softspokenlandlord | IC Inbox

[Ryou can't help it, he sighs, and smiles.]

There's always a surprise hidden somewhere in the game.

[He cups Atem's cheek in his too-long fingers, but it's not an overtly emotion-driven move. Just a touch without subtext. He understands that Atem isn't comfortable with this, so he's not going to press the matter. Even if he's curious, it has never been a part of who Ryou is as a person to force someone into an awkward situation that they were very clearly not into.]

At least when you've changed back, there won't be anything unexpected, right? We can do whatever we like and whatever happens...happens.

[Or do vampires also have weird...stuff going on? The ~~sacred tomes~~ romance novels didn't say anything about that.]

[He doesn't like surprises hidden inside his own body! He's preferred very much, up until now, to sidestep the entire question of "what do I want, sexually?" and answer it, "I don't!" Atem frowns, though not at the contact, and takes a deep, slow breath.

Does this change things? Is he going to need to keep further away from Ryou for the rest of the week? Atem doesn't want to, but he also doesn't particularly want to explore an awakening that involves mystery anatomy. It's a lot, very fast!

Is he going to have to wear...like...snake pants? None of the other nagas do...it might be weirder, to start now, and draw attention to it...

Oh, Ryou's talking. Ryou is talking about doing whatever they like, and that sounds really nice; Atem is still wrapped around Ryou, and he's feeling warm and restless, he wants to, he wants to...?

No. Nope. Don't chase that. He wants his body to stop doing things without his permission, that's what he wants, that's it.]

...I need to get off you.

[He doesn't want to! His heart protests! So do other parts! His snakes have calmed down and are reaching for Ryou again, but Atem is the mothersnake and what he says goes. He is going to, very carefully, retreat from being on Ryou's chest, and slither the rest of his body over to his side of the bed, too. Shame snake. Atem's not ashamed of the things he means to do, because he's decided to do them, but he is embarrassed by accidentally almost inflicting mystery anatomy on his boyfriend-of-less-than-a-week, who is, if not severely, significantly injured.]

[Ryou nods, and although he's disappointed knowing they can't do anything else anymore, he keeps that squarely to himself. Atem had gone to great lengths to make him happy and comfortable. This is the least he can do.]

Okay.

[He lets his hand fall away, allowing Atem to slither off of him. It's...actually very uncomfortable? Not the slithering, but having Atem's weight shift off of him at all. He'd been happy there, with a snake wrapped securely around him. Now that the weight was gone, he was reminded of everything else. It was almost as if everything they were doing, even the weight of Atem's body, was shielding him from what he knew he should have been feeling.

...He knows that doesn't quite make sense, probably? But it's hard to argue when his wounds are aching more than they had before.]

Nngh! Oww...

[Man, he almost preferred mystery anatomy over this. But maybe that's just his own not-quite-diminished state of arousal speaking. At least his anatomy is behaving! Pain is a buzzkill.]

Sorry.

[The apology's for the pain, but also...he gets the sense that it's disappointing? That he's left? Aaah. The approach seems to be...the more attention Ryou gets, the better, and he prefers not to be brought back down to earth...but he has to be, sometimes. Atem can worry about the practical things, even if they aren't always happy.]

That medicine must be wearing off by now. Is it time to take it again?

[Not yet time to change the bandages. Those stay on another few days. He's keeping track.]

N-no, don't be sorry! You didn't do anything wrong, it just...hurts. You're right, the medicine's worn off, I'll feel better once I've taken some more.

[He's supposed to take it a little more often than this, but he'd slept through the cycle, and that's not entirely a terrible thing.

He's not sure why, but he feels like even though he tried to hide it, his stupid, stupid feelings had been expressed anyway, so he reaches out, because Atem's not so far away from him that he can't reach for his hand. Shade reach is honestly the best.]

You know you've been very good to me since...um. Since we got back. I just wanted to thank you for everything. U-up to and...including what we just did. It's nice.

But...there's other things we can do, you know. Maybe we can find a card game I can beat you at.

[Ha HAAAAAAA sure, Ryou. You keep thinking that.]

[Holding hands is all right. Holding hands is safe! Atem doesn't mention the fact that he's absolutely planning to get Ryou a soul to eat sometime tonight, absolutely not. Instead, talking about maybe playing a game does cheer him up; he looks interested, less down. Atem goes from passively having his hand held to curling his hand around Ryou's, affectionate.]

Heh! Don't expect me to go easy on you just because you're gorgeous!

