[Akihiko was having a weird time long before he woke up.
His dreams, for starters, were determined to be weird. He found himself back on the BEASTFORCE obstacle course from before. Still climbing it with Mitsuru, reaching the summit of the artificial mountain and getting ready to hit the last checkpoint button...
...Except he suddenly wasn't able to do that. Because something much more important had come up, when he saw that Mitsuru's hair was tangled from the climb with a few bets of glitter and fake snow stuck to it. And somehow, according to his dream logic, it was way more important that he help her comb out her hair, even if he just had to gently work it with his fingers-]
"WhMits-???"
[It's almost a relief that he wakes up from that. And doesn't have to dwell on that weird dream any longer.
...Almost. Until he feels something warm curled up against him, draped over his body, and pinning him in place. That's when Akihiko wonders if he should take a closer look, or just hope that he suddenly slips straight back into sleep. Because he already has a notion of what he's dealing with... And why he was dreaming what he did.]
[ It's unclear at what point in the night Mitsuru had strayed from her side of the bed (although one could argue it's all her side of the bed as it is in fact her bed) to Akihiko's. Only that at some point during the deepest part of her slumber, she'd drawn herself close to the other source of warmth in the bed: him. Perhaps it's a security thing, comfort - it's probably best not to ask. Not that he can right now.
She's still mostly asleep following Akihiko's small outburst, although beginning to stir towards wakening. She murmurs something incoherent in her slowly waning sleep, soft and sleepy... it's no wonder her hair in particular had seemed to feature in his dream. With her head nestled against his chest, those red locks are definitely in his personal space. ]
[He mutters that out under his breath. He's trying not to wake her up and untangle himself at the same time... But that's proving hard to do when Mitsuru is pinning him to the mattress.
...And when his fingers have found themselves tangled up in her hair and cradling her head.]
"...That explains the dream."
[He mutters to himself. Looking around, his guess is they're right on the cusp of daylight. So it's all the more vital he somehow find a way out from under Mitsuru before she wakes up.
He really doesn't want to start the day Executed.]
"Starting to think this whole sharing thing was a bad idea."
[He can't help but mutter to himself, trying to keep his voice low as he works his fingers free. Though that also means he's still stroking her hair in a way, feeling how soft it is against his hands... And he really, really doesn't want to dwell on that right now.
Maybe he'll have more luck with his other hand, and how it's thrown over her back. Though the more Akihiko takes in his surroundings, the more he's realizing there's no way he'll be able to move without waking her up.]
[ A soft sigh escapes Mitsuru's lips as he more or less strokes her vibrant hair. The sound is one of easy contentment, pleasure even. There's something else too, a soft, gentle murmur of a certain word: ]
...
Akihiko...
[ She's clearly still asleep, for now at least.
Either way, he'll have plenty of time to digest that and if he doesn't manage to move her it'll be a good five or ten more minutes or so before Mitsuru starts to shift in her sleep and turns to face the other side of the bed. Mostly freeing Akihiko in the process, although some of her long hair still trails across part of his pillow. ]
[Hearing her say his name like that... That's enough to freeze him in place, and Akihiko wonders at how Mitsuru is able to stay asleep. He's pretty sure the pounding of his heart would be enough to wake anyone up, especially when they're laying right on top of it.]
"Mitsuru?"
[He keeps his voice pitched low, half wanting to wake her up and ask what on earth is going on... But also half worried about what happens when she opens her eyes.]
"A-are you okay?"
[But hearing her say his name in that gentle tone... He has to ask. And his fingers start tracing through her hair instead of untangling, like he can coax an answer out of her.]
[ That is certainly enough to wake her now. Mitsuru stirs, slowly turning back around to face him and…
It’s a strange thing, to look into the eyes of the person you were just having a particularly vivid dream about. The contents of said dream being very confusing.
Suddenly, he’s not the only one with a pounding heart, though she gives no sign of this.
It takes her a moment or two to respond, still recovering from sleep. ]
…
I’m fine. I was just… dreaming.
We were just in combat against a particularly powerful Shadow. That was all.
[Well at least he's not getting frozen into a cube of ice. Akihiko tells himself that much, and reminds himself that he's going to be gentle about taking his hand away from Mitsuru's hair. He's certainly not going to pull at it, and make her angry on top of everything else.]
"You... Said my name while you were dreaming. Guess one of us needed some help in that fight?"
[Better he talk about her dream than... Whatever the hell he just experienced. Sooner not dwell on his own dreams, or how he woke up with her on top of him.]
Well that’s just fine. Nothing unusual about that. Could mean anything.
The way he’s removing his hand from her hair absolutely does not trigger any thoughts as to why she might have just been saying his name in her sleep… ]
Yes. [ ??? ]
You were being reckless. I was obviously reprimanding you.
[ He’s like a dog with a bone as usual, that’s to be expected but…
Why is he talking to her like that? In that gentle tone. It’s not as though they’re always barking orders at each other or anything like that but this is… different.
Mitsuru suddenly has the overwhelming urge to escape from this conversation by any means necessary. Instead, she just tries to remain calm, composed, impassive in her response. ]
I don’t remember exactly. As I understand it, people don’t often recall the entirety of their dreams.
Perhaps you’d been gravely injured and I was just concerned. Or something similar to that.
[ Yes. That’s it. She has absolutely no memory of the two of them, his hand gently combing through her hair, as they gaze at one another and-
Absolutely not. ]
I... I see no reason to deviate from how I've always spoken to you.
[ This is weird. The odd, hushed atmosphere... even beyond the fact that the pair of them had only just woken up. There's something else and right now, Mitsuru doesn't care to address it.
[Suddenly he's reminded of why they're in this position in the first place; because he went and got himself shot, and... And he's still not sure why Mitsuru was afraid for him. But he's feeling an echo of that now.
He wants to reach back out to her. To reassure her that he's fine. Instead, his fingers dig into the bed sheets, clutching at them. And he can't help but think it's a poor substitute for holding onto her, or threading his fingers through her hair-
And he also spares a moment to wonder what the hell is wrong with him. Why is he even thinking of her like that? Or dwelling on how it felt to wake up with her curled against him?
It's clear she doesn't want to dwell on it. And equally clear he should be following her lead.]
"Right. No reason to change things up, just because of a weird night.
Or... A weird couple of nights; pretty sure this counted as strange."
There is no need to apologise. It was just a dream.
Just because you've worried me before doesn't make you responsible in this case.
[ There is also the fact that she's not being at all truthful about what it is she was actually dreaming. About him.
As he clutches the bedsheets, Mitsuru sits up, her back against the pillows as she slowly draws her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. Like him, she finds them a poor substitute... but she won't let herself think about that. ]
Most of our time here so far has been odd, sometimes unnerving. [ Like him getting injured. ] It's only natural that we have the odd unsettled night.
I don't think we should read into dreams too much.
