demarcates | IC INBOX

[ Don't mind Kondou: he's just going to stand here and watch with an eager look on his face, hoping that Hijikata will like it just as much as he does. And well, even if he doesn't, then Kondou will likely finish it off for him.

... but he'd prefer that he liked it for what it was! ]

[ ...COULD YOU NOT LOOK AT HIM WHILE HE'S GOT SOMETHING IN HIS MOUTH HUFF.

hijikata seems suddenly overly conscious of this for a moment, even though the scenario is really not all that new. same thing, different place, different time, different... food. it's enough to make hijikata puff his cheeks ever so slightly (you are so embarrassing, kondou-san) before glancing off a little as he focuses on eating this because wow that hopeful look makes him feel really bad about disappointing him.

the thing that does surprise him, though, is that having let it linger in his mouth does seem to confirm its edible because he can taste it... and what the hell it really has no substance to it, it's pretty much already melted.

...it melts? what the hell. he goes to say something after swallowing and getting the taste mostly off his tongue. ]

...It's

[ REALLY STRANGE. ]

...really sweet.

[ an understatement they can't have anything sweet for about a week now after that, do they really expect people to eat a BAG of it...??? ]

...It's good, though.

[ Guess whose face automatically lights up when Hijikata doesn’t seem to mind it? Kondou’s, of course. He’s just pleased that he can share something like this with him, though of course there’s no guarantee that he’ll actually eat more of it after that initial mouthful. Kondou, on the other hand, is already eating some of it himself. The man has a sweet tooth that can never be soothed; it just can’t be helped. It all has to go. ]

You like it? I'm glad! The sweetness took some getting used to, even for me, but I think it’s worth it. It’s just so different to anything that we have at home.

[ Says the man who spends a large chunk of his time trying to find or actually eating sweet things. Who would have thought. After putting a good dent in his own bag of it, however, he gives Hijikata something of a mischievous look, and edges slightly closer to him. ]

Or should we find you something sweeter? [ Teasing, always teasing. ]

[ well, at least someone's predictable.

...or... not.

hijikata blinks, pretty well aware he's getting teased (because when is he not wow when does kondou learn he always loses at this game when he instigates it!!!), but he doesn't really seem to have much of a counter to tease him back with. it throws him off, and he sort of knows he shouldn't say it, he really is just asking for it— ]

Like what...

[ because kondou definitely said that he didn't try any other food and how does it get sweeter than pure sugar, anyway, and don't look at him like that unless you got something good, mister, because he suddenly feels really embarrassed that he isn't preempting this. ]

[ How does it get sweeter than pure sugar? That depends entirely on one's viewpoint; it's slightly subjective. But it doesn't take much for Kondou to tug at the front of his jacket, pulling him in just enough so that he can give him a brief kiss. It might be something that could be considered sweeter, right? (Also, he still tastes like candy floss, so there's that too.)

Once he pulls back, that grin is ever present on his face. As it always is when he starts to tease Hijikata. Even if he doesn't manage to win most of the time, he does where it counts the most. He'll take his temporary victory and cherish it with pride. ]

You always look so unsure, Toshi. I'm really going to have to do something about that.

[ oh, yep, that's sweeter and not in a way that hijikata can object.

it's not until he's staring at that grin and hears kondou speaking again that he seems to snap out of what is apparently a little daze and everything just hits him like a pile of bricks—but mostly, that he's blushing furiously and he actually— ]

[ —AUGGFH DO SOMETHING LIKE WHAT.

but before that gets spit out he stops himself and just has to blush even more, but this time he's flustered a lot more like a little cat that just got caught playing with a toy it definitely didn't ask for or need NOPE. ]

—I definitely do not.

Ahaha, you certainly don't now! I believe that I may have fixed that rather well, if I do say so myself.

