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Please consider these pairings for a moment. Super underrated. He’s so familiar with them. There’s trust there. Seriously, such a great ship dynamic. It’s the little things with Blazblue sometimes.
(If the beginning of this fic seems familiar, the first portion was part of a drabble that integrated well into the bigger story.)
Summary: Relius had only just met Terumi and while he was terribly useful to his research, Relius couldn’t decide if he could even stand him. That he found Terumi oddly fascinating he couldn’t deny.
At the very beginning Relius found Terumi to be mostly fairly unpleasant. He had a great amount to contribute to their research regarding seithr and it made all the difference, but that did not mean he had to enjoy his company. Genius on the matter or not, Terumi could be somewhat dark and occasionally a bit moody—even if he were grinning through the whole of it. He wondered briefly if his studies brought it on him or it was a facet of his personality. Relius did not pry however. There was work to be done.
Through their work and on breaks, the scientist got to know the man a little better. His sense of humor was far marked on the dark side, but he had a surprising ability to push a conversation or piece of research around to his liking. It was somewhat impressive. Whatever it was that was driving him, it appeared to pull plenty hard enough. While Relius mostly cared for his research he did pick up a bit of an interest in the man.
It was on one break that he found Terumi slumped into the open sofa in the break room with a cup of tea on the coffee table. The sound of the door opening likely stirred him out of whatever nap he was having. Relius carried on to get the coffee he initially went in the room for. He could feel the eyes on him however.
Terumi's gaze followed him around the room and he made no effort to hide it, even as Relius eventually seated himself in the chair across from him at the coffee table. Relius kept his mug comfortably in his hands and studied the man with the same open interest. It took a moment but soon enough the look on Terumi's face shifted to more of a grin.
There was something unpleasant about it. Now that Relius thought on it, he had no idea where this man came from or who he really was. He had a face and a name. It didn't matter in the long run, but as he remained there curiosity started to turn inside his head a little faster.
Arms resting against the back of the sofa now, Terumi kept relaxed in his seat. Looking at him he certainly didn't appear to be the source of knowledge and power he was. If not for the age in his face, he could be mistaken for an unruly teenager. It was not the best thought to have in mind when Terumi cracked the silence first.
“So it's a staring contest or you wanna say 'hi' or something first?”
“If you were going to go back to sleep I didn't want to interrupt you.”
Terumi's grin cracked a bit wider as he laughed. “You're serious? You were gonna watch me sleep or what?”
It probably did look that way now that he considered that. “Not entirely my plan, but you were watching so closely. I thought you might have wanted to talk.”
It takes him a moment to consider it, but Terumi answered soon enough. “I don't really want to talk research right now so anything else feel free to chat about all you like big guy. Knock yourself out.”
The look Relius received after he would have described as “expectant.” He couldn't very well back out now. “Very well then, where do you come from, Terumi?”
“Nowhere in particular.”
“How old are you then?”
“About what you'd expect.”
Relius followed with a slew of other basic personal questions, but they didn't get him too far. It was both frustrating and a little fascinating. To know what he did Terumi had to have been involved with something. And yet all he could learn from him was he likely did not leave the facility often since he first came and that he had a soft spot for loud music. One was a bit useful and the rest was less so.
Eventually tired of his questions going nowhere Relius stopped and sighed. The motion was enough to make Terumi laugh.
“You're done grilling me? Great. I got a ton of shit to get done. I'll ask questions next time or something.” With that Terumi stood himself up and brushed his coat out into the place he wanted it in. Relius' gaze followed him up. He seemed taller somehow now that he wasn't slouched over so much.
“You have something you'd like to ask back?” Relius asked. Perhaps he was not done with questions after all. It must have clicked with Terumi as he leaned over the table toward him, his hands buried deep in his pockets. His balance remained perfectly steady however.
His voice lowered, Terumi answered one more question. “It's not much fun if you're the only one who gets to ask. Next time, you just focus on answering, okay? You can handle it, right?”
There were some challenging and condescending tones in his voice. Enough that it stirred a little something in Relius' mind. He couldn't leave it there, so he grinned back at him. “Next time, Terumi. Don't hold anything back.”
There was a short interested sound out of him, but Terumi left it at that. He swayed back up to his full height and gave Relius a small wave before taking off. It left Relius with silence and still more questions than answers to trade.
