Jeep lifts out of Jedao's arms with a flurry of wingbeats, circling Gojyo without quite landing on him, and delivers a loud chirping lecture.
"We are holding another ceremony for all the people who weren't on the Barge at the right time," Hakkai agrees, "once we leave. And you have to be there. Otherwise, my side of the family table would be too bare again."
He doesn't make those connections nearly as easily as Jedao. But Gojyo counts if anyone does.
Absently, he adds, "I know, Jeep, but don't lecture him about it."
well I don't feel secure enough in my characterisation of Jeep yet!!
"The wedding was three months ago," Jedao says, instead of two years, because even though he did think Hakkai was cute the instant he saw him, three months probably sounds less threatening, and the long subtle road of their courtship is probably more than Gojyo wants to hear.
Jeep lands on Gojyo's head. Hakkai politely doesn't laugh at him as the dragon continues grumbling.
"We'll give you a plus-one," he says instead, which means no excuses will be accepted.
"And yes. Married three months ago, though we've been together about a year and a half now." He doesn't think that amount of time will be threatening; after all, he's known Gojyo longer than Jedao, regardless.
Jedao is too confused to be offended; in his own experience, straight people are a genuine rarity. Jedao makes eye contact with Hakkai, trying to express with just his eyebrows, what the fuck is he talking about?
Gojyo clearly means it as friendly teasing, but Hakkai -- unlike Jedao -- does have the background to unpack all the implications he probably isn't thinking about.
He casts Jedao a don't worry, I have this look, clears his throat in the pointed way he uses when noticing beer cans that have been used as ashtrays or dirty socks that have been thrown on the living room floor, and says in a very mild tone, "Gojyo, are you suggesting that I married my husband because I couldn't find a woman who would have me?"
Hold on, wait, why is he getting the beer cans as ash trays treatment all of a sudden? Fuck him for opening his big stupid mouth at all-- he throws one hand up in a defensive 'whatever' gesture.
"Nooo, you clearly married him because he's a total dreamboat and the best catch around."
Jedao remembers, with a sharp little twist of insecurity, that Hakkai married him mostly because Jedao wanted to get married, despite his own reservations about doing anything official whatsoever.
It's very stupid to feel insecure about that, though, so he's definitely not going to admit it, and he doesn't know what to say, and he has to say something. He opens his mouth and lets instinct take over. And what instinct decides to say is -
"Mmmhm. I do love a tall man who catches on quick."
The brief hesitation as Jedao gets it burns like acid, and Hakkai finds himself immediately, sharply regretting the choice to spell it out. Gojyo hadn't understood why it was a shitty thing to say to their faces, but Hakkai pointing it out hurt Jedao.
"Also," he says, very brightly, inspired entirely by a surge of furious temper, "he's indestructible."
Gojyo pushes off from where he was leaning against the railing, throws his hands up in the air, probably startling poor Jeep in process.
"Then fucking congratulations to you both for finding the perfect guy! I apologise ever so much for intruding on the marital bliss. I'll leave you to it."
He shoves his hands deep into his pockets before stalking off. Why the hell did he ever think coming here was a good idea.
Jedao blinks at just how quickly that went jets-up. Even actual battles tend to take some time to get so fucked. He can't even convince himself it was entirely his fault, because he's pretty sure his barbed flirting didn't even register compared to to Hakkai coming over all razor-smiles.
"Please take a breath, darlin," Jedao tells Hakkai, unceremoniously shooing Jeep into his arms.
"I'm going to run after him and maybe get humiliated about it," he announces, as a field decision. "How do you think alcohol would go over, as a peace offering?"
He says it quickly enough - and loudly enough - that maybe Goyjo will hear it over his own stomping.
"I don't-- you shouldn't have to--" Hakkai's arms close reflexively around Jeep, holding him close. Jeep promptly bites his finger, which Hakkai supposes he deserves.
He marshals some frail attempt at dignity from a brain that seems to be made of panicking sheep running in all directions, and manages, "I'll be in our room?"
