bakerstreet | I have loved you for a thousand years...

I have loved you for a thousand years...

Some say that if a pair of lovers die together in tragedy, they will get another chance when they are reborn. Even if the two of you keep losing each other, you'll get to meet again.

This meme is that meeting. For the first time? For the hundredth time? That much isn't clear. What is clear is that on this, your seeming first meeting -

Everything rushes back to you. Memories, emotion, and all the comes with it...including the memory of how you two died. Overwhelming, isn't it? Some people find it hard to accept, for good reason. What will you do? You can't just bring it up, they'll think you're crazy! Maybe you don't want to bring it up, as you refuse to believe it yourself. And even if you do believe it, that doesn't mean you have to embrace it. You're your own person, after all. You refuse to love someone merely because of who you were in the past.

Or maybe you can't help but let these feelings rise to the surface because they're too strong. No matter what, you can't repress it. In fact, the more you two meet and spend time together, the more you find yourself falling back into the old roles...and making the old mistakes. That isn't good, though; there's one more thing. One of you, when you first met, had a vision about how the two of you would die this time.

You can't let that happen. Not again.

Comment with your character and your preferences.
Feel free to do a modern AU of your character. Assumed CR and AUs are a must here.
Don't feel obligated to stick with first meetings. Play that the characters have known each other for a while, are trying to have a relationship while trying to be their own unique selves, not having a relationship because THE PAST DOESN'T DEFINE ME, or even trying to avoid death in an adventurous fashion!
Reply to others.

...I'll love you for a thousand more.

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Y-Yeah? Haru?

[Rin replies, far too fast. He grabs the edge of the pool and pulls himself up, cursing how the water feels heavier today with his legs shaking under the weight of it. Most days, this would be nothing, Rin could go far longer than that-- but with these visions, he found himself unable to think of anything else.

He might as well, anyway. Haru, of all people, had no right to judge others for being weird.]

I'm-- uh, feeling kinda off, so... I guess you win today. Gonna hit the showers.

[Maybe Haru wants to swim some more, since this was shorter than their usual after school races. But even with his voice shaky and mind racing, he looks over his shoulder to Haru.]

You gonna be here a little longer or getting out too?

[Again, he felt conflicted on which he wanted. Maybe he should say it, just to get it off his mind, but...]

[Haru was always weird, so it wasn't weird when he was being weird. It's logic that would make sense to him, should he consider himself weird. For Rin to be weird said something all together different. This was a man that worked hard enough that it had inspired Haru to do the same. Now, not only had Haru won, he'd won by default.

Dark eyes look up at him confused, that feeling of loss making his chest tight, even as he grew increasingly frustrated at being unable to explain it. Rin was just going to the shower rooms, where they had been time and time again. So why did it feel like each parting would be their last? Why did seeing him again bring not only joy but relief?

This wasn't like him.]

I'm coming too. [He finds himself answering the question to his surprise and he's already lifting himself out. If he's so afraid of his partner disappearing, then he would go too. They worked out enough that it should be okay to go easy one day. That was all this was, just a restful day.]

...Wait for me.

[Rin looked over his shoulder again, slowing his pace as he waited for Haru to get up and out of the pool as well.

The shower room, empty except for the two of them, had Rin's towel over a stall wall already at the ready. Setting aside his cap and goggles, he entered the stall and turned the water on. Normally, Rin might chatter with Haru, but today he was so quiet, he could hear the water droplets echo through the room. The sound of him dropping his legskins in a pile on the bench made a loud slap-- almost startlingly loud.

The water in his hair and streaming down his face helped to calm him a little, at first. But even something like this brought the strange flickers in his mind back. Rin focused instead on scrubbing his skin and all the chlorine out with soap. With his hair and skin somewhat clear of pool water (the chlorine smell is probably permanently ingrained, however), he rubbed himself down to dry off.

He wants to at least say something to Haru, but... first, maybe he should put his normal clothes on.]

Hey, Haru...

[he says, throat feeling dry. Exactly what is he doing?]

Is it alright if I stop by your place? ... With you?

[The showers after the swim was always his least favorite part. He knows why he has to get the chlorine from his skin, but it was always time they could have used to swim. Instead, he stands under a shower head to clean himself. The water does feel good against bare skin, but not as good a swimming did.

Once he was clean enough, he would begin to towel dry, but his hair was usually damp for some time after a swim. It wasn't something that bothered him. Dressing was next, after which he would begin to pack his bag, surprised when he heard Rin speak. He was always aware of him as if worried he would slip away if he forgot he was there for even a second. It was a silent awareness, something that made him feel better for reasons he couldn't explain.]

