MARCH UPDATE

6'2 height

I’m haunted like a wolf. I feed, I feed like a wolf. I’m lost and I’m lonely, I hunger for you only.

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299 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @enzo

POSTED ON Nov 10, 2022 1:40:12 GMT

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[attr="class","star2"]It had been longer than he would’ve liked before he was able to step away from The Nimbus to find his way to Slateport.[break][break]

Mainly, that was his own inability to relinquish control, but there had been a large-scale event hosted in the ballroom, and consequently several room reservations followed the general invitations. A wedding– not exactly his idea when it came to the dealings of the hotel, but it was all part of the appearance. It was a classy venue space, ergo, it attracted these sorts of affairs.[break][break]

And of course, they were paying generously. He couldn’t leave it to his management staff. The whole ordeal was just fine, though the fluffy, emotionally pink-tinged energy made him a little more grumbly than Enzo was willing to admit, or look at straight in the face. All the same, an ask to visit was extended shortly thereafter.[break][break]

His only mistake was deciding to fly there to cut down on time and cost (still stupidly stingy, but hey. He finally got that transport pokemon.) By the time he touched down in Slateport, and managed to make his way to the front door of Kosei’s place (public transit– a necessary evil,) Enzo was admittedly a bit frazzled.[break][break]

Because naturally, Maximus only cooperated in flying him so far and where he’d landed was the incorrect part of town. And he didn’t really want to bicker with a fully grown charizard in public. Hair windswept and unkempt, clothing a degree disheveled, he probably looked more like he had in younger years (sans braids and half-bleached hair.)[break][break]

But it was just Kosei–it wasn’t as if he needed to pull off the pristine image he presented to his patrons on a daily basis. And he was far from Mossdeep, at that. He refused to acknowledge the strange hum of relief he found in that understanding. The knot of tension that unwound itself in his neck.[break][break]

Rather than pull out his phone again to text Kosei about his arrival (he’d pocketed it once he found his way,) Enzo leaned close to the door, and proceeded to press the buzzer doorbell about fifteen times in rapid succession. Smug amusement already curled on his lips before even getting a proper look at the other’s face.[break][break]

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played by

roux

kosei

he/him

Sept 3

rustboro city, hoenn

pansexual

maker of many mistakes

associate

6'4" height

i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.

awards

191 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @kosei

POSTED ON Nov 10, 2022 20:28:22 GMT

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The day had always seemed full, leaving him feeling rather exhausted by the time dinner was to be made. After an attempt to clean up all of Miu's mess and dropping her off at her friends, all Kosei really wanted was a long nap. However, he couldn't. And truthfully, he was a little too fussy to sleep. Fussy, naturally, translated to excitement. He was excited, which was really stupid. He hated the word, so he preferred to think that his nerves were just that fussy nerves. He had to clean his house and cook dinner, all because Enzo had decided to deign him with a visit for once. It wasn't special, exactly.
[break][break]
It had been a couple of weeks since the event that had unraveled and he really still didn't know what to think about it all. Or, more accurately, he wouldn't allow himself to ponder over what it meant. Why? Because time had passed since then and he knew a couple of things about Enzo, one of which being that he oftentimes ambivalent. He, unlike Kosei, was a creature of impulse and change came second-nature to him. There really was no one more adaptable than the past street rat.
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So, in all realness, Enzo had a good time and that was it, which was fine. Perfectly fucking fine.
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That reminder was what had kept him from being a complete loser in the time that passed after the fact. Though, honestly, he was still a little surprised that Enzo decided to plan the trip. Maybe he felt bad? Why?
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What was I doing? He froze for a second, turning in a full circle before recalling the bread was still in the oven. He pulled it out and set it aside. Okay, he was getting distracted. The obnoxious knocking that followed could only be one person and he hated that he answered said door at an alarming pace.
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For a moment, he was caught in a time-loop detailing the stupid charm of this bastard. The utter stupid audacity that this bastard had to turn up to his house looking like he climbed out of some gaudy romance cover. The oven was beeping. "Oh hey, please. Come in before I burn the house down."