[ She's saying that to reassure herself as much as anything else. Although he doesn't need to know that. ]
[Seems he's trying to reassure himself in turn. Akihiko blinks up towards the windows as the sky brightens outside. At least he doesn't have to worry about trying to go back to sleep.
Though now he finds himself worried about something else. Namely, what he's supposed to do if this happens again.]
"Hey... Mitsuru? About having a couple of unsettled nights, I was worried about something. I-if you woke up, and you were curled up next to me and..."
[He's really hoping that she can't see the pink settling into face. It's suddenly very hard to talk, so he forces the next words out in a rush.]
"Andifwewerehugging then you wouldn't be... Angry about it, right? No Executions or anything? A-and sorry if that's a weird question. If it's too weird to ask I can gobacktomyroomandit'sfine."
[He's already shifting uneasily on the mattress, ready to get up and make an undignified retreat back to his own room before he gets frozen...
...Though it's weird, that he's hesitating on doing just that. Instead he holds his breath, waiting for Mitsuru's answer.]
[ She almost visibly starts at his line of questioning. Almost being the operative word. She can't let him see how rattled it has her. ]
...
What you're asking is purely hypothetical of course?
[ The truth is... well, perhaps she's a little more aware of what she's been doing than he realises. There might have been another morning, a couple of days prior, where Mitsuru had woken to find herself very much not on her side of the bed.
She had moved, eventually. Somehow, without waking Akihiko. Or at least she thought she had. Perhaps he'd known all along... or perhaps she had done it again. ]
"Ah... M-mostly hypothetical. I sorta... We woke up a little closer than usual. Not entirely on our sides of the bed. It's happened a couple of times."
[He's woken up once or twice feeling oddly warm. And then had a task with untangling himself from Mitsuru before she could wake up and notice. And then there were the times where he wasn't sure if he was awake... Or just having oddly vivid dreams of her curled up against him.
All those instances are weighing down on him, and maybe that's what causes him to babble.]
"I was nervous about that. We're supposed to be watching each other's backs, but I... Guess I just don't want to do anything you don't like."
[Though she certainly didn't seem to mind it while she was asleep... But awake is an entirely different matter. Content as he was to comb out her hair in his dreams, he's not about to try that in reality.]
"Or get into your personal space; I know how much you value that! A-and again, if you think it's too much trouble, then... I could leave or something-"
[In theory he could easily go back to his own room.
But the thing is, he doesn't really want to. Or at least something is holding Akihiko back, just like it's keeping him fixed to the sheets.]
[ She cuts herself off. Apparently thinking better of what she was about to say. She can't just go with the first thing out of her mouth, with what she has an urge to say- no, she needs to be measured about this, think it over first.
So he knows.
In fact he knows even more than Mitsuru herself does it seems. During a time in her life when she had been experiencing more nightmares that she can ever remember having, she can't exactly escape the truth that she had been sleeping far more soundly ever since he had started spending the nights with her in her room.
She isn't sure why that realisation causes her heart beat to quicken in her chest or why her face suddenly feels... warm. They were just watching each other's backs in light of the attack, safety in numbers and all that. This was only ever supposed to be a temporary thing; sharing a room, sharing a bed...
So why then does the thought of asking him to go back to his room, or leaving her, make her feel slightly hollow inside?
Still, she knows what she has to do here. It's no longer a question of want. ]
I think... perhaps now that a threat doesn't seem so imminent it might be wise that we return to our respective rooms in the evenings.
We should remain vigilant but it seems unlikely that a retaliation from thugs like that would happen at such a later date.
[ Yes, that's right. Focus on the attack, the practicalities... she doesn't have to touch all of the other stuff. Them being in each other's personal space, the warmth, the feelings of safety and contentment...
No. Mitsuru will be ruthlessly practical as always. What other choice does she have? ]
...Yeah. You're right. Looks like we're out of the worst of it. Probably better if we go back to separate rooms now."
[This is supposed to be a good thing, right? This way they don't have to worry about invading the other's space. No waking up with someone curled and clinging against the other. Besides, this means he can go back to decorating his own room. Making it his. Akihiko tries to tell himself all of these things... But weirdly there's still something that makes his heart lurch.
Even though that's stupid; this is solving their problems.]
"Well, looks like the day is starting up. I might as well get up too."
[Sooner he gets out of this bed, the better off they'll both be. That's what Akihiko keeps mentally repeating, as he forces himself up.]
"I-I'll see you later tonight, then. Out in the living room."
[Not in here.
And he'll keep on telling himself that's for the best, if that's what Mitsuru really wants.]
[ If this is the right and logical thing to do, which it absolutely is, then why does she feel so incredibly... empty at the prospect? As if she might have ruined something that was actually making her feel content? Maybe even happy?
When was the last time she had felt that in such an unabated way? Or slept so well? Without waking in the morning to feel the residual effects of her nightmares still gnawing away at her psyche?
Still, what other choice does she have in this? She can hardly expect Akihiko to spend every night in her room from now until forever. What would her justification even be for that? That it felt... good?
Mitsuru swallows, hopefully in such a way that he doesn't notice before composing her thoughts and gazing at him in a composed, measured way despite her internal turmoil. ]
Right, yes. We should both get ready for the day.
I shall see you later then - in the living room, as you say.
[At least this time when Akihiko wakes up curled against Mitsuru, he doesn’t panic. This is only becoming more common, every night they spend together. The major change is how he’s been waking up with his arms wrapped around her, almost protectively with how he curls around her.
Doesn’t mean that he won’t try to move away from her, though.]
“…Mitsuru? You’re still asleep?”
[He waits for a long moment before letting his breath out and carefully untangling his arms from her. He props himself up on his elbow, looking over Mitsuru; the way she seems to be resting easily, how her hair cascades down her shoulders… He catches himself reaching out to trace his hand through her hair, and pulls it back with a sigh.
This is getting out of hand. How much he seems to crave her presence, and her contact. Getting that water contamination out of his system has only helped so much.]
“At some point I need to tell you this while you’re awake, but…
I-I think it’s more than just liking you, now. I keep thinking back to what happened between us, with those changes, and biting each other, and… It’s stupid but I liked that on some level. STILL like it. Probably why I haven’t bothered to heal up my shoulder.”
[He rolls his arm as he says that; probably for the best Mitsuru isn’t awake, so she can’t see that stupid, satisfied smile. Having that mark on his skin almost feels like a trophy, in some weird way.]
“But at the same time, I know how hard it is for you to open up. You’re afraid of getting hurt, so you don’t let people get too close. I know that normally you probably wouldn’t kiss and mark me like that. Or let me do the same.
…And I guess that makes two of us. Because I could be talking about myself; being scared about getting too attached, or letting things get to important and then risk losing them.
But sometimes…
…Most of the time…
…I feel like you’re worth the risk.”
[He can feel his breath going shaky, after pouring his heart out like that. And once again, he can’t help but feel a little bit glad that Mitsuru is still asleep. At least he’s pretty sure she’s still asleep.]
