[It's a doujin, the cover showing Teethful and Blade back to back, Blade looking down at a locket with a pensive look, Teethful staring up at the sky with a sad smile.]
[The story opens in Betrayal Hotel. "Unfortunately, this didn't get us another locket, but hopefully that'll be useful!" [Content Warnings] said, handing over a pistol with a cheerful look. Blade looks worried, even as he accepts the pistol.
Teethful is looking at them, holding onto the locket around his neck. He looks at, hesitant, worried, even afraid. Before taking it off with a look of determination and holds it out to Blade. The scene goes on much like it did in reality, Blade's hesitation, and Teethful's insistence with a friendly smile counter to the worry that had been there before.
Teethful sees them off with a smile, before looking down at his bare neck with worry and then a serious nod. It's worth it.
What follows is daily life in Tokyo F. Izanagi going about his business when Teethful shows up, offering to share some food. It's new, he's excited to try it, but hey, better with someone. Blade is smart enough to realize it's iron rich foods, and things with vitamin C.
Teethful doesn't do it a lot, not enough to be badgering, when he asks more questions. What does Blade want to do with his life, about how things are with those he seems close to, why does he feel stuck. They're gentle, probing questions, never pushed too far, but perhaps that's why it's dangerous. Blade can't tell him to go away if he's gentle.
So Blade tries to avoid him.
Sometimes it's easy. Sometimes it means leaving out a window when Teethful was entering a public room.
A scene where Teethful is knocking on SensitIV's door and Blade is waiting for him to leave. Lucifel is the only other one in the apartment at the moment. Eventually Teethful leaves and Blade relaxes, Lucifel opening the door to see a package.
More iron rich foods.
"You're avoiding Rye-san?" Lucifel asks as he hands Blade the food. Blade stares at the food. "Did something happen?"
"Nothing happened. He just thinks we're closer friends then we are," Blade says in return.
A brief cut to the tower. '"I don't want others to worry about me-" makes it sound like I care. It's just troublesome to have people bothering me about it all the time.'
"Is that bad?"
"It is when he thinks that'll solve problems. Some things can't be solved," Blade said with a tired sigh, throwing away the food. "It's not like I need to eat."
"And yet Rye-san is trying to solve it?" Lucifel says with some surprise.
"He doesn't get the meaning of impossible!" Blade said, some of his frustration leaking through. "He should save his worry for people who care about him."
"...I don't think things like that matter to Rye-san," Lucifel said. Blade looks up and Lucifel is looking at his hand. "He shows that kindness he did in the hotel often. He's also very familiar with the impossible. Maybe there is a reason he thinks its not?"
Blade frowns and looks away, the scene changing, and he's looking at the locket. 'He was alone. He should have kept this to protect himself.' Another cut, remembering the smile on Teethful's face as he handed it over. "You know how I feel. You should have written me off." 'So why doesn't he?'
Blade can only avoid Teethful so long and then there's another game and this time, it's a drinking game. And of course Teethful is the only Wild City present. And gets very drunk. In the end, they're allies, so letting Teethful wander off in the city isn't acceptable and the rest of SensitIV has each other. So he decides to drag him back to his apartment.
Of course, if Teethful is easily distracted by new things normally, it's so much worse when he's drunk and Blade has to keep chasing after him as he looks at a new screen or button or a cool tiling pattern. Its a few pages of zany shenanigans before Blade finally gets them on the elevator.
"Thank you, Blade. For takin' care o' me," Teethful murmured, slumped against him on the floor.
"Of course," Blade said, giving Teethful a friendly smile. "Happy to help."
Teethful pokes his cheek. "Don't need to pretend. I 'member the tower."
Blade's smile fades. "Then why thank me?"
"'cause I want you to know I'm grateful. 'case you ever need to know you're appreciated," he said, closing his eyes. "So you know someone is happy you're around."
Blade stares at him like he's been struck.
He doubles down on his avoidance. Right up until another game happens and they're handcuffed together. They have to reveal a truth to get out and Blade hates it, he hates it, he hates it-
"I guess you could tell me exactly why you're avoiding me." Blade's head snaps up in surprise. Teethful raises an eyebrow. "You weren't that subtle."
