Paul
Would you mind started pretty please?

I need to finish an essay and go put halloween decor up with my parent.
Stacy
Ofc. I might just need a nap or smth first
Charles
He sat and waited, just like he always did. Toya was inevitable; like barbed wire tangled into his being, a messy weaving of blood, flesh, and cold metal. He couldn't part from the pain, couldn't imagine himself free from the sting or clean from the blood. They were a part of him whether he accepted it or not and waiting like this had become a ritual.

He was a man of scraps and spare parts; nothing finished, nothing assembled. Every part of him was rusted and jagged and had begun to slowly fall apart with the test of time. Pacing his room, continuous sips from cold tin, bitter liquor washing down bitter liquor, it felt a little silly to question the reasoning behind the birth of this anxiety. 

Toya Todoroki, it had been a while. What would they see? What would they think of him now? Would they be disappointed just like him? This truly wasn't how he was supposed to be. With them and only with them had he smiled a weightless, untouched smile. With them and only with them, had he experienced warmth. It was almost ironic- almost laughable to recall, when he'd known neither he nor Toya ever had warmth to spare.

A few glances out the window; weakly illuminated streets below, still impossibly alive as if to oppose the death of night. Drunkards stumbled stupidly out from the nearest pub around the corner; a fight had broken out only a few feet away; two men shoving each other forward and back, forward and back again. He couldn't really hear but the hinging and unhinging of the two mens jaws implied strings of slurred insults and expletives. He almost felt embarrassed for them. Fists thrust. The taller man beat the other down, knuckles cracking against the bone of the other's nose. Pinned, that man began to hit over and over; shiny red stained the other's face alongside the taller man's fists. No one stopped, no one batted an eye. That drunkard didn't stop hitting. He didn't stop until the pinned man had finally gone limp; no longer flinching or tensing or reacting like a sensible, thinking, feeling human. 

People sickened him. Go on about the evolution of man; fantastical structures, discoveries, technologies. At the end of the day, they're just like any other barbaric predator. 
He knelt down to the dusty carpet and took his discarded uniform up in hand, fumbling through the pockets with wriggling fingers, pulling out a lighter and a nearly empty carton of cigarettes. 
A small burst of flame raised to a stick of tobacco, he lit his cigarette, half leaned over the endlessly open window of his apartment, raised the stick to his lips and inhaled, held, released. 
A knock at the door. He scoffed his second exhale.

"You know you don't have to knock, right?"

He mused to the other behind the door, a weak smirk to strain at the corners of his mouth. He flicked his cigarette through the crack of the window before swiveling around and making to answer the door. The knob was always stubborn to turn; older building, most likely haunted. He couldn't help but smile, cracking the door open and silently nodding the other inside.
Arnold
**THE chilled New York air** Nipped at Toya's exposed nose and ears, a small pink hue to them as he made his way through the familiar streets. Some time had passed since he'd properly seen the man he considered the most important in his life, everything feeling just a little bit slower with the lack of contact. It was an odd relationship they had, Toya never feeling comfortable enough to call Keigo his best friend since grade school, but less than lovers. Perhaps there was a third kind of soulmate out in the world, some sort of version that could put the odd mixture of emotions into words whenever he hung out with the blond. It was a truly odd and indescribable.

Half questioning whether or not he should turn around now to go back for his motorcycle, the eldest Todoroki weighed the pros and cons. At this point he was closer to the apartments than to his current place of residence, but it also would be a much quicker drive. Then again, the cold wasn't very enjoyable and the speed that the motorcycle would hit wasn't worth it. Instead, he picked up his walking speed a little bit, the chains that were hooked onto his belt loops on either of his sides making more noise than before. It took him a little more strength to move his feet at a quicker speed, the heavily platformed boots he wore making him 5'10 and being rather heavy as a result of that.
Paul
I got a little excited.
Charles
His neighborhood was riddled with plague and parasites. Locking the door was a pitiful attempted fix, though he couldn't dwell on that right now. Toya was here. 
Sometimes he missed them so much it hurt. Some things never change. Some things, he longed to change but simply couldn't deny. His whole life, Toya had been preparing a rope for his neck, his whole life, Toya had left him to suffocate; kill him only to bring him back, make it all better. Their absence was that rope. Their pain was that rope. 

Of course, he'd joined by their side, his own designated cigarette between his fingers, ash flicked into the open city air, his wrist draped over the ledge of the open window. The city twinkled outside; an ugly galaxy, concrete hell. The sky was always black and barren, as though concealed by blankets of all consuming smoke. The buzz of electricity overpowered the worlds in the sky above. Home was hell, but sometimes the memories of that place had him mourning the stars and the routine dark of night.

Finally, he had it in him to speak, pulling the cigarette from between his lips and instead occupying himself with words. He had been up to plenty and then some; dipping his feet into the bloody waters of this city's inner workings. He couldn't say that though. What *Could* He say? What could he tell them that would be true? He only ever caught himself doing this with Toya; analyzing his thoughts and words before speaking them, identifying white lies and tiny things that could put them at risk. His gaze was fixed blankly upon the nothingness outside the window; so much to see, tired eyes left every structure and light to melt as one, candle wax. A culmination of incoherent colors and shapes. His mind drifted. His voice was hush.

"Waking, working, sleeping." 

He punctuated his words with a subtle shrug and turned to face the other, empty eyes dragging up and down their anatomy. Those burns. *The tug of that rope at his neck again*. He silently choked a little on his own saliva, extending out an arm, pausing for maybe a quarter of a second before placing his palm against their chest, fingers brushing the scars that prominently stemmed at their collarbone. 

"That text about your old man..."

It was rough, raggedy and wrinkled like the mangled flesh of an elderly corpse. *A memory; touching these scars when they were new; the bloody patches, the flinches his fingertips conjured.* He couldn't afford to waste his time- he'd already wasted too much. Life was too short to beat around the bush. 

"Stay here."
Paul
They're so fucking gay.
Stacy
That's what I'm sayingg
Arnold
The response Toya eventually received was flat and lacked description, but he wouldn't pry, both out of understanding when another didn't want to discuss it and because he was replaying the past week's events in his head. No matter how much he detested the man he was blood bound to, Enji had a much stronger hold on his brain than he would ever care to admit and it made him a mixture of feeling angry and disgust with himself. As the negative feelings had him almost falling into a silent spiral of self-deprivation and potential harm, his brain registered the sight of a hand touch his exposed scars. Such a simplistic thing brought him back to reality, focused on what was happening in the moment for at least a short while.

