[Open Post, backdated to November 1st] The Rising

[oldmantiger]

 Kotetsu wakes up.

...which is a little surprising, considering he hasn't actually slept in a month.

He wakes up, flat on his back in the gardens. The grass is warm beneath him, the breeze is crisp around him. For a moment, he just enjoys it. Even when memories of the past month start to filter back, he lets himself entertain the idea that it was all just a bad dream. 

But then he remembers the monster. He remembers being...twisted and transformed. He remembers everything he heard, everything he did. And no, there's no way it was all a dream. He's never been that lucky. 

Kotetsu lays a hand against his chest, but...no, there's no denying that whatever Asriel had taken is back where it belongs. Right now, it mostly feels like a heavy weight on his chest. A heavier weight, at least. All of him feels pretty heavy and clumsy now, after a solid month of being insubstantial and invisible.

There are people he needs to see. That knowledge forces its way through to the front of his mind. Kotetsu braces his hands on the ground to try and get up...and immediately gets distracted by the feel of the ground. Such a simple thing that he wants to never, never take for granted again. He laughs out loud to feel it, laughs just to be sure he's not going to sob.

It's been a long month. He kind of wants to get drunk until the next one. But...the grass just feels so nice right now. He's not ready to stand up.

So those of you who are out, about, and reacting to your newly normalized states might come across Kotetsu in the gardens, laying on the ground, pulling up blades of grass a few tufts at a time and watching them be carried away on the breeze. He's smiling like he doesn't have a care in the world.

He has plenty, though, and they eventually become impossible to ignore. So when Kotetsu does get to his feet, he immediately starts running. As he runs, he calls out: "Bunny? Toshi? Where are you?"

Though if he passes by anyone he encountered as a ghost - whether or not they knew he was there - he's definitely going to slow down and hesitate for a moment, wondering what to say. If he should say anything. 

Comments

WELL WORTH THE WAIT THOUGH

[ojisankink]

Barnaby can't seem to stop crying, as much as he knows he should. He's just too overwhelmed by what Kotetsu is saying to him, by this whole situation. He thought their relationship as partners would be broken down for weeks after what happened. He thought Kotetsu wouldn't want to see him again. What is he supposed to do when his expectations have been so thoroughly shattered?

How can he do anything besides cry?

Still. Kotetsu is breathing, and smiling, and reassuring him as he always has. Barnaby should feel bad for relying on his partner this much... but at the same time, he knows Kotetsu wouldn't have it any other way. In the end, all he can feel is affectionate.

He rubs his eyes a bit, huffs as he looks Kotetsu in the eye only for his lips to twitch up into a smile.

"Then... I don't know what to say. I haven't... had experience with this in a long time. Not a lot of people get this kind of feeling out of me." And fewer deserve it. "B-Besides, it's not exactly the same as... as being in love, right? So maybe I'm wrong." He avoids Kotetsu's eyes now, the nerves catching up to him. "I don't think I am, though. I think..." He thinks he's ready to say this.

"I think I'm in love with you."

[oldmantiger]

Kotetsu's ears are ringing and he doesn't dare to breathe. But none of that stops the words from reaching him, ringing clear as a bell.

Barnaby is in love with him, too. Bunny loves him back.

He breathes, and then he laughs, and then he's hugging Barnaby close and picking him up and spinning the taller man around before he sets him back down on his feet to hug him some more. "Yes!" he cheers out loud, because that kind of happiness has to be given voice somehow. "I'm..." And yet how does he even begin, how can he possibly start to give voice to how fantastically wonderful this is, especially on the heels of so much horror.

Being Kotetsu, he takes the most straightforward option. "I'm so happy, this is so amazing, I..."

He trails away into a fit of happy giggling that might be edged with happy tears. Until at last, Kotetsu steps away once more - just a step, not too far- all the while keeping Barnaby's hands clutched tightly, protectively, in his once more. He looks at this man he oves so much and beams hopefully.

"...I really want to kiss you." A kiss like the sort he hasn't had since Tomoe died. "Would...that be okay now, Bunny?"

[ojisankink]

Barnaby's head is spinning, probably because he can't keep his breathing steady. He knows what he just said, hypothetically, but he can't piece an understanding of what this means together. Kotetsu loves him... so he said he loved him to. What happens now?

The laughter gets him to look up in surprise, only to cry out as he's suddenly picked up and spun. He clings tightly to Kotetsu's shoulders, even as he stammers for his partner to put him down, and then just gapes as Kotetsu actually cheers in response to Barnaby's words.

"K-Kotetsu? I just..."

No, Barnaby, you didn't just say you loved him. Heat rises to his face as the importance of his words finally seem to set in. He said something that Kotetsu had every right to reject, but... that isn't the case. He actually...

He must be dreaming. This can't actually be happening. He was going to be alone for the rest of his life. He knew that, didn't he?