“Ha… I’d ask if you’d be my girl. But I’m pretty sure you’d Execute me for phrasing it like that. Still need to figure out how to tell you any of this when you’re awake.”
[ Technically, Mitsuru is still asleep... at first anyway. She's somewhere between sleep and waking as her body begins to signal that it's about time that she start the day, fetch a light breakfast, have a cup of tea, all while sitting with Akihiko at their shared dining table...
Akihiko.
She's conscious of his arms around her as she begins to drift into wakefulness, that had been a more recent new development and certainly not an unwelcome one. Is he talking to her right now though? She thinks she hears her name mentioned and a question, something about her still being asleep? Well, yes, she is still asleep, mostly. Therefore she expects that to be the end of his attempt at conversing with her.
Only it isn't.
Akihiko says something about needing to tell her this when she's awake and yes, why doesn't he do that? Why exactly that is becomes all too clear as she goes on. Mitsuru has her back to him, which is fortunate, because he can't witness her eyelids begin to flutter and open - wide open as it happens. How can they not be with what he's saying to her? Every sentence seems to make her heart pound a little harder, until he gets to the bit about the way she had marked him and his reluctance to heal himself - she can practically hear the smug smile on his face in the tone of his voice and it's all she can do not to immediately roll over and chuck a pillow at his head.
But the rest... the rest... it hits home. Those parts about being too afraid to get attached, every word of that is all too familiar to her but then he's saying that she's worth the risk to him and she feels that maybe, just maybe, he might be worth the risk too. He wants her to be his girl- it's not difficult to work out what that means, even with the ridiculous way he had worded it.
Mitsuru swallows, her throat feels incredibly thick of all sudden and her heart is racing worse than ever when she finally, slowly begins to roll over... and looks straight at him. ]
...
I wasn't entirely asleep.
[ deep breaths, Mitsuru ]
Your girl? You want me to be your girl, Akihiko?
[ Of course, she sounds appropriately incredulous at the wording but also... nervous? For once in her life. As though she can't quite believe the sentiment behind it, or doesn't dare to in case this isn't actually happening. ]
[He... Hadn't really planned on this outcome. Probably should have anticipated it though; even if Mitsuru has been sleeping a lot more soundly as of late, of course she can still wake up and be aware of her surroundings. She has to, in their line of extracurriculars.
Not that it makes this situation any easier for him.]
"Y-you're... You're telling me you heard all of that?"
[At least his voice doesn't squeak at the end. It's the one part of him that manages to stay calm, even as his face starts to go red. His arms are also shaking, and that same tremor is working its way up to his shoulders.
Maybe that risk of Execution is a lot closer than he thought it was.
Too late to take his words back, of course. Or ask her to forget any of it.]
"I... Guess I could've worded that better. But I just figured that fair is fair; asking you to be my girl, because I'm pretty sure I'd be yours by default-
Agh- That doesn't sound any better!
But I... I did want to tell you sooner or later that it's a lot more than just liking you... A lot, lot more. Just wasn't expecting it to be this much sooner."
[ Well, mostly. The beginning was a little fuzzy with her still half asleep but she had certainly heard more than enough, the parts that really matter, she's certain of that.
He's hers? He more than likes her? It's rapidly becoming apparent that she needs to say something, something that could very well end in her complete and utter humiliation. But at the same time, she knows she'll never find any kind of inner peace unless she does so.
She takes an audible breath, forcing herself to meet his eyes as she gazes up at him. ]
Akihiko, I don't wish to presume anything but... [ God this is so hard to say... ]
Are you perhaps... in love with me?
...The same way I think that I may be in love with you.
[ Oh god, did she actually say that? Aloud? For the first time in her life, Mitsuru Kirijo feels like sinking downwards and hiding under their shared covers.
What she says next sounds like she might be contemplating doing just that, tugging the covers further up towards her chin as she murmurs... ]
[And of course THAT'S when it catches up to him on what Mitsuru is saying. That she might be in love with him. He sucks in his breath, feeling like she just landed a strike right between his lungs. Weird how it both hurts and doesn't all at the same time.]
"Y-you... Might love me too-?"
[Even as his heart gives a weird lurch, Akihiko has to remind himself that he hasn't been frozen in ice yet. So this isn't the worst direction this conversation could have gone in. Though his pulse begs to differ with how much it pounds through him, and leaves him almost shivering.
At least Mitsuru hasn't commented on that yet. He doesn't want to give off the impression that he's scared of her-
...Or at least, he's not completely scared of her. Or what she's talking about.
Though if he's a little bit shaky, it's clear that he's not the only one. Especially with how Mitsuru is sinking into the covers, and almost drifting away from him. And he can't quite sit by and watch that happen.]
"W-wait."
[He stretches a hand out and carefully lays his fingers across her shoulder.]
"..."
[Granted. Now that he has the physical touch down, he needs to figure out what to do or say next.]
"...Not arguing that it's embarrassing. If I knew you were listening, I'd try to speak better. I'd just been working on figuring it all out, and saying it out loud was... I was hoping I'd get some more practice in, before talking to you.
But I... I guess you figured out what I've been trying to say. It's just been hard to figure it out, or get it into words. But I... I... Think I feel the exact same-"
[And that's when his other hand takes her opposite shoulder. And he's moving half on reflex now with trying to pull he close and hoping this is the right call and she's not going to shy away now.]
[ She's immediately attuned to the fact that he says "too", the way he says it implying that this feeling isn't exactly one-sided. It feels as though her heart might burst or otherwise beat right out of her chest. ]
Yes. I feel... a strange sort of pain when we sleep apart or whenever I feel as though you may be in some sort of distress. It's difficult to describe.
[ She swallows, still nervous - not a feeling that she is used to and honestly it's unsettling. Part of her does still want to bury herself in the blankets and refuse to re-emerge or else flee their apartment altogether, but then Akihiko pulls her close and well... She still feels those impulses but him against her, warm and solid... Turns out that could do wonders to calm her.
She won't stop herself burying her face into his chest though, refusing all eye contact for a moment. A compromise, to stop her retreating. ]
I think I need to say it again, properly this time.
"Let me guess... If I'm sad you're sad too? Because that's a lot like what I've been going through. Gotta admit, I also sleep better when I'm near you."
[That odd jolt when she buries her face in his chest is still something he's getting used to. It's an echo of before, when they were both reeling from the effects of contaminated water... But at least this time he doesn't feel like he's about to lose his mind.
Just that he doesn't want to do anything, other than hold onto her. And maybe let his grip go a little tighter when he hears those three words. He has to remind himself not to crush Mitsuru, and watch his strength.
He isn't able to find a response right away; at first the best he can do is sway back and forth with Mitsuru, pushing his lips against the top of her head and nuzzling at it.]
"...Turns out you're braver than me, huh? You managed to say it to me, before I could figure out how to tell you."
[Not that he's content to sit back and not try to keep up with her.]
"L-love you."
[He murmurs that into her hair, before forcing himself to try again.]
