[ Date doesn't even realize he's doing it either — that he's being so much nicer to Gustave than he is to everyone else. Aiba makes fun of him often, teases him mercilessly, but he doesn't think much of it. But in reality, it's true, he's different around Gustave. Softer, sweeter, because he has less of his guard up, doesn't need to be so critical about the world around him. Gustave makes him feel at ease which leads him to be much less defensive as a result.
Like now, when he feels Gustave lean back against him, he relaxes too and just stays curled around his arm, tilting his head up to nuzzle him lightly. His Gustave. His favorite person in the world. He wants moments like this forever.
And then Gustave responds to what he says — first the sweet words and letting him know that it's okay not to share it all if he doesn't want to. Which is reassuring, genuinely. Date doesn't like talking about himself, doesn't like sharing the details of his life, but he does want Gustave to know him — wholly.
Then, relating to what he said. It doesn't surprise Date to hear that from Gustave. He wonders, idly, if there's solidarity there. Growing up was tough for him when he went to school and had other kids with their parents look down on him for not having any. If he had a friend, another orphan, to commiserate... Ah well. ]
It doesn't make me uncomfortable. Not with you.
[ Just to make that clear. ]
But... yeah. It is. I never knew my parents. [ Abandoned at birth. ] The people who ended up raising me... they were... not great.
[ He's cute - and once again acting like an oversized kitten. Gustave has half a mind to scratch under his chin. ]
Then I'm glad she found you. Sounds to me like you needed each other.
[ it'd be a little precocious for him to say something like "you've got me now, too," he thinks; the specter of his eventual departure back to Lumière is ever-looming, for one thing, but mainly, he's just kind of gun-shy. Even if they are cohabitating, and currently enjoying a romantic vacation together, and even if he already told Date he can't really imagine him not being there anymore, and he's pretty sure Date's super in love with him...
Even so!! He's not about to just insert himself in there. ]
I lost my parents in Year 45, so - 12 years ago, more or less. I was lucky that I got to grow up with them around. [ That's something a lot of people didn't get - including the man next to him. ] ... I'm sorry yours let you down. All of them. But hey, you know what? You made it out the other end and turned into a great dad, yourself. That's amazing.
[ Date was almost bold enough to say that he has Gustave too but he shied away from it as well, not wanting to be presumptuous but also not wanting to risk the rejection. Even if he's pretty sure he wouldn't get it, just the idea of Gustave maybe reacting with hesitation if Date called him family... no, it would crush Date completely.
So, he doesn't say anything like that, keeps it to the facts for now. And then he listens to Gustave's words. He got to grow up with his parents, huh? Even in such a tough environment... Date's really happy for him, honestly. He knows it was much tougher for the younger generations in his world. ]
Thank you. I just don't want Mizuki to suffer like I did.
[ Which is why he took her in in the first place. Her parents weren't great either, after all. But he doesn't want to linger too much on that, so he does end up turning the conversation back on Gustave. ]
So it was you, your sister, your parents? Sounds really lucky. What's your sister like anyway? You haven't told me a lot about her.
[ okay. he gives into temptation a little, lifting his other arm to gently run his thumb along the line of Date's jaw, a tiny, fond gesture of reciprocation while Date cuddles up against his shoulder. It's comfort, too: Date's past and personal life are always so heavy when they come up, and words only go so far -- not very far at all, actually, in his experience as a Lumieran. "Sorry" doesn't mean much, but Gustave's listening; he cares, even as Date leaves the topic behind. ]
Ah... Yeah, Emma. She's -- the opposite of me, in a lot of ways, I suppose? She's the chief councillor of the city - always busy organizing people and things, putting out fires, you know... sometimes literally. She's a very important figure to the people of Lumière now, but she's still my sister. [ he offers a little smirk. ] Still needs her big brother to spell check her paperwork sometimes.
[ he thinks about appending a "don't tell her I told you that," but that's presupposing a reality where Date and Emma would somehow meet, and he's as afraid to imagine that as he is to try calling Date his family. The two thoughts have a lot of overlap, actually. ]
[ The tiny bit of affection has Date all but melting into it, though he doesn't expect to personally. Just something about it has him very much feeling like an affectionate cat that is so very close to purring. He thinks, idly, they should move to the bath soon or Date is going to convince Gustave to cuddle up with him right here on the bed. But what would be the point of that when they prepped for the bath!
