( a normal cold on harumasa looks significantly worse than it would on your average person. this isn't even that, but it might resemble such. fever complete with cold sweat and tremors that never seem to stop. but lighter's touch only has him wearily opening his eyes and smiling rather brighter than the slowness would suggest. )
Ah...thanks...for not worryingβ
( he interrupts himself with coughs that take a little time to subside, only to bleed into a soft laugh. )
I guess I owe you one.
( there's no excuse for reaching up to touch the back of lighter's hand, nor to holding it in a way that lets him lean into the palm. if lighter wants to stop him, he certainly can; if lighter doesn't want to stop him, well, that's fine too. it's less about feeling relief from warmth but rather grounded by human touch. real. alive. here.
still here.
when harumasa was no more than a boy who still had a penchant for strawberry cake and his master's approval, he was even more shameless.
terrifying, in its own right.
even when he lets go it's not because he's having mercy or decorum; it's because he's shaking too badly, so it falls to the side. ah. someone like himself shouldn't even daydream about these things, much less do anything about them; but maybe it can't be helped. asaba harumasa β wind chaser. impossible possible things.
the smaller stray makes a piteous sound. it's not too different from "food?" but it is different even so, punctuated by how it slinks closer and lets its tail drag around harumasa's arm and wrist. much like lighter perhaps: not worried. but you know. present. a witness. who happens to help. not worried at all. but strays always give themselves away. it's probably true of harumasa too to a degree, despite his worldclass lying license. but with sorts like lighter and the quadruped cat, it's even more so. harumasa doubts they could stop caring even if they wanted to; even if they still do, sometimes. but loss is a thing you carry or it crushes you, and if it's the former it wends its away into everything else: you know how it is to not-have because you know what it is to have. sun or rain.
"not worrying" that is fingers to the temple, or a sort of secret laugh layered in soft coughing: i'm glad it's you. not really intelligible, but the sentiment persists. so: sun despite the rain. )
no subject
Ah...thanks...for not worryingβ
( he interrupts himself with coughs that take a little time to subside, only to bleed into a soft laugh. )
I guess I owe you one.
( there's no excuse for reaching up to touch the back of lighter's hand, nor to holding it in a way that lets him lean into the palm. if lighter wants to stop him, he certainly can; if lighter doesn't want to stop him, well, that's fine too. it's less about feeling relief from warmth but rather grounded by human touch. real. alive. here.
still here.
when harumasa was no more than a boy who still had a penchant for strawberry cake and his master's approval, he was even more shameless.
terrifying, in its own right.
even when he lets go it's not because he's having mercy or decorum; it's because he's shaking too badly, so it falls to the side. ah. someone like himself shouldn't even daydream about these things, much less do anything about them; but maybe it can't be helped. asaba harumasa β wind chaser. impossible possible things.
the smaller stray makes a piteous sound. it's not too different from "food?" but it is different even so, punctuated by how it slinks closer and lets its tail drag around harumasa's arm and wrist. much like lighter perhaps: not worried. but you know. present. a witness. who happens to help. not worried at all. but strays always give themselves away. it's probably true of harumasa too to a degree, despite his worldclass lying license. but with sorts like lighter and the quadruped cat, it's even more so. harumasa doubts they could stop caring even if they wanted to; even if they still do, sometimes. but loss is a thing you carry or it crushes you, and if it's the former it wends its away into everything else: you know how it is to not-have because you know what it is to have. sun or rain.
"not worrying" that is fingers to the temple, or a sort of secret laugh layered in soft coughing: i'm glad it's you. not really intelligible, but the sentiment persists. so: sun despite the rain. )