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[[ << Continued From ]]

[ That brief silence feels like an eternity. Sholmes is about to fill it with more words, but the warm palm on his face cuts short the syllable on his breath. He blinks, in momentary shock. No, it's time to shut up, isn't it? He closes the scant distance, only to clumsily bump the tips of their noses with a smiling, breathy laugh. Correcting the angle, he tilts his head to loosely graze their lips together.

He'd been tempted to kiss Yujin before—both times they'd parted ways at the steamship docks; one night, laughing on their way home from the pub; and several otherwise unremarkable, quiet moments burned indelibly into his memory. A simple glance at his partner—reading the paper, looking out a carriage window, poring over his careful notes—struck him with an upswell of aching fondness.

That familiar feeling now returns in force, and compels his hand up the slope of Mikotoba's shoulder to cradle the back of his head. Inhaling through his nose, he presses his lips tighter, gentle but insistent, to relish in the coarse bristle of his mustache and the lingering notes of cider.

The flowerwork display continues overhead and said cider has been upended onto the grass. Both are entirely ignored. ]

Edited 2022-05-07 22:46 (UTC)

[The only times Yujin had ever truly been tempted to do something like this was in dreams; the sort which would leave him mortified upon waking, only to dismiss it as chaotic human nature and the mysteries of the mind. Does it only make sense, then, that the desire would become reality in a world of dreams?

Yujin is a bit more experienced in this area, even if he hasn't done anything like it in seventeen years. The vast amount of time since then only serves to fuel his need, leaving him more daring. Gentle as Sholmes is being, he doesn't hesitate to part his own lips, deepening the kiss where possible. The hand on the side of Sholmes's face slides further backwards, fingers tangling themselves into locks of fluffy blond.]

[ At least one of them has enough experience to lead this particular dance. Sholmes only had the benefit of a few kisses during his boyhood—only motivated by idle curiosity or the lure of forbidden mischief. Not artful in the least.

Certainly not satisfying enough to draw out a deep, appreciative hum. He shifts his other hand to loop behind and splay against Yujin's lower back—to draw him up just a bit closer in those last few beats.

Reluctantly, Sholmes breaks the kiss—just enough to take a proper breath through his flushed smile and press their foreheads together. His pile of curls—in dire need of a trim—squashes half into his eyes. ]

Yes, I am quite cured, my friend. But I'm afraid I require regular doses to maintain this glowing constitution.

[ Sholmes' fingertips brush slow circles against the soft hair at the back of Mikotoba's neck as he adds: ] If you are amenable to an ongoing arrangement.

[Experienced and daring as Yujin felt in that moment, the splayed hand on his back still catches him somewhat offguard. His eyes open in reflex. Even so, he doesn't break the kiss, nor does he back out of it even in the slightest. If Sholmes wants him even closer, he'll lean in even closer.

But nothing is meant to last forever. When the kiss is finally broken, he allows it, his cheeks burning and his gaze trying to pierce a curtain of blond to meet Sholmes's eyes. A quiet little chortle escapes him.]

I am more than amenable, my friend. One might even say that I am eager. [His hand releases Sholmes's face to instead clasp his shoulder.] And honored, I should add. Quite honored.

[ At those enthusiastic words, an edge of moisture begins to well up on those eyes. There's a brief, wet sniff as Sholmes swipes fingers under either lid—muttering something about allergies—before the hand joins the other at Yujin's back, thumbs loosely hooked in the cinch of his waistcoat. ]

I'm a fool for dragging my feet this long. [ Sholmes exhales thickly as he rests his head on Yujin's shoulder, face to his neck, and attempts to cloak the strength of his emotion with another joke: ] But I was worried I might frighten you off and lose half the rent.

[ Well, half-joke. The fiscal impacts did factor into his calculations, but losing Yujin's comforting, grounding companionship would deal a far more devastating blow. And there were plenty of factors stacked against him, or so he imagined: that his friend might take offense, whether it be out of a moral objection or an affront to Ayame's memory. Or maybe the idea was rendered absurd by the reality that their responsibilities would always keep them continents apart. He had never done such frustrating math, and all of it taken together was enough to curb even his unruly impulses.

Now it all manifests in the relieved, "unmanly" tears dampening Yujin's lapel. ]

[Yujin sees the truth of those "allergies". He could tell moments before the tears moisten his waistcoat, not only from the sight of Sholmes's expression but also from his tone of voice. He wouldn't be the Great Detective's most treasured partner if he couldn't observe the little details and identify them for what they are. It's startling, not only because such genuine and raw shows of emotion come rare to Sholmes, but because of why these emotions were stirred in the first place.

He chuckles, both at the half-joke and to relieve some of his own tension. Then he moves both of his arms around the man's midriff to pull him in as close as possible.]

