none of us are free from sin

[alloutoflove]

At some point I uploaded new icons and botched some of my threads. Oops.
Also listen like 95% of this post is extremely nsfw. Double oops.

Stargazing → It's a nice clear night, and even when you live in a big city, there are places to get away and look at the stars. There's supposed to be a meteor shower tonight; maybe now's the time to make a wish.

Domesticity → Sometimes domesticity is a white picket fence and two kids and a dog; sometimes it's an apartment that's a little shabby but comfortable; sometimes it's just the people you're with.

What The Housekeeper Saw!! → What. What are you doing. Why are you doing it.

Spoiler prompt: There's a game you play sometimes, when you're acting. "Baby, if you love me, please please smile," you say, and the other person replies, "Baby, I love you, but I just can't smile." If you can make them smile, you win. If you don't, they win. And sometimes you don't even know you're playing the game. END PROMPT

Wildcard!! → Just what it says.

Comments

[alloutoflove]

It's fine, it's fine!

[ She strikes a bit of a pose at that, chest puffed out and one fist upraised. And if she's a little flustered at him saying I'm living here, well -- well, so what! Why shouldn't she be happy about that! ]

If I'm already doing the work, it's not any trouble at all! And besides--

[ "And besides, it's a little bit like being your wife."

...as if she could say that!! ]

--you're such a tidy person anyway, Kyousuke, I'm almost embarrassed to compare.

[deathisanopendoor]

[ He goes to sit down on her couch, keeping his head turned towards her. ]

I haven't noticed anything embarrassing.

[ Though, even if there was anything embarrassing, surely she would be hiding it to the best of her ability right now. Whatever. It's still a compliment, probably. ]

Knowing you, you might be a little messier on purpose just so you have something to clean up later.

[alloutoflove]

I have to keep in practice somehow. Sakakura-kun's started banning me from his place.

[ Because sometimes, your shining talent is housekeeping and you just end up showing up at your best friend's apartment every couple of weeks to scrub it down because you keep yours impeccable, and your boyfriend's so busy that his place barely seemed lived-in at all.

She gives it five seconds, then moves to sit -- not quite next to him. Close, but with room to scoot closer, if he seems amenable. ]

[deathisanopendoor]

[ Ah... It would be nice if she scooted closer, but if she wants to keep her space for now, he will of course respect that desire and make no indication of his own feelings whatsoever.

Isn't this how it always goes, Chisa. ]

Well, when you're accepted as a teacher, you'll have plenty of students to help clean up after.

[alloutoflove]

[ Kyousuke... there has to be a limit to your formality...

It's a good thing she isn't easily daunted, at least, so a moment later she does it herself. She moves closer enough that her knee can just barely brush against his. Scandalous. ]

Mm, there'll be that. ...it'll be strange, being back there without you.

[deathisanopendoor]

[ Scandalous!! But he seems comfortable enough with it, expression softening slightly. ]

Will that be the strangest part of it?

[ But, if their positions were flipped, he probably would find that the strangest part. ]

[alloutoflove]

Of course it will! It'll be just me and Sakakura-kun, while you're off running around overseas... how am I supposed to keep him out of trouble without your help?

[ I wish I could go with you. I wish we could both go with you. But that's too selfish to say, especially if his suspicions about Hope's Peak are correct. He's counting on them.

Her expression goes pensive for just a moment before she forces a smile back, knocking her knee a little more firmly against his. ]

Aah, but don't worry about me! I'll handle it, even if I have to drag him by his ear to make him listen.

[deathisanopendoor]

[ He looks down at her knee as it bumps up against his, and imagines himself reaching out a hand to place it there, but decides against it for the time being, glancing back up at her face instead. ]

I think you're giving him too little credit... Or else it's yourself you're undervaluing. Either way, I trust the two of you can handle everything there while I'm away. I know what you're both capable of.

[alloutoflove]

Ah, maybe it's a little of both. We'll both be out of sorts, I know that.

[ She's smiling gently as she says it, occasionally swinging her knee out and back in again. It's rhythmic, but slow enough that it could maybe, possibly, just be the occasional fidget. Hello. ]

But of course, we'll do our best.

[deathisanopendoor]

I know that I'll still have your support while I'm abroad. That works in the other direction, too.

