bakerstreet | Snuggles

Must be goin' deaf, old man. I knocked.

[snickering at her own crude joke, Ryuuko paused to cast her gaze sidelong, taking in the obscure studio title plastered across the t.v. screen before flickering back to catch the tail end of Nero's fumbling. with a nod of her head towards the object in his possession she moved closer, claiming the empty portion of the couch beside him and peering down at the item in question.]

What's that? Porn?

[she's the worst. gomen.]

Old man? C'mon, I'm just in my 20s, here... [There was an old man line under his eye but he swore Ryuko put it there through the usual ribbing and prodding. Glancing at her when she sat down, Nero lifted up a metallic piece, fitting it into another. He twisted it, finding the handle.]

Huh? [At her question, he glanced at his phone, surprised. Had he been..? No, she was talking about the crap on the table.]

Ugh, no, I'm not watching porn. [There was something in his browser but...] They're pieces of my sword handle. I was just cleanin' em.

Hey, if ya don't wanna be made to feel like a geezer stop hangin' out with an eighteen year old in your spare time.

[it's not her fault he makes it so damn easy for her to goad him about stupid shit. he's older than her, so that's a good enough excuse for good natured teasing, in her book. also, she'd totally take credit for that under eye wrinkle, given the chance. gremlin pride, and all that.

upon closer inspection, it does appear to be nothing more than scattered pieces of Nero's signature weapon skewed across the table- significantly less taunt worthy.]

Polishing your sword, eh?

[she's. trying really hard not to laugh. because... the underlying innuendo is still painfully apparent with that statement.]

Probably not the best choice in alibi if you're lookin' to deny any foul play.

[ jfc she literally just can't even help herself.]

[He felt like he was aging even faster than normal. He rolled with it and let Ryuko get it out of her system, nodding and popping his jaw. At least there were a few ways to tell Ryuko was having a good day.]

Uh huh.

[Draining all the fun out of it, Nero kicked up his boots and reached over to grab a soda from the table, popping it open. Quietly taking a sip, he watched Ryuko and cleared his throat.]

Got any more? I can wait, shortie.

[that cheeky grin she's wearing takes on a much sharper edge the moment her height- or lack there of- enters the equation. grinding her teeth together with a strained expression she reaches over to snatch the soda can right outta his hand.]

Better quit while you're ahead, gramps. Unless you wanna wear what's in this can.

[Nero was a gambling man. He'd always take a bet, even if it was bad and right then and there, he was feeling lucky. He was smiling. Confident. He was invincible.]

Oh, you don't have the guts.

[she had so much of the guts]

I think yer memory is startin' ta go to shit, cause you must have me confused with some other bitch.

[Ryuuko absolutely has ALL of the guts & them some. which is precisely why there isn't the slightest HINT of hesitation in her eyes, nor the flick of her wrist as she tipped that can a little to the side and let it's contents start to spill out onto his lap. grinning wickedly all the while.]

I'm callin' that blu-- [Nero shut himself up, seizing up and going still when Ryuko turned the can over. He looked her dead in the eyes through the whole thing. He bit his lip and clicked his tongue, sitting legs crossed and the front of his pants still hissing the bubbling, cheap soda. Sniffing, clicked his tongue and crossed his arms, giving Ryuko a nod. Respect.]

Alright, that's on me. Now, why don't you get me just... the whole paper towel roll?

[with a quirk of her brow and a pointed look that easily translated to: "You were saying?", Ryuuko took a moment to glance down at the newly formed fizzy puddle of her own making. she's not SO cruel as to empty the entire can, but there's definitely an indecent amount of it pooling there.

tilting the beverage back upright, Ryuuko brings it to her lips, eyeing him from the rim of the can and taking a nice long sip to mask her devilish grin. ah, yes. sweet victory. tastes purple.]

You could always just take your pants off-- ohh, right. You don't have the guts.

[game, set, ... match???]

[Nero went through a second long exhalation, standing up and dropping his pants while Ryuko took a long sip. He kicked off his boots and tossed his balled-up pants across the room and into a laundry bin, pointing at his eyes and then Ryuko's.

He was wearing heart-patterned boxer briefs.

Confident in just how invincible he was, he sauntered over to get the paper towels himself.] Yeah. That's gonna leave a bigass purple stain on it.