"Right back at you- I mean to say, I love you too. Took me a while to finally admit it while you're awake, but..."
[But maybe he can settle with kissing the top of her head again.]
Something like that, yes. It's as though I have some sort of pain in my chest...
[ It's more than a relief to hear him say those words back to her, it's everything she needs and wants to hear in this moment. Perhaps a part of her was afraid that he wouldn't reciprocate, that she's standing out here on this precarious ledge alone. But no, he's by her side in this too, as he always is.
No chance of crushing her here and his arms tighten around her, Mitsuru sighs, finally letting herself relax totally into his embrace. She closes her eyes as he kisses the top of her head. ]
I'm not sure what we're supposed to do now, but this seems like a good start.
[ Just being near him like this. She lets out a soft chuckle as she recalls something from moments ago. ]
This... "your girl" business. Perhaps I'd be more inclined to say yes if you phrased it slightly differently?
[Akihiko gives a low agreeing murmur; maybe they're a little out of their depth about this; it's certainly nothing he's ever trained or studied for. But for all of that, they don't seem to be doing too badly right now. Especially if the contentment curling through his chest and relaxing his muscles is anything to go by. He could stay like this for a while-
...But he's about ready to groan when Mitsuru brings up 'your girl' again.]
"...Phrasing it as 'my girl' was a mistake. I'm starting to realize that."
[As he talks, he lets his head drop a little closer so he's closer to her ear. And that enticing spot on her neck.]
"Would you prefer 'girlfriend' then? Or is 'partner' more of your thing?"
[And as he's saying all that, he lets his lips just graze at her skin. Two can play at that teasing game, although he's a lot more physical about it.]
[ Maybe one she won’t ever let him live down. Maybe. ]
I believe “girlfriend” would be the expected term for someone in our peer group, would it not?
[ Trust her to phrase all of that as though she’s some kind of Victorian from outer space.
His lips on her skin isn’t something she’s expecting though, an audible gasp escaping her. She’s slightly alarmed to discover that the effect upon her is almost as immediate as when they had both been in the beginning stages of their respective transformations… Mitsuru feels herself growing warm, a strange fluttering feeling slowly forming in her lower belly. ]
… I really don’t believe you’re fighting fair now, Akihiko…
[ Words aside, as she fights to keep any kind of arousal out of her voice, she feels herself leaning into it. ]
"You're right... Probably not fighting fair. We could call a truce if you want; you stop teasing me about that 'your girl' stuff, and I'll stop this."
[Weird though, how a part of him hopes she won't call a stop just yet. Especially with the way she's leaning into him, and making those gasping noises. He can't help but be a little bit proud he can pull a reaction like that out of Mitsuru.
Or maybe it's also that he feels grateful, that she's still willing to drop her guard enough to react like this.]
"Guess I can work with 'girlfriend' and 'boyfriend.' Just never thought it would apply to either of us... Not that I mind being wrong about it."
[He tries to give her a little bit of a break, murmuring that against Mitsuru's cheek instead of her neck.]
You really think that I would call a truce so easily?
[ It's foolish really, to be stubborn about something like this but with Akihiko, well... They tended to bring out that side of one another, although Mitsuru usually kept that part of her on a much shorter leash these days. Junior high, their first of year of high school, all of that was a long time ago now after all.
But maybe she just plain likes what he's doing, isn't ready for him to stop yet. He's giving her a break regardless, but she can still feel the telltale tingle on her skin of where his lips were mere moments earlier, still feel that heat that she can't quite put a name to yet but doesn't want it to go away, as she reaches to gently grip his shoulders.
She sighs softly. ]
In that case, I suppose I could get used to having a "boyfriend"...
"You're right, I should've known that you wouldn't yield so easy."
[Oh, he's certainly teasing her at this point. There's a light shiver in his shoulders when Mitsuru places her hands over them; his body giving him a brief reminder that he enjoys the contact with her.
He considers her ear for a moment before putting his lips close to that.]
"Seems like you're getting pretty used to it; at least you're not complaining about our arrangement right now."
[Maybe he's referring to their sleeping arrangement, the sudden honesty with their feelings... Or the way he's giving her ear a brief, experimental nibble before kissing it.
It to be sure, he's trying his luck. But he's also seeing this as something of a challenge now.]
[ A challenge, yes that is entirely what this is. That's entirely the reason she feels so warm in the face and riled up at the graze of his teeth on her neck again. It's obvious that she has to take control back somehow, to seize the upper hand in this... test of wills.
It's just that has her using her grip on his shoulders to rise and encourage him to lie back on the bed as she moves to position herself on top of him. She's suddenly acutely aware that they're both still in the none too thick fabric of their sleepwear but that dwelling on that should be dismissed to focus on the challenge. She's absolutely not going to think about the fact that she can feel parts of his body that she never thought she would while they're like this.
She leans in, the lustrous tendrils of her red hair tumbling about them both as she moves to kiss first his mouth, quickly, briefly, before moving to his neck. Mitsuru kisses him there, letting him feel the graze of her teeth and tongue the same way he had been doing to her. Her voice is a little... huskier than usual, a little softer, as she murmurs in response against his neck. ]
You're correct, I'm not complaining about it. But you're free to anytime, Akihiko...
[ She follows it up with another soft yet teasing bite. She wonders briefly what it would be like to mark his skin again, whether he would like that... ]
[He's not proud of that startled but pleased sound that jumps out of his mouth, once Mitsuru kisses him on the lips. At least it doesn't seem to discourage Mitsuru, with how she stays straddling him.
And how she keeps teasing at his neck. NOW he's starting to understand what she means about not fighting fair. His breathing is going a little more heavy, and there's another odd noise escaping his lips as she teases at his neck.]
"Only thing I mind is that you're not..."
[How is he supposed to put this, exactly? That she's not as aggressive as she could be?
And he's weirdly excited by that thought? It's certainly pushing an electric feeling down his back and into his stomach, before settling deeper.]
"Th...That is. You could be a lot more forceful, if you wanted. I wouldn't complain."
[He finds himself reaching with one of his hands and gently weaving his fingers into Mitsuru's hair. Not pulling on it of course... Just appreciating it, and how the strands shift between his fingers. Certainly not something he's been able to savor much, until now.]
[ She's not...? Mitsuru isn't sure where he's going with this at first and she's almost momentarily concerned that she's doing something completely and utterly wrong. She's never done anything like this before after all...
What he's just trying to tell her that he's not liking this in the most polite way possible?
But then he finishes that sentence and a dark blush begins to spread across her face. There is something else too, a none too small thrill at the thought... ]
...I see.
[ She finds herself shuddering pleasantly as Akihiko weaves his fingers through her hair. She considers his neck where she was teasing it, finally spurred on enough to bite him there, teeth grazing him hard enough to leave a mark as she sucks gently on his bare skin. She can't rein in the strange feeling of satisfaction at her handiwork, the way she's marked him. She murmurs against his neck. ]
[He's making a lot of weird noises from that sudden contact, and that flash of pain followed by relief. Figures that this would end up being one of his turn-ons... Though Akihiko is also realizing he should probably say something about it, before she gets the wrong idea.]