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played by

lou

enzo / the proprietor

he/him

thirty-three

april 4

alto mare / sootopolis

bisexual

hotelier

executive

6'2 height

I’m haunted like a wolf. I feed, I feed like a wolf. I’m lost and I’m lonely, I hunger for you only.

awards

299 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @enzo

POSTED ON Nov 10, 2022 21:23:39 GMT

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[attr="class","star2"] That smug grin remained (crookedly so,) even as the door pulled open to reveal a mildly frazzled-looked Kosei. Any thoughts about his own appearance fell away, though not out of comparison. It just didn’t seem to matter so much anymore. [break][break]

“Hi, right. No, don’t want that.” Was Enzo nervous? Surely not. It was just the residual energy that kicked off Kosei, not his own. He was…sure of it. Following him in, Enzo pulled the door shut and peeled his jacket off, all casual-wear underneath. Nosy as ever, he poked his head into different rooms, curious about a space he’d never been in before.[break][break]

“Oh, no Miu today?” he asked idly, peering around the space as if he’d find her curled up on the couch with a tablet, or she’d pop out of hiding at the last moment. He couldn’t remember if Kosei had said whether she’d be there or not, given that Enzo had been the one to offer a visit. She was part of the package, though, and he simply expected her presence naturally.[break][break]

His half-hearted searching yielded no stealthy six-year old, however, and so he found himself wandering back to where Kosei had gone, presumably the kitchen. Annoyingly a couple inches shorter, he had to perch his chin on the other’s upper arm, rather than the slight bow of his shoulder as he sidled up behind him, hands in his pockets, and peered at the stovetop. Because Enzo did not do tippy toes.[break][break]

“What’ve you made?” Whatever it was, it smelled good. Better than anything Enzo probably would’ve made. He’d always been a chef borne from survival, and not from actual, functional taste buds with a degree of regard for what was actually good.[break][break]

He lingered there—leaned against his back, rather than drift away. Curious to see what reaction that would produce. If it would settle the discordant hum he sensed in the other, or agitate it.
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played by

roux

kosei

he/him

Sept 3

rustboro city, hoenn

pansexual

maker of many mistakes

associate

6'4" height

i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.

awards

191 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @kosei

POSTED ON Nov 10, 2022 21:43:36 GMT

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The oven felt like a good enough excuse, forcing him to retreat from the awkwardness of the initial interaction. Though he wasn't entirely ignorant to Enzo snooping around his house, not that it bothered him. He'd been all over the Nimbus, but mostly due to history's sake. He'd helped invest in it after all so... it was only right he knew the hotel to some extent, even if not as much as Enzo. "You look nice." He added, dumbly, nearly sheepishly. His escape felt necessary then. Great, feeding Enzo's ego this early into the da— night.
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"No, she has a sleepover at a friend. I'm sure their parents will be over her in another hour or so, but it'd be rude to bring her back." Or at least, he hoped. Kosei loved Miu, obviously, but she was also exhausting. He liked the idea of having a night free to do whatever he wanted. Even if under normal circumstances, that would mean eating a frozen microwavable dinner and falling asleep at nine-thirty.
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He pulled the tray from the oven, eyes closing to the intensity of the heat that licked at his face before cutting the oven off. Kosei used to be one who didn't really value cooking, but recently realized that it could be kind of fun. Even if the most that Miu wanted to eat was mac-n-cheese or noodles with only butter. "Lasagna. It's—" He wasn't anticipating the other's weight brushing against him, the light impression of his chin as he peered over the slope of his arm. It was strangely intimate...? Or maybe that was simply in Kosei's mind who found even contact to be an intimate gesture in general. Luckily, he didn't tense but it made his brain strain to catch up with what he had been about to say.
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"...It's a little darker than it's supposed to look like, but that adds flavor." Truly, it was only a little browned on the top. It would at least be edible. Even after, Enzo remained as an even pressure against his back and it made Kosei's breath drag a little. The thrum of his heart had sped at the initial contact before relaxing as well. It was comfortable, maybe a little too comfortable. He didn't really know how to react because affection from him was usually warranted from drink. His face felt a little hot from the lack of excuses he had as his head gestured back against the other, letting his weight shift a little.
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"You been busy lately?" He asked, not really sure why he felt stupid for it.

