[CLOSED] tell me what can i say ( what can i say, what can i say )

[larue]

WHO: Hikaru Shinta, Joshua LaRue + Rhiannon Board of Directors and Senior Partners
WHAT: Hello, Again.
WHERE: The Rhiannon Towers - Tokyo, Japan
WHEN: 2 January 2066
SAFE FOR WORK? Yup!
OTHER NOTES: ALL THE AWKWARD.



[ The Universe is mocking him.

That is Joshua LaRue's precise thought as he hurries past the reception area of the Rhiannon Towers in Tokyo to head straight for the elevator that will take him up to where the Board of Directors and Rhiannon's Senior Partners are meeting for the Annual post-New Year's meeting.

Everything had been planned down on his end right down to the tiniest detail: he'd touched down in Narita early the evening before, checked into his hotel ( because, no, not staying at Seigi where Hikaru might be ) and made damn sure to deal with the jetlag he was feeling and forcibly worked to align his body clock to the change in timezone.

This morning, he'd gotten up at the crack of daw, had breakfast up in his room, gone through all the necessary documents he had to review for the meeting, checked his own presentation and got ready to leave with more than enough time to spare.

Everything was perfect: he should have arrived at the Towers an hour early, which would let him get a feel of things and have time to figure out how to adjust accordingly to Hikaru's presence.

And then a freak road accident backed up traffic for about an hour and a half.

Now he's late, flustered, a little stressed and stopping only for a minute outside the boardroom to straighten his tie and run a hand through his hair before he quietly turns that knob to step in—

—right as Hikaru's up front and talking.

Someone shoot him now.

( Your evoker is in the shape of a handgun, Joshua. )

LEO. SHUT. UP.

( I was just being helpful. )

He would really like to do this day over. Please? ]

Sorry.

[ He'll just... quietly wander to the nearest empty chair. Carry on. ]

Comments

[icarusalsoflew]

Yeah.

[He's not about to admit how tired he is. Social events have the tendency to exhaust him, and quite frankly? He would have left the meeting way back if things hadn't somehow worked out between the two of you and he had still been alone.

(He's still in shock, by the way.)

There's no one from Seigi waiting for him. News travels fast.]

Where's your hotel?

[larue]

[ He mentions the name — it's not exactly one of the usual places you used to frequent together. He's pretty sure you've heard of it though ( this is your country, and your memory for things and detail is scary sometimes ) and as you're walking he's starting to look a little sheepish.

Maybe he should have booked a room elsewhere, but at the time he didn't see the point? A bed was a bed. A room was a room. And if things hadn't gone over well with you both he would have just packed, crashed and gone back home. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

[What was that you said about your boyfriend and his scary level of attention to detail? And that other part as well, about how he's kind of ridiculously attuned to your tells, your daily minutiae?

Yes, all of that. He's looking up at you now with a mix of curiosity and concern.]

The Westin's closer to these Towers.

[Also worlds nicer than the place you picked. Joshua LaRue always makes it a point to treat himself, even a little, if he's doing okay. Your hotel choice is a glaring red flag.]

[larue]

[ Have a shrug, Blade King. ]

It's not that bad. [ Maybe he should put in a call and just... move hotels for the night. ] I was only going to stay until tomorrow afternoon, at the latest.

Three days is too short for the Westin.

[ And besides, going there would have made him think of you. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

[Have a kiss on the mouth and this one's hand on your cheek so that he can look right in your eyes as he says:]

You know I'm good with anything. I'm just more concerned about you.

[This may be his quiet way of telling you to stop beating yourself up over anything. It's not like he believes that any of this is your fault.

(Which might be a problem.)]

[larue]

[ He's going to duck his head a little and guide you into the elevator before he presses the button to take you down to the basement. ]

I should be more concerned about you.

[ Because now that he's up close, he can see just how thin you've gotten along the face. Your cheekbones are standing out more against the planes of your face; your eyes look tired.

That's his arm coming back around your waist. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

[Chuckling.]

One night at a place that doesn't have five stars under its belt isn't going to kill me.

[...And there's that tell. The one where he averts his gaze, and you know he's trying to turn your attentions elsewhere with humor.]

[larue]

[ And he's tipping your chin up. Because nope, not this time, babe. ]

I wasn't talking about the hotel.

That's easily fixed with a phone call.