For now, he listens to Gustave describe his sister and it's sweet, really. He's picturing a woman who looks a lot like Gustave with the same wavy brown hair and sweet smile. If she's the chief councillor, she must be very important but also very... reliable? Which makes sense, if he compares her to Gustave. Huh. ]
She sounds great. [ He means that, so sincerely. ] If she's anything like you, she must be the heart of the city, a true leader.
[ Someone who keeps people together, like Gustave. ]
I really — [ He goes quiet for a moment and then, in a bit of a mumble — ] I wish I could meet her.
[ He knows Gustave wished for his city to be safe and wants to return to see if the wish came true. But the fear of not being able to come back to Tokyo after lingers above both of their heads. That would be it for them and Date isn't ready to say goodbye yet. ]
[ That fear does linger - horribly. Gustave talks freely about his family and his home, the people there, because he loves them; they've always been his passion, and he'd never resign them to collecting dust in his memories. There's no denying the bittersweet tinge to every recollection, but that's just how life has always been for him - a sadness behind every happy moment, lurking like a shadow. Still, hearing Date near-shamefully speak those words brings that shadow to the forefront for a moment, and Gustave feels its chill in his gut.
Yeah. He's scared of goodbye, too. And he's still worried he won't be allowed to live in that world, somehow, that his one life in Lumière has been used up already and he'll stop existing once he crosses the threshold again. But - he misses his family. He has to try eventually.
He's afraid, yes. But he has to believe again. ]
Well... [ he's quiet for a moment, too, his hand stilling in its ministrations. ] ... Maybe you can. We don't know, right? Not until we try. I've already come back, come this far... That's got to be the hardest part.
[ the pause ends, and he lifts his fingers to pinch at Date's cheek instead, playful. ]
-- Don't get us both thinking, detective, we're here strictly to laze around. Aren't we supposed to be taking a bath about now?
[ Date is absolutely very quickly falling forward into morose thinking as Gustave talks so he's completely caught off guard when Gustave pinches his cheek instead, making a distressed noise and squirming until Gustave lets go. Then, there's a pout, far too childish for his age as he lifts a hand to rub at his cheek. ]
You menace.
[ But it's far too fond, despite his sulk. He rolls his eye then and then shifts to untangle himself from Gustave and stand up from the bed. He stretches after, letting his body relax after the tension built up from their conversation and then holds out a hand for Gustave to take. ]
You're right though, it's bath time. We didn't come out here to not spend as much time in the hot springs as possible. I want my skin to get all pruney!
[ He is not leaving until he is a puddle of bones and shriveled skin, he promises that much. ]
[ Menace Gustave, they call him. He flashes Date a small smile, reassuring, or trying to. He knows very well that Date has a tendency to spiral into negativity when left to his own thoughts for too long. Not an unfamiliar problem - Gustave's just better at snapping himself out of it, provided the circumstances aren't overly dire (but he hasn't been through or been witness to half the things Date probably has, so he hardly blames him for it). It's a skill he's more than happy to share with Date when he needs it. After all, Date's always been there to ground him when he starts to panic. They're a good match that way, Gustave thinks wryly. Maybe they were onto something back on that TV show...
He takes the offered hand, pulling himself to his feet after Date and vaguely de-rumpling his yukata. ]
You know, most cats don't like water. [ a beat. ] Will it really stay hot for that long? I'll have to drag you out before you're boiled.
[ it's hard to imagine an infinite well of hot water... the world is a magical place, truly. ]
[ He's feeling very much cheered up now though, even though the shadows linger in the back of his mind. But it's hard to let them take over when Gustave is here, so bright and warm and kind as he is. He really just makes Date feel rejuvenated just by being here with him and that's... that's something worth appreciating, in Date's opinion.
So, for now he laughs off the lingering residue of his angst and steps into Gustave's space again, sliding his palms up his chest through his yukata and linking them behind his neck. ]
Good thing you're here then, because this kitty only likes it with company.
[ Cringe line that if Mizuki ever heard him say, he'd be excommunicated from her life. Embarrassing.
But then he's going to place a quick kiss on the tip of Gustave's nose before pulling back and nodding his head. ]
It gets the water from the natural springs nearby and redirects it to the onsen. It stays hot... ahh... I'm not entirely sure why but I think it has to do with the volcanic activity in Japan. That's why we have a lot of them. But you don't have to worry about the heat running out, no. It's all natural.
[ As he says this, he starts making his way to the onsen in their room. He definitely had to shell out for this but it's so worth it for two reasons! 1) He didn't want Gustave to be uncomfortable bathing naked in front of strangers.
