strings attached is easy when you don't really know the other person, right? maybe it won't matter to Crowley either way but Aoba knows that once he knows more, strings will definitely be an issue on his end. he'll care. he'll want to keep seeing him, hearing from him, and... miss him.
hell, he's already feeling it, only having learning the barest information.
reaching up, he plays the tips of his fingers against Crowley's lips, grazing along the shape of the vampire's lower lip, )
... A few years ago. It started off with them leaving for shorter periods of time, and as I got older it got more and more frequent and longer until ... well, now. They're—free spirits, they can't stay in one place for long. They send postcards sometimes.
[ If he wants to call Crowley just holding Aoba for two minutes while wondering just what the fuck was going on "cuddling" then sure. Cuddle away. This is... definitely new. Lying here with someone resting on top of him, talking about wants that go beyond just sexual desires, and of course there's the soothing sound of Aoba's heart that acts like a silent lullaby playing in the background.
Ah, he thinks, it'll be a shame when it stops one day. ]
You can take your time if it makes you feel better, I'm not dying any time soon.
[ He's just full of jokes.
He glances down, feeling the gentle pad of fingertips against his lips. It's a little weird, but he decides to think too much on it and instead allow his body to move naturally--a common reaction, doing whatever he pleases, but just in a different scenario. He perks his lips, kissing the man's fingers before his gaze returns to Aoba's face. ]
Have you ever thought about traveling around to find them? [ But then again it did take himself a century to find Ferid. ] ... Or are you worried about leaving your grandmother?
( such jokes... it does make Aoba smile. a small quirk of the lips, moving on from that vaguely apologetic look.
and he's a little distracted when Crowley kisses the tip of his finger. that's—cute. really cute. leaves a small, tingling sensation in its wake, the sort that makes Aoba curl his toes in response. huh. vampires aren't supposed to be cute, are they? is it weird that he's thinking so? maybe... he doesn't really know.
tilting his wrists, Aoba moves on to settle his fingers along the shape of Crowley's jaw. half a caress, with fingers curling in to trace along its strong shape. )
I mean... I'd feel bad about leaving her, even if I think she'd understand if I talked to her about it. ( she's always been pretty reasonable and independent... ) I don't know. I'm not even sure where I'd start, and since they're constantly moving, too...
( .... he might never find them. it's something that's crossed his mind before, sure, but not seriously. )
I'm used to waiting now, so it's really not too bad. I'll wait for them to come home.
( eyes gone soft, his gaze flicks from where his fingers have been touching along the bottom of Crowley's chin to the man's eyes, )
The world's smaller than you think. [ Maybe he thinks that way because he's gone around it nearly a hundred times, possibly more, and the world just has gotten smaller to him. The towering buildings and growing population in humans definitely does make it feel smaller, pushing vampires to live underneath.
However that's not the only reason why he believes that. ] We managed to meet three times now, after all.
[ He lets a hand travel north, fingertips dipping into spine and slowly embracing the warmth of the man on top of him. ]
And considering we're not supposed to meddle with livestock says something.
[ Like Aoba has one sweet ass?? Who fucking knows. ]
And I want to keep breaking that rule. [ With him. For him. Crowley's not certain himself. He also doubts that Aoba will think that answer is fair enough and so he hums, eyes half-lidded. ] I also want you to meet Chess and Horn, I think the three of you would have fun playing together. [ As long as he supervised, but he'll leave that last part out. ]
( he can only imagine the places Crowley's been in 800 years. with that much time he could travel the whole world a hundred times over, couldn't he? and saying it like that... it's just another thing about the vampire that reminds Aoba of Naine. though his feelings in regards to the two are vastly, vastly different (familial versus something distinctly more romantic), there is one thing that seems to be the same—Aoba's been drawn in, enraptured, by both.
three times does bode more than mere coincidence and Aoba smiles again, back arching at the touch along his spine. that feels nice. even if being called livestalk makes him balk a little he supposes he can see... the reason... behind that... it's not like humans don't treat animals, their livelihood, the same way.
even if he would much perfer being compared to like... like... dessert, or something... )
So it's something like fate, then?
( it's not really a question he's looking for an answer to, more like a soft mutter for himself. fate.... maybe it is something like that. not that it gives him any reasons or expectations, nor does it tell him how this might all turn out. maybe just another broken heart.
talk of wanting to break that rule make him study the color of Crowley's eyes again, searching, breath caught up in his lungs almost painfully. they manage to deflate when mention of playing with Crowley's vampire girlfriends comes up so he can answer, )
... As long as they don't kill me for touching your hair.
( or at all?! but apparently they're protective over the glorious braid, understandably so.
Aoba pauses, thinking with an inscrutable expression for a good few seconds before wiggling up a few inches, leaning in to press his lips against Crowley's. then, he nuzzles his face beside the vampire's ear, closing his eyes, )
I want that too. ( not the bit about playing with Crowley's vampire girlfriends, though he's fine with that if it doesn't end in his murder— ) I want to see you again.
But if that's what he wanted to call it who was Crowley to stop him? It's true that now it's not a mere coincidence since they're not meeting under terms of a dare, but Crowley just... can't agree on something like "fate"; he hates the word. If there's some third party working to bring them together then it's probably Ferid, he can at least believe that.
