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[hippie_ninja]

This is Jesus. Leave a message.

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[hippie_ninja]

Drake isn't the only one who is continually surprised about being wanted around to the point a living space would get modified to accommodate him.

"Yeah?" He's grinning. "He doesn't take much--he won't take up much room. And if he gets in the way..."

[braveoff]

...Jesus. Buddy. That actually has Drake twisting his head a little further, to give him a Look.

"He's like six pounds, what's he gonna do? I'll just make sure there's nothing breakable out he'd wanna knock over."

Since. You know. He's a cat. That's honestly the only thing Drake's at all worry about, and not even because he cares about the glassware or whatever -- he just wouldn't want there to be shards on the floor Sable could get hurt on. She's not gonna chase Nibbles so it's unlikely they'll fight... what else could he do? Scratch at the couch? Who gives a shit?

[hippie_ninja]

"He knows how to open drawers and cupboards." Jesus locks up anything he doesn't want Nibbles to get at, because he comes home sometimes to every drawer and every door opened. "He likes to hide under the sink."

But he knows by looking at Drake this won't deter him and he smiles at him, fond and grateful and just enjoying the sense that he and the cat have a place here.

[braveoff]

"Sure, but he doesn't have opposable thumbs to use a can opener," Drake muses, settling back down. "S'ok. Unless he starts tossing glasses or food out of the top cabinets I don't really care, there's nothing like that in the bottom ones."

[hippie_ninja]

"Yeah... I'm just hoping you find him cute instead of obnoxious." Jesus thinks Nibbles is clever and adorable but, well, he has nothing breakable. Fortunately. Nibbles makes his own fun with whatever he can get his paws on.

"He likes dogs. I think he'll get along with Sable."

[braveoff]

"I already do, babe."

Seriously, Drake doesn't give a shit. The glasses and dishware came with the apartment, there's no sentimental value to any of it. If Nibbles turns out to be a cupboard gremlin he'll just replace those things with unbreakable versions.

"Yeah? She's real gentle," he assures Jesus, remembering how even as an untrained puppy she was careful not to hurt that pigeon Sam had released in the apartment. Which is a long story that Drake isn't bringing up, but he's never gonna forget the Pigeon Incident. But speaking of-- he shifts under Jesus' hands, currently working at the curve of his lower back. "A little harder, there?"

[hippie_ninja]

"You're so tense," he murmurs, digging in a little deeper with his thumbs, finding a knot and gently working it out.

"I want to do this again tonight before bed." It's not fully negotiable, his tone says.

"You know, I'm only watching Nibbles until K has his own place. I've never had a pet before. Most of the cats I've seen by now I ended up eating. ...Don't tell K that." He finds another knot. "But I'm going to miss having him around."

[braveoff]

His tone has Drake chuckling softly, because he's absolutely not going to argue. Especially not when he feels the knot release and the little rush of pleasure that comes along with it.

"You're gonna spoil me," he murmurs, sighing with relief.

That's something else to think about, though... pets, apartments, specifically as related to K. Drake's voice is more serious when he speaks again.

"If I didn't fuck everything up with him, do you think he'd want his own apartment? Or would he rather be with someone? Either way I'd make sure he has a private space, but wasn't he always alone?"

[hippie_ninja]

"He had a girlfriend who lived with him back in LA." Only Joi was complicated in ways Jesus doesn't fully understand. "I think he'd like having his own space, but I already break the rules to spend the night with him sometimes. I'll be with him a lot. And he'll finally get to have other guests over; I think it'll be good for him."

[braveoff]

"Oh." Drake sounds a little confused, but shakes it off quickly. "He hasn't mentioned her. Okay... well, if I didn't fuck it up and either of you ever change your mind, I've still got that down payment."

[hippie_ninja]

"K understands grief, Drake," he says softly, his hands gentler for a moment. "He won't blame you for giving in to the hurt for a while. We've all done it."

[braveoff]

"...I meant for you guys. At first, anyway."