His hands shake in Kotetsu's grip, his eyes water as Kotetsu smiles at him. His chest feels tight, full to burst with an emotion so strong it's warding off all his fears and doubts and leaving him with just overwhelming relief and affection. His hands squeeze Kotetsu's. After a moment, he laughs, softly and a little choked up.

"Of course that's okay." He wouldn't want anything else right now.

[oldmantiger]

He feels like he's standing at the edge of a skyscraper, or on a high wire over empty, open space. It's a feeling Kotetsu is quite familiar with from past experience, after all. But now, that feeling brings with it a rush of pure exhilaration over fear. He knows now, trusts wholeheartedly, that he won't fall - that even if he does, he has a safety net, a man who will always be there to catch him.

A kiss is the least of how he wants to express how grateful he is, and how much he loves Barnaby for it.

Kotetsu moves carefully, slowly. He brushes some of Barnaby's hair back from his face where it had gotten mussed and ruffled in Kotetsu's enthusiasm. Then he leaves his hand there, lingering, resting against Barnaby's cheek. He looks at his partner for just a moment longer, just for the pleasure of admiring how very, very beautiful Barnaby is.

Then he leans in, and kisses him - softly, at first, and briefly, just a light brush of his lips over the other man's. It's as much to brace himself, as anything. But then Kotetsu kisses Barnaby again, and lets it linger this time, lets himself appreciate the feeling of breath mingling and lips moving against each other.

[ojisankink]

He certainly isn't going to fall. Barnaby has made it his duty to catch Kotetsu every time he falls, and he's not about to stop. Not even when their relationship has so drastically changed, leaving him feeling like he's going to fall too.

A kiss may push him the rest of the way, but Barnaby is willing to take that risk.

He shivers a bit as hair is brushed away, but very slightly leans into the touch, staring at Kotetsu, waiting to see what will happen.

What does occur is not at all what he's expected. The kiss is so... gentle. So unlike the kisses he's ever had before. Even when it lingers, it's so much softer than he's used to. So careful and affectionate. Barnaby doesn't trust himself to press deeper, so he mainly receives the kiss, just opening his mouth, letting Kotetsu guide him.

[oldmantiger]

Kotetsu can sense the hesitation taking hold of his partner, but...from the way Barnaby is leaning into his hand, from the way he seems to be trying to return the kiss, he doesn't think it's because the other man is finding the contact unpleasant or unwanted. No, Bunny just seems to be...genuinely uncertain. Kotetsu wonders in a flash how long it's been since he's kissed anyone. Or even if he's ever kissed anyone before at all.

The thought makes a surge of protectiveness rise up in his chest, emboldens him to deepen the kiss and really focus on guiding Barnaby, showing him what this could be. When Barnaby parts his lips, Kotetsu hesitates for only a moment before moving his tongue into the other man's mouth, kissing him more fervently, as he moves a hand to rest against Barnaby's back and hold him closer still.

[ojisankink]

Of course he's hesitant. He hasn't had a partner for years, not since just before he started in the hero business. He was supposed to have someone to increase his publicity once he started the season, but those plans kept falling through... and Barnaby had always been a bit relieved about that.

Of course, giving himself more freedom and opportunity to connect with Kotetsu has meant sacrificing experience in showing physical affection. Not that the kind of experience he got would have really helped with the feeling of it all.

And there's just so many feelings. So much contact, enough to overwhelm, and Kotetsu only continues ramping up the intensity. Barnaby can't help a soft moan as Kotetsu presses closer to him, hands clutching to Kotetsu's shoulders as he carefully moves his lips, lets his tongue bump up against his partner's.

[oldmantiger]

Good, there we go. Kotetsu can feel Barnaby starting to relax and settle. In fact, he can feel the younger man practically melting into the kiss. It's gratifying, heartening, to realize that Barnaby feels safe enough to try and press a little further. Kotetsu makes a decidedly pleased sound, smiling into the kiss, to let Barnaby know that he approves wholeheartedly. He lets their tongues twine together, tilts his head just slightly to let their mouths slant against each other. Then he lets the hand resting on Barnaby's cheek drift towards the back of his head, the better to let his fingers run gently through his partner's hair.

Kotetsu feels...warm and loved and safe and amazing, having forgotten until just now how much he's missed being able to share this kind of affection and love with another person. He can only hope he's helping Barnaby feel the same.

[ojisankink]

Barnaby is definitely relaxing. Part of him feels like he's falling, the rest like he's flying. It's an odd floating feeling, and all he can tell is that he likes that. The sound Kotetsu makes fills him with warmth, grateful he's not imagining the fact that Kotetsu enjoys his presence.

He feels so very safe, Kotetsu's arms around him and practically shielding him. He wishes he could do the same, but he's sort of ended up pinned and he doesn't want to try to wiggle his arms out and break their closeness. Instead, he just hopes the way he's kissing gets his desire to protect Kotetsu across.

He stays pressed against him until he's too dizzy to go on, pulling away with a soft gasp.