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[hippie_ninja]

This is Jesus. Leave a message.

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[braveoff]

[ Does he? How long is a long time? Because Drake's pretty damn sure even now he won't be the one to tell Jesus to leave, but being this needy would drive anyone away. Wouldn't it?

For the time being he's just going to accept the statement because he's too tired to keep worrying. His fingers curl back into Jesus' shirt. ]

You know, I thought if this worked and you guys wound up clicking I might finally buy some property. Nothing fancy, and you wouldn't have to move in, but it'd be there.

[ Now Drake doesn't see himself ever leaving this apartment. Not without Ephemera around to paint the walls of someplace new. Maybe that'll change, maybe it won't. He can't think about the future further than a day or two, at this point. ]

[hippie_ninja]

[Who can say how Drake will feel as time goes on? For now, Jesus understands him being reluctant to leave.]

I'm buying some land with Rosita. Well, helping how I can without getting into trouble. We're going to grow vegetables, try to become more self-sufficient.

You're welcome there whenever you want.

[braveoff]

[ That sounds nice for them, Drake thinks to himself. But he's not welcome. Even if Rosita liked him, he couldn't stay there. He shakes his head against Jesus' shoulder. ]

I'm not. That's illegal, babe. We'd both get cited if I ever got caught staying over... it's okay.

[hippie_ninja]

I'm afraid of getting you in trouble.

[But he is going to, sooner or later. He's being very careful not to get caught, but no one wins every time.]

[braveoff]

Don't be. I might not know everything you're up to, but I doubt I'd disagree with any of it. You think something's worth doing, we'll deal with the consequences if you get caught. Okay?

[ It's not like Drake's been a model citizen either. He has a very high bar for what's worth the risk to his partners, but the line does exist. And as careful as he also is for their sake -- or just Jesus' sake now -- he might get caught someday too. They both knew what they were getting into, signing with each other. ]

...thanks, though. It's nice knowing that if it was up to you I'd be welcome there.

[hippie_ninja]

If this place goes to hell, I want you there.

[It's a dangerous thing to say, maybe. He doesn't really want people to know how often he thinks about this place falling like his world did. He doesn't really want people knowing how convinced he is that it will, and how he feels best when he's preparing for that.]

Okay? I don't care what the laws say, I still want you around.

[braveoff]

[ Wait, what? That finally gets Drake to lift his head and look at Jesus again, not sure what he's getting at but knowing it's important. And whatever disaster it is the other man is preparing for, Drake knows what it means to be on somebody's list. Only so many people can fit in the bunker, so to speak. ]

If this place goes to hell, I'm pretty sure citations will be the last of our worries. You're sure?

[hippie_ninja]

Am I sure I want you safe, and with me?

[He tips his head back to look down at Drake]

You know I care about you, don't you?

[braveoff]

Of course I do.

[ It's an immediate answer, because that shouldn't even be a question. Jesus is putting up with an awful lot lately, supporting him. Too much, maybe, but that isn't Drake's call to make. And you don't do this sort of thing for someone you don't care about.

Saying 'I want you with me if the apocalypse hits' is just... different. ]

The kind of place you're talking about can only support so many people, that's all.

[hippie_ninja]

I know.

[He's acutely aware of how far rations go]

You're worth having along, Drake.

[braveoff]

[ Again, even if Drake doesn't really agree... he's not about to argue it. He can't argue that Jesus wants him there, so all there is to be is grateful. And useful. He can pull his weight, prove to whoever else needs to be convinced that Jesus is right and he's worth having around. Maybe prove it to himself.

Unless someone else needs the spot. Drake knows himself, and that he'd give it up without a second thought if nobody tried to stop him.

He doesn't really know what to do with that, either. Or the ache in his chest that's come back at hearing Jesus say these things. The smile he offers the other man is wobbly in an overwhelmed way, and he lifts a hand to tuck a stray lock of hair behind Jesus' ear. ]

Okay. I'll be there.

[hippie_ninja]

Thank you for trusting me.

