[ if only they also were flyboarding instead but then i would be too embarrassed to go on
naturally, he has no intention of bringing any attention to his evol, or the fact that he's carrying rinne. the weight isn't familiar to him in the slightest, but the warmth somehow is. but, rafayel would rather not think about that. his own ears are a little red, if just because he never expected to save anyone here, much less the man he shared a bed with (platonic). though, he'd just as quickly blame rinne for seeming embarrassed first????
but, considering i didn't read either, rafayel is making a beeline for the opposite side of the bridge. if they're going to run, they're going to get somewhere as far as he's concerned. thankfully, by using the flames as a distraction, they're making it pretty far. almost there! ]
Don't yell in my ear, or this fish will have to swallow this little fox whole! [ says him, also yelling.
but, if they embarrassingly fall into the ocean, at least... he's probably better at swimming than running. ]
Also, can you do something about that? It's uncomfortable.
[ he feels something hard. put your gun away, rinne. ]
Edited (hit enter too early) 2025-08-18 20:00 (UTC)
[ Now, if they're sharing heat because Rinne always wants to imprint and Rafayel incidentally also wants to imprint, that's not his fault. Turn yours off first? Jeez.
That said, um. He's sorry. His face burns as bright as Rafayel's flames. ]
No, 'cause you're imprinting on me, dumbass! [ But Rinne's doing the same? ] Don't tell Prez. [ But it's okay to tell Niki? ] I-It never happened.
[ Embarrassing. First he pins this man to his bed (platonic), and now this...
Anyway, the squid makes one last attempt to shake them off by bringing a tentacle down near the end of the bridge. Do they make it?! Or will Rafayel die with Rinne's boner on him ]
[ it's true. since being here, there are a lot of first times for him. not necessarily in the rising heat he feels, but in whom it may be directed towards. it makes him feel uneasy to know that he's also feeling... something. but, maybe that's why it's easier to focus on rinne's wrongs. (rinne did nothing wrong) ]
You're the one who clung to me first, asking me to save you. [ except, not in those exact words. ... or words at all, really. but, even rafayel wouldn't just let him die. actually, does this make them even? it's a question, he surprisingly doesn't think of for once.
but, wait a minute. ] What does your "prez" have to do with th—
[ the last tentacle hits the space right behind his shuffling of feet, and rafayel makes one last leap forward. which inevitably means they're hitting the ground, yeah. sorry rinne. is it good that he never ends up asking? ]
[It's for the best. Right now, Rinne's acting entirely on instinct. With practiced precision, Rinne twists mid-air, holding Rafayel close to his chest as he takes the brunt of the landing's impact. It takes a moment for him to come to. When he does, he recognizes the exact position they're in.]
...You I'm really grateful and I know you want a prize for that, but can your reward wait? I'm kinda compromised right now.
[ in the heat (laughs) of the moments, he doesn't fully register what happens. unfortunately, fighting wanderers didn't necessarily prepare him for dramatically falling forward, or finding himself cradled in the arms of someone who should have been a stranger to him, but isn't. so even when he hears the tentacles begin to recede back into the ocean, he can't exactly be relieved.
if just because his own embarrassment takes precedence.
but, in spite of his ear and cheeks feeling like they're on fire, he figures he should at least try to figure out if rinne is okay, which might be why he's trying to slip his hand on rinne's neck, and it's the worst timing for him to wake up. rafayel plays it cool by pretending he wasn't trying to check on him.
but, then yeah. why are they this close. he pushes against rinne's chest to get up. ]
Y-you... you did it first. I told you no.
[ what is he even talking about. not even rafayel knows, but he does know to blame rinne. ]
[ why does this thread get worse each time i check. Anyway, as he stirs awake, the hand on his neck feels familiar. Oh, right. This is what Niki does to check if he's sick every time the weather changes ever so slightly. That's been happening more often now that he's in a completely different world... But that's nothing Rafayel should know. The color in his cheeks should tell him Rinne appreciates the gesture, though. ]
Why am I the bad guy now?
[ With his palm flat on Rafayel's chest, Rinne pushes the man off and sits himself up. He needs to hide his shame as soon as he can... ]
I guess I am. Imprinting gets us to trust each other faster, but I didn't think about you moving like that. I just wanted someone to...
[ ... ]
I guess you're the good guy for saving me. Thanks.
[ just two men with boners who narrowly escaped death... nbd. they can blame it on the adrenaline. or that's what rafayel would do. he's a little relieved when he feels the push against his chest and he settles back on his knees. he doesn't need to look down, instead he tucks his legs over, and begins also turning his body away from rinne.
it's good enough excuse to catch his breath, too. ]
Someone to what? [ he asks, because he's naturally nosy curious.
... and maybe, because he actually wants him to finish that sentence. but, even if he doesn't, rafayel shakes his head. ]
It was just a moment's strategy. Not everything is about that.
