[maybe nikkari wasn't working the night before when baren barged into club sunshine with bundles and bundles of roses that he insisted on donating, but he's around today and that's what's important.
as baren requests him - he doesn't mind paying for nika's time every now and then - and when nikkari approaches the table
he will find that it's fucking covered in roses
baren stares him down. he is not allowed to leave him with this. don't stand him up now of all times, nika. his gaze is dead. exhausted. he is a tired, defeated man.]
Nope, you need two weeks if you want me to pretend even a little. Because he stopped by last week because apparently you were talking me up and he wanted to meet me. Good to finally meet him in person instead of through your stories, though.
[he's clamping down on the I told you so hard, but it doesn't mean Baren gets to live through the rest. picking up a rose, he tucks it into his hair.]
I'll forgive you for breaking my heart and not trusting me and telling me all this if you tell me whether or not you two are happy. And yeah, I'll know if you're avoiding answering.
[Three short syllables but that coupled by the way that Baren's brow furrows probably says paragraphs. He's suffering from the teasing, sure, but it's one of those moments where he sincerely can't find the words that are safe to say out loud for what he feels.
Something like "I adore you and treasure you and would jump off a bridge for you but right now you're asking a lot."
Something like "it's not about telling or trusting you."
He sincerely just doesn't know how to talk about this sort of thing. It's too sweet, too genuine, almost like he's worried about making it too real will have the world realize it's too good for him.
Not unlike Nika himself sometimes.
So sure, it's a tease, but goddamn if Baren isn't awkward about this. Talking about sexcapades while making Nika breakfast is easy - a joke about breaking his heart is much harder.]
[Nikkari hmms thoughtfully and his smile turns from the joking, teasing one Baren knows into something softer as he picks up another rose, idly twirling it in his hands, letting the words fade out before he talks again.]
Kidding. You could never break my heart.
[reaching across the table, he gently taps Baren with the rose.]
You make him happy, and I know he does the same for you. So, congratulations.
[and that's as sincere as Nikkari can make it, reading Baren like he knows how to do, having seen it in Chuuya's eyes and face. words weren't always needed for Nikkari to decipher truth - he just liked them, and he won't force them from his friend. the club is a soft hum in the background, but Nikkari's eyes are focused on Baren - both visible and invisible.]
It means more than meets the eye, which is a lot of what happens between them, and it's too private. It's another one of those soft, meaningful things that Baren doesn't want the light of day touch.
So instead he just shakes his head once - he can't address Nika's sincerity here, it won't feel right - but then moves so he meets Nika halfway to press a kiss to his forehead. Half-taunting and half-fond, then pulling back with a snort.
They can talk about Baren's relationship later, when it's just the two of them. That's the way Baren trusts Nikkari. Slow, but with everything he has.]
Well some old habits are gonna die hard.
He's got a jealous streak but I'm probably always going to be a sucker for you, my Nika.
[A repetition. A promise. Nothing important has to change.]
[it was a risk he had to take so that Baren knew it was a joke. that truthfully, Nikkari's happy, even if it took him time to find out. they can discuss it for real in safety, but for now, this is enough. just knowing that in the end Baren did say something, that they're fine.]
Don't think you would have gone and brought flowers if we had to really worry about jealousy.
[nothing's changed. what's between them isn't that, but something brighter and more constant.]
Or go talking about me. No wonder I couldn't stop sneezing the other day.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
10/2
as baren requests him - he doesn't mind paying for nika's time every now and then - and when nikkari approaches the table
he will find that it's fucking covered in roses
baren stares him down. he is not allowed to leave him with this. don't stand him up now of all times, nika. his gaze is dead. exhausted. he is a tired, defeated man.]
These are yours now.
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because it's Baren, he stares for a minute, baffled, before he sits down with him.]
I'm flattered! I really am! But...aren't gestures like this something you should save for your boyfriend?
[the boyfriend you neglected to tell him about, loser?]
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He knows.]
... Hey Nika, I'm dating someone.
It's Chuuya Nakahara.
He's a pain in the ass and don't give me an "I told you so" it's... complicated.
[ . . . ]
Can we pretend I said that about a week ago. You know I don't talk about this bullshit but then he had to tell you and bitched about it like -
What the fuck...
[relationships are so hard]
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[he's clamping down on the I told you so hard, but it doesn't mean Baren gets to live through the rest. picking up a rose, he tucks it into his hair.]
I'll forgive you for breaking my heart and not trusting me and telling me all this if you tell me whether or not you two are happy. And yeah, I'll know if you're avoiding answering.
no subject
[Three short syllables but that coupled by the way that Baren's brow furrows probably says paragraphs. He's suffering from the teasing, sure, but it's one of those moments where he sincerely can't find the words that are safe to say out loud for what he feels.
Something like "I adore you and treasure you and would jump off a bridge for you but right now you're asking a lot."
Something like "it's not about telling or trusting you."
He sincerely just doesn't know how to talk about this sort of thing. It's too sweet, too genuine, almost like he's worried about making it too real will have the world realize it's too good for him.
Not unlike Nika himself sometimes.
So sure, it's a tease, but goddamn if Baren isn't awkward about this. Talking about sexcapades while making Nika breakfast is easy - a joke about breaking his heart is much harder.]
no subject
Kidding. You could never break my heart.
[reaching across the table, he gently taps Baren with the rose.]
You make him happy, and I know he does the same for you. So, congratulations.
[and that's as sincere as Nikkari can make it, reading Baren like he knows how to do, having seen it in Chuuya's eyes and face. words weren't always needed for Nikkari to decipher truth - he just liked them, and he won't force them from his friend. the club is a soft hum in the background, but Nikkari's eyes are focused on Baren - both visible and invisible.]
no subject
It means more than meets the eye, which is a lot of what happens between them, and it's too private. It's another one of those soft, meaningful things that Baren doesn't want the light of day touch.
So instead he just shakes his head once - he can't address Nika's sincerity here, it won't feel right - but then moves so he meets Nika halfway to press a kiss to his forehead. Half-taunting and half-fond, then pulling back with a snort.
They can talk about Baren's relationship later, when it's just the two of them. That's the way Baren trusts Nikkari. Slow, but with everything he has.]
Well some old habits are gonna die hard.
He's got a jealous streak but I'm probably always going to be a sucker for you, my Nika.
[A repetition. A promise. Nothing important has to change.]
no subject
Don't think you would have gone and brought flowers if we had to really worry about jealousy.
[nothing's changed. what's between them isn't that, but something brighter and more constant.]
Or go talking about me. No wonder I couldn't stop sneezing the other day.
no subject
chuuya is chuuya.
but regardless he just shakes his head and snorts. he's made a fine recovery since a month ago.]
Haven't I made it clear that you're one of my favorite topics?
no subject
[is he joking? is he not? the look on his face is nearly impossible to see the difference between in that instant.]
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[but not really about Nika.
but he doesn't say that out loud.]
I guess it's only fair for you be wrong about some things sometimes.