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Title: A Change of Pace
Wordcount: 1000 something
What: Things get meta. tl;dr summary: I love him so muh huh huch...
Status: Com...plete?
"What's this today then, dad?" The reaper asked as the teacup was set down before him. It seemed almost a burnt orange shade, deeper than any tea and lighter than any coffee he'd ever been served... and he'd been in his father's cafe dozens of times. It wasn't rare for him to be served something new or experimental. He scrutinized it closely before taking a tentative sip. Bitter, sweet... not cloying. But it was neither coffee or tea. His 'father' knew how he liked it.
"Well? D'you like it?" The Director asked with a grin before sipping at his own teacup. His seemed lighter.
"Yeah! S'nice. Good job." Ronald answered, raising his cup to the tiny white dragon that served him in salute. It fluttered in midair, holding the tray to its scaley chest as it tittered its gratitude for the praise.
"Yuen Yang. A blend of both kopi and teh. Thought you'd like a change of pace." The Director continued before leaning back in his seat. "So! About the new boy. Spill."
It took Ronald a while to register the question. The look of surprise remained on his face as he watched the Director over the rim of his cup. Now there was an eager, nosy look if he ever saw one.
"He's different, inhe?" The Director grinned as he leaned forward, resting his head on his arms that remained folded over the table between them.
"Blimey, aren't we nosy?"
"Come ooooon Ron. I just wanna hear about the new boyfriend."
"Daaaaaad..."
"Rooooon...."
The Director straightened up, leaning against his seat and mirroring the reaper's position: stretched out, left arm over the headrest of his chair, legs crossed at the ankles. He tilted his head just so, giving the faintest sigh. "Look, I want to know everything. It's been a while since I've seen you so happy." He began. "The last time was when you first met Yuki."
The reaper couldn't help the small nostalgic smile as he stared into his teacup. "That was a bit ago, eh?"
"Least four years, kiddo."
"Buggering hell."
Ronald took another thoughtful sip, staring at the ceiling as if he didn't know where to begin. "Yeah, he's different." He sighed, his teaspoon making the softest clink as it hit the bottom of his teacup. "Nothing like Yuki, I'd tell you that much."
"Yuki's always been a bit closed up." He murmured, taking another sip. "Always been a soft, quiet lad. Sad. Angry. The older he got, the angrier he became."
The Director tilted his head, waving his hand to urge the reaper to talk more.
"S'not that I love him less. S'just... Kimihiro's got a different sort of vibe."
"First name basis? Gosh you guys got close quick."
"Dad!"
"Go on kiddo."
He let out another breath before taking another sip. "He's a good lad with a good soul. I'd like to do right by him, at least."
The director let out a chuckle, taking a much longer gulp from his tea. "Yeah, you said the same thing about Yuki."
"S'true though. Couple of self-sacrificing wazzocks, the pair of them."
"I guess that's your type?"
A look of disdain was met with a cheeky little grin back. "Come on. That can't be the only thing."
The reaper let out a breath, throwing his head back as he drained his teacup in one swallow. "Right! Fine! If you want to hear it, I think he's bleeding adorable. There. Bleeding. Adorable. If Yuki's the husband type, Kimihiro's the doting wife type." he sighed as he slumped forward.
"Yuki was always sweet'n smart'n thoughtful and he was always bloody hot but... Ah, blimey!"
His fingers ruffled his own hair in frustration as that same small dragon fluttered over, setting a glass of water near his head. Ronald paused a moment, looking up at the creature. "...d'you think you can get me something stronger?" he asked quietly. The dragon stared in silence a moment then, chittering in a way that sounded like laughter fluttered off again.
"Buuuuuut....?" the Director urged further.
No answer came from the reaper as he waited while the drake went to get his drink. It returned a moment later with what looked like a shot of dark amber liquid which Ronald knocked back in one single gulp
"But," he finally gasped. "Kimihiro's all over the ruddy place! He's already caught me off guard twice and when he isn't all over the ruddy place... that smile. That soddingly heartwrenching smile." But at that, he let out another breath.