***
The next time they crossed they met in a situation Relius wouldn't have deemed ideal. He and Terumi had both made way for the exit at the same time. Terumi who didn't usually stray too far was actually heading out. When they silently passed through the doors what awaited them outside was a gush of rain. It was easy to forget the weather when buried underground in work.
There was a quiet moment where they glanced at one another. Both considered turning back. However they were both there and there was umbrella left hanging up aside the door. Terumi stared a moment longer until he tucked his hood up better over his head and took off. Almost immediately he was drenched—even with his coat. It was maybe the most pitiful looking thing Relius had seen in awhile.
This difficult brat of a man stomped through the storm like it personally offended him. It left him speechless briefly.
In a swift motion Relius opened the umbrella and quickened his pace to catch up with the other man. Soon enough he caught up and held the umbrella up enough for the both of them. He could tell the rain had already soaked through a good portion of Terumi's coat.
He didn't exactly expect thanks, but Terumi gave him a look that was something between a frustrated look and a huffy one. He did seem to think he had it under control at least.
“Where are you headed, Terumi?” he asked calmly.
Terumi cooled a little at that tone and straightened up. His eyes focused on the rain before he found his answer. “Nowhere exactly...”
“If you have nothing in mind, I wouldn't mind having company at dinner.”
The offer left Terumi confused, but somehow he wound up joining the scientist. Somehow he found himself tailing the man home. Somehow he was hanging up his coat in this unfamiliar apartment. He could hardly recall saying he would agree.
For a man who put on airs about refined taste and dress Terumi found the place surprisingly low key. Maybe because it was hardly lived in at this point. It was at least furnished lightly in the most pleasing colors possible—in what Terumi assumed was Relius' more preferred style.
Despite the strangeness of it all, Relius still invited the man in and let him make himself at home if he liked. It was odd, seeing Terumi poke around a little. Still wet, his hair hung in his face and made his investigating a bit difficult, but not enough to stop him. Relius was well aware of what was around the room. Nothing he would miss surely.
Terumi kept just as aware of Relius' almost hands off approach to this. He let a near stranger into his home and for nearly no reason. Although now that he was here and had the chance to, it stirred his memory of something forgotten.
“It's my turn to ask questions then?” Terumi asked aloud, calling out so Relius could hear him from the kitchen. Was he actually cooking? Did he even cook for himself? Terumi could ask, but those were not pressing questions.
“So you remember. Help yourself then. I am an open book,” was Relius' rather confident answer.
“You think Ayatsuki's an idiot right?”
The longer silence from Relius told Terumi he probably threw him off. At least a little. There's a low cackle out of him as he wandered over to Relius' desk, helping himself to flipping through his papers. There was more than just a couple bills in there.
Terumi mostly heard the sound of something liquid starting to boil. Relius would take his sweet time answering it seemed. Eventually the masked man spoke up.
“He is involved with our research and—like it or not—we are still using him.”
The grin on Terumi's face widened, even if Relius couldn't see him. “'Using' instead of 'working with' right? You won't say it out loud like that though, huh? That's fine.”
That received no answer.
“You're aiming a little bigger than that idiot, aren't you Relius?” Terumi asked anyway, no regard for having been ignored. There's no answer to that either. Terumi knew he was being heard. Eventually he'd get something out of Relius. “Ah, that's just too bad for that old fart, isn't it? You see the way he looks at you sometimes? You got too much going on in your skull for him. You think he's jealous?”
“If you're dripping rain water over my paperwork, I'd ask that you step back,” Relius said finally after what felt like a decade.
Maybe it was not so easy to crack Relius open. Terumi grumbled in return and did step back and was about to give Relius a piece of his mind when he walked right past him from the kitchen. He wasn't even given a glance. Or if he were Terumi couldn't tell through the mask. When Relius returned from the hall he tossed a towel on this pass. Terumi caught it and set it over his head.
Terumi moved to follow Relius toward the kitchen, standing in the doorway, leaning one shoulder against it. He crossed his arms and watched Relius carefully clear a cutting board of vegetables into a tall pot already steaming on the stove.
“You're not very good at this answering questions thing.”
“Neither are you, Terumi.”
He had a very good point—not that Terumi appreciated it.