[the string of muffled hacking against the can is a direct result of Ryuuko choking hard on the liquid in her throat the moment Nero's pants drop. flabbergasted and red faced from a lack of oxygen ~~definitely not the sight of Nero in his underwear, nope~~ she's forced to cover her mouth to keep from spitting grape soda all over herself, next. hastily slamming the can down on the table before she winds up dropping it mid coughing fit.

swallowing, that hand smacks over her eyes next.... only daring to lift off one side to peek over at him once she's sure he's turned his back to fetch the paper towels. which earns her an eyeful of well defined, heart-patterned booty cheeks and she can't contain the laughter bubbling up from her chest any longer. clutching her sides she flops back, tears welling up in the corner of her eyes from laughing so hard.]

Dude!!! What're those!?

[those being the obvious heart shaped elephant in the room.]

[He would have loved to have been so self-confident that his stunt wouldn't have affected him at all. It was a lovely fantasy of his to be able to not only have the guts to do it but to act like it was absolutely nothing. Instead, he was there, walking back to the couch with the paper towel roll in just his t-shirt and briefs, completely and utterly crimson from forehead to neck.]

Look, they're my favorite pair, alright? [That he totally forgot he'd been wearing until Ryuko saw them.]

[Glancing over at Ryuko, he tried to get a look to see if she spilled soda anywhere as he bent down to start soaking up store-brand soda from his already definitely-stained couch, trying to tune out the shrieking laughter just by his ear.]

They're just underwear!

Ahaha, itai!!!

[it honestly does hurt to laugh this hard, her ribs feel like they're about to crack. but god does it feel good at the same time, to be giddy and weightless, without a single care in the world. it's a rare thing for her, but somehow being with Nero creates a lighter atmosphere and all her typical worries just... float away.

cradling her head back against the couch cushions she bites her lip in an attempt to stifle her laughter, eyes following him as he tends to the damp purple smudge beside her. she feels a liiiittle bad about that- but any semblance of guilt she might've thought to voice winds up launched in her throat when his eyes shift over to her. there's just... something about having him directly beside her, in his underwear, and looking right at her that's... causing her temperature to climb, a little bit. teeth worrying at her bottom lip she forces her line of sight up to avoid blatantly staring at the topic of conversation....!!]

... Cute.

[she chews on the inside of her cheek, feeling another case of the giggles coming on strong.]

[Nero pressed the paper towels into the couch, figuring it was too late to get away with a perfect save on the stain. Meanwhile, he took note of how it looked like Ryuko was going to die on the other side of the couch from what he assumed was pure bliss. He'd died a little on the inside but hey, at least somebody was getting something out of it. If she'd snuck a glance at him, he hadn't noticed it over the realization, when he bent over, that his beloved briefs were also pretty damp from the soda.]

Cute? They're fucking adorable, that's what they are.

[So, he leaned really hard into it.]

Course, now I gotta change these. They definitely soaked in. [Nero propped a hand on his hip and glanced around the room. No spares in the open.]

Probably shoulda seen that coming. Pretty sure I've seen you play chicken with swords.

[he really does know how to make a girl smile- even the traditionally grumpy ones.]

Heh, well, now you've got a big purple stain to serve as a reminder.

[she pats the couch beside her- too soon? someday he'll look back on this and laugh... maybe. heck, Ryuuko's still laughing right now. it's just softer and more subdued as she tries to keep her mind from wandering places it probably shouldn't. like her eyes, that've migrated their way back over to his briefs at the mention of a third victim to the grape soda incident.]

What a shame... it's a good look for you.

[regrets. she has them.]

Yeah, well, they'll be fine in the wash but they're retired for the night.

[Nero looked at the light hint of purple on the sofa and narrowed his eyes. Scars truly were a reminder of mistakes, weren't they? He would look at it later and feel the same regret.

That time, he caught Ryuko looking. He cleared his throat and decided to get changed, his somehow innocent mind tuning into a different station instead of making anything of it. For the moment, anyway.

Nero trudged off to the bedroom to change, fishing an equally embarrassing pair of briefs with little angels out of a drawer along with gym shorts. He shopped wholesale at stores from cartoons. Obviously.

He called out from the bedroom. He wasn't sure if Ryuko had been out all day or not. Either way, he was sure she had to have busted her gut at that little stunt.]

Hey, if you wanna eat, I got leftovers in the fridge. It's mostly curry and rice, though.

[Ryuuko heaves a sigh of relief the moment Nero disappears into his bedroom, exhaling the heated tension that'd crept up on her outta nowhere.

it was only natural, right? anyone would react that way in the vicinity of an attractive male in their underwear. the fact she can feel her hastened pulse as it throbs in her neck, like coming down off an adrenaline rush- is totally normal. it doesn't mean anything!! at least, that's what she's trying to convince herself right now.

lost in a whirlwind of her own mixed up thoughts, Nero's voice from the other room causes her to startle back to reality. she couldn't be happier he wasn't around to witness her jump in her seat, thank god.

pull it together, girl! ]

Dinner and a show! You spoil me.

