[Because Sousei is bad at understanding subtle things like Jae-ha's flirting as the various mechanisms it is.
He's too Sousei for that.]
I have watched the way you act towards people. It is too lackadaisical for me to believe this is any sort of serious. I have seen the way you act when you are serious, after all.
Jae-ha was supposed to just confirm he wasn't serious at all at any times and yet here he is, doing the opposite. Stop...that?]
...
[A beat, and Sousei just...sighs and downs the remainder of his drink. Too tired. Too much to deal with. He can't cope with this.]
Yes, well.
I suppose we are in the same situation. That, at least, makes some sort of sense. And I suppose your company isn't absolutely abhorrent right now, even if you always are a vague irritation.
but.... well. sousei's being very honest, you know? and jae-ha had told him that he's just a very honest person, even if that makes him rather difficult to follow. so he seems to pause for a few more seconds and... if sousei's drinking, maybe he won't even remember this.
that would be nice.]
... well, you're rather impossible. Too serious, to the point of not realizing when there are people being drawn to you since - at the end of the day, for whatever reason, people are drawn to you. Anti-social, secretive, incredibly dishonest.... sometimes even accidentally, since you can't see sincerity for what it is sometimes. I chalk that up next to anti-social.
[He's not that drunk, Jae-ha, sorry. Tipsy, yes, and tired, absolutely, but he will remember this.
For better or for worse.
Wow, good thing they're dying tomorrow, right?
... And all of those things he's heard in various ways before (usually from Tenka). That people are drawn to him, but also all of his negative traits. He just snorts at them, amusedly, as Jae-ha lists them.
But.
What comes after that pause gives Sousei pause, and he stares into his newly refilled cup quietly for a long moment, almost contemplatively. "Beautiful", huh...? What a strong word...
It's strange. After a week, even one as crazy as this one... he shouldn't really feel quite so strongly about this, right? But he does nonetheless, about this stupid man who has already lost so much in this pathetic hell-game, and yet still can sit there with alcohol in hand and call Sousei's way of life beautiful.]
I suppose... after all of that...
It would be rude to not admit that I have been glad to meet you as well. [Oh, sincerity!] Despite your frustrating traits...
You've impressed me this week. [Both Jae-ha and Gi-gan deserved so much better than this, but--] ...It was a pleasure to learn of your home, and what you and the captain both did for it.
[ - but okay, right, Jae-ha laughs even as he refills his own cup and takes a sip. They'll drink and drink and - maybe Sousei isn't quite in the frame of mind to keep looking for exits. That's fine. Even if he's kept up until sunrise and after, Jae-ha will keep looking.
For them both.
He'll reach for Sousei's free hand again, grasping it by the wrist if Sousei will let him. He doesn't move it yet, but he reaches to get Sousei's attention.]
You don't like the idea of it but have nothing to say regarding it's truthfulness, is that it? Or is it just wishful thinking on my part?
[ . . . though a lot of their conversations feel like wishful thinking on Jae-ha's part. He laughs faintly and - ah, he really shouldn't push his luck. He knows.
But Sousei didn't take his hand back.
So Jae-ha will continue what he's done over the weekend - it's not the first time he's pulled out this affectionate gesture, but it is one of the few times he's cared to demonstrate it in the company of just two - and move to press his lips to the back of Sousei's hand.
And then let it go.
Then, as if commenting on nothing at all:]
Oh well - I think we're allowed to be a little stubborn and selfish tonight.
Sousei blinks slowly in response to that, at the pressure of Jae-ha's lips against the back of his hand and then to his face--and then retrieves his hand entirely willingly when Jae-ha lets go.
They can not talk about that.
Sousei is fine with that.]
I believe if anyone, we are the ones allowed to be as stubborn and as selfish as we wish.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Still he blinks at that, then laughing faintly.]
Do you think?
When did you decide that?
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He's too Sousei for that.]
I have watched the way you act towards people. It is too lackadaisical for me to believe this is any sort of serious. I have seen the way you act when you are serious, after all.
[Help him, he's bad at human interaction.]
