crescentview | | that's the price you pay

( Mishka, not at all reliable for the fire, has set about working on pitching the tents and setting up their accommodations. This he pays particular mind to, because this is one of few times he's had the luxury of creating a tent that's actually comfortable, and he does want Adelis to rest easy, where he doesn't usually.

He's straightening the lay of the tent on the poles when Adelis asks, and to this he grins. )

The tinderbox is in one of my pockets, I'm afraid. You'll have to come fetch it from me directly.

( Is he flirting? Yes. He's not got a lot of time left, and he knows it weighs strangely on Adelis, and it weighs strangely on himself, too. With the floodgates broken, he just wants to make best use of his time. )

[ Considering most 'camping' trips have been nothing but bedrolls and campfire, and perhaps a steady perimeter of traps- this feels nigh luxurious in comparison. Most things around here are, really, but it's easier to notice when it's just the two of them.

Especially when it's just the two of them. It feels surreal, after all his memories came back, to picture they'd be here right now- but here they are, on an island, setting up a bloody weekend camping trip with the afternoon sun in the sky. None of these are things that they would have had, had they never came here.

He could do without the bullshittery, however.

Adelis' gaze narrows at that, an aggravated click of the tongue following. ]

And yet your hands seem to be in perfect working order?

[ Fucker. Regardless, he grumbles as he gets to feet, sauntering over until he stops in front of him and their little tent project, splaying out his hand as he leans over. The soft ruby red of his earring glints in the light. ]

Hand it over, you git.

They're preoccupied.

( He's making sure the tent won't collapse on them. Very important, very occupied, can't help you, sorry.

But it does bait Adelis into getting closer to him, and his gaze crosses the earring's shine before it reaches Adelis's face, and his smile curls his lips. Adelis's hand out, he takes it in his own to place it against some satchel or another around the side or back of Mishka's belt— pulling Adelis up against him, his other arm wrapping around him comfortably. )

See?

( Mishka thinks he's so cute. Though his hold hardly seems oppressive at first, he won't let Adelis pull free if he tries. )

I think it's in one of these pockets, but you'll have to check.

Edited 2023-03-10 09:26 (UTC)

[ Preoccupied, he says.

Certainly, he's doing something, but he's skilled enough to manage it- but he doesn't know why he was expecting anything less, really. He's still glaring down with narrowed eyes as that hand slips into his own, Mishka's far warmer skin brushing the cold of his own, pulling his blackened fingers down towards the satchel attached to the back of his belt-

But then Adelis finds them flush, arm sliding around the curve of his back, and he tenses up before making an aggravated noise in the back of his throat. His free hand presses flat to Mishka's chest, gaze sharp to divert from the reddening tint of his ears. He's gotten bloody shameless lately, much to Adelis' chagrin. ]

If I had wanted to just take it from you, I'd have just pickpocketed your handsy arse.

[ UNIMPRESSED!! And mildly embarrassed. But regardless, he keeps strict eye contact as he lets his fingers delve down into said satchel, looking for that stupid tinderbox. If he wants better from him, he'll have to try harder. ]

( Mishka's slipped the tinderbox into a smaller fabric drawstring bag, and then put it in one of his back satchels, to disguise the texture and shape and make it a bit trickier for Adelis to feel out :) There's also a lot of random things in the satchels right not, but not that much that's useful. Just as a fun challenge! )

Do you think it'll be that easy?

( He speaks against his head, closer to his ear as he caresses the side of his face with one hand and tilts his ear up, and the other hand, at his back, works its way lower, fingers curling under the hem and layers and palm brushing warm against the skin there. )

If you leave me to my own devices, who knows what I'll do?

[ Are you for real. A cursory sweep, and he can already feel he's in for a bad time(tm). After finding nothing similar after a brief moment, there's an experimental brush of his hand that tells him yeah, there's more then one back here. He really did that.

There was also a suspiciously shaped bottle in there, but he's just not going to address that right now.

The voice so close to his ear has him growing taut for a moment, fingers skimming his face, before the hand that dips below the hem of his sweater earns a hiss through his teeth. It's warm, yes, and he won't deny it...feels alright, begrudgingly, but also? He's petty. ]

You don't need to be left to your own devices to be insufferable.

[ To the next satchel, then, filled with more useless junk- a bell? And is that a pen? For fuck's sake. His other hand coils in Mishka's shirt as he glares further, very much deciding to act like the touch is not distracting him. ]

Now, now. I'm being kind; I didn't put anything in there that would hurt you.

( Which he most certainly could have, as he has no qualms against it, if this were a proper training session, but. If anything, he's only playing at this being a challenge, flirting in his circuitous way, as he does.

He lets the sweater fall low in the wake of his touch and guard him from the cool winds, his palm a slow sweep along his body, feeling each nick and scar and well-earned muscle with particular touch, adoring, affectionate, and needlessly expansive, across the muscles of his back, his side, his stomach. )

Yes, of course. Your generosity truly knows no bounds.

[ The sad part is he definitely knows that Mishka could and would do that. No question. That he hasn’t is proof he’s just playing with him, and he huffs in response.

His fingers twitch while they delve as the exploratory press of the other’s fingers skims over his skin, leaving sparks of warmth in their wake. It’s…soft, and adoring, and he feels the red creep a bit further as he digs a bit harsher in retaliation.

Adelis’ fingers close around something small and vaguely rectangular, wrapped in cloth, and he finds his scowl growing. ]

Really. Did you plan on doing this from the get-go?

Edited 2023-03-10 20:41 (UTC)

I figured it might come up eventually.

( So, yes, but he was flexible with the timeline.

He likes it, though, the way he warms Adelis, affects him, and leaves his mark. He can tell Adelis has about made it to the end of their game, and he considers, for a moment, leaving things here, for Adelis has rightfully won this little diversion. But has he ever taught Adelis to expect a fair fight?

So he'll throw Adelis off his balance, quite literally— an arm slipping back around his waist to support him as he dips him low, another catching his wrist at his satchel and curling his fingers around Adelis's hand, arresting his search. It's not proper dirty play, because Adelis can still power through, certainly, but it does mean he's got a firm enough hold to keep him from making off with it. Like the rest of this, he's playing at a challenge more than anything.

He presses his lips against Adelis's ear, breath warm, and voice secretive and low. )

... But I can keep you warm, can't I? We hardly need a fire yet.

( Realistically, they'll definitely want a fire. But also, )

[ The noise Adelis makes in the back of his throat is nothing short of vaguely disgusted. This bitch....

He's irritated, yes, but not how he usually would be. Not with the knowledge he has now, and not with the vague sense of a clock hanging overhead that ticks down every second loud in his ears. There's something in how Mishka delights in touching him, dragging his fingers over every mark Adelis goes out of his way to hide now, that makes the heat seeping into his skin rush towards his face.

Before his fingers can move to pull out the item itself, his grip in Mishka's shirt tightens abruptly as he's promptly dipped backwards, fingers wrapping around his hand as he finds himself staring up at the taller man with wide eyes. The way lips press to his ear force him to suppress a shiver, but he's not giving in that easily. ]

You've got quite the stones if you think a few hugs and handsy touches will put up a proper fight against the chill. [ Fucker. He's still trying to wrap his hand around that hidden matchbox, albeit with more difficulty. ] It sounds more like you've simply got every excuse lined up for shoving your hands in my clothes.

[ The touch is nice, admittedly, but he's not going to up and say that out loud. Just because Adelis can't make eye contact right now doesn't mean he can't make his testiness known, hand sliding up to faintly dig nails in his neck. ]

And I'm certainly not getting any warmer down here. Idiot.

| that's the price you pay

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject