showhost | ( r6 ) talking-head: minami.

Mmhmm! Why does that make you scared? Does that make you hate me? I can't change what I am, I was born this way, you know.

[ sorry the nuzzling is continuing. ]

[Of course he's scared. He's only human, after all; this is the first properly demonic thing he's really heard out of Minami, and there's something about the way he says it so casually, too, that's just--

--

Tsukasa drags in a careful breath, and then puts his hands on Minami's shoulders to gently hold him in place to stop him from nuzzling for just a moment, so he can meet Minami's eyes. Granted, Tsukasa is definitely not strong enough to do that unless Minami allows it, given he's just a regular human, but he's going to try.]

... Of course it's scary. But I don't... hate you for it. [How could he? As Minami said--that's... just what demons are. Besides, Tsukasa doesn't really hate anyone, much as he puffs up sometimes.]

...

[The next question is obvious, but he's finding it hard to ask. Just a few words. Just--

Are you going to eat mine?

But... he really, really doesn't want to know the answer to that question. Because whichever way Minami answers, he will have no idea how to react at all.]

[ it's more the eye contact than the physical contact that gets minami to pause (though he wouldn't have persisted even with only the latter). his eyes are bright, brilliant, focused but not feral ]

Tsukasa-chan. [ he could ask for him, because he knows what he has to be thinking. but he doesn't, because that's something tsukasa will have to find the words for himself. it wouldn't be fair to either of them, would it? ]

I think you're crazy if you're still okay with being like this with me now that you know. [ he could say it doesn't quite work that way, that as much as he can take a bite off the top or a nibble, to truly devour him they'd need to complete a pact. but he doesn't, because that'd make it too easy. he doesn't, because-

instead he continues, his voice even and clear. without the usual bounce and without the ominous timbre. ]

But I think that's why I really like you.

[ funny how that sounds like a confession, more than any of the other times he's said it before. ]

[Maybe he is kind of scary, but also--but also.

Those are the same eyes that watched him put on his show, and the same eyes that met his when he was checking in on him after the Match Ceremony (even if, yes, Minami was also threatening to murder Akechi at the time)--

... Tsukasa is in way over his head. It's a thought he's had more often than not recently, but never so much as right here and now, with a demon looking him in the eye (with Minami looking him in the eye). But he said... Minami's happiness matters too, and he stands by that. He meant it when he said it, and he means it now.

(Besides. The way that Tsukasa is in over his head most of all is that... he likes Minami too, isn't it? Is it dangerous to like a demon for his playful personality, the silly way he pouts, the way he's overprotective sometimes?)]

Minami...

[... It does sound like a confession, doesn't it? And Tsukasa knows that he needs to know before anything else just why Minami likes him--if it's because of his soul, or...]

That's not...

[... He frowns, lips pressed together tightly.]

There are still things I promised you. I still need to play the piano for you.

[ tsukasa frowns and minami smiles, even if it's much more muted than his usual ones.

again this isn't what he was expecting, because surely tsukasa would push back against him now right? he'd know what to do if he did, but without it he's following instincts that are completely new to him. ]

You better. I wanna hear it.

[ he doesn't put into words the half-question, the "you really still want to?".

his chest feels heavy again and he doesn't know what to do with that other than to give some of it back. ]

Your show was really good even if I think you somehow managed to cheat a little on that one too. [ a dream demon, really...

no cheek nuzzling this time, but nose to nose. an eskimo kiss if he knew what an eskimo was. a more gentle affection than he's shown tsukasa so far, earnest in a different way. (at least while tsukasa has been awake.) ]

[.... Ah. Huh? Wait.

... Minami has been very affectionate basically the entire time they've known each other. Teasing touches and pokes, grabbing his hands, threading their fingers together--but it's always had that underlying sense of teasing. Maybe when Tsukasa thinks about it in the sense of Minami being a demon, it even had a sense of toying with him to it.

This... doesn't. This is just... affection, gentle and earnest and warm, and for a moment he's so taken off-guard that he just stares at Minami in return.]

[But...

"Your show was really good."

So Tsukasa laughs, a little startled still, but entirely bright, and he squeezes Minami's shoulders with his own affectionate gesture, since his hands still rest there.]

Of course it was! After all, I'm Tsukasa Tenma, he who soars through the sky like a pegasus!

[He says that, but he seems so genuinely thrilled that Minami liked it...]

So thank you for watching...!

[ here they are, two boys who have no idea what to do with each other because as affectionate as minami is he very rarely receives any in return. but after a moment of ??? he starts to laugh too because once again that was very loud and bright but it tickles him in a good way even if it's almost painful. ]

Pffft, I think you like saying your name as much as I like hearing you say mine!

[ that's a lot, obviously. but it's not a bad thing?? ]

I'm not gonna say thank you cuz you just did it yourself~.

[ definitely teasing because he basically did, as much as a demon can say thank you sincerely because on some fundamental level he's allergic. ]

[He absolutely does love saying his own name, no surprises there--and it's fine that Minami goes back to just teasing him, since he saw what he needed to see. The smiles, the laughter, the words--

Your show was really good.

