[He walks to a point in space, grinning as he sees the bright lights of the Magitek light up, giving him a sign regarding Jin's location. Ah, he's getting closer, not too far now-]
[It's too late. Jin's found him first, and all pretense has fallen completely away. No, he totally can't be cool and composed about this: there was always the chance that neither of them would come back to Audentes, wasn't there? Relief washes over him as Asher's form appears on the horizon, staring down at his Magitek--]
Asher!
[He'd laugh at himself if he weren't so relieved to see Asher in the distance: he picks up his pace, hustling in his partner's direction (and startling a few huffy native cats in the process).
After weeks without him, Jin finally closes the distance, holding him by the shoulders as if he will disappear.] You're okay! Gods, how many weeks has it been--
[And, as usual, words don't particularly do his feelings justice.
[Jin's enthusiasm is unexpected, to say the least, and the shaolin catches Asher mid-sentence. His eyes shut tightly upon instinct, body relaxing immediately and slumping against the other's as he melts into the kiss. A wanton hand reaches out and moves over the archer's chest, savoring the sensation of warm skin beneath his fingers.]
[A long moment passes, and the new planet around them may as well not exist around anymore. (Except for a rubbernecking cat or two; an older tabby rolls her eyes, flicks her tail in the air, and stalks away, muttering about rude, showy humans.)
At last, Jin pulls reluctantly away, holding Asher's cheek in the palm of his hand.]
It's good to be back. And even better to see you back.
[He presses his lips together, as if to contain the beaming grin. It doesn't especially work, and he smiles with an easy warmth and relief he hasn't felt in a good while.]
[His hand drops to the side reluctantly, fingers splaying outwards in mid-air, drumming against nothing in particular. It had been such a relief to feel Jin's heartbeat beneath his touch, proof that the man he's grown to care for so deeply is alive and well and real, despite seeming too good to be true.
Asher smiles back, genuinely enthused by that warm welcome, although there's something hesitant in the way his mouth moves. He notices a few things that make him worry, like the dark circles beneath the monk's eyes and light bruising on the arms, almost healed up but not quite recovered yet.]
Yeah, I-
[There it goes. Once, twice, and then a third time- A pang of something miserable, deep within his gut.
That rotten reminder that this is temporary, that this won't last.]
[In spite of the flippancy, there's genuine concern in Jin's face. Who knows what Asher had done while apart from Audentes? Jin's hand slides to the back of Asher's neck, fingers winding in the hair at the base of his neck. (It's almost too neat. But he looks good, actually-- closer to the original, tightly pressed, clean-cut Asher he'd originally met. Certainly in sharp contrast to Jin's appearance, with the very recent commotion of battle clinging to his whole body like static electricity. Even his hair's been hacked a few inches shorter, an inaccurate, hurried cut, obvious from even just a glance.]
[It's true- The Asher standing before him is a cry back to the one Jin met on his very first day, complete with a messenger bag strung over his shoulder. He smells of expensive cologne and is clad in a relatively ostentatious white suit, once again seeming ill-suited to the affairs that Audentes typically handles.
He rests a hand gingerly upon Jin's shoulder, stroking the bare flesh that isn't in disrepair, checking for tenderness or swelling as he does.]
[He chuckles, ducking his head; helping out on his off-Audentes mission had been no mean feat. Jin's still not entirely sure how he and the other agents of ALASTAIR had made it out of that mess alive, much less to resounding (?) success.]
I'll tell you the whole thing later. [At the moment, he's keen on enjoying the sound of Asher's voice and the feel of Asher's hand on his shoulder.] What about you? You look--
So you come back all dressed up from your fancypants mission and expect me to swoon into your arms, just like that?
[The smirk on his face and the hand pressed against Asher's chest, holding that bit of distance between them, belie the way he rolls his eyes and the way that his brows furrow together.]
[At that he has to take a moment to laugh to himself, beaming. Asher likes to talk a lot, which is strange, seeing as his moments of silence often seem to say so much more. There is a warm boyishness about the way he looks back at the other man, who seems older despite being at least two or three years his junior.]
Yeah, really: it looks great. Fits good on you, too. [liar you dont know how suit fittings work, you just know that it's not 2 fuckin tight like the rest of asher's dumb wardrobe] Can I see the back?
[He tilts his head a little, curious, and his eyes drift over the finely-tailored, pristine suit that Asher's clad in. Gods know how he's managed to keep it in this condition on cat planet: there's not even any cat hair on it.]
