─♕ 𝘯𝘰.1 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵

things that can be said during a late night call. some lighthearted , some more serious. a prompt for every occasion! trigger warning for cursing. change pronouns when necessary.

❛ I hope I didn't wake you. ❜

❛ Hello ? Can you hear me ? ❜

❛ It's late, I know, I just wanted to get this off my chest. ❜

❛ I'm really fucking tired of this. ❜

❛ Is this a bad time ? I can call back later. ❜

❛ Please, I just need you to be honest with me. ❜

❛ C'mon, I won't tell anyone. ❜

❛ .. No, I'm pretty sure that's not how that works. ❜

❛ I'll be right there. ❜

❛ No, it's okay. You didn't wake me. ❜

❛ Can this wait ? I haven't gotten any sleep. ❜

❛ Bullshit. I know you better than that. ❜

❛ What do you mean by that, exactly ? ❜

❛ Can you speak up ? I can hardly hear you. ❜

❛ You sound exhausted. ❜

❛ This sounds like something you might regret telling me tomorrow. ❜

❛ I'm not tired. ❜

❛ I think you may be overthinking this just a little bit. ❜

❛ There's nothing to worry about ! ❜

❛ Can I come over ? I just really don't want to be alone right now. ❜

❛ Promise me you won't tell a single soul what I'm about to say. ❜

❛ Shit. My phone's about to die. ❜

❛ You know that I miss you, right ? ❜

❛ Go fuck yourself. ❜

❛ You've got to listen to me. ❜

❛ This can't wait. It's important. ❜

❛ I don't think I follow. ❜

❛ Man, you're not making any sense. ❜

❛ Are you even listening to me ? ❜

❛ Dude.. I never even thought of it that way before. ❜

❛ Look outside right now. Right now !! ❜

❛ Hm. I don't like the sound of that. ❜

❛ Just trust me ! ❜

❛ I know I don't say it enough, but I love you. ❜

❛ You're really starting to worry me. ❜

❛ He's nothing ! ❜

❛ I don't think this is working out. ❜

❛ Be serious. ❜

❛ That's not funny. ❜

“what kind of word is mocker,” sōshirō giggles to himself, and shakes his head lightly. narumi's childish ways will never be unamusing to him, whether it's them bickering or being playful like now. however he does have a point, hoshina thinks with a subtle smile. “well of course, they're supposed to be in good fun, you know? the mocking that is.” but no, the small compliments hoshina would drip into their conversations here and there were nothing more than his heart leaking out unexpectedly.

hoshina knows with the way he carries himself that it's probably hard to tell when something genuinely bothers him. he had long since learned at a young age how to hide his emotions of hurt and personal suffering. his father telling him to give up this dream and years of being told that his skills weren't enough to do anything in the force as an officer were enough building blocks for sōshirō to learn when to put up an imperceptible smile. just smile the pain away, as he always has done; he finds it a little harder to do so around narumi. “hum, i suppose i'll have a talk with the director then.”

hoshina wears a soft frown, slightly frustrated with being on the opposite end of being teased. he huffs softly, turning his full attention back to the game so that he can send narumi's character flying. right, he had a bet to win, but at what cost? he wanted to see just where things would lead them if they just discarded the dumb thing honestly. determination settles back on his features as he grabs a healing item, ready to sweep under these dire circumstances, when he feels narumi's hand taunt him. it should be a crime as to how fast hoshina's attention was snatched.

his face is closer now, or had they always been this close? there's a warmth akin to heating water in a bath; the longer the water is left running, the hotter it gets. perhaps this would be next to boiling with the way hoshina stares at narumi. “i won't lie and say i'm not interested,” he answers honestly. “you ain't even tell me what else it was you wanted, besides calling you my favorite.” hoshina chances a hand off his controller, gentle hands brushing the fringe away from narumi's face so he can get a better look. what's losing his last life to chance?

is he hoping for too much?

“narumi, i've been focused on you the whole time,” he huffs softly with a smile. “whatever, you're unfairly teasin' me now, i don't care if i lose.”

