[ his tail flicks back and forth when therion makes eye contact - okay, okay. he gets it, he's just being a worrywart. it doesn't exactly ease his nerves or anything, but he relaxes at least a little knowing that therion has his phone. he figures that his stupid stubborn thief won't use it out of instinct anyway, but at least he has it.
while therion is out, jiaoqiu books a hotel. there's a weird feeling that he gets when he does it - something sad and melancholic, because he used to live in that city. it isn't that he really even misses it that much, because he doesn't. this place was just where he ended up, it didn't have any particular hold on him other than the fact that it's where the graves were. but he did live there for years and years, and he got into trouble, and he nearly died, and... well, it's just strange to think that he doesn't remember a whole lot of it. most of the time he spent living there, in that apartment, was a blur. he can barely remember the fifteen, twenty years he spent rotting in that city, and it unnerves him sometimes to think about.
but he books that hotel. he packs, halfheartedly. and he goes to make dinner.
he doesn't hear therion because he's lost in thought, concentrating on kneading dough and sort of... drifting. voiding out just a little, thinking of what tomorrow might bring. half the time, therion wins these contests because jiaoqiu's senses are borked, but right now, he's cooking, which means his sense of smell is active. he catches therion's scent at the last second, his ears standing straight up as he does, and looks over his shoulder just in time to get his tail pulled.
therion will be pleased, he's sure, to see jiaoqiu startle and let out a little yelp, nearly dropping the dough in his hands. he doesn't! he catches it. but it's a close thing, and his expression gets so huffy. ]
You -- ! Are you incapable of a hello, I'm home like a normal person? [ huff!!! there's zero heat to this, though. his scolding usually comes off as fussy. with a grumble, he puts the dough down, and then, insistently despite the grouch, moves forward to press a kiss to therion's lips. hello, welcome home. ]
even if he saw the voiding, jiaoqiu's immediate lively reaction would've covered it - therion's expression is immediately pleased, a bratty, smug grin drawing up his face. just to bring it home, he drawls in his usual, utterly sarcastic, utterly insincere, utterly dry: ] Honey, I'm home.
[ and then releases his tail, sneaky hand fluttering free as he sets the package down on the counter. there are a couple of things in a paper bag - ingredients, some vegetables they were running low on, a fresh, crisp red apple on the top that therion takes from the bag as he's turning away, and at the bottom, wrapped in butcher paper, cuts of tuskpir meat.
he doesn't say anything about it and vacates before jiaoqiu gets to the bottom of the bag - hopping up on the counter across to watch him cook, palming the apple in one hand and taking a bite. the whole fluid motion is practiced and easy, and... tugs a little at his stitches, but not in a way he's not used to.
content to sit here and be a menace, he takes another bite of his snack. ]
but he doesn't even bother trying to get therion to let go of his tail at any point, so y'know. he's clearly not that bothered. he digs into the package after therion scoots away with his apple, curious. and he finds - the vegetables, and more importantly... ]
... Hah. [ he says, soft, ear twitching and laying down to the side. there's a little smile on his face, as he examines the cuts. this is such a therion move - bullying, being flippant, but listening. bringing him the things he mentioned without fanfare, without expectation. his tail swishes back and forth gently, and then: ]
Did you know there's a breed of tuskpir that eats nightmares? [ he says, idly, setting the meat down. ] It's said that hugging one while you sleep relieves depression and anxiety, and improves sleep quality.
[ well, he knew jiaoqiu would find it, but he's never quite sure if he's going to address it or not, so. filling his mouth with apple seems like a good way to pass the moment of anxiety beforehand, though it's not as much anxiety these days - only in the way that positive, heavy emotions make him anxious sometimes, in the way that he still gets embarrassed and huffy in the face of the gentle.
talking about feelings will always give him hives, but it's better than it used to be. he looks down at jiaoqiu's tail while he's still turned around, looks up. just in time to lock eyes with him when he smiles. that expression makes his heart jump, even now, and he stares for a second, then scoffs, turning his face away to rip another bite out of his apple. his red ear is visible under his unruly fringe. ]
Whatever. [ you're welcome. or maybe, you asked. even if he didn't, in so many words.
anyway time to be prickly to avert self from having too many Feelings tm. ] Y'know that sounds like a sales pitch, right? Did some merchant tell you that...?