What'd you even do? I was on a camp in the freakin' mountains the entire time. [He pulls his hand away and gestures to his own clothes, no different from what he'd shown up wearing on his first day in Oska. There are some tears and scuffs in the outfit and his shoulder armor: clearly, he wasn't vacationing up in the Skaultan highlands.] I mean, look at me.
He consoles himself by answering in his own mind: Defend an innocent man.
The images come reeling back, like a series of snapshots flash after flash. The contrast between the photographs of Mina, alive in one and dead in the other, makes him sick all of a sudden.
After Woodhurst, it had just felt like too soon.]
Oh, um.
Sure.
[Asher turns around on the balls of his feet, clearly distracted.]
I helped out with a trial for this murder thing.
Some kid got caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, and this big scary lawyer dude was tryin' to pin it on 'im-
You didn’t have to tell me while you were turned around, weirdo.
[The distant tone seems... off, somehow, but without seeing Asher’s face, Jin doesn’t take it for all that much. Asher's tired, distracted; gods know that a planet full of cats after a full murder trial was disorienting. But knowing Asher to be a lawyer-to-be rather than a full-fledged one...
His smile wanes, just a little, with concern. Jin reaches for Asher’s shoulders, to gently spin him back around.]
Soooo... my big scary lawyer dude stepped in with the other ALASTAIR agents to prove the kid innocent?
[Asher is whisked around and finds himself losing his balance slightly. Instinctively, his hands gravitate towards the other's body, traveling over fine leather and intricate detailing. Being upset for too long is difficult with such a wonderful reason to celebrate right in front of him, so he drops it for the time being, lips upturned slightly.]
Somethin' like that.
[He leans in again to press a gentle kiss to Jin's lips, short but sweet all the same.]
Either way, it looks like you could really use a breather.
[There's the smile and easygoing nature again. Must've been nothing, after all.
Even on a far-flung planet, it's good to feel, once more, at home. Jin kisses back and squeezes Asher's hand, reassured and ready to follow him back to... wherever the heck he's staying on Terra Felis.]
Not the same way he does when he takes hold of Jin's fingers, like he is now. The jovial sort when he isn't upset, Asher smiles a lot, but there is a special understated manner in which he grins at the monk from across the way, more light in his eyes and color in his cheeks than usual.
He is content to walk hand in hand with the broader man, sniffling and sneezing as he may be, without a care in the world. As long as Kung Jin is still beside him, he is happy, no matter the circumstances.
Whether they be talking cats or sudden death.]
I know they probably got you a room, but...
You wanna crash with me for a lil' bit?
[Somewhere deep down, he thinks he knows what Jin's answer will be.]
Of-- [Jin cuts off with his own sneeze: Asher's contagious, apparently. That or they're both allergic to cats?] Excuse me. [He smiles sheepishly, sniffling a little.] Of course I do, Ash. We haven't seen each other in... a month? Maybe more? Like hell I'm going back to wherever my place is right away.
[Jin traces the back of Asher's palm with his thumb.]
Wait, you did? You didn't have to get me a souvenir, or anything.
[Jin looks away, an uncertain frown crossing his face: it hadn't been Asher's fault that he'd been called away to another mission right before his birthday, but it'd still been more than a little lonesome without him. (Of course, he also didn't have to not tell anyone the day-- but Kung Jin's nothing if not proud. He wouldn't have been able to stomach the pitying glances any more than he already had.) Hell, he'd barely remembered until halfway through the day was out, with how chaotic those last few weeks in Woodhurst had been.
He can play this off, can't he? So no one celebrated your birthday with you, big deal.]
Twenty-four's not an especially big year, anyway. It was okay, there were more important things to worry about in Woodhurst. Like the Bristol virus, for one.
[Asher's sentimental nature flares up immediately, and he reaches out to touch the side of Jin's neck with his own free hand.]
Don't say that.
[Even he realizes the gesture is a little extreme, especially with everything that Jin has just said and done. His wrinkly brow knit with worry, Asher lets his thumb graze the side of Jin's cheek, carefully avoiding any of the bruises.]
Twenty-three was a big year for you.
[He shouldn't say this here, right out in the open-]
In the time that I've know you, you've-
[But he has never been great at keeping his feelings inside.]