The small bits of skin that Toya could feel of Keigo's against his healthy skin had him pausing, followed by a deep breath being drawn as his eyes flickered down to watch his movements. It wasn't until the next words that filled the silence had his heart skipping a beat in a mixture of anxiety and mild surprise at the offer, although he knew that he shouldn't be that shocked by such an offer; it was Keigo, after all.

"You know I will." The words that emitted from Toya's raspy voice were sure, as if there wasn't a doubt that he would either. "What does it feel like?" The question was a little sudden, something that happened to slip past his lips quicker than he could stop. Although he could use his own fingers to touch the burns, they were constantly calloused and burnt from his favorite past time: fire performance. It wasn't anything big, nothing that was done in the prying eyes of the public, but rather in the "Safety" Of his house as to avoid being watched. It was a simple question, really, but something that held an underlying meaning to it. There weren't many in the world he'd allow to so much as gaze at the ugliest parts of his body, let alone touch.
Charles
Scars are inescapable, draining, parasitic. A carving into flesh, a carving into bark. A swell or an indentation; deadened patches on a living organism. He knew how Toya felt about these marks. Their skin was warm beneath his palm. Their heart was pounding. His eyes drifted up and down once and then again after. His fingers caressed the marred scar tissue.

"It feels like you."

He mumbled eventually to them in turn, a small smile ripping at the seams. He batted his eyes, looked up at the other. Gold and cyan. Their blue was his favorite. The color belonged to them and only them; nothing else in the entire world stood a chance. A chill rushed down his body; head to toe, a ripple in the regulation of his system. He bowed his head, fixed himself on his socks, and the ugly patterned carpet. It took a minute; rush around himself and the mess of his apartment, gathering up his composure. 

Toya needed someone strong. By no means was he a rock or a hero, but he could try for them to be more than he was; stay here, stand strong, tell them *It's okay*, because god knew they didn't ever hear it enough. God knew no one who had ever told them such things had ever truly believed it themselves. He believed it though. Toya was everything. It would get better for him. It had to get better. The only place left to go was up. 

He was always trembling. Nothing about him was ever simply steady or still. He raised a hand up to Toya's cheek, his fingers quivering as they cupped around the side of their jaw. His brows were sternly furrowed as he spoke. He wasn't a liar– not with them at least. If he was to waste his breath away on empty sound once again, he'd see to carrying the weight of his statement and following through.

"The bastard won't come here. I won't let him."

*I'll keep you safe.* He said without speaking.
Arnold
"Mmm." A small hum in response was all Toya gave, followed by a small nod of understanding as he stood there. The eye contact that they held had his lips twitch upward for just a moment before sticking to their position once again. Although he dressed in black, gold was always a color he didn't mind wearing, the gold staples that would forever dig into his skin serving as a sort-of odd reminder of the other man. It was the only reason he changed his medical staples from silver to gold, really, wanting to have some sort of consistent reminder on him that there was something holding him together. *Someone* Holding him together. It was symbolic in a way, the color of the metal that held his skin together— his *Body* Together— matched the color of the only man in the world who had managed to keep him somewhat together mentally.
Charles
A thousand times over, he would carry that weight for them. Keep them safe, or at least the closest thing to safe that he could provide in his own pitiful mess of a life. Oftentimes, Keigo wished for a special power– something that could allow him to chip away the layers of the other's pain and set them free. He'd bear the load of those layers and allow them to envelop his being, smile to see the other free and unburdened for once in their life.

He wasn't anything special though. He hadn't any superior abilities; he couldn't wipe clean a chipped and dirtied slate. He couldn't do much at all. Sometimes his humanity killed him; the weakness that accompanied being alive. He was only human and he hated it.
His thumb brushed against their bottom lip. He shattered, seeing them so desperate, though the sight was the furthest thing from alien to him.

They had taken his wrist and it was his turn to poorly attempt at restraining an instinctive flinch. He hated himself for fearing the touch even for a single second.

Sometimes he could still feel those bruises; see the black and blue splotched across his anatomy.

"You're okay. He's not here, yeah? Tell me what to do– anything... Just tell me and I'll make it happen. I'll make it better..."

He wobbled, leaning himself forward and resting his forehead to theirs, their ratty bangs brushing against his skin. Itchy. His heart ached for every word he'd uttered. It hurt; he meant everything. He meant every word for them and winced at the awareness of their inevitable distrust.
Arnold
"Don't ever leave me. You're not allowed to." A please to follow up those words were caught in Toya's throat, his mouth feeling dry and he almost winced at just how demanding he seemed. If Keigo ever truly wanted to leave him, the eldest Todoroki wouldn't stop him, understanding all too well why somebody would ever want to abandon their place by his side. Then again, nobody had been able to properly stand by his side in god knows how long; nobody had been able to but Keigo, the only one he was never able to shake. It had him equal parts grateful and terrified.

As Keigo grew closer and then foreheads touched, Toya had to take a deep breath to calm himself down momentarily, his heart picking up once again before slowing. Blue eyes traced the other's face, as if trying to imprint it into his brain before he glanced down to his lips last, the desire to have some sort of physical connection with someone growing on him. Then, surprisingly, his thoughts drifted to Chisaki Kai, the man who he had entered his lift abruptly and he could never quite seem to shake. They'd been on a couple dates now, but they weren't official ~~yet~~, so far just a situationship, right? Instead of dwelling on it for a moment longer, his hand released Keigo's wrist and pulled him closer by the front of his shirt (hoodie? I don't fucking know) and pressed their lips together.
Paul
I think i want to rewrite my response. I don't like it.

Well like. I just. I feel bad for hurting keigo. </3

YEAH BUT JUST. MAN. The poor baby.
Stacy
Pfff- well, if you wanna rewrite, that's up to you but Keigo is pathetic so just be ready for a sad response regardless, if there's any sort of intimacy at least 😭

Don't get emotionally involved with bird douchebag 😭
Paul
PLEASE. AJDJFDKLF. I'll leave it then.
Stacy
You're not gonna like me for this response bro I'm making myself sad 😭
Charles
This was his own fault. Never for a minute would he stop them or take a single thing back if it could lead him to the intoxicating reward of their touch all over again. He melted pitifully; liquid wax in their grasp, messy, inconvenient, useless. It was a mystery to him, why they still bothered. Even if it was only ever to fill a void; a replacement of something bigger and better than himself, he simply wasn't worthy. They had to have known that too, touching him like he was breakable, as if he may just shatter to the very brush of their breath on his cheek; a liability, not a friend. 