"...you're always bothering me. I told you, I don't like it," Blade said.
Teethful hummed. "I thought it was being lowkey enough. Sorry." Except he doesn't look terribly sorry.
"Why are you so insistent? You can't really believe you can beat fate, can you?" Blade demanded.
"Yes," Teethful said.
Blade balked at that. "That's pretty arrogant, isn't it?"
"I've heard too many stories of the impossible, seen too many wonders, to believe anything is written in stone," Teethful said.
"Those were all just fated! Fate can't be beaten. The sooner everyone accepts that-" Blade started.
"The sooner you can die without issue?" Teethful asked.
Blade's mouth snapped shut and he actually glares at Teethful. "I don't care about you."
"You've said as much," Teethful agreed with a nod.
"If this is some hero complex, trying to save those doomed-"
"I've walked away from people I couldn't save," Teethful said with a shake of his head.
"Then walk away from me!" Blade snapped.
"I won't," Teethful countered, the determined look on his face.
"Why?!" Blade demanded.
Teethful doesn't answer right away, before reaching out, and hooking a finger at Blade's collar. Then tugging out a silver chain and the locket hidden under his clothes. "Because you desperately want to be saved," he said, face gentle.
Blade jerked back, snatching away the locket, trying to move away, but the handcuffs hold fast. "You don't know anything!"
"Maybe so. But that's why I keep asking. That's why I keep coming to you. Because it can be hard, to see the solutions when you're stuck in a cage," Teethful said.
"....because I don't care. About fate. About god or gods or demons or devils or whatever else. What I care about is someone in front of me is hurting and I believe I can help him," Teethful said. "And...even if he doesn't like me....I like him. I want a world where he's still alive, and able to be happy."
There is a clink. The handcuffs fall off and Blade stares at them. He hasn't even noticed the tears in his eyes. "I don't care about you," he whispers.
Teethful reaches out and pulls Blade into a hug, even as he curls up around the locket. "It's all right. You don't have to."
Re: Blade
[The story opens in Betrayal Hotel. "Unfortunately, this didn't get us another locket, but hopefully that'll be useful!" [Content Warnings] said, handing over a pistol with a cheerful look. Blade looks worried, even as he accepts the pistol.
Teethful is looking at them, holding onto the locket around his neck. He looks at, hesitant, worried, even afraid. Before taking it off with a look of determination and holds it out to Blade. The scene goes on much like it did in reality, Blade's hesitation, and Teethful's insistence with a friendly smile counter to the worry that had been there before.
Teethful sees them off with a smile, before looking down at his bare neck with worry and then a serious nod. It's worth it.
What follows is daily life in Tokyo F. Izanagi going about his business when Teethful shows up, offering to share some food. It's new, he's excited to try it, but hey, better with someone. Blade is smart enough to realize it's iron rich foods, and things with vitamin C.
Teethful doesn't do it a lot, not enough to be badgering, when he asks more questions. What does Blade want to do with his life, about how things are with those he seems close to, why does he feel stuck. They're gentle, probing questions, never pushed too far, but perhaps that's why it's dangerous. Blade can't tell him to go away if he's gentle.
So Blade tries to avoid him.
Sometimes it's easy. Sometimes it means leaving out a window when Teethful was entering a public room.
A scene where Teethful is knocking on SensitIV's door and Blade is waiting for him to leave. Lucifel is the only other one in the apartment at the moment. Eventually Teethful leaves and Blade relaxes, Lucifel opening the door to see a package.
More iron rich foods.
"You're avoiding Rye-san?" Lucifel asks as he hands Blade the food. Blade stares at the food. "Did something happen?"
"Nothing happened. He just thinks we're closer friends then we are," Blade says in return.
A brief cut to the tower. '"I don't want others to worry about me-" makes it sound like I care. It's just troublesome to have people bothering me about it all the time.'
"Is that bad?"
"It is when he thinks that'll solve problems. Some things can't be solved," Blade said with a tired sigh, throwing away the food. "It's not like I need to eat."