[ he's so amused by the whatever, it's funny. and on top of that, watching therion blush and get fidgety makes his chest feel warm, so. he scoots over to the counter to wedge himself between therion's legs, resting his hands on his thighs and leaning up like he's going to kiss therion again... and instead taking a bite out of his apple, like a brat, gold eyes glittering with amusement and mischief. ]
In fact, Lingsha told me so. She keeps one or two as pets, along with her rabbit. She offered to lend one to me a few times.
[ he'd refused, because it felt like admitting he had a weakness. but he leaves that unsaid, tail still swishing back and forth. ]
In any case. The meat itself is invigorating. It quenches thirst, and gives you a sensation of warmth when eaten. [ a beat, and he slides away from therion to go back to his dough, making sure his expression isn't visible. ]
Moze liked it because he thought this meant he didn't need to eat more than once a day. Silly crow.
actually this is his own fault for falling for it but unfortunately, sometimes he is stupid. well, that and for all of his street smarts, jiaoqiu is more clever than him by half - one of them was a professional strategist, after all - and he's been affectionate today, so. he even makes the tiny mistake of leaning forward as if he's expecting the kiss, having already made the space for jiaoqiu to wriggle in close.
when it doesn't come, his nose wrinkles up and he scowls - it looks more like a pout, honestly - and he picks a piece of the apple off to flick it at his face. harmless.
and besides, the tailwagging is a marked improvement from earlier, so it's hard to be actually mad, especially with the offhand she offered to lend me one, a phrase of implications that he catches onto, one that resonates further with the impending trip of tomorrow at hand.
that said and done, he pulls a leg up to settle further onto the counter when jiaoqiu trots away, watching his back. ]
I'd believe the food more than I would the rest. [ the idea that cuddling something can heal your dreams or whatever?? no way that's bullshit. but jiaoqiu's food and its medicinal qualties are not completely unknown to him, so even his cynical ass can handle that part. though: ] You'd think people'd be too softhearted to eat it.
[ couldn't be therion, though. and, as he continues, therion listens - he's paying attention, close attention to his body language even if he can't see his face, because there's the name again. jiaoqiu treading closer and closer to those dangerous waters. he takes a bite of his apple, chewing it thoughtfully as he considers what he wants to say in response. let it continue? maybe. maybe something that'll keep him reactive. maybe a little bit of both. agitating jiaoqiu like a pot of noodles, to keep them all from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
so: ]
...You don't need to eat more than once a day if you're smart about it. [ from the bare bit he knows about moze, it's... well. maybe he would've liked the guy. he won't say that, though - he'll just wait for a reaction. ]
[ noooo, the pout!! jiaoqiu is pleased by this, grinning to himself. revenge, for the tail pulling. he'll make it up to him later - even if therion grouches and grumbles about it, he knows that he doesn't hate when jiaoqiu is affectionate with him. if he did, he wouldn't allow it. with what tomorrow is going to bring, he might be a touch more clingy, tonight. like saving up strength, hoarding heat and warmth because you know a blizzard is coming.
he glances over his shoulder at therion, even as he's kneading. a former strategist he may be, but he's not always aware of when therion is on-purpose trying to provoke him into reacting, so he plays into it nicely. his ear flicks, even though his tail has stopped swaying. ]
Hmph. You would say that. [ there's no heat to this - it's straying a little close to something flat, but there's effort, here. he's trying. ]
You should have three meals a day, or multiple small snacks throughout. Your body needs food to move! Fuel to power the muscles, like the gyrehearts of an ingenium. Why else do you think I'm on you constantly, hm?
[ a beat, and then: ] I'd prefer you and everybody that I meet never go hungry, so long as I'm around. Even if it does mean I must make a meal out of something as cute as a tuskpir.