❛ listen, it was all that came in my head at the moment. but there are better words! ❜ his lips pull into a distinct pout before he grumbles at the way hoshina is reacting to him. this was their normal, at least how they were at first until it turned into this. narumi can't exactly define it. it's different from the old man giving him the first division, a placeholder to call his own home, or else he'd be nothing but a stray cat roaming the streets uninterested in most things. he supposes aside from the geezer, the only other person he could thank is hasegawa. hasegawa being the first person to trust him enough to command himself & then eventually the entire force. ❛the only one having fun is you.❜ so what exactly is this purple haired fox giving him?

DEFINITIONS. he could read the whole dictionary if he chose to, in fact narumi has a myriad of words in his head. his high marks in school & within the force speak for itself, but the perplexing situation the both of them are in is something else. narumi takes the moment to take another chance at winning his second bet. he would have to rub it in hoshina's face in some capacity. he observes that the other didn't look thoroughly entertained with the idea that he was on the receiving end of being teased. ❛ what's wrong hoshina? not having fun now that i'm yanking your chain.❜

he makes no acknowledgment about the old man & getting complaints about narumi. he's probably heard it all about narumi since the higher-ups wanted nothing to do with him. they were simply waiting to replace him like a used up battery. for the most part, narumi is aware the world is not black & white. instead he sees the varying degrees of the ideas of right & wrong. for him personally ? he would do what needs to be done & he didn't care if he made everyone his enemy doing it. narumi watches hoshina wear the mask of frustration, one that he wears often when it comes to the other. he decides to take the reigns & deplete hoshina of his last life.

there's a triumphant grin on his lips, no matter how small the victory is narumi would celebrate his own. however, the expression hoshina wears on his face captures him. the affirmation that hoshina was more invested in him brings more joy to his excitement & stokes the flames of his ego. his hand doesn't move away from hoshina's cheek, instead he cups his chin. crimson occulars settle into looking at the other man, not caring about his own victory screen. for him? the prize is right in front of him. ❛ just focus on this instead then. ❜

he delves in without another word, a swimmer breaking into water & swimming to make time against his competitors. instead, his lips capture hoshina's & he knows right then that he wouldn't mind drowning in him. narumi is not very forthcoming about his feelings considering the many ways the world had been unnecessarily cruel to him. he doesn't care about the game at this moment when all he really wanted was to kiss hoshina & explore whatever findings they might have in the introspection of their relationship. the truth of the matter is, when there is hate or dislike, there is also passion. he pulls the other closer now, more than they had been, arms tangling around hoshina's neck. he adores the feeling of hoshina's mouth against his, feeling his energy become boosted after several hours of waiting to get his refill.

the third division vice captain has to know how he's feeling now with the way his kiss makes himself dizzy. swimmers have to come back for air at some point, right? there's a small whimper as he breaks away but he remains in the other's hold comfortable. ❛ the only other thing i wanted. ❜

sōshirō is used to letting other guide the sort of relationship they have up to a point. the minute someone brings up his sword-slay skills, how his aptitude would have been praised in an era without high tech guns, they're someone he would rather stay far, far away from. in the case of those who praise his skills he tends to keep them somewhat close, albeit arms length, at a respectable distance. who was a boy to dream; out casted at an early age because of an ambition he fights daily to keep. perhaps it was this ambition changed shape into something else when he met narumi.

“i don't often say things i don't mean,” comes his low answer. he did mean it, every slip of the tongue compliment narumi could have caught, of course he did. but then what? the last time he was honest with what he wanted he was told to give up. yet he persevered, and out of sheer luck is in the position he's in today. it's impossible in his lifetime would something good happen to him twice, but then could he continue as he is with narumi if things didn't turn in his favor?

he is curious what is there to laugh about, less of his attention being taken off the game for some reason. at this rate he won't be able to take narumi for the promised bowl of ramen, but the enticing fruit of whatever secret second thing narumi was betting on suddenly came to the forefront. was he curious about what it is? obviously, but he wasn't trying to lose on purpose for it. “true. your insults don't even come close to half the hurtful things i've been told.” there's a familiar melancholic tone to his admission, but it's true. “i still don't know what i did to earn your mistrust, but i hope it changes.” there is optimism blooming with being accepted, a hint of a smile dances on his lips even as his character is smacked around like a cartoon character.