This wasn't what friends did. This wasn't the kind of fun friends had. This wasn't fun.

*Am I making this better for you or am I just a cold blade to your arteries?*

He leaned towards the latter and swallowed down the bitter taste of regurgitated shame. They were bleeding out onto his lips and he was allowing it. Though what more could be expected of a filthy fucking addict? Like a blade in the abdomen, twisting and orange with scalding heat, he took that resentment and accepted it too. 

Parting from this would count for leaving. They'd be left to the cold and so would he. Just like that, everything would be gone in an instant. He wasn't ready to be cold again. He knew them well enough to silently consider the feeling mutual. A small step, hardly even that, forward to the other, their chests pressing, flush. His palm retreated to the comfort of their chest, caressing all too near to their heart.

The way this felt, this wasn't for him, this wasn't him that they were doing this to. He was merely a body and sugary words for them to devour; those eyes of theirs- the eyes he loved more than life itself, didn't see him. They never would; he'd taken that dagger and accepted it long ago as well. His body was one of blades, bullets and arrows. His body was one that devoured agony like a starved hawk devoured rats. At least the agony was something; something was better than the natural absence he'd familiarized himself with since childhood. He'd take anything if it smiled nice enough in his direction. Toya was that nice smile and then some.

That was an understatement though, wasn't it? *And then some...* No, Toya was everything. 

He caught himself in that thought and hated all over again.

"I'm here.."

He assured, the words escaping him, more like a desperate plea than anything else. 

*See me, please.*

His eyelids lightly fluttered; a weight he couldn't quite lift, tilting his head and allowing his lips to properly overlap theirs.
Paul
SCREAMING RIGHT NOW.

They're so fucking sad and cute and depressing and adorable and terrible and.
Stacy
Also ong I have good news
Paul
Why did i get a notification here. Help.

I'll start with toya just arriving.

I still want to continue it, dw.

Toya won't even question the blood rn.

He'll ask another time.
Arnold
A sense of urgency, a need to be at the blond's side despite knowing that he had no right; Toya felt completely and utterly selfish. He'd let the sick brunet sleep, leave a note on his bedside table and a text to accompany it before leaving his house. It was as if Keigo's apartment complex was engrained into his memory, able to find it from where he was whether it be on foot or by a vehicle. He stayed on the phone, although silent as he navigated his way through the street of New York, speeding on his motorcycle in a way that sent a small rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins. It was the most he'd felt in weeks.

A beep sounded on the other side of the phone, Toya slipping it into his pocket as he parked in front of the building and made his way up the stairs. He'd knock for a moment, unsure if he still had the privilege of just walking in, but ultimately stepped inside shortly after. Pushing the bedroom door open more than it was with one converse-clad foot, he swallowed thickly at the sight of Keigo on the floor. It wasn't a pretty one, but he never asked or expected pretty either.

"...Kei." A nickname Toya had only used once or twice in his life, far preferring some stupid nickname or the use of Keigo's full name. He approached him and crouched down, nails digging into his palms to refrain himself from touching him. He didn't want to do anything more wrong than he already had.
Stacy
Ong I forgot about you pookie wookie
Charles
Shaken gasps and pants, face drenched in fluids; blood, sweat, tears, saliva. Dust, dirt and blood coated over mangled flesh. His clothes were in pitiful tatters.

The door creaked open and clicked as it closed again. Touya. Who else would it be? If he could, he'd throw the other into the tightest embrace, never let them go ever again. He was tired though; his body was straining, giving in to the weight of fatigue.

Sloppily, he wiped his nose then his mouth with the back of wrist. His body was a burden, a cage. He hesitantly pulled his weight a few inches closer to the other. One hand reached and gripped firmly onto the others shoulder as he forced himself upward, pressed his forehead to their chest, a trembling wreck.

"I hate you..."

He whispered, straining out those three words. It wasn't the first time he'd said it, wouldn't be the last. Never in his life would he ever mean it though. It was always the latter or something like it.
Arnold
The sight of blood had Toya's brows furrow, though something in him told him that it wasn't the blond's; it was almost never the blond's. He'd learned that after seeing it a couple times in the past. Logically, he knew that there were questions he should ask, but those could wait for now.

With Keigo grabbing onto Toya, he lost his footing and fell backwards, hitting the wall behind him in a slumped position. Eyes trained on Keigo, he hesitantly let his arms wrap around the wreck of the man— he wasn't any better, though. 

Words uttered before, though not often, Toya swallowed thickly as his mouth suddenly felt dry and a couple tears brimmed in his eyes; he'd blink them away. He didn't deserve to cry right now, to feel bad for himself, not when the most consistent person in his life was as upset as he was.

"..I kn-o-o-ow." Toya's own words were strained, eyes half-lidded as he held Keigo just a little bit tighter; he'd take whatever punishment he gave him if he wanted to. Heart thumping against his chest erratically, he prayed to whatever high being above that Keigo couldn't hear it. He knew he could.

Blood was slowly staining Toya's own clothing, though much harder to see due to the color black they were, the white rubber end of his shoes bearing the only visible color on him. Part of him wanted to look away, to mumble some apology and stare up at the ceiling as he did so. Keigo deserved more than that. He deserved a properly spoken apology with eye contact where golden sand would meet a hectic tsunami of blue. For now, he'd wait and let him cry, get out his emotions in the entire situation.
Charles
As if they hadn't heard it the first time, those ugly words slipped into the stuffy air of the tiny apartment again and again, Keigo digging his fingers into the fabric of the other shirt and fisting it tight. His teeth grit together and he cursed his tears; the fact that the other had to see them.

The hand not busied by a firm grip on the others shirt rested against the small of their back. His trembling fingers brushed against the subtle juts of their spine.

Shame won over logic. He couldn't ask them what to make of this mess; they wouldn't know the answer. They weren't the ones soaked in the blood of others; only themself. They only ever hurt themself. They weren't the same breed of selfish as he was.

He wasn't in a panic; his breaths were shaken and unsteady, but he was breathing. Hours had passed since he'd pieced everything together, and those hours prior left him tired, dizzied and pained beyond all else. 

That left the silence to swallow them whole. The loudest sounds in the world in those moments were the pounding of hearts.
Arnold
Allowing the silence to sit between them, Toya's fingers ever-so-lightly tapped against the blond's back, a subconscious habit of his whenever he was anxious. The sound of breathing, blood rushing through their ears, and most importantly; both hearts still beating, willingly or not, kept them alive. He hated that the most.

