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[glub]

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[tindery]

[ looks concerned for some reason ]

She needs better taste in men first.

[ not the rare shot fired back at his beloved baby sister ]

[glub]

[ ... ]

What's wrong with her tastes?

[ who was her last crush... ]

[tindery]

[ hm.

it takes him a second to answer this one. tobari's probably told rafayel an awful lot about growing up in poverty, relying on the community of his mother's friends after she died herself when he was very young and suzune was just born. there's probably also just been a very specific gap of who he has and hasn't mentioned. ]

... I had an older brother figure growing up.

[ another pause before he just starts grouching like usual, as if he hasn't utterly failed to mention this person's existence to raf until now ]

So let's start off with the fact that he was way too old for her? She makes me way too worried sometimes.

[glub]

[ help, i just realized this is office au and he didn't have to be a fish

we could have made him an... alien or discord kitten instead. anyway, he does recall tobari mentioning a few things of his past; the tumultuous environment he grew up in, and the community that had taken him in. what he hasn't heard is... ]

Oh. [ ?

he stops walking for a second, before: ] ... Did you like him too!?

[ sorry, he knows this was serious, but now he's seriously worried... ]

[tindery]

[ AN ALIEN? DISCORD KITTEN? DID YOU REALLY MEAN FOR THIS TO BE OFFICE AU WHY DOES RAF STILL GO TO EXHIBITIONS AND GO INTO HEAT IF THIS AN OFFICE bijou where are we

this is an insane question though and tobari is going to look at raf like he grew a second head ]

Did you miss the part where I said 'brother'?

[glub]

[ i know, i totally forgot... redo of office au where he pesters tobari and skips deadlines and disappears for his lunches

but, tobari's face is both a little scary and funny. ]

You said "figure," you know. [ isn't that a type people like?

looks at caleb. ]

[tindery]

[ put up another booktok post

he rolls his eyes ]

That doesn't make a difference to me. Family is family.

[ i'm so sorry caleb, tobari wouldn't be into your trope ]

We were close, but I never saw him that way so stop being worried about weird things.

[glub]

[ HELP

you can't truly gege-zone caleb like this. ]

Worried? Hey, don't you think you're jumping to conclusions?

[ he shakes his head. ] I know you're mine. I was more worried about your sibling relationship, especially if you both liked the same man.

[tindery]

You're creating an insane drama...

[ he shakes his head ]

Suzune just really liked him. Didn't work out. But he was always something of a sweet talker and wasn't very honest.

So I'm hoping it was just a fluke...

[ he needs his sister to have a better type... ]

[glub]

[ raf... says "don't jump to conclusions," while he then proceeds to think up something way crazier. ]

There's no way that's an actual type?

[ lol. ]

Besides, she has us.

[tindery]

[ nods ]

If some shitty playboy breaks her heart, I'd have to break every bone in his body.

[ this is

probably an exaggeration ]

[glub]

You sure that's all we're going to have to do?

[ he gives a shrug, though. ]

But, nah. She's probably fine. I mean, she has a good example of a good guy right in front of her, right? [ pokes tobari's side from behind him. ]

[tindery]

[ glances over at the poke like ? ]

Are you praising yourself?

It’s true she does like you a lot.

[ tobari and raf have their ups and downs mostly in the form of squabbling every five seconds but it is true that they’re remarkable stable otherwise. decent example relationship?? ]

[glub]

I meant you, dummy.

[ ? ] Though, I can see why you thought that.

[ but, also that's true too... they are fairly stable... in a world full of toxic gen z relationships. what's beyond generation beta, actually? ]

[tindery]

[ rolls his eyes ]

Suzune would make a wish to the Mountain God to make sure that her future partner is nothing like me.

[ feuding siblings... but tobari rolls his eyes, slowling his pace so it's easier to bring their joined hands up to kiss the back of rafayel's hand ]

I'd probably rest better if she could find someone half as good as you. [ and he does mean that. even if he has to follow it up with a taunt: ] Though it'd be nice if they were also half as much of a pain in the ass.

[glub]

That works out, because... there's only one of you, and you're already hooked on my line.

[ even if people may have one or two similar traits to tobari, he'd like to think the culmination of it all is what makes him so incredibly special to him. he can't imagine being drawn to anyone else like this, and in the same vein, he doesn't exactly want to think of it either.

but, wow??? he says something nice about his bf and??? this is how he's rewarded?? ]

Do you want that other half now?

