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[senseloss]

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[push_that_pesticide]

I just don't like labels-

[ He started, panic rising in his chest until Coda leaned up and kissed him, properly this time. He shuddered into the touch as that little burst of adrenaline dropped, leaning back to kiss firmer. No teeth, not yet, but he planted a hand next to their shoulder to support himself. When they parted, he stated- ]

It's okay. You can figure it out. We can figure it out. Just be here to work it out with me, alright?

[senseloss]

You may not like labels. But there's things I need to be explicit about. Because it'll make me feel better. Like...the fact that this isn't a rebound, that I've thought about doing this, even before. So you know.

And the fact that you're important to me, even if this doesn't...even if I mess up somehow.

[push_that_pesticide]

Would've been fine even if I was just a rebound,

[ No hint of bitterness there. Bugsy sat himself back up properly, just to take a breath for a moment. ]

I doubt you're gonna fuck it up, though. I really like having you around. 'N if you're cool with me seeing Gil to get my physical needs met, then everything should be gravy.

[senseloss]

Of course, I'm okay with you seeing Gil.

[Coda lounges back out across the bed, propping their head up with a hand.]

The...territorial aspect of relationships is definitely a piece of why I've always been gunshy about them. This ideal that seems to exist that a person becomes a centerpiece of your life and you theirs and you exist as a unit, that's sort of horrifying to me.

[push_that_pesticide]

You can say that again.


[ Bugsy fiddled a loose thread on his vest, uncomfortably quiet for a second. ]

I don't know if I ever told you about Skunk, but that was what the relationship was, for a decent part of it. We just became Bugsyandskunk. Joined at the hip. I like being a free agent, now, like I'm not defined by who I'm fucking. 'm just Bugsy.

[senseloss]

Question: how does this relate to the idea of us as a family unit? Does that feel restrictive to you at all?

[Better to know and figure out how to compensate for that now.]

[push_that_pesticide]

[ He... honestly hadn't been thinking of them in that way, and tensed up at the idea of it. But it wasn't like that's not what they were doing. They were probably closer than the inhabitants of the share houses he'd cohabited with before- they cooked and ate together, they hung out, he was somehow involved with both Coda and Gil.

They kinda were a family, huh?

Bugsy smoothed his 'hawk down and tried to stay cool as he answered- ]

Guess not. It's just... what we're doing here, I guess.

[senseloss]

Shouldn't have pointed that out to you, huh? Now you're going to be thinking about it. Getting weird in your head about it.

[Coda levers to a proper sitting up position, no longer in direct contact with him.]

[push_that_pesticide]

It's not like we're not doing that. 's not like I'm gonna stop doing what I'm doing either- I like what we've got here. I like movie nights and cuddling and feeding you fuckers.

[ Time for Bugsy to recline now, leaning his head against Coda's thigh. ]

It is what it is. And I'm as happy with this as I can be.

[senseloss]

[Coda takes this moment to be bold. Their hand slips gently under his jacket, to rest over where the heart would be on a human, seeing if they can feel his heartbeat. The other hand touches his cheek again.]

I am, too.

[push_that_pesticide]

[ It was faint, through the firm chitin of his skin, but they could feel it. Feel it race as their hand slipped under his jacket, still hammering as he put his hands atop theirs. One on his chest, one against his cheek. ]

C'mere. Kiss me,

[ He rasped, eyes wide and longing at them. ]

[senseloss]

[And they do. Firmer than their previous attempts, though still uncertain. No, not uncertain, just...unpracticed. They know they want, in this moment, to be here, with him, in this bed, tucked up against him.

And they adjust so they're lying next to him, instead of sort of under him. Comfortable, their cheeks glowing warmly.]

[push_that_pesticide]

[ There was only so much Bugsy could do to demonstrate how he wanted them- but specifics like that could wait for some other night. Right here and now, he just wanted them as they were, with what they were comfortable with. He curled up into them more firmly, his thumb idly tracing across their cheek. ]

'm lucky. Between you 'n Gil, I'm a very happy bedbug. I think I could get used to this.

[senseloss]

And here I thought you were a moth being drawn to an electrical light.

[Well, at least they didn't say 'bug zapper'.]

[push_that_pesticide]

[ Bugsy laughed, pressing a kiss to Coda's cheek. ]

Shit, maybe that's it, lemme-

[ He covered his eyes with his hands, paused for a moment, before reporting- ]

Nope, still think you're cute. 's not the light part.

[senseloss]

[Coda laughs as well.]

Hey, what do you think about claiming this bed for a night?

[push_that_pesticide]

I think you don't need to ask me twice.

[ Bugsy nuzzled in, one arm wrapping around their waist. ]

I can sleep in my clothes, 'f it makes you more comfortable.

[senseloss]

[Beat.]

You don't normally? Not pajamas or something?

[They don't pull away or anything, this is just to clarify their understanding.]

[push_that_pesticide]

Not usually jeans, at least , [ He indicated towards what he was wearing right then, ]

But not usually much else, either. With my hairs 'n shit it's just more comfortable. Beast, remember?

[senseloss]

Hard to forget. [That's fond, though.] Are you wearing underwear under the jeans? And how do you feel about pajama pants? I should go change, I can bring you something lightweight.

[That is so not a question Coda was expecting to ask today.]

[soulbonder]

Ah, Astral notices how Coda settles. This isn't new to Astral, Yuma would do the same given sufficient distraction. Humans and changelings are so strange for how easily they can put something like that aside.

((Does it not worry you how easily this could be exploited?))

[senseloss]

((Everything about this place worries me, Astral. But at some point, you can't worry about it all actively, or you'll panic yourself into a heart attack--not literally, but. You have to let some worries not be active worries all the time.

And besides, the system gives us some tiny bit of control here. I'm glad for that.))

[soulbonder]

If Astral had eyebrows, he'd knit them together into a scarf with what Coda says-thinks, but he doesn't, so he stares a bit harder at their device instead. Focus on one worry-- one problem-- at a time. How many times has he told Yuma the same back on Earth? How strange to hear someone give him the very same advice.

When Coda then says they're glad for the tiny bit of control, Astral realizes something, but he can't quite scratch the surface as to what it is. Why is that so familiar to him? Absentmindedly, he writes a code into his own device, only for it to execute a small hologram of a bright blue star. His home star.

((I think I understand why you would be glad.))

[senseloss]

Coda leans in to look closer at the star, letting out a soft sigh. ((That's beautiful. Where is that?)) They're sure it's real, not just the product of his imagination--Astral doesn't seem to be an environmental designer type, to them.

[soulbonder]

((It's my planet's sun.)) He tweaks the code further to show Coda the star's planetary system. Not too far from the blue star is a smaller, half broken planet. His home.

((Coda, have you committed a crime?)) Their shirt...