001. every story is a song // open post.

[kyriff]

Take a prompt, take some time, drop in whenever you like.

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Waking the Dead 2.0 | Timeskip Shenanigans

[larue]

[ It's a little strange to know that he can't just wander up to the dorms to see Yulia and Stanley right before breakfast anymore. It had never been a thing, really -- they'd all had their morning routines to adhere to -- but the knowledge that the three rooms they'd taken for themselves on that first night at Falner are now free for other people to take makes him feel a little nostalgic.

So he finishes his jog, makes use of Balamb's shower rooms when he's done, and wanders over to the Great Hall for breakfast; where he grabs food, coffee, and settles down to watch something on his tablet, earbuds in place. ]

[kyriff]

[And about an hour later, there will be a Presence just over Josh's shoulder.

Somebody's watching with you and trying not to be too obvious about it.]

[larue]

[ He's actually watching Remember the Titans. He hasn't seen this one in a while, and learning that he could purchase the movie online with barely a fraction of the money he hasn't so much as touched from his universal credit card into his Vice tablet is something that pleases him. Incredibly.

He's quiet though, as he watches a bed-ridden Bertier calling out to the nurse why she can't see the family resemblance between him and his black teammate and finds that he has to pause the movie.

It's hitting a little too close to home.

Funny, that.

So yeah, he's finally noticing that Rethe is behind him and ducking his head sheepishly. ] H-hey.

[kyriff]

[Welp. He's just as embarrassed as you.]

Oh. Um. [Herp. ._.] Sorry. Hi.

[larue]

[ No need to be though!

This is Josh pulling up a free seat and settling down his earbuds as he offers a smile that's a little less startled. ]

Hey, man. Come sit. [ And because you were looking over his shoulder... ] I can... start the movie from the beginning if you want to watch?

[kyriff]

[FIDGET, FIDGET, FIDGET. Also blushing. Yeah.]

Um. No, it's okay.

[He looks like he's about ready to bolt. Er. Um.]

[larue]

[ It's hard to believe sometimes that Rethe is a Malice King -- it helps, he supposes, that he's seen him in action, though more on the few walks they've had rather than in combat.

It's not even that the psychopomp looks young, it's mostly that in moments like this -- he acts it. And it's disarming.

Josh smiles then, unplugs his earbuds from the tablet and sets it aside for a moment. ] How're you?

[ Cue sheepish, utterly harmless smile before he waves idly at the paused screen. ] Was just going through an old favorite.

[kyriff]

[Cry cry now he's stopped watching aaaaa--]

I'm okay. [Trying for a smile now. A small one.] You... you watch a lot of movies?

[larue]

[ Rethe might be smiling, but it's kind of cute and funny how much he's giving off the faintest resemblance to a cornered rabbit.]

Sometimes, [ have a harmless smile and shrug of shoulders ] not as much as I used to? But this thing might change that.

[ He pats the tablet lightly with his fingers, and then looks back, canting his head in question: ] And you?

[kyriff]

Yeah, when I'm not too busy. I really like movies, actually.

[And he can't help but show that he's kind of really enthusiastic about it? Rethe has always viewed his love for it as a kind of addiction, and a guilty pleasure. Who would have thought, right?]

[larue]

[ It's a great thing to see, that enthusiasm. And of course, Josh is going to latch onto it like a fish to a line. ]

Top five favorites?

[kyriff]

Well, it's kind of hard for me to choose... I kind of have a list for every decade.

[And promptly getting VERY EMBARRASSED now. Such a fanboy, Rethe. This doesn't look good on you.]

[larue]

[ This is the light of interest shining in his eyes. ]

Every decade. [ It's not so much a question as a request of please share. ]

[kyriff]

Well. Yeah. Um.

[Kind of looking furtive and out of place all over again. Is that a bad thing? ;w;]

[larue]

[ Seriously? ]

Rethe, [ have an encouraging smile ] you said we're friends, right? [ His fingers are playing with the screen of his tablet at this point. ] But I realized I don't know that much about you other than you can do amazing things where it concerns sending off and dealing with ghosts, have pretty amazing taste in music and the talent to spin, old-school style, and now... that you love movies.

[ A smile again, small, coaxing. ] I might be speaking out of turn but... you don't have to feel shy about talking to me about stuff like this.

[ A beat, and then: ] I want to know.

[kyriff]

[Stahp, you're embarrassing him. ;A;

Looking away for a bit, and kind of wishing that his cheeks weren't heating up. When he finally musters up the courage to turn back in Josh's direction though, he's smiling a little.]

Okay. Well... I have copies of all of my favorites. I could give them all to you, if you like.

[larue]

[ He just watches Rethe for a bit, notes the expression that flits across his companion's features before he looks away and turns back.

One would think he wasn't used to making friends befor--

--hm. ]

That's be really awesome. [ A pause, ] If you're okay with doing that...?

[kyriff]

Mm, I am. I don't really get to talk movies with a lot of people.

[Riley is an Old World Gentleman, Rilea and Calintz have their own world, Liandrin is... Liandrin, Jessie claims that he's often too busy for 'that sort of shit', Lorenzo always falls asleep within 5-10 minutes of any showing, Alistair is Uninterested, Orin is kind of really out of the question while he's still an open secret on the estate grounds, and...]

Hikaru's usually the one that I get to watch stuff with, but it's been pretty hectic for us lately.

[larue]

[ Huh. That's... odd. ]

What about... Aidan?

[ It's a gentle sort of query. ]

[kyriff]

Oh. Well.

[Well. Well.

Looking down again. His hands are suddenly so interesting.]

I've never really asked him. I don't think I should.

[larue]

[ Never really asked-- ]

But, [ how to handle the subject delicately because wow, what? ] So what do you guys do when you hang out [ ...? ] for fun.

[ ...that sounded... not right. ]

[kyriff]

[A little confused now. Uh.]

We eat together? I also drop by in the mornings while he's out on the yard, and he comes around to watch me when I have sets at Haven.

[There is also... well, sex... but okay no Rethe is aware of how totally TMI that might be.]

[larue]

[ This is the face of someone who is running the following thought through his brain: But... aren't you guys married? ]

Well, yeah. But... you have your meals at the Great Hall-- [ well, most of the time, as far as Josh has seen anyway ] and you're not exactly hanging out together when you spin.

[ The image of the two Malice Kings chilling out in the yard is cute though, but again, its not much of an activity done together as opposed to being in the same place. It's not that it doesn't count but-- ]

You should watch a movie with him sometime. Maybe, you can both pick a film each and then watch both together?

[kyriff]

[Shaking his head even before Josh is finished.]

I couldn't possibly ask him.

[larue]

[ It's the couldn't.in that phrase that makes Josh frown.

Quietly, he asks: ] Why not?

[ It's technically none of his business -- but Rethe is a friend, and it's just a little strange to hear him talk as if a movie with his husband is something he isn't allowed to ask for. ]

Doesn't he like movies?