[It is going to take much more than a pretty face to distract him from the sanctity of card games.]

[Ah! No! Not compliments! He's flustered now, and it shows in the color at his cheeks and the pout on his face.]

That's going a little far now, isn't it? I mean...y-you're more attractive than me.

[Gorgeous? Gorgeous? Atem, come on. He's not what The Boys like. Boys don't like pretty soft faces and long (well, usually long) hair, do they?]

A-anyway, I wouldn't possibly try to use any kind of advantage like that! Games should be played for fun, without subterfuge!

[...Someone should remind him who he's dating.]

[Ryou gets a Look at that first bit, a cocky that's not what I think, but the second thing Ryou says makes his face relax.

Because. Yes. A lot of games are not for fun at all. But sometimes they are. With friends, they should be!]

Yes. Yes, we'll play a game for fun.

But first, you've got medicine to take. Are you hungry?

[He means normal food, for the moment. Atem takes a different tone when he's talking about eating people.]

[Whatever way that Atem meant it, Ryou is honestly about ready to say "yes let's eat a person right now." But he's trying to keep it together on that front, so...]

I could eat. But once everything's settled, a game really does sound like a nice continuation, it's not like we have time to enjoy such things half as often as I'd like.

[Okay. Time to try levitating, let's go...let's...yes! Ryou is able to lift himself up, just a bit. Actually, it's surprisingly easy to do so. Maybe the sleeping did help, or perhaps it's the good mood in general.

Either way, he's pleased with himself. Finally, he's being a good shade again.]

...Are you starting to feel a little better?

[More...himself and less weird?]

[He sits up!]

I feel fine!

I can't sit around feeling sorry for myself all night just because something unexpected happened. Not when we're going to play a game...and it looks like you're feeling better, too!

[Look at Ryou go. Shades are very much like ghosts...Ryou not being able to float well was really holding him back. Atem puts a mental pin in, "see how Ryou practices using his powers and maybe help him with it." It could even be fun...they could make a game out of it...]

[Not being able to float, and not having a foot were very difficult. Atem had sorted the former, and...Ryou has a bit of a feeling that, unconsciously, he had helped with the former.

Ryou was contented. Very much so, despite the awkward happenings just prior. For the first time all month, he's felt as if he was somehow made whole, because Atem is here, with him. Romantically? Voluntarily?! It seems to be affecting how his powers act, to be so happy.

He'll take it, of course. He wants to move. He wants to be able to roll weightlessly in the air for once. Actually this is, in fact, one of the few times Ryou's almost completely intangible. The parts of him that are still close to Atem are more solid than the rest of him so that he doesn't cause pain, but for the most part his skin's gone completely black with a almost wispy quality, and his aura's pretty much at maximum, licking up from his edges like a smoky flame.

He's a happy shade. This is apparently what a happy shade looks like!]

Do you have a deck of cards handy? I'm sure I left one on one of the living room shelves, but it'll take a moment to find it.

[As he says this, he floats to his nightstand, taking the pill bottle in hand. He can't put that off much longer.]

[Huh, there he goes...Atem sees Ryou's opacity change, notes the difference in aura, and wonders if there's a correlation with his mood. If so, that's important information...]

Heh. Of course I do!

[He's slept in the one piece of clothing he wears these days -- a hooded sweatshirt with pockets. Pocket space is at a premium, but the important things to keep in there include money, dice, a multitool, and a deck of cards, and Atem pulls that last one out. It's still in one of those small cardboard boxes, so none of them get lost or damaged in a way that a card can be identified by a tear or crease, but Atem doesn't open it yet. He just takes it out long enough to show Ryou that he has it on him.

Really, what did you expect.]

[You know...Ryou probably shouldn't have expected anything different. And yet, he'd asked the most nonsensical question of his ultimate gamer friend. Atem's the final boss. Of course he has cards in his pocket.]

Honestly...I don't even know why I asked.

[Said with amusement, of course. He floats back over to Atem, attempting to peep the deck before it disappears back into its pocket. Any interesting design on them?]

You're always prepared to play a game. Heh! Cards are an easy vehicle for creating games of chance on the fly, aren't they?

[A brief nod! Nothing about the cards is particularly special; it's an ordinary 1950s-style deck, but the design on the back is a little dark.]

Yes. It's important to pick the right game for the right person...but there's plenty you can do with cards. I keep some dice, too. That was how I caught the two Tågevalgten last month...