Thankfully, I'm not frightened with such ease. However... Half of the blame lies with me. I kept as quiet as you did. [Which isn't to say that he dragged his feet. He simply... never considered moving those feet forward to begin with.]

[ That admission immediately casts all of his memories in a new light. How could he have allowed himself such an enormous blind spot? Maybe Mikotoba's patient kindness—extended to most everyone—was to blame. The same shown to Sholmes wasn't out of the ordinary—even if, he now wonders, his own eccentric behavior made this uniquely challenging. Perhaps that in itself should have been damning evidence: that the man could weather the storm of his chaos long enough to see the semblance of calm on the other side of it.

At the embrace, Sholmes’ own arms tighten in kind, and the warmth he finds threatens a fresh spate of tears. He blinks them back and clears his throat in an attempt to restore the stiff upper lip that is his British birthright. ]

What a fine pair of lovestruck laggards we make! [ He lifts his head to plant a firm peck on Mikotoba's cheek, then gives him a playful tug sideways to sprawl on the grass. The last of the flowerworks pop overhead, casting warm flashes over the blue, moonless night. ] I must say, that shock of grey was the spark that lit the fire under my feet. I thought to myself: Sholmes, I must lay claim to this fine man before we’re both in the sere and yellow.

[In actuality, Yujin's not entirely in control of his composure either. There's such an overwhelming surge of emotions happening, from relief to exhilaration to apprehension, that it's sending chills through his body and causing his fingers to tremble a bit. The tightened embrace does very little to alleviate that.

But then Sholmes suddenly pulls them over sideways and his shoulder hits the soft grass. That was so very spontaneous and whimsical, Yujin can't help but laugh softly.]

I should hope that deadline is still a long while away. We do need enough time to enjoy this new arrangement, after all.

[ That quiet laughter causes a fresh flutter in his chest. Truly, countless novelists and poets—including the Bard himself—have put the symptoms of love into words with obnoxious accuracy. ]

If we maintain our brisk constitutionals and a bit of healthy mischief we might defer it further yet. [ Although talk of the future gives Sholmes pause, and his smile falters—what does that look like here, anyway? The situation has neatly solved the issue of geography, but how long will this last? Will he suddenly wake up to Iris' prodding—all of this quite literally the stuff of dreams?

Pesky anxiety—just like it to elbow in and sour a bit of happiness. He won't stand for it. Instead, he smooths a palm down the slope of Yujin's lapel, and resumes his smile with a wink. Suggestive? Joking? Who's to say? ] And if we wish to recapture some of our misspent youth, I'm sure we could arrange it in a dream.

[Yujin doesn't like to think too hard about their future, be it immediate or that deadline they referred to. That's far too intimidating to him. He'd rather take things one small step at a time without planning too far ahead in too great a detail. Such a thing might only lead to disappointment and heartbreak.

When Sholmes winks at him like that, he gets a bit flustered by it. What is his friend suggesting? Though his cheeks burn, he's still smiling. One hand is raised to the side of Sholmes's head, ruffling his hair a bit.]

Indeed, we could. Though I should hope there are no strikes with fish involved, then. That would rather sour the moment, I believe. [He is never going to let this go.]

[ It's his turn to laugh—both at the joke and the clear flush on Yujin's cheeks. He's delighted to discover this exciting new way to torment his friend. ] Hah! Absolutely no fish will be allowed in the boudoir, Mikotoba.

[ A pause, then he arches a brow and lowers his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. ] Unless of course ... you'll allow me my most secret piscine proclivities?

[ That he manages to maintain a straight face and steady eye contact is a testament to his skill as a detective. Or his commitment to a joke. Either way, this is more comfortable territory than earnest confessions of love. ]

[Oh, it's torment, alright. Yujin's not used to joking about these sorts of things. Not because he's gone so very long without a partner in that sense, but because it's so very indiscreet. It's not the sort of thing he made light of with Ayame either.

But Sholmes will be Sholmes, he knows that. It's hardly avoidable now, so he tries to roll with the punches instead.]

I'm afraid not, my friend. As I said, it would sour the moment. If you have any more common proclivities, I may be willing to take those into consideration instead.

[ Given his lack of hands-on experience, he has no business joking about this, but the quips come far too easily. Especially when he's fighting back nerves; the process of fully sinking into this intimacy is still teetering between terrifying and comforting. ]

Not to worry. Sigmund Freud would find me woefully pedestrian when it comes to such matters. [ His smile loses its twinge of mischief, resting back into easy admiration. ] Except, of course, for this peculiar fascination with another man.

[ To make up for the crude remarks, he finds Yujin's hand and brings it around, tight in his own. He pauses a moment to admire its clean practicality—a fine specimen of a doctor's hand—before he plants a chaste kiss on his knuckles. ] Though you may not be a lady, you still deserve all the rigors of a proper courtship, my dear.

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@professorbestie / Yujin Mikotoba

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