bakerstreet | (no subject)

[It's amazing how quickly they've slipped into this comfortable companionship now, how natural they all seem around each other.

Haru didn't just go through the motions of playing along with Ran and Ren today, he had actually enjoyed it. But he'd enjoyed in because it meant that he was getting to play with Rin and Makoto too--getting to play in those not-quite-childlike ways that meant acting the part of a kid while knowing the whole time that it was exactly that play-acting which bound you together with the other not-kids playing the kids' games.

It's so organic that Haru's insides really do feel buoyant and light, even if his limbs feel almost too heavy to move. He actually does feel free. It's an almost dizzying sensation. So he doesn't ask for anything (not even the DVD, which he's sure can wait). Instead he just makes a suggestion.]

Come lie down with us, Rin. There's plenty of room.

[Rin waves a hand lightly in Makoto's direction in response to the comment about playing with his siblings.]

It's fine. They're not too hard to handle, even when Ren suddenly discovered he could throw fireballs. That was troublesome! How are bad guys supposed to win if the good guys just keep finding out they have hidden abilities like that?

[It is nice though, this atmosphere, and while Rin had been without this kind of set-up for several years it's sort of shocking how easy it is to just slip into this kind of comfort. He's really quite content.

Haru's comment does get a glance over his shoulder though and a raised eyebrow.]

Room where? You're already on Makoto as it is.

The bad guys aren't supposed to win, Rin. That's why they're bad guys.

[In spite of himself, Makoto chuckles -- then stops, abruptly, when Haru makes the suggestion that Rin join them. He doesn't have any qualms against the idea, in fact he's as much for it as Haru is, though he chooses to remain quiet. He does scoot over, just a little against Haru, thus making more space for Rin on the futon (should he change his mind). A silent invitation, if you will. Not that there's much room left.]

[Not actually all that indignant.] I am not on Makoto.

[And then he rolls onto his side, props himself up on one elbow, reaches across to where Rin is sitting, grabs him by the front of his shirt and gives a good solid unexpected yank to draw him bodily into their collective futon flop.]

That's being on Makoto.

That's not the point! If the good guys always win then it's not--!

[One thing about Haru's general "If it's too much effort, I'm not going to do it" attitude meant that when he does take it upon himself to do something it's pretty unexpected, so very little could have prepared him for being yanked like that.]

H-Hey! Haru! What are you--?!

[And he sort of crashes forward gracelessly, partly in the space Makoto had provided, but mostly right across Makoto himself. Oops. :| ]

Haru --

[Before he can think to sit up and interfere or object, Haru's already up and yanking Rin down.

Yeah. "Oops."

Makoto grunts when Rin's elbow digs into his ribs but he's otherwise reserved. An amazing feat, considering over one hundred and thirty pounds of sharp teeth and red hair just flopped onto him. Well, mostly onto him. Voice straining only slightly, he just gives Haru a look --]

You could have hurt somebody.

[Looks right back. You're clearly fine Makoto and Rin looks to be fine too--neither one of them is delicate, after all, and Rin is actually on the futon now. If you want to make an omelette, and all that.

Besides, haven't they established by now that Rin is one of those people who requires the direct approach? Hell, he practically required a 2x4 to the back of the skull to finally stop putting up walls all over the place and running away from them all the time. Haru is just cutting through all the reservation and guardedness and the cautious distance keeping and getting Rin down there with them where he belongs.

Now stop complaining, Makoto, or Rin will probably get all self conscious and pull back again.

Haru settles back down, head by Makoto's hip once more, but this time turned so that he can look at his companions more easily.] He's not a bad pillow, actually. [In other words, Rin, you should try it out now that you're here.]

[All in all it's true that Rin is in fact fine, it was just a bit of an awkward tumble, but no harm done.

He lets the two of them go back and forth without comment, then shifts himself back off Makoto somewhat. Not entirely though, just enough so that it's only his head resting on his stomach instead with one arm flopped across his thighs to lay his hand on Haru's shoulder. The other hand, to save it from being trapped under himself, ends up reaching back to rest on Makoto's upper-arm and partly on his shoulder, a kind of double pseudo-hug.