He'll keep his negativity to himself, however. There's no reason for him to spread his bitterness. ]
They won't lift a finger of malice towards you. [ Not when he's being entertained in this eternal life of his, even if he believes this will all just be something temporary. At least until Aoba finds someone--a human--who will help him realize that even just a sexual relationship with a vampire was foolish.
He knows the feeling of someone gripping his heart with their own fingers, and for a brief moment in time he feels that's exactly what happens when calm, golden eyes flicker over his own gaze. Seeing a reflection of himself in Aoba, feeling weak, exposed, but not at all threatened. In fact he feels warm when their lips connect, leaning in softly before his mouth curls into a soft grin. ]
( gosh look don't judge him, it's not his fault there are similarities!
and wow so bitter Crowley!!! but Aoba doesn't have anything better to call it—some things are meant to be, it feels like. it's not out of any religious fervor or some kind of faith but... merely thinking that chance isn't everything.
it's nothing to linger over. Crowley talks about swearing on that desire and Aoba peeks up again, blinking a few times at the prospect. swearing on it... that's a promise. )
Mm. ( a gentle noise of agreement as he reaches up to brush his fingers through the man's bangs with affection, ) I'd like that.
( maybe Crowley would be more at ease if he knew the kind of guys Aoba ends up interested in—or maybe even more concerned, given his questionable taste, who knows. he is, perhaps fortunately, perhaps unfortunately, not the kind of guy to be distracted from those he cares about based on things like what they are. )
Then... it's a promise. I'll see you again.
( and he laughs in that same gentle way, teasing a lock of hair between the pads of his index finger and thumb. )
Not that I'm done seeing you now.
( not by a long shot. maybe two days wouldn't be so impossible after all...? when did he start thinking this way? studying Crowley's eyes, he continues to tease the man's hair between his fingers, idle little touches. )
[ Don't blame him for being bitter he's eight hundred years old and all his friends are dead! Plus he was a man of faith that struggled to keep his belief but ended up... here.
But he nods in agreement, to them meeting again, and he can't help but break into a smile. Why? His chest warms and he doesn't know what exactly that means—apparently there's a lot that Crowley doesn't understand while Aoba's in his presence, but he's in no rush to figure out what it means now. ]
You're not? You have that much free times? [ Subtly calling Aoba a friendless loser like he doesn't only have two people as companions. Yikes. ] Or is it because you want to do that?
( wow. wow. that's so rude!! his childhood bestie is still alive even if he's fucked up and would probably be devastated if he knew what Aoba was doing right this second, but he's still there. Aoba makes a face and thumps his index and middle fingers in the center of Crowley's forehead, )
Neither.
( yeesh, what does he look like? a completely depraved homebody? ... don't answer that.
huffing, Aoba moves off of Crowley's chest and beside him onto the bed, taking the blankets with him so he can roll and cocoon himself in them. only his eyes peek out once he's finished, squinting at the other man, )
I just want to spend more time with you. Is that so weird? We don't have to be having sex.
( as much as he likes the sex. a lot. but right now's... what? the longest they've ever spent together? he doesn't think it's wild to not want it to end so quickly.
whatever. sulking, he fwumps the other way, looking at the opposite wall, still snug in his blanket. )
[ Listen... Crowley can be dumb sometimes. He has a hard time with riddles, reading the atmosphere and noticing what Aoba does and doesn't want to do isn't entirely easy either. Vampires could do so much but mind reading is (un)fortunately not one of them. ]
... Are you pouting?
[ He's totally pouting. It's kind of cute.
Crowley is neither disappointed or irritated when Aoba moves from on top of him, leaving him without any blankets while he wraps himself up. He just rolls over to his side, resting the side of his face in the palm of his hand while propping himself up on his elbow. ]
Don't be like that~ It's not weird, but that's all we've been doing since we met. [ He's only speaking the truth?? Aoba can't be mad at him for that!! ] So what do you wanna do?
( okay, so that's true, and Aoba does want to have more sex at some point... so it's not like he can totally blame him. so he rolls back over and peeks up at Crowley again, still safe and snug in his cocoon of covers. )
I want to know more about you. ( and shut up, he's not pouting yes he is. ) The things you like and the things you don't like. Your favorite color. Your birthday... if you remember it.
( cause he hella old and all. a not so subtle jab. )
.... I don't know. Stuff like that.
( it's a genuine interest despite knowing that it'll just make things... weirder between them. not necessarily bad, but the strings of attachment will tighten, knot, wrap around his heart like a ribbon.
Pursing his lips, Aoba adds, )
And then later maybe I'll try that blindfold thing. Maybe.
( he still doesn't really get Crowley's fascination with depriving him of the super sexy sight of his naked bod, but okay )
My favorite color... ? [ These are such odd questions. Were they commonly used by humans in the modern age whenever they wanted to strike up a conversation? It almost seems silly to him... in fact, it does, and he can't help but chuckle lightly. ] I guess if you had to make me choose one it'd be silver.