[ Goodness, he's just so cute, what is Kondou going to do with him. He laughs and then squeezes his hand, rather giddy over his reactions. It's so nice to see him like this, letting his guard down every once in a while. Even if it technically means he has to cheat somewhat in order to achieve it. ]

[ no no he's not cute put that word away even in your action brackets.

hijikata wants to say something in reply to that, but what is proper he doesn't know because only kondou is actually aware of how he looked for a few seconds there. the squeeze to his hand makes him a little more aware again but there's nothing to help him here.

there's only one thing left to do.

give him that candy floss bag, he needs to put something in his mouth to pretend he has no words because he's eating, not because he's speechless. ]

[ Oh I'm sorry did you not want Kondou to refer to him as cute? What if he finds a synonym for it instead?

Only Kondou is aware of how he looked for a few seconds there, and he's not going to tell anyone else (mostly because they won't believe him). But that doesn't mean he won't enjoy it for all it's worth. He looks positively gleeful, as though each of Hijikata's reactions from now onwards are individually rewarding.

(That would be because they are.)

But he surrenders the bag without fuss, figuring that he should give him some room to breathe before continuing his onslaught. ]

[ oh my god.

the one thing he can say (or at least he can think back on concerning this) is that kondou is in a good mood. that's worth more than anything, even over the most little of things. it does cross his mind for half a second even as he fusses with the bag and candy before putting some into his mouth, but it's gone so soon to be left for that later time, after all, because—

—hijikata winces a little when his teeth get a second round of that sweetness and wow it really is sweeter than he remembers from just a moment ago but it's now some reluctantly forming love/hate feeling towards it: he much prefers the taste on kondou's mouth over it by itself, anyway. this is just not worth much of anything on its own, now.

he says nothing, but he pauses abruptly even in eating and swallowing the candy floss to look at kondou again in realization as if the other could hear that thought of his loud and clear. the result is him looking slightly mortified in his flustered huff before using the bag to give kondou's upper arm a tiny little reprimanding swat resounding with a crinkled sort of whack for this nonexistent ability.

fucking rude of you to be doing anything like that, to be honest.

( although, considering everything along with the fact his blush hasn't gone away—or it's back again who knows—kondou could probably easily guess that hijikata's mind definitely just betrayed him in favor of teasing him, too. ) ]

Edited 2014-01-16 13:06 (UTC)

[ Hey now just what do you think you’re doing!

Kondou makes a startled noise when the bag makes contact with his arm, more out of surprise than anything else. It’s not as though a bag of candy floss could actually hurt him upon contact – his life would be a much more difficult place if it could. Still, he turned to look at Hijikata then, trying to figure out just what was going on here. Nothing made him deserve the pain of being hit with delicious food! ]

Toshi? What is it?

[ The candy floss is supposed to go in your mouth, not to be used as a weapon. There are limitations set upon you even as the vice-commander of the Shinsengumi! ]

What did I do?

[ He’s not sure whether he should be playing along or not… Though the fact that his blush is still present is giving Kondou a few ideas. If only he could read Hijikata’s mind, that would make his life a lot simpler. But alas, it doesn’t seem as though it is destined to be. There’s no way that he actually knows what is going on with him right now, though his mind is starting to make up plenty of excuses for him, and he almost feels bad for being mildly entertained by this. ]

[ hitting you with a bag of puffy pink candy like a tsuntsun teenage girl after a first kiss, that's what... ]

Everything.

[ no, he can do what he wants this candy floss is the new default weapon for the shinsengumi and you can't stop him (unless it gets eaten, then maybe there's a little bit of a roadblock there)!

and while he indeed does say everything, there's no malice just flustered embarrassment because oh my god kondou's never done that before he doesn't know how to come back from new and creative inventions of teasing from kondou isami.

there's a pause before he smacks kondou's shoulder again with the bag. ]

That's for whatever you do next in case I miss it.

Since you're hitting me for something I'm not sure that I've even done yet, does that mean I get a free pass before you hit me again?