[tindery]

[ wow... he also said something nice... he just followed it up with something insulting which is also very typical for tobari, but this one just makes him laugh. he can recognize when he's bullying raf on purpose.

so he'll pause in their walk for a second just to close the distance and give him a quick kiss—there's not many other people on the trail so tobari cares less about pda ]

Can it wait until we cross this bridge so I don't have to worry about you falling?

[ maybe they finally made it to the bridge before the statue of the mountain god... tobari doesn't mind playing around with his pouty bf but preferably not when bodily injury is a possible hazard ]

[glub]

[ a positive and a negative cancel each other out as far as rafayel is concerned. no, maybe it'd be more accurate to say that tobari is now sitting in the negatives. which is clear by the way rafayel is already huffing out a sigh.

though, per usual, tobari makes it exceedingly difficult to stay mad (or fake mad) when he's instantly devolving to such sweet gestures. regardless, rafayel still makes a show of wrinkling his nose slightly. ... even if he very contrarily seems to lean in just a little. ]

No can do. I have to keep you on your toes. You're looking a bit too comfortable lately. Maybe I'm feeding you too well? [ he says as he places a foot on the bridge, which seems to shift as he finds his balance on the first step. ]

[tindery]

Comfortable? Are your eyes broken?

[ tobari is very enamored with rafayel but he is also harried and stressed out every single day of his life. though to raf's credit, it's not always his fault. just sometimes.

this moment is stressing tobari out but it's far more on the bridge than rafayel himself, a frown immediately on his face even as they start their walk across it. it's a little automatic how he'll shift the hold of their hands so he can interlace their fingers to have a better grasp on his boyfriend... but otherwise tobari's own steps follow after easily ]

[glub]

See, that's exactly what I mean.

[ shakes his head as if he is a man married for 30 years and is exasperated by his husband. though, he does seem to recover when tobari's hand holds his, their fingers now laced together. he can't help but squeeze his hand, as they continue on the bridge. though, the second rafayel looks down... ]

I think it's the emotional damage from earlier that's really making me think about how high up we are.

[ listen, this may not be his finest work, but. ]

[tindery]

Talking about you being a pain was not an invitation.

[ and yet here they are—and tobari squeezes rafayel's hand reassuringly anyway! he reaches out with his free hand to gently tap beneath his chin, encouraging him to keep his eyes up

despite his grouching, his voice takes a slightly softer tone as he adds, ]

We'll be on the other side in no time, Raf. Just one foot in front of the other.

[glub]

[ it probably doesn't help when he just slightly tilts his head from side to side, as if he were confused at the prospect of it not being a request to be brat? ]

You were practically begging for it.

[ jokes aside, he is comforted by tobari's tipping his chin back up. it's true that he didn't necessarily enjoy the sensation of not being planted on firm ground. however, calling it a fear would be a clear exaggeration— it was disorienting at best. but, if it means tobari is focused on him...

then he's not about to correct whatever misunderstanding he might be having.

thank you, mountain god of romance. ]

When we get to the other side, I might need a hug...

[tindery]

So you’re milking it?

[ not rafayel immediately becoming less convincing because he’s greedy. but tobari rolls his eyes affectionately anyway, also putting one foot in front of the other to get them to the other side. ]

Now I wonder if I’m spoiling you.

[ why is he only wondering this now ]

[glub]

[ why are you always clocking him??? tobari is standing on business ]

Do I seem like the type who'd do that? I'm not such a fussy person, you know.

[ lol, but, he does pick up the pace just a little.

clearly excited to collect his hug tax. this probably only makes it less convincing, but he doesn't seem to realize this. or, he does and he's confident that tobari wasn't going to be stingy with it. (may or may not be a lie)

but yeah why are you only wondering this now after ages of brat enabling ]

[tindery]

I think it's impressive to lack self-awareness to this extent.

[ HE'S SO RUDE AND FOR WHAT

tobari will at least sigh as he goes along with the swifter pace, following after. is he going to give rafayel a hug? who's to say. once they actually make it across the bridge, he doesn't actually move to close the distance between them at all....

instead he's going to look for the statue that rafayel mentioned, pointing over to it ]

Did you want me to pretend to pray?

[ at least lie and say you'll actually pray!!!! ]