... Heh. Part of him feels that pride of impressing a demon (how many actors can say that, really?), but he knows that the vast majority of him is soaring because he impressed someone whose opinion he cares about.]

That's fine! [It's totally fine, because in all honesty:] The fact that you enjoyed it is thanks enough!

After all... you were smiling.

[And he saw it for himself.]

Mmhmm, mmhmm~ [ tsukasa stop giving him these warm fuzzy feelings that he has no idea what to do with. and stop framing them in ways that just manage to skirt his demonic reflexes for all things Good. ]

So you better put on a good show for me with your piano too! [ if he's not stopped he's totally going to nuzzle their noses together again because somehow he feels like that's better than cheekrubs right now. ]

[Yeah he's so gross.

Anyway.

Now that that's all been resolved and settled and Tsukasa isn't immediately thinking about his soul potentially being eaten after this show is over, he............

... is paying a lot more attention to that affection.

.............................. oh my god Minami is so close.]

[He springs backwards, practically a few feet in the air, face red.]

W-w-wh--

Minami, you can only take teasing me s-so far...!

[ whoa, look at that air! minami's still leaning forward, but he doesn't chase. he's still all smiles, hehe. ]

I'm not teasing you. I'm doing that cuz I want to! I hold your hand because I like how it feels and I sit close to you cuz I like it and I visit you a lot cuz I like it!

[ despite his o3o expression, there's a genuine note to it all the same. one that he doesn't know has slipped in, but that's probably for the better.

and please tsukasa he just said he liked you (for real). ]

[You're gonna have to let that one sink in for at least a day, Minami. He has never been confessed to, and while there's a part of his brain that is kicking him and screaming about the very sincere note that was in it, he is Not Ready to process that yet.

and there is a recordscratch moment here too as he processes... all of that.

Up until this point, he's been able to assume it's just like, friendly. Very friendly! Platonic! Not exactly familial, but Tsukasa's family is very affectionate, so, you know...!

y... you know...]

... Ah.

[Ah?]

Aaaaah?!

[ tsukasa????????

minami for his part finally leans back, just so he can laugh in the chair and not flop onto the floor as he does. ]

Your face is sooo— hehehehe! [ cute. perfect and all other kinds of words he doesn't get to say because of his laughter. small mercies. ]

But hey, don't die! If you die right here I'll be mad at you.

Edited 2024-11-19 17:51 (UTC)

[He can imagine how red his face is and it'd be embarrassing in any other circumstance, but right now, it's just...

??!?!?!?]

Wha--I'm not going to die!

[Probably. He does feel a little like expiring but maybe that's because his heart is going a mile a minute?]

I just... this is a lot to process, so...!

[the boy's stupid, Minami]

Hehe, want me to hold your hand? [ offers his hand! minami's not stupid but he is greedy and he always likes holding tsukasa's hand. ]

Ooh or I could put you to sleep if you really want, but I think I'd have to use a lot with how fast your heart's going.

[ but despite all these very Minami-isms, the one thing he doesn't say or expect is any sort of an answer. the faces he's given minami today are more than enough food for him. ]

[... Hm.

He frowns a little more at that, but it isn't an upset frown--he's just thinking very hard. And then, with a great deal more deliberateness than before, he reaches out to take Minami's hand.

That said, though:]

No, I have too much to do to sleep, regardless. [also, that would be weird - boy who does not realize that his good night's sleep before was thanks to a certain someone.]

... Ah, we haven't even started your interview... [whoops....... this got SO derailed.]

'Kay. [ entwining their fingers as he usually does, casually ignoring how it feels a little different now(?). but he's a glutton for punishment and vices and no one's going to stop him not even himself. at least not when he's genuinely enjoying something.

the no sleeping now is fine, minami isn't really partial to it anyway. he really would have to use too much magic for his taste to get tsukasa to sleep now and he's also ignoring why that seems to have been so natural a consideration for him. ]

We can do it now as long as I get to keep holding your hand! And as long as I get to visit you again sometime privately.

[ he's vaguely aware the cameras exist again, perhaps. ]

[Well.......]

It's fine.

[A considering pause. He tilts his head, as if he's examining those words for himself, before he nods.]

Hm, yes. That's fine.

[He's Decided.]

We'll do the interview like this.

Edited 2024-11-20 00:25 (UTC)

[.... ahem. Ahem!!

Oh my god he's forgotten all of his questions. This is so.................. much.]

... Well! How has it been playing the game this week?

[Like... more properly.]

[ he laughs, genuinely pleased and still not stopping to try to examine what this means. he asked for something, he got it, all is good!!!! ]

I learned what I wanted to know! And I was able to cross a lot of people off my list on who I'm probably paired with.

Oh, is that so?

[He's legitimately curious about this one.]

Who are you certain is not your match?

[ cheerfully: ]

Anna, Dorothea, Akechi, Josuke, Lessing, Mark, Sanji, and Steve! They're all of scared me, hate me, or something like that.

[Minami...... that's a lot of people who hate and/or are scared of you.]

... Are you sure you're okay with that?

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