[ just be cool. ]

Got any popcorn?

Yeah, I'll make some after I get something else in me. I'm kinda starved.

[Stepping out of his bedroom, changed and ready for the possibility that he'd be sitting on a 'still slightly damp' cushion, Nero heated up curry, watching Ryuko with suspicion. He heated the curry up then grabbed another two sodas from the fridge, staring at them for a moment. The entire time he got it ready, he thought to himself that he was crazy for reading into how Ryuko was staring at him before. After some convincing, he decided that it was just him being pent up. No sense in convincing himself otherwise. Sure, she could be cute and he liked when she went off but--wait. The sodas were barely cold. He had no idea why it bugged him, though.

Without intending to be as quiet as he had, Nero strolled right up behind Ryuko without making a peep and pressed the ice cold can right up against the back of her neck.]

This cold enough or do you want ice?

[glancing up as he emerged from the other room was a mistake. even though he was fully clothed now, she still felt the same butterflies from earlier invading her stomach the second he stepped into view. god, wtf was wrong with her? this was, decidedly, the complete opposite of cool.

sinking a bit in her seat she busied herself with looking around the room, silently noting the decor until she ran out of objects to fixate on before eventually catching herself staring numbly at the wall.

this wasn't working. she needed to be casual, to not draw suspicion- any more than she already was.

frustrated, she fished a hand through her pants pocket and pulled out her phone in a last ditch effort to distract herself. mindlessly scrolling through social media... and damn near tossing her cell clear across the room the instant that cold soda can made unseen contact with the back of her neck. jolting in place Ryuuko shrieked, a sudden chill racing through every inch of her.]

F-Fuck!! Nero!!!

[he's lucky she didn't punch him in the face on reflex tbh. instead she reached behind to confiscate the soda and glared back at him from over her shoulder with obvious color in her cheeks. she'd let herself become far too vulnerable just now, and she felt embarrassed as hell by that... and the way she'd yelled out his name.]

Are ya tryin' ta give me a friggin' heart attack!?

Woah. [Ok, so he expected she'd yell but he didn't expect to not get hit. Nero watched as Ryuko just yanked the can out of his hands, flexing his fingers. He gave her a curious look then set the two heated up takeout containers and plastic silverware on the coffee table, plopping down next to Ryuko with a deep sigh.

She'd gotten a little more on-edge suddenly, which was normal but usually she laughed it off or just suckerpunched him. So, he was at a loss about how to deal. At the risk of being called a softie, Nero prodded gently.]

You wanna get somethin' off your chest? [Nero popped open his container, digging into the curry. He figured he'd take the nonchalant approach instead of teasing the way he desperately wanted.

He'd been too nice, lately.]

Cuz, you're all red and I'm not blind.

[Ryuuko pouted, purposely avoiding eye contact as Nero shuffled his way around the couch. sparing a quick glance in his direction once he'd sat down- the cushion still had to be wet, right? she was about to ask about it, when Nero decided to grab the bull by the horns- so to speak.

she stared at him incredulously for a moment, cheeks burning that much hotter the moment he decided to draw attention to them-- shit.]

D-Don't fuckin' flatter yourself! S'just hot in here, is all!

[making a grab for the curry he'd set down in front of her she pops the lid with her thumb before shoveling several spoonfuls into her mouth to keep herself from blurting out something she'd regret.]

[Quietly, purposefully, Nero reached over to turn the television, tapping the remote with the handle of his fork. The familiar buzz of the screen helped clear up a little of the tense silence that followed Ryuko's lies.

Then, all at once, he gave up. Nero didn't really have it in him to put the pressure on that hard. He was a sore winner, though. With a twist of his waist, Nero sat down a bit closer to Ryuko than before and shrugged. As long as she knew he didn't believe her, that would have to do in lieu of a real confession.] That so? Then, I'll mess with the meter a little.

[Nero may have forgotten the definition of the word 'grudge' as he popped open the second soda of the night.]

So, anyway, about that movie--

[the fact she'd stuffed her face full of curry was both a blessing... and a curse the moment Nero shifted to scoot closer to her. heat crept up the back of her neck involuntarily and Ryuuko swallowed hard, a disgruntled noise sounding in the back of her throat as she strained to keep curry from spewing out of her nose. she couldn't exactly comment on his decision to relocate with her cheeks full of food... so she decided to try her best not to read too far into it. instead she chalked it up to her earlier suspicion