imeeji_frontstage | (no subject)

Oh?

[Trailing a finger up her wine bottle]

So if I keep one of these around, you'll just start drinking it when you're embarrassed. That could be fun.

A little too easy though.

[She watches his finger a little longer than necessary.]

It's not that easy. I don't mean normal-level embarrassing.

Please. As if I do normal-levels of anything.

[But hmmmm interesting.

He continues trailing his finger up along the neck of the bottle now]

So if I ask a question, you'll answer?

...I don't keep secrets from you.

[Raises an eyebrow but then the familiar smirk falls back into place as he takes a sip of his own drink straight from the bottle]

You were upset that you were unable to convince Taisho to not protect future is now.

But you don't seem upset that future is now didn't pick Taisho.

...You picked Zrael, right?

[She gathers.]

It's reasonable to think they're less likely to be protected by someone else than Taisho. Plus, your unit has more connections to them.

We did.

But I don't care about the logistics behind it - we had our reasons. I want to know if that upsets you. Since you obviously put a lot of pressure on yourself to protect the people you care about.

...I'm not upset. I wasn't expecting you to pick Taisho.

If this is going to be one of those stupid things where you feel like you have to protect people but expect no one to protect you, I'm going to be fucking upset.

It's not. I don't have to protect people, I want to. Specific people, anyway. But that doesn't mean I would have pushed for future is now no matter what. In this situation, I was convinced you were in particular trouble.

There was no reason to think the same of Taisho. We've been protected before. And even if you wanted to protect me, I'm not the only one, right?

[Seems particularly pleased at how riled up she is.

And when she finishes her explanation, he leans over to kiss her on the lips]

There's no "if" there.

Though you are correct - practicality will always end up as the biggest influencing factor.

[She settles down a bit after the kiss and the words]

...That's fine. It's mostly like that for me too. This was just...

Yasuragi was saying you'd almost definitely be safe, and I disagreed. The more I thought about it, the more I disagreed. Then Eve asked who I'd vote for, and if I'd advocate for it, and I...

I wasn't going to just let you die because that's easier than arguing with Taisho. I had to at least try.

Even if it just drives the wedge further between you and your unit?

When are you going to move to ☆ZRAEL? They're much easier to make a case for than Taisho.

I'm not sure how much further the wedge can be driven.

...Soon, probably. I was making sure it was really what I wanted, but... I'm pretty sure of it now. I want to at least talk to Yasuragi first, though.

Of course.

[And no trailing his fingers along her jawline as he takes another drink of scotch. This is going to get him drunk much faster than the wine he was drinking at AlcheME!]

[She should probably catch up a bit, but it's a little hard when he keeps distracting her. She turns into his hand slightly as she lifts her own bottle to drink.]

...Are you upset you didn't pick Taisho?

No.

The case made for ☆ZRAEL was sound. Will be even moreso later if you're able to move.

...

But I'm also not a fan of this fucked up garbage being the game you lose your no-death streak.

[a half-choked laugh, and her voice gets a little more tight]

I'm not really a fan of that either.

[Sets his bottle of alcohol off to the side so he can fully pull Maki into his lap]

Ah...

[A bit of wine sloshes out of her bottle as she's tugged, but as soon as she's in his lap she turns so she can lean against his chest, holding the bottle steady against her side as she takes a heavy breath.]

If you managed to spill your drink from that, then you're not drinking fast enough.

...Then I guess I should pick up the pace.

[she ducks her head a little and takes a longer drink from the bottle]

Yes, you should.

[Too bad Intensity is going to try distract her from drinking by running his hands across her torso and sides while she does that]

[She still manages to drink, until he hits a particular ticklish spot and she has to stop and struggle to swallow before breathing.]

Did you want to see me drunk or not...?

[He lets out a laugh at her squirming]

I do.

But I also want to see you like this.

Is that going to be a problem?