And I told you before that I like fighting and reading so that still applies, but I guess I like a good game of chess. [ Vampires are really boring. More news at 11. ] An acquaintance of mine got me to start working on cars and I don't hate it, so... [ mechanic au... it could be out there ]
Speaking of that person, I hate people like him. Mischievous and sneaky, the type of person who won't blink twice before stabbing you in the back and who has absolutely no morals, but he keeps things interesting. [ A pause, because if he doesn't then he won't stop to list out every little thing he actually does hate. ] I don't like running.
My birthday is, uh... [ Give him a moment, humming lightly. ] December 5th. But I haven't celebrated it like humans do for a long time, so it doesn't really matter to me.
[ And surprisingly enough he doesn't mentioning anything about the blindfold. In fact, that's the farthest thing from his mind right now. ]
And of course it's only fair that you tell me more about yourself in return.
( fighting and reading and... chess. wow. Crowley's a grandpa in a hot boyfriend's body. it makes Aoba grin, half obscured still by the covers, but there's no hiding the way the lines crinkle around his eyes with it.
though at the mention of working on cars and working on them, Aoba's eyebrows raise. that's... not. a bad. image. at all. in fact, maybe that's a thing he'll dwell on later when they aren't talking about a bunch of different things at once.
but the mention of a person Crowley hates—really catches his interest, makes him quiet, even when the I don't like running admittance is pretty funny. why would he stay with someone he hates? even if he keeps things interesting, isn't that... kind of...? hm. )
December 5th...
( a soft murmur as he studies Crowley's face again, his eyelashes, the color of those eyes. even if Crowley doesn't celebrate it like humans do anymore, Aoba won't forget it.
it's all information he peculates on for a few seconds before offering his own, )
... My birthday is April 22nd. And.... ( for some reason, he feels like he'll be teased if he says his favorite color is blue, so he won't, ) ... I like music. Usually I'll listen to some before I fall asleep. I work at Junk Shop Heibon—it's not really junk, just... a little bit of everything. You can find some pretty good parts there.
My AllMate's name is Ren—you should meet him sometime—and he's usually with me. It's weird that we've met pretty much the few times I haven't had him around, actually. And... hm. I hate milk. It's disgusting.
( understatement. )
And I guess—that's the type of person I wouldn't like very much either.
( people who want to stab you in the back and are without morals are... pretty terrible!!! )
[ so now he's the hot vampire boyfriend!? aoba falls fast.
There's only a short hum as a response, nodding his head with the additional information he's learning of Aoba. And if he's going to be called a grandpa in a hot body for liking chess then so is Aoba, and yes Crowley is imagining him listening to classical music. Shut up. ]
So you're going to be turning twenty-four soon. [ He grins, eyes lidded. ] You're getting old. Wait, [ He leans closer, observing what little of Aoba's face he's able to see. ] I think I see wrinkles already.
I'll meet Ren and you'll meet Chess and Horn, sounds like a deal. And isn't there a human saying that if you don't drink milk you'll have fragile bones? You should really reconsider that, I drank plenty when I was human. [ Milk contributed to this hot bod, just throwing facts. ]
Hm... speaking of being human. [ It's hard to not notice that Aoba has been staring at his eyes, almost always does, and when he sees himself in them it reminds him of times where he'd look in the mirror and have an extremely different appearance. ] You already know that my hair was shorter, but it used to be all red. I just wanted to change it. [ Said with a shrug. ] My eyes were blue back then and...
[ Bringing a hand to his chest, his fingers draw a line from his left breast, making a slightly diagonal line that almost reaches his belly button. ]
I had a scar here, and then a couple on my back. Some from war but most were from training.
Anyway. [ He brings that hand up, using it to tug at the sheets. ] Let me in, it's not fair.
( the aesthetic!! the aesthetic!!!! and also shut up maybe he does.
and wow, of course the grandpa would imagine classical music and not techno, which is what all the young hip kids like these days. dropping them beats.
at the prodding about growing into his old age, Aoba opens his mouth in offense and wrinkles his nose, gaze narrowing in mock annoyance. wrinkles. excuse you, his face is youthful—people still think he's in high school!!!
but it's not nearly as offensive as Crowley telling him to drink milk. )
No way. I'll keep my brittle bones, thanks.
( before he can make an additional snarky comment Crowley mentions being human and Aoba quites down some, listening with mild fascination. all red and shorter.... can he really be blamed for the comparisons to Naine, in that case?! it's beginning to border on the uncanny. but, blue eyes....
blue eyes... they were probably very pretty. it's a sudden pull in his chest, a hard ache that makes him wish that cameras were a thing back then. he'd love to see a picture of what he looked like before. even scars—he wants to touch things like that, trace along them, learn them.
Crowley's hand moves and Aoba watches, picturing the mark that used to be there, sweeping across the flawless stretch it is now. )
Mmph. ( he snugs even harder in the blankets when Crowley calls him unfair and pulls on them, ) This fortress is for people who are getting old. With wrinkles.
( requirements both of which Crowley does not meet. )
If you really want to come in you'll have to convince me.
( flattery, perhaps? tell him he's got the prettiest mullet in town )
Fortress... [ So he can raid it. And he just admitted to having brittle bones (even if it's a joke)? RIP Aoba. ] Should I bite you?