[He presses his lips together, eyes darting away momentarily; it's a gesture that'd easily be taken for timid were it anyone other than Kung Jin. Reassured by the gentle caress of Asher's thumb on his cheek, Jin leans into his partner's hand, lips turning up in a hesitant, albeit sincere, smile.
After all, he would never show this side of himself to anyone but Asher. That, in itself, is a testament to how different things are now.
Since when had Kung Jin learned to trust this much?]
I... guess you're right. I have, haven't I.
[Suddenly, he laughs-- an easy chuckle.]
Remember when you told me you were really great at playing Street Fighter?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
awful
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[stOP IS HE TRYIN 2 FLIRT????]
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😺 ❤
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[He walks to a point in space, grinning as he sees the bright lights of the Magitek light up, giving him a sign regarding Jin's location. Ah, he's getting closer, not too far now-]
c'mere tough guy
it's been a while since i 😚ed ya
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Relief washes over him as Asher's form appears on the horizon, staring down at his Magitek--]
Asher!
[He'd laugh at himself if he weren't so relieved to see Asher in the distance: he picks up his pace, hustling in his partner's direction (and startling a few huffy native cats in the process).
After weeks without him, Jin finally closes the distance, holding him by the shoulders as if he will disappear.] You're okay! Gods, how many weeks has it been--
[And, as usual, words don't particularly do his feelings justice.
So he doesn't use them.]
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[Jin's enthusiasm is unexpected, to say the least, and the shaolin catches Asher mid-sentence. His eyes shut tightly upon instinct, body relaxing immediately and slumping against the other's as he melts into the kiss. A wanton hand reaches out and moves over the archer's chest, savoring the sensation of warm skin beneath his fingers.]
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At last, Jin pulls reluctantly away, holding Asher's cheek in the palm of his hand.]
It's good to be back. And even better to see you back.
[He presses his lips together, as if to contain the beaming grin. It doesn't especially work, and he smiles with an easy warmth and relief he hasn't felt in a good while.]
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Asher smiles back, genuinely enthused by that warm welcome, although there's something hesitant in the way his mouth moves. He notices a few things that make him worry, like the dark circles beneath the monk's eyes and light bruising on the arms, almost healed up but not quite recovered yet.]
Yeah, I-
[There it goes. Once, twice, and then a third time- A pang of something miserable, deep within his gut.
That rotten reminder that this is temporary, that this won't last.]
I'm so glad you're okay, man...
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[In spite of the flippancy, there's genuine concern in Jin's face. Who knows what Asher had done while apart from Audentes? Jin's hand slides to the back of Asher's neck, fingers winding in the hair at the base of his neck. (It's almost too neat. But he looks good, actually-- closer to the original, tightly pressed, clean-cut Asher he'd originally met. Certainly in sharp contrast to Jin's appearance, with the very recent commotion of battle clinging to his whole body like static electricity. Even his hair's been hacked a few inches shorter, an inaccurate, hurried cut, obvious from even just a glance.]
Really, though. [Jin smiles gently.] I'm glad you're okay, too.
We have a lot to catch up on.
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He rests a hand gingerly upon Jin's shoulder, stroking the bare flesh that isn't in disrepair, checking for tenderness or swelling as he does.]
What happened?
[Spoken softly.]
Did you get into a fight?
[Those fingers in his hair, they're comforting.
Jin is comfortable.]
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[He chuckles, ducking his head; helping out on his off-Audentes mission had been no mean feat. Jin's still not entirely sure how he and the other agents of ALASTAIR had made it out of that mess alive, much less to resounding (?) success.]
I'll tell you the whole thing later. [At the moment, he's keen on enjoying the sound of Asher's voice and the feel of Asher's hand on his shoulder.] What about you? You look--
[gr e at? ?? ?? wt f]
You look nice.
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[Asher squares his shoulders back, cocky grin resurfacing as he processes the look on Jin's face, clearly one of quiet adoration.]
I mean, I know I look nice, but-
[He takes a step closer, so that there's hardly any space between them.]
I'm pretty sure I feel even better.
i hate this
[The smirk on his face and the hand pressed against Asher's chest, holding that bit of distance between them, belie the way he rolls his eyes and the way that his brows furrow together.]
Try again, handsome. I'm not that easy.
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You really like the suit?
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[He tilts his head a little, curious, and his eyes drift over the finely-tailored, pristine suit that Asher's clad in. Gods know how he's managed to keep it in this condition on cat planet: there's not even any cat hair on it.]
