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[hippie_ninja]

This is Jesus. Leave a message.

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[hippie_ninja]

"For what?" He peers up at him, tired but so relaxed now.

[konstant]

"For allowing me to be around you," he answers simply, more obviously tracing the tendon in Jesus's wrist now, eyes ticking over to his.

He doesn't take people choosing to let him be near, to be near him, lightly.

[hippie_ninja]

He holds K's gaze, memorizing how blue they are, the particular shade of green in them.

"Why wouldn't I? You always treat me this way." Like something awe inspiring. Something unexpected, something worth keeping.

[konstant]

"For any reason you want; it's your right," he answers, and then hears how generic that probably sounds even if he means it - and he does.

"Because you could choose to be anywhere else right now, but you're here, with me." He means that, too.

[hippie_ninja]

"Well, I don't think you realize how much I missed you." How much he'd worried K would just stay in prison, that this friendship was done because of it. He reaches up with his other hand--the one in a cast, but his fingers are free and he traces K's jaw with the fingertips.

[konstant]

This time K stays absolutely still, unwilling to hurt Jesus but eager for the touch nonetheless.

He'd told Vrenille, told V that he felt better in the cell and he had in some ways; but he did miss kind touch. He missed the warmth of someone even just sitting beside him.

"I'm here now," he answers instead, the best he has to offer.

[hippie_ninja]

He traces the outline of K's ear, thumb brushing the stubble on his jaw, and he tells himself not to get too used to this. But he still hasn't looked away and he's watching now for K's reactions to the barely-there touches he's offering.

[konstant]

There's still a bruise hidden in K's hairline from his treatment at the hands of the guards, still faint mottling under the day old stubble of his beard; none of it hurts him, but it's by far closer to what he's used to than the way Jesus is touching him now.

His breathing evens out and he lets his eyelids go heavy, not closed but making it easier to savor a touch so light it runs a shiver down his spine, teases out something just shy of a smile but still markedly pleased.

[hippie_ninja]

He can't help but think how he'd enjoy doing this, just them with no obligations calling him away. He could spend an entire morning like this, finding ways to make K shiver, to coax a real smile out of him.

"I should go," he murmurs. At this point he'd be lucky to get ten minutes' sleep before he has to get the train home, and ten minutes won't do him any good. "When V is okay," and that might be a while. "We should go do something."

[konstant]

Last month, K might have... not argued, but bargained a little more to keep Jesus here, or offered to go along with him. Right now the latter is off the table and they both know that; the former, though, just feels like something he still wants to tread carefully around.

He'd normally kiss the palm closest to his face, but it's Jesus's bad arm, so K pulls the hand he has in his up to brush his lips along his knuckles gently, holds them so close his lips brush skin when he speaks.

"When do you think we might see you here again?" He hasn't let go yet.

[hippie_ninja]

Anytime you want, he almost says, would almost have offered anything K asked for when his lips are so warm against the bruises on his knuckles.

"Tomorrow." He licks his lips, swallows. "And I'll stay longer. I'll actually nap if that's okay."

If K stays with him like this.

[konstant]

Jesus has people to take care of; more than that, he's getting some fulfillment out of being able to, so K doesn't mind that he still needs to go.

But he feels a lot better now, more settled; Jesus will be back. He smiles.

"I'd like that," he assures him. "And V will be happy to see you too I'm sure."

He still doesn't let go, thumb smoothing over the side of Jesus's hand.

"May I kiss you?"

[hippie_ninja]

"I want you to kiss me whenever you want." K is harder to read than most people, and Jesus is good at reading people. He never knows exactly what K wants; he only knows K always expects worse than he gets. He smiles at him. "Will you do that?"

[konstant]

K was pretty confident of the answer, but he'd still much rather ask than assume; he remembers the way Jesus had withdrawn in the room with the jellyfish the last time they were physically together.

He could say this. Instead he leans down the short distance to kiss Jesus now.

[hippie_ninja]

He needed this reassurance, a little hint of proof that the night in that room hadn't damaged them. That his own hurt at K leaving hadn't got in the way of this.

He kisses him back, and when they break he looks up at K and then sits up slightly to kiss him again. "Mean it," he murmurs when finally he does let go. "Whenever you feel like it."

[konstant]

K meets him where he is, and as the second kiss breaks too, he stays close; the room where V is is silent, and the door they're behind locks. He doesn't mind lingering like this.

He brushes the backs of his fingers along Jesus's neck, rests his hand at his shoulder and nods; it's a harder permission for him to give in turn, not the least because it's difficult for him to believe anyone would wait for it.

But he thinks that and he knows in the moment after that Jesus absolutely does, so he offers, "You too."

[hippie_ninja]

His smile is playful, but relieved. "You sure? Because I've wanted to kiss you on break at work."

[konstant]

He raises an eyebrow, but yes, he's sure.

"It's not illegal here to be too attached to replicants," he offers - explanation for both at once. "So yes, I'm sure. On break."

[hippie_ninja]

"I would've always been in trouble in your world." For theft, for the usual things he was in trouble for in his own world; but also for this. He has no regrets.

He pushes himself up--wincing; his ribs are sore from some blows he'd taken--and he kisses K again. Just testing.

[konstant]

Jesus winces and in the next moment K's hands are there to steady him, to just give him a bit of extra support on the way upright.

The kiss is easy. He smiles as he stands, too, to walk Jesus to the door.

"That just means we would have met one way or another."

[hippie_ninja]

"Better for us it was here. The things I would have done to get attention from you..." He winks at him. "I'll be back tomorrow."

[konstant]

K gives him a quizzical look for the comment, but he's amused nonetheless. He closes the door behind Jesus and moves to clean up the kitchen.

It's a rough night for V from there, which means it's a rough night for K too. By the time he gets his friend to a point he can sleep again, K is too upset to try to sleep himself, and then he doesn't want to risk not knowing if V comes up hard and needs him.

So he's made it back to the couch and it's not that he forgot Jesus said he would be back today, but he has no idea or expectations for when, so he sinks into his thoughts with the television on low and his eyes unfocused through the corner of the room, expression uncharacteristically somber and unabashedly worried.

[hippie_ninja]

Jesus comes in without knocking because he'd said he'd be back and he's going on three days with minimal sleep, and in the Hilltop people came and went without announcing themselves.

He stops in the doorway when he sees K, then shuts the door quietly, studying him. He sees concern there, and fears the worst. Although for him the 'worst' is that V died and reanimated.

"K?"

[konstant]

K is normally more alert as well, and certainly would have noticed anyone being any louder than Jesus; but not only is he trusted, but K is deep, deep in thought.

At his name though, he blinks and every emotion on his face goes away, drops back to careful neutral. Then he registers that it's Jesus and he softens a bit again.

"Hey, sorry. I didn't hear you come in," he offers as he uncurls from where he'd had his legs folded up underneath him.

[hippie_ninja]

"It's all right." He sets a bag down on the counter; groceries. "What's on your mind?"

He looks at him, brow slightly furrowed in concern. "Is he okay?"