“Now now. No need to go pointing fingers. We're...partners, aren't we? We can be open with each other,” Terumi said through a grin.
Relius seemed to glance his way and then go back to dealing with whatever the hell he was cooking. “You want to be partners now?”
Terumi's expression soured. “You can't answer my question with a question. But yes, that's what I'm asking you, Relius. A mutually beneficial partnership.” At those last few words there was a look of trouble in Terumi's eyes—more so than usual at least. The look gave Relius a few extra moments of pause. He couldn't exactly pin down Terumi as trustworthy but he got the distinct feeling Terumi had something specific to offer him.
Something interesting.
“I'm listening, Terumi.”
“You've got at least a couple more marbles rolling around in there than the rest of the gang. And I have all sorts of information. Stuff you couldn't even dream up. I think we could work something out.”
Relius considered the phrasing carefully. “Without Ayatsuki, you mean.”
“Just you and me, big guy. That idiot's not invited to my little party. I'm exclusive.”
Something about the grin on Terumi's face was not very reassuring. But Relius couldn't help a growing curiosity. What Terumi had given them was worlds away from what he was going to be able to measure properly for himself for some time. He had so many questions for the guest to their research still. What was the worst Terumi could ask? Relius does himself a favor and doesn't try to consider the worst.
“I know what I can get from you—or at least an idea—but what would you ask of me?”
The grin on Terumi's lips widens just a little bit. Relius understood precisely why Shuuichiro was so distrustful of their visitor: it was looks just like that one. There was something about Terumi, something difficult to articulate. Somewhere in that tiny frame he was hosting something awful. The thought always brought Relius to the same tired cliches—a moth to the flame. Trouble fit him to a T. That Terumi's appearance and mannerisms were easily described as “snake-like” did not help him either.
This was a dangerous game, but one that would ultimately aid Relius' research.
“Well Relius, I know a little about your side research. No alarm needed or anything, but I think you're just the guy to help me. I'll give you all the information your busy little skull can handle and you...are going to make something for me. Totally within your power too.”
That Relius was glaring at him through his mask was clear in spite of it. Terumi did have a way of slithering into whatever business he liked, it seemed.
“It's not very convincing when you pry into my private matters.”
“And it's not so great for me to pick to work with a bunch of idiot researchers that wouldn't be able to do anything with what I've got. I picked you for you, Relius. I like your record and you're not the biggest pain in my ass. Not the most welcoming though, I gotta take that point from you. But you're sharp, real sharp. Anyway, that enough compliments? Your ego inflated enough?” Terumi chattered in reply, waving one hand dismissively.
“It does not help your case when you point out you're just engaging in flattery,” Relius said with a flat tone. More flat than usual at least.
Terumi pulls the towel from off the top of his head, letting it rest around his shoulders. “It's the truth, even if I am just trying to convince you. No bullshit though, right? Fine. We can help each other. Let's just call on each other from now on.”
“And what you're asking me to devise?”
“I'll tell you soon. I don't want you to get so excited about what you're gonna make that you lose your cool.”
Relius greatly doubted it was that exciting, but he had a feeling it would at least be very interesting. With Terumi any research and project tended to be. “I'll consider it.”
Terumi simply grinned and left the kitchen, waving over his shoulder. “You're gonna say 'yes' Relius, don't play with me,” he said in an almost sing-song voice.
Relius elected to ignore him. Ignoring Terumi gave him a 50/50 shot of either avoiding the subject or making the brat angry. Either he would take over acknowledging the garbage spilling out of his mouth. He made himself busy with dinner instead, mulling over Terumi's offer as much as he would dare. Curiosity was such an illness.
By the time Relius finished up dinner and brought it out he found Terumi lounging on his sofa, his hair finally dried at least. He got the stranger to join him in eating; although, he ate very little. Relius expected a full report on what was wrong with his cooking; an expectation that was not met for once. Terumi really was an odd little thing.
It wasn't until both were finished that Terumi spoke up again. “ So so? You thought about it, didn't you?”
“I want to say no as a matter of principle...”
“But...?”
Relius let out a sigh. “But very well, I will be your partner, Terumi.”
That Terumi was smug did not really begin to cover how obnoxious his face looked. Relius didn't regret saying yes yet but he got the distinct feeling Terumi would make sure he did soon enough.