[ He tugs again, perhaps with a little more effort than he originally intended. But it helps enough to show more of the other man's face, which is all that he needed to dip down and press a quick, soft kiss to his lips. ]
Let me in. [ He's close enough to speak in a whisper, drawing in once more to kiss him once more. Then twice. ] I wanna feel you... the only human that's given me a heartbeat.
[ Is that flattering enough? He doesn't know he doesn't actually try with this shit. ]
( even if the brittle bones comment was a joke it... almost feels true when Crowley easily tugs the blankets away from his face. he almost makes a face at it, something like a scowl, but then there're lips pressed against his and it draws out a soft noise, something like a mnn, from his throat instead.
... not fair. after the first kiss he manages to keep some willpower, hugging the covers tight around himself in a stubborn move, but two more soft kisses have him becoming as pliant as wet paper.
I wanna feel you... the only human that's given me a heartbeat.
Aoba doesn't even really know what that means but it successfully seduces him anyway. wow. and he's not even trying? that's just... ugh. )
... ... Fine.
( like he was really gonna keep Crowley out. he shifts, untucking his arms and unswaddling himself from the bunch of blankets. they're still around him when he opens his arms, almost like a cave with how he hides inside of them still, )
[ He means exactly what he says: Aoba is the only human who has given him a heartbeat in eight hundred years. It's not his own, no, but when he came close and pressed his body against his own what he felt against his chest was something that had grown to be so foreign to him over time. Distant, unclear, it was a surprise to him at that moment but one he so easily shrugged off as something simple.
He blinks slowly, satisfied with Aoba's response as he pulls himself closer. Curling underneath the sheets and wrapping his arms around the smaller's frame. ]
Mm. [ He hums lightly, and while he doesn't feel tired the fact that he's so comfortable reminds him of lazy spring days where he'd fall asleep under the sun. Days where the sun didn't hurt him, days where a coffin ironically was the best solution for him to get some good sleep without interruption. ] You're so warm.
( Crowley joins him in the blankets and Aoba brings his arm down, curling against the other man and nesting the both of them in a cocoon of covers together, blocking out the light from the lamps in the room.
it's... nice, this. maybe not the sort of place where Crowley would feel tired but just the right amount of close and warm to make Aoba sleepy as he presses close, rubs his face against the vampire's hair.
idly, he ends up pressing a kiss against those soft strands as he breathes in a now-familiar scent, closing his eyes. in his relaxation his heartbeat's slowed, the gentle thud of a creature feeling safe, comforted, and loved. )
Yeah...? ( softly, with the rustle of blankets as he shifts, pressing even closer, ) You are too. ( and even softer still: ) You're comfortable. It's... I love this feeling.
( feeling—safe, somehow. like he could stay here forever. )
[ And what's better is that Crowley is not faking this affection of his, but at the same time he's not sure as to why he's so infatuated or what he's doing. His body moves without thinking and what he receives isn't a negative response from himself or Aoba so... it's not bad.
Does he "love" this feeling, too?
... It's too complicated. Those emotions were best suited for humans who were greedy for physical and emotional closeness, everything that Crowley can't even remember if he experienced while he was human. ]
Tired? [ His hold isn't possessive, he doesn't cage him in his arms, it's a gentle hold that still radiates with everything Crowley can't describe. But if asked he'd probably agree to being in this position for a century. ] Your heart is slowing down... if you wanna sleep go ahead.
( even if it'd be really nice, like this. but if he falls asleep then who knows how long he'll drift for, comfortable and warm like this? and Aoba knows he's a stubborn sleeper—he'll keep asking for a minute more every time, half-dreaming and nuzzling close, reluctant to let go.
moving in that gentle embrace, Aoba moves so that they're more eye to eye and settles into it again, bringing a hand up to brush his fingers under Crowley's chin. quietly looking at the vampire's face much as he can in the dimness of their blanket fortress with no... real thought or reason behind it. just admiring, his own features gone soft again.
leaning in, he presses his lips to Crowley's again, smoothing his hand and cupping it along the shape of jaw instead. a slow, lazy kiss, with a sliver of lips parted so the tip of his tongue can drift across and get a small taste of the other man. )
[ Why is Aoba such a baby? It's obvious that he's growing tired, Crowley can see, hear, and feel the way his body relaxes and settles in as if he's ready to drift into sleep.
Of course he's not going to argue against him. That's way too tiring.
He's not going to question why he comes to touch his face, either. Paying far too much attention to the pair of eyes before him, slowly drifting between that and Aoba's lips before the other man is already leaning in. His lips curl up when their lips meet, which of course means that he can feel that subtle hint of tongue come against his lips.
What a tease.
He blinks first, his features remaining neutral as a hand slowly begins to draw circles on Aoba's back. ]
Sometimes. It helps time go by a little bit faster. We do actually commonly sleep in coffins... I don't know where that all started but it's actually pretty comfortable.
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Briefly he wonders if Aoba is cold and that's why he's tugging the blanket over them, and briefly he wonders if they should just properly get under the sheets but opts out of that. He's comfortable in their position and in no rush to move, especially when the other man is lying on top of him.