[Some people carry weapons on them! Atem does! This is what they look like.]

[Look, that's a great design. It fits Atem pretty well, actually?

Ryou nods at Atem's words. It's true that there's plenty to do with cards and dice. He, especially, would know plenty about dice and their versatility. He might even have asked Atem if he preferred to play a dice game, but he's kind of married to the idea of a card game right now, because after having spent so long seeing Atem play Duel Monsters back home, it's been a bit strange having him play anything but card games.

...They're not the same cards but that's not the point!]

Did they cheat when you went against them? You somehow seem to attract cheaters, you know.

[A pause.]

Oh, but not me. I wouldn't dare. To devalue the sanctity of a game like that...well, unless it's written into the rules that someone has to cheat, that's unacceptable.

Mm.

[He nods.]

One of them did. He tried to use weighted dice. I let him....until the last round.

Of course cheating's fine when it's part of the rules and everyone knows it! And, [he adds, thinking again of monsters and survivors and who holds power in the narrative,] if your opponent cheats first...then cheating back is fair play.

But when someone uses an obvious trick like weighted dice, it's very easy to turn that back on them! All you have to do is switch them out when he's not expecting it, then get him to wager it all on what he's sure is a safe bet.

...

Also, he planted some of the Jeweler's Row explosives. So, I'm definitely going to eat him.

[Ryou can't help himself when he lets out a quick, awkward laugh.]

Atem, you can't just say that, honestly!

[Even though Ryou's used to Atem's straightforwardness, it is still amusing to hear him talk so matter-of-factly about eating someone. But also...it reminds Ryou of the uncomfortable gnawing at the pit of his stomach that feels as if its twisting up his chest, his throat, making his teeth want to grind. It's a familiar feeling, and one which he usually tries to suppress.

But he hadn't eaten in the dollhouse. He'd tried, out of curiosity, but the taste of plastic, liquid or otherwise, was enough to make him gag. So nah. No nondescript synthetic soul substitute for him.

...No. No no no, he wants to play a game first! Be quiet, stupid shade body with your instinct to rip the living soul out of something. Not now. He wants to be normal, do normal things with someone he cares about.]

But maybe we can...share him later.

[That came off a little too interested, didn't it? Something in the way Ryou says it at all, the way his glowing eyes seem to intensify. He generally doesn't discuss feeding unless he has to.]

[They might both be coming off a little bit too interested, because although Atem laughs at you can't just SAY that, because yes he can and yes he will, Atem's also looking at Ryou in that way where you've done something thoughtful and expect it to go over well but there's still an undertone of I hope you like it.]

...I did save him for you.

[Any chance he has to get a judged soul to Ryou, he takes -- petrification makes it easier to store someone who's still living, and the second Tågevalgten was deliberately put away for later in the month, to recharge after the fog event. It's probably been terrible for him. But he bombed people Atem knew. He can deal with it. He doesn't have a choice!]

[...It takes him a second, but it does click.

Atem's being thoughtful, as usual. He's helping Ryou get through his mandatory task of snuffing out the existence of another, and not just that...he wants Ryou to know that it was for him, doesn't he? Not just that he did it out of duty.

Not this time.]

It's very kind of you to have done that. I appreciate it.

[He smiles, then floats a little closer to Atem. The aura around him recedes a little, on instinct, and his facial features clean up just a bit more, coming back from the generally unsharpened shadows that he should be, if he didn't put forth so much effort to be solid.

He needs to be solid now, so that he can kiss Atem on the forehead, a brief, loving little gesture.]

Thank you for always making it easier for me.

Edited 2021-09-21 16:41 (UTC)

[Good. Good, his work's appreciated. He doesn't put together that he's acting like a cat bringing in half-dead terrorized rodents for humans it loves because it loves them and wants to share with them, but, that's absolutely the vibe.

The snakes part to allow the forehead kiss, surrounding Ryou's face like a little snakey cloud, flicking their tongues at him happily. 🐍 Ryou! 🐍 Very good! 🐍 Won't go hungry! 🐍 Won't be unhappy! 🐍 Stay close! 🐍 Ryou! 🐍

Their plans for dinner settled, Atem brings up the other priority--]

So...you wanted to play a card game?

[Ryou giggles. Yes, he giggles, don't judge him, the snakes tickle and it's adorable! He's not even bothered that Atem hears it because truthfully, if he can't accept him at his dorkiest, then they shouldn't be dating.