[ Because he knows Drake has doubts.

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a tube of lotion. ]

I know you just showered but take your shirt off and go lay down. I want to try some things on you--massage tricks. You could use them.

[ Drake is tense, and he deserves a little pampering.]

[braveoff]

[ Jesus pulling out the tube earns him a raised eyebrow, even after he explains. ]

You thought ahead to bring that?

[ It's asked fondly, though, and Drake's smile has stopped wavering. He leans in again to bump their foreheads together affectionately, just for a moment... then pulls back and tips his head towards the bedroom. ]

I'm not gonna say no. What kind of tricks?

[hippie_ninja]

He reaches out, hand taking Drake's to tug him back and kiss him fondly before he lets him go. "I've had this plan...a while." But then the festival happened and he hadn't seen Drake.

[braveoff]

Drake's not about to say no to the kiss either, though it does make him even more curious what Jesus has in mind. Especially when he uses the word plan.

"You've had a plan?" He's still feeling raw and unsteady, but this turn of events is already lightening the mood a bit. "Come on, then. Only one way for me to find out, right?"

Back to the bedroom they go, and Drake pulls his shirt off on the way to the bed and sets it on the dresser. Then lies down on his stomach, folding his arms and resting his head on them to glance back at Jesus. Is this what he meant?

[hippie_ninja]

It is, and Jesus straddles his hips, careful not to rest his full weight on him. He just wants Drake relaxed; that's the extent of the plan so far.

"I took a massage class once," he explains, warming the lotion in his hands before he starts smoothing it over the muscles of Drake's back. "But, obviously, there wasn't much use for it. Now there is."

[braveoff]

"I don't know what you're talking about," Drake murmurs, closing his eyes and trying to preemptively convince his body to release some of the tension coiled in his shoulders. "There's always use for making somebody feel better. Didn't I tell you how I learned?"

[hippie_ninja]

"You know massage?" More lotion, more soothing strokes over Drake's muscles. "You never told me you know how. I would've remembered."

[braveoff]

"Mm, it doesn't come up much 'cuz it's not the sexy kind." He's only half-joking, but it'll make sense in a moment. "The original head of the Guard I wound up co-leading was a knight. I guess it's the kind of thing that got lost to time? But according to him, massage was an important part of taking care of your army during a war. Even just in tournaments, too, but then it would be the squires working out the knots before they could cause problems. Prevent actual injuries. Let them sleep better so they could fight again the next day. Anyway... he taught me a lot."

[hippie_ninja]

"Then I guarantee you know more than I do," but he works his way along Drake's spine, molds his thumbs along his scapulae. "But the kind I know isn't sexy, either."

[braveoff]

Drake hums noncommittally, because most of what Henry taught him was combat skill. They might be about even in terms of practical massage knowledge, he can't say just yet. "I figured you meant the relaxing kind. But there's definitely use for that."

[hippie_ninja]

"Well, I'm aiming for that," he admits; he isn't looking for knots right now. "But I learned on dancers. A lot of muscle tension in them."

[braveoff]

That seems like the kind of experience Jesus could have adapted before now if he'd wanted to, but Drake can also see why people in his world wouldn't have been comfortable with the idea of relaxing. Here, though?

"I still don't see why you'd say there's been no use til now... but I'm not complaining about being the now," he says, voice now a low rumble. Because it does feel good even if he's not actually relaxing yet.

[hippie_ninja]

"As long as you don't mind me being rusty," he says, leaning down to kiss just behind Drake's ear, before he sets about kneading at his back instead of simply rubbing.

The truth is he hasn't worried about anyone else relaxing as much as he does Drake, after Tumenalia.

[braveoff]

"I don't," Drake reassures him, smiling softly at the kiss. In a way it means more that Jesus thinks he's rusty but is willing to shake that off for him? Not that he believes it'd be an issue, being out of practice. All this kind of thing requires is paying attention to the other person... and that's not something he's ever seen Jesus have a problem with.