thenearshore | [closed]

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[closed]

Who: Hazel, Jae-Ha, and Ukoku
What: Jae-Ha drunkenly invited Ukoku over. Is it too late to rescind an invitation when someone's actually in your house?
When: 4/27, morning
Where: Aengus's silly temple
Warnings: I don't know why I'm allowed to rp

[ Ukoku is a shadow. A crow's shadow. A short-ish dark handsome (??) stranger, except in this case not a stranger, a vaguely repulsive silhouette of bad intentions in full regalia, with the smell of cigarette smoke and incense and malice clinging to his robe.

Jae-Ha doesn't deserve this. He's a good kid, tall and aesthetically appealing (which has nothing to do with how undeserving he is, but is interesting in that it says something about Hazel), with leggie for days and a talent for waxing poetic, a mildly surprising but undeniably loyal dead-man replacement for Gat.

(He's precious to you, he'd said to Filbert that day in the church: I'm jealous.)

It's not the first time Ukoku has wondered why people cling to other people the way they do, and it won't be the last.

Hazel doesn't deserve this either, probably, in spite of his prejudices and all the souls he's stolen and the wonderfully misguided vengeful justice he's applied. He hasn't had an easy life—but if fate is real, he was never meant to. And from what Ukoku knows of religion in the West, fate is a given and suffering is how saints are made. (Interesting: they run toward hardship, self-punishment and loathing and guilt.)

But he was invited, so Ukoku is standing at the door to Hazel's temple with a gift in his hands: a blue flower in a pot, because Jae-Ha crushed the other one (no he did not). He knocks lightly on the door. Surprise!! ]

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[Right, he must have some other ability they don't know about. All they can depend on is luck? He comes over to intimidate Hazel for what, amusement? And Jae-Ha can't do anything about it. He's stuck on this, so much that he spaces out even for a few seconds past that invitation before he looks over.

He'll leave the towel on the counter as he steps over to the table.]

You don't think we'll be so lucky. [Hazel is worrying, isn't he... He'll keep worrying... Ugh, this is the worst.]

[Jae-Ha's just standing over there, probably worrying... That gives Hazel a moment to push himself up from his chair and turn to sit up on... the table?? He needs to be up here, apparently. Come here...]

'Course not. I'm bein' realistic. [But anyway, once Jae-Ha is within reaching distance, Hazel leans forward to take one of his hands and tug him the rest of the way over to the table. He's getting a one-armed hug now, don't say a word.]

[He genuinely doesn't expect any of that. In fact, when his hand is first grabbed onto, his first thought is that he's going to be yanked forward a little more aggressively, maybe yelled at some more. He doesn't know why his thoughts jump to that so easily, but they're there, and so when he's pulled into this hug, instead, his heart throbs.

Hazel... Jae-Ha leans slowly into this hug, not having to hunch over when Hazel is up on the table like that. So he can lean into him, one arm wrapping around him in return as he accepts this hug.

He wants to say something, but he hasn't thought of what he should, yet. He's at a loss for anything comforting right now.]

[See, he's considerate. This is how he's trying to make up for being a complete asshole all morning, maybe, with a dash of just wanting Jae-Ha's presence close to him so maybe he'll feel a little better. They're both just quiet, but eventually Hazel's other arm comes up to wrap around him, and he... tries to say something but instead just sighs.

Okay, let him try again...] Sorry. And thanks.

[Well... Hazel initiated this hug, so this means he has permission to hug back like a sad baby. He does just that, wrapping his second arm around him now that the shock has worn off.]

It's okay. [He'll answer more directly this time, even if he does frown into Hazel's shoulder.] What's there to thank me for?

[Oh, hey, there's his mope. Hazel does feel bad for snapping so much, hence the apologies, but he's glad Jae-Ha isn't bothered enough by his crap attitude to reject his sad hugs. Go on, mope all over him, that's fine.]

You're still here, aren't ya? Y'did say so yourself, as I recall.

I'm here because I want to be.

[Don't thank him for something like that, that's just silly. He says this, but he squeezes into this hug a little more. He was really worried that one little thing had screwed everything up, okay... This might be Hazel's temple, but it feels more like Jae-Ha is the one asking Hazel to stay with him. Death does that, maybe.]

You can't be rid of me so easily.

[It would take more than that to really get dumped, please... Hazel slides a hand to rest on the back of Jae-Ha's head, comfortingly, he hopes. He doesn't comfort people, generally... But Jae-Ha is worth the effort, so here he is.]

I'm not tryin' to. [It's odd, though - he's the god, without him Jae-Ha is literally homeless unless he attaches himself to someone else, but he hasn't once felt like he has some intrinsic right to his company because of their little bond. Jae-Ha says he's here because he wants to be, and Hazel accepts that without thinking about the logistics.

Basically, this Heaven can go screw. He'll take sad hugs in the early morning, instead.]

Y'know, I only had a bite or so, but I thought ya made fine grits.

[...Hazel is sweet. Jae-Ha finds himself thinking this again as he smiles against him, fingers curling slowly into his back. He'll make him grits another day. Maybe he'll even make them better.]

If only I knew a barrier to keep other unwanted guests out. [Like, that would be handy. He's trying to joke about how useless he feels, is it working...] Maybe I could have listened to your honest assessment then.

[Those grits were grade B at best.]

[Hazel still has that twinge in his chest, so it's not working as well as it could... he'll get better grits one day. They should stop answering the door.]