And 2) he didn't want other people to see Gustave naked. That's just for him. ]
[ absolutely damning evidence that Gustave really does like Date: that cringe-ass line makes him turn a little pink. There may be no hope left for him. All the corny flirting just lands differently when he knows how much Date really, really likes him and thus really, really means it, okay?! (That, and Gustave's a cornball at heart, too.) He watches Date recede with a raised brow and a half-smile edging towards goofy. ]
Very convenient. I'd advocate for building on volcanoes more often if I'd known it meant free baths.
[ although it's not like running a bath was particularly hard back home, either, thanks to some technology making clever use of harnessing Chroma. Small blessing for Date that Gustave doesn't usually talk much about the more magical elements of his home...
He hangs back slightly, not because of any timidity about bathing (he's past the point of being particularly shy around Date) but because he's busy removing his prosthetic. Theoretically, it should be fine if it gets submerged... theoretically. But Gustave is not about to test that and risk breaking the arm, electrocuting Date, or both, so off it comes. After some fiddling with the dials and enduring the uncomfortable-but-familiar pinch of the chromatic connection to his nerves being severed, he pops it off and sets it on the bed before shuffling on after Date. ]
... I have to say, taking a bath to prep for taking another bath feels... incredibly indulgent.
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no subject
Like now, when he feels Gustave lean back against him, he relaxes too and just stays curled around his arm, tilting his head up to nuzzle him lightly. His Gustave. His favorite person in the world. He wants moments like this forever.
And then Gustave responds to what he says — first the sweet words and letting him know that it's okay not to share it all if he doesn't want to. Which is reassuring, genuinely. Date doesn't like talking about himself, doesn't like sharing the details of his life, but he does want Gustave to know him — wholly.
Then, relating to what he said. It doesn't surprise Date to hear that from Gustave. He wonders, idly, if there's solidarity there. Growing up was tough for him when he went to school and had other kids with their parents look down on him for not having any. If he had a friend, another orphan, to commiserate... Ah well. ]
It doesn't make me uncomfortable. Not with you.
[ Just to make that clear. ]
But... yeah. It is. I never knew my parents. [ Abandoned at birth. ] The people who ended up raising me... they were... not great.
[ The less said, the better, in Date's opinion. ]
Mizuki's really the only family I've ever had.
no subject
Then I'm glad she found you. Sounds to me like you needed each other.
[ it'd be a little precocious for him to say something like "you've got me now, too," he thinks; the specter of his eventual departure back to Lumière is ever-looming, for one thing, but mainly, he's just kind of gun-shy. Even if they are cohabitating, and currently enjoying a romantic vacation together, and even if he already told Date he can't really imagine him not being there anymore, and he's pretty sure Date's super in love with him...
Even so!! He's not about to just insert himself in there. ]
I lost my parents in Year 45, so - 12 years ago, more or less. I was lucky that I got to grow up with them around. [ That's something a lot of people didn't get - including the man next to him. ] ... I'm sorry yours let you down. All of them. But hey, you know what? You made it out the other end and turned into a great dad, yourself. That's amazing.
no subject
So, he doesn't say anything like that, keeps it to the facts for now. And then he listens to Gustave's words. He got to grow up with his parents, huh? Even in such a tough environment... Date's really happy for him, honestly. He knows it was much tougher for the younger generations in his world. ]
Thank you. I just don't want Mizuki to suffer like I did.
[ Which is why he took her in in the first place. Her parents weren't great either, after all. But he doesn't want to linger too much on that, so he does end up turning the conversation back on Gustave. ]
So it was you, your sister, your parents? Sounds really lucky. What's your sister like anyway? You haven't told me a lot about her.
no subject
Ah... Yeah, Emma. She's -- the opposite of me, in a lot of ways, I suppose? She's the chief councillor of the city - always busy organizing people and things, putting out fires, you know... sometimes literally. She's a very important figure to the people of Lumière now, but she's still my sister. [ he offers a little smirk. ] Still needs her big brother to spell check her paperwork sometimes.
[ he thinks about appending a "don't tell her I told you that," but that's presupposing a reality where Date and Emma would somehow meet, and he's as afraid to imagine that as he is to try calling Date his family. The two thoughts have a lot of overlap, actually. ]
no subject
For now, he listens to Gustave describe his sister and it's sweet, really. He's picturing a woman who looks a lot like Gustave with the same wavy brown hair and sweet smile. If she's the chief councillor, she must be very important but also very... reliable? Which makes sense, if he compares her to Gustave. Huh. ]
She sounds great. [ He means that, so sincerely. ] If she's anything like you, she must be the heart of the city, a true leader.