[icarusalsoflew]

Oh.

[And he has no quick response to that, really. What could he say that isn't going to make him feel a little dumb and maybe a lot embarrassed? But staying silent doesn't help either?

This is difficult.]

[larue]

[ Okay. Maybe, he should have held off on commenting about that.

A quick kiss on the forehead then, right as he notes that you're hitting your floor. ]

Sorry. [ Hand in yours again, leading you out. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

I'm really okay.

[...And he'd wince at how pathetic that sounded if he was capable of it.

And yes, of course he's following you.]

[larue]

[ He's going to bite back the urge to press on that subject, because you don't quite sound like yourself and that worries him.

He really should have approached you sooner and not let cold feet get the better of him.

The car's over on the next bay and he guides you over to the passenger side. Before he leaves you for his own seat though: those are his arms coming around you, that's him nuzzling your cheek.

You're alone, as far as he can hear there's no one wandering about and if anyone sees, who gives a shit, he's missed you and it's not like people don't know you're together. ] I've missed you.

I know I said that already, but... I wanted to tell you again.

[icarusalsoflew]

[And the lack of a response from your end is alternately relieving and worrisome. Before he can think more on it, though, your arms are coming around him and he suddenly cannot be bothered.]

I've missed you too.

[More than he adequately express, really.]

[larue]

[ He's going to lean in and kiss you then, quiet and chaste before he backs off and gives your hand one last squeeze so he can round the car.

He's going to start the engine as soon as you're both settled in and maneuver the rental out of the space he's taken up and out towards the exit. He's also fairly quiet while he does that. He's gotten quieter over the course of the last year. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

[He'll watch you that entire time, because he does notice the fact that you're not saying much. Before Christmas two years back, the two of you probably would have been talking endlessly. Bantering.

As the two of you are hitting the road, though, he's turning towards the passenger window.]

[larue]

[ He's got his eyes on the road, but you're in the periphery of his vision, so when you turn towards the passenger window, he's going to reach over and slip his hand right under yours. ]

You okay?

[ Can you get any lamer, Josh. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

[He'll squeeze your hand and turn back to smile at you.]

Yeah.

[You're just quiet.

But is he allowed to point that out?]

[larue]

[ That you squeeze his hand back is going to earn you that smile he used to send your way often: a little shy, plenty happy, top row of teeth catching his bottom lip.

Slowing down as the incoming light turns yellow now. ]

No plans for later?

[icarusalsoflew]

[Okay, if you're giving him THAT smile, then...

(Perhaps you are thinking too much, Brother.)

Can you blame me?

(...No. No, I do not think I can.)]

Beyond being with you? No.

[larue]

[ Yeah, that's going to get him to beam a little at you before he leans back into his seat.

...and then he's quiet again.

It's really nothing bad, though. If anything, that smile is fixed on his face as he keeps an eye on that stoplight. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

[(I think he is fine, Brother.)

Mm.

So maybe your boy is relaxing minutely, and turning away with a small smile of his own.

Maybe things really WERE going to be fine.]

[larue]

[ The light turns green and he slips his hand away from you briefly to release the brake ( he prefers manual, you know this, it's relaxing, going through the motions even if the first car he'd ever driven was an automatic ) an then he'll reach for you again and hold that hand of yours all the way back to the hotel.

He'll be quiet for the most part, focused on the road. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

[And this one will be quiet all the way up until the two of you are pulling into the hotel.]

Do you think you can get a valet to take care of your car?

[He'd very much like to head up with you already, unless you were thinking of grabbing a bite, or a drink, or...]

[larue]

[ Uh... right.

A minute pause as he remembers that the option actually exists.

He's going to veer away from parking then, and ease up right in front of the main doors before he lowers his window to address the valet that's hurrying over. He's also switching to Japanese to go through the motions.

This means more time with you. He is good with this. ]

Your wish, my command.

[ He's still a cheeseball. But you knew that, right? ]

[icarusalsoflew]

[Yep, he did. (And he really missed it, kind of like how he pretty much missed you and everything about you.)]

I can have someone take care of returning it, you know, and get somebody from Seigi to drop my own car off here.

[...An arrangement that he normally wouldn't bother with, but he's kind of inclined to go the extra mile in all things with you for a while? Just to make sure that you'll both be good, and all.]