[ it's a great day, all around — it doesn't matter that they do rather badly at the different games (well, aside from the one that requires throwing balls to knock over bottles, because that one charles decimates in record time; he's not lost the ability to throw fast and accurate over the years), because it's actually quite funny, and several booths leave him laughing so hard he feels like he might run out of the breath he doesn't even need. and more importantly, they're here together, something that leaves him feeling buoyant, somehow, happy and pleased and content all at once, a bubbling warmth inside him as he listens to junpei tell him about the festival, the games and the food, committing each fact into memory.
when they run out of things to do, it doesn't really matter — charles is more than happy to simply walk around aimlessly, or pick a spot to hang around in. idly, he thinks that it wouldn't really matter to him, where they are and what they're doing, as long as junpei is there with him, which —
he sets that thought aside, looking at him at the question, his smile answering for him before he actually speaks the words. ]
Bad? Nah, not at all. It's been pretty mint. [ a pause. ] Thanks. For coming with me.
[It's a silly sort of relief Junpei feels when Charles looks at him like that; of course they've had a good time today, he knew this already, but he likes the extra confirmation. And Charles' smile, which gives him a pleasantly fluttering feeling in his chest that he absolutely can place, but not right now. Later, he'll think about it later.]
Yeah, sure, of course. It's, you know... [He shrugs,] I can't say no to you. Uh, in a good way.
[—Cool, cool cool cool, anyway. What else is there to do at Obon at night, uh—]
So, uh, you want to keep walking around? Think I saw something with lanterns down at the end of the street, maybe...
[ i can't say no to you, junpei says, and charles ducks his head, feeling his smile turn into something softer, and knows that the kind of strange flush that he feels, all over, means he'd be absolutely blushing right up to his ears if he was still capable of it — knows it with the same kind of certainty that he knows his heart would be skipping beats right about now.
i can't say no to you, either, he thinks and doesn't say it, swallows it back at the same time as he forces his smile into something else, something less shy, less vulnerable. ]
Sure, [ he says, then, an easy agreement. ] Lanterns, was it? Let's see what those're about, then.
[ he starts to walk as he says that, and maybe he can be excused for succumbing to what he's wanted to do the whole day: reaching out to take junpei's free hand in his, tugging him along with him. ]
[Maybe the lanterns aren't the best idea - he knows what they're generally for, after all, and isn't remembrance kind of a downer at the end of a really nice day like this? But it's the first thing he thinks of, and Charles is still smiling, so alright—he can be normal about remembrance lanterns, or whatever. Absolutely.
Then they're holding hands, and those other concerns simply slide out of focus. He gives their hands a squeeze as he shuffles a bit to fall into step with Charles again, not really thinking about it. He's thinking about earlier in the clothing shop, and that one time in his room, and how they're going to decorate lanterns at all with one hand each, because he really, really doesn't want to let go.
Maybe they can do a few laps. It'll work out.
The lantern station isn't that crowded, now that it's getting close to the time to release them properly; responsible festival-goers have long since finished their lanterns, but hey, that leaves plenty of room for the two of them. There are little baubles and other decorations everywhere, and a stack of untouched lanterns waiting to be claimed that Junpei nods to when he spots it.]
There. You want to try? [Hm, and,] Should we just make one to save time...?
[ it's strange, how the moment their hands touch the way charles' phantom heart, flipping over itself, simply settles into something else — more solid, more certain, more.
and it's been like this for a while, hasn't it? it's impossible to ignore the fact that whenever they're together, it's like junpei has his own gravitational field, one that charles is helpless to resist, wanting to reach for him, to hold his hand (or simply hold him, really), like any distance between them is too much, too far.
idly, he thinks that eclipse is right appropriate for junpei, really — because with him around, charles is pretty sure he'd forget the sun even exists.
and oh, that —
that's not a thought he can ignore either, is it? he draws a breath, then, almost on reflex, before hitting the pause button on his thoughts because junpei's asked him a question and he really should be focusing, here. ]
What? I mean — yeah, sure. One sounds aces. 'Sides, decorating one together sounds more fun, anyway.
[ glancing at their joined hands, he wonders if they can just, you know, each use one hand... it's a good thing he took junpei's hand with his right, leaving his dominant left free to actually do some decorating. ]
[fellas is it gay to think adoringly about a syzygy
Or: While Charles is otherwise occupied with that, Junpei's thoughts have all spiraled down into how nice it is to hold his hand, and how he doesn't really want to go do twee little remembrance activities because... because, but he also doesn't want to admit defeat and have to end their time at the festival, because of the first thing.
It's complex. There's a nuance to it, unlike his handholding, which he feels intermittently is too clingy or too loose or too much, and if he's too awkward about it, Charles is going to politely let go of his hand and pretend he didn't notice.
So the journey to the lanterns is going great. Junpei chuckles, soft but still a little wry; he's going to word-spaghetti out and say something insane about time travel death traps five minutes into this lantern activity, he knows, so maybe fun is being overly generous? Maybe it doesn't matter, because every time he's done that before Charles has only ever supported him and tried to understand, and maybe he should just draw a bunch of hearts on a lantern and see if Charles gets the hint without him having to say anything at all—
Lanterns. It's happening. One of the natives approaches them to give them two lanterns, and Junpei stutters his way through asking for just one, actually, while the lantern attendant gives their hands an unsubtle glance. He takes the lantern.]