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played by

lou

enzo / the proprietor

he/him

thirty-three

april 4

alto mare / sootopolis

bisexual

hotelier

executive

6'2 height

I’m haunted like a wolf. I feed, I feed like a wolf. I’m lost and I’m lonely, I hunger for you only.

awards

299 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @enzo

POSTED ON Nov 10, 2022 22:19:49 GMT

jayden cross likes this

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[attr="class","star2"] You look nice. He could have teased Kosei on the spot for his remark. Zeroed in on the bashful curl in his tone. But as they veered apart, even if only briefly, he found the smile on his face softening slightly. And he opted to spare Kosei the embarrassment for once. “Thanks.” Who even was he??[break][break]

“Ah. Well, I’m sure their own child would be just as much of a terror if they were here instead.” All children were little devils in his opinion. Miu simply got a pass because he was biased.[break][break]

Heat wafted from the baking dish, along with the smell of pasta and sauce and toasted cheese. “When’d you become a chef?” he asked, though it was sort of an intuitive question. Kosei was proficient in a lot of ways. It sort of made sense he’d be decent at cooking, as he was with most things he did. His glance flit upward, registering the profile of his face when his words snagged and slowed. Enzo knew what he was doing, of course. It was a methodical testing of the waters.[break][break]

Enzo’s shoulders rose and fell, uncaring about the slightly extra browned layer at the top. “Looks fine to me.” At a glance, individuals would likely assume him to have a picky palate, given how extravagant he looked and behaved. But Enzo was notoriously not picky—even after years now of refining his culinary tastes. Eating whatever you could find did that to a person. He’d never been able to afford pickiness, and it was a habit that died hard.[break][break]

A part of him honestly expected Kosei to pull away, or question his action. It wasn’t what happened, though, and after a pause, he could feel the other relax back into the weight leaned against him. It just made Enzo that much more reluctant to peel away.[break][break]

At the question, Enzo let out a wordless noise of exhaustion. His face shifted, turning inward as it tucked against the dip between Kosei’s shoulder blades. “Yes. Annoyingly so.” Normally, Enzo lived for The Nimbus, so it felt strange to be voicing complaint. He supposed even he needed rest, and it harkened back to his ability to claim it when necessary. But he wasn’t quite yet ready to verbalize the second part.[break][break]

The reason it suddenly felt more pressing to get away. The part where he should say ‘I wanted to see you sooner.’ “Have you?” Of course he was, he was a single dad.

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played by

roux

kosei

he/him

Sept 3

rustboro city, hoenn

pansexual

maker of many mistakes

associate

6'4" height

i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.

awards

191 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @kosei

POSTED ON Nov 14, 2022 17:55:02 GMT

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Kosei fully anticipated and readied himself for the teasing that was going to follow his wayward compliment and was entirely awestruck when the teasing never came. For a moment, he nearly asked what the other did with Vincenzo De Luca because this was obviously an impersonation of him on good behavior. Kosei wasn't about to object though, it was even kind of nice and let him lower his guard (maybe that was the trap).
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The lasagna at least smelled good, even if a little over-toasted on the top rim. "I've always been a cook, I'm good at following directions, remember?" Anything with a list of ingredients or tasks with instructions, Kosei was capable of at least following it. Though, in retrospect, that didn't seem like something brag about and it only made him feel like the eager puppy the other claimed him to be. Granted, by continuing to deny it, he was only making it worse. He knew what he was though — boring, compliant, praise-seeking.
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Enzo was affectionate. It was odd. Out of the two of them, he'd always suspected himself to be more seeking of affection; and yet, here was Enzo molding his body beside him, seeking out comfort. Still, Kosei wasn't going to object. He closed his eyes for a moment, focusing on the feeling of heat from the other man's breath on his skin. The memory of the other week was still there, a little relentlessly present on Kosei's mind. Maybe he was just horny and this was entirely normal considering being a dad didn't leave time for intimacies with other people.
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Or perhaps he was just hopeful and Enzo was giving him little morsels of the thing he needed most. He hated that to himself, his question had sounded less like 'you've been busy?' and more like 'I was lonely and you weren't here.' How fucking needy. Yet, Enzo didn't seem to take it like that, which he was thankful for. "Yeah, Miu had a school science project and it made a huge disaster of a mess, but apparently her teacher was impressed by her.... unique art skills."
[break][break]
He sighed, enjoying the last moment of closeness. "Alright, dinner. It's gonna get cold so... table or sofa?"