Tonight? [That sounds like protest, like it would be a problem, but it's entirely the surprise that's caught him off guard. He hardly had plans and tonight would be no worse than any other night.

Maybe that's why he's quick to speak again. No, even when knows he's said something that might be misunderstood, he would only look away and let people think the worst. He wants Rin over. The thought of it quickens a his heartbeat, much to his surprise. He was around Rin enough, why should that make him feel this way?]

Yeah. I'm almost packed.

[Rin does in fact almost interpret it as surprise, perhaps even an unwelcome one. He's already feeling weird about... whatever it is that's happening, and not really sure why he's deciding to take this to Haru's place. Why is he doing that instead of settling it here or forgetting about it (as he probably should). It could make this even more awkward, after all.

But Haru's words clear that up, causing relief yet a new tension as Rin hides his expression while toweling his hair dry. He's locked into this now, and can't change his mind without coming off as extremely rude. To make such sudden plans and then cancel them... no, he's going to have to do it.

Or they could just have a little time to chill together, he thinks, before berating himself for trying to dodge the matter again. Even if that doesn't sound bad.]

Okay. I'm almost ready too.

[he says, before he slips on his clothes: a dark grey v-neck and skinny jeans. He does look as casual as he can with the way questions resound in his mind. At least it's the weekend...

With the wet swimsuit, cap, and goggles in their own bag and Rin's other stuff in another, Rin is almost too eager to get going from this pool that's haunting him today.]

I think I know the way back to your place... all the way back from when we were in grade school.

[Rin says that to stop any awkward silence, but apparently now he's reminiscing aloud, too. Today has been weird.]

M'ready when you are.

[It wasn't unwelcomed, not in the least. In fact, he can't quite figure out why the question makes him feel like he does, make him happy. Is it because his sudden worry about letting Rin out of his sight? It hadn't started until those visions, blurry and disjointed as they were, started happening. Were they connected? It seemed strange to think they weren't, with how weird both were.

Haru looks down at his own bags, picking them up without much of a word, though not with any lack of thought. More thought than usual, really. It was just two friends going back to his place. He'd make dinner and it would be easier enough to make it for two; he often did it for Makoto.

But as he nods, he finds himself speaking. This isn't like him, not at all, but the thoughts and memories fill his head and they're almost painful for their inability to move.]

Do you remember a lot?

[About being kids, he was prepared to say if asked, but he's really hoping he's not alone in what's happening.]

[With all his stuff in hand and Haru looking ready, Rin heads out of the room and looks for the path that leads towards Haru's house. He isn't sure if he's relieved or more stressed by short of a walk he remembers it to be. Should he really take this to a private place to make things more awkward? HE keeps asking that question, but there's no point when they're already going there.]

More than you'd think, probably.

[Rin said, followed by a weak chuckle. At least Rin could laugh a little about how weird this all is. But he doesn't think he's going to actually tell Haru anything about those visions until they're both sitting down in Haru's living room. As much as he wants to face everything head-on, this is just something that he can't bring up casually.

Though he could always drop some hints about it to see how Haru responds.]

Some of the stuff I remember... feels like it's not just a few years ago.

[Vague enough, maybe? Though Haru may already be thinking he's weird. Well, at least Haru can get used to that first.

Though he's not lying even when it applies to their grade school days. Haru's made so much of an impact in his life for someone he's known for such a relatively short time. It's almost like they were destined to meet... okay, Rin, that's definitely weird. At least he keeps that in his head.]

[feels like it's not just a few years ago. The statement startles something inside of him. It was a bit of what he wanted to hear, nothing like he expected to hear. How it was it even possible that they could both be going through the same weird thing? Was this some kind of sickness? It wasn't like one Haru had heard of, but he hadn't heard of a lot. Maybe they were both just sick.

He plans to reply, but maybe not with a confession. He's not sure what he had planned to say, which was why maybe Rin would receive only a nod instead. What could he say? It feels like I've known you before? He had, they'd met in grade school. It feels like I've known you before that? That was just ridiculous. He remembers their first meeting well, he really does. Haru had been drawn to Rin in the same way he'd been drawn to the water. Some things were meant to be, even if Haru didn't give it that much thought.

The walk to his house wasn't a horribly long one, but it would be a silent one unless Rin felt the need to fill it with any talk. The hand holding his bag gripped a bit too hard, as if something was going to take it. At his house, he had to loosen the hold to get the key out, but he went go inside, waiting for Rin to follow as he toed off his shoes.]

