OPEN SEASON 2.

[crawly]

1. pick a character.

☛ optional.
☛ character list here.
☛ full list.
☛ specify in the subject line if you want one character in particular.

2. provide a prompt.

☛ image, words, music, whatever you want.
☛ i like to think at least one of my three tumblrs has something interesting. (be warned that all three blogs contain nsfw material, including porn.)

3. gotta go fast.

☛ not actually. this is a permanently open post! tag at your own speed.

previous post here.

Comments

[canicide]

I'm fine.

if it's not too late for u you can come over

[ They've hung out in the evenings a few times, but this feels a little different. ]

[indeliblestars]

do you want me to bring anything?

[it is different. it's different in the way that means Fee exhales hard at the ceiling, wondering if he'll be able to do this or somehow trip over his own words and fuck it up.]

[canicide]

no

see you in a few

[ That came out perhaps more curt than he intended, but he doesn't want to stretch the discussion out in case he... well, whatever. Heine's ready when he hears the doorbell. ]

[indeliblestars]

[Fee comes in a bit - making sure not to rush. all he's brought is himself, and the entire way over, he's been soothing himself, saying that it doesn't matter what the outcome is. as long as he's able to be friendly...as long as he doesn't make this a huge deal. ugh. usually he's so quick to say this sort of thing that the whole dwelling on it doesn't take place.

whatever. they'll just see. maybe it's just winter getting to him.

anyway, he shows up, same Fee as always, just in a heavier jacket for winter.]

Hey. Thanks for inviting me over.

[canicide]

No problem.

[ Heine stands in the doorway for a second before stepping back. The entrance leads to a narrow landing and staircase, not much else visible since the path goes over the shop and straight up to his apartment. He leads the way upstairs.

The TV is still on, softly playing an episode of some crime procedural. Heine leaves it be for some background noise while directing them towards the couch. ]

So, did you want to watch something, or...did you just want to hang out?

[indeliblestars]

Just hang out, really. I haven't seen you in a while, so...

[it's nice to know how he's doing. that he's fine. Fee shrugs off his coat and sits on the couch - more like flops on it. not really graceful, but casual. wait for the right moment. or something.]

[canicide]

[ Heine hums in acknowledgment before sitting down on the couch next to him. ] Yeah. How was your Christmas, anyway?

[indeliblestars]

It was fine, I got all the news of who did what and what happened, all the usual family stuff. Dinner was edible, I'm pretty sure I got told I need to make sure I'm working hard around four times. Overall it was about the same as it always is. As long as everyone's okay I can't complain. What about yours?

[and as usual, no acknowledgement of his work or asking after it, but he's used to that. better that than something lamenting "why couldn't you be an accountant like your cousin."]

[canicide]

Okay. One of my friends wanted to watch some cheesy movie so we did that.

[ It was a bad movie, all told, but he'd watched it anyway. Revealing to Fee that he spent no time with his family (or, more accurately, had no family to spend the holidays with) garners about as much emotion. It's not something he really tries to hide and he doesn't think Fee will make a big deal of it. ]

I'll probably open for limited hours tomorrow in case some people need emergency flowers.

[indeliblestars]

[no he won't, but there's something in him that makes him a little happier that Heine showed up to the friends' dinner.]

Really? I guess there's never a shortage of things people want flowers for. Or you never really know what's coming up. At least you got a little break for the holidays.

[canicide]

Yeah, having a few days off is nice. But I'm sure someone needs to apologizing for messing up Christmas. Or to ask someone for a date on New Year's.

[ Heine's more amused by the thought than anything. ]

[indeliblestars]

[Fee laughs, smiling a little more.]

Wouldn't that be cool, though? If someone asked for a New Year's date, I mean. You already have all the fireworks and crazy energy going around.

[moving on! moving on.]

Anyway, it's thoughtful of you to provide that.

[canicide]

Mm. [ Yeah, a New Year's date doesn't sound bad. ] I don't have anything better to do.

[indeliblestars]

[Fee gives a noncommittal hum, and turns to watch whatever's on. something dramatic is happening, if the music is any cue, but he's not thinking about that.

wait. wait at least until the commercial, before he turns his head to look at Heine.]

Can I ask you something?

[calm, simple. but he knows if he doesn't say it soon he'll probably explode on Heine's couch, and that's not a great idea.]

[canicide]

[ Heine's not even sure what's going on in this show, except that someone got murdered at some point. When Fee speaks to him he glances over. ]

What is it?

[ He's trying not to let his expectations take over. He's trying. ]

[indeliblestars]

[inhale. exhale. and Fee turns himself so he's more facing Heine. once he starts talking, it's easier.]

I'm not the best at staying subtle about shit, no matter what it is. So I'm just coming out with it - I like you, and I've liked you for a while. Didn't want to make this weird, so I didn't say it, but...I like you. You don't have to feel the same or anything, and if you're not into that, no problem. I'll figure out how to get over it and just be your friend. But I do like you. Is that okay with you?

[canicide]

[ It's sort of what he'd expected. Heine can pick up a hint or two—but he had never planned to act on anything, and when Fee brings it up it's a relief.

Immediately after the relief comes mild panic. Fee likes him? Heine thinks about possible problems, like the fact that people usually don't like him, that he's bad with relationships, and that things can change. Things always change, and Heine has found it sometimes easier to let them pass him by rather than risk trying to grab hold of anything.

But Fee is asking him, and he knows he needs to answer if he wants any chance of holding on. ]

Yeah. [ He looks at Fee's face for all of half a second before glancing down, posture stiff without leaning away. ] It's... I'm okay with that.

What if I do feel the same way?

[indeliblestars]

...Then I'm really glad I told you all this.

[and there's a smile on his face, but it's softer. a little more shy than Fee usually is in any context.]

Whatever happens next, up to you. As long as you don't decide that us sitting here like this is suddenly too weird to deal with.

[he'll adapt. he'll work with Heine. in some aspects Fee is extraordinarily simple, happy to simply be in the same room as someone else that he likes. in others he calculates and meticulously thinks through how best to make sure he doesn't upset whatever balances are there.

so he doesn't reach out to touch him. but he does keep smiling like that, trying to not laugh for pure relief and happiness.]

[canicide]

No, it's, uh. It's fine.

[ Heine only delays looking at Fee for another second or two before resting his eyes on him and the genuine smile he's beaming with. ]

Do you want to do something new?

[indeliblestars]

Something new? Like what?

[man, that's a difficult question. exhaling, he looks away, runs a hand through his hair, and looks back. yep, still awake. still hearing all this.]

[canicide]

[ It's so hard to be direct. God. ]

Like a date. [ Huff. ] Though we already hang out, I guess.

[indeliblestars]

Oh! Yeah. Yeah, a date.

[they're great at this, clearly.]

...If you're not doing anything for New Year's, we could go out.

[canicide]

[ Yes. So good at this. ]

Sure. Yeah, I'm not doing anything. Where do you want to go?

[indeliblestars]

I'm not really sure. But there are supposed to be fireworks pretty close, if you're into that.

[an actual date. a date with Heine. how'd he manage this?]

[canicide]

[ Fireworks are okay. He wouldn't mind going out on New Year's Eve, either, and Fee's presence usually makes him calmer than others'.

What could go wrong! ]

Okay. When do you want to leave?

[ Going about things so carefully is a rather foreign concept to Heine. He wants this to work. ]