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[rattlingthestars]

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Re: he's being a good rule follower

[rattlingthestars]

It was - pretty cool. Used to read about that place in storybooks, but... I always knew it was real. [ As for Jim's worth, well - at least Zell, and apparently Silver, thought so. That's enough for Jim, and even if it's nto true yet, one day he's going to make it true.

That's a secret Zell won't get without a direct question, though, and even then - well. It's easier to laugh softly at his boyfriend's reluctance and tilt his head back to look at the stars on the roof of the tent as he thinks. ]

What's your favorite thing you ever made?

[swatsflies]

[ There's something about the way he talks that brings a smile to his face. Storybooks, huh? He could almost see a younger Jim being into the story and putting all of his belief that it's real. It melts his heart and makes him want to actually see it. A younger Jim full of wonder and a present Jim also filled with the same.

He catches it when Jim's brain starts churning over an idea and he starts figuring things out. Zell wonders if there are any other ways to start bringing that out. It's something to explore, much like everything else this partnership- this relationship brings. It's starting to turn the future into something brighter.

Taking the opportunity presented to him and kissing that neck after Jim asks his question. Kissing down the front of his throat to his collar bone. Pausing to bump his forehead against the spot gently as he thinks. ]

A necklace for my Ma. It was one of my first pieces that I completed on my own. She wears it all the time. [ And deciding to give him a freebie ] I had plans on making a ring for a friend. It's going to match the one Squall owns.

[rattlingthestars]

Wh- [ Nope, 'why' is a question. No good trying to trick him with those freebies, Zell!

Jim has to grin at the idea of Zell making something like that and his Ma being proud enough to wear it everywhere. He knows, because Zell made it, it must be nice. But he also knows how sometimes Zell doesn't seem to know his own worth. ]

Bet it's beautiful. Mine is.

[ Alright, so it's a beat up coin on two tatty pieces of string, but it's beautiful to Jim. ]

[swatsflies]

[ He first thought Jim is referring to the necklace. Then he realizes he means the bracelet he just gave him. When they find a way out and a way to visit each other, Zell is going to make him something better.

Seeking out the bracelet to walk his fingers up the band and trace the coin. ]

I'll show you. [ Some day when Jim meets his Ma, he'll show him. ] I'll give you a demonstration. Maybe we can make something together.

[ The more he thought about it, the more he really wanted it to happen.

As much as it's tempting to get lost in the future, he really wants to know Jim's past. Normally it wouldn't have mattered, but he finds himself wanting to know and see everything about his boyfriend.

So, he finds a map, go on an adventure, meet new friends, get betrayed, and then is saved. ] How was the trip on the way to Treasure Planet?

'creating something together' = insert mpreg joke here

[rattlingthestars]

I'm not very artistic, but - I like the sound of that.

[ They'll just have to let Zell design it, Jim thinks, confident that he'll come up with something nice. The softly glowing tent they're in now is evidence enough for Jim that Zell can make beautiful things.

The question has Jim quirking his lip. It's back into easier territory. ]

Spent most of it working my butt off. Swabbing the deck, scraping mollusks off the hull, scrubbing ten million dishes... [ Jim doesn't even know why they had that many dishes, damn it. ] But it was beautiful up there. Free. Felt like it was where I belonged, until the black hole.

well... Doppler makes it canon for Treasure Planet

[swatsflies]

[ Grinning as he ducks down to bump Jim's shoulder with his forehead. ] You drew those plans. [ That's pretty artistic in his opinion. He's seen those doodles, too. They weren't the best, but they were still pretty cute.

Is that where his butt went? Touching a bicep and sliding his hand down. ]

Feels like it. [ Jim is pretty strong for someone lanky and still growing. Probably helps that they started to train him. ] I bet it is pretty awesome. [ Looking up at the dots scattered across the tent. Seeing something like that close up would be amazing. Where Jim belonged, huh? That earns a chuckle. ] You are Stars. [ The idea of Jim being faraway though squeezed his heart. Something bittersweet that he's not sure if he likes or wants to dwell on it. ] Whoa. Wait. A black hole?

[rattlingthestars]

[ Jim quirks an eyebrow, but doesn't call him out on the second question because Zell's complimenting him just then and he's not a complete butt. Sometimes. He may or may not be trying to flex his arm where Zell can feel it.

This is a great distraction from the awful thing at the heart of talking about the black hole. ]

Mm. Whole ship almost got pulled in. Not everyone made it.

