jigoku_logs | can u feel the love tonight

can u feel the love tonight

[ WHO ]: Garry and Once-ler
[ WHERE ]: Garry's room.
[ WHEN ]: Before the Carnivale, after Once-ler's been attacked.
[ OPEN/CLOSED? ]: Closed.
[ RATING ]: TBA - max PG probably.
[ WARNINGS ]: n/a

He was sick of horrible things - sick of his friends getting hurt. It had been a long, long time since he'd spoken to Once-ler, and the first thing to bring them back together was him being attacked by something in the halls. It had been a few hours since Mika and he had dealt with it (most of the work had been hers, truthfully), and he'd invited Once-ler to his room so he wouldn't have to be alone.

Kimbra is curled up beside him on the couch, recognizing him as a friend of Garry's - she was doing her part to try and keep him happy.

"Is there anything you need? Food? Snacks?"

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A little smile tugs his lips. He doesn't open his eyes.

"Wouldn't say no to that tea..."

"Kimbra can you make us some tea?"

Her only answer is a snuffle that sounds almost like a sneeze - Garry chuckles, regretfully pulling out of Once-ler's embrace to pad over to the kitchen - but stops, hesitating before continuing back there again.

He calls out to Once-ler from the kitchen as he sorts through the pantry.

"Please keep an eye on my rose?"

He startles at that - he'd meant to ask about the rose! Shifting Kimbra to one side, he half leans off the couch to pick the rose up from the table. He'd always figured it was fake from the lustrous blue until he'd seen a petal fall from it when Garry was hurt one time. He new the basics about it purely from observation by now - six months with a person would do that - but...

Settling back on the couch, he handles it like it's incredibly fragile. Like he'll one day handle a truffula seed.

"No worries, got it."

And Kimbra is keeping guard of him, too. He pats her with his other hand.

"Thanks." He manages to find the tin of green tea, and when he's satisfied it hasn't expired in some way, or is actually a sludge monster, he'll start boiling up some water. He hums a song as he does, and peeks into the other room to see Once-ler holding his rose like its glass.

...its really sweet, in a strange way.

Kimbra huffs and places a paw on Once-ler's leg, before shoving her cold snout into the rose - this makes Garry straighten right up, slapping a hand to the back of his neck.

"J-Jeez-!"

"Whoa girl, be careful!" He completely misses Garry's reaction, and pulls the rose back from Kimbra's nose. None of the petals are missing, so that's good. That's all he wants to make sure of.

Kimbra probably just wants attention, and Once-ler strokes the fur at her ruff, rumpling it up before smoothing it down again, then raising his hand to scratch behind her ears. Petting the dog lets him think things through.

So... he's in a relationship with someone. The fact that it's a man doesn't really bother him like he thought it would - after being in a place like this, any love and affection is readily and easily accepted. It gives him a weird feeling in his stomach - almost giddy. Not quite, because he only has to glance to the side and see Garry's moving paintings to know why giddiness isn't an easy thing to feel in Jigoku. But it's a bubbly sort of contentment he hasn't felt... well, since he came here.

He scratches Kimbra's ear a little more affectionately.

Since Once-ler hasn't noticed him, he'll stare just a bit longer before heading back once he hears the kettle boiling. Kimbra stretches out on Once-ler's lap, yawning loudly as she shifts to lick what part of his arm she can reach.

When Garry comes back, he'll set their tea down, seating himself beside the two of them and ruffling Kibra's fur on the top of her head.

"She really likes you, huh. I'm relieved..."

"Hey, I'm great with animals." Until he ruins their ecosystem, poisoning them and driving them to starvation, that is. He offers Garry a scarred smile, hands him back his rose, and reaches over for the tea. He has to reach around Garry for it, what with his leg and the puppy on his lap, but he doesn't mind that. He figures Garry would like it, too.

"You thought she wouldn't like me...? Or just people in general...?" There's a giggle from one of the paintings and the Once-ler jolts, nearly slopping tea over himself. "Ah, damn... I'm a wreck." He tries to cushion it with a giggle, but it sounds too freaked out, even to his ears.

"I don't know how she is with other people yet, so its good to see she likes someone I trust." When he hears the giggle he tenses - but he's used to it by now, while Once-ler isn't.

He'll reach out to brush a warm hand against his own, trying to be comforting.

"It's okay, Once-ler. Drink your tea?"

He lets out a long breath and takes a sip of the tea. His nerves are really bad, and he appreciates Garry's hand over his. A little squeeze is given back, and then he sets the cup down to pat Kimbra again.

"I'm really a wreck right now. Sorry."

"It's fine, Once'- you're fine."

He's just been through this a bit longer than he has - he's used to paintings of women laughing at him, pawing at him...

He'll re-adjust himself once Once-ler places his cup down, wrapping an arm around his shoulder, before gently brushing his rose against his nose with a small smile.

"We're here for you."

Startled at the rose, he leans back at bit. The fragrance is strong, heady even - like most roses are. There's something exceptionally vital about it - if he hadn't been so surprised, he wouldn't have minded it against his face. He rubs his nose, then gives Garry a lopsided, scarred smile.

"I wanted to talk to you about the rose, actually..."

"Yeah?"

He explained it to him, hadn't he? He can't really remember, to be honest...

"I... didn't forget to tell you about it, did I?"

"Nah, nah, you did." He silks Kimbra's ears through his fingers again, his scanning Garry's coat. He still needs to get used to him as more than just his friend right now - the knowledge makes his stomach do a little warm flip.

Anyway.

"Why don't you keep it in a little water vial in your button hole? That way there'll always be a bit of water nearby..."

"Ah... the water has to be fresh." He closes his eyes, leaning back and resting his head against the couch. He remembers vases of warm water... making him feel woozy and gross, petals falling...

He gently clutches his chest as he talks, gazing at the ceiling.

"If its warm or dirty, it hurts."

"... Ah." Well, it was worth a shot, right? He goes back to silking Kimbra's ears through his fingers, leaning a little more against Garry.

"Well, I tried."

"It was a good idea. This place just doesn't agree."

He'll lean against Once-ler as well, for a moment, a little brush to show he appreciates it.

He yawns all of a sudden. It's a huge, exhausted yawn, and he presses his face to Garry's shoulder.

"Sorry."

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can u feel the love tonight

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