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played by

lou

enzo / the proprietor

he/him

thirty-three

april 4

alto mare / sootopolis

bisexual

hotelier

executive

6'2 height

I’m haunted like a wolf. I feed, I feed like a wolf. I’m lost and I’m lonely, I hunger for you only.

awards

299 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @enzo

POSTED ON Nov 15, 2022 0:03:17 GMT

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[attr="class","star2"]Amazingly, it wasn’t any sort of trap. Today, he wasn’t angling to play his games or cause any sort of tension between them. It had been a long couple of weeks. He just wanted a break. And frankly, had wanted to be around Kosei during that time. So he would be good, for now. “Right, suppose that’s true. Guess I’m not used to stuff like lasagna, though.” Not that this was a bad thing, necessarily.[break][break]

It was true that of the two of them, he was probably not nearly as affectionate. But that did not mean he was entirely void of desire for it, nor the want to impart it. He was just…more feline in nature when it came to how softness was doled out. Removed and careful with that affection until the moment he deemed it a good opportunity to press close. Perhaps in those situations, scant as they may have seemed, it could qualify as a bit physically clingy.[break][break]

Or maybe he’d just been unable to fully scrub Kosei from his mind in the time that had elapsed. And as a result, perhaps it made him a touch needy too. It was admittedly strange, he wasn’t used to being like this sort of cat—the kind that howled for attention if you so much as looked at him in passing.[break][break]

Enzo’s face remained smushed against Kosei’s back, the steady rise and fall of his chest lulling him somewhat. He could’ve let his arms slip around the other’s middle, but for then, they remained in his cardigan pockets. “I’m sure she’s a real talent,” he mused in response, a breath of laughter muffled by the fabric of Kosei’s shirt. “The Nimbus was the venue for this massive wedding. Somehow it turned into a whole, weeklong affair to get arranged. It was outrageous.”[break][break]

At least two of his days had been spent suffering a migraine as he tried not to lose his temper at the mother of the bride who kept nitpicking everything her daughter chose, along with said daughter’s constant, last minute changes to details planned months in advance. Atrocious.[break][break]

A muffled whine might’ve followed the implication that it was time for him to stand upright on his own. But he peeled away, slowly so, and moved to fix a plate for himself too. “Couch is fine, unless you really want to feel all fancy like at the dinner table.”
[break][break]

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played by

roux

kosei

he/him

Sept 3

rustboro city, hoenn

pansexual

maker of many mistakes

associate

6'4" height

i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.

awards

191 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @kosei

POSTED ON Nov 15, 2022 22:11:57 GMT

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"Well leave your commentary for after you taste it, yeah? Still might turn out terrible." He'd definitely made mistakes, like adding salt instead of sugar or vice versa. Though that was usually mistakes made due to the added pressure of watching an over-active six-year-old girl. Though, admittedly, he could feel himself preen a little with the compliments, well before the added affection had twisted him up inside.
[break][break]
It was a good sign though, right? That Enzo was doling out all of this affection. He hoped it was, at least. And why? Well... maybe because he liked this kind of affection from Enzo. Even if he still wasn't sure what it all entailed. Maybe the closeness had become no more than a casual thing. Enzo knew him better than anyone and he could only suspect the other knew what he liked. Puppy, he called him after all.
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"Isn't that kind of the proof a hotel has made it? You're hosting godawful weddings and anniversaries. Sounds like you're a bigshot now, however will I measure up?" That sounded pretty damn awful though, but Kosei's temper was notoriously worse than Enzo's. Considering the other had come from nothing, he had big dreams. That had always amazed Kosei, considering he never knew what he wanted out of his own life enough to have those dreams.
[break][break]
Grabbing his plate, he nabbed two twin glasses to take to the coffee table. "Can you grab the wine on the counter? Not sure if it's good, but guess we'll find out." He waited for the other to follow and filled the glasses. Not with too much though. Considering how that night had gone, he admittedly didn't want to hide behind the excuse of alcohol (not this time). Trying the lasagna, he was pleasantly surprised. Even if it near burned his tongue off at first contact.
[break][break]
"So..." He paused then, knowing there was an unspoken question on his tongue. Exactly what that question was? Well it kept changing. He didn't really know what he wanted to ask, but he did know the things he wanted to know. Still, he fell silent. Coward.