It's an innocent request simply because... Crowley didn't want to go from zero to one hundred that quick? But apparently Aoba doesn't care, jumping straight up when he has the chance and for a moment the vampire thinks he's speaking to someone else entirely. ]
Huh? [ It's a small noise that leaves his throat, completely unintentional. ] Oh. Well that's different. [ He can't remember if someone has ever said that to him before, however. ] I mean if that's what you wanna do then maybe we can try it out. I've never been in that position before.
[ Anyway. ]
But if you wanna do that then I want you with a blindfold.
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( Aoba looks up again, eyes wide, mouth open before he just... laughs. what the heck...?! )
I wouldn't be able to see what I was doing.
( and it's not something he
everfrequently does. but he quiets down pretty quick, resting his head down against warm breastbone. now that he's gotten that off his chest, he's really not all that sure of what else to say.... that want had been one of the most recent, even if its something he's not looking to act on right now.what he wants... )
... I don't know. There's not a lot... that I want.
( a softer murmur, as he turns away from what they've been doing, since Crowley's.... somehow managed to satisfy most of his wants as far as sex is concerned. )
I guess... I want my parents to come home. They've been gone for a while. ( and he's waiting, still, hoping for the day he can greet them again. glancing up, he offers Crowley an apologetic look, )
Sorry. That's probably not the kind of thing you wanted to hear, right?
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I'll just guide you. [ The pads of his thumbs slowly draw circles against skin, tempted to move up the man's back. ] But you're always touching me so I'm sure you'll be fine without my help.
[ Aoba has stared and touched him with an eagerness that could rival against anyone else who has seen him stripped of every article of clothing. Even now, while they're lying down, he still can't keep his hands off of him.
--But, of course, the same thing could be said about Crowley.
However the topic shifts, heading towards something much more melancholy. They were just talking about flipping their usual positions around and blindfolds, just how that turned into a conversation about missing parents is... well it's odd. ]
I didn't say that. [ That look Aoba gives him receives a smile, however, one that he hopes appears to be out of comfort because he's just lost right now. Unfamiliar, unaware, he doesn't know what to do with emotions he's lost over the centuries; sympathy, solicitude... he's certain that he's not even able to properly express those anymore. ]
I want to get to know you.
[ Because they're only starting to do that after fucking like three times. ]
When was the last time you saw them?
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and while he's not against the blindfold he's a little amused Crowley seems so interested in it. even if it's going to block a fantastic view, and maybe make him a bit nervous. seeing Crowley is reassuring. but that's something they can tackle later, if that's what they move on to after ... this. cuddling? this must be cuddling, Aoba realizes a bit belatedly, rubbing his face against the other man's chest again. they haven't done this before.
... well. for like, two minutes, after the first time. )
Yeah...?
( he wants to... get to know him? Aoba wants that too. wanted it before, even, but didn't say so, because... sex with no strings attached is easy when you don't really know the other person, right? maybe it won't matter to Crowley either way but Aoba knows that once he knows more, strings will definitely be an issue on his end. he'll care. he'll want to keep seeing him, hearing from him, and... miss him.
hell, he's already feeling it, only having learning the barest information.
reaching up, he plays the tips of his fingers against Crowley's lips, grazing along the shape of the vampire's lower lip, )
... A few years ago. It started off with them leaving for shorter periods of time, and as I got older it got more and more frequent and longer until ... well, now. They're—free spirits, they can't stay in one place for long. They send postcards sometimes.
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Ah, he thinks, it'll be a shame when it stops one day. ]
You can take your time if it makes you feel better, I'm not dying any time soon.
[ He's just full of jokes.
He glances down, feeling the gentle pad of fingertips against his lips. It's a little weird, but he decides to think too much on it and instead allow his body to move naturally--a common reaction, doing whatever he pleases, but just in a different scenario. He perks his lips, kissing the man's fingers before his gaze returns to Aoba's face. ]
Have you ever thought about traveling around to find them? [ But then again it did take himself a century to find Ferid. ] ... Or are you worried about leaving your grandmother?
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and he's a little distracted when Crowley kisses the tip of his finger. that's—cute. really cute. leaves a small, tingling sensation in its wake, the sort that makes Aoba curl his toes in response. huh. vampires aren't supposed to be cute, are they? is it weird that he's thinking so? maybe... he doesn't really know.
tilting his wrists, Aoba moves on to settle his fingers along the shape of Crowley's jaw. half a caress, with fingers curling in to trace along its strong shape. )
I mean... I'd feel bad about leaving her, even if I think she'd understand if I talked to her about it. ( she's always been pretty reasonable and independent... ) I don't know. I'm not even sure where I'd start, and since they're constantly moving, too...
( .... he might never find them. it's something that's crossed his mind before, sure, but not seriously. )
I'm used to waiting now, so it's really not too bad. I'll wait for them to come home.
( eyes gone soft, his gaze flicks from where his fingers have been touching along the bottom of Crowley's chin to the man's eyes, )
... Your turn.
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The world's smaller than you think. [ Maybe he thinks that way because he's gone around it nearly a hundred times, possibly more, and the world just has gotten smaller to him. The towering buildings and growing population in humans definitely does make it feel smaller, pushing vampires to live underneath.
However that's not the only reason why he believes that. ] We managed to meet three times now, after all.