I'll be lookin' forward to that. [He might even help clean up next time, er... well anyway.] To be frank, it could've been... worse. The whole, y'know.

[HOME INVASION]

[Hmm... Well, it's easing up slowly, at least, a more dim feeling than anything strong and in the front of his mind. Slowly, he slips out of this hug, letting his hands rest lightly at Hazel's arms even as he stands up straight.]

Is this a habit of his? [Showing up out of nowhere?] I feel like I was conned into shouting that invitation. I was defending your honor.

[Ah, hug ending. He's kind of disappointed...]

He did it the day I turned up here, like somehow he knew. The time before that, Gat and I were in the middle of nowhere, and he walked right outta the trees. [It was concerning! So, yes.

...And okay, only because Jae-Ha seems to be feeling better, slowly but surely-] Defendin' my honor, huh?

[Maybe pull him back into it if he's so disappointed!! Jae-Ha doesn't want to overstay his hugging welcome. But walking out of the trees, really? That's disconcerting. All of that is. Maybe he should be looking over his shoulder a little more often...

Then the honor thing is questioned, and he has to pause for a long moment.]

Well, actually... The way he spoke about me not causing you blight, I felt like he was implying that I would cause it. Since I already have once before, I felt strongly that I wanted to defend our partnership, so the first thing to come to mind that was similar to "see for yourself!" was an invitation to breakfast.

I'm not sure how it happened, to be honest.

[Maybe he will...!! Later. For now he's just waiting out this long pause, and then considering that explanation. That sure does sound like Ukoku's usual nonsense... Mm. But Jae-Ha did try.

He should have explained this much sooner but he did try.]

I'm sick of not bein' surprised by hearin' about him. [And yet he's still somehow surprised when Ukoku shows up?? This is the worst family friend he's ever had.

Now he tugs Jae-Ha back in, so his dumb feelings will Rest. "See for yourself," was it...]

And then the first thing ya did was come out with your pants pulled over your feet.

[like,]

This is why I rarely take off my shoes. I panicked.

[Leave him alone... He still sinks back into this hug, significantly less surprised than the last time. This time he actually smooths his hand over Hazel's back.]

Next time, teleport him away and let him think it was his own powers malfunctioning.

[...Why does he always forget—] I reckon it's worth a shot.

[Whatever, the terrible moment has mercifully passed... He's free now to relax into this hug, and only Jae-Ha's shoulder has to witness his frowning about Ukoku. Better. He tugs lightly on Jae-Ha's bow, after a beat. Hey.]

I'll still hope there's not a next time, first.

[Ah, his bow is being tugged on. Somehow that's really endearing, so even in the middle of trying to keep each other not-worried, he's pleased. His free hand reaches up to curl at the base of Hazel's neck, and daringly he turns his head towards the side of Hazel's to press a small kiss above his ear. Shh... this is fine.]

Let's hope not. [And in the meantime, he'll look into preventative measures.] Are you alright?

[Oh - that was a nice surprise. He's more pleased by that than he reasonably should be, so he just... tugs on the bow again. Hmm!!

But wow, what a question to distract him from cute kisses... Is he ever alright?? Give him a moment to think about this.]

I'm better than expected?

[Better than expected... Well, then that means he can keep working at cheering him up. Maybe. Both of their sadness has sort of stagnated here, so maybe he can push it away in favor of this cute bow tugging.]

Good. [It's something, and he'll take that as a start point. After a moment, though, he smiles where he's already facing against Hazel. Gosh.] You're going to undo it like that.

[He is not, currently, at this moment in time, panicking. He'll sit here and tug at this bow and hug Jae-Ha until he doesn't feel like the whole day is ruined anymore. Great plan!]

Maybe I'm tryin' to. Surely ya don't need it right this second.

[ Oh, is this what they're doing, then? It certainly works to knock back all of that worrying from earlier. Now, with it in the back of his mind, he can focus instead on his bow slipping loose bit by bit as he smoothes a hand down Hazel's back. Hmm, this sure is a hug. ]

I suppose I don't. You can always hold onto it, for now.

[Well, now that he has permission, he'll tug the bow all the way out and draw the ribbon itself out of Jae-Ha's hair. Hmm, now what does he do with it... He'll leave it draped over his wrist for now, working that same hand into Jae-Ha's hair now that it's loose.

This is a great hug.]

I'll take good care of it, don't worry.

[ This is a great hug, yes. He's not worried about the ribbon, busy slipping his hand away from Hazel's neck to slide down over his chest instead. You know, casually, like friends do. ]

Do you think anyone else will come bother us?

[As one does, with their friends, of course. Hazel takes this moment to scoot himself all the way to the very edge of the table, so he can tug Jae-Ha even closer. Friendly!

Anyway, they sure have been receiving more visitors than expected these past few days. Odd.]

Not unless your interestin' friends plan on swingin' by unannounced. [would....they....]

[ Friendly. Jae-Ha is as close to the table as he can get, but the more they hug the more he wants to see Hazel's face. This is the only problem with such a cozy hug. He settles with tapping his fingers against Hazel's chest as his other hand slips a little lower, pressing against the small of his back to keep him close. ]

Even if they did, I'd feel them coming. [ They're at least free from surprise dragon visits. ] There must be some way to fix how today has gone, with just us...

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1more shh

i waited a whole five minutes before writing this, just in case

look

Mega thirst

Shush