"I'd do anything to make sure he keeps that bleeding smile. He deserves to be happy, I'd wager. Then again, I've always had it in for that sort. But this... this is sort of different." the reaper murmured, staring at his hands as he kept his fingers interlaced in front of him. "It's the can't eat, can't sleep, reach for the stars--"
"Over the fence, world series kind of stuff, huh?" the director finished for him.
"Haven't had that sort of feeling for a while, to be honest. S'down deep in my gut'n I feel like I'm going to be sick. And cry. Or cry. I dunno." Ronald groaned before slamming his face back into the table. His hair was a mess by now but he didn't really care. Even as his face was hidden, he couldn't help that smitten look that came to him.
"....You're really into him, huh?"
"...."
"..."
"...Yes. Can't get enough of him, really."
And a soft cough. "He... can be pretty ruddy hot when he wants to be, too. Maybe."
The Director reached over across the table, taking Ronald's wrist and pressing his fingertips against it. The smallest grin came to his lips. "Your heart's racing." he teased, grinning back as he was met with a dirty look.
"Come oooon. That's not a bad thing."
"Yeah, it is! I just... want to be with him! Can't explain it, really. But I wasn't kidding. He deserves better. Anyone deserves better'n being stuck with death for the rest of their- OW!"
He reached under the table to rub at his shin, looking up to meet the look of absolute disapproval.
"Right, you stop that right now, kiddo. No beating yourself up. If anything, it'll be ironic given his doomed timeline! If there's anyone who'd be able to stay by his side that long, it'd be death."
"So straighten up and grab another drink because you've got an errand to run."
The reaper paused, staring ahead as another shotglass of that dark amber liquid was delivered to him. "Errand?"
"Yeah. I owe someone a shot of sake and a hotdog for this happenstance, apparently. And it's got to be you. Think of it as making a good impression and meeting the parents sort of thing. Make sure you pass through the front door, by the way, we're trying not to be rude here."
"Dad, we're not getting married!"
"...yet."
"DAAAAAAD. That's a bit further down the line, don't you think?"
"Can't blame a guy for planning ahead."
Wordcount: 1000 something
What: Things get meta. tl;dr summary: I love him so muh huh huch...
Status: Com...plete?
"What's this today then, dad?" The reaper asked as the teacup was set down before him. It seemed almost a burnt orange shade, deeper than any tea and lighter than any coffee he'd ever been served... and he'd been in his father's cafe dozens of times. It wasn't rare for him to be served something new or experimental. He scrutinized it closely before taking a tentative sip. Bitter, sweet... not cloying. But it was neither coffee or tea. His 'father' knew how he liked it.
"Well? D'you like it?" The Director asked with a grin before sipping at his own teacup. His seemed lighter.
"Yeah! S'nice. Good job." Ronald answered, raising his cup to the tiny white dragon that served him in salute. It fluttered in midair, holding the tray to its scaley chest as it tittered its gratitude for the praise.
"Yuen Yang. A blend of both kopi and teh. Thought you'd like a change of pace." The Director continued before leaning back in his seat. "So! About the new boy. Spill."
It took Ronald a while to register the question. The look of surprise remained on his face as he watched the Director over the rim of his cup. Now there was an eager, nosy look if he ever saw one.
"He's different, inhe?" The Director grinned as he leaned forward, resting his head on his arms that remained folded over the table between them.
"Blimey, aren't we nosy?"
"Come ooooon Ron. I just wanna hear about the new boyfriend."
"Daaaaaad..."
"Rooooon...."
The Director straightened up, leaning against his seat and mirroring the reaper's position: stretched out, left arm over the headrest of his chair, legs crossed at the ankles. He tilted his head just so, giving the faintest sigh. "Look, I want to know everything. It's been a while since I've seen you so happy." He began. "The last time was when you first met Yuki."
The reaper couldn't help the small nostalgic smile as he stared into his teacup. "That was a bit ago, eh?"
"Least four years, kiddo."
"Buggering hell."
Ronald took another thoughtful sip, staring at the ceiling as if he didn't know where to begin. "Yeah, he's different." He sighed, his teaspoon making the softest clink as it hit the bottom of his teacup. "Nothing like Yuki, I'd tell you that much."