[ He lets a hand travel north, fingertips dipping into spine and slowly embracing the warmth of the man on top of him. ]
And considering we're not supposed to meddle with livestock says something.
[ Like Aoba has one sweet ass?? Who fucking knows. ]
And I want to keep breaking that rule. [ With him. For him. Crowley's not certain himself. He also doubts that Aoba will think that answer is fair enough and so he hums, eyes half-lidded. ] I also want you to meet Chess and Horn, I think the three of you would have fun playing together. [ As long as he supervised, but he'll leave that last part out. ]
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( he can only imagine the places Crowley's been in 800 years. with that much time he could travel the whole world a hundred times over, couldn't he? and saying it like that... it's just another thing about the vampire that reminds Aoba of Naine. though his feelings in regards to the two are vastly, vastly different (familial versus something distinctly more romantic), there is one thing that seems to be the same—Aoba's been drawn in, enraptured, by both.
three times does bode more than mere coincidence and Aoba smiles again, back arching at the touch along his spine. that feels nice. even if being called livestalk makes him balk a little he supposes he can see... the reason... behind that... it's not like humans don't treat animals, their livelihood, the same way.
even if he would much perfer being compared to like... like... dessert, or something... )
So it's something like fate, then?
( it's not really a question he's looking for an answer to, more like a soft mutter for himself. fate.... maybe it is something like that. not that it gives him any reasons or expectations, nor does it tell him how this might all turn out. maybe just another broken heart.
talk of wanting to break that rule make him study the color of Crowley's eyes again, searching, breath caught up in his lungs almost painfully. they manage to deflate when mention of playing with Crowley's vampire girlfriends comes up so he can answer, )
... As long as they don't kill me for touching your hair.
( or at all?! but apparently they're protective over the glorious braid, understandably so.
Aoba pauses, thinking with an inscrutable expression for a good few seconds before wiggling up a few inches, leaning in to press his lips against Crowley's. then, he nuzzles his face beside the vampire's ear, closing his eyes, )
I want that too. ( not the bit about playing with Crowley's vampire girlfriends, though he's fine with that if it doesn't end in his murder— ) I want to see you again.
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He doesn't want to call what they have fate--
But if that's what he wanted to call it who was Crowley to stop him? It's true that now it's not a mere coincidence since they're not meeting under terms of a dare, but Crowley just... can't agree on something like "fate"; he hates the word. If there's some third party working to bring them together then it's probably Ferid, he can at least believe that.
He'll keep his negativity to himself, however. There's no reason for him to spread his bitterness. ]
They won't lift a finger of malice towards you. [ Not when he's being entertained in this eternal life of his, even if he believes this will all just be something temporary. At least until Aoba finds someone--a human--who will help him realize that even just a sexual relationship with a vampire was foolish.
He knows the feeling of someone gripping his heart with their own fingers, and for a brief moment in time he feels that's exactly what happens when calm, golden eyes flicker over his own gaze. Seeing a reflection of himself in Aoba, feeling weak, exposed, but not at all threatened. In fact he feels warm when their lips connect, leaning in softly before his mouth curls into a soft grin. ]
Should we swear on it?
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and wow so bitter Crowley!!! but Aoba doesn't have anything better to call it—some things are meant to be, it feels like. it's not out of any religious fervor or some kind of faith but... merely thinking that chance isn't everything.
it's nothing to linger over. Crowley talks about swearing on that desire and Aoba peeks up again, blinking a few times at the prospect. swearing on it... that's a promise. )
Mm. ( a gentle noise of agreement as he reaches up to brush his fingers through the man's bangs with affection, ) I'd like that.
( maybe Crowley would be more at ease if he knew the kind of guys Aoba ends up interested in—or maybe even more concerned, given his questionable taste, who knows. he is, perhaps fortunately, perhaps unfortunately, not the kind of guy to be distracted from those he cares about based on things like what they are. )
Then... it's a promise. I'll see you again.
( and he laughs in that same gentle way, teasing a lock of hair between the pads of his index finger and thumb. )
Not that I'm done seeing you now.
( not by a long shot. maybe two days wouldn't be so impossible after all...? when did he start thinking this way? studying Crowley's eyes, he continues to tease the man's hair between his fingers, idle little touches. )
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But he nods in agreement, to them meeting again, and he can't help but break into a smile. Why? His chest warms and he doesn't know what exactly that means—apparently there's a lot that Crowley doesn't understand while Aoba's in his presence, but he's in no rush to figure out what it means now. ]
You're not? You have that much free times? [ Subtly calling Aoba a friendless loser like he doesn't only have two people as companions. Yikes. ] Or is it because you want to do that?
[ What he mentioned earlier.
Humans are so greedy. ]
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Neither.
( yeesh, what does he look like? a completely depraved homebody? ... don't answer that.
huffing, Aoba moves off of Crowley's chest and beside him onto the bed, taking the blankets with him so he can roll and cocoon himself in them. only his eyes peek out once he's finished, squinting at the other man, )
I just want to spend more time with you. Is that so weird? We don't have to be having sex.