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played by

lou

enzo / the proprietor

he/him

thirty-three

april 4

alto mare / sootopolis

bisexual

hotelier

executive

6'2 height

I’m haunted like a wolf. I feed, I feed like a wolf. I’m lost and I’m lonely, I hunger for you only.

awards

299 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @enzo

POSTED ON Nov 16, 2022 6:16:00 GMT

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[attr="class","star2"]“I’m sure it’s fine, pup,” he insisted as he stared down at the pasta dish. “Even if it’s not the best, I can assure you I’ve eaten far worse things.” Undoubtedly so. When he’d first run off and left his family, Enzo had to get creative with his meals. Mix and match some combinations that would frankly be labeled as war crimes if he uttered them aloud.[break][break]

He was comfortable like this, in this space with Kosei. More and more, he’d begun to realize how tired he actually was. Not physically, but in a soul deep sort of way. And Kosei filtering back into his life soothed a part of that. Expressing that verbally, however, had never been his strong suit.[break][break]

Enzo sighed, “Well, yeah. It’s proof for sure, but it’s still a lot of exhausting work. Plenty of incompetent people to work with on a daily business, and ridiculous expectations to meet.” Customer service, he’d long learned, was a whole other beast. Though he thought himself quite capable and adept at it, he still couldn’t afford to be as laissez-faire about it as he once might’ve been, either.[break][break]

A soft tut followed the other’s self-deprecation, slight as it was. “You’re supposed to keep me grounded, Kos. Obviously. No need for measuring, it’s called balance.” A lopsided smile crept across his expression as he teased him, though the sentiment was still honestly meant. He’d never wanted Kosei to meet some ridiculous, infeasible standard.[break][break]

“Sure, yeah.” He did as asked, examining the label with a laugh. “Is this grocery store wine?” He still wouldn’t turn it down, of course. He was content to go easy on the stuff as much as Kosei was. For once, choosing to appreciate the time he was able to have with him. Sickly sweet as that sounded.[break][break]

“Sooo, what..?” he echoed, glancing up briefly before he went back to cutting his lasagna into pieces so that it might cool quicker. His brows knit together, though he didn’t speak to the pulse of wariness that kicked up from Kosei’s tone. Noticeable in even just one word alone.

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played by

roux

kosei

he/him

Sept 3

rustboro city, hoenn

pansexual

maker of many mistakes

associate

6'4" height

i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.

awards

191 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @kosei

POSTED ON Nov 22, 2022 21:06:22 GMT

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Kosei didn’t doubt that in Enzo’s experience, there was far worse. It was kind of hard to imagine now though, but maybe that was the point of Enzo’s illusion. All of him was so painstakingly committed to this image of luxury that no one would ever imagine a lifetime where he could be anything else, certainly not a street rat. Though, of course, Kosei wasn’t fooled. Admittedly, he coveted the fact that he was an exception to the written rule. He knew the truth, even if sometimes he still fell for the illusion.
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With a huff, he added unhelpfully, “Yeah, well… I could have told you that. I’m pretty sure I did actually.” He added the last bit with an extra dose of cheekiness. “I do know the feeling though.” Granted, his responsibilities had grounded some over time. He had less to rely upon when it came to raising Miu or even his usual day-to-day work schedule. It either worked out or it didn’t, so maybe they’d both changed. Or, more likely, they fooled themselves into believing they were different.
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Balance, he almost remarked further, even if he knew how it’d come out and how it’d be met. ”That so? Do I keep you grounded then?” Still, not a rabbit hole he wanted to jump down this early into the night. He’d leave personal grievances and his consistent sense of failure in the oven to bake for a bit. Instead, he retreated to the couch, but something else followed him there. Not just the other man. What a weird situation, to feel uncertain in his own home.
[break][break]
“Yeah, you too good now for grocery wine? It’s not box wine, thank you very much. I have some class.” He snorted at that, rolling his eyes.
[break][break]
“So, I been thinking… I’ve been wondering... what is this?... what are we?... this shit is driving me crazy... I know I’m not supposed to care but I do... You confuse me and it’s not fair... we've started something and I can't go back... I'm tired and weak and lonely.” There were a lot of things he could say right then. All of it the same weightiness that kept him from saying it. “So… how is it?” He gestured at the lasagna, rolling his eyes like the question should’ve been obvious. He forced another mouthful of still-too-hot lasagna so that he didn't say anything more.