Eyes drifting up towards the chipped and old ceiling above, Toya listened as Keigo repeated the three word phrase over and over again. A small jab to his heart each time, only pushing the previous stake just a little harder into his heart. He deserved it.

Once it was quiet save for their breaths, he stayed like that for a while, refusing to break the silence. The memories of what had occurred only within the last 24 hours replayed in his head, stuck like a broken record. Freedom had been right within his grasp, Death giving him the gentle welcoming once more, only to be ripped away once again. Perhaps he was star-crossed lovers with Death; the thought almost made him laugh.

"..I-mmmmmm sorry-y." Pride was something that Toya made himself swallow in times like this. Only in the most vulnerable of states would he apologize for something such as this, though the apology wasn't for the actions itself. He only regretted not telling him.

"It wo-o-o—n't hap-hap-hap-happen agaiiiiiiiiiin." Stuttering only getting worse with the emotion Toya was trying so desperately to hide, it was a tell-tale sign.
Paul
I'm waxing my boots and have it all over my hands rn.
Charles
"You can't leave me like that... You just can't. ...Never again."

What were they without the promise? Two halves pretending to be whole. Two broken things trying to be fixed. Sometimes it was easier just to stay fractured, stay like this; a crumbled mess within these arms that desperately tried to hold him together, keep the pieces from breaking away.

Touya was warm when everything else in the world was cold. He melted to the touch while rage gnawed at the inner lining of his stomach, nauseated him with the most bitter resulting taste on his tongue; a taste that he immediatly knew would forever linger. 

No matter the anger, no matter the betrayal, no matter the wound, the blood, the tears- forgiveness wasn't just a choice to be made. Grudges were a luxury for people who could afford the losses. 

He readjusted from his slump and finally met their gaze. His eyes were inflamed and glossy in a glaze of tears; red vessels to stain the whites of his scleras. The gold of his irises never died or dulled even if every other aspect of his complexion was dark and sickly. His forehead met theirs. Breaths collided. 

"...Stay here, Touya. Don't make me beg."

*I forgive you.*
Arnold
A nod of his head, bones cracking as Toya did so. He wouldn't try it again without telling the other.

Their promise, turned into a pact sealed with blood and inked initials above one another's hearts, never to be broken. Promises were something that Toya wasn't very concerned about breaking though he'd never really broken any, un-allowing of such a thing to tie him down. Feeling tied down was something that he loathed, yet that emotional teenage night had him doing exactly that. He'd blame it on the substances in his system at the time if he didn't know better.

Fingers pressing absentmindedly into Keigo's back with no real pattern, Toya let the silent sit between them once again for a while, gaze going fuzzy as he bit back another couple or tears that threatened to erupt. He took a deep breath in, then exhaled heavily. His eyes would meet Keigo's again as he spoke once more.

"I-I-I-I-I-I wonnnnnnn't. Pr—omise." Toya murmured, jaw tightening as their foreheads made contact. Allowing his arms to drop he wrapped them around Keigo's waist, pulling him as close as possible as he took a couple more deep breaths.

"Th——ank you."
Charles
"Don't thank me..." He murmured in turn. Their lips brushed as they had many times before. He didn't plan on kissing them, though the touch nearly brought him to tears all over again, reasons he couldn't name. Feelings without a face.

His eyes upon theirs. Seas to crash upon him and his watery glaze of tears. He wordlessly encouraged those tears to fall, for Touya to release anything- anything at all. A ticking time bomb; nothing to ever break past the seals of the surface. Something had to give. If he were to be useless in every other sense, he'd at least welcome those long restrained tears just as the other had welcomed his all this time.

His grip loosened on the fabrics of their shirt and he pressed his palm flat to their chest, their heart. Traced the location with his index finger where he knew his name rested, carved into that haggard skin he'd laid his lips upon so many times before. He could recall every minute detail of their body, a fresh image always to resurface in his mind, no matter their covering. They couldn't hide away. He couldn't either. There was nothing they hadn't already seen or done or endured.
Arnold
Visibly holding back the tears with how his chest tightened and his neck reeled back in a silent choke, the feeling of their lips softly colliding had the second to last thread break. Another sharp breath in, masking the emotions he'd learned to hide else he get in trouble at the house he grew up in until his teenage years. He was fine. Control was something he was uncomfortably good at.

The soft tracing of the tattooed initials. Snap.

A soundless sob escaped from the back of Toya's throat, fingers digging into Keigo's hips unintentionally as tears streamed down his face more rapidly than he could stop. Releasing the other, his hands found his face and he aggressively rubbed at his wet eyes, a futile attempt at stopping the emotions. He'd apologize again if he could, this time for being the one who was crying when he'd upset the blond not long before.

Selfish. Toya felt so selfish.
Paul
It's not quite as long, but. </3
Charles
Keigo nodded to himself in thought, watching those tears finally break free, soak the others cheeks. He didn't reach to touch them right away, not at all. That wasn't how this worked. That wasn't the comfort Touya was seeking out right now and if he were to reach and try, he'd probably be shoved back. 

It wasn't something he took too personally. He wasn't much different after all. Neither were all too familair with that Disney channel breed of comfort. The comfort they had always known was unavailable and he knew, the way he watched the other's breaths catch in their throat as their lips teased contact, that he wasn't the only one who felt it. Primal and simplistic, but so easy, it worked until it was over. The aftermath was just that; aftermath.

His body was in rips, and tears; shards of glass, grains of gravel all ingrained into hideously bloodied flesh. He gave the other's hand a small squeeze before stumbling upward and reaching for his phone, still smeared with dirty fingerprints of red. Dial up the nearest pizza place; probably shitty, but comfort food is comfort food. He didn't care and he knew Touya wouldn't either. 

"...Yeah. Mhm. The address is..." He played off the breakage of his voice like nothing. For a moment, he sounded just fine. Eerily so. "...Large pepperoni. Cool, man. Yep. Mhm... Okay... Bye." He whipped back around to face Touya. "You look like shit, man ...Uh- I'll run you a bath and uh- want a beer or a coffee or...? I donno... I might have a few cigaretes laying around somewhere-"

Before making for the hall, he stopped by the others side, crouched down. His fingers knotted through the mess of snowy white. "...You're gonna be fine. ...And even if you're not- even if this gets worse, like fucking unbearable... I'm gonna be here. You only have to say the word, and I'll be here, and you won't have to do this all alone again..."
Paul
BRO I READ KEIGO GRABBING TOYA'S HAIR AS LIKE,,, IN AN AGGRESSIVE MANNER FOR A SECOND AND I WAS LIKE "Honestly yeah he needs that".
Stacy
It probably was a little agressive honestly
Paul
I had the image of keigo grabbing his hair and just snatching his fucking head back and it made me laugh.