Nobody's here. [He's not sure why he says the obvious piece of information, especially since he's not one for small talk. Somehow, though, it feels relevant.]

[Rin decides against filling the silence along the way back to the house, even if at the cost of having a slightly awkward tension between them as they walk. At least, Haru hasn't already said anything about how weird Rin is. Though Haru could be thinking it-- well, Haru would be quick to tell Rin when he's being ridiculous, right?

But in the silence with Rin stealing glances at Haru all the while, he couldn't help but notice how oddly tense Haru was. Huh...]

Alright.

[He follows Haru inside, putting his shoes by Haru's. Haru's parents were still around when Rin used to come over as a grade schooler, but he never thought to pry into why they never seemed to be around. However, even as Rin is trying to think of how to not make this all awkward, he's got enough tact to not bring that up... for now, he's just grateful that they can bring this up with hopefully no interruption.]

Man, all that swimming's got me hungry. You got anything to eat? I could cook something if you're not feeling up to it.

[While not as great of a cook as Haru is, Rin can do well enough. But exactly what does he plan to do? Casually bring up this weird daydream over dinner? He's got to be careful about how to bring this up without sounding completely bonkers.]

Edited 2015-09-07 21:21 (UTC)

[That earns a side glance as he moves to turn on some lights in the house, to illuminate the otherwise dark space. Rin can cook? Haru could, but probably because he didn't have a choice after refusing to go with his parents. Most of the other boys their ages couldn't, so he assumed that true of others he met until proven otherwise.]

I can. [He actually doesn't mind cooking or housework, even if he doesn't openly admit it. It provided for him, kept his space clean enough, and there was something enjoyable about the tasks, something warm in the predictability in the tasks. If you did this or that, you knew what would happen.

Unlike now. Rin was here. When he's able to see Rin with his own eyes, he knows he's safe, he's sound, it's good. It's all too easy to almost see something else when he looks at him, which makes as much sense as it sounds. He wishes he could explain it, wishes he had some kind of explanation.

Wishes that tension wasn't there, wishes he could bring things up in ways other than being perfectly direct.]

I didn't know you could cook.

Well enough...

[Rin wanted to be self-sufficient, and though his homestay parents in Australia were more than willing to provide for him, he insisted on learning how to cook for himself. Especially with how much Rin moved from place to place-- he didn't want to be dependent on strangers or convenience store food. He wouldn't brag about the food he makes, but it's filling, nutritious, and tasty enough.]

But today I'm gonna have a dinner cooked by Haru! Hmm, do I get a prize for guessing the main ingredient?

[Even now, he can't help but tease a little. At least he can pretend to play it cool. He finds himself a seat at the kotatsu, leaning back and propping himself up with his arms. While Rin really loves his red meat, he won't shun Haru's mackerel... even if he can't comprehend how Haru can have it all the time.]

[Haru moves around, grabbing an apron and sliding it would his neck. Smoothly, in an action he's done countless times, he reaches back behind him to secure it. With the same ease, he begins gathering the ingredients.]

No, it's mackerel. [Haru's logic may be weak, but even he knows they can guess what he'll be having. Maybe he could branch out one day, but then that would take away the pleasure of the familiarity. Mackerel was also delicious, so he didn't understand why anybody would want to eat anything else, even while other things were available.] But I'm making rice, too. [Good for you, Rin!

He looks down at the fish he's cleaning, thinking that this wasn't their first home cooked meal together in a long time, though it is. There's some kind of familiarity in this, too, the two of them at home, alone, dinner being prepared. It's a warm feeling, almost like jumping into something akin to water.

Not one to speak lightly, he nonetheless finds himself so lost in those feelings, those thoughts, that he mumbles, his frown hidden by his position in the kitchen.]

...done this before.

[Well, Rin should have expected that. And he could say something about how Haru needs to eat a more varied diet, but for now, he's just grateful for the dinner. There is something about it that feels like they've done it many times before, despite how rarely Rin has actually come over to visit. It doesn't make any sense... but he does wish he really could be over here more.

While waiting, Rin finds himself staring at the knot in the apron that Haru tied. His eyes wander a little lower-- no, he mustn't, he instead tries focusing on the knot again. Until he hears Haru's quiet voice...]

What was that?

[Instead of just waiting, he opts to get back to his feet and join Haru in the kitchen.]

Er, you need help with anything?

[Fish was healthy, rice was healthy. So, that was good enough, wasn't it?