[break][break]

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played by

lou

enzo / the proprietor

he/him

thirty-three

april 4

alto mare / sootopolis

bisexual

hotelier

executive

6'2 height

I’m haunted like a wolf. I feed, I feed like a wolf. I’m lost and I’m lonely, I hunger for you only.

awards

299 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @enzo

POSTED ON Nov 22, 2022 22:57:18 GMT

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[attr="class","star2"]He rolled his eyes, though at the moment he didn’t feel particularly nettled by the prod. “Yes, well it pays my bills, and keeps me secure.
I think I can suffer a bit for that. But that doesn’t mean it’s not nice to complain every so often.” Really, that stability was a comfort source for him. He knew what it was like to not know what might happen from day to day, and sure, he could’ve found something smaller to rely upon. But that wouldn’t feel nearly as monumental as the establishment raised up virtually nothing.[break][break]

A hum of agreement was muffled against Kosei’s back once again, before that eventual separation. “You do, yes. When you’re around.” It might’ve sounded a bit unintentionally bitter. But even then, even when he wasn’t around, Kosei was like a little voice in the back of his mind, keeping him level. A nagging little thought. Or he had been more recently, as of late. Kind of annoying, honestly. Or maybe it just further spoke to how listless Enzo had been feeling without the other’s presence in the last couple weeks.[break][break]

He shrugged. “Nothing wrong with box wine. Or this.” Which was to say no, he wasn’t too snobby. No matter his appearances or behaviors. He was off the clock.[break][break]

Enzo glanced up at him, a pointed expression on his face as he angled the end of his now-empty fork in Kosei’s direction. “You’re dodging,” he remarked flatly as he then stabbed at another cut up bit of pasta. “It’s good, though. Far better than I could’ve done, I’m impressed.” Despite the compliments, he could feel his stomach twisting into uncertain knots. It almost did well to ruin his appetite. He was almost certain of it— this was where the bottom dropped out.[break][break]

Kosei was skirting something, and that almost never felt like a good thing. He didn’t try to prod further though, for once. Perhaps he didn’t want to know what was on his mind, after all. Not if it wasn’t anything good. Not after he’d come all this way. So he turned his attention back to his dish, fixating on the scrape of his fork and knife.

[break][break]

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played by

roux

kosei

he/him

Sept 3

rustboro city, hoenn

pansexual

maker of many mistakes

associate

6'4" height

i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.

awards

191 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @kosei

POSTED ON Nov 29, 2022 16:55:54 GMT

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"Feel free to complain," He said, about to add a tease that the other never made an issue doing that before, but refrained. He didn't want to come off as seeming unwelcoming to the complaints. He'd always made to seem begrudging when it came to listening to Enzo's problems, but he'd always secretly felt possessive of them. He'd never been capable of fixing Enzo's problems, but he was the person that the other chose to disclose them with. It was a stupid thing to value though.
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There was a deep pang of guilt then, when you're around. Even if the bitterness wasn't there, residue of guilt threaded through Kosei's conscience. Their last conversation before... well everything. It had been his fault, he should have been better. Part of him wanted to say something, but he didn't know what so simply didn't say anything at all. Maybe this was a bad idea, bringing them both back together where all the ill-shit that had happened could come back up. He was a coward, so it was easier to hide.
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Of course, Enzo caught on annoyingly fast. The years had gifted the other with the precision necessary to know when Kosei was over-thinking, among many other things. "No, I'm not.." He grumbled, biting off the edge of a sigh because there really was no point in denying it. "Well, maybe I am but.." Another grumbled, bitten off word as he focused another mouthful of lasagna as if that might fix all of his problems.
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Yet, maybe for the first time ever, Enzo didn't provoke him. He didn't even try a little to force him into opening up. It was a bit bizarre. Or maybe it was suspicious, he didn't know. Kosei eyed him a little, mouth too full to utter more stupid words. The wine was not very good, but Kosei wasn't exactly a connoisseur of the good shit. Finally, having scarfed down an appropriate amount of pasta for the night, he figured it was probably cruel not to say anything. Though it wasn't any of the things he'd previously wanted to say.
[break][break]
"I fucked up and... I'm sorry, Enzo. Really."