[ As much as he's teasing him, however, he knows that Hijikata is reacting like this because he's flustered on some level. Thankfully for him, Kondou doesn't seem to have decided whether he should continue on teasing him, or hold back some. Right now he certainly seems to be taking his time to make a decision... ]

[ he didn't even think of that, but... ]

It does.

[ that is how it works, isn't it. free pass. leave it to kondou to look at it with an optimistic tint. ]

[ That was probably the wrong thing to tell him, given the wide grin that spreads across his face in that moment. ]

Then I'll have to make sure it counts.

[ oh shittles. honesty gets you nowhere these days. ]

You better.

[ he'll hit you again on principle if you waste it there are people less fortunate than you out there. ]

[ Do you know, Hijikata, that it's far too easy to wind you up these days? Kondou gives him the most amused look ever, and then starts to inch closer again.

Better be worried. ]

I wouldn't dare to let you down.

No?

[ wow that's a huge exaggeration ok. hijikata does perk slightly when that expression is combined with kondou inching closer but doesn't inch away because while half of him is telling him nope nope noeP he can't win this teasing battle this time around better give up now, the other half is really curious just how he plans to do that.

bring it, kondou, do ever bring it. ]

[ Do you know what happens when you encourage Kondou? Bad things. Bad things always happen. Still, he's going to take advantage of the situation, and with Hijikata looking a little less like a startled samurai confronted with a can opener for the first time, it means he can make his move.

Which is a repeat of before. Him leaning in to have a taste of that candy floss for himself, in a less than conventional way. He may as well take his time, since he's already undertaken his punishment for it. ]

[ what guts, kondou could get away with a free pass on that display of courage alone.

but, if he's going to take his time, then hijikata will return the gesture, although it's a bit timid especially considering he's instigated this thing himself before in a role reversal situation. funny thing is, it's really so much different when on the receiving end of both being teased and how that teasing is being played out. he's still really embarrassed, but now he does seem to have it under control. kind of. he's not sure how much control being unable to get his cheeks to stop burning really signifies here. ]

[ That's the secret: that kind of embarrassment never really ends. Kondou would know, since he's been on the receiving end before too. It's something that will make itself known at the most inopportune moments for the other person to mercilessly exploit. Thankfully he keeps it short (kind of) and sweet (mostly sweet) before stepping back and giving Hijikata the broadest smile that he can possibly muster. ]

I shouldn't distract you so much, I did promise you a date.

[ Remember that part about how the teasing never ends? ]

[ but all that teasing is still worth it for that smile of his and hijikata can't help but smile a little in turn—it's always been hard not to around the other, after all, and time hasn't made that any easier to change.

he'll end up glancing down towards the bag of pink candy, now, before looking back to the other. ]

You did.

[ he guesses he can forgive him for all the teasing on one condition. ]

Well, then, what's next?

[ but that condition is for him to know only.

he folds his arms across his chest loosely, though, still holding onto the candy floss bag. ]

Don't get us sick.

I won't get us sick, Toshi, I promise. I know how to take care of myself!

[ And knowing how to take care of Hijikata is a given, really. There's nothing in the world that he wants more than being able to make sure that he has everything he needs. Still, he gives him a warm smile, and motions towards the games that aren't too far away from them. ]

If you've had enough to eat already, then what about something like that? We may as well start there. I need to keep you entertained somehow.

[ Apart from trolling him. ]

[ hijikata does look over to where kondou is referring to, not really able to quite tell from here exactly what those games consist of despite not being that far away... but, nothing he can see from here looks all that familiar, either. ]

And those somethings are...?

[ BECAUSE HOW IS HE SUPPOSED TO KNOW THEY'RE GAMES WHAT IS WRONG WITH WESTERNERS AND THEIR IDEAS OF FUN... ]

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1/2 i'm never using this icon again this is it

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I find this hilarious because the tag above it in my inbox references how they're married

omg

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