Rin does try to stay rather nonchalant about the whole thing by keeping his face away from both and closing his eyes to further avoid having to respond to any looks he might be given, but in a lot of ways he doesn't mind if the two of them continue to lightly bicker so that he can just appreciate the casual closeness that he would not have expected to have again. It's nice and it's comfortable, but he really doesn't want to be heavy-handed about his appreciation, instead opting to give each a very light shoulder-squeeze before commenting on the situation in a very non-personal way.]

Huh, you're right, he is a good pillow. Did you know this before, Makoto? It's not your secret hidden ability, is it?

[Teasing aside, he is also fairly confident that if Makoto didn't want him there or wasn't comforable he'd have no qualms or trouble at all getting Rin to move.]

[Once that hand falls on his upper arm, it pretty much anchors Makoto into place -- he's not going anywhere anytime soon. Not that he particularly feels the need to. This is nice. Nostalgic, even, though it lacks the usual ache that accompanies it. It's like being a kid again. Before certain trips to Australia, before poolhopping at a rival school...

He sighs, not out of exasperation. More like content relief.]

It's not polite to talk about me as if I'm not here.

[One of his hands falls into someone's hair. Probably Rin's, probably Haru's. Maybe both. Who knows. He's not bothering to lift his head at this point. It's too comfortable this way, even with two people using him as some kind of human pillow.]

But to answer your question, Rin, it's just something you get used to as a big brother. Didn't you have to do this for Kou-chan?

[Not polite to talk about him like he's not there? Okay.] You're a not a bad pillow, Makoto.

[Better? Well, it's a token anyway--Haru can tell that Makoto isn't really objecting to their current arrangement. He can tell even before the gentle weight of his hand comes to rest half in his hair, and he can also tell without looking how close Rin's head is to his own, like they really are sharing a pillow and not just both nestled against a common body. He's got one hand resting on Rin's arm (though he's not really sure when it got there) and the other has fallen casually against Makoto's thigh.

He lets the other two talk about siblings and things commonly done for them (obviously not a topic on which he'd have any personal insight) and just listens to the way that Makoto's voice sort of reverberates through him when he's lying with his ear pressed to his body like this. It is nice. Comfortable and companionable. He could probably even doze off for a bit.]

[There is no great rush to give a reply, though he makes an acknowledging little hum in his throat and shrugs his shoulders lightly in initial response to Makoto's question.]

Yeah, I guess so, but she squirms around more. I think this is a bit different, though; we're bigger than Ren and Ran, or Gou.

[Really, there's not a whole lot that Rin can think of that would get him to move now that they're all fairly settled. The tiredness from the day is less irritating now and more like a vague haze around them, and the closeness and light chatter is comforting and relaxing and it was good to feel so easy about things, not needing to put and maintain so many borders and defences. It's like getting to put down heavy bags that have been carried for far too long.]

[Much better, he thinks, as a tiny self-satisfied (and unseen) smile turns his lips upward. Ren and Ran always called him the best pillow and the best everything, really, and though he happily accepted such titles from them, he's always known it's because they really didn't know any different. With one of his best friends saying so and the other agreeing, it's a point of pride for him. That his size allowed something as simple yet still comfortable and intimate as just lounging around like this to even happen. It's more than just his size that's responsible, really, but hey -- he won't argue.]

True... They would probably just doze off, wouldn't they Haru?

[He can't see him but he feels his friend's breaths deepening and becoming slow and even. Not that Makoto minds if he does nod off (as relaxed as they are, it's a surprise they haven't yet)...but he doesn't want him left out of this ~~pointless and dumb and filler-y~~ uber-important discussion.]

[He's still awake (for now), just gradually falling into that muzzy-minded state where everything seems a little dreamy by default. That and he's closed his eyes for a moment.] I'm awake.

[He's just really comfortable right now. ...Though actually, the air in the room is just a little crisp. And the softness of covers might be nice.

So presently, he moves his hand from Rin's arm, reaches down for a corner of the blanket, and pulls it up over the group of them. Or partially over them, at least--it's a bit cockeyed, only just covering Makoto to the waist and about that on Rin too. Whatever, it's the gesture that counts, and they can pull it up farther if they want to.]