[ aaand there he goes, therion thinks to himself - amused, a little fonder than he realizes. the ear flick is a good sign in jiaoqiu body language, and if he's a little melancholy as opposed to being gone into nothingness, then that's a step in the right direction.
that, and, well. i'd prefer you and everybody that i meet never goes hungry strikes a little bit of a chord, in the heart of a thief that never knew where his next meal came from, though he'd never admit it. his expression softens a little, and if he looks back, he might just see a there and gone again smile flicker across his face. ]
I think you're on me because you like being a nag. [ he says - snarky as ever, but he pushes himself up off the counter and pads over to the sink, pushing his hoodie sleeves up and going to wash his hands. he'll help out with the prep work. since he got hurt, it's been something to keep his dextrous fingers working, anyway, and besides that, he can pick up on jiaoqiu's creep closer to flatline.
he dries off his hands and makes his way over, close enough, companionable. getting closer to him sometimes helps to stave away the chill. ]
Cute doesn't make it any less edible. What do you need?
[ blink and you miss it, but therion calls him a nag and jiaoqiu sticks his tongue out at him. just briefly, just long enough to think he didn't do it. and then he goes back to his work.
but - therion hops off the counter and washes his hands. offers to help, which makes jiaoqiu warm, even without the closeness. he re-focuses, lets his mind come back. thinks ahead, instead of letting himself go down into autopilot. stay awake. therion wants you here, and that is enough of a foothold.
this time he does lean over to kiss therion, for real. soft, and lingering. and then he pulls back, and gestures to the small balls of dough he's been making. they're rolled out flat. dumpling wrappers, essentially. ]
You can fill those, if you'd like. The filling is in the refrigerator.
[ that sounds nice. it sounds grounding, making food in tandem, therion close to him, enough to catch his heartbeat, sometimes, if he listens hard. he has to resist the urge to push therion down somewhere so that he can crawl onto him and listen to his heartbeat, enough that his fingers twitch where he's separating the dough. he's here. he's alive. ]
[ when jiaoqiu leans, he's expecting it this time - despite having his trust playfully tested, the actual trust that has been built remains, and so he subtly tips his chin up enough to meet him there. it's the kind of soft gesture he never quite gets used to, that gives him butterflies that he reflexively swats down, and when he pulls back there's a faint dusting of red just across therion's nose, barely enough to be seen over his darker skin.
he seems a little less floaty, when therion glances him over after, green eye darting to his ears and back down before he shrugs a shoulder and turns on his heel to do just that. sometimes it strikes him strange, standing in front of this nice refrigerator, that he's in a house. like a stray cat that's been domesticated, not collared but still having a warm place to curl up at night. he stares at the inside of the fridge for a second, still mildly aching head spinning for a second with an overwhelming amount of thoughts before he grabs the filling and pushes the door shut, effectively closing the door on all of that, too.
deep frying, huh. therion makes an 'ohh' noise, a little snarky, banter for banter's sake ] Bad for the arteries, doc.
[ he does not care about his arteries
anyway. he sets the bowl down and pushes his sleeves back up properly again, grabbing a spoon to get to working on filling the little wrappers - watching jiaoqiu do it, first. observant as ever. ]
's whatever. [ he'll really eat anything as jiaoqiu has likely learned, at this point. for better or for worse. ] What's in it?
[ he'll model it for therion - he doesn't go over the top or anything, just grabs some of the filling and then uses water to close the seams of the dumplings with his fingertips. it seems like second nature for him, something he does with enough repetition that he barely has to think about it. and when therion settles, jiaoqiu curls a little closer. not obnoxiously, but close enough that he could rest his head on therion's shoulder if he really wanted to. this is extremely calming for him, and therion will probably be able to tell. the combination of having him near and doing something that he enjoys eases the buzzing anxiety in his head and heart. ]
Minced pork, diced shrimp, scallions, ginger, soy sauce... [ he lists, tilting his head. ] Various seasonings. Spice.
[ his tail eases down to curl around therion loosely, unable to stop himself from being affectionate, tonight. he needs it, and he's willing to be a little selfish the day before he faces something that's hurt him so badly in the past. ]
These are for us and our clogged arteries, for tonight. [ he jokes, voice soft. ] I'll make the offerings later.
[ a beat, and then: ] There are apple turnovers in the refrigerator as well, for you.