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[let him figure out how to puzzle through this, because he finds it honestly to be really funny.]
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... That is not what I said. I just find it very difficult to believe you take your flirtations seriously. There isn't anything more to it than that.
[You're flirting with like. Literally everyone, Jae-ha.]
Is that so difficult for you to believe?
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[ . . . so yes, yes he does flirt around. He won't deny that.]
But that doesn't mean my interest in you isn't sincere. I'm not sure how else to prove it more than I am now.
I was looking for you, after all.
[on the eve of god knows what waiting for them]
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so baffled.
Like.
Jae-ha was supposed to just confirm he wasn't serious at all at any times and yet here he is, doing the opposite. Stop...that?]
...
[A beat, and Sousei just...sighs and downs the remainder of his drink. Too tired. Too much to deal with. He can't cope with this.]
Yes, well.
I suppose we are in the same situation. That, at least, makes some sort of sense. And I suppose your company isn't absolutely abhorrent right now, even if you always are a vague irritation.
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[guess who's pouring sousei another cup
it's jae-ha
but.... well. sousei's being very honest, you know? and jae-ha had told him that he's just a very honest person, even if that makes him rather difficult to follow. so he seems to pause for a few more seconds and... if sousei's drinking, maybe he won't even remember this.
that would be nice.]
... well, you're rather impossible. Too serious, to the point of not realizing when there are people being drawn to you since - at the end of the day, for whatever reason, people are drawn to you. Anti-social, secretive, incredibly dishonest.... sometimes even accidentally, since you can't see sincerity for what it is sometimes. I chalk that up next to anti-social.
[ . . . ]
But your way of life is beautiful.
So I'm glad I got to see even a part of it.
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For better or for worse.
Wow, good thing they're dying tomorrow, right?
... And all of those things he's heard in various ways before (usually from Tenka). That people are drawn to him, but also all of his negative traits. He just snorts at them, amusedly, as Jae-ha lists them.
But.
What comes after that pause gives Sousei pause, and he stares into his newly refilled cup quietly for a long moment, almost contemplatively. "Beautiful", huh...? What a strong word...
It's strange. After a week, even one as crazy as this one... he shouldn't really feel quite so strongly about this, right? But he does nonetheless, about this stupid man who has already lost so much in this pathetic hell-game, and yet still can sit there with alcohol in hand and call Sousei's way of life beautiful.]
I suppose... after all of that...
It would be rude to not admit that I have been glad to meet you as well. [Oh, sincerity!] Despite your frustrating traits...
You've impressed me this week. [Both Jae-ha and Gi-gan deserved so much better than this, but--] ...It was a pleasure to learn of your home, and what you and the captain both did for it.
[1/2]
[Just saying.]
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For them both.
He'll reach for Sousei's free hand again, grasping it by the wrist if Sousei will let him. He doesn't move it yet, but he reaches to get Sousei's attention.]
It was? Have been?
I don't like that tense.
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To use present tense would be to admit that I am currently feeling that way, and I do not like the idea of that.
[Oh.
Well.
At least he doesn't miss a beat on that one.
(This is far from the most productive way to find a way out, but... it's fine.
They still have a few hours yet.)]
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[ . . . though a lot of their conversations feel like wishful thinking on Jae-ha's part. He laughs faintly and - ah, he really shouldn't push his luck. He knows.
But Sousei didn't take his hand back.
So Jae-ha will continue what he's done over the weekend - it's not the first time he's pulled out this affectionate gesture, but it is one of the few times he's cared to demonstrate it in the company of just two - and move to press his lips to the back of Sousei's hand.
And then let it go.
Then, as if commenting on nothing at all:]
Oh well - I think we're allowed to be a little stubborn and selfish tonight.
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Sousei blinks slowly in response to that, at the pressure of Jae-ha's lips against the back of his hand and then to his face--and then retrieves his hand entirely willingly when Jae-ha lets go.
They can not talk about that.
Sousei is fine with that.]
I believe if anyone, we are the ones allowed to be as stubborn and as selfish as we wish.
[Just for tonight.]