He nearly jumps when Rin speaks, as lost as he was in thoughts of another Rin, another Haru, another place. He still doesn't realize he's spoken, his hands still working automatically, as it was something he had done so often before. The voice makes him turn around to see Rin approaching.]

You can make the rice.

[It's not something he really needs help with, but it hardly took a lot to make such a simple meal. Even saying something other than 'not really' meant more than Rin might have known. Why he gives a different answer, he's not sure. Rather, he knows it's because he wants the other swimmer near, but as someone who valued his solitude, that was too unlike him to understand.

He couldn't really say that was new. Rin had always had a way to make him act like someone else. Rin had always been able to excite him, to make him miss him when he was gone, to be on his mind when everything else should have been forgotten. While these new memories that couldn't be memories were new, that draw wasn't. It had always been Rin that Haru had wanted in his life.]

It's in the fridge.

[Rin takes the container of rice in the fridge to reheat. Steaming it in a pan again sounds like the best way to go, so Rin noses around the kitchen to find said pan to warm the rice up with.

This really feels all too familiar... like the strongest case of deja vu. It's not even in the water, like the other visions, but this new sight strikes him hard--

-- Haru, distinctly wearing the clothes that look like they're right out of a traditional Japanese museum exhibit. The less formal kind, since he's in the kitchen preparing some fish, and Rin hears himself ask something in an old dialect he can barely understand.

-- "Need help?"--

Reaching out for anything, Rin's hand finds purchase on the counter. He's at least managed to save the rice from falling. But... that one was more vivid and complete than ever before. It's such a simple vision of a simple scene, but this was no idle thought.]

[From the corner of his eye, he sees Rin reaching out for purchase, turns as if he can catch him, but he relaxes just as quickly when he sees he had managed to right himself. Haru kept his home clean, which meant there shouldn't have been anything to have tripped him. Tired from swimming? No, they normally swam much longer, and Rin was in much better physical condition than that.

Very nice physical condition.]

Rin? [He steps forward, but hesitates on the second step, unsure if he should keep going. Something had happened, and he's worried, but he's also unsure of what to do to help. The fish, the rice, all of it was forgotten as his heart begins to beat more rapidly. Was this why Haru had been so worried about losing Rin?

He couldn't lose him.]

[Rin sets the rice on the counter and runs his hand through his hair, taking a deep inhale as he tries to get a hold of himself. He hears Haru, and how worried he sounds, so he turns to him to give the best reassuring grin he can manage.]

So hungry I'm feeling faint!

[A weak excuse, since Rin always made sure to eat throughout the day to keep energized, even after a swim. But it was all he could think of without telling Haru the whole story. Not just yet.]

Sorry... but I should sit down.

[He feels pretty helpless for not even being able to warm up the rice, but his mind raced with too many thoughts to focus on even the simplest of tasks. Going back to the kotatsu, he sat back down... hunched over the table, head resting on his arms, still in thought. Rin has had vivid dreams before - vivid nightmares in fact - and he knew that that was different. It wasn't a simple figment of his imagination... he felt like he was really there.]

[Blue eyes followed him back to the table where he would ultimately rest, staying there even after he knew Rin was no longer paying attention. Something bad was happening to him, and he didn't know what. Before he can stop himself, he finds his foot going out as if to go to him. He needed to go to him. Rin was precious and his existence here fragile and how many times had he lost him now?

...What was he saying? That wasn't like him at all. Reeling himself in, he turns back and begins to prepare the meat. As it fries, as the rice manages to cook elsewhere, he actually takes out some seldomly used vegetables. It was only a few minutes of silence later that his footsteps can be heard on the floor. Rin was also likely to hear a cucumber and tomato salad be sat down in front of him.]

It's no good if you pass out before dinner. You should eat this until it's done.

[Would that help strengthen his presence? Would that make that feeling any less foreboding?]

[Fingers buried in his own hair, Rin looks up to notice the salad. He murmurs a little thanks before picking up the chopsticks and picking up a cucumber slice.

Rin munched away at the salad, back to watching Haru through the corner of his eye. Despite his carnivorous-looking teeth and his preference for red meat, he ate a good balanced diet and was glad to see Haru doing to same... well, at least to see he had some vegetables in his kitchen. And not just mackerel, rice, and seasoning. He would want to help Haru out here, but apparently he's too busy having weird visions here.]

I don't know what's gotten into me today. It's like I'm seeing things...

[Maybe as long as Rin acknowledges it himself as sounding crazy, Haru won't be too weirded out.]