He's aware he's the one who started and worsened this fight, he doesn't know why, and he really doesn't know why he's feeling so hurt about it.
"Do some stress cooking," Jedao tells him firmly, and gives him a quick kiss, gripping Hakkai's upper arms tight for a grounding moment.
"Worst case, we punch each other and then relax."
This is not actually the worst case scenario, but it is an escape route that Jedao can probably graft onto any of the actual worst cases and successfully divert them.
Gojyo probably does hear some of that, but fuck if he's going to turn around just because of it. He continues stomping off, realises he dropped his cigarette at some point and only pauses long enough to fish a new one out of his pack, lighting it with a few muttered curse words.
God fucking damn it, he never should've come here, or he should've backed off the moment Hakkai made it clear he's made himself a whole new, better life here, why the fuck did he ever think he'd be welcome. Where was that Lounge, again?
Gojyo takes another long drag of his cigarette, not looking at Jedao. He's mad at Hakkai, and this guy is really just kinda caught up in that, he realises. Going completely scorched earth on a total stranger would be stupid.
"...Thought the drinks here were free."
Can't really buy him one if that's the case, can he? It's a bit of a dry joke, meant to at least somewhat signal I'm listening. 'Stupid jealous?' What the fuck does that mean.
"You sure you don't wanna take the hubby out for celebratory drinks instead?"
You know, celebrating Hakkai's perfect new life with his perfect husband and perfect new friends. Hakkai, who can't even be bothered to go after Gojyo, instead it's this complete stranger who does...
"I'm sure I want to know more about you. I'm a spy, so it's very nefarious of me," Jedao says, blithely absurdist as he opens the way to the warden levels with what looks like a weird pack of playing cards.
Is smoking allowed in the Lounge? Fuck it: Gojyo's smoking either way. He can't quite help eyeing the weird pack of playing cards with a hint of professional interest.
"Never could get into spy dramas. Way too much complicated plot, not enough action."
"You have clearly been watching the wrong spy dramas. There are plenty that barely have any real tradecraft squished between the action scenes at all."
Jedao leaves the deck of cards on the counter as he asks the bored looking bartender - which today is a young man in a cowboy hat - for a vodka soda, and one of whatever Goyjo would like.
Probably some kind of scotch. Today is a heavy liquor kind of day, it turns out.
Gojyo's not picking the deck up - he does have a sense for other people's property, his past career notwithstanding - although he examines it while hunched over the table.
"Fuck me, can't even pick out mindless movies properly."
"I'm not sure Sanzo even knew what dramas were, so you're already ahead there," Jedao remarks, with a dry thread of old but sincere exasperation. Gojyo is touchy and occasionally baffling, but Jedao hadn't understood Sanzo at all.
He sips his own drink, then tips the incomplete Jeng-zai deck into his hands, shuffling casually.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
both of you can feel free to NPC Jeep as you like!
"We are holding another ceremony for all the people who weren't on the Barge at the right time," Hakkai agrees, "once we leave. And you have to be there. Otherwise, my side of the family table would be too bare again."
He doesn't make those connections nearly as easily as Jedao. But Gojyo counts if anyone does.
Absently, he adds, "I know, Jeep, but don't lecture him about it."
well I don't feel secure enough in my characterisation of Jeep yet!!
"--I guess I can probably make it, as long as I'm not busy with some chick. How long's this been going on, anyway?"
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"We'll give you a plus-one," he says instead, which means no excuses will be accepted.
"And yes. Married three months ago, though we've been together about a year and a half now." He doesn't think that amount of time will be threatening; after all, he's known Gojyo longer than Jedao, regardless.
cw homophobic nonsense
One and a half year. It's still so fucking jarring that Hakkai's been off living some kind of parallel life without Gojyo.
"Man, this is why I say this place needs more women. If there're basically no hot chicks, all the guys end up hooking up instead."
...He's not even trying to be insulting, not really.