Like bro was trying to break his neck.
Stacy
Make him almost die all over again
Arnold
The world was complicated, overly so, and they both were well aware of this factor by now, playing the game of life and trying different ways to connect with others, feel "Normal". Such an idea was a luxury not afforded to either of them; Toya had so much money and capability in the palm of his hand and yet that was one thing he'd never be able to take for himself.

There was a semblance of normalcy with Keigo, no requirement to play the teasing rich boy who had more than most wrapped around his pinky with cheap talk and flashy smiles. Between them, it was dry humor that could only make sense between the two of them, touches that were primal and hungry instead of soft, romantic gestures. They didn't need that, the pleasantries were never needed; it was a connection that lacked a single title or phrase. Soulmates or perhaps star-crossed lovers were the best options, though still not capturing it truly.

Watching for a moment as Keigo pulled away, there was a discomfort in the idea of separation between them, but Toya wouldn't do a thing about it at the moment— it wasn't his call to make. Instead, he opted to just let his feelings out, tears continuing like an endless river until he was able to gather himself enough to cease the tears. Glancing down at his body with blood and various debris on him from none other than Keigo, he stayed quiet. He'd allow the other to address him first, though he wasn't expecting the grip on his hair to be quite as tight as it was; in any other situation, he'd make some sexual joke and grin.

"..O-O-Okay." An acceptance of words, partially because Toya hoped it would be true, but also something more than that. Something in the moment felt different, more like he was being told and the sense of comfort he got from it was more than enough for a short while.

"G-G-Go bathe first. You're moooooore of a mess-s-s-s-s than m—-e." A playful string of words, the ghost of a smile on Toya's expression, though his eyes were hollow. "'m fi—ine."
Charles
"Only if you join me." 

Keigo mindless spat back, teasing half heartedly in turn. He snickered at his own joke as he always did, but something was weighing in his tone. An air of breathlessness, strain, hurt. 

"Yell at me if someone come's to the door. I ordered a pizza. Keep, y'know, doing what you're doing. It's good."

He mumbled the last part, a little awkward, almost a little cluelessly squemish with the topic. On the basis of emotion, it was always like pulling teeth between the two of them. Or, maybe a more accurate description; it was like that sex talk parents are supposed to have with their kids. Neither him nor Touya had that though, so touching these topics was just about as uncomfortable as it got. 

A limp in his step, he dragged himself down the hall, closed the door a crack in case Touya were to call out, need him, anything. Standing before the bathroom mirror, he tugged at his shirt, had to peel the sticking fabrics from open wounds and the sop of cold sweat on his back. It hurt; this gross pain- gravel and tiny particles of glass slivered, grinding into flesh wounds. The state of his body sickened him. Touya deserved better than to touched by this disgusting monster in the mirror. 

He sighed, pants, boxers, shoes, then socks. Step behind the shower curtain, turn the nozzle. The water burns, though temperature is set to cold. The tiny droplets are digging at the wounds. He rushed himself in discomfort; had to have been five minutes, no more or less before he was out, somewhat clean and dressed again. At least the lot of that strangers blood was off of him. He wouldn't have to play off that shameful state now.

A knock at the door. He was still sorely adjusting his shirt as he made to answer, pay with a dying charge card and turn back to Touya.
Arnold
A small, dry chuckle in response to the witty remark came from Toya's chapped lips, only nodding as he watched the other's form retreat into the bathroom. Once the door was shut and the water was being ran, he as an entirety seemed to fall; what little of a smile he had was gone, slumping further into the floor as he hung his head. Staring at the ground for what seemed like forever, it wasn't until the doorbell rang that he made any sort of movement- almost like a marionette, a puppet without its strings being pulled. It's how he felt inside at the moment, hollow like a doll.

Rising to his feet slowly, Toya glanced between the bathroom as Keigo was stepping out of it, then returning his gaze back to his own dirtied figure. Opting to just walk in and wash his hands for now, worrying about bathing after they ate, he did just that. He scrubbed his calloused hands aggressively, often how he did to the more mangled and ugly parts of his body that he hid from view. Stuck for about a solid minute, everything just seemed to fade, vision blurred and hands unable to do anything but the continuous motion of scrubbing. He snapped back to reality when he heard the pizza deliverer say a "Thanks" And leave. He dried his hands and returned to Keigo's sight quickly.

"Th-a—-nks." Taking the box from the blond, Toya set it down on the kitchen counter before opening, grabbing one plate from the cabinet a moment after. He set it down in front of Keigo, appetite lost.
Charles
"No more thanking me." He faintly smiled, fixating his gaze down on the plate before him and shaking his head. "I'm not that hungry." His job held some power over him in that way; every splatter of blood to soak between his fingers nauseated him, an absence of hunger for days. Eating was a necessity, a means of survival; never something to enjoy or savour. Every bite was always soured by guilt, this thought, this feeling that he deserved to die of starvation rather than feed into the most human sense of hunger. "...I just think you should eat something."

He took a few steps back, collapsed against the rickety living space sofa. He patted the free space next to him, caught the others eye as to wordless suggest they join by his side.
Lawrence
Only giving a small nod, there was a silence between the two that had Toya thinking— he was *Always* Thinking— even when Death was going to embrace him, his mind spared him no peace. He chewed on the inside of his cheek, teeth clashing against golden staples in his face as his skin healed from the trauma they had recently endured and been broadcasted for the entire world to see. Only those who deserved it would receive peace and Toya was not one of those people, resigning himself to nothing less than some sort of emptiness that took up space.

Only shaking his head in a dismissive fashion at Keigo, the man quietly put the plate back. He stood there back in his spot after that, as if waiting for something— for someone— to tell him what to do. The other's wordless suggestion had Toya giving a nod, but he fell short just of the couch and looked down at his soiled clothes for a moment.

"..'m going t-t-toooooooooo show—-er first." Looking down at the blond for no more than a moment, Toya couldn't tell if holding eye contact with himself in the mirror or with Keigo was harder anymore.
Charles
"Do whatever you gotta do." He shrugged away a lingering sense of discomfort. This felt strange, a hailstorm of mixed emotion. He wanted Touya here in his arms just as much as he wanted him dead, just as much as he wanted him gone. Making uncomfortable things go away had become a special talent of his; he hated the way his poisoned mind so often mistook Touya for any other criminal, the way bloody thoughts ruined him and all the love he knew he had for them deep down.