Anyway yeah, I think it's a bit different than with your brother and sister too. And I can't imagine Gou curling up on you, Rin.

[Haru's reply to Makoto isn't entirely convincing, but aside from a little smirk Rin doesn't try to push the point; it might just escalate and unsettle them all and he'd rather not.

It does surprised him though when the blanket flops over part of him, and after a moment or two of deliberating he then furthers the gesture, pulling it further up over himself and reaching back to tuck it over Makoto's side and kind of drape it over his shoulder.]

She does, but it's been a while since I'm not home and things were a bit tense. [Understatements :|] Things aren't like that right now.

[~~Hey, sibling snuggle-time conversations are totally valuable and super important and not filler-ish at all, okay?? :T~~]

... She ever curl up on any of you guys?

[So hard to tell if he's being accusatory here with his face all turned away like it is.]

No.

[Makoto pipes up, perhaps too quickly, which might suggest quite the opposite. Which may trigger Rin's Big Brother Alarm. Which may amuse Haru. Which may embarrass Makoto himself. Which may jack all of this up. Oi.]

Not really...

[He's thankful for the blanket as it does a fine job of hiding part of Makoto's face from any suspicious glares.

But he's totally digging himself a deeper grave, isn't he?

He didn't do anything remotely like this with Gou. Honest. ;_;]

[The idea of Gou actually curling up on him or Makoto or any other member of the Iwatobi team sounds absurd enough to Haru that Makoto's needlessly nervous defensiveness is, indeed, downright comical. So much so that he actually snorts at the notion.

Honestly, one of them and Gou. Might as well ask if any of them had tunneled to China in their spare time.]

I don't think she'd want to get that close. It might disturb the view.

[Because let's be real, they all know where Gou's interests lie, right? (Her interests besides seeing Rin happy again, that is.)]

... What view?

[Rin is genuinely confused because, let's be honest, men's bodies just isn't a topic of conversation that Rin and Gou have had together. At least not in her terms. So Haru's comment is kind of lost of him.

Makoto's reaction though does make Rin slowly swing a glance back at him, eyeing him closely for several long, potentially scary seconds, before he shrugs and settles down again with a small, contented grumble.]

Well, I guess it's fine. Someone should have probably been there for her anyway so it's okay if you did. I'm not worried about any of you guys.

[Makoto just winces beneath Rin's stare, because even if the notion that Gou might curl up with one of them (or Nagisa, or Rei, for that matter) is kind of laughable, there's still an intrinsic protective instinct big brothers the world over share. Makoto knows because if he heard about Ran curling up with anyone, he wouldn't know what to do, aside from something predatory.

Then again...]

Mm. Can't say I disagree there...

[He relaxes. Threading the fingers of one hand lazily through their hair, he hums in thought, again.]

We should do this more often.

[Haru knows he opened this door, so now he really ought to go through it. Besides, Rin will probably wonder more if Haru just leaves his question unanswered. So he gives a very frank, casual answer.] The view of all the muscles.

[No reason not to be blunt about it, right? And even if there was a reason, Makoto is sort of petting him, running fingers through his hair (and maybe into Rin's as well, though he can't quite tell), and it's really very relaxing, so he just can't be bothered to worry about anything else.]

Hn. It's nice. [And he would like to do it more often. He'd like to return the gesture too, but he can't stroke Makoto's hair from the position that he's lying in right now, so instead he opts to stroke Rin's, lifting his hand to brush fingertips lightly through the soft strands at the nape of his neck.]

[This really isn't Rin's most intimidating moment and it's not helped at all but the double assault of petting that's somehow seemed to find its way to his hair, what with Makoto's relaxed strokes atop his head and Haru deciding to add with his fingers at the back of his neck, it does effectively render Rin...quite useless. ~~The Rin is content. It may not attack.~~

In fact, he sort of just allows himself to lay there in a rather incoherent state and initially just gives sort of mumbled noises in reply to both of them, because while Haru may not not asleep quite yet there's a high chance Rin is on his way there. Or at least is very much incapacitated.]

Hm...? Whuz mussle?

[Shut up.... That was totally a full sentence.]