[ he means imprinting.
none of this sounds particularly convincing, but rafayel doesn't care for once. fronting in front of rinne just felt... kind of pointless, especially when he's seen him at his worst. does this mean, he won't hit up rinne in the future for free melon yogurt drinks because "he owes him"? no, it's the opposite. ]
[ there's a long stint of silence. just a brief shuffling of clothes, and the sound of rafayel dusting himself off. he opens his mouth for a second and closes it. then he starts again: ] You're also...
maybe kind of cool, if just for having saved him once. maybe twice in a way. but, rafayel never finishes those words, because he's also petty and suddenly remembered when rinne ditched him last time and he can't be the one to be left behind again.
so he literally leaves while rinne is talking and being very heartfelt, actually. this is so mean. ]
Rinne has half a mind to call out to him, but... Hmm. Maybe he gets it. Rinne doesn't deserve more attention than this. He should be lucky someone saved a shitty, powerless person like him at all! So that... makes sense.
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naturally, he has no intention of bringing any attention to his evol, or the fact that he's carrying rinne. the weight isn't familiar to him in the slightest, but the warmth somehow is. but, rafayel would rather not think about that. his own ears are a little red, if just because he never expected to save anyone here, much less the man he shared a bed with (platonic). though, he'd just as quickly blame rinne for seeming embarrassed first????
but, considering i didn't read either, rafayel is making a beeline for the opposite side of the bridge. if they're going to run, they're going to get somewhere as far as he's concerned. thankfully, by using the flames as a distraction, they're making it pretty far. almost there! ]
Don't yell in my ear, or this fish will have to swallow this little fox whole! [ says him, also yelling.
but, if they embarrassingly fall into the ocean, at least... he's probably better at swimming than running. ]
Also, can you do something about that? It's uncomfortable.
[ he feels something hard. put your gun away, rinne. ]
no subject
That said, um. He's sorry. His face burns as bright as Rafayel's flames. ]
No, 'cause you're imprinting on me, dumbass! [ But Rinne's doing the same? ] Don't tell Prez. [ But it's okay to tell Niki? ] I-It never happened.
[ Embarrassing. First he pins this man to his bed (platonic), and now this...
Anyway, the squid makes one last attempt to shake them off by bringing a tentacle down near the end of the bridge. Do they make it?! Or will Rafayel die with Rinne's boner on him ]
no subject
You're the one who clung to me first, asking me to save you. [ except, not in those exact words. ... or words at all, really. but, even rafayel wouldn't just let him die. actually, does this make them even? it's a question, he surprisingly doesn't think of for once.
but, wait a minute. ] What does your "prez" have to do with th—
[ the last tentacle hits the space right behind his shuffling of feet, and rafayel makes one last leap forward. which inevitably means they're hitting the ground, yeah. sorry rinne. is it good that he never ends up asking? ]
no subject
...You I'm really grateful and I know you want a prize for that, but can your reward wait? I'm kinda compromised right now.
no subject
if just because his own embarrassment takes precedence.
but, in spite of his ear and cheeks feeling like they're on fire, he figures he should at least try to figure out if rinne is okay, which might be why he's trying to slip his hand on rinne's neck, and it's the worst timing for him to wake up. rafayel plays it cool by pretending he wasn't trying to check on him.
but, then yeah. why are they this close. he pushes against rinne's chest to get up. ]
Y-you... you did it first. I told you no.
[ what is he even talking about. not even rafayel knows, but he does know to blame rinne. ]
no subject
Why am I the bad guy now?
[ With his palm flat on Rafayel's chest, Rinne pushes the man off and sits himself up. He needs to hide his shame as soon as he can... ]
I guess I am. Imprinting gets us to trust each other faster, but I didn't think about you moving like that. I just wanted someone to...
[ ... ]
I guess you're the good guy for saving me. Thanks.
no subject
it's good enough excuse to catch his breath, too. ]
Someone to what? [ he asks, because he's naturally
nosycurious.... and maybe, because he actually wants him to finish that sentence. but, even if he doesn't, rafayel shakes his head. ]
It was just a moment's strategy. Not everything is about that.
[ he means imprinting.
none of this sounds particularly convincing, but rafayel doesn't care for once. fronting in front of rinne just felt... kind of pointless, especially when he's seen him at his worst. does this mean, he won't hit up rinne in the future for free melon yogurt drinks because "he owes him"? no, it's the opposite. ]
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[Well... Since there's no reason to front about this... Rinne assures him with a shy smile.]
... Don't worry. I won't tell anybody about any of this. The super cool Raffy is safe with me.
1/2
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maybe kind of cool, if just for having saved him once. maybe twice in a way. but, rafayel never finishes those words, because he's also petty and suddenly remembered when rinne ditched him last time and he can't be the one to be left behind again.
so he literally leaves while rinne is talking and being very heartfelt, actually. this is so mean. ]
no subject
Rinne has half a mind to call out to him, but... Hmm. Maybe he gets it. Rinne doesn't deserve more attention than this. He should be lucky someone saved a shitty, powerless person like him at all! So that... makes sense.
Dammit. He has to be stronger.]