( as much as he likes the sex. a lot. but right now's... what? the longest they've ever spent together? he doesn't think it's wild to not want it to end so quickly.
whatever. sulking, he fwumps the other way, looking at the opposite wall, still snug in his blanket. )
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[ Listen... Crowley can be dumb sometimes. He has a hard time with riddles, reading the atmosphere and noticing what Aoba does and doesn't want to do isn't entirely easy either. Vampires could do so much but mind reading is (un)fortunately not one of them. ]
... Are you pouting?
[ He's totally pouting. It's kind of cute.
Crowley is neither disappointed or irritated when Aoba moves from on top of him, leaving him without any blankets while he wraps himself up. He just rolls over to his side, resting the side of his face in the palm of his hand while propping himself up on his elbow. ]
Don't be like that~ It's not weird, but that's all we've been doing since we met. [ He's only speaking the truth?? Aoba can't be mad at him for that!! ] So what do you wanna do?
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I want to know more about you. ( and shut up, he's not pouting
yes he is. ) The things you like and the things you don't like. Your favorite color. Your birthday... if you remember it.( cause he hella old and all. a not so subtle jab. )
.... I don't know. Stuff like that.
( it's a genuine interest despite knowing that it'll just make things... weirder between them. not necessarily bad, but the strings of attachment will tighten, knot, wrap around his heart like a ribbon.
Pursing his lips, Aoba adds, )
And then later maybe I'll try that blindfold thing. Maybe.
( he still doesn't really get Crowley's fascination with depriving him of the super sexy sight of his naked bod, but okay )
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And I told you before that I like fighting and reading so that still applies, but I guess I like a good game of chess. [ Vampires are really boring. More news at 11. ] An acquaintance of mine got me to start working on cars and I don't hate it, so... [ mechanic au... it could be out there ]
Speaking of that person, I hate people like him. Mischievous and sneaky, the type of person who won't blink twice before stabbing you in the back and who has absolutely no morals, but he keeps things interesting. [ A pause, because if he doesn't then he won't stop to list out every little thing he actually does hate. ] I don't like running.
My birthday is, uh... [ Give him a moment, humming lightly. ] December 5th. But I haven't celebrated it like humans do for a long time, so it doesn't really matter to me.
[ And surprisingly enough he doesn't mentioning anything about the blindfold. In fact, that's the farthest thing from his mind right now. ]
And of course it's only fair that you tell me more about yourself in return.
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though at the mention of working on cars and working on them, Aoba's eyebrows raise. that's... not. a bad. image. at all. in fact, maybe that's a thing he'll dwell on later when they aren't talking about a bunch of different things at once.
but the mention of a person Crowley hates—really catches his interest, makes him quiet, even when the I don't like running admittance is pretty funny. why would he stay with someone he hates? even if he keeps things interesting, isn't that... kind of...? hm. )
December 5th...
( a soft murmur as he studies Crowley's face again, his eyelashes, the color of those eyes. even if Crowley doesn't celebrate it like humans do anymore, Aoba won't forget it.
it's all information he peculates on for a few seconds before offering his own, )
... My birthday is April 22nd. And.... ( for some reason, he feels like he'll be teased if he says his favorite color is blue, so he won't, ) ... I like music. Usually I'll listen to some before I fall asleep. I work at Junk Shop Heibon—it's not really junk, just... a little bit of everything. You can find some pretty good parts there.
My AllMate's name is Ren—you should meet him sometime—and he's usually with me. It's weird that we've met pretty much the few times I haven't had him around, actually. And... hm. I hate milk. It's disgusting.
( understatement. )
And I guess—that's the type of person I wouldn't like very much either.
( people who want to stab you in the back and are without morals are... pretty terrible!!! )
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There's only a short hum as a response, nodding his head with the additional information he's learning of Aoba. And if he's going to be called a grandpa in a hot body for liking chess then so is Aoba, and yes Crowley is imagining him listening to classical music. Shut up. ]
So you're going to be turning twenty-four soon. [ He grins, eyes lidded. ] You're getting old. Wait, [ He leans closer, observing what little of Aoba's face he's able to see. ] I think I see wrinkles already.
I'll meet Ren and you'll meet Chess and Horn, sounds like a deal. And isn't there a human saying that if you don't drink milk you'll have fragile bones? You should really reconsider that, I drank plenty when I was human. [ Milk contributed to this hot bod, just throwing facts. ]
Hm... speaking of being human. [ It's hard to not notice that Aoba has been staring at his eyes, almost always does, and when he sees himself in them it reminds him of times where he'd look in the mirror and have an extremely different appearance. ] You already know that my hair was shorter, but it used to be all red. I just wanted to change it. [ Said with a shrug. ] My eyes were blue back then and...
[ Bringing a hand to his chest, his fingers draw a line from his left breast, making a slightly diagonal line that almost reaches his belly button. ]
I had a scar here, and then a couple on my back. Some from war but most were from training.
Anyway. [ He brings that hand up, using it to tug at the sheets. ] Let me in, it's not fair.
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and wow, of course the grandpa would imagine classical music and not techno, which is what all the young hip kids like these days. dropping them beats.
at the prodding about growing into his old age, Aoba opens his mouth in offense and wrinkles his nose, gaze narrowing in mock annoyance. wrinkles. excuse you, his face is youthful—people still think he's in high school!!!
but it's not nearly as offensive as Crowley telling him to drink milk. )
No way. I'll keep my brittle bones, thanks.