Can you grab some, uh, brushes? Markers? Whatever they've got here.
[There are plenty of baubles to add on and Charles has better taste than he does, so this is his mission too.]
[ spoilers: it is, in fact, so gay that even charles is having a hard time trying to explain it away. which he isn't, per se, just... postponing that crisis a little.
it is, however, the only crisis for him — he has exactly none over their joint hands, not as they walk over to the lantern station and not even when the attendant glances down at them in a way that's entirely obvious; if anything, it just makes him thread their fingers together, brushing his thumb up and down once, twice, as if to say, this is fine, i'm not letting go.
and maybe he'd have more of an opinion over the lanterns, in general, if he knew what they were for; as it is, though, he simply nods, reaching for a bundle of markers, first of all, since being able to write and draw on them seems like the obvious thing to do. there's other things on offer, too, but he figures they can add those when the base is finished... whatever that's going to be.
with a tug, he directs them to an empty spot (of which there are many, now, with how quiet the lantern-making station is) and furrows his brows as he looks at the lantern in junpei's hand. ] So... what do we do with it? Make it pretty?
[You know, it's remarkable how much that tender little thumb-rub both helps immensely and at the same time makes Junpei forget how to form whole sentences. The lantern booth attendant surely thinks he's a complete fool, but once he's fumbled through getting the lantern, it's fine! It's fine, actually, because Charles does that and all of Junpei's, um, handholding anxieties evaporate very suddenly.
So it's lantern time!!!
Lucky: a mostly deserted station, so they can sit here and continue to hold hands undisturbed. Junpei plops the lantern down on the table and considers it a little grimly as he takes a seat.]
Yeah... more or less. They're technically for, y'know... remembrance.
[ugh..........]
I don't really get it, considering how this place doesn't seem to care if we die at all, so why are they doing this... but it's whatever.
[The city that considers death a brief inconvenience wants them to do a somber and meaningful traditional ceremony? Bullshit-esque, if you ask him! Decorating is decorating, though.]
[ it's easy to see that the idea of remembrance doesn't sit well with junpei — from the grim expression to the grumbled words... and that's just not fine, because he refuses to do something that junpei doesn't like, even if it's only the general sentiment behind this activity.
gently, he squeezes his hand, his thumb rubbing soothing circles over his knuckles. ]
Hey. Who cares what it's supposed to be for, yeah? If it doesn't make sense for it to be remembrance, here, and I agree, it doesn't... why don't we decide what ours is for?
[ he looks at the lantern, then, a soft upwards quirk to his lips. ]
What if we don't do it in remembrance... but gratitude? You know — [ he shrugs, turning his gaze back to junpei, his smile just a little more pronounced, ] — Think of something good. Something we're grateful for. Cause you're right, death here doesn't seem to matter all that much, does it? So... we'll make this for something that does.
[From anyone else, Junpei might find this concession kind of... patronizing? Just humoring him, because he's always complaining about something, that Junpei, isn't he! But Charles takes the cheesiness of deciding for themselves and makes it sound so genuine, like yeah, maybe they should make it all about gratitude, and he is completely right to grumble about the remembrance part. Yeah!
He squeezes Charles' hand back, a silent thank you, and considers.]
...Yeah. Okay. That I can do.
[He already knows where to start if they're doing it like this, reaching for a marker and wiggling the cap off with his thumb, a little awkwardly. The sacrifices one makes to keep holding hands—]
In that case, I'm starting with you. Uh, hold it still for me? Let me get another high-quality portrait going.
[They'll have to take turns decorating this thing, but he's feeling better about it already.]
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no subject
when they run out of things to do, it doesn't really matter — charles is more than happy to simply walk around aimlessly, or pick a spot to hang around in. idly, he thinks that it wouldn't really matter to him, where they are and what they're doing, as long as junpei is there with him, which —
he sets that thought aside, looking at him at the question, his smile answering for him before he actually speaks the words. ]
Bad? Nah, not at all. It's been pretty mint. [ a pause. ] Thanks. For coming with me.
no subject
Yeah, sure, of course. It's, you know... [He shrugs,] I can't say no to you. Uh, in a good way.
[—Cool, cool cool cool, anyway. What else is there to do at Obon at night, uh—]
So, uh, you want to keep walking around? Think I saw something with lanterns down at the end of the street, maybe...
no subject
i can't say no to you, either, he thinks and doesn't say it, swallows it back at the same time as he forces his smile into something else, something less shy, less vulnerable. ]
Sure, [ he says, then, an easy agreement. ] Lanterns, was it? Let's see what those're about, then.
[ he starts to walk as he says that, and maybe he can be excused for succumbing to what he's wanted to do the whole day: reaching out to take junpei's free hand in his, tugging him along with him. ]
no subject
Then they're holding hands, and those other concerns simply slide out of focus. He gives their hands a squeeze as he shuffles a bit to fall into step with Charles again, not really thinking about it. He's thinking about earlier in the clothing shop, and that one time in his room, and how they're going to decorate lanterns at all with one hand each, because he really, really doesn't want to let go.