Touya was the one person he refused to bloody. 

There was a Television set, an old one with a thick backing a short distance before the old sofa. It stayed off with that burnt in black screen as Keigo's mind drifted, as his skin crawled. What if Touya doesn't come back again? This loneliness is deadly. This fear is suffocating. 

He feared nothing but this loss. The possibility of losing Touya, losing himself when he had yet to even breathe a breath of fresh air.
Lawrence
The moment that Toya got permission to shower— not that he needed it— he turned on his heel and walked off to the bathroom. He mimicked Keigo's earlier actions, leaving the door open a crack if he needed anything or wanted to just come in. It didn't take him long, though double the time that it took Keigo to shower, most of it just spent staring at the shower floor, dark red streaming down the drain.

"..Wh—aT now?" The question was mumbled beneath his breath, Toya questioning himself aloud as he stepped out of the shower, grabbing the other towel nearby. He dried himself off with ease, eyes meeting his bare figure for only a moment; it wasn't a pretty one. As if his burns weren't enough, various cuts, bruises, and generalized wounds littered his body; most were self-inflicted. None were deadly nor did they touch the tattoo above his heart— they never would. It was the one spot he'd never been able to ruin, brain telling him that it would destroy the entire pact if he did so; it wouldn't.

Snatching some clean-looking pair of black sweatpants that belonged to the other, Toya aggressively dried his hair before returning to the living room where he let himself basically collapse beside the blond. He still didn't touch him, refusing to make the first contact as if he'd shatter beneath his fingertips. 

"Y—-ou good?" It was questioned a little aggressively, but emotions were never Toya's forte, something he struggled with himself not to mention others.
Paul
I didn't understand.

I'm kinda dense in case you didn't notice.
Charles
Keigo nodded. The pizza sat untouched in its open box by the kitchen counter. He understood the nausea; the way eating, breathing, tending to the basics needs of life could feel like the biggest chore at times, if not always. He wouldn't push it.

Silence again. Not the awkward kind; more of a beckoning for tears. Touya was still here, right next to him. So why did it still hurt? Why was he still mourning the loss? What was this feeling?
He hated himself for feeling it, would shake it if he could, if he knew how. Feelings were never his forte.

"Turn on a show or something." He eventually mumbled, laying back, the weight of his spinning head lowered to rest at last in the others lap, legs propped up all dishevelled against the high cushioned backing of the sofa.
Lawrence
Humming in acknowledgment of Keigo's words, Toya found the small black remote and turned it on, letting some random channel play. His free hand found its way to the messy blond locks and absentmindedly played with them a bit, fingers much more gentle than the other's from earlier. This was natural, something that they'd been doing since what felt like the beginning of time, as if it was forever meant to be; he didn't mind it if that were the case.

Head tilting backwards, cerulean-blue eyes met a chipped, old ceiling and Toya just let himself space out, memories crossing through his head. It had him letting out a shaky breath, other hand putting the TV remote down on the arm of the couch. He draped the arm across his torso.

"Ne—-ext time, I'll teeeeeeeell you fi-i-i-i-i-irst." Most wouldn't be reassured at all with those words, but Toya knew that there would be a next time because he nor Keigo would get that peace of mind they desperately searched for in this life. When would be the next time? He didn't know, but he wasn't going down alone no matter how selfishly he desired to.
Charles
"I know..." He didn't, but it was easier simply to abandon the topic, avoid it until he had the energy and strength to face it as any normal person would. These things took more out of him than they should have.

With a haggard sigh, a few sore shifts in his position, he turned onto his side, features brushing the bare skin of the others scarred abdomen. What he said next left him, murmured without a second thought.

"...I'll be damned if this is all we ever are, Touya..." It sounded like nonsense despite the weight of fear in his tone. It wasn't the first time he'd said such things to the other. There was no way to put it to words; the crushing fear of remaining unchanged, forever staying like this, bound to breathe only in the others presence, live only for this. He longed to escape, do more with his life before an inevitably awaited death in this man's arms.
Paul
Toya's shirtless because he's a whore.

He's just wearing sweatpants.
Lawrence
The prospect of living for a prolonged time was an idea Toya had long since given up on, accepting his fate as the one who was going to pull the final trigger in his "Family"'s hellish life before pulling it on himself. He'd reduced himself to nothing more than some c-rank villain in his "Family"'s life, the first experiment who turned out to be a failure, thrown to the side only to come back and finish everything off from where it started and then die. It was fine— *He* Was fine with that. He'd written his will the second he turned 18, made sure that everything he had would go to each "Family" Member respectively and then worked on his plan of revenge. What was there to live for now? Love was a foreign concept to him, only ever experiencing and witnessing some sort of twisted version of that mixed with desperation and repression himself. He didn't blame anyone for that.

"I-Is there aaaaaaaaanything more fo—-fo—-fo——" Toya shut his mouth after his more continuous struggle was verbally presented in some way, brows knitted together as his cheeks puffed out in anger. Absentmindedly playing with the other's hair, he opted for silence as to avoid potential annoyance with his continuous stuttering and stammering. He'd apologize if it wasn't for the fact that he knew he'd continue to fumble over his words.
Charles
Keigo cut in, looking back up at the other. "Yes. I know there is. There's gotta be..." A moment breathless, trembled exhales. Every part of him longed to believe his own words, but they left him like the telling of a fairy tale, and no wonder. That's exactly what it was. Keigo and Touya knew no *Better* World or *Better* Life, the concept was crazy and fantastical. He wanted it though. He wanted nothing more and that. That *Want* Was more for Touya than himself at this point. He would never be fixed or fine, but maybe he'd be a little happier if he could relieve the other of some of this agony. 

Someday. Somehow.

"I mean..." A weak smile. He lifted his arm, reached and brushed his fingers along the other's jawline, traced the outline of their features. "...We can still get married someday. Even if... Everything stays all shitty, we can still do something. We can still make it a bit less lonely, Y'know?"
Lawrence
A dry chuckle, void of any humor at Keigo's words at the mere thought of such a thing, though he wasn't laughing at him for having some sort of hope for their future. One of them had to, even if it was just some sort of baseless optimism to try and ignore the truth of their rather depressing situation. He looked down as his jaw was softly drawn, the touch far too gentle for the murderer he had a small idea that the other was; he didn't care enough to speak up about the matter.

