the13tharcana | IC contact post for Adstringendum

So it's not that much of a surprise for you...

[And here he wished it would be... Oh well, it was a nice place to hang out around, either way.]

But I guess it's only to be expected that we're slowly running out of places to discover.

[Seeing as they've both been here for a while now.]

Oh, no. It did surprise me. After all, I had no idea where we were going.

[See, Ryoji? He's putting a positive spin on it, at least.

He steps over a little closer to the waterfall, closing his eyes, letting the mist hit his face.]

Had you ever seen a waterfall before coming here, Ryoji-kun?

[Well, Ryoji can't help but smile at that. And as Joshua approaches the water, he follows suit, standing just a little further away. But instead of concentrating on the waterfall, he finds himself staring at the other boy instead.]

Now that you mention it... There was a waterfall in the open-air hot springs I've been to during my school trip in Kyoto.

[Then there's an amused chuckle as he's evidently trying to remember it. Not only the scenery itself, but everything that happened during his stay there. The 'sneaking upon the girls' part included.]

But that one was really tiny compared to this one. I'm not even sure one could label that one as an actual waterfall.

[Not surprising. And today, he doesn't seem to mind! Maybe he's just gotten used to the idea already.]

Mm, how lucky. I hadn't been to a hot springs for quite some time before coming here.

[Mostly because the closest one to him back at home is well outside of Shibuya's limits, but.]

This place just seems to be full of firsts, doesn't it?

But you've been to one before, so it still counts, right? How long ago was it?

[He's simply curious, really! And he question just makes his smile widen.]

For me, definitely. [Which was probably more than understandable.] I somehow have a hard time imagining that's also the case for you, though.

[Then again, if Josh had indeed died at the age of nineteen... Ryoji has no idea how his life as the Composer looked like, overall. And now with the topic brought up, it kind of makes him wonder.]

Oh... about 145 years ago.

[Not even bothering to lie about that one. Ryoji already knows how old he is, so there isn't much of a point. ... he isn't going to mention that fifteen minutes into the visit, he'd fainted from the heat, but.]

There's a lot here that I never really got to experience back home. The geography in Shibuya isn't all that diverse, I'm afraid.

So I was right in assuming you visited those while you were still alive...

[And really, Ryoji has a hard time imagining what that needed to feel like. He was kind of in awe that Josh remembered something like this in the first place, considering it happened such a long time ago.]

I could say the same about Iwatodai, so I think I understand what you mean. And if you put it like that, I guess this place is able to pull a surprise or two every once in a while even for someone like you, after all.

[And it wasn't just about the geography. It was also about the events and about all the different kinds of people that appeared here, putting together one huge mix of potential surprises for everyone. Nobody had something like this back home.]

Too bad there are no hot springs here, huh.

Only once. It wasn't a very pleasant experience, and it was a distance from home anyway.

[He has a good memory. Sometimes, things mesh together... but a moment of sorting things out usually does the trick. The human mind isn't naturally meant to hold a century and a half of memories. Not that he's a normal human anymore, but.]

This place has quite a few surprises, really! For example, back at home, I never would have been able to experience the Great Wall in person, or any of the other fine ruins that have been transported here.

[... though he has to agree. It is about much more than just geography and structures.]

Oh, there is. Have you never been to the clinic?

[Well, if it was something unpleasant to talk about, Ryoji wasn't about to ask further.]

So... am I to understand you couldn't distance yourself from Shibuya once you got bound to it?

[Because the same thing would happen that was happening here? Plus the fact that time wouldn't stand still in the city back home. And Ryoji already knew what that meant, with Josh not being the only one interested in the whole Composer position.]

...There are hot springs at the clinic? [...And just how did he miss this kind of fact?]

[Only because it's somewhat embarrassing. If not for that little tidbit, he wouldn't be concerned at all.]

That's right. Abandon the throne, and it's free for anyone to take over.

[It isn't his favorite thing to think about, honestly. Leaving the position open to be snatched up beneath his feet... He'd rather just go ahead and Ascend, if he was going to willingly do that.]

Of course. Well, behind it, but I digress. [Where do you think he bathes, Ryoji?]

[You knew him a bit by now, Josh. Ryoji would find something like that way more worrying than embarrassing, really.]

Well, you couldn't leave, but you were still happy with it, weren't you?