Maybe they can do a few laps. It'll work out.
The lantern station isn't that crowded, now that it's getting close to the time to release them properly; responsible festival-goers have long since finished their lanterns, but hey, that leaves plenty of room for the two of them. There are little baubles and other decorations everywhere, and a stack of untouched lanterns waiting to be claimed that Junpei nods to when he spots it.]
There. You want to try? [Hm, and,] Should we just make one to save time...?
no subject
and it's been like this for a while, hasn't it? it's impossible to ignore the fact that whenever they're together, it's like junpei has his own gravitational field, one that charles is helpless to resist, wanting to reach for him, to hold his hand (or simply hold him, really), like any distance between them is too much, too far.
idly, he thinks that eclipse is right appropriate for junpei, really — because with him around, charles is pretty sure he'd forget the sun even exists.
and oh, that —
that's not a thought he can ignore either, is it? he draws a breath, then, almost on reflex, before hitting the pause button on his thoughts because junpei's asked him a question and he really should be focusing, here. ]
What? I mean — yeah, sure. One sounds aces. 'Sides, decorating one together sounds more fun, anyway.
[ glancing at their joined hands, he wonders if they can just, you know, each use one hand... it's a good thing he took junpei's hand with his right, leaving his dominant left free to actually do some decorating. ]
no subject
Or: While Charles is otherwise occupied with that, Junpei's thoughts have all spiraled down into how nice it is to hold his hand, and how he doesn't really want to go do twee little remembrance activities because... because, but he also doesn't want to admit defeat and have to end their time at the festival, because of the first thing.
It's complex. There's a nuance to it, unlike his handholding, which he feels intermittently is too clingy or too loose or too much, and if he's too awkward about it, Charles is going to politely let go of his hand and pretend he didn't notice.
So the journey to the lanterns is going great. Junpei chuckles, soft but still a little wry; he's going to word-spaghetti out and say something insane about time travel death traps five minutes into this lantern activity, he knows, so maybe fun is being overly generous? Maybe it doesn't matter, because every time he's done that before Charles has only ever supported him and tried to understand, and maybe he should just draw a bunch of hearts on a lantern and see if Charles gets the hint without him having to say anything at all—
Lanterns. It's happening. One of the natives approaches them to give them two lanterns, and Junpei stutters his way through asking for just one, actually, while the lantern attendant gives their hands an unsubtle glance. He takes the lantern.]
Can you grab some, uh, brushes? Markers? Whatever they've got here.
[There are plenty of baubles to add on and Charles has better taste than he does, so this is his mission too.]
no subject
it is, however, the only crisis for him — he has exactly none over their joint hands, not as they walk over to the lantern station and not even when the attendant glances down at them in a way that's entirely obvious; if anything, it just makes him thread their fingers together, brushing his thumb up and down once, twice, as if to say, this is fine, i'm not letting go.
and maybe he'd have more of an opinion over the lanterns, in general, if he knew what they were for; as it is, though, he simply nods, reaching for a bundle of markers, first of all, since being able to write and draw on them seems like the obvious thing to do. there's other things on offer, too, but he figures they can add those when the base is finished... whatever that's going to be.
with a tug, he directs them to an empty spot (of which there are many, now, with how quiet the lantern-making station is) and furrows his brows as he looks at the lantern in junpei's hand. ] So... what do we do with it? Make it pretty?
no subject
So it's lantern time!!!
Lucky: a mostly deserted station, so they can sit here and continue to hold hands undisturbed. Junpei plops the lantern down on the table and considers it a little grimly as he takes a seat.]
Yeah... more or less. They're technically for, y'know... remembrance.
[ugh..........]
I don't really get it, considering how this place doesn't seem to care if we die at all, so why are they doing this... but it's whatever.
[The city that considers death a brief inconvenience wants them to do a somber and meaningful traditional ceremony? Bullshit-esque, if you ask him! Decorating is decorating, though.]
So, uh, where do you want to start?
no subject
gently, he squeezes his hand, his thumb rubbing soothing circles over his knuckles. ]
Hey. Who cares what it's supposed to be for, yeah? If it doesn't make sense for it to be remembrance, here, and I agree, it doesn't... why don't we decide what ours is for?
[ he looks at the lantern, then, a soft upwards quirk to his lips. ]
What if we don't do it in remembrance... but gratitude? You know — [ he shrugs, turning his gaze back to junpei, his smile just a little more pronounced, ] — Think of something good. Something we're grateful for. Cause you're right, death here doesn't seem to matter all that much, does it? So... we'll make this for something that does.
🎀 hell....................yea
He squeezes Charles' hand back, a silent thank you, and considers.]
...Yeah. Okay. That I can do.
[He already knows where to start if they're doing it like this, reaching for a marker and wiggling the cap off with his thumb, a little awkwardly. The sacrifices one makes to keep holding hands—]
In that case, I'm starting with you. Uh, hold it still for me? Let me get another high-quality portrait going.
[They'll have to take turns decorating this thing, but he's feeling better about it already.]