[ Hahh. He finally does place his hand on her knee, gently, if only to soothe the restlessness. Of course. ]

[alloutoflove]

Eh--

[ He did it he did it he did it hE dID iTTTTtttttttttt

Chisa might be a patient woman (most of the time), but that doesn't mean she's not going to be thrilled with victories when she gets them. As soon as the surprise wears off, though, she presses more into his hand and breaks out the wider smile, much more genuine than before. ]

I know. Even if I'm complaining now, I always know that.

[ And then! and then, carefully, she puts her hand on his wrist. This is fine. Leave it. ]

[deathisanopendoor]

[ Ugh... Chisa's smiles are always cute, but her genuine smiles are the cutest of all...... How could it be that something this cute exists in this world..................

His own smile brightens, reflexively.

It only now sinks in why either of them should feel a little upset to be so far apart. As it is, he can make the choice of whether or not to touch her, but soon, he won't be able to even if he decides he wants to. He so often thinks of their relationship in abstract terms that apply no matter where they are in the world that he forgets how happy moments like this make him until they happen. ]

...We'll just have to make the most of this time together while we still have it.

[alloutoflove]

[ Oh no she brightens even further at that. ]

...Mm! Even if we have lots of memories, we should make more. More, and more, and more...

[ And with each repetition of the word, she scoots a little closer. Come on, Chisa! Do it. Do the thing. The opportunity is here! All you need to do is reach out and seize it...!!

So when she's close enough, she leans just that little bit more so that she can put her head on his shoulder.

Nailed it. ]

...and even more, when you come home again.

[deathisanopendoor]

...Mm.

[ He shifts just enough to make sure he's comfortable supporting her in this position. ]

So, perhaps that is one other reason why I would prefer you weren't spending all your time cleaning up after me instead.

[alloutoflove]

I told you, it's not that much extra work...

[ She tightens her grip on his wrist. Just a little. Is it too forward to direct it over her shoulders instead? Maybe for now. ]

I like this, Kyousuke.

[deathisanopendoor]

...It's nice.

[ His fingers curl a little against her knee as she tightens her grip, but he doesn't try to move his hand otherwise. ]

[alloutoflove]

It could be nicer.

[ She isn't pouting. Not quite. There's a whole laundry list (ha!) of things she could suggest, but she's also loath to move. How much longer are they going to have like this? ]

You know, Kyousuke...

[deathisanopendoor]

—What?

[ He turns his head slightly more in her direction. You can't just say it could be nicer and then not provide any clues! That's unfair!! ]

[alloutoflove]

[ Sometimes, a man has to take his own initiative -- and a woman must do the same. She doesn't quite look him in the eye, but more like, off to the right of his face. ]

When you return... I wouldn't mind if you came back to stay.

[deathisanopendoor]

When I return...

[ He brings his other hand up to gently turn her face towards his, so that they are looking each other in the eye. This is the kind of Symbolic Milestone that he feels he can really commit to. ]

That will be the start of a new chapter in our lives. Perhaps we'll both find somewhere new, instead.

[alloutoflove]

[ Oh. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Oh no. Her breath hitches and her eyes go wide. Even if this is something she wants, there's something overwhelming about the implied offer. The direct eye-contact is hard to maintain, but like hell she's breaking it. ]

W-- we could! We. S, somewhere -- bigger, maybe...?

[ Big enough, maybe, for more than two people,,, ]

[deathisanopendoor]

A headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy could afford something more spacious, don't you think?

[ Kyousuke don't make this all about your own personal glory,

Well, he was kind of making it about his own personal glory from the start, so at least he's being honest about that part. ]

I think it's a reasonable plan.

[alloutoflove]

[ IT'S A GOOD THING SHE LOVES YOU,

well no if anyone's going to be proud of Kyousuke's personal glory it's going to be her. She beams at that, completely charmed. ]

Mm! I'm sure there's a lot of possibilities.

[ Somewhere, maybe, where you could raise a family,,, ]

[deathisanopendoor]

I'll be on the lookout, then. We can look into them when I return.

[alloutoflove]

[ "When I return," he says, but did he mean, start researching as soon as you're at a computer again? You know. Just idly. Who knows how long this construction project is even going to take?

But she takes the chance to snuggle closer more aggressively this time. Listen, there's a place and a time, and sometimes the place is here and the time is now. ]