[And like Ryoji already said, Josh could try to enjoy his time here precisely because of that fact, at least. Even if he understood that it was something hard to accomplish by now.]

...Now I need to check those out. Preferably when Unohana-san isn't around. [Well, there was the lake right next to the Greek Houses, so Ryoji somehow didn't bother looking for any alternatives himself...]

[Yet another reason for not talking about it. It isn't that big of a deal, anyway.]

I wouldn't have it any other way, to be honest.

[He's definitely enjoying the bit of freedom that this place allows. Even if he's limited in the places and things he can see... it's definitely worthwhile. Although, too much of a good thing...]

Ah? Why when she isn't around? Don't tell me you're afraid of her, Ryoji-kun.

[Which pretty much meant that Josh was well aware of what he wanted and was content with it. Yet another feat Ryoji couldn't help but find admirable.]

I think Masaomi-kun expressed it pretty well once. Like, when you sometimes say that people can give you the evil eye? She definitely does that with both.

[He chuckles, because it doesn't sound any less ridiculous coming from his own lips.]

But really, it's not like I'm afraid of her or anything! [He so was afraid of her.] It's just that if I had a choice in the matter, I'd rather not run into her. Especially after what happened last time...

I'm somehow convinced that I'm still on her black list for lying to her back then.

[More that he'd accepted the fact long ago. But he would happily stay in Shibuya. As tempting as the rest of the world might be, Shibuya is all he truly needs.]

It wouldn't surprise me, considering what happened a couple of months ago. Maybe this will teach you a lesson in lying to people that are only looking out for your wellbeing.

...I didn't want her to worry about me, that's all.

[And this seems to happen all the time, doesn't it? Maybe he should really start being more accepting of people's help at this point. But he somehow can't help it, especially if he's getting into trouble because of his own stupidity - or should he call it curiosity? - most of the time.]

Though I guess you're right. And at least it wasn't really my fault for getting into trouble back then. Maybe I shouldn't have felt as guilty about it.

Of course. There's nothing to feel guilty about if you haven't done anything, after all.

[Even Joshua knows better than to piss off the white mage. There are two kinds of people that you just don't disrespect - those that heal you when you're sick or injured, and those that handle your food.

He hums softly, turning his head and regarding Ryoji with a somewhat thoughtful look.]

... say, Ryoji-kun. I'm a little curious about something. I thought you might be able to help me out.

[Well, Ryoji apparently still didn't know better in that regard. And getting on the bad side of the wrong people without even meaning to was evidently a hidden talent of his. His encounter with Shizuo was was a pretty recent proof to that.

Joshua's request comes unexpected, though, and all Ryoji does is look at the other curiously himself.]

Uh... sure? What is it?

[A hidden talent that, honestly, had Joshua rubbing his face in disbelief at times. Something about Ryoji must just be incredibly unlikable. Or maybe it's simply bad luck. The wrong person at the wrong time?

The look of curiosity gets a soft laugh in reply, and Joshua tilts his head a little, stepping closer.]

If I told you, it wouldn't be much of a surprise, would it? Or would you rather I ruin the fun?

[He'd definitely like to think it was the latter option from that list...

And oh, Josh, now you managed to get him intrigued. Whatever it was that you had in mind there, Ryoji was totally clueless about it. If anything, it only made him smile more.]

Now you're getting me curious. You wouldn't happen to need my help with pulling a prank on someone, would you?

[Funny, Joshua is thinking the same.

He's silent for a moment, giving Ryoji an almost scrutinizing glance for a moment, as if judging his outfit or making sure nothing is out of place. In reality, all it is is a bit of hesitation. Some part of him is still very unsure about this, about bothering to get this close to anyone... but a larger part of him is effectively squashing down that worry. It's nothing to worry about at all, after all!

So, without saying anything, and with little warning at all, he's just going to go for it. Pressing up on his toes to make up for the height difference between them, Ryoji will quickly find a pair of lips pressed to his! Just a simple, chaste sort of kiss, but a kiss nonetheless.]

[... He had no idea what to expect, really. And once Josh gets so close to him, it literally takes a second for Ryoji's smile to drop completely, while both his brain and his body come to a halt.

In that single instant it also hits him why Josh might have been acting so out of the ordinary this whole time, and how it's bloody Sunday, and just how could he have missed this-- ... There was an event going on, wasn't there? And Joshua was evidently being affected by it. Otherwise... he'd never do something like this...