What'd you even do? I was on a camp in the freakin' mountains the entire time. [He pulls his hand away and gestures to his own clothes, no different from what he'd shown up wearing on his first day in Oska. There are some tears and scuffs in the outfit and his shoulder armor: clearly, he wasn't vacationing up in the Skaultan highlands.] I mean, look at me.
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He consoles himself by answering in his own mind: Defend an innocent man.
The images come reeling back, like a series of snapshots flash after flash. The contrast between the photographs of Mina, alive in one and dead in the other, makes him sick all of a sudden.
After Woodhurst, it had just felt like too soon.]
Oh, um.
Sure.
[Asher turns around on the balls of his feet, clearly distracted.]
I helped out with a trial for this murder thing.
Some kid got caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, and this big scary lawyer dude was tryin' to pin it on 'im-
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[The distant tone seems... off, somehow, but without seeing Asher’s face, Jin doesn’t take it for all that much. Asher's tired, distracted; gods know that a planet full of cats after a full murder trial was disorienting. But knowing Asher to be a lawyer-to-be rather than a full-fledged one...
His smile wanes, just a little, with concern. Jin reaches for Asher’s shoulders, to gently spin him back around.]
Soooo... my big scary lawyer dude stepped in with the other ALASTAIR agents to prove the kid innocent?
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Somethin' like that.
[He leans in again to press a gentle kiss to Jin's lips, short but sweet all the same.]
Either way, it looks like you could really use a breather.
You wanna...
[taking jin's hand for the umpteenth time fml]
Come relax with me?
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Even on a far-flung planet, it's good to feel, once more, at home. Jin kisses back and squeezes Asher's hand, reassured and ready to follow him back to... wherever the heck he's staying on Terra Felis.]
A break sounds nice. Lead the way.
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Home.
Not the same way he does when he takes hold of Jin's fingers, like he is now. The jovial sort when he isn't upset, Asher smiles a lot, but there is a special understated manner in which he grins at the monk from across the way, more light in his eyes and color in his cheeks than usual.
He is content to walk hand in hand with the broader man, sniffling and sneezing as he may be, without a care in the world. As long as Kung Jin is still beside him, he is happy, no matter the circumstances.
Whether they be talking cats or sudden death.]
I know they probably got you a room, but...
You wanna crash with me for a lil' bit?
[Somewhere deep down, he thinks he knows what Jin's answer will be.]
I kinda got you somethin' while I was out.
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[Jin traces the back of Asher's palm with his thumb.]
Wait, you did? You didn't have to get me a souvenir, or anything.
[Being together again's more than enough.]
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Wait, Jin.
[He angles his head in a way that the other will recognize, something he often does when a situation is not quite right.]
You don't remember?
[No, no, no.
This shouldn't hurt so much.]
March 31st.
That's your birthday, right?
[It is also a few days after he disappeared from Woodhurst.]
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[Jin looks away, an uncertain frown crossing his face: it hadn't been Asher's fault that he'd been called away to another mission right before his birthday, but it'd still been more than a little lonesome without him. (Of course, he also didn't have to not tell anyone the day-- but Kung Jin's nothing if not proud. He wouldn't have been able to stomach the pitying glances any more than he already had.) Hell, he'd barely remembered until halfway through the day was out, with how chaotic those last few weeks in Woodhurst had been.
He can play this off, can't he? So no one celebrated your birthday with you, big deal.]
Twenty-four's not an especially big year, anyway. It was okay, there were more important things to worry about in Woodhurst. Like the Bristol virus, for one.
sorry 4 the icon repeat rip
[Asher's sentimental nature flares up immediately, and he reaches out to touch the side of Jin's neck with his own free hand.]
Don't say that.
[Even he realizes the gesture is a little extreme, especially with everything that Jin has just said and done. His wrinkly brow knit with worry, Asher lets his thumb graze the side of Jin's cheek, carefully avoiding any of the bruises.]
Twenty-three was a big year for you.
[He shouldn't say this here, right out in the open-]
In the time that I've know you, you've-
[But he has never been great at keeping his feelings inside.]
You've really grown a lot.
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After all, he would never show this side of himself to anyone but Asher. That, in itself, is a testament to how different things are now.
Since when had Kung Jin learned to trust this much?]
I... guess you're right. I have, haven't I.
[Suddenly, he laughs-- an easy chuckle.]
Remember when you told me you were really great at playing Street Fighter?
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