[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

[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.]

[larue]

[ Joining you as you both step away from the car now. He's also going to halfway slide his hands into his pockets before he remembers that he's allowed to put his arm around you.

...There. Error rectified. ]

Up to you, really.

[ He was going to leave the car at the airport for pick up, but whatever makes you happy he can roll with? Speaking of which— ]

By the way, when were you planning to fly back to Falner?

[ Assuming that you were going to take a flight, of course. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

I was actually going to port back tomorrow evening.

[Or Blood Walk. Whichever ended up being more convenient the moment he felt the need to head over.

You know how your boy works.]

[larue]

Oh.

[ Well, that makes sense. ]

I guess... I guess we might end up heading back separately.

[ Or he could maybe muster the courage to ask if he can join you and just cancel his flight. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

You don't want to come with?

[That comes out before he can stop himself. Immediately looking embarrassed.]

Unless, of course, you have other arrangements. I mean, I wouldn't want to get in your way.

[larue]

No— I-I mean, yes. [ Why is he stammering? ]

Yes, I'd like to come with.

[ This exchange made him stop a little in that lobby. He also didn't miss that last bit. ]

Why would you think you'd ever be in the way?

[ He's confused, Hikaru. He really is. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

Oh, just...

[Erm.]

Just concerned, you know. You did come around on business.

[Rhiannon might have needed you, or some such. This is totally not about him just generally being insecure. Nope.]

[larue]

[ There's a look that's summed up eloquently by 'oh,' crossing his face now. ]

Why don't we... head on up?

[ He's drawing you back against his side. ]

We can just hang out— [ and catch up ] —and then figure out dinner later.

[icarusalsoflew]

Okay.

[Smiling a little easier once you both start moving.]

I like the sound of that, you know. Hanging out.

[Since you both didn't get to do that for... welp. A while.]

[larue]

[ He reaches out and holds the empty elevator open for you.

He bites his lower lip as he watches you go in. ]

The room's small, but it's about the sameish size as my room back home.

[ With a bed that, if you are amenable, you can maybe somehow cuddle... in. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

With reliable room service, I hope?

[Because it may occur to the both of you to not... leave...

Which he is also okay with. Like, perfectly okay with.

By Elaine, he has missed you. The two of you don't even have to do anything. He's just needed you around so much for so long that he kind of wants to take whatever he can get.]

[larue]

If their service sucks, I am going to ask for delivery and they can complain all they want I don't care.

[ He's pretty sure the service is good though. The breakfast from this morning was really great.

He leans back against the wall and cants his head to one side as he's taking the sight of you in.

Please don't think it's a bad thing that he's slipping his hands into the pocket of his coat. It's a small elevator. You're really, really close. And he really, really wants to touch you in ways that won't be appropriate for the camera they've got installed in here. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

I doubt they will even if they wanted to.

[Everyone in Japan knows who you're keeping company with. And no, he doesn't mind the lack of any sort of contact while you're still not where you're supposed to be. All good things in good time, and all.]

[larue]

[ It's not that big a hotel, but they do have separate elevators for certain sets of floors. The doors open soon enough and he's going to hold that open for you with one palm before he follows you into the hall.

His arm is also going right back around your waist where it belongs as he guides you towards the corner suite.

Key card, key card — oh there. ]

Thank you, by the way. [ His voice is a little soft as he watches the little light for the lock turn from a blinking yellow to green. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

[One thing he loves about hotels is how there never seems to be anyone to see you when it actually counts --

Hold that thought. Blinking up at you, bemused.]

And what's this "thank you" for now?

[larue]

[ He's going to show you instead of tell you ( and quietly pray that you won't flinch away ) because frankly? There are no words to express how happy he is that he spent the rest of the lunch meeting with you, that you sat in the car he rented and let him hold your hand for most of the drive over. That you're here, talking to him, letting him touch you because that year apart? It was agonizing.

So yes, the door is open. Yes, he's stepping inside and back and pulling you into his arms so that he can — finally, praise be Elaine — kiss you the way he's been wanting to since you both pretty much made up.

You'll hear the soft and swallowed sound of relief when his back hits that wall and he's got his arms around you. ]