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Good Morning Voidtreckers, today is day 13 of the month of Nebula...

The voice speaks through the carriages, a wake-up call that nobody ever asks for, but comes on each new day. Tidus stirs, the sound registering in his ears; but he rolls, or tries, bumping into some lump in front of him. A lump that when he throws his arm over it, it manages to grab onto it.

It's either it or him, but Tidus brings the pair closer, mumbling into the back of a neck. Wearing nothing but a shirt and underwear, and not really keen on the idea of putting on anything more.

Fiveee more miiinuuuteees... or daaaayyssss...

There are those times where you wake up, and you don't really realise what's the waking world and what's a dream - or what's even happening, really. Because the voice does register with Inigo as well, but while he's usually pretty good about actually sitting up and attempting to get out of bed when he hears it, right now there's an obstacle. Something that renders him unable to move.

And it's exactly that fact that makes him unsure whether this is real or not. Because after a moment or two of thinking what that feeling around his middle could be, he realises it's an arm. And it's not Inigo's own arm.

Then come the other sensations. The warmth pressed up against his back. The soft breath tickling the short hairs near his neck. The familiar sensation of another person right there, holding him, except he's still in bed, still half waking up.

(Except it's Tidus doing it. Tidus, cuddling with him here in bed, completely unprompted, without Inigo first having to whine about it for an hour or two.)

Inigo freezes up. He's too scared to even twitch, to move slightly. What if Tidus is just subconsciously doing this? What if he'd move away if he realises what's going on? Even Inigo's breath stills slightly, like he's trying his darnest to make sure the sensation doesn't leave him as soon as it came.

It's easy to stay in bed after a mission. There's this mood that falls over the train, or at least, Tidus - like there isn't anything to get up for, nothing that's actually important. It's not untrue; they're brought here for these missions, and with it over, even if it means he misses breakfast, Tidus is happy to exist in this nowhere state without obligations.

The bigger problem is if Inigo will agree; surely, he'll get up soon. Tidus knows Inigo's schedule well enough to figure he'll rise. But maybe all that bridge building tuckered him out, and if the other guy isn't going to stir, why ruin it?

Until - unless - Tidus thinks there's reason for Inigo to not be heeding the arm around him; and it's an overreaction, but he'll tug at him if he thinks he's moving at all, like stopping him from going anywhere.

..but he should let Inigo get comfy. Just. You know!! That doesn't have to be out of bed!

?!?!?

It seems that Inigo's wild, wild dream is only becoming wilder. Except he suddenly feels the other tugging on him when Inigo finally manages to unfreeze enough to try and move a little, and that makes him realise that this is very much reality after all. Nothing in a dream can feel this real.

And that fact, in turn, makes him so very glad that Tidus is clinging to his backside, because Inigo can feel his face getting so red. Which he knows is a dumb reaction, like he's some horny teenager, but can he help it? The guy he's got a crush on is tenderly holding him from behind and clinging to him, what else is a guy supposed to do right now?

"Uh.." His voice sounds so tiny and awkward, and Inigo kinds of hates that, but can't help it at the same time. It's just natural. "Morning, Tidus.."

Please, he hopes that came across as nonchalant, rather than him trying really hard to not mentally freak out right now.

"Nnnnnnno," groans a very unimpressed voice, the dulcet tones of one youth in the height of their maturity. He shakes his head, which between the bed and tucked by the back of Inigo's neck, is more a nudge in place.

"Not morning. Nothing to get up for. Let's stay in bed."

There's a weight to his voice, though not the amount to indicate he's groggily speaking, so much as someone who's been awake for a few minutes, and has been aiming to change that. His arm around Inigo moves up, tucking somewhere around his chest. He's not injured, and he didn't have much magic he dared to use on that planet, but he still wants to be a potato.

But he will concede to only one reason to wake, saying: "--'less you gotta piss."

Then maybe he'll agree to allowing Inigo his freedom from being Tidus's arm rest.