[ He hasn't really had the time to let it sink in too hard that Arrow wasn't his fault, but it makes thinking about this less painful now. ]

Remember how I told you there was a guy on board that really wanted to kill me? He killed the first officer that day. It was my job to secure the life lines, but in the chaos he cut them.

gonna owe Jim whoops

[swatsflies]

[ If only he knew complimenting Jim could get him off the hook. In his mind, he's just telling the truth. He grins at the flex as he caresses Jim's arm.

His attention is back to Jim again when he says the ship almost got pulled in. It's unsettling thinking about what if he never met Jim. He wouldn't know the warm and comfortable weight of someone in your arms, or, in this case, in your lap.

Sliding his arms around Jim to give him a tight squeeze for a moment or two. ] Whoa. [ Making a face. ]What a loser. [ He has other words he's thinking of using, but that sums it up well. Though... ] How did you find out he did it?

jim's keeping count

[rattlingthestars]

[ Jim leans into the squeeze as he thinks over his next words. Loser is right. Psycho, too.

Somehow Scroop's a little easier to talk about than what comes next, though. ]

I - when I found out about Silver. I'd followed Morph down to the galley, few days after the black hole. I climbed into a fruit barrel to catch him, and hid in there when the rest of the crew came down. He - Silver - was hollering at Scroop about what he'd done, 'cause it could've given the mutiny away early.

Good :3

[swatsflies]

[ He's hoping Jim didn't blame himself until the reveal, but considering how it went with Cloud...

Putting his chin on Jim's shoulder. It sounds like Jim came close to dying a bunch of times on the trip. Breathing him in as he thinks about it all. ]

I owe you, huh. [ Drawing circles into his back as he tries to figure out anything embarrassing to share. ] What do you want to know? [ Before he winds up asking more things. ]

insert size joke here INDEED.

[rattlingthestars]

Mmhmm.

[ Jim's... a little surprised that he stopped asking questions there, but he's okay with it. Maybe they'll get back to it, maybe they won't, but - it's all in the past, anyway. ]

What's the biggest thing you want to do in the future?

[ 'Before you die' sounds morbid, but it's what he means. ]

[swatsflies]

[ He wants to, but he really doesn't want to keep forking over embarrassing things to his boyfriend. He has to look cool, right?

The next question gets him looking up at the ceiling of the tent. ]

I want to be like my grandpa. [ He grins easily at the admission. ] That's about as far as I've thought. [ Since dying a hero is pretty much an end game thing. ] I want to protect the people that matter to me. [ Looking at Jim as he said people that matter. ] In any situation, he was cool and kept his composure.

[ Bumping his nose against Jim's chin. ] You can go again.

[rattlingthestars]

[ He always looks cool. He is the coolest. Jim's glasses are very rosy.

They get rosier - not because Zell says that he'll protect Jim, but because Jim matters. It's Jim's turn to look away, biting his lip as he thinks. ]

What about -

[ He cuts himself off, possibly looking even more flustered. ]

Um. What about getting married? Or kids?

[swatsflies]

[ His gaze lingers on that lip bite. Reaching up to touch that mouth only to find himself stop as the words are out of Jim's mouth.

Whoa! What?

Feeling himself growing red at the question as he drops his head back down to bump his forehead against Jim's shoulder. ]

I- I haven't really thought about it. [ Not entirely accurate. He's serious about courting Jim and seeking approval from his mom. And that could eventually lead down there...

Shaking his head. ] Well, I have before but never really thought it was possible for me. So it didn't seem important to actually think about. I'm a SeeD and I don't want to leave whatever loved ones I have behind when something happens to me in the line of duty. [ Giving Jim a squeeze as he says that. ] What about you?

[rattlingthestars]

[ Jim catches that when, not if, something happens to him in the line of duty. He doesn't like it, but, what can he do? They don't even know if Zell will ever make it back to SeeD. Still, he returns that squeeze a touch too tight. ]

I... guess I just thought I would. Most people do, right? [ Well, not everyone. There were always people like Doppler, though he and the captain had been looking pretty cosy last time he'd seen them. ] Though it's harder when it's... y'know. Like us.

[swatsflies]

[ Sorry, Jim. He's pretty sure he's going to die in battle and that's how it always made sense to him. There is a certain appeal to going down in a laze of glory and looking cool while you did it.

But he's been thinking of more than just that. More than just kicking butt and being a SeeD. He has promises to keep and someone to stay beside.

Pressing his fingers on either side of Jim's spine as he locates any knots that might be there. ]

I guess. [ Not that he really had a lot of role models for that. Sure, the neighbors were still together and had a daughter, but he didn't get along with the owner of the Inn.

It's too soon to think about marriage, but he really would love to wake up next to this tomorrow, the day after that, and weeks later. ] There is always adoption.

