#upperthird

@upperthird

Try as he may, centuries' worth of habits don't fade away so easily. Yoriichi still, habitually, forgets to properly sleep--dozing off whenever comfortable, whenever safe instead. A nomad, wayfaring stranger, too accustomed still to never truly belonging.

He had nearly forgotten what it was like, to feel as if he belonged. Had nearly forgotten, until he realizes: he feels content. No urge to wander, hardwired to look over his shoulders.

He rests against Akaza, and something in Yoriichi's expression softens, perhaps even on the verge of a smile as ruby eyes close--a moment to etch this peace into his memory.

@upperthird​  ↝  pretty bones  /  yeule

      Sneaking past the bedroom so not to wake up her father, Idzuki grins from ear to ear. The sun will raise soon, which means dad will come home, and she wants to welcome him home! Idzuki doesn’t exactly understand why Akaza can only leave the house at night, but she doesn’t question it. That is who her dad is, and she loves him very much.

      Carefully she pushes open the shōji, and glances down the road. The moment Idzuki sees the all to familiar figure she blots out of the house. Arm stretch open so she can scoped up and hugged.

unprompted ☀️ @upperthird

and he fidgets with the other's hand, idly. before long, he finds himself measuring his hand against yoriichi's.

"--you're hands are gargantuan," his hands paled in comparison, "--i guess that's to be expected."

For so long, he shied away from touch--and perhaps in that he weren't too unlike sibling, the wariness warranted in being strongest meant a necessary need for remaining guarded, for he remembered too clearly when ones thought friends turned against him, the feeling of hands that gripped shoulder as he could bring himself to do nothing but accept and hope they let go quickly.

Touched felt dangerous, so often.

And he knows, sitting next to upper third as he fidgets with his hand, that touch could still prove dangerous--but with him, Yoriichi increasingly realized that he didn't mind it. A reassurance instead that he were safe next to him, and would not be harmed for allowing that guard to settle, just a bit.

Hands were rough in callouses of wielding blade, but talent meant he needn't train so severely, less marks than one may have expected considering his age now.

"--I am quite a bit taller."

Simple observation that wasn't meant to be a tease towards the other's size, but his attention were now upon their hands, a shift as fingers move and curl over the smaller hand to hold it within his own.

A moment of thought, and Yoriichi brings it closer; lips brush to pale skin, curiosity leading him to wonder of how chilled Akaza's skin always seemed to be.

        ❝ One of us isn’t walkin’ out of here that easily.. ❞

unprompted ☀️ @upperthird

"--i found a nice place to sit and think about things," he says, a little awkwardly, "--d'you... wanna see it? we don't have to talk, or do anything. we can just sit down."

Part of Yoriichi wonders, if the other had something in particular in mind--if things was really a question upon Akaza's mind, something that weighed upon him, but Yoriichi suspects asking too directly may risk embarrassing the other.

Instead, he nods as a small smile shows.

"I would like that."

And he moves, placing himself next to the other--ready to walk with him, and only waiting for Akaza to lead the way.

"--if you feel inclined to talk, I wouldn't mind."

Still, he can't fully overlook the worry in the back of his mind, unable to resist offering that shoulder to the other on the chance Akaza did need it.

"...I enjoy spending time with you, so I'm not picky."

‘TOL AND SMOL’ PROMPTS ☀️ @upperthird

[ PRESS ]  for the shorter muse to take hold of the taller one’s face to pull them down so they can press their foreheads together.

For centuries, nightmares were a regular occurrence when Yoriichi attempted to sleep, attempted to rest more than merely small naps here and there, his body eventually crying out for a chance to properly recuperate--for even with all of his talent, all of his strength, even Yoriichi could only push himself so far.

And yet so often, the images seen within his nightmares lingered, weighing upon him like ghosts at his heels and clouds thundering overhead, mind wandering elsewhere to centuries past and moments he still felt such regret for.

But Akaza's cool hands take his face within them, tugging him down and Yoriichi easily sinks within the hold, the affection, ruby eyes closing as foreheads touch.

Brought back to the present so gently, and Yoriichi doesn't yet speak as he practically folds himself down to settle next to Akaza more comfortably, leaning closer to him.