"Yuki's always been a bit closed up." He murmured, taking another sip. "Always been a soft, quiet lad. Sad. Angry. The older he got, the angrier he became."
The Director tilted his head, waving his hand to urge the reaper to talk more.
"S'not that I love him less. S'just... Kimihiro's got a different sort of vibe."
"First name basis? Gosh you guys got close quick."
"Dad!"
"Go on kiddo."
He let out another breath before taking another sip. "He's a good lad with a good soul. I'd like to do right by him, at least."
The director let out a chuckle, taking a much longer gulp from his tea. "Yeah, you said the same thing about Yuki."
"S'true though. Couple of self-sacrificing wazzocks, the pair of them."
"I guess that's your type?"
A look of disdain was met with a cheeky little grin back. "Come on. That can't be the only thing."
The reaper let out a breath, throwing his head back as he drained his teacup in one swallow. "Right! Fine! If you want to hear it, I think he's bleeding adorable. There. Bleeding. Adorable. If Yuki's the husband type, Kimihiro's the doting wife type." he sighed as he slumped forward.
"Yuki was always sweet'n smart'n thoughtful and he was always bloody hot but... Ah, blimey!"
His fingers ruffled his own hair in frustration as that same small dragon fluttered over, setting a glass of water near his head. Ronald paused a moment, looking up at the creature. "...d'you think you can get me something stronger?" he asked quietly. The dragon stared in silence a moment then, chittering in a way that sounded like laughter fluttered off again.
"Buuuuuut....?" the Director urged further.
No answer came from the reaper as he waited while the drake went to get his drink. It returned a moment later with what looked like a shot of dark amber liquid which Ronald knocked back in one single gulp
"But," he finally gasped. "Kimihiro's all over the ruddy place! He's already caught me off guard twice and when he isn't all over the ruddy place... that smile. That soddingly heartwrenching smile." But at that, he let out another breath.
"I'd do anything to make sure he keeps that bleeding smile. He deserves to be happy, I'd wager. Then again, I've always had it in for that sort. But this... this is sort of different." the reaper murmured, staring at his hands as he kept his fingers interlaced in front of him. "It's the can't eat, can't sleep, reach for the stars--"
"Over the fence, world series kind of stuff, huh?" the director finished for him.
"Haven't had that sort of feeling for a while, to be honest. S'down deep in my gut'n I feel like I'm going to be sick. And cry. Or cry. I dunno." Ronald groaned before slamming his face back into the table. His hair was a mess by now but he didn't really care. Even as his face was hidden, he couldn't help that smitten look that came to him.
"....You're really into him, huh?"
"...."
"..."
"...Yes. Can't get enough of him, really."
And a soft cough. "He... can be pretty ruddy hot when he wants to be, too. Maybe."
The Director reached over across the table, taking Ronald's wrist and pressing his fingertips against it. The smallest grin came to his lips. "Your heart's racing." he teased, grinning back as he was met with a dirty look.
"Come oooon. That's not a bad thing."
"Yeah, it is! I just... want to be with him! Can't explain it, really. But I wasn't kidding. He deserves better. Anyone deserves better'n being stuck with death for the rest of their- OW!"
He reached under the table to rub at his shin, looking up to meet the look of absolute disapproval.
"Right, you stop that right now, kiddo. No beating yourself up. If anything, it'll be ironic given his doomed timeline! If there's anyone who'd be able to stay by his side that long, it'd be death."
"So straighten up and grab another drink because you've got an errand to run."
The reaper paused, staring ahead as another shotglass of that dark amber liquid was delivered to him. "Errand?"
"Yeah. I owe someone a shot of sake and a hotdog for this happenstance, apparently. And it's got to be you. Think of it as making a good impression and meeting the parents sort of thing. Make sure you pass through the front door, by the way, we're trying not to be rude here."
"Dad, we're not getting married!"
"...yet."
"DAAAAAAD. That's a bit further down the line, don't you think?"
"Can't blame a guy for planning ahead."