"Y-yeah... A lot like that!"
[Not exactly dignified, how he wheezes and gasps that out. His hands go up to clutch at the back of Mitsuru's head and hold onto it all through the biting.]
"Guess I... Like it when you're a little rough. Feels a little like a test for me."
[...And that's partially true, but not 100% accurate. Akihiko lets his breath out slow, and lets himself collapse into the bedsheets.]
"...And I also guess that I just like feeling how strong you are. Reminds me that you're-
...Well. You know."
[SAY IT, his thoughts shout at him. No running away from this or shying away from another challenge.]
[ She finds herself enjoying the way he gives into her, the way he collapses to the sheets underneath them both. It spurs her on, her lips trailing lower until she's at the collar of whatever tshirt he had decided to wear to bed yesterday night, her mouth and teeth finding his collarbone where she leaves yet another mark on his skin,
Mitsuru might be slowly but steadily getting used to the pair of them becoming increasingly physically intimate, but it's quite another thing to hear Akihiko call her beautiful. He'd always been quick to compliment her skill in battle- "amazing as always"- but this... this hits different.
New colour rises to her cheeks as she pauses to look him in the eye. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
SHARING A BED: THE SEQUEL
His dreams, for starters, were determined to be weird. He found himself back on the BEASTFORCE obstacle course from before. Still climbing it with Mitsuru, reaching the summit of the artificial mountain and getting ready to hit the last checkpoint button...
...Except he suddenly wasn't able to do that. Because something much more important had come up, when he saw that Mitsuru's hair was tangled from the climb with a few bets of glitter and fake snow stuck to it. And somehow, according to his dream logic, it was way more important that he help her comb out her hair, even if he just had to gently work it with his fingers-]
"WhMits-???"
[It's almost a relief that he wakes up from that. And doesn't have to dwell on that weird dream any longer.
...Almost. Until he feels something warm curled up against him, draped over his body, and pinning him in place. That's when Akihiko wonders if he should take a closer look, or just hope that he suddenly slips straight back into sleep. Because he already has a notion of what he's dealing with... And why he was dreaming what he did.]
:>
She's still mostly asleep following Akihiko's small outburst, although beginning to stir towards wakening. She murmurs something incoherent in her slowly waning sleep, soft and sleepy... it's no wonder her hair in particular had seemed to feature in his dream. With her head nestled against his chest, those red locks are definitely in his personal space. ]
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[He mutters that out under his breath. He's trying not to wake her up and untangle himself at the same time... But that's proving hard to do when Mitsuru is pinning him to the mattress.
...And when his fingers have found themselves tangled up in her hair and cradling her head.]
"...That explains the dream."
[He mutters to himself. Looking around, his guess is they're right on the cusp of daylight. So it's all the more vital he somehow find a way out from under Mitsuru before she wakes up.
He really doesn't want to start the day Executed.]
"Starting to think this whole sharing thing was a bad idea."
[He can't help but mutter to himself, trying to keep his voice low as he works his fingers free. Though that also means he's still stroking her hair in a way, feeling how soft it is against his hands... And he really, really doesn't want to dwell on that right now.
Maybe he'll have more luck with his other hand, and how it's thrown over her back. Though the more Akihiko takes in his surroundings, the more he's realizing there's no way he'll be able to move without waking her up.]
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...
Akihiko...
[ She's clearly still asleep, for now at least.
Either way, he'll have plenty of time to digest that and if he doesn't manage to move her it'll be a good five or ten more minutes or so before Mitsuru starts to shift in her sleep and turns to face the other side of the bed. Mostly freeing Akihiko in the process, although some of her long hair still trails across part of his pillow. ]
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[Hearing her say his name like that... That's enough to freeze him in place, and Akihiko wonders at how Mitsuru is able to stay asleep. He's pretty sure the pounding of his heart would be enough to wake anyone up, especially when they're laying right on top of it.]
"Mitsuru?"
[He keeps his voice pitched low, half wanting to wake her up and ask what on earth is going on... But also half worried about what happens when she opens her eyes.]
"A-are you okay?"
[But hearing her say his name in that gentle tone... He has to ask. And his fingers start tracing through her hair instead of untangling, like he can coax an answer out of her.]
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It’s a strange thing, to look into the eyes of the person you were just having a particularly vivid dream about. The contents of said dream being very confusing.
Suddenly, he’s not the only one with a pounding heart, though she gives no sign of this.
It takes her a moment or two to respond, still recovering from sleep. ]
…
I’m fine. I was just… dreaming.
We were just in combat against a particularly powerful Shadow. That was all.
[ It really wasn’t. ]
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"You... Said my name while you were dreaming. Guess one of us needed some help in that fight?"
[Better he talk about her dream than... Whatever the hell he just experienced. Sooner not dwell on his own dreams, or how he woke up with her on top of him.]
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Well that’s just fine. Nothing unusual about that. Could mean anything.
The way he’s removing his hand from her hair absolutely does not trigger any thoughts as to why she might have just been saying his name in her sleep… ]
Yes. [ ??? ]
You were being reckless. I was obviously reprimanding you.
[ obviously ]
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"...Uh huh. You were reprimanding me in the gentlest voice I've ever heard. Don't suppose you're going to start doing that when you're awake?"
[Wry as his expression is, his voice is oddly hushed and gentle. And seems to be determined to match what he's just heard.]
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Why is he talking to her like that? In that gentle tone. It’s not as though they’re always barking orders at each other or anything like that but this is… different.
Mitsuru suddenly has the overwhelming urge to escape from this conversation by any means necessary. Instead, she just tries to remain calm, composed, impassive in her response. ]
I don’t remember exactly. As I understand it, people don’t often recall the entirety of their dreams.
Perhaps you’d been gravely injured and I was just concerned. Or something similar to that.
[ Yes. That’s it. She has absolutely no memory of the two of them, his hand gently combing through her hair, as they gaze at one another and-
Absolutely not. ]
I... I see no reason to deviate from how I've always spoken to you.
[ This is weird. The odd, hushed atmosphere... even beyond the fact that the pair of them had only just woken up. There's something else and right now, Mitsuru doesn't care to address it.
Or perhaps she's afraid to. ]
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[Suddenly he's reminded of why they're in this position in the first place; because he went and got himself shot, and... And he's still not sure why Mitsuru was afraid for him. But he's feeling an echo of that now.
He wants to reach back out to her. To reassure her that he's fine. Instead, his fingers dig into the bed sheets, clutching at them. And he can't help but think it's a poor substitute for holding onto her, or threading his fingers through her hair-
And he also spares a moment to wonder what the hell is wrong with him. Why is he even thinking of her like that? Or dwelling on how it felt to wake up with her curled against him?
It's clear she doesn't want to dwell on it. And equally clear he should be following her lead.]