( before he can make an additional snarky comment Crowley mentions being human and Aoba quites down some, listening with mild fascination. all red and shorter.... can he really be blamed for the comparisons to Naine, in that case?! it's beginning to border on the uncanny. but, blue eyes....
blue eyes... they were probably very pretty. it's a sudden pull in his chest, a hard ache that makes him wish that cameras were a thing back then. he'd love to see a picture of what he looked like before. even scars—he wants to touch things like that, trace along them, learn them.
Crowley's hand moves and Aoba watches, picturing the mark that used to be there, sweeping across the flawless stretch it is now. )
Mmph. ( he snugs even harder in the blankets when Crowley calls him unfair and pulls on them, ) This fortress is for people who are getting old. With wrinkles.
( requirements both of which Crowley does not meet. )
If you really want to come in you'll have to convince me.
( flattery, perhaps? tell him he's got the prettiest mullet in town )
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Fortress... [ So he can raid it. And he just admitted to having brittle bones (even if it's a joke)? RIP Aoba. ] Should I bite you?
[ He tugs again, perhaps with a little more effort than he originally intended. But it helps enough to show more of the other man's face, which is all that he needed to dip down and press a quick, soft kiss to his lips. ]
Let me in. [ He's close enough to speak in a whisper, drawing in once more to kiss him once more. Then twice. ] I wanna feel you... the only human that's given me a heartbeat.
[ Is that flattering enough? He doesn't know he doesn't actually try with this shit. ]
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... not fair. after the first kiss he manages to keep some willpower, hugging the covers tight around himself in a stubborn move, but two more soft kisses have him becoming as pliant as wet paper.
I wanna feel you... the only human that's given me a heartbeat.
Aoba doesn't even really know what that means but it successfully seduces him anyway. wow. and he's not even trying? that's just... ugh. )
... ... Fine.
( like he was really gonna keep Crowley out. he shifts, untucking his arms and unswaddling himself from the bunch of blankets. they're still around him when he opens his arms, almost like a cave with how he hides inside of them still, )
Come here, then.
( before the fortress decides to sulk again!!! )
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He blinks slowly, satisfied with Aoba's response as he pulls himself closer. Curling underneath the sheets and wrapping his arms around the smaller's frame. ]
Mm. [ He hums lightly, and while he doesn't feel tired the fact that he's so comfortable reminds him of lazy spring days where he'd fall asleep under the sun. Days where the sun didn't hurt him, days where a coffin ironically was the best solution for him to get some good sleep without interruption. ] You're so warm.
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it's... nice, this. maybe not the sort of place where Crowley would feel tired but just the right amount of close and warm to make Aoba sleepy as he presses close, rubs his face against the vampire's hair.
idly, he ends up pressing a kiss against those soft strands as he breathes in a now-familiar scent, closing his eyes. in his relaxation his heartbeat's slowed, the gentle thud of a creature feeling safe, comforted, and loved. )
Yeah...? ( softly, with the rustle of blankets as he shifts, pressing even closer, ) You are too. ( and even softer still: ) You're comfortable. It's... I love this feeling.
( feeling—safe, somehow. like he could stay here forever. )
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Does he "love" this feeling, too?
... It's too complicated. Those emotions were best suited for humans who were greedy for physical and emotional closeness, everything that Crowley can't even remember if he experienced while he was human. ]
Tired? [ His hold isn't possessive, he doesn't cage him in his arms, it's a gentle hold that still radiates with everything Crowley can't describe. But if asked he'd probably agree to being in this position for a century. ] Your heart is slowing down... if you wanna sleep go ahead.
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( even if it'd be really nice, like this. but if he falls asleep then who knows how long he'll drift for, comfortable and warm like this? and Aoba knows he's a stubborn sleeper—he'll keep asking for a minute more every time, half-dreaming and nuzzling close, reluctant to let go.
moving in that gentle embrace, Aoba moves so that they're more eye to eye and settles into it again, bringing a hand up to brush his fingers under Crowley's chin. quietly looking at the vampire's face much as he can in the dimness of their blanket fortress with no... real thought or reason behind it. just admiring, his own features gone soft again.
leaning in, he presses his lips to Crowley's again, smoothing his hand and cupping it along the shape of jaw instead. a slow, lazy kiss, with a sliver of lips parted so the tip of his tongue can drift across and get a small taste of the other man. )
Do you ever sleep...?
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Of course he's not going to argue against him. That's way too tiring.
He's not going to question why he comes to touch his face, either. Paying far too much attention to the pair of eyes before him, slowly drifting between that and Aoba's lips before the other man is already leaning in. His lips curl up when their lips meet, which of course means that he can feel that subtle hint of tongue come against his lips.
What a tease.
He blinks first, his features remaining neutral as a hand slowly begins to draw circles on Aoba's back. ]
Sometimes. It helps time go by a little bit faster. We do actually commonly sleep in coffins... I don't know where that all started but it's actually pretty comfortable.
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p5 is taking over my life sorry
it's k that'll be me when i actually get it
i hope you have fun when you get it!
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