This is my brain's way of telling me to study old Japanese books more, isn't it?

[Rin's never been especially interested in the ancient past and his least favorite subject in school is Japanese literature, so he doesn't know what that would be plaguing his brain. He still studies it anyway and tries for a good grade in it!]

[Haru stops. Old Japanese books? Is it a coincidence? The visions he had been seeing had put them back in old Japan, with clothing that would only fit in that era or in a museum: the two of them, dressed casually at home, eating dinner at the table; the two of them working in a garden that they had to keep in order to supplement the food they bought from the market; the two of them, welcoming one another home after a hard day's work. It was largely fond memories, but it's what he didn't remember that scared him.]

Old Japanese clothing? [It's not intentionally vague, it's just what comes from his mouth first.] Do you remember being in it?

[It sounds like a crazy questions, and even he knows that. It helped knowing that Rin had seemed to be hinting at it, not wanting to bring it up himself. If Haru didn't speak now, neither of them would ever be able to get rid of these memories. At least, that was how it felt to Haru.]

[Rather than Haru brush him off, Rin is surprised to see that Haru is prying for details. And it's going to be way too crazy if they're seeing the same thing...

Rin opens his mouth to answer quickly, a bit of salad in his mouth-- he swallows that. No need to rush and make it weirder.]

Y-Yeah! And in a house to match. Why, you been exhausted by some lit test coming up too?

[He's still playing it safe and pretending that this is all about literature, despite Rin having no test for it coming up at all. Any reference to Haru being there too is completely off the table until he starts hinting at seeing Rin there too. In Rin's experience, there's rarely been any big coincidences-- always, it's been a part of someone's plan. If they're really both there... then it can't just be that.

But for now, he still clings to trying to not weirding Haru out. Even though that doesn't look like the case...]

[His eyes are still wide when he approaches the table, though now it's with intensity rather than surprise. Haru's logic has always been a little off, but he sees a connection that is too strong to ignore now. They were both having these insane visions and ignoring them hadn't work. Ignoring things was Haru's favorite problem-solving skills, so it was taking time to adjust.

Now he could be honest. That was probably his least favorite. Things had to be adapted, even if the swimmer was probably the worst ever at adapting. He was also bad at having memories he could do nothing about.]

No. [He could handle homework that wasn't English, but this wasn't stress, this wasn't fake. Either these were really happening, or Haru is in a lot of trouble.] You're in the clothes. [He takes a seat at the table, the bending of his knees coming easily, gracefully.] We both are, and it's a long time ago.

[We live together. Happily. He wasn't quite as good at admitting that.]

W-what...?

[Now that was-- no, that's impossible. How could Haru be hallucinating the same thing? Or maybe Haru is playing along as a joke. Though Haru wasn't the kind to do something like that. Still, that at least makes more logical sense than them seeing this same, strange thing. Seeing each other in their visions?]

Haru, you're not pulling my leg or anything... are you?

[Rin's fingers in his hair pull tight, really confused about all this. This kind of thing just didn't... happen, did it? It's weird enough that he has it, but was Haru experiencing the exact thing? M-Maybe it is all some big coincidence.]

That's... the same thing as I'm seeing. H-How?

I don't know.

[He doesn't know but now, he has actual confirmation that it was true. They were both seeing themselves in the past, as something else. Could that be why he had never been able to stop thinking of Rin, why he had felt that instant draw no matter how much he had try to fight it? And what was the 'it' that was happening? He was a level-headed man, Makoto was the one afraid of ghosts, so none of this fit in what he believed.]

I don't know what it is. [He repeats his opening line again.] But I don't like it. Something bad happened. [He doesn't know when, or how, or...anything about it, but he knows something bad happened with the two of them in that clothing.]

[Rin figures himself to be a rational guy himself, so this is all taking a moment to sink in. He's got so many questions... he doesn't know what to ask first. And perhaps it's because of that cool-headed image that Rin has always had of Haru, but even then, he still cant't understand...]

How... are you handling this so well? How long has this been going on for you? Something bad?

[Because it might be that he's only just started seeing this. And Haru knew what he meant right away.]

This is too weird.

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late but i'm so sorry how long i take to move things along, sob

late back. no worries, i'm fine with build up. haru's hardly helping

ahh okay! but will try to get rin to talk soon

same with Haru! it's okay to make it natural. sorry if the pace is slow =(

aww it's okay! it feels like something that is good to build to

it's been a fun build up, at least

wah i'm glad you think so, i do too

<3

(*σﾉ､σ)

:3

u3u

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