[rattlingthestars]

[ Jim mostly thought he'd get old and miserable trapped in a small town on a nowhere planet doing what everyone else did. In some ways, Zell's vision of the future is better - but it doesn't mean Jim has to like it.

He arches his back, taking advantage of his boyfriend's hands easing the tension, as he thinks about the idea. ]

Mm. Guess so.

[ It'd be kind of nice, maybe - taking in some kid that didn't have anyone. He thinks Zell would be good at it. But... it is way too soon to think about any of that. ]

Your turn?

/rolls

[swatsflies]

[ He's thinking the similar with Jim and his tendency to help others. Jim would make a good parent some day.

He hums with concentration as he finds a particular spot on Jim's back. ]

What happened after you were in the fruit barrel?

[rattlingthestars]

That feels really good.

[ Way to keep asking him about his trauma when he's really distracted, Zell. ]

The fruit -? Oh.

[ Right, that. ]

Overheard Silver telling the others that he'd just been distracting me. [ And... not really getting into that. ] And then we arrived at the planet, so they decided to get the party started right then. I had to stab Silver's fake leg to get out of there.

[swatsflies]

Here? [ He murmurs the question as he continues his ministrations on Jim's back. As Jim talks, he shifts close to Jim's neck again. He recalls the leaking black stuff from their encounters with the monsters. Lips pressing gently on the underside of Jim's jaw. ]

Good job escaping. [ He really is glad Jim got out. Just how much danger was Jim in? He's also wondering on that distraction part. Silver saved him in the end. Jim is wonderful and a blast to be around, so it makes sense that anyone would grow attached to him. Silver had to care to save him, right?

Zell isn't sure he wants to stick him in that category though. Jim doesn't think himself worthy. His eyes watered up from Zell telling him he matters. The inability to really put Silver in any box isn't settling well in Zell and he really hopes he never has to meet the guy. He would love to punch him one and be done with it, but what would that do to Jim?

Rubbing the crown of his head against his boyfriend as he breathes him in. It's been a few days since they came across the house with a bath tub and pierced Zell's ear. He thinks he can still smell the soap ever so faintly there on Jim. ] How much of the crew were in on the party?

[rattlingthestars]

[ Jim doesn't answer Zell's first question in words; instead, he wiggles until he's positioned perfectly for Zell to get at that spot on his back. He has to smile a little as Zell asks another question; his boyfriend really is bad at taking turns. Maybe he should release him from the agreement, but... when else is he going to get the chance to ask all these questions himself? Anyway, it takes some of the heat off Jim telling this story. They're well into the worst of it now. ]

-Whole crew. Doppler hired 'em through Silver, they were all his guys. In the end, it was jut me, the Captain, and Doppler that escaped to the planet, and the Captain was injured.

[swatsflies]

[ Why are you wiggling, Jim? Stopping for a moment as he really tries to avoid thinking bad thoughts as he swallows hard. Once Jim is ready for him, he starts rocking his palms against the spot.

Sorry, boyfriend. He really, really wants to know. The more he hears, the more he counts his lucky Stars because Jim is still there. Jim is still alive and in his arms. ]

Whoa. [ This is probably a big part of why it takes time for Jim to warm up or even trust a person. Not just the betrayal of Silver, but the whole crew. ] How did she get injured and how did you guys escaped? [ Give him deets, man. ]

[rattlingthestars]

You sure you want to hear about all this, Sunshine?

[ That counts as a question, right? Jim's going to let it count, otherwise Zell's going to run out of embarrassing stories to tell later.

That's what he tells himself, anyway, as he hesitates over the rest. There are parts that are a complete blur, but all the ones with Silver stand out a little too sharply in his memory. ]

Doesn't seem like a fair trade for the back rub.

[swatsflies]

I can throw in a few kisses, too. [ He'll gladly have any excuse for more kisses. Zell leans back to let Jim see his expression. ]

Yeah, I'm sure. I want to hear it all.

[ SeeD honor! ] It is about my best friend and boyfriend.

[ His favorite person in all of Snowhell. A part of him niggles at the fact that Jim might think he wouldn't want to hear about it. That it might speak to Jim's self esteem issues again. ]

[rattlingthestars]

I meant you were giving more than you're getting. For this part. It's not as good as finding a treasure or escaping a black hole.

[ Jim kisses him anyway, for courage. ]

-Or saving the world.

[ Jim's best friend had a much better story, in Jim's opinion. ]

But - if you want to hear it. We just made for the long boats as quick as we could with the map. They were trying to shoot us the whole way, and trying to shoot the longboat out of the sky - someone must've got the Captain during all that. She held it together until we crashed on the planet, but... couldn't exactly walk.