"And yet Rye-san is trying to solve it?" Lucifel says with some surprise.
"He doesn't get the meaning of impossible!" Blade said, some of his frustration leaking through. "He should save his worry for people who care about him."
"...I don't think things like that matter to Rye-san," Lucifel said. Blade looks up and Lucifel is looking at his hand. "He shows that kindness he did in the hotel often. He's also very familiar with the impossible. Maybe there is a reason he thinks its not?"
Blade frowns and looks away, the scene changing, and he's looking at the locket. 'He was alone. He should have kept this to protect himself.' Another cut, remembering the smile on Teethful's face as he handed it over. "You know how I feel. You should have written me off." 'So why doesn't he?'
Blade can only avoid Teethful so long and then there's another game and this time, it's a drinking game. And of course Teethful is the only Wild City present. And gets very drunk. In the end, they're allies, so letting Teethful wander off in the city isn't acceptable and the rest of SensitIV has each other. So he decides to drag him back to his apartment.
Of course, if Teethful is easily distracted by new things normally, it's so much worse when he's drunk and Blade has to keep chasing after him as he looks at a new screen or button or a cool tiling pattern. Its a few pages of zany shenanigans before Blade finally gets them on the elevator.
"Thank you, Blade. For takin' care o' me," Teethful murmured, slumped against him on the floor.
"Of course," Blade said, giving Teethful a friendly smile. "Happy to help."
Teethful pokes his cheek. "Don't need to pretend. I 'member the tower."
Blade's smile fades. "Then why thank me?"
"'cause I want you to know I'm grateful. 'case you ever need to know you're appreciated," he said, closing his eyes. "So you know someone is happy you're around."
Blade stares at him like he's been struck.
He doubles down on his avoidance. Right up until another game happens and they're handcuffed together. They have to reveal a truth to get out and Blade hates it, he hates it, he hates it-
"I guess you could tell me exactly why you're avoiding me." Blade's head snaps up in surprise. Teethful raises an eyebrow. "You weren't that subtle."
"...you're always bothering me. I told you, I don't like it," Blade said.
Teethful hummed. "I thought it was being lowkey enough. Sorry." Except he doesn't look terribly sorry.
"Why are you so insistent? You can't really believe you can beat fate, can you?" Blade demanded.
"Yes," Teethful said.
Blade balked at that. "That's pretty arrogant, isn't it?"
"I've heard too many stories of the impossible, seen too many wonders, to believe anything is written in stone," Teethful said.
"Those were all just fated! Fate can't be beaten. The sooner everyone accepts that-" Blade started.
"The sooner you can die without issue?" Teethful asked.
Blade's mouth snapped shut and he actually glares at Teethful. "I don't care about you."
"You've said as much," Teethful agreed with a nod.
"If this is some hero complex, trying to save those doomed-"
"I've walked away from people I couldn't save," Teethful said with a shake of his head.
"Then walk away from me!" Blade snapped.
"I won't," Teethful countered, the determined look on his face.
"Why?!" Blade demanded.
Teethful doesn't answer right away, before reaching out, and hooking a finger at Blade's collar. Then tugging out a silver chain and the locket hidden under his clothes. "Because you desperately want to be saved," he said, face gentle.
Blade jerked back, snatching away the locket, trying to move away, but the handcuffs hold fast. "You don't know anything!"
"Maybe so. But that's why I keep asking. That's why I keep coming to you. Because it can be hard, to see the solutions when you're stuck in a cage," Teethful said.
"It won't change my feelings for you!"
"It doesn't have to."
"Just answer why!" Blade demanded, looking desperate.
"....because I don't care. About fate. About god or gods or demons or devils or whatever else. What I care about is someone in front of me is hurting and I believe I can help him," Teethful said. "And...even if he doesn't like me....I like him. I want a world where he's still alive, and able to be happy."
There is a clink. The handcuffs fall off and Blade stares at them. He hasn't even noticed the tears in his eyes. "I don't care about you," he whispers.
Teethful reaches out and pulls Blade into a hug, even as he curls up around the locket. "It's all right. You don't have to."