[ he's fully expecting the tail - in fact, that it takes as long as it does is the only part of it that's surprising - and the subtle, gentle form of affection is one he's finally gotten fully comfortable with. he doesn't stiffen up in surprise or duck away, and in fact just leans into the gesture a little, adjusting his stance and letting jiaoqiu close, paying attention to the way that he seems to relax.
observation leads to subtle affection, leads to the subtle, consistent attempts to provide care in return. whether he'll admit to it or not, he's trying to look after jiaoqiu, and has been for a long, long time - clumsily, awkwardly, but nevertheless.
he turns the dough between his fingers - slow at first, as to not break it or tear it, but it takes him a single dumpling to get the hang of the repetitive motion. closed seams, crimped edges, delicate and easy. light touch. it is kind of calming, the repetitive motion, and as he settles in he grunts in acknowledgement to this being their dinner, and...
... apple turnovers, huh. there's that flutter again, that good-bad-squirmy feeling - he has to turn his face away, bangs hiding his expression. ]
Stress cooking again, huh. [ clearly, he's pleased by this - touched, a little flustered, so he has to say something shitty to cover it. there's something unendingly new about someone caring about someone like therion enough to pay attention to the things he likes and get them just because. ]
[ tonight especially he's seeing that care. just like it's taken time for therion to get used to affection, it's taken jiaoqiu time to learn what therion's fussing looks like, the subtleties in how he acts. what is genuine anger, what comments are shitty because he's embarrassed, which gestures are emotional handholds. recognizing them means he bends a little further, opens up and lets therion in, because he can see the effort and - well, even though he doesn't always believe he deserves it, he likes it. therion leans in, and jiaoqiu lets out a soft, steadying sigh of content.
smiles, too, when therion gets flustered. his ear flicks. ]
Something like that. [ teasing, a little, as he sets a dumpling down. he really, really likes that therion is pleased. a pulse of emotion he's come to recognize more regularly as love eases warm in his chest, and he has to stop his tail from wagging, because it's settled so nicely around him. ]
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no subject
while therion is out, jiaoqiu books a hotel. there's a weird feeling that he gets when he does it - something sad and melancholic, because he used to live in that city. it isn't that he really even misses it that much, because he doesn't. this place was just where he ended up, it didn't have any particular hold on him other than the fact that it's where the graves were. but he did live there for years and years, and he got into trouble, and he nearly died, and... well, it's just strange to think that he doesn't remember a whole lot of it. most of the time he spent living there, in that apartment, was a blur. he can barely remember the fifteen, twenty years he spent rotting in that city, and it unnerves him sometimes to think about.
but he books that hotel. he packs, halfheartedly. and he goes to make dinner.
he doesn't hear therion because he's lost in thought, concentrating on kneading dough and sort of... drifting. voiding out just a little, thinking of what tomorrow might bring. half the time, therion wins these contests because jiaoqiu's senses are borked, but right now, he's cooking, which means his sense of smell is active. he catches therion's scent at the last second, his ears standing straight up as he does, and looks over his shoulder just in time to get his tail pulled.
therion will be pleased, he's sure, to see jiaoqiu startle and let out a little yelp, nearly dropping the dough in his hands. he doesn't! he catches it. but it's a close thing, and his expression gets so huffy. ]
You -- ! Are you incapable of a hello, I'm home like a normal person? [ huff!!! there's zero heat to this, though. his scolding usually comes off as fussy. with a grumble, he puts the dough down, and then, insistently despite the grouch, moves forward to press a kiss to therion's lips. hello, welcome home. ]
... I see you found things.
no subject
even if he saw the voiding, jiaoqiu's immediate lively reaction would've covered it - therion's expression is immediately pleased, a bratty, smug grin drawing up his face. just to bring it home, he drawls in his usual, utterly sarcastic, utterly insincere, utterly dry: ] Honey, I'm home.
[ and then releases his tail, sneaky hand fluttering free as he sets the package down on the counter. there are a couple of things in a paper bag - ingredients, some vegetables they were running low on, a fresh, crisp red apple on the top that therion takes from the bag as he's turning away, and at the bottom, wrapped in butcher paper, cuts of tuskpir meat.
he doesn't say anything about it and vacates before jiaoqiu gets to the bottom of the bag - hopping up on the counter across to watch him cook, palming the apple in one hand and taking a bite. the whole fluid motion is practiced and easy, and... tugs a little at his stitches, but not in a way he's not used to.
content to sit here and be a menace, he takes another bite of his snack. ]
no subject
but he doesn't even bother trying to get therion to let go of his tail at any point, so y'know. he's clearly not that bothered. he digs into the package after therion scoots away with his apple, curious. and he finds - the vegetables, and more importantly... ]
... Hah. [ he says, soft, ear twitching and laying down to the side. there's a little smile on his face, as he examines the cuts. this is such a therion move - bullying, being flippant, but listening. bringing him the things he mentioned without fanfare, without expectation. his tail swishes back and forth gently, and then: ]
Did you know there's a breed of tuskpir that eats nightmares? [ he says, idly, setting the meat down. ] It's said that hugging one while you sleep relieves depression and anxiety, and improves sleep quality.
