flameinthedarkness

Yeah, this was definitely the righty call. Sure, there's the distinct possibility they'll get stumbled across again, but at least there aren't any security cameras monitoring them to make sure they follow public decency laws. It's not a do-over, but after the sudden tension that clearly rattled Idia, the silent closeness is maybe the best thing Cater can offer.

And this time, with the ease in which Idia reciprocates, it's so much easier to lose himself in the action. Cater's free hand comes up to touch Idia's cheek, brushing away the wetness he finds beneath his lashes and then cupping his cheek. Right now, whoever they were outside of this place didn't even exist.

Unlike the kiss before this one feels more... comforting. Less hungry and needy. It's still good, lets that world just stand still for a moment... but really Idia just needed that moment, rather than letting it linger, pulling back but not going far. Just enough for him to wipe at the other side of his face with his palm.

A pause, then, "Thanks..." It whispered out, gaze down, not quite ready to look at Cater yet with all of this. Then... trying, "...guess snacks are on me from now on?" Since he can afford it and all that.

Despite the more emotional nature of the kiss, Cater still finds he doesn't want it to end so soon. Letting Idia take the lead with where his comfort zone is, though, he accepts being separated and gives a breathy chuckle.

"Only if you want me to call you my sugar daddy." The playfulness is muted, and he squeezes Idia's hand again, his other shifting down to rest against the side of his neck. Cater shakes his head. "No, don't worry about that. You're still the same exact loser you were to me five minutes ago."

A light chuckle from Idia with that and a, "OMG no." To go along with that. But he's smiling as he says that. Well done, Cater, Idia returning that squeeze to his hand.

Then a sigh to compose himself again. "Great, thanks." It delivered sarcastically but... meaning it, really. "Ah fuck... I really keep attempting to ruin this date, huh?" Cater's been so good at keeping it on track.

The smile is a relief to see, and Cater can't help smiling as well. "You've been giving it your best effort, but alas--I'm simply too high in charisma and rolled a NAT 20 in seduction."

Even without putting his arm around Idia's shoulder. They kind of skipped past that and straight to lip-locking.

"It's too late for you now--you're simply stuck with a rapscallion boyfriend."

Another soft chuckle, "Yeah, you are..." ...just what the hell does Cater see in him?

Nope. Nope. Idia can still turn this around. They still had time before the bus would be there to pick them up, Idia giving a huff as he straightens up again, determined. "So, still interested in seeing what gachas are there?"

"Am I ever!" They're already holding hands, so it's easy to start drawing him back toward the opening of the alley, walking backwards and pulling him with the energy of an excited child. "I wanna see what kind of prizes they have. Hopefully there's some swag we can really vibe with."

This is going so fast. Too fast. But... Idia's enjoying being caught up in it right now. He's got no time to think, just react. He's not used to that. Needing to be prepared for anything that might happen, or be able to work it out quick to avoid a disaster. But this is so outside of his understanding and knowledge, just getting swept up in the chaos of being with Cater...

And he's liking it. It's so... peaceful.

For now at least. But, yeah, enjoying it just for now seems... really nice. His hold firm on Cater's hand as they walk, finding himself still smiling at Cater's energy. Forget questioning it, just go along with it. "Pfft, I donno, be real funny to see a charm that doesn't fit you hanging off your phone."

Swinging their arms between them, Cater can't help but grin at the thought. "I think that's the perfect way to commemorate the day. I should try and win a phone charm that's, like, a skull or something."

He can't help but laugh as he continues the idea forward. "And you should try and get a super cute sticker or tablet decal. Like a clown!"

WTF Cater? Idia finding himself shaking his head, but still smiling, at that swing Cater was doing with their arms... and not going to say this reminds him of Ortho. He's not sure Cater would like being compared to a robot with the personality of a child... Instead focusing on those suggestions.

"Why would I need another clown decoration when I got you?" It delivered as seriously as Idia can manage. You know, while Cater is making them walk like that. Then a bit of a smirk after a moment, to make it clear he's teasing Cater.