"Ri—-ight. If we're sti-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-ill single byyyyyy thirty-fi—-ive." Recalling briefly when they'd made such a stupid, but fun agreement, it brought a weak smile of his own to Toya's face. Fingers gently knotting and then unknotting are random throughout the blond's hair, he looked at him through exhausted ||pun intended.|| eyes. It wasn't time yet, not for them, no matter how badly he wanted it to be. For Keigo, anyway. He'd been all too prepared to die tonight, losing his priorities along the way.
Charles
*If we're still alive by thirty five...*

He brushed the saddening reality aside. Touya was more likely to take on a lover than he was. The man was haunted, and so was he, but he still had a shot. He had yet to be stripped of oppurtunties. Keigo's wings had been torn gruesomely from his back before he even knew just how wrong it all was. All he knew then was that he'd never know the feeling of flying, only long for it. He despised Touya for taking that leap, trying to fly without him, leave him to the prison of this ground despite his knowing, how he'd always longed for the freedom of the boundless sky.

*That lump in his throat again. That ache behind the eyes. Don't cry again. Don't do that to them.*

 "Just sayin'..." His voice dared to break. "...There's no one else in the whole world I'd rather rot with. I don't care if we're thirty five, I don't care if it's even a a year or two from now. I don't care if we're fifty and have somehow outlasted all this shit..." He didn't think. With Touya, he almost never did; it always got him in trouble, every time without fail. He took the other's hand, slid it beneath the fabrics of his shirt to press it up against his heart, the texture of small, familiar lettering laid against the skin. "...Your name isn't ever gonna leave my body. I'll always be here. I'll always wait..." 

*Marked into my soul. Marked into my story. Marked forever into my mind.*

He propped himself up just slightly, sitting up in a lazy slouch before the other, leaning forward, pressing his hand to their heart in turn and resting his forehead to their shoulder, where his breaths trembled and his lips brushed, absently pressing to kiss the patch of pale living skin beneath them.

*Warm.*
Paul
Shut up this is so sickeningly sad and cute.

I'm going to scream rn.

I'm offended you didn't acknowledge my pun.

I lost my previous shawty.

You're my new shawty.

I DIDNT MEAN IT LIKE THAT.
Stacy
Ofc bby gurl tell me your idea in dms
Lawrence
A moment of silence. It was all Toya needed for his mind to wordlessly whisper some cruel things and trigger some unsavory memories. He drew in a sharp breath, fingers very lightly tugging on soft blond hair for a second before releasing it entirely. Why was he even here right now? It wasn't hard to get away from Kai once he'd fallen asleep, wouldn't have been much harder to end his own life instead of sitting in this dilapidated apartment. Swallowing any saliva he could as if he was dehydrated, his gaze was looking through Keigo like a ghost instead of the living person he was for just a moment.

Gentle kisses and genuine words snapped Toya back to reality. He blinked once, then twice, then a third time. A tear slid down his face. Another followed as his burnt finger tips brushed against his own initials carved into the other man. He wanted to scream.

"I—m sorrYyy I can't se-e-e-e-e-e-e-t you free." He knew about his hold on Keigo. Of course he did, he wasn't blind and a fool. Nails lightly scraping against the other's tattoo, part of him wished he could rip the patch of skin right off of the other's chest and replace it like a brand new band-aid. That wouldn't work either, the black ink ran far deeper than the eye could ever see. A shaky sigh left him, free hand absentmindedly pulling at his waist to pull him closer, staring back up at the ceiling as lips covered his skin. He'd let Keigo go eventually, hopefully. All birds needed to spread their wings eventually, leave the nest and feel the sky for their own. He couldn't bring himself to let Keigo have that freedom yet.
Paul
This wasn't as angsty as i liked.

Or just as good as i wanted.

I'm an actual genius.
Charles
Birds in cages see the outside world. They long for it; fly in the clouds, live the life they're supposed to live— natural and good, the way things are supposed to be. The irony? Once that cage door opens, and the illusion of choice is set before the bird, some will fly away never to return, and those birds live as they're supposed to live, untethered and unbothered. There are a few birds though, that stay in that cage, view that fantastical world only ever dreamed about as a sudden enemy. Some birds are scared and limited. Some birds are born only to have their wings clipped. Some birds are bound to the cages, and some simply just don't want to be free when entrapment is all they've ever known. There's comfort to be found in the poisonous limitations.

Touya was a cage. The door had always been open, Keigo always had the choice. It's cruel though, because his wings had long been clipped. He could leave, but he'd fall. He'd collapse from the suspended height of that cage and die, or at least that's what he feared. 

"I don't want you to set me free.." He almost begged, eyes set alight with the poor repression of tears that had swelled to the surface and trembled daringly against his inflamed waterlines. To be free was to be untethered. To be free was to be alone. To be alone was to die. Keigo sought out new freedom, chained to the heart of another, and it was nearly impossible. Holding out hope devoured every ounce of his energy, and he was tired. Tired of trying and holding this smile that left the muscles of his face to ache. Those burning tears fell and soaked his cheeks. His lips quivered, and his fingers curled in against the others skin. He lifted his head, brought his forehead again to theirs and wordlessly begged for something— anything.

Desperate. His heart and soul had long married to the others. To be bound to Touya, his being eternally bled. He hurt in every way a human could hurt. He swore sometimes he couldn't withstand this a moment longer. Their lips brushed again. He didn't pull back this time, he didn't have it in him, one hand reaching, holding the side of Touya's cheek. 

A weak bout of laughter as his eyes met theirs. Those eyes were still just as haunting. Those eyes still occupied every canvas. A terrible work of art.
Paul
Stop. They're so cute and sad and fucking gay.

Two options for how toya would reply.

One is he gets a little physical (he wouldn't hurt keigo, he's just lashing out) or two he becomes extra gay. They're gay both ways, but.
Stacy
Which are you leaning towards because truth is both responses are gay as shit

And I can see him doing either or
Paul
That's why i asked.
Stacy
They start fighting and then it ends on the gayest note of all
Paul
See but i don't want a fight.