[ he glances over at therion with that smile. ]
Thank you, Therion.
no subject
talking about feelings will always give him hives, but it's better than it used to be. he looks down at jiaoqiu's tail while he's still turned around, looks up. just in time to lock eyes with him when he smiles. that expression makes his heart jump, even now, and he stares for a second, then scoffs, turning his face away to rip another bite out of his apple. his red ear is visible under his unruly fringe. ]
Whatever. [ you're welcome. or maybe, you asked. even if he didn't, in so many words.
anyway time to be prickly to avert self from having too many Feelings tm. ] Y'know that sounds like a sales pitch, right? Did some merchant tell you that...?
no subject
In fact, Lingsha told me so. She keeps one or two as pets, along with her rabbit. She offered to lend one to me a few times.
[ he'd refused, because it felt like admitting he had a weakness. but he leaves that unsaid, tail still swishing back and forth. ]
In any case. The meat itself is invigorating. It quenches thirst, and gives you a sensation of warmth when eaten. [ a beat, and he slides away from therion to go back to his dough, making sure his expression isn't visible. ]
Moze liked it because he thought this meant he didn't need to eat more than once a day. Silly crow.
no subject
actually this is his own fault for falling for it but unfortunately, sometimes he is stupid. well, that and for all of his street smarts, jiaoqiu is more clever than him by half - one of them was a professional strategist, after all - and he's been affectionate today, so. he even makes the tiny mistake of leaning forward as if he's expecting the kiss, having already made the space for jiaoqiu to wriggle in close.
when it doesn't come, his nose wrinkles up and he scowls - it looks more like a pout, honestly - and he picks a piece of the apple off to flick it at his face. harmless.
and besides, the tailwagging is a marked improvement from earlier, so it's hard to be actually mad, especially with the offhand she offered to lend me one, a phrase of implications that he catches onto, one that resonates further with the impending trip of tomorrow at hand.
that said and done, he pulls a leg up to settle further onto the counter when jiaoqiu trots away, watching his back. ]
I'd believe the food more than I would the rest. [ the idea that cuddling something can heal your dreams or whatever?? no way that's bullshit. but jiaoqiu's food and its medicinal qualties are not completely unknown to him, so even his cynical ass can handle that part. though: ] You'd think people'd be too softhearted to eat it.
[ couldn't be therion, though. and, as he continues, therion listens - he's paying attention, close attention to his body language even if he can't see his face, because there's the name again. jiaoqiu treading closer and closer to those dangerous waters. he takes a bite of his apple, chewing it thoughtfully as he considers what he wants to say in response. let it continue? maybe. maybe something that'll keep him reactive. maybe a little bit of both. agitating jiaoqiu like a pot of noodles, to keep them all from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
so: ]
...You don't need to eat more than once a day if you're smart about it. [ from the bare bit he knows about moze, it's... well. maybe he would've liked the guy. he won't say that, though - he'll just wait for a reaction. ]
no subject
he glances over his shoulder at therion, even as he's kneading. a former strategist he may be, but he's not always aware of when therion is on-purpose trying to provoke him into reacting, so he plays into it nicely. his ear flicks, even though his tail has stopped swaying. ]
Hmph. You would say that. [ there's no heat to this - it's straying a little close to something flat, but there's effort, here. he's trying. ]
You should have three meals a day, or multiple small snacks throughout. Your body needs food to move! Fuel to power the muscles, like the gyrehearts of an ingenium. Why else do you think I'm on you constantly, hm?