[ Someone who keeps people together, like Gustave. ]
I really — [ He goes quiet for a moment and then, in a bit of a mumble — ] I wish I could meet her.
[ He knows Gustave wished for his city to be safe and wants to return to see if the wish came true. But the fear of not being able to come back to Tokyo after lingers above both of their heads. That would be it for them and Date isn't ready to say goodbye yet. ]
no subject
Yeah. He's scared of goodbye, too. And he's still worried he won't be allowed to live in that world, somehow, that his one life in Lumière has been used up already and he'll stop existing once he crosses the threshold again. But - he misses his family. He has to try eventually.
He's afraid, yes. But he has to believe again. ]
Well... [ he's quiet for a moment, too, his hand stilling in its ministrations. ] ... Maybe you can. We don't know, right? Not until we try. I've already come back, come this far... That's got to be the hardest part.
[ the pause ends, and he lifts his fingers to pinch at Date's cheek instead, playful. ]
-- Don't get us both thinking, detective, we're here strictly to laze around. Aren't we supposed to be taking a bath about now?
no subject
You menace.
[ But it's far too fond, despite his sulk. He rolls his eye then and then shifts to untangle himself from Gustave and stand up from the bed. He stretches after, letting his body relax after the tension built up from their conversation and then holds out a hand for Gustave to take. ]
You're right though, it's bath time. We didn't come out here to not spend as much time in the hot springs as possible. I want my skin to get all pruney!
[ He is not leaving until he is a puddle of bones and shriveled skin, he promises that much. ]
no subject
[ Menace Gustave, they call him. He flashes Date a small smile, reassuring, or trying to. He knows very well that Date has a tendency to spiral into negativity when left to his own thoughts for too long. Not an unfamiliar problem - Gustave's just better at snapping himself out of it, provided the circumstances aren't overly dire (but he hasn't been through or been witness to half the things Date probably has, so he hardly blames him for it). It's a skill he's more than happy to share with Date when he needs it. After all, Date's always been there to ground him when he starts to panic. They're a good match that way, Gustave thinks wryly. Maybe they were onto something back on that TV show...
He takes the offered hand, pulling himself to his feet after Date and vaguely de-rumpling his yukata. ]
You know, most cats don't like water. [ a beat. ] Will it really stay hot for that long? I'll have to drag you out before you're boiled.
[ it's hard to imagine an infinite well of hot water... the world is a magical place, truly. ]
no subject
So, for now he laughs off the lingering residue of his angst and steps into Gustave's space again, sliding his palms up his chest through his yukata and linking them behind his neck. ]
Good thing you're here then, because this kitty only likes it with company.
[ Cringe line that if Mizuki ever heard him say, he'd be excommunicated from her life. Embarrassing.
But then he's going to place a quick kiss on the tip of Gustave's nose before pulling back and nodding his head. ]
It gets the water from the natural springs nearby and redirects it to the onsen. It stays hot... ahh... I'm not entirely sure why but I think it has to do with the volcanic activity in Japan. That's why we have a lot of them. But you don't have to worry about the heat running out, no. It's all natural.
[ As he says this, he starts making his way to the onsen in their room. He definitely had to shell out for this but it's so worth it for two reasons! 1) He didn't want Gustave to be uncomfortable bathing naked in front of strangers.
And 2) he didn't want other people to see Gustave naked. That's just for him. ]
back for my precious gudates
Very convenient. I'd advocate for building on volcanoes more often if I'd known it meant free baths.
[ although it's not like running a bath was particularly hard back home, either, thanks to some technology making clever use of harnessing Chroma. Small blessing for Date that Gustave doesn't usually talk much about the more magical elements of his home...
He hangs back slightly, not because of any timidity about bathing (he's past the point of being particularly shy around Date) but because he's busy removing his prosthetic. Theoretically, it should be fine if it gets submerged... theoretically. But Gustave is not about to test that and risk breaking the arm, electrocuting Date, or both, so off it comes. After some fiddling with the dials and enduring the uncomfortable-but-familiar pinch of the chromatic connection to his nerves being severed, he pops it off and sets it on the bed before shuffling on after Date. ]
... I have to say, taking a bath to prep for taking another bath feels... incredibly indulgent.