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He casts Jedao a don't worry, I have this look, clears his throat in the pointed way he uses when noticing beer cans that have been used as ashtrays or dirty socks that have been thrown on the living room floor, and says in a very mild tone, "Gojyo, are you suggesting that I married my husband because I couldn't find a woman who would have me?"
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Hold on, wait, why is he getting the beer cans as ash trays treatment all of a sudden? Fuck him for opening his big stupid mouth at all-- he throws one hand up in a defensive 'whatever' gesture.
"Nooo, you clearly married him because he's a total dreamboat and the best catch around."
Happy now??
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It's very stupid to feel insecure about that, though, so he's definitely not going to admit it, and he doesn't know what to say, and he has to say something. He opens his mouth and lets instinct take over. And what instinct decides to say is -
"Mmmhm. I do love a tall man who catches on quick."
He winks. It feels like it needs a wink.
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"Also," he says, very brightly, inspired entirely by a surge of furious temper, "he's indestructible."
Ah. Maybe he shouldn't have....
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Gojyo pushes off from where he was leaning against the railing, throws his hands up in the air, probably startling poor Jeep in process.
"Then fucking congratulations to you both for finding the perfect guy! I apologise ever so much for intruding on the marital bliss. I'll leave you to it."
He shoves his hands deep into his pockets before stalking off. Why the hell did he ever think coming here was a good idea.
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"Please take a breath, darlin," Jedao tells Hakkai, unceremoniously shooing Jeep into his arms.
"I'm going to run after him and maybe get humiliated about it," he announces, as a field decision. "How do you think alcohol would go over, as a peace offering?"
He says it quickly enough - and loudly enough - that maybe Goyjo will hear it over his own stomping.
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He marshals some frail attempt at dignity from a brain that seems to be made of panicking sheep running in all directions, and manages, "I'll be in our room?"
He's aware he's the one who started and worsened this fight, he doesn't know why, and he really doesn't know why he's feeling so hurt about it.
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"Worst case, we punch each other and then relax."
This is not actually the worst case scenario, but it is an escape route that Jedao can probably graft onto any of the actual worst cases and successfully divert them.
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Well, he wouldn't like to admit that he's fleeing for the stairs, but that is effectively what he's doing.
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God fucking damn it, he never should've come here, or he should've backed off the moment Hakkai made it clear he's made himself a whole new, better life here, why the fuck did he ever think he'd be welcome. Where was that Lounge, again?
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"Well, that was confusing and horrible," Jedao says with straightforward sort of bleak cheer, hands in his pockets.
"Let's start over. Hi, I'm Jedao, and I'm a little bit stupid jealous of you. Welcome to the barge. Can I get you a drink?"
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"...Thought the drinks here were free."
Can't really buy him one if that's the case, can he? It's a bit of a dry joke, meant to at least somewhat signal I'm listening. 'Stupid jealous?' What the fuck does that mean.
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You know, celebrating Hakkai's perfect new life with his perfect husband and perfect new friends. Hakkai, who can't even be bothered to go after Gojyo, instead it's this complete stranger who does...
He does follow Jedao, though.
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Is smoking allowed in the Lounge? Fuck it: Gojyo's smoking either way. He can't quite help eyeing the weird pack of playing cards with a hint of professional interest.
"Never could get into spy dramas. Way too much complicated plot, not enough action."
Or sex scenes.
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Jedao leaves the deck of cards on the counter as he asks the bored looking bartender - which today is a young man in a cowboy hat - for a vodka soda, and one of whatever Goyjo would like.
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Gojyo's not picking the deck up - he does have a sense for other people's property, his past career notwithstanding - although he examines it while hunched over the table.
"Fuck me, can't even pick out mindless movies properly."
Ha ha. He downs half his glass in one go.
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"I'm not sure Sanzo even knew what dramas were, so you're already ahead there," Jedao remarks, with a dry thread of old but sincere exasperation. Gojyo is touchy and occasionally baffling, but Jedao hadn't understood Sanzo at all.
He sips his own drink, then tips the incomplete Jeng-zai deck into his hands, shuffling casually.
"You play?"
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1/?
actually 2/2 done already
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1/3
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