[ a beat, and then: ] I'd prefer you and everybody that I meet never go hungry, so long as I'm around. Even if it does mean I must make a meal out of something as cute as a tuskpir.
no subject
that, and, well. i'd prefer you and everybody that i meet never goes hungry strikes a little bit of a chord, in the heart of a thief that never knew where his next meal came from, though he'd never admit it. his expression softens a little, and if he looks back, he might just see a there and gone again smile flicker across his face. ]
I think you're on me because you like being a nag. [ he says - snarky as ever, but he pushes himself up off the counter and pads over to the sink, pushing his hoodie sleeves up and going to wash his hands. he'll help out with the prep work. since he got hurt, it's been something to keep his dextrous fingers working, anyway, and besides that, he can pick up on jiaoqiu's creep closer to flatline.
he dries off his hands and makes his way over, close enough, companionable. getting closer to him sometimes helps to stave away the chill. ]
Cute doesn't make it any less edible. What do you need?
[ put him to work. ]
no subject
but - therion hops off the counter and washes his hands. offers to help, which makes jiaoqiu warm, even without the closeness. he re-focuses, lets his mind come back. thinks ahead, instead of letting himself go down into autopilot. stay awake. therion wants you here, and that is enough of a foothold.
this time he does lean over to kiss therion, for real. soft, and lingering. and then he pulls back, and gestures to the small balls of dough he's been making. they're rolled out flat. dumpling wrappers, essentially. ]
You can fill those, if you'd like. The filling is in the refrigerator.
[ that sounds nice. it sounds grounding, making food in tandem, therion close to him, enough to catch his heartbeat, sometimes, if he listens hard. he has to resist the urge to push therion down somewhere so that he can crawl onto him and listen to his heartbeat, enough that his fingers twitch where he's separating the dough. he's here. he's alive. ]
We can deep fry them, if you'd like.
no subject
he seems a little less floaty, when therion glances him over after, green eye darting to his ears and back down before he shrugs a shoulder and turns on his heel to do just that. sometimes it strikes him strange, standing in front of this nice refrigerator, that he's in a house. like a stray cat that's been domesticated, not collared but still having a warm place to curl up at night. he stares at the inside of the fridge for a second, still mildly aching head spinning for a second with an overwhelming amount of thoughts before he grabs the filling and pushes the door shut, effectively closing the door on all of that, too.
deep frying, huh. therion makes an 'ohh' noise, a little snarky, banter for banter's sake ] Bad for the arteries, doc.
[ he does not care about his arteries
anyway. he sets the bowl down and pushes his sleeves back up properly again, grabbing a spoon to get to working on filling the little wrappers - watching jiaoqiu do it, first. observant as ever. ]
's whatever. [ he'll really eat anything as jiaoqiu has likely learned, at this point. for better or for worse. ] What's in it?
no subject
Minced pork, diced shrimp, scallions, ginger, soy sauce... [ he lists, tilting his head. ] Various seasonings. Spice.
[ his tail eases down to curl around therion loosely, unable to stop himself from being affectionate, tonight. he needs it, and he's willing to be a little selfish the day before he faces something that's hurt him so badly in the past. ]
These are for us and our clogged arteries, for tonight. [ he jokes, voice soft. ] I'll make the offerings later.
[ a beat, and then: ] There are apple turnovers in the refrigerator as well, for you.
no subject
observation leads to subtle affection, leads to the subtle, consistent attempts to provide care in return. whether he'll admit to it or not, he's trying to look after jiaoqiu, and has been for a long, long time - clumsily, awkwardly, but nevertheless.
he turns the dough between his fingers - slow at first, as to not break it or tear it, but it takes him a single dumpling to get the hang of the repetitive motion. closed seams, crimped edges, delicate and easy. light touch. it is kind of calming, the repetitive motion, and as he settles in he grunts in acknowledgement to this being their dinner, and...
... apple turnovers, huh. there's that flutter again, that good-bad-squirmy feeling - he has to turn his face away, bangs hiding his expression. ]
Stress cooking again, huh. [ clearly, he's pleased by this - touched, a little flustered, so he has to say something shitty to cover it. there's something unendingly new about someone caring about someone like therion enough to pay attention to the things he likes and get them just because. ]
no subject
smiles, too, when therion gets flustered. his ear flicks. ]
Something like that. [ teasing, a little, as he sets a dumpling down. he really, really likes that therion is pleased. a pulse of emotion he's come to recognize more regularly as love eases warm in his chest, and he has to stop his tail from wagging, because it's settled so nicely around him. ]
Advance payment, more like.