[ What excellent timing, protagonist. Leo is slumping over. By the time he's caught he's about to crumple entirely. His expression is bleary, confused, and then - ]
[Now he's snoring a bit on top of it??? None of this is good.
He quickly casts his eyes about, tries to figure out what's causing this. Akira feels like he can safely assume that one of the flowers near Leo was the cause, but fixing it is another situation entirely. There's nothing else here, though...
There's a staff member in the area, though, on the other side of the lawn. In case it rouses him at all, Akira tries to shake him awake as he calls out to the man some distance away.]
[Akira covers his face with his free hand, because this guy is seriously a cat...
It takes a moment for the staff member to notice him calling - whether that's from the distance or Akira being purposely ignored as a low-rank, that's harder to say - but eventually he's answered. The gardener is pleasant enough as he smiles and explains that no, the boy is fine, he's "simply blessed enough to have fallen into the rose thorn slumber! One kiss will do the trick whenever you feel like waking him up," and heads to the other side again to get back to work.
Or at least, Akira thinks he heads back and gets to work. He wasn't really paying attention to anything but the heat on his neck and his newfound knowledge.
It shouldn't be a big deal. It isn't. Akira's had to do a lot more to get by here, so a kiss should barely be a blip on the radar.
...So why does he hesitate, face hovering for just a moment?
He can't do that. Leo needs him, the gardener didn't say if he'd be stuck like this if he wasn't kissed. Akira doesn't want to risk that, so he shuts his eyes and leans down and-
It's always softer than he thinks it'll be. Kissing someone.]
[ Leo's a lot less hesitant about some things than other people are here. He doesn't mind the kissing or the sex or physical closeness. He should, as an idol. Sena and the others would scold him so badly...but he just isn't as hesitant as he should be.
He's always gotten attached easily, even if the details of the world get mixed up sometimes.
So when consciousness shifts back in, Leo kisses back. ]
[Akira jerks like it's a surprise, eyes flying open - but his lips keep moving.
He doesn't know why it's a surprise. It shouldn't be, because Leo has been ready to dive right in since the day that they met, so it makes sense that it wouldn't change now. He has no reason for hesitation.
Akira's eyes slide closed again. Maybe he shouldn't, either.
He's gone farther here, done so much more that this. He's used his body like a commodity, so using it to help someone shouldn't be a problem. If anything, it should be the natural conclusion for Akira, who does so much for others' sakes.
It's the marriage, he thinks between thoughts of pressure and warmth and somehow this is a lot. It was fake, a joke gone too far to save Akira's skin, but it's a layer that pulls him up short the way getting someone off doesn't.
It bears the threat of a connection that has emotion, and the only reason that doesn't qualify as scarier is because Akira can't afford to be afraid.]
Hmmm~! I'll text you whenever something comes up, then!
[ He absolutely will be trouble, but he actually doesn't mean anything badly by it at least...? Leo's just never got a sleep schedule when he's working. And, well, he's sort of disconnected from reality half of the time...he'll take any scolding laughing and probably keep being a nuisance regardless. Leo may get more people to feed him eventually and then the duties will be split a little bit...?
Besides, Leo's also friendly and generous when it comes to people he likes. Hiyori did reassure him they have meal coupons handled but he'd offered some when he heard there might be an issue at some point. He's fine with his friends invading his room whenever they want to use his things and he's happy to keep them supplied with music as long as they're stuck in casinoland.
well, they did for the plant effects that time. i haven't tried it every single time i've had anything happen, but you may as well check next time you get hit with something? that was like my first day here and i didn't know anyone well enough then to get some help. i mean i guess i could have asked rinne but i didn't
who, nika? we met that one time and she recited a poem for me and then i wrote music to it and sent it to her a bit ago. when i hear lyrics or words i like i can't help but wanna put them to a melody ♪
[If Leo gets lost then... Well, he'll just have to make Jun or Hiyori come. Or all three. It depends. Look at how serious he is with all his spelled out words instead of the nonsense he likes to type.]
I try not to get hit with stuff like that in the first place! But it must have been hard to know which precautions to take during your first day here. I'm thankful Rinne-senpai warned me about that stuff, I suppose. Almost makes up for all the worrying he's made me do, but not quite!
[Now that sounds like an innocent interaction. A few more like that and she ought to become infatuated, though, shouldn't she? Given that Monika-chan is so desperate for love that she'll throw herself at strangers in bathroom stalls, he imagines it shouldn't take much for her to "fall in love" with Leo. Which isn't a fate he wishes on Leo, but is preferable to her "falling in love" with Jun, so in other words, he supports this!]
That must have made her happy, since she seems to love attention. And the extra practice should be good for our shuffle unit, so that's what I call a win-win! It means she'll have something to sing at practice, too. Wonderful! 🥳✨
[ Unfortunately for Hiyori, seems like Monika can multi-task? ]
she said she liked it! but yeah that's what i meant when i said i had something she could use. the rest of it i can easily rearrange as well - it's not like arrangements are all that hard.
[Will Jun really want Leo's sloppy seconds? He sure wouldn't!]
Great! Sounds like we'll all continue to get along 🥰
You know Robin-kun, too, don't you? I found his profile while I was looking for yours. Although he's not from ES, he's also an idol! That's the first I've met apart from us. I said he could join us for practice too sometime, though we haven't made a date yet.
Hey. If you aren't doing anything on the 14th, can I book you for the evening?
I'd like to invite you to watch a performance of mine. I haven't performed publicly in some time, and I feel like it'd be nice to put on a little show.
[ Connections come easy to Leo. Or hard. It's difficult to say which is more true. After all, he's definitely the sort of guy who falls in love easily, cares easily - but he can obfuscate the truth about himself a lot. He doesn't always share every aspect of himself...perhaps he doesn't need to, perhaps he shouldn't, but the truth is not a lot of people look at him and see him clearly.
They see the surface. They never look to the depths.
He kisses back softly, only registering who it is a little ways in. Right, this guy - his husband, right? Father of his only child. ]
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