"No," comes out as the answer. Perhaps a little too quickly, perhaps before Inigo has even truly considered whether or not he needs to pee. But it doesn't matter, because even if he'd have to, it would have to wait now. Like he's going to waste an opportunity like this on his bladder, please.

"No, we can just.. stay here."

Like this. Even though Inigo feels like he's dying the more he realises Tidus's arm is around him, that Tidus is practically pressed up against his back. Inigo tries to awkwardly move his hands a little, managing to put one on top of one of the arms wrapped around him, but doesn't otherwise move. He's just hoping that Tidus's arms aren't high up enough on his chest to feel the way his heart is starting to beat so frantically - Inigo sure knows he isn't going to get any rest from this moment. But that's fine.

There's a quiet moment where Inigo tries to gather his mind, but then he speaks up again, completely unmoving this time.

"Are you tired from the mission?"

He hums, a sound that's non-committal, but something of an answer. An answer that he doesn't know, despite the question being fairly simple. A delay before he reminds himself of that, than trying to formulate words for what he is, after the mission.

"Guess so." But what else is it that has him mumbly, stubborn? Oh- "Bed's nicer than the ground." That's also a plus, and he can actually say that about these beds.

"S'no reason to leave," he finally decides on. Nothing despairing, just fact - with a breath tickling at the back of Inigo's neck each time he speaks, and a foot rubs once at the back of one of Inigo's, before figuring what that limb is.

"How about we stay in and eat junk food and play videogames?"

A part of him wants to turn around. Not that this position isn't nice, but facing Tidus would be nice too. Actually being able to wrap his arms around the other in turn, feeling Tidus's breath tickling his cheeks, his lips, perhaps those lips against his own..

But that's risky. Maybe something to try later, when he doesn't feel like he's wasting an entire experience.

"Sounds nice.." The words are sighed out more than said, at least 50% breath. "If people wonder where we've gone, they'll know where to find us."

It's not like their room sharing is exactly a big secret to most of their friends anyway - the signs next to the doors make it pretty obvious.

His thumb lightly rubs against Tidus's arm. "'sides.. being here with you after a mission is comfortable." For so many reasons. This cuddling here, for one, which he still can't quite get over. But even just staying in the same room with Tidus, eating food, playing games, reading magazines, talking.. It's the closest to some normal, comfortable life they can get here on the train. ".. and I think I'm finally getting the hang of those games."

The touch on his arm from before, and now the light rubbing, is ticklish in its own way. A gesture that's intimate, but Tidus isn't going to be weird about it. This is what they both signed up for, right? And never think Inigo would miss an opportunity to be touchy and affectionate.

There's a joke on his lips at first, but Tidus holds onto it as Inigo goes on, a new one brewing in its place with a smile; his eyes opening a little, but still seeing darkness with how close they are to hair.

"Yeah? Let's get more then! We can get some games, some magazines... and how about - a big pizza!" He chuckles, a noise in his throat. "--Think we could get Taiki to join us if we got him a handheld too?"

Make it a real pal hangout - in a future coming soon, if not exactly that day.

"You'd need a more gentle game for him," Inigo says, though with a similar sort of tone to his voice. Maybe not exactly as excited as Tidus, but it's warm all the same. It's fond, amused, kind of liking the thought of the three of them hanging out like that, even though Inigo is only just really getting used to the idea of these handheld video games.

He's silent for a moment after giving that suggestion, but mostly since he's thinking. Well, both thinking, and just enjoying Tidus's close presence, but that last part is a given, isn't it. His thumb is still moving too, perhaps even moreso as he's quietly thinking.

"Don't you have games like that where you.. have to take care of animals, or something..?"

That sounds like a Taiki game to him, even though Inigo isn't sure if they exist. But then again, if games where you can dance exist, then surely those must exist too.

A game with animals? ...Tidus can't even pretend to think about it, shortly admitting: "Uh, I dunno... but we can add that into the order when we make it?"

A suggestion. Wasn't that the easiest way to do anything around here? But now his thoughts are about what Zanarkand would have - the real, the fake, wherever the train is getting these products from. A small hum escaping his throat as he tilts his head, so he can view the wall over the line of Inigo's hair.