it's strange, what would narumi be checking for? sōshirō hasn't pitched a fit over narumi's supposed affinity for physical contact. was it something he rarely allowed himself? truth be told, he can't recall a moment he'd seen anyone touching the commander besides hasegawa, that gem of a man. the drag of his name tugs at his attention again, sending him into a temporary state of confusion. this time his whole attention is away from the game, in fact he'd stopped moving his controller entirely. he's sure he heard his character die again, but that doesn't matter to him. his curiosity is piqued, as it had been since narumi acknowledged him being called cute.

“narumi, what do you mean by that?”

❛ depends. sometimes you're just a big mocker. ❜ he knows the word doesn't exist even if he had read a good amount of books himself. narumi is aware he can be more than childish whether he wanted to get the last word or if the insult was too much he would find some capacity to be on the ground. it was only then he would be a deflated balloon, lost of all it's helium ( his ego ), & nothing more than a man who's been wounded. narumi is used to it, not just by hoshina but by the way hasegawa strives to keep him in check. not to mention his whole squad.

he was never one to care about what someone's opinion is, but he knows he regards the old man's as something precious to him. narumi could give a rat's ass about how other's saw him, he'd already seen those judgmental stares from the people running the orphanage or the fact he sometimes felt invisible growing up.

narumi suspects he might have hit a sore spot, the ache that come with going hard during a workout & it lingers. he can't imagine hoshina wouldn't be praised, he was practically a model citizen of the defense force. his record is nothing littered in demerits & threats of being kicked off the force. the truth of the matter is, the defense force needs him. ❛ i find it hard that someone could hurt you. you've got a way with words. ❜ he comments, but he doesn't even want the other to elaborate considering he thinks it would just sour the mood between them. ❛ tell that to whoever the hell raised me. ❜ he fires back at hoshina, not that he'd have a singular figure.

he lets the press of the buttons do the talking as he lets it fill the silence between them. he was in a competition to get his prized second victory. he knows it would taste sweet. narumi continues his relentless assault on link even though hoshina's performance seemingly has dropped. the silver haired man is amused, but he knows their last exchange is not something that would have him lacking in concentration. ❛ what do you think i mean by that? you should pick it up since you like to speak in riddles. ❜ cerise eyes peer at the other who seems to be more into whatever they were talking about.

he rests his free hand on hoshina's face, cupping his cheek as a smirk forms like water mixing with soap. ❛ careful, hoshina. do you want me to win?❜ he leans in now, eyes are burning with unspoken passion. ❛ i think you do, so you can grant me my reward, huh? ❜ narumi is careful not to let his fence riding go all the way through. he prefers to keep hoshina on his toes. instead he will choose to tip toe around it until he finalizes hoshina's losing his last stock. ❛ if you say you want to focus on me instead, maybe i'll spare you all the secrecy.❜

sōshirō knew with a life like theirs, tomorrow was never guarantee. even if they were respectively claimed strongest, kaiju were evolving at a rapid rate; faster than they can keep up with sometimes. the vice captain, while nice, friendly and chummy with most, rarely let anyone be closer to him than needed. even the high respect and trust he has for his division commander is no deeper than that. some how, it's the person he has the most strained relationship with — or perhaps previously strained — whom he can't seem to keep at arms length. sōshirō leaves his little clues, word that casually slip from his tongue when he least expects it; but this has become a sort of game for him. how long would it take narumi to notice he meant his small compliments? what would that make them then, or would narumi reject the idea altogether?

sōshirō only snorts at the childish display in front of him, a look of sanctimonious amusement to was both crude and adorable to him. it's not as if hoshina was unaware of the brash commander's display of himself; being given the middle finger is miles milder than anything he'd received prior to their relationship being what it is. however this look is short lived, caught off guard by narumi's blatant approach to his question. well that game lasted about as long as he thought it would; oh boy...