"Right. No reason to change things up, just because of a weird night.
Or... A weird couple of nights; pretty sure this counted as strange."
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Just because you've worried me before doesn't make you responsible in this case.
[ There is also the fact that she's not being at all truthful about what it is she was actually dreaming. About him.
As he clutches the bedsheets, Mitsuru sits up, her back against the pillows as she slowly draws her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. Like him, she finds them a poor substitute... but she won't let herself think about that. ]
Most of our time here so far has been odd, sometimes unnerving. [ Like him getting injured. ] It's only natural that we have the odd unsettled night.
I don't think we should read into dreams too much.
[ She's saying that to reassure herself as much as anything else. Although he doesn't need to know that. ]
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[Seems he's trying to reassure himself in turn. Akihiko blinks up towards the windows as the sky brightens outside. At least he doesn't have to worry about trying to go back to sleep.
Though now he finds himself worried about something else. Namely, what he's supposed to do if this happens again.]
"Hey... Mitsuru? About having a couple of unsettled nights, I was worried about something. I-if you woke up, and you were curled up next to me and..."
[He's really hoping that she can't see the pink settling into face. It's suddenly very hard to talk, so he forces the next words out in a rush.]
"Andifwewerehugging then you wouldn't be... Angry about it, right? No Executions or anything? A-and sorry if that's a weird question. If it's too weird to ask I can gobacktomyroomandit'sfine."
[He's already shifting uneasily on the mattress, ready to get up and make an undignified retreat back to his own room before he gets frozen...
...Though it's weird, that he's hesitating on doing just that. Instead he holds his breath, waiting for Mitsuru's answer.]
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...
What you're asking is purely hypothetical of course?
[ The truth is... well, perhaps she's a little more aware of what she's been doing than he realises. There might have been another morning, a couple of days prior, where Mitsuru had woken to find herself very much not on her side of the bed.
She had moved, eventually. Somehow, without waking Akihiko. Or at least she thought she had. Perhaps he'd known all along... or perhaps she had done it again. ]
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[He's woken up once or twice feeling oddly warm. And then had a task with untangling himself from Mitsuru before she could wake up and notice. And then there were the times where he wasn't sure if he was awake... Or just having oddly vivid dreams of her curled up against him.
All those instances are weighing down on him, and maybe that's what causes him to babble.]
"I was nervous about that. We're supposed to be watching each other's backs, but I... Guess I just don't want to do anything you don't like."
[Though she certainly didn't seem to mind it while she was asleep... But awake is an entirely different matter. Content as he was to comb out her hair in his dreams, he's not about to try that in reality.]
"Or get into your personal space; I know how much you value that! A-and again, if you think it's too much trouble, then... I could leave or something-"
[In theory he could easily go back to his own room.
But the thing is, he doesn't really want to. Or at least something is holding Akihiko back, just like it's keeping him fixed to the sheets.]
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[ She cuts herself off. Apparently thinking better of what she was about to say. She can't just go with the first thing out of her mouth, with what she has an urge to say- no, she needs to be measured about this, think it over first.
So he knows.
In fact he knows even more than Mitsuru herself does it seems. During a time in her life when she had been experiencing more nightmares that she can ever remember having, she can't exactly escape the truth that she had been sleeping far more soundly ever since he had started spending the nights with her in her room.
She isn't sure why that realisation causes her heart beat to quicken in her chest or why her face suddenly feels... warm. They were just watching each other's backs in light of the attack, safety in numbers and all that. This was only ever supposed to be a temporary thing; sharing a room, sharing a bed...
So why then does the thought of asking him to go back to his room, or leaving her, make her feel slightly hollow inside?
Still, she knows what she has to do here. It's no longer a question of want. ]
I think... perhaps now that a threat doesn't seem so imminent it might be wise that we return to our respective rooms in the evenings.
We should remain vigilant but it seems unlikely that a retaliation from thugs like that would happen at such a later date.
[ Yes, that's right. Focus on the attack, the practicalities... she doesn't have to touch all of the other stuff. Them being in each other's personal space, the warmth, the feelings of safety and contentment...
No. Mitsuru will be ruthlessly practical as always. What other choice does she have? ]
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...Yeah. You're right. Looks like we're out of the worst of it. Probably better if we go back to separate rooms now."
[This is supposed to be a good thing, right? This way they don't have to worry about invading the other's space. No waking up with someone curled and clinging against the other. Besides, this means he can go back to decorating his own room. Making it his. Akihiko tries to tell himself all of these things... But weirdly there's still something that makes his heart lurch.
Even though that's stupid; this is solving their problems.]
"Well, looks like the day is starting up. I might as well get up too."
[Sooner he gets out of this bed, the better off they'll both be. That's what Akihiko keeps mentally repeating, as he forces himself up.]
"I-I'll see you later tonight, then. Out in the living room."
[Not in here.
And he'll keep on telling himself that's for the best, if that's what Mitsuru really wants.]
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When was the last time she had felt that in such an unabated way? Or slept so well? Without waking in the morning to feel the residual effects of her nightmares still gnawing away at her psyche?
Still, what other choice does she have in this? She can hardly expect Akihiko to spend every night in her room from now until forever. What would her justification even be for that? That it felt... good?
Mitsuru swallows, hopefully in such a way that he doesn't notice before composing her thoughts and gazing at him in a composed, measured way despite her internal turmoil. ]
Right, yes. We should both get ready for the day.
I shall see you later then - in the living room, as you say.
Sharing A Bed: The Threequal
[At least this time when Akihiko wakes up curled against Mitsuru, he doesn’t panic. This is only becoming more common, every night they spend together. The major change is how he’s been waking up with his arms wrapped around her, almost protectively with how he curls around her.
Doesn’t mean that he won’t try to move away from her, though.]
“…Mitsuru? You’re still asleep?”
[He waits for a long moment before letting his breath out and carefully untangling his arms from her. He props himself up on his elbow, looking over Mitsuru; the way she seems to be resting easily, how her hair cascades down her shoulders… He catches himself reaching out to trace his hand through her hair, and pulls it back with a sigh.
This is getting out of hand. How much he seems to crave her presence, and her contact. Getting that water contamination out of his system has only helped so much.]
“At some point I need to tell you this while you’re awake, but…
I-I think it’s more than just liking you, now. I keep thinking back to what happened between us, with those changes, and biting each other, and… It’s stupid but I liked that on some level. STILL like it. Probably why I haven’t bothered to heal up my shoulder.”
[He rolls his arm as he says that; probably for the best Mitsuru isn’t awake, so she can’t see that stupid, satisfied smile. Having that mark on his skin almost feels like a trophy, in some weird way.]
“But at the same time, I know how hard it is for you to open up. You’re afraid of getting hurt, so you don’t let people get too close. I know that normally you probably wouldn’t kiss and mark me like that. Or let me do the same.
…And I guess that makes two of us. Because I could be talking about myself; being scared about getting too attached, or letting things get to important and then risk losing them.