"I wonder if we could get a game from some other world... and Seto could make it work on the devices we're using?"

Wouldn't that make things a lot easier. One of those early morning thoughts. That leads the foot that had shied away earlier from touching the side of Inigo's, letting it rest again over his. A very tiny nudge against it, an idle motion.

It's not like Inigo knows anything about this at all. Do video games.. not just work on these things? Instantly, like magic? That was the idea he was getting, that it was supposed to be some sort of universal thing. It makes Tidus's question a little more confusing, but with a smile, Inigo can always answer: "It can't hurt to ask."

Especially since they'll probably have quite some time on the train again, now they're done with that mission.. which means people will have more idle time to waste again.

But right as Inigo is about to open his mouth and say more, he can feel that touch. It's buried deep underneath the blankets, but Inigo is so hyper aware of Tidus's touch right now that there's no way he can miss the way the other guy's foot idly touches his own.

It's like electricity. Like butterflies in his stomach.

Don't mind Inigo as he gently.. tries to move their feet even closer together. Trying so hard to seem nonchalant about it, like he's not even thinking about it. Like nothing is happening down there. Not like Inigo is trying to entangle them a little here, no siree..

".. did you like my bridges back there?" Yes, he is still going on about that. It's just the easiest thing to fall back on, while half his concentration is on the sneaky way he's trying to make this cuddle extra cuddly here. "I was really cool this mission, right?"

A foot - or ankle - trying to wrap around his own doesn't go unnoticed. Tidus doesn't decline it, and between this and the rubbing thumb, he's all too certain he's understanding Inigo's signals well. Flustering, lightly, but exciting too, and Tidus brings his gaze off from the wall, down on the head by his.

"Yeah." He curves his wrist to place the palm of his hand on Inigo's upper chest, his slightly nudging at the other guy's back. "I told everyone who was in charge of them. 'See that guy over there? That's my pal. Once he's got his heart set on something, he won't give it up.'"

...maybe he's adding some trims and glitter, a smooth voice of confidence, but that's what Inigo's asking for, isn't it? Sounds like it to Tidus.

"Did you take anything that they let us have? You better have got something nice for all that work."

Maybe Inigo is slowly getting used to this being the way Tidus is. Despite the constant teasing, there's always a steady stream of support too. Not that it doesn't cause Inigo to blush a little all the same, his body perhaps lightly squirming, but there's no total freakout. Not even at the thought of Tidus going around and telling other people that - no matter whether the remark is joking or not.

Instead it just feels warm. Something about the idea is incredibly likeable. Tidus talking about him to people. Tidus thinking about him. Maybe he's easily satisfied.

(Maybe it's the effect of that hand now against his chest.)

"S-Some of the fabric." Is that a slight hitch in his voice? No, bro, you're just imagining it. Not like he's cuddle-flustered by that hand, bro. "I thought I might make something nice for Jumblie during the downtime."

What else is there to do anyway, right?

".. how about you?"

"Mmm- nothing I wanted." He's got more cool about him - at least, it's easier to, when you hear the sounds you expect to, warmth tickling your face, but Tidus gets to be brave when he's the one with the upper hand. ...or a lowering hand, rubbing its way down Inigo's torso, to his belly, along either the slope of fabric or skin. If it's the former, then his fingers get to play with the edge of the shirt there, to let Tidus get to the latter.

"I'll take a look later," he goes on, casually. Nothing up at all, right bro. "But staying in bed's still a really fun idea... Just the two of us, right?"

The two of them, and Tidus using the arm he has trapped between himself and the bed to hitch his weight up some, to lift his head to creep closer to Inigo's. Teasing with the closing in, waiting to see if Inigo might turn his face.

There's definitely a shirt there - as if Inigo would ever sleep without, please. Even if Tidus has seen what's underneath his shirts plenty by now, Inigo still can't help but be shy enough about it all the same to make sure that he's never sleeping topless, unlike a certain fiend over here.