“you finally asked about it,” sōshirō mutters, face neutralizing. a natural reaction to being on guard of his feelings. he feels like he's on the verge of uncorking something he'd bottled away for some unknown reason. “everything.” he answers simply, vague and simple, but true; something even he didn't think were possible about himself. he wonders if narumi would overthink his answer and attempt to dig deeper like he normally does. he would rather wonder about why such a fighting game would have a story to it. the creator of the game has quite the imagination.

“you assume all people like me are shady? you wound me, narumi.” hoshina pouts further. “really, what did i do to earn your distrust? you let me play video games with you. what makes going out to eat together any different?” he smiles, not looking away from the screen as he's knocked off and loses a life. well, it's not as if he's paying much attention to the game now as he had before. “why not? it's as i said; we play video games a lot together. i thought it would be somewhere you'd like to go.” a laced confession if narumi were to understand; hoshino thinks about him when he's not around.

there's another gentle nudge to narumi, eyes opening slightly to gaze openly at him for a moment. any longer and he's sure the tv's flashing colors wouldn't be able to hide the pinkening of his cheeks. “why should i? this isn't the first time we've done this.” he comments, sending a boomerang after narumi's character, and grabbing an item to throw.

CONNECTIONS ARE NOT SOMETHING NARUMI SEEKS considering everything. he's never wondered why the world left him to be the only footprint in the sand to exist as the sole part of his lineage. he doesn't wonder much about his parents either, not that he's ever told hoshina anything about himself. the only people who probably had a quick gauge about what kind of life he led before the defense force is isao. isao is the first person to give him a place to belong & so the defense force despite how he might view the system is his abode. he wants to keep it that way since he doesn't want to think about being back on the streets, a cat roaming around aimlessly with no other family.

there are some things that are brought to narumi's attention, they are highlighted by the subtle words that hoshina seems to slip every now & then. but he can never be too sure if they mean anything considering the way their relationship was laid out prior. narumi assumes most of his words are a caltrop on the road & he's waiting for narumi to run his car over before he ensnares him with another jab.

❛ did you mean it? ❜ he takes a gander at the face hoshina makes. to him, his expression has always been like this. he's nothing but marble, cold & sturdy so that he wouldn't give away to whatever he was thinking. narumi doesn't know what he could be possibly pondering about, or the idea that he's cute to him. it was a vague answer, smoke that evaporates into the air & he suspects he wouldn't get anything further. he doesn't feel like hounding him & putting him on the stand for a compliment at this moment.

this time narumi lets out a chuckle & he wonders how comfortable they truly were with each other. it's true if things were still the way they were between them they wouldn't be having gaming nights together or even being huddled around his copious blankets. narumi wouldn't even bother to play footsie, but it is in his motive to distrust unless the purple haired man decides to show him what he truly meant. ❛it's not like you haven't heard worse.❜ he shakes his head before pressing another button & trying to grab an item himself. he needs to play his cards right so that he can keep the momentum going. ❛ it's in my nature distrust things, especially from you. but..i guess it would be nice to go out with you.❜ heavy are the last few words that fall from his mouth. after all, narumi deemed worthy enough of his attention, to be on equal footing in terms of capabilities, & now this....ever growing bubble that is forming between them is dangerous.

❛ i know. i'm just checking.❜ his smile grows wider as he goes for another dodge & then finally reaching for the fan. it wasn't the greatest, but he's aiming to hit hoshina repeatedly. narumi does get hit by the boomerang tossed his way & so he decides to engage with him in another battle. ❛ hoshinaaaa, you should just keep your eyes one me.❜ whether it meant the game they were playing or taking a glance at him is up to the other's intrepretation.

hoshina enjoys the rather subtle moments of peace offered to the defense force. moments like this when sharing a blanket and having legs entangled makes one almost forget they'd been fighting a war for as long as recorded history dates. the comfortable vibe built between rivalry and the discovery for fun has hoshina wondering if things like this would be the same had none of this happen. hoshina's shoulder casually rests against the other as narumi attempts to control his ire in not only being trumped in this game, but two prior ones as well, an all knowing smile on his face.

