『 你死我活 』

           He jumps. He can’t quite help it, honestly - as much as he’s had to deal with her, he’s still not used to how grabby she gets. He barely manages to suppress the urge to rub his temples; as it is, he doesn’t bother stopping himself from rolling his eyes. “Rude,” he mutters, but he catches her wrist anyway, tugs her close enough to stoop and press a kiss to her cheek. Instantly forgiven.

A snarl is the first answer managed given the almost irritating and utterly inexorable tranquillity of his listener, even after his vain ( and attempts to provoke him. His head hung at the end of others’ assumptions and in the face of the fact that they were more correct than he would like to admit, a frown on his features became obvious in his features as he said:  ❛❛ And what’s wrong with that? The quicker, the better. ❜❜   And he actually was about to continue, making use of some of his sharp and cruel remarks in order to just poke the other, perhaps for humour and pleasure of coming out on top at least once… But he was soon interrupted by the strange movement that was beginning to surround the pair, both hands holding his loyal blade, Mugen, in front of his body in a defensive wary position while he instinctively stood shoulder to shoulder with his companion. Throwing an inquisitive look to Kuei, all his mind can gather together to answer is a rhetorical question in their mother tongue, which had been used since the beginning of the dialogue:   ❛❛ What choice do we have? ❜❜

However, upon hearing that mysterious pair of men speak in a strange language, the crowd that already seemed furrow upon the fact that their humble and innocent city was ruined, only turned their expression all the more ugly:  « Speak proper English you two! This is no place for troublemakers like you! »

Wheezing in frustration and even actual disbelief, the long haired man’s already tense muscles seemed to tremble with rage as his head tilted towards Kuei, words almost forcibly burped out of his mouth.   ❛❛ You know what, you talk to them I got no patience for people like that. ❜❜    But truth is that Kanda’s ability to deal with people is embarrassingly reduced ( even for him to admit ) and after all, they were both trapped in circumstances too complicated to allow themselves any sort of weaknesses.  

            “I agree that efficiency is the most preferable way,” he says placidly, and he almost smiles. It’s not comforting. “But it is sometimes simply unwise. Such as now.” It would be quicker, after all, to cut down the surrounding civilians - but it’d also be stupid. And a pain. 

He would be lying if he said he didn’t sympathize with the want to do so, though.

Sharp eyes shift to meet Kanda’s, and he exhales just a bit harder than normal. It’s the closest he gets to an outright sigh, but he inclines his head anyway, a reluctant acceptance of the responsibility. It really is the best choice - but he doesn’t like it much more, either. Neither of them are particularly the talkative or patient type...though Kuei does a much better job of pretending to be, at least.

Turning away, he shoves down his indignation as he smiles at the apparent leaders of the crowd. It was amazing, it never failed to surprise him; how irritating and unwelcoming, completely ungrateful, people were for saving them. Who cared what language they spoke? They could have just left them all to rot. 

(Maybe it was just his temper flaring again. He is always irritable after using his Innocence, still itching to fight something.)

Still, he does a well enough job of diffusing the situation, assuring the townspeople that the damages will be repaired shortly by the Order and that they can bill the expense to headquarters; the implication he leaves that they are allowed to pad their bills a bit goes a long way, and before too long he elbows Kanda for his attention. “Let’s go and eat,” is all he says, and pins the younger man with a look that says he isn’t taking no for an answer. “It’s about time we catch up, don’t you think?”

There was something about seeing Cat with the boy half asleep in his lap that made his chest tighten and his stomach flutter. Jesse continued to pet Jaime’s curls with a smile on his face. Things hadn’t been easy for awhile, so it was nice having a moment where he knew they were both safe and that they could rest. 

Jesse’s smile widened as eyelids began to droop. “Another minute and he’ll be out cold, then we can get him into bed,” he whispered. This moment was one he didn’t think he would mind repeating several times over. 

               Kuei hums his acknowledgment, opting to avoid saying anything and potentially keeping Jaime up for longer. As cute as the child is, he doesn’t think he’s suited to babysit for very long; besides, the kid’s had a long journey. He should sleep. Long hair slips from behind his ear to irritate him, and he huffs at it ineffectually, glancing up at Jesse as Jaime finally nods off. 

Had it been anyone else, Jesse would have snatched his son back in an instant. But it was Cat and Jesse trusted him with his life and his son. It was still weird, seeing Jaime in someone else’s arms. The boy was affectionate and friendly more than his father liked, but there really hadn’t been anyone besides Jesse for him to cuddle up to.

Metal fingers brushed back Jaime’s mess of curls, trying to save Cat from being suffocated. There was a giggle from the boy at the pronunciation. His small hand grasped black locks and his thumb of his opposite hand went into his mouth. 

“Hey now, Cat ain’t a bed,” Jesse lightly scolded.

                It’s odd, Jaime’s friendliness. Not because it’s in any way unusual - more because he hasn’t seen someone innocent and careless like this in years. It’s almost encouraging, in a weird way, but Kuei tucks away the impression to think more about later; right now, it’s more important to figure out how exactly one could detach a sleepy, clingy child. It had to happen eventually, at least.

Jaime was beginning to come out of his shell. He smiled warmly at Cat and a small hand grasped the man’s hand (mainly his fingers.) “Hola, soy Jaime,” he said, voice still groggy from sleep, but also welcoming.

“English,” Jesse corrected. “Cat don’t speak that, osito.”

The boy was ignoring his father, however, and he seemed much more interested in the new man. He giggled at Jesse being mocked and began to wiggle out of his grasp. Once released, he climbed into Cat’s lap and wrapped his arms around his neck and rested his head on his shoulder.

                “It is probably a good thing I don’t speak it,” he chuckles. “The accent in English is bad enough, I don’t want to imagine how bad it would be in Spanish.” Kuei nearly starts when Jaime crawls right onto him; he hadn’t expected that in the least, especially given how reticent the kid had been just a minute ago. He pats awkwardly at Jaime’s back, glancing askance at Jesse, but this seems fine? Doesn’t it?

He barely remembers how it had felt taking care of his brother - he’d been so young then himself. It’s a strange feeling, but not a bad one.

SMUT PROMPTS.

@deviltoothed // VICTOR CREED // selectively accepting !

30. RUB - OUR MUSES TAKE PART IN FROTTAGE / FRICTION PLAY.