But it does mean that he can feel Tidus's fingers moving all the way to the bottom of his shirt, before actually sneaking underneath there, making him realise that this is very much happening. Inigo can still feel Tidus's breath tickling against his back too, and it's all so much. He hasn't even been in the world of the waking for long, and yet this is already happening.

"Y.. Yeah. Of course. Just the two of us."

Just listen to that casual answer. Except there's absolutely nothing casual about it. There is no way Tidus - of all people - is not going to realise that it's very much Inigo's usual flustered tone starting to sneak into his voice.

He doesn't know what to do here. He wants to go along with it despite his fluster, sure, but what does he do for that? Does he just turn around and go for it, or would that ruin the moment?

Deciding that it's safer to not do something than to do something, Inigo just.. keeps staring ahead, his back still turned towards Tidus.. but there's definitely some tension to it now. Like Inigo is focusing real hard on this, thinking real hard about this.

"Not like we were together.. much.. during the mission.." Sure, they definitely were together for bits of it, but maybe Inigo is just trying to say that it was never long enough - or private enough - for.. you know. A little more.

Tidus can hear it. The change in Inigo's tone, a permission - to keep going, by the fact he isn't being pushed away, by the fact that he isn't being told to stop. He doesn't answer vocally, to the point made; already his mouth is going down to the first patch of skin it finds, to place a kiss, and then another, with a smile on his lips.

"So we should make up for it." There's the edge of a question in it, but it's also mind-reading - so that's what you're saying, right? While Tidus's hand is up Inigo's shirt, a palm to spread along the warm plane of his belly, just feeling. Just sneaking up there, all because it can.

Tidus stops his kisses, somewhere along Inigo's jawline. Wondering this time if he'll catch eyes turning to look at him, with his already looking down, a wide smile tickled at the sight of his bed partner.

"You can't make out when you're on your own."

Inigo's eyes do finally turn towards Tidus now, as if even he - though that 'even' might be laughable in this context, considering how very weak Inigo is for the other - can't resist it right now.

Not the kisses, not the touch underneath his shirt. Nor the butterflies in his stomach. Because every time it feels like this is just a dream, like one time Inigo might come back from a mission or wake up and find out he made all of it up. But no matter how many times he's worried that might happen, it never does happen. Ever.

So Inigo finally shifts. It's a slow shift, as if he's afraid to lose that hand on his stomach, but at the same time does want to turn into Tidus's direction.

Since this whole making out affair certainly is going to be hard if Inigo is turned with his back towards the other the whole time.

"You do realise that's just going to make it harder for me to stay away from you during missions, right?" It's said as a light, playful thing - though tinted with something a little more, a growing desire in the pit of Inigo's stomach. "I wanted this so badly."

I wanted this so badly. Tidus doesn't know if to feel smug, or what. He's already smiling, all things considered; the fluttering of a guy who feels like he's being more than he is there, but not transparent when he feels like he's in control. Being the one leaning over Inigo like this surely helps, than if it were the other way around.

"You're the guy who picked his bridges over me." He can't keep the humour of his voice, but there's an attempt to sound huffy there, under the smile on his face. The hand that had been playing with the skin of Inigo's belly now helps him keep his balance over Inigo, though it dips, Tidus's face coming closer.

"Guess we'll just have to make up for it." --but even he doesn't want to lay around teasing Inigo only, and he brings his mouth to his, expecting - and giving - the kissing that he's been leading them to; the kissing that even Inigo is promising, with his confession. A time for them to fool around, enjoy each other. Have the sort of fun they don't dish out to anyone else.

The kind of fun of two guys, just looking to be guys.

The kissing that Inigo is promising, and that he's delivering on a moment later, now he's in a slightly more comfortable position to do so and Tidus's lips meet his own. He kisses the other back right away, and eagerly too, with the kind of energy that betrays that he really did look forward to this all this time, even if he was busy with those bridges.

"You should've told me," he mumbles between kisses, his hands reaching up to land somewhere on Tidus, not really caring where. First on his back, on his shoulderblades, but then moving up to the other's shoulders.

"You could've just told me, 'hey, Inigo, let's make out in those bushes over there," and I would completely have dropped everything I was doing."