"There can never be enough of me around. Trust me, I know firsthand." The swinging, at least, does calm down a little the more they walk, his jaunty pace slowing into something a bit more intimate.

Although he's still smiling, there's something a little softer to his expression as he admits, "I'm kind of dreading going back to campus."

"That's not an invite for you to use your Unique Magic right now..." One of you is enough for a first date, Cater. Idia's not sure he can take more of you excited.

"How so?" He asks. Then considers it himself, a moment of thought before, "Because it's back to reality?" Which... starts that thinking up again, the thing Idia was trying to avoid doing right now. About what this would all mean for them back at NRC. Was it something they were going to keep quiet? Be a secret? Did Cater even want anyone to know about this? Idia's not sure, brow starting to turn up again... before he makes himself stop. With what Cater had just done, had been doing, been talking him down from spiraling... Idia won't let himself do it again. "I guess we got stuff to talk about and work out later, huh?"

Cater sighs--a genuine one, not something to set the mood for an upcoming joke. "Kind of. Less reality as a whole I guess and just..."

He doesn't want to bring down the mood either--maybe after that big revelation about Idia, he sort of feels like he should give a bit more about himself, too. And besides, it's not like Idia hasn't already realized that Cater puts on an act around everyone.

"It gets so tiring, pretending to be happy all the time. But when it's just the two of us I don't have to pretend anything." He actually is happy, and he's sure that if he wasn't, it wouldn't be nearly as scary to admit it. "But yeah--we can talk about it all later. Not over text, though, right?"

Idia's quiet to give Cater a chance to answer, to get that out without interrupting or trying to deflect anything, because he's right, he is really only seen as CayCay at school, and... Idia wants a chance for him not to be. Cater's allowed him to be a bit more... himself? Different? Well, less secluded at least, and Idia wants to be able to offer the same. He hadn't lied during their duel confession, he did really like Cater. This Cater. Aware that this still may not be 'the real Cater' much like he isn't being fully real himself, but... even if they are both still wearing masks, they're ones both are happy to have a chance to use.

He also wants to offer... something? Some sort of more comfort, but not sure how to. This doesn't feel like a 'kiss to make it better' time, but still... something. Looking down to their hands before taking half a step closer to Cater as they walk, other hand crossing over Idia's body so it can rest on Cater's forearm. Idia would want to do more but not sure how to with them currently walking.

"...it's easier over text..." But... "Yeah, ok. Somehow, sometime, yeah. Promise." He won't run or try and get out of it. "But we can still chat over text until then, right?"

When Idia's other hand moves to hold onto him, their walking bodies all but glued in the middle, Cater's expression brightens again, a happy, bashful smile splitting open across his face. Today has been amazing, for all its bizarre ups-and-downs, and he's definitely going to wring out every last drop of joy he can. The emotional meltdown is going to hit him later, he's sure, so no sense in ushering it forward now when they still have time to enjoy each other.

"If you think for a second that I'm not going to blow up your phone every waking minute, you've got another thin going," he teases. "I wanna catch you all sleepy again asking about what I'm gonna come do in your bed."

"..."

"OMFG! I can't believe you remembered that! That's not fair!" That's cheating, Cater!

"It's your fault I was up so late!" And thus went to bed so late, and was super tired when Cater texted him.

All his fault!

"Oh, I'll never forget!"

Cater busts out laughing at that reaction, unable to help himself. It had been funny and was still funny. And wow, how it feels like it was a lifetime ago when really that was just...early in the week. A whole handful of days ago.

"Don't act like you don't keep crazy hours all the time! Totally not my fault! I'm cute and innocent!"

Edited 2023-03-05 07:38 (UTC)

"I'm blocking your messages from now on." Idia had been about to say he's not his boyfriend anymore, but even joking... that didn't feel right, not after Cater baring his heart like that.