Drake doesn't know how long it'll take him to be ready to leave here -- or if he'll ever feel ready. But he knows that it's not healthy for him to stay, preserving this place like a shrine. How many times did he say to Ephemera that it's not moving on to move forward? You don't forget the people you lose, and you never stop loving them. But keeping mementos is very different from torturing himself by refusing to ever leave a place that reminds him of his loss no matter where he looks.

"Just for a while," he echoes, shutting his eyes again. Knowing that the last thing his partner would have wanted is for him to wrap himself in this pain forever.

[hippie_ninja]

"You haven't ruined anything for either of us," he says, his voice soft and confident. Drake can hurt for now; Jesus has his back. Literally and figuratively.

[braveoff]

"Do you actually know that?" He asks, tone flat and tired sounding. Has Jesus talked to K about it? Because why would anyone, let alone a guy as worried about his safety and security as K, want to sign with someone who's clearly having a breakdown? "I haven't gone to see him yet."

[hippie_ninja]

"I spoke to him yesterday." And K had been nervous about the aftermath of Tumenalia, but had quickly been reassured. "He'll understand."

And if K doesn't, Jesus will mediate.

[braveoff]

That makes two of them, then, but Drake is pretty deep in the self loathing at this point... it won't be easy for Jesus to reassure him. He's going to have to go talk to K himself, because unless Jesus asked some very specific questions that he hasn't indicated yet? Drake is worried.

"Understanding's great, but it doesn't mean he'd--" he cuts himself off there, pressing his lips together and exhaling through his nose before turning his face into the bedding. As if he can hide his anger at himself from Jesus when the other man can literally feel him tensing back up again. His sharp, "nevermind," is muffled in the sheets.

[hippie_ninja]

Jesus has utter faith in K, and further faith in his own ability to smooth over misunderstandings. This will all be okay.

But he's used to being the only person in an entire community who feels that way. So he just leans down and kisses the back of Drake's neck, and then between his shoulder blades. "You're not breathing slow for me anymore, babe."

[braveoff]

Jesus is used to being the only one with faith in problems getting fixed... and Drake is used to being seen and treated as if he's expendable except by one or maybe two people. It's very rare that anything ever worked out in his favor no matter how hard he tried, so this isn't exactly pessimism. It's just what's been his reality.

He makes a grumbling sound into the bedding, because Jesus is objectively correct but also: he's stressing because it's important to him. Jesus being sweet about it is cute, at least. Enough that he'll try to joke it off as he rolls his shoulders.

"Keep that up and I'm not gonna be," is still muffled.

[hippie_ninja]

He grins and kisses a line from one shoulder to the other, then down his spine to his lower back. "What do you mean?" he sounds perfectly serious even though he is very studiously working on teasing him up now. "You aren't feeling relaxed anymore? Why?"

[braveoff]

He can hear that grin, Jesus. Goddamnit.

"You're a little shit sometimes, you know that?" he asks hypothetically, finally glancing back over his shoulder. But he's also grinning again. And since Jesus has shifted lower Drake twists to the side and reaches for him, brushing his fingers through the other man's beard. "C'mere."

[hippie_ninja]

That's the desired response. Jesus grins at him, completely unrepentant, and crawls up to join him. He kisses him--slow, this time, but no less determined to lift his mood.

"I like you. A lot. Trust me when I say I have good reason to."

[braveoff]

It's a good kiss, and it accomplishes its purpose so Jesus should be pleased with himself. Drake doesn't drag him back in immediately when he pulls away, but then Jesus has to go and say that...

"Right back at you," he manages, voice rough. "...I do trust you."

[hippie_ninja]

"I'm glad." Especially after everything Drake has been through. He rests his forehead on Drake's, just enjoying this moment. "We should go to the pet store. Unless you want to stay here a little longer."

[braveoff]

Drake hums softly, brushing their noses together.

"We've got plenty of time," he murmurs. It's still morning, after all. A little longer won't hurt. He reaches up and tugs the tie out of Jesus' hair, then pulls him into another kiss.

[hippie_ninja]

He kisses him back, deepening the kiss, sliding his arm around Drake. "Thinking of making it a rule: take my hair down you have to fuck me," he murmurs. "What do you think?"