“who would've thought? i thought the commander was the best at video games.” or so the other claims. it felt nice to have just one more little thing to hold over his head besides the title of most smaller kaiju subjugated. of course that was only natural, given there is no bladed weapon suitable for hoshina to take down larger kaiju, and his assistance was better coordinating cadets and carving a path for his commander to take down large kaiju. he takes note of the way narumi reacts to his gestures, not missing the silent glance he got earlier as well, perhaps he'd heard his comment about him being cute? would he ask why? hoshina doesn't feel too keen on giving a straight answer to movements uncoordinated with his own thoughts. “is he important to this game?” hoshina questions with a tilt of his head. recalling the other characters he'd seen, how would his character fit along with the orange suit guy, or the cute pink ball?

there's more amusement to be found in the agitation of the other, finding narumi's thoughts on him to be entertaining to say the least. it could stem from his own childhood that he finds riling narumi up and fanning the flames of their rivalry to be fun, and that's not something he'd indulge himself in often. his grin does falter slightly as a calloused finger pokes and trails down his cheek. this does cause his usually slit eyes to open slightly and his jaw to clench subtly, following narumi's hand as it moves away. there's a certain heat that threatens to rise within him, but a clearing of his throat pulls him out of those wandering thoughts. it was likely narumi mimicking him earlier.

“really,” sōshirō would not get between a man and free food, especially a simple man and their love for a favorite food that just so happens to be free. maybe the vice captain had ulterior motives for offering and it would be right on the money for narumi to pretend like the offer isn't as enticing as it sounds. “right, right. what strange ideas do you think i have? there are no strange thoughts at all, i promise. you could learn to trust me just a little bit more.” an easy smile rests on his face as the fight begins. hoshina truly doesn't know what he's doing, but he recalls being able to summon bombs, grab narumi's character with a claw device and use what narumi told him were smash techniques. he does get beat up some in return in the middle of finding out what combos worked.

he can't help but be just slightly distracted my the leg hooked around his, so there is a gentle nudge. a distraction begot another; he refuses to be the only one seemingly bothered by this.

CHAOS, INSTABILITY these were two concepts narumi knew well & so when things become nothing more than melted candy thinned out with little to do he's unsure what to do with himself. his idea of normal is being surrounded by a copious amount of amazon boxes, his littered trash, & his eyes glued to the screen until he finds himself awake at ungodly hours. for narumi, it was his sort of peace & while most people would think he only cares for himself, they would only partially be correct. it was a reminder that he had some training to do with shinomiya, but he could put it off while grabbing his switch & taunting her with the idea that he would never train her. the only person he truly cares about is the old geezer. his attention is worth the efforts & so was hoshina, his self-proclaimed rival and ... ?

narumi does not say anything & instead flashes him the middle finger, waving it around like a flag before resting his hand back onto the controller. depending on the game, he could very well fly into the territory of colorful rage with expletives flying from his mouth. he would rather not be reduced to a bumbling idiot at this moment. ❛ so what about me is cute? ❜ he's nothing more than a straightforward arrow, his target is aimed. without another word, he changes the subject. ❛ maybe we should play story mode in a bit.❜

❛ a guy with fox eyes and a shady ass mug is telling me to trust him, ❜ he takes a pause. his need of SURVIVAL is born from the lack of childhood he experienced. no matter what he would cling on, a mythical creature that could only be told tales of. although he supposes he'd fade into obscurity if it weren't for isao. ❛ i'm watching you. i don't trust that you won't pull a fast one. ❜ it wouldn't be the first time. narumi is often the brunt of the others taunts & tricks, so hoshina should spare him some kindness. although, that could hardly be something he knows. ❛ why do you want to go with me? ❜ narumi would dig deep, a shovel attempting to make a hole into whatever intentions hoshina has. his fingers are deft deciding to utilizing joker's gun as he makes an upwards jump.

this time a small etches itself onto his lips as he feels hoshina nudge him. ❛ you don't mind my leg around yours, right? ❜ he notices the way they are playing footsies with each other as they were trying to take each other down. narumi is playing for a secondary prize, but he wouldn't make that known to hoshina until he loses.