But sometimes…
…Most of the time…
…I feel like you’re worth the risk.”
[He can feel his breath going shaky, after pouring his heart out like that. And once again, he can’t help but feel a little bit glad that Mitsuru is still asleep. At least he’s pretty sure she’s still asleep.]
“Ha… I’d ask if you’d be my girl. But I’m pretty sure you’d Execute me for phrasing it like that. Still need to figure out how to tell you any of this when you’re awake.”
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Akihiko.
She's conscious of his arms around her as she begins to drift into wakefulness, that had been a more recent new development and certainly not an unwelcome one. Is he talking to her right now though? She thinks she hears her name mentioned and a question, something about her still being asleep? Well, yes, she is still asleep, mostly. Therefore she expects that to be the end of his attempt at conversing with her.
Only it isn't.
Akihiko says something about needing to tell her this when she's awake and yes, why doesn't he do that? Why exactly that is becomes all too clear as she goes on. Mitsuru has her back to him, which is fortunate, because he can't witness her eyelids begin to flutter and open - wide open as it happens. How can they not be with what he's saying to her? Every sentence seems to make her heart pound a little harder, until he gets to the bit about the way she had marked him and his reluctance to heal himself - she can practically hear the smug smile on his face in the tone of his voice and it's all she can do not to immediately roll over and chuck a pillow at his head.
But the rest... the rest... it hits home. Those parts about being too afraid to get attached, every word of that is all too familiar to her but then he's saying that she's worth the risk to him and she feels that maybe, just maybe, he might be worth the risk too. He wants her to be his girl- it's not difficult to work out what that means, even with the ridiculous way he had worded it.
Mitsuru swallows, her throat feels incredibly thick of all sudden and her heart is racing worse than ever when she finally, slowly begins to roll over... and looks straight at him. ]
...
I wasn't entirely asleep.
[ deep breaths, Mitsuru ]
Your girl? You want me to be your girl, Akihiko?
[ Of course, she sounds appropriately incredulous at the wording but also... nervous? For once in her life. As though she can't quite believe the sentiment behind it, or doesn't dare to in case this isn't actually happening. ]
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[He... Hadn't really planned on this outcome. Probably should have anticipated it though; even if Mitsuru has been sleeping a lot more soundly as of late, of course she can still wake up and be aware of her surroundings. She has to, in their line of extracurriculars.
Not that it makes this situation any easier for him.]
"Y-you're... You're telling me you heard all of that?"
[At least his voice doesn't squeak at the end. It's the one part of him that manages to stay calm, even as his face starts to go red. His arms are also shaking, and that same tremor is working its way up to his shoulders.
Maybe that risk of Execution is a lot closer than he thought it was.
Too late to take his words back, of course. Or ask her to forget any of it.]
"I... Guess I could've worded that better. But I just figured that fair is fair; asking you to be my girl, because I'm pretty sure I'd be yours by default-
Agh- That doesn't sound any better!
But I... I did want to tell you sooner or later that it's a lot more than just liking you... A lot, lot more. Just wasn't expecting it to be this much sooner."
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[ Well, mostly. The beginning was a little fuzzy with her still half asleep but she had certainly heard more than enough, the parts that really matter, she's certain of that.
He's hers? He more than likes her? It's rapidly becoming apparent that she needs to say something, something that could very well end in her complete and utter humiliation. But at the same time, she knows she'll never find any kind of inner peace unless she does so.
She takes an audible breath, forcing herself to meet his eyes as she gazes up at him. ]
Akihiko, I don't wish to presume anything but... [ God this is so hard to say... ]
Are you perhaps... in love with me?
...The same way I think that I may be in love with you.
[ Oh god, did she actually say that? Aloud? For the first time in her life, Mitsuru Kirijo feels like sinking downwards and hiding under their shared covers.
What she says next sounds like she might be contemplating doing just that, tugging the covers further up towards her chin as she murmurs... ]
...This is so embarrassing.
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"Y-you... Might love me too-?"
[Even as his heart gives a weird lurch, Akihiko has to remind himself that he hasn't been frozen in ice yet. So this isn't the worst direction this conversation could have gone in. Though his pulse begs to differ with how much it pounds through him, and leaves him almost shivering.
At least Mitsuru hasn't commented on that yet. He doesn't want to give off the impression that he's scared of her-
...Or at least, he's not completely scared of her. Or what she's talking about.
Though if he's a little bit shaky, it's clear that he's not the only one. Especially with how Mitsuru is sinking into the covers, and almost drifting away from him. And he can't quite sit by and watch that happen.]
"W-wait."
[He stretches a hand out and carefully lays his fingers across her shoulder.]
"..."
[Granted. Now that he has the physical touch down, he needs to figure out what to do or say next.]
"...Not arguing that it's embarrassing. If I knew you were listening, I'd try to speak better. I'd just been working on figuring it all out, and saying it out loud was... I was hoping I'd get some more practice in, before talking to you.
But I... I guess you figured out what I've been trying to say. It's just been hard to figure it out, or get it into words. But I... I... Think I feel the exact same-"
[And that's when his other hand takes her opposite shoulder. And he's moving half on reflex now with trying to pull he close and hoping this is the right call and she's not going to shy away now.]
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Yes. I feel... a strange sort of pain when we sleep apart or whenever I feel as though you may be in some sort of distress. It's difficult to describe.
[ She swallows, still nervous - not a feeling that she is used to and honestly it's unsettling. Part of her does still want to bury herself in the blankets and refuse to re-emerge or else flee their apartment altogether, but then Akihiko pulls her close and well... She still feels those impulses but him against her, warm and solid... Turns out that could do wonders to calm her.
She won't stop herself burying her face into his chest though, refusing all eye contact for a moment. A compromise, to stop her retreating. ]
I think I need to say it again, properly this time.
Akihiko, I... I love you.
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[That odd jolt when she buries her face in his chest is still something he's getting used to. It's an echo of before, when they were both reeling from the effects of contaminated water... But at least this time he doesn't feel like he's about to lose his mind.
Just that he doesn't want to do anything, other than hold onto her. And maybe let his grip go a little tighter when he hears those three words. He has to remind himself not to crush Mitsuru, and watch his strength.
He isn't able to find a response right away; at first the best he can do is sway back and forth with Mitsuru, pushing his lips against the top of her head and nuzzling at it.]
"...Turns out you're braver than me, huh? You managed to say it to me, before I could figure out how to tell you."
[Not that he's content to sit back and not try to keep up with her.]
"L-love you."
[He murmurs that into her hair, before forcing himself to try again.]
"Right back at you- I mean to say, I love you too. Took me a while to finally admit it while you're awake, but..."
[But maybe he can settle with kissing the top of her head again.]
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[ It's more than a relief to hear him say those words back to her, it's everything she needs and wants to hear in this moment. Perhaps a part of her was afraid that he wouldn't reciprocate, that she's standing out here on this precarious ledge alone. But no, he's by her side in this too, as he always is.