...Dating. Heh. He still thinks that's nice.]

Oh. Yes! Yes, um. We can play anything at all, I'm just happy if we're playing together, you know?

[He moves towards the doorway, floating with such laziness out of the room that one might mistake the area for having no gravity at all. He's comfortable without weight on his limbs, with Atem here, and most importantly, without the constantly running background routine of keeping himself semi-solid to solid, he actually feels incredibly light and relaxed.

Ryou trust Atem will follow, of course, but if he doesn't, then uh. Ryou can just come through the wall. But they definitely need more room to play than what his bed or desk offer, and cards need stable surfaces.]

[Atem gets the idea that they'll be playing in the living room and follows. Ryou looks a lot like a traditional specter like this...almost like a real ghost. Atem chooses not to comment on it; Ryou doesn't like being insubstantial, he's fought it so hard for so long, and Atem's guessing that the reason Ryou is okay with it now is because he's so happy about the rest of the situation.

...

...heh. It's nice to make somebody he cares about happy like that. It's a new way to protect their heart, Atem thinks to himself, slithering out into the living room, pulling the deck of playing-cards out of the box and shuffling them between his hands as he goes.

He settles in a pile of coils on one side of the coffin-table. It's easy to get comfortable pretty much anywhere with a body like this! Atem still feels a little off...maybe he just needs to eat something that's not gross venom-dissolved dollhouse plastic. He really hopes it's that and not that he's coming down with something, because if that's the case, he's likely already given it to Ryou, and having them both down with a summer cold won't be any fun at all.

He starts to deal the whole deck out into two equal piles.]

I was thinking one of the variants on Beggar My Neighbor...what do you think? There's War, Egyptian Ratscrew, Slapjack...depending on the level of physical requirements and complexity you're up for, we could play any of them.

[They played a lot of them by different names, when he and the Ring-Spirit went by different names, too, in the back of classrooms at Bavan Central High School. It's a little nostalgic, if you can be nostalgic for a life you didn't actually lead.]

[Ryou considers whether he wants to play cards while floating for a little while, or just go solid again, be a little more normal. He really doesn't like being like this for too long...but there are benefits. If he's just keeping his hands solid, it's less of an energy drain, right? Which means he'll be able to play games a little longer before his hunger becomes too hard to manage. Because there's no mistaking when he's reached his social limit--Ryou's the sort to get hangry.

For now though, he situates himself on the other side of the coffin-table, floating above the ground on his stomach with his legs crossed behind him. Yes. The teenage girl pose. It's comfortable!]

Egyptian Ratscrew is fine with me! A little on the nose, perhaps, don't you think?

...I wonder why they call it that, honestly?

[He really does look thoughtful about it as he watches Atem deal out the deck. Seriously. It's a weird name for a game, though Beggar My Neighbor isn't exactly on a higher spectrum of normal.]

Even I can't say!

[He finishes dealing out the cards.]

The true origins are most likely lost to time at an American summer camp. But it's very unlikely it had anything to do with Egypt...

[....man, Ryou floating like that is really cute. His...boyfriend? Boyfriend -- is really cute. Atem could have launched into a really nerdy explanation of the origins of cards as gaming pieces and how they originated in China but weren't brought west by traders until after 1000 AD, but it...sort of gets lost on the way out.

They're dating. They're dating and it's okay.]

[Boyfriends or not, Ryou would have accepted that explanation and regarded it with rapt fascination. Because they're both nerds. However, he's also similarly contented with floating where he is, listening to Atem talk and nothing else.

Because he is very much comfortable. It takes a great deal of comfort and trust for Ryou to stay in his shadow form without concern, after all. He wants to be here, playing card games with Atem for as long as he can get away with.]

I imagine not...Americans really will come up with anything, especially if the name sounds even remotely vulgar.

[He's thinking of BS when he says that. Deeeefinitely BS. But Egyptian Ratscrew somehow sounds more vulgar.]

You first? Royalty before peasantry.

[He smiles, and it looks weird because his shadows are so dark, and his teeth gleam white in comparison. He's joking but if it was anyone else it might look threatening.]

IC Inbox | ryslig

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

cw animal cruelty ment in meta

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, WhiteWizard. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 007.80.751.19 * WhiteWizard has joined 007.80.751.19 <WhiteWizard> Hello, this is Ryou Bakura! <WhiteWizard> Feel free to reach out to me if you need anything. :) <WhiteWizard>** I will get back to you as soon as possible.