"And it is totally your fault. Going, 'oh I want to know about her!' and all that BS. Wtf?" Grumbling away, but still holding Cater like that as they walked, clearly not really upset by this all.

Still laughing, not wanting to dislodge Idia's hands, Cater bumps him lightly with his shoulder. "I did and I still do! You better not expect an apology because I'm sorry not sorry."

It's actually even more exciting now. That he has a hobby he can share in not just with a friend but with a boyfriend. Or...girlfriend? When he's Cinder? Though, they are kind of stream characters, so it's not like Cinder and Gloomy need to be official. Cater's gonna have to make sure not to go overboard flirting if Idia's partying up with him on stream. If they're not live, though? All bets are off.

"Anyway if you block my messages I can't send you spicy pics, which is a reward tier you've unlocked today."

"Oh gods..." Idia closing his eyes and giving a shake of his head, doing his best to play this all off as Cater joking around... and not think too seriously about that.

But still, to try and get back his own, "You need better security on your phone before you do crap like that... and your computer..." Hmm, you know, now that Cater knows, "I need to set you up with decent stuff." Oh, though, "Ah, or is that... overstepping?" Cater joked about the 'sugar daddy' thing before, and yeah, madol meant nothing to Idia, he had access to so much of it, but... would it make things uncomfortable? There's a reason he didn't go splashing it around, though if some actually thought about it they should question just how Idia gets some of the parts he does, how he has all the latest tech. None of that was cheap.

Also, "...great, now I'm thinking Cinder fanart. Fuck you for making me think that now..." As if it doesn't already exist out there... the risks of using an anime avatar.

Cater shrugs when Idia asks about upgrading his equipment. "I dunno--I mean, I guess that kinda stuff feels more like an investment so I don't feel like I'm taking advantage so much..."

It's a little awkward, sure, but if Idia's the one who actively wants to improve his rig? Cater's not going to complain. As long as he's not the one begging, he won't feel so badly about it.

The next thought, however, really perks Cater up--he can't help it. He hadn't even been thinking about the fact that Idia's, like, his favorite fan artist. "OMG! Would you draw him? That would be so epic! Aaahhhh! Idiaaaaa!"

Ugh! He's sorry he mentioned it! "Eeeehhh! Stoooop! It'll be super weird if I do now!" Cater knows what type of art he does! And... ok there is SFW stuff too but... "...I'll see, ok?" Add it to his constant 'to do' list that is always full. "Donno when I will but... will sometime, ok?"

"You're so fucking needy." That's half joking... but also not a bad thing. He thinks...

"Okay, okay, okay," Cater promises, still giggly and bouncy--but he'll have to chill it on the raunchy art talk, anyway, because they've reached the store. It's shiny rows of capsule machines are right there out front, waiting and eager. "Let's see what we have here...aha! Phone charms! I'll try that one out, then, for sure. Anything catching your eye?"

...or at least wait until the second date, Cater. Give him some time. Today has been a lot!

But still... really fun.

As the got near the store to eye up the machines, Idia can spot about what he expects; some cute animal ones, the latest trending anime or maybe one a season or two behind since Sage's Island is so far out, some random everyday item set, some food set, some really abstract and weird ones. The normal mix. He joining Cater and crouching down to be able to get a good look at all the options. It does require him to let go of Cater to do so, but Idia's looking over them seriously as he would treat any other collectable. Hmmmm, what does he like here. Gotta be something he wouldn't mind either a one off of, or would want to collect the set. One way or the other.

Looking over and... yeah, he sees one he'd like to try for. "Yeah, I got one in mind." A bit of a smile as he goes to his pocket then, "Oh, guess we need change. Hold up." Standing again and heading inside for a bit.

He'll take a little bit of time... before appearing again, a hand out to offer Cater some change for the machines, "Here." But also carrying a box in his other hand. "I remembered you said you needed to grab something to bribe Riddle with. They had these strawberry cake things. You can take it back with you." Then sorting out his own change for the machine he picked.

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