No chance of crushing her here and his arms tighten around her, Mitsuru sighs, finally letting herself relax totally into his embrace. She closes her eyes as he kisses the top of her head. ]
I'm not sure what we're supposed to do now, but this seems like a good start.
[ Just being near him like this. She lets out a soft chuckle as she recalls something from moments ago. ]
This... "your girl" business. Perhaps I'd be more inclined to say yes if you phrased it slightly differently?
[ She's teasing him. ]
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...But he's about ready to groan when Mitsuru brings up 'your girl' again.]
"...Phrasing it as 'my girl' was a mistake. I'm starting to realize that."
[As he talks, he lets his head drop a little closer so he's closer to her ear. And that enticing spot on her neck.]
"Would you prefer 'girlfriend' then? Or is 'partner' more of your thing?"
[And as he's saying all that, he lets his lips just graze at her skin. Two can play at that teasing game, although he's a lot more physical about it.]
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[ Maybe one she won’t ever let him live down. Maybe. ]
I believe “girlfriend” would be the expected term for someone in our peer group, would it not?
[ Trust her to phrase all of that as though she’s some kind of Victorian from outer space.
His lips on her skin isn’t something she’s expecting though, an audible gasp escaping her. She’s slightly alarmed to discover that the effect upon her is almost as immediate as when they had both been in the beginning stages of their respective transformations… Mitsuru feels herself growing warm, a strange fluttering feeling slowly forming in her lower belly. ]
… I really don’t believe you’re fighting fair now, Akihiko…
[ Words aside, as she fights to keep any kind of arousal out of her voice, she feels herself leaning into it. ]
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[Weird though, how a part of him hopes she won't call a stop just yet. Especially with the way she's leaning into him, and making those gasping noises. He can't help but be a little bit proud he can pull a reaction like that out of Mitsuru.
Or maybe it's also that he feels grateful, that she's still willing to drop her guard enough to react like this.]
"Guess I can work with 'girlfriend' and 'boyfriend.' Just never thought it would apply to either of us... Not that I mind being wrong about it."
[He tries to give her a little bit of a break, murmuring that against Mitsuru's cheek instead of her neck.]
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[ It's foolish really, to be stubborn about something like this but with Akihiko, well... They tended to bring out that side of one another, although Mitsuru usually kept that part of her on a much shorter leash these days. Junior high, their first of year of high school, all of that was a long time ago now after all.
But maybe she just plain likes what he's doing, isn't ready for him to stop yet. He's giving her a break regardless, but she can still feel the telltale tingle on her skin of where his lips were mere moments earlier, still feel that heat that she can't quite put a name to yet but doesn't want it to go away, as she reaches to gently grip his shoulders.
She sighs softly. ]
In that case, I suppose I could get used to having a "boyfriend"...
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[Oh, he's certainly teasing her at this point. There's a light shiver in his shoulders when Mitsuru places her hands over them; his body giving him a brief reminder that he enjoys the contact with her.
He considers her ear for a moment before putting his lips close to that.]
"Seems like you're getting pretty used to it; at least you're not complaining about our arrangement right now."
[Maybe he's referring to their sleeping arrangement, the sudden honesty with their feelings... Or the way he's giving her ear a brief, experimental nibble before kissing it.
It to be sure, he's trying his luck. But he's also seeing this as something of a challenge now.]
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[ A challenge, yes that is entirely what this is. That's entirely the reason she feels so warm in the face and riled up at the graze of his teeth on her neck again. It's obvious that she has to take control back somehow, to seize the upper hand in this... test of wills.
It's just that has her using her grip on his shoulders to rise and encourage him to lie back on the bed as she moves to position herself on top of him. She's suddenly acutely aware that they're both still in the none too thick fabric of their sleepwear but that dwelling on that should be dismissed to focus on the challenge. She's absolutely not going to think about the fact that she can feel parts of his body that she never thought she would while they're like this.
She leans in, the lustrous tendrils of her red hair tumbling about them both as she moves to kiss first his mouth, quickly, briefly, before moving to his neck. Mitsuru kisses him there, letting him feel the graze of her teeth and tongue the same way he had been doing to her. Her voice is a little... huskier than usual, a little softer, as she murmurs in response against his neck. ]
You're correct, I'm not complaining about it. But you're free to anytime, Akihiko...
[ She follows it up with another soft yet teasing bite. She wonders briefly what it would be like to mark his skin again, whether he would like that... ]
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And how she keeps teasing at his neck. NOW he's starting to understand what she means about not fighting fair. His breathing is going a little more heavy, and there's another odd noise escaping his lips as she teases at his neck.]
"Only thing I mind is that you're not..."
[How is he supposed to put this, exactly? That she's not as aggressive as she could be?
And he's weirdly excited by that thought? It's certainly pushing an electric feeling down his back and into his stomach, before settling deeper.]
"Th...That is. You could be a lot more forceful, if you wanted. I wouldn't complain."
[He finds himself reaching with one of his hands and gently weaving his fingers into Mitsuru's hair. Not pulling on it of course... Just appreciating it, and how the strands shift between his fingers. Certainly not something he's been able to savor much, until now.]
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What he's just trying to tell her that he's not liking this in the most polite way possible?
But then he finishes that sentence and a dark blush begins to spread across her face. There is something else too, a none too small thrill at the thought... ]
...I see.
[ She finds herself shuddering pleasantly as Akihiko weaves his fingers through her hair. She considers his neck where she was teasing it, finally spurred on enough to bite him there, teeth grazing him hard enough to leave a mark as she sucks gently on his bare skin. She can't rein in the strange feeling of satisfaction at her handiwork, the way she's marked him. She murmurs against his neck. ]
Like this, Akihiko?
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"Y-yeah... A lot like that!"
[Not exactly dignified, how he wheezes and gasps that out. His hands go up to clutch at the back of Mitsuru's head and hold onto it all through the biting.]
"Guess I... Like it when you're a little rough. Feels a little like a test for me."
[...And that's partially true, but not 100% accurate. Akihiko lets his breath out slow, and lets himself collapse into the bedsheets.]
"...And I also guess that I just like feeling how strong you are. Reminds me that you're-
...Well. You know."
[SAY IT, his thoughts shout at him. No running away from this or shying away from another challenge.]
"That you're... kindabeautifullikethat."
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[ She finds herself enjoying the way he gives into her, the way he collapses to the sheets underneath them both. It spurs her on, her lips trailing lower until she's at the collar of whatever tshirt he had decided to wear to bed yesterday night, her mouth and teeth finding his collarbone where she leaves yet another mark on his skin,
Mitsuru might be slowly but steadily getting used to the pair of them becoming increasingly physically intimate, but it's quite another thing to hear Akihiko call her beautiful. He'd always been quick to compliment her skill in battle- "amazing as always"- but this... this hits different.
New colour rises to her cheeks as she pauses to look him in the eye. ]
Now you're just trying to distract me.
[ A dirty tactic ]