The realization adds very little to the mixture of feelings that were overwhelming him by now, though. And now his thoughts were racing, as Ryoji tried to figure out what would be right and what would be wrong to do in a situation such as this... and whether Joshua would actually be able to forgive him for it later on.

He still hesitates for a moment more, but as those soft lips pull back... slowly, he's reaching up to Joshua's face and cups the side of his face gently, then he does the same with his second hand, and Ryoji's shifting closer himself this time, just enough so that his lips hover just inches away from Joshua's.]

Curious... hmm?

[Somewhere at the back of his mind there's still that voice telling him that he shouldn't do this. And yet... Ryoji's half-lidded eyes slowly close as he tilts his head a bit, and he leans in to try and show Josh a more proper kiss this time.]

[... to be quite honest, Joshua didn't really know why he wasn't expecting reciprocation. He'd been expecting Ryoji to be a bit stunned, sure, but this... As Ryoji's hands cup his cheeks, his eyes widen just a little. It had only been a little experiment, but...

... but Ryoji's lips are on his again. And he finds it doesn't really matter. It feels kind of nice, in fact, if he ignores the slight uprising of panic in the back of his mind! Being this close to someone, this open...

At least he isn't fighting it, right?]

[Ryoji is really careful with what he is doing, almost treating Josh as if he were out of glass and able to break under any wrong move. His press of lips is more firm, but it's still delicate, and it doesn't take long before those lips start moving, brushing against his slowly, once... Twice... And as Ryoji is finding in himself a sudden want to press a bit harder-- he stops himself half-way through and stills against Josh completely again.

...Because it's all wrong.

Sharing such a moment with Joshua was something he's always dreamed about and something he always wanted to experience. He thought it would make him happy. If Josh would only want to... But not like this. It was all wrong because Josh wasn't doing it out of his own free will. He was evidently being influenced by an event, and Ryoji knew he was. And still despite that, he was using all of it to his advantage. Just what part of that was bound to make Josh happy? He could lie to Joshua that he wasn't aware of it as it happened, but... he could never lie to himself about it. ... In fact, he probably wouldn't be able to lie to Josh about it at this point, either. Just what was he planning to get away with here?

It was supposed to be a dream come true, and yet... all it does is make him feel guilty with himself. If anything, it hurts. How unexpected. And how silly. Ryoji almost feels like laughing at himself for being this stupid. But all he does is try to hide his current feeling of unease behind a faint smile as he pulls a few inches away from Josh.

And if Ryoji seemed to be calm and composed before, now the red-tinted cheeks and slightly uneven breathing was probably enough of an indication this wasn't entirely the case. His heart was also racing pretty bad by now, and being this close to him, perhaps Josh could even notice it.]

[It's probably a good thing that Joshua is too preoccupied at the moment to even think about reading Ryoji's thoughts. If he were, he might find out just how apprehensive Ryoji suddenly is as he pulls away. As it is, he's finding that at some point, his eyes have closed, so after a moment they'll drift open, blinking almost in confusion.

A moment later, he smiles. Though he isn't blushing, he at least doesn't look upset or irritated. Ryoji, though... He laughs softly, tipping his head just a little. He can feel his pulse pounding. His own might be a slight bit quicker than normal, but... well, he adds that up to being from a simple bit of stimulation. That's all.]

... well, that went better than I thought it would.

[Well... at least Josh is smiling, and seems fairly content with what just happened - at least for now - so it makes his inner feeling of guilt subdue a little. And the longer he stares at the other boy's satisfied expression, the redder Ryoji's face seems to become. But as embarrassing as it feels, he doesn't mind it - because why should he hide his true feelings, anyway? The whole nervousness was finally letting go a bit as well, and it was almost as if what took place was dawning upon him just now, and he could feel his knees going weak, and Josh, why were you doing this to him--

Ryoji lets out a soft chuckle himself, and really can't help the warm feeling spreading all over his body. Joshua, you saying it like that makes him wonder just what was it that you were expecting. ...Oh, and there goes the whole guilt, and maybe all of that worrying was for naught, after all, and-- was it wrong of him to feel happy from all this? Because he honestly couldn't help it all of a sudden.

...And he was definitely not going to admit how he'd love to try doing that again.]

Joshua-senpai... you're such a walking mystery to me sometimes.

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