Because i feel bad.
Stacy
Then just make it gay 😭

Also, Keigo's a murderer, don't feel bad for him
Paul
Murder is,,,, excusable sometimes.
Stacy
Yes but Keigo is hhh

If it ends on a gay note, you don't have to feel bad because they make up

Or if it starts on a gay note and ends with a fight later, it's the latter
Paul
Once my wi-fi stops being fucking homophobic on my laptop.
Stacy
Imma start listening to music in vc once I finish sorting out my meds
Paul
Have fun with that.
Stacy
Gonna have the time of my life yippee
Lawrence
Red-Tailed Hawks, the oldest bird of prey to be tamed and used for hunting, generalized usage to their humans. Keigo was like a flightless bird and the wing-like scars on his back reminded Toya of just that; he picked out the nickname "Birdie" For him as a joke shortly there after. Just as he was jokingly called "Patchwork", there was no ill-intent behind it though there was a wordless symbolism behind it without any realization.

Red was a color that had always suited Keigo regardless of where it came from, the absolute opposite color of Toya's that could mix together no matter how messily to create a much gentler color of its own. Wings of a stunning red, Toya could always see him with such a color if the blond ever had such things. Red-Tailed Hawks were the closest to having a color like that and the specific breed of hawk fit the other well. Mating for life, typically at a young age and then never straying from the one they've found; they were of extreme use to their handler, doing what they were asked and always obediently sticking to them. If Keigo was a hawk, Toya was his handler. Sharp talons sinking into their handlers skin they were still loyal, even when the handler tried to set them free.

Fearful words filled Toya's ears and he slowly brought his eyes back to Keigo's face, watching the silent plea he gave him. It was cruel for him to keep Keigo on his shoulder, always waiting for his next move or word just as it was cruel for him to simply let him go like that. They couldn't win either way, *He* Couldn't win either way and he'd accepted that, but he'd never intended to entangle another in his mess. Going back wasn't an option anymore, if it ever had been in the past. Perhaps if they hadn't met in the bathroom that fateful school day they wouldn't be in this mess. A calloused hand reached up, thumb lightly swiping across Keigo's cheekbone as the tears fell from his eyes.
Charles
Their lips met. It's what most people call a kiss. Keigo never knew what to call it really, because it didn't feel romantic or sexual or even exciting like people say it's supposed to be. The contact is held, his lips are always chapped against the others, who's piercings would snag at his skin. It's warm at the surface, indescribably cold beyond that. Shameful second nature to fall back into Touya's arms, his touch, his words. He'd been addicted to obtainable material things all his life, but nothing compared to this. Nothing compared to the depressing desperation he felt for this person, this comfort, this home he'd found for himself as a lost little thing. 

He felt selfish, melting against the other's body as they continously pulled him in closer. No, it wasn't romantic, it wasn't anything but a touch he always forgot he craved, but it was still a kiss. It was still his skin to theirs, the salt of his tears to mix and mingle with theirs. He shuddered, just barely parted, his eyes set upon theirs, only once or twice darting back down to their lips, which he felt the need to lean back in and touch with his own once again.

"Sorry..."
Lawrence
Working up from the side of Keigo's face to the back of his head, fingers absentmindedly tangled themselves in damp blond locks. Instinct took over, a habit of deepening it for just a moment took over him as his hand pushed their heads closer. Quickly disappearing, his lips felt cold without the warmth they were used to but he didn't dare change that- he couldn't. He wouldn't. Opting for a slow exhale instead he watched Keigo's inner conflict through his eyes, staying quiet as he waited for a response back. Finally an apology broke the silence, though not fallen from his lips for once and it had one pierced eyebrow raise a little.

"D—on't apolllllllogize. Wha-a-a-a-a-a-atever you want is-s———is yours." It almost felt wrong to say such a thing after wronging Keigo in the worst way he could have ever possible managed to. Tongue tasting bitter, he sought the other's taste as a sort of way to wash it away as if it would undo his betrayal. Self-control was something that he had much of, dangerously patient when under the right circumstances and this was one of those times where he had to bite his tongue, stay still and silent. Acting on his impulses were not something he had the luxury of doing, not right now, not when the most consistent person in his life clung to him. Staples lightly snagging on the other's shirt as he moved, Toya hardly noticed it; he hardly noticed most anymore.
Paul
Not good at all, but i tried.
Charles
It was so wrong. They both knew it. Keigo cursed his instincts. Dig those talons into the other's marred flesh and tear them to shreds before serving them with every ounce of his life, every breath he could muster. He had to destroy them before he destroyed himself; He couldn't be the only one to drown. Maybe it was selfish, but he didn't benefit, he hurt to act as he did. This wasn't for him, it wasn't for Touya, it wasn't for anyone. It felt closer to nature; raw and primal, than anything else he'd ever known, always returning to this venomous vice. Their taste was his cure, though it was only ever temporary. To part, he was cold and deathly and filled with pain all over again. Maybe that's why he leaned back in, tangled a few loose strands of white between his trembling fingers, and allowed those lips to collide and soon overlap with his once again.

Bitter. Bitter but warm. That warmth is addictive.

He'd already mourned the loss of them so much, it felt as though he was kissing a corpse. He feared his tears would corrode them. They deserved better than this but he couldn't give them better. Not right now, not like this, not after everything. He was used to holding them as they bled, but it was his turn to bleed now, as humiliating as it was. His mask fell, just for a moment, maybe two. Sometimes it was too tiring to keep holding it up.
Lawrence
Acting purely on nature and animalistic instinct was an oddly freeing feeling. No sort of thought process was necessary in those moments, caution thrown to the wind as simplistic actions such as this were acted upon by the two. Charming others was something Toya had picked up quickly and back in his younger years, flowery words that were sugarcoated sliding off of a silver-tipped tongue like blood to a blade. Attention was addicting and other people could help patch the hole embedded into his burnt heart, but only one person could truly fill it. Somebody who surely wanted nothing to do with him now if he ever did before. He'd accepted that the hole would never be filled, but to acknowledge that any chance of such a thing was completely ruined was another feeling entirely. He swallowed the pain down with the kiss that Keigo initiated.

Toya would sit like this for as long as Keigo needed, hands grasping at the warm body beneath his shirt habitually. Calloused thumbs brushed uncharacteristically gently against scarred skin, outlining patterns that he'd memorized over the years. Deepening the kiss for only a moment, he pressed their lips impossibly closer together as if they weren't flush against each other already. Threads and cotton meshed together hardly mattered in these situations, chests practically flushed against one another. He wouldn't be the first to break the kiss no matter how badly his lungs screamed for air, every act he'd make tonight from here on out was for Keigo and because of Keigo. His soul and being was Keigo's eternally.
Paul
EX'S SECOND EVER FINISHED RP SINCE 2015.