[break][break]

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played by

lou

enzo / the proprietor

he/him

thirty-three

april 4

alto mare / sootopolis

bisexual

hotelier

executive

6'2 height

I’m haunted like a wolf. I feed, I feed like a wolf. I’m lost and I’m lonely, I hunger for you only.

awards

299 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @enzo

POSTED ON Nov 29, 2022 17:37:16 GMT

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[attr="class","star2"] “You’re going to regret giving me that opportunity,” he remarked dryly, smiling crookedly as he glanced over briefly. Though in truth, he was done complaining for the moment. Soon enough, though, he was sure Kosei would be wanting to pull his hair out from Enzo going on. Despite his grumbling, it had never stopped him from listening in the past. A fact that Enzo had only ever appreciated unspokenly.[break][break]

Maybe it wasn’t wise to throw them back together, but Enzo wasn’t sitting there regretting it. As embarrassing as it had been to admit, he’d meant it when he’d said he missed Kosei.
There was a companionship between them he’d failed to find elsewhere. For all the grievance and anger that had resulted from the messy break between them, perhaps Enzo was more of a sucker than he’d thought. He’d ushered the other back so easily.[break][break]

“Mm thought so.” It was all he said in response to Kosei’s stammering, though.[break][break]

Eventually, there wasn’t enough pasta left on his plate to quietly, tensely eat. So he set it down, and swapped it for his wine glass. The cheap wine was just as sour as he remembered it being, but Enzo washed it down as they continued to sit in silence until Kosei decided to try and put words to whatever thoughts were tumbling around in his head. Sitting back against the couch cushions, he lazily swirled the contents of his glass as if that would make the taste better somehow.[break][break]

Carefully, he studied Kosei with a wary eye. And when the words finally fell out, Enzo frowned. “I don’t know what you mean,” he remarked simply, though a defeated scoff of laughter followed as he looked down at his lap and the glass still resting in his hand. Because what else could he be referring to but the other night? That was the only thing in their recent past that he could connect it to. The resulting pang in his chest was sharper than anticipated or than he cared to admit.[break][break]

“It’s fine, I should have expected as much.” Again, the comment lacked bitterness. Only quiet resignation, because it was only inevitable that Kosei pushed him out again, just like before.

[break][break]

Kosei Kiryu // m: slumber party

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played by

roux

kosei

he/him

Sept 3

rustboro city, hoenn

pansexual

maker of many mistakes

associate

6'4" height

i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.

awards

191 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @kosei

POSTED ON Nov 29, 2022 18:17:44 GMT

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"Maybe, but it's an invitation nonetheless." He shrugged, knowing a younger version of himself probably wouldn't have offered. Not out of lack of care, but more due to the fact that talking about problems wasn't apart of the Kiryu doctrine. Even then, it had been more permissible to have Enzo complain than to dare do so himself. Granted, Enzo provoked a lot of response from him that no one else could ever manage. This bastard had always been the exception, hadn't he?
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This wasn't probably a bad idea, it definitely was a bad idea. Opening old wounds wasn't exactly what he'd planned to do tonight when he invited the other over. Actually, he hadn't known what he was planning to do and all of it had been a bit of an anxious mess, but this wasn't it. Some dinner, a little wine, maybe they watch a movie or chill out aaannnd then well things could either happen or not. That was how things naturally happened, right? He didn't know, nothing about this felt normal. However, Enzo being in his home felt different. They weren't in the hotel, but his home. And he felt stupidly responsible to explain himself.
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The next sip of wine was entirely too rushed, but maybe that was the only way to drink cheap wine. Kosei's life felt like a pattern of incidents where his nerves left him in a worse place than he started. He looked up and Enzo was perched like he owned the sofa and the house and the whole damn street. He was a lot different now than the street kid he'd used to be and Kosei couldn't claim to have helped him get to that point. This wasn't going the way he wanted it to. Maybe Enzo was still pissed?
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It wasn't like they had solved their problems by sleeping together. So, yeah, Enzo was probably still bitter about it all. Kosei frowned though, having been told his actions should've been expected didn't quite sit right with him. However, he was the one apologizing so it wasn't like he could get pissed off because Enzo didn't give him the response he wanted.
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"Well I shouldn't have... I don't know. Look, I won't lie — Miu is a lot, she consumed all my time and my energy. So, I feel like... yeah, I took advantage of you being there. And then, I fucked up. I shouldn't have put that on you though. You didn't do anything wrong and it wasn't your fault. It was my fault and I didn't mean anything I said. It wasn't true, and yeah I'm sorry." That didn't sound right, but hopefully he got the gist of it. "I'm sorry, I really do fucking suck at this talking about feelings thing."

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played by

lou

enzo / the proprietor

he/him

thirty-three

april 4

alto mare / sootopolis

bisexual

hotelier

executive

6'2 height

I’m haunted like a wolf. I feed, I feed like a wolf. I’m lost and I’m lonely, I hunger for you only.

awards

299 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @enzo