“Good, good! See? You are a smart man. I knew you'd come around,” Terumi said cheerily. Or at least as cheery was one that devious could sound.
“Now will you finally explain—“
Terumi cut him off, standing up from the table and giving Relius a look he couldn't describe. “Get to know me first. Didn't you have a bunch of questions for me? Try again, partner.”
The way Terumi carried that word “partner” should have been a warning. It was one that Relius didn't take.
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At the very beginning Relius found Terumi to be mostly fairly unpleasant. He had a great amount to contribute to their research regarding seithr and it made all the difference, but that did not mean he had to enjoy his company. Genius on the matter or not Terumi could be somewhat dark and occasionally a bit moody—even if he were grinning through the whole of it. He wondered briefly if his studies brought it on him or it was a facet of his personality. Relius did not pry however. There was work to be done.
Through their work and on breaks, the puppeteer got to know the man a little better. His sense of humor was far marked on the dark side, but he had a surprising ability to focus down on a goal and take it for his own. It was somewhat impressive. Whatever it was that was driving him, it appeared to pull plenty hard enough. While Relius mostly cared for his research he did pick up a bit of an interest in the young man.
It was on one break that he found Terumi slumped into the open sofa in the break room with a cup of tea on the coffee table. The sound of the door opening likely stirred him out of whatever nap he was having. Relius carried on to get the coffee he initially went in the room for. He could feel the eyes on him however.
Terumi's gaze followed him around the room and he made no effort to hide it, even as Relius eventually seated himself in the chair across from him at the coffee table. Relius kept his mug comfortably in his hands and studied the man with the same open interest. It took a moment but soon enough the look on Terumi's face shifted to more of a grin.
There was something unpleasant about it. Now that Relius thought on it, he had no idea where this man came from or who he really was. He had a face and a name. It didn't matter in the long run, but as he remained there curiosity started to turn inside his head a little faster.
Arms resting against the back of the sofa now, Terumi kept relaxed in his seat. Looking at him he certainly didn't appear to be the source of knowledge and power he was. If not for the age in his face, he could be mistaken for an unruly teenager. It was not the best thought to have in mind when Terumi cracked the silence first.
“So it's a staring contest or you wanna say 'hi' or something first?”
“If you were going to go back to sleep I didn't want to interrupt you.”
Terumi's grin cracked a bit wider as he laughed. “You're serious? You were gonna watch me sleep or what?”
It probably did look that way now that he considered that as well. “Not entirely my plan, but you were watching so closely. I thought you might have wanted to talk.”
It takes him a moment to consider it but Terumi answered soon enough. “I don't really want to talk research right now so anything else feel free to chat about all you like big guy. Knock yourself out.”
The look Relius received after he would have described as “expectant.” He couldn't very well back out now. “Alright then, where do you come from, Terumi?”
“Nowhere in particular.”
“How old are you then?”
“About what you'd expect.”
Relius followed with a slew of other personal questions, but they didn't get him too far. It was both frustrating and a little fascinating. To know what he did Terumi had to have been involved with something. And yet all he could learn from him was he likely did not leave the facility often since he came and that he had a soft spot for loud music. One was a bit useful and the rest was less so.
Eventually tired of his questions going nowhere Relius stopped and sighed. The motion was enough to make Terumi laugh.
“You're done grilling me? Great. I got a ton of shit to get done. I'll ask questions next time or something.” With that Terumi stood himself up and brushed his coat out into the place he wanted it in. Relius' gaze followed him up. He seemed taller somehow now that he wasn't slouched over so much.
“You have something you'd like to ask back?” Relius asked. Perhaps he was not done with questions after all. It must have clicked with Terumi as he leaned over the table toward him, his hands buried deep in his pockets. His balance remained perfectly steady however.
His voice lowered, Terumi answered one more question. “It's not much fun if you're the only one who gets to ask. Next time, you just focus on answering, okay? You can handle it, right?”
There was some challenging condescending tones in his voice. Enough that it stirred a little something in Relius' mind. He couldn't leave it there, so he grinned back at him. “Next time, Terumi. Don't hold anything back.”
There was a short interested sound out of him, but Terumi left it at that. He swayed back to his full height and gave Relius a small wave before taking off. It felt Relius with a silence and still more questions than answers to trade.