❛one day i told my dad, 'i want to be a defense force officer.' i expected him to give me a pat on my head, like he always did. instead he called me into the tatami room, and with a melancholy expression...❜

#swordskills: an independent, private, mutually selective, dash only blog for the character hoshina sōshirō from the manga kaiju no. 8. written by rubii (they/21+)

this wouldn't be the first time narumi would wrap his leg around his own. the first time he'd done it, it had been labeled an accident, however gradually hoshina would notice that it's not the case. it went from casual bumping, to slowly seeming like either narumi wanted to bring him closer to him, or he was just very comfortable with skinship. testing the waters with the blanket, hoshina felt like his intuition was getting him somewhere with how narumi operates. his loud exclamation brings him out of his thoughts, eyebrow raising gently.

“well, considering we played street fighter and that one first person shooter game, and i won in those... do you still call that beginners luck?” hoshina enjoys seeing narumi puff his chest proudly as he attempts to defend himself, truly. it makes it all the more entertaining when he is knocked down a few pegs. he can't help but smile, brushing a knuckle against his cheek. “right, prove it to me then,” he murmurs, looking back to the screen. “sure, if it's important to you, i'll listen.”

hoshina wonders where this irritation stems from; is it from the teasing or that hoshina hides his compliments behind it? he wonders how narumi would be able to take a genuine compliment from him, but hoshina is not that kind of person. his compliments are always thinly veiled, something like a barrier to prevent others from getting too close to him. only an idiot would throw that veil off and throw him off his usual game, and thus far narumi hasn't adventured into that territory yet. “mocking? do you think that low of me, narumi?” he pouts to accentuate his disappointment, a whiney drag to his already lax dialect.

the prospect of good food seems to perk his partner up. treats and good food always does the trick, doesn't it? hoshina chuckles in amusement, readying his controller as the game loads. “i've heard~ tell ya what, i'll even treat you myself for consolation. i'd hate to make the loser pay for the meal,” he says, grin widening more with narumi's frustration being apparent. hoshina felt like he'd stumbled on his answer from earlier, amused at how hard narumi worked to get a genuine compliment from hoshina. it's cute. “oh nothing. one more thing? someone is awfully greedy but fine. best two out of three then.”

just one more win; how hard would that be, hoshina thinks to himself as the announcer counted for from three to go!

truth be told, he wasn't sure when he had gotten this comfortable within their rivalry. even though he was prone to throbbing vein inducing rage when it came to his & hoshina's rivalry, he was fond of having someone else play video games with. even if it was the very man who robbed him of one of his missing titles. narumi is always prideful, unassuming effort & the necessary skills to back up what he'd always been great at: killing kaiju. video games is the other hobby that consumes him, a match being burned out by one singular flame. regardless, he wants to remain entangled with the other whether it be through physical contact or the fact that the two are betting on something.

he lowers his head at the mention of the other two games hoshina bested him, hand gripping the controller as he feels another burst of sudden pointed rage at the other. if the two of them weren't huddled in a couple of his blankets he would have fallen to the ground right now. ❛ yes! yes, it is! cause this is the first time you're playing the game. don't rub it in, hoshina. ❜ he spares a glance knowing the other is finding entertainment at the soreness of his loss & the suddenness of his knuckle along his cheek. ❛ easy enough and bleh, don't you want to know more about your character?❜ he truly would have taken hoshina for a sephiroth player, but he supposes link is also up his alley.

the roll of his eyes is apparent at hoshina's words since he didn't find it amusing in any sort of moment. meanwhile, he's sure that sly fox finds amusement in his minor shortcomings like he's watching a comedy show. ❛ you would stoop that low, so yes. you would die giving someone a genuine compliment. ❜ this time he reaches for the other only to trail his finger along his cheek. it was almost tempting to touch the accentuated lip that formed from his pout.

❛ really? ❜ the sparkle in his eyes glitter at the prospect of free food. narumi isn't the type of person to turn down a free meal, but then he raises his brow. he shouldn't be getting excited at the idea of losing to mr. bowl cut himself. so he snaps himself out of it with ease.❛ it doesn't mean anything, free food just sounds nice ! don't get any strange ideas. i know your head is full of em. ❜ this time he waits until the platform disappears before his character lands onto the stage. this time he wouldn't say much other than the fact he's content having his leg around hoshina's.