wafflehouse | (no subject)

(no subject)

[ Living together with TRIGGER wasn't something he thought he would ever do, and if asked this time last year, he would have said that it was impossible. But, the way things have aligned were impossibly less than perfect, and here they are -- A month or so into living together in the same house. There have been spats, of course, but -- ... He wishes he could say that it was as impossible as he thought it would be. It's warm, here. Interactions when waking up and going to sleep and eating and coming home are less stilted. It's almost as if he can take his mask off when behind closed doors -- Not just the one of the perfect Modern-day Angel, but the sharp and cold and uncaring one covering up everything he's pushed down.

It's a saturday that they don't have anything lined up for work. Kaoru won't let him go out and do anything, tells him he needs time to himself to unwind, less he wants to end up in the hospital again. This has him idly straightening things up around the house, making stir-crazy circles in absence of anything else to do. Gaku's left a jacket in the living room, and after making a snide comment about his organizational skills to nobody but himself, he opts to bringing it back to his room for him.

Like a proper older sibling, he knocks and immediately lets himself in, with little respect for what the man inside could be doing. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Tenn, on the other hand, has little idea what Gaku is experiencing. He's gone on life as normal, has actually been more mindful of barging into rooms where someone may be chopping wood. It was awkward, and the way that he felt while chiding Gaku over something like that wasn't something he had much mind to think about exploring.

He's reading idly in the living room, but sighs loudly with a roll of his eyes when he hears bottles clatter, cupboard doors slam. Gaku has been on edge, recently -- He's been angrier than normal, and shouting over something as simple as misplaced foodstuffs has been common practice. It's getting more than annoying -- especially after he'd come to think that TRIGGER could, maybe, live together in organic warmth and safety. ]

It's still on the second shelf. You're not looking hard enough.

No it's not—

[he glances back to where Tenn suggests and ... yes, it is right there, hidden behind another bottle of cooking oil.

Gaku just has to sigh, turning away from the shelf and running a hand through his hair before he looks over at Tenn.]

We need to talk.

...

About what? Your attitude?

[ he couldn't say that this was sudden-- nobody could. Gaku has been short-fused, even when Tenn isn't egging him on, but ... he can't actually think about why, and Tenn isn't exactly one to start up emotional conversations. ]

... yes.

[Gaku has to consciously squash the instinctive urge to say 'no', instantly on edge just from Tenn's tone.]

We need to clear the air about something.

[ gaku actually admitting to that is ... strange, so Tenn sets down his book, crossing his arms and looking up at the man. ]

I'm listening.

... I think we need to have a discussion about privacy, since you're not used to living with men your own age.

[you're right drea, there is no way to start this conversation without being weird, so it's time to be really indirect.]

[ oh. so it's this. ]

You aren't men my own age. You're four years my senior.

If it's about me walking in on you, the results were as traumatic for me as they were for you, so don't think that I'll be there to watch you enjoy OL-san videos again.

[that's a hell of a lot closer in age than the last guy Tenn was living with, but for some reason thinking of Kujou right now only ticks Gaku off more.

he just needs to stay calm and approach this situation logically. logically, like he hasn't had Tenn invading his internal spank bank material for the last week.]

You're still not asking permission before entering our rooms. It's just common courtesy.

I haven't gone into your room since then.

When I've been there. I know you've been going over everything like a house wife instead of relaxing on our days off.

...

So, "we need to talk" because I've been acting like an adult.

You've been acting like a busy body. Does that mean you want me going in your room when you're not there?

There's nothing of interest there. What were you planning to do, look for something incriminating? Sorry, but I don't have a stash of housewife cuckold AV DVDs like you.

[ Probably. He doesn't know if Gaku actually has those. ]

Edited 2018-03-20 04:23 (UTC)

I was giving an example. Get your mind out of the gutter, brat.

[ he waits a few beats, before opening his book and turning his attention back away from gaku. ]

You usually aren't one to be so ingenuine with how you feel.

[shit. did Tenn have him figured out? that seems unlikely, at least in whole. it wasn't like he was a mind reader, even if he could be scarily perceptive at times.

Gaku crosses his arms, not giving away more than necessary with his expression.]

You think I'm lying, Tenn?

I think you're not telling the truth.

[ he doesn't know what about, though. not yet. ]

Is that what you want to hear from me?

What do you want to hear from me? You asked to talk.

[that's an unintentionally loaded question, and judging from Tenn's tone, Gaku's pretty sure that he's not aware of what exactly is going on. meaning Gaku still as the upper-hand, of sorts, but phrasing it that way sounds really skeevy.

he's not trying to be skeevy, but in this situation, there's really no way around it. he sighs again, frustration settling back into his body language.]

I want an apology from you. I'm not joking.

...

What?

[ After all the arguments they've gotten into, even bad ones -- now is the time Gaku wants an apology? Tenn presses his lips into a thin line, silent otherwise. Tenn doesn't like apologizing. He's -- too proud, too focused on being perfect to admit that he was wrong in some way, and Gaku knows this. ]

[this is honestly almost worse than just saying what he means outright— asking Tenn to apologize for anything is borderline laughable. Gaku knows Tenn well enough to know that, and that itself is part of the issue. Gaku knows Tenn, and loathe as he is to admit it sometimes, Gaku cares about Tenn. it's better to say something ridiculous that will just make them spiral into one of their familiar tiffs than push things into foreign territory and risk seriously upsetting Tenn.]

You heard me. It's obvious neither of us want this brought up again, so shouldn't we clear the air?

[on second thought, he's starting to sound like Ryuu. maybe taking the low road and being a horny asshole was the better option.]

I'm not apologizing for bringing you your sweater.

[ He's already changed how he does things from the experience --- He just, flat out, hasn't gone to Gaku or Ryuu's room since the incident. That should be enough, shouldn't it...? ]

Tenn, it's an adult thing. Just bow your head and do it.

No.

[ This is uncomfortable. This is really, really uncomfortable and he --- looks away, like he's trying to check out from the situation. He did something that resulted in something wrong, but he's stopped doing it, so it's fine and he doesn't have to admit a fault - ]