There's a lightness to it, a tone that almost makes it sound like a joke, though it's very sincere in its playfulness.

And then - as if to prove it - he's already moving back in for another kiss.

It sounds like they should have said a lot more back on that mission, but Tidus is satisfied now by the exchanges of kisses more than words; though they tickle him, just as the sliding of the hand along his body. He returns the favour, the hand by his hip resting on it proper, fingers squeezing as his kisses are a few firmer, if still playful.

Tidus accepts the kiss, letting them linger in it, before pulling back just inches to whisper, to tease: "'Heyyy, Inigo, let's ditch helping these people and go make out and have sex everywhere' -- that what you're thinking?"

He opens his eyes, to see Inigo as he waits for an answer for a question that's far from serious, a grin still unable to be peeled off from Tidus's lips.

That sound about right, pal?

The sight that greets Tidus is a familiar one. Inigo's face is as red as a beet. Sure, he also knows that it's far from serious. That the other is just trying to tease him. But it's so hard to not be affected by it all the same when Tidus says something like that to him, even if it's just in jest. Tidus can't say out loud that they're going to make out and have sex everywhere, his heart absolutely can't handle it.

"You're doing it on purpose," he says, voicing the thing both of them are thinking. And then he kisses Tidus again - a little harder this time, perhaps because he's trying to distract himself so hard from that thought. What if he gets that line stuck in his head forever?

Dear Naga, have mercy on him.

"Is it--" he starts when coming back up on air, only momentarily stopped by the fact that, right, he is trying to get air here-- "Is it that strange for a guy to think about having some fun while he's hard at work? Isn't this what you wanted?"

For him to think about breaks sometimes? Making out is a break, you know! It counts!

He's doing what on purpose, he has to wonder? Teasing Inigo? That's as natural as breathing air, and if that's the call out, then sure, Tidus can agree to that. He's not hard at work thinking about what else it could be though, when they're kissing, and Ingio gets a little more forceful about it - pouty too, with a question he actually has to think about.

"Hmm, well-" Here, let him just rest his arm across Inigo's chest than hold onto his waist. "What you get up to in your own head's up to you. But if you really wanted to, why didn't you ask? We weren't that far from each other - being in a tent's a good time for it."

For anything, really - but especially making out.

Inigo is well aware why he didn't ask. Because he's still worried that one time he might ask and Tidus will say no and think badly of him, even though the other has never given the slightest indication that he might ever do so. But that's just how Inigo's brain works, isn't it? Often twisting itself into assuming the absolute worst thing might happen, no matter how much evidence there is to the contrary.

It's exactly why he knows he can't give the honest answer, so instead he pauses for a moment, not moving in for another kiss. Instead he just looks flustered as he stares back at the other guy, feeling that arm against his waist.

"It didn't.. feel right to spend time on that during a mission.." It's not a full on lie, just not the main reason. But that means he can still it in a way that's pretty convincing. Because it is true that Inigo still has trouble cutting himself some slack in the middle of all that action, no matter what he's joking around about with Tidus right now. "I, uh.. I guess I might still have a bit of a break problem," he stammers.

Edited 2021-10-04 09:52 (UTC)

Someone might have a bit of a break problem.

And Tidus still needs to get better at reading Inigo's mind, it seems. But it's cute as well, watching the way Inigo squirms over it now - telling him he should get them to kiss during missions, but then saying it didn't feel like the right time. But Tidus knows that feeling well - how many times did he wish he was closer with Yuna when they were still travelling, but then, knowing there wasn't really a good time to do anything? When holding hands in front of the others, even as they slept, felt like pushing boundaries?

Tidus is still smiling, looking down at Inigo; bringing his face then closer to his, their lips close enough to graze.

"Guess I'll have to help you work on that," he says, in the most innocent tone that's far from it. "So- you wanna keep kissing me now? Or did we miss our chance?"

With it not being on the mission? He's giving Inigo the chance to tease him, hold back their kissing session. But then - can Inigo deny himself at the same time?

nebula 13; cuddlecuddlecuddlecuddle

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