here there be mingies.

[crittersheep]

WHO: you and whoever isn't passed tf out
WHERE: e'rywhere
WHEN: Day 55 morning through evening

[ Well. Even the pasture deserves a low-key day sometime. Some of you are passed out in a cuddle pile. Others are doing a bake-a-thon because Red said so. And some others are coming off that bonesaw enrichment high. You know how it is

How are you today, though? Are you chilling out? Admiring that new barrier and cool fence? Running yourselves ragged checking on people? what is up. ]

Comments

[endsjustified]

[oh no. settles his arms around him, careful]

Happy birthday, Lethe.

[mykidisthebest]

[buries his face in Charon's shoulder]

Thank you.

[endsjustified]

You're welcome.

[tucks a hand carefully over the nape of his neck, fingers light and warm]

As many turns as it took this year...I hope you get happiness out of it, nonetheless.

[mykidisthebest]

[charon can feel him smiling into his shoulder]

That's surprisingly sentimental, coming from you. I can't say we're in a perfect situation right now, but I'm happy.

[endsjustified]

[he tries not to lie direct to people he cares about here, so for a moment he contemplates if he can return the sentiment honestly. perhaps not, he concludes -- but with Lethe holding onto him like an anchor, and those he cares for most accounted for and mostly whole and out of danger again for now -- the chill that's fallen over him for the last week has somewhat faded. his feelings are not unstirred beneath it in this moment. he's not really sure what they are doing, but it isn't bad.]

The situation is not perfect, no. But positive, nonetheless.

...welcome back, as well.

[mykidisthebest]

[chuckles and turns to give him a kiss on the cheek. his happiness is, perhaps, some level of relief that everyone is alive and healing, but surely that still counts. he's always been one to take what he can get.]

Glad to be back.

[endsjustified]

[i was worried--

you were gone and--

...

just tugs Lethe's head down into his shoulder again, so he can rest his cheek on his hair]

[mykidisthebest]

[pressed this close, Charon can feel Lethe's heart hammering in his chest. it's just been doing that the whole time.

he doesn't move at all, clearly fine to stay just like this for as long as Charon wants, but after a moment he does speak, quiet]

Is something wrong?

[endsjustified]

...

I don't...like losing people.

[mykidisthebest]

...

[hugs him tighter]

You didn't lose anyone.

[endsjustified]

[exhales into it, only a little shaky]

No, I didn't.

[mykidisthebest]

[rubs a few small circles on his back, soothing]

I'm sorry for worrying you.

[endsjustified]

Don't apologize. None of you asked to be kidnapped, did you?

[mykidisthebest]

We didn't. That doesn't mean I can't feel bad for adding on to the stress you're dealing with.

[endsjustified]

Lethe, it's all right. --you almost died.

[mykidisthebest]

I didn't. She just roughed me up a little bit.

[endsjustified]

She attempted to drop you through the floor.

[mykidisthebest]

[his heartbeat stutters]

She didn't manage to, though.

[endsjustified]

[...

he has no supernaturally good senses, but he's too perceptive not to pay attention to signs that are right in front of him.

frowns and pulls back from Lethe just a little bit, to look down into his face]

[mykidisthebest]

[Lethe usually holds it together unusually well throughout the absolute wild stuff that goes on in the pasture--he'll get upset or distressed or angry, but not necessarily panicked. he doesn't look completely spooked at the moment, but there's a flicker of it on his face that's usually never there]

...? What is it?

[endsjustified]

What's wrong?

[mykidisthebest]

U-uh. The normal stuff? So nothing much.

[endsjustified]

[since they're cloaked from prying eyes right now anyway, he has no compunction about putting his hand on Lethe's chest entirely, fingers spread and palm over his racing heart]

...

[mykidisthebest]

[he's being called out without a single word and doesn't like it]






[with a straight face]

You make my heart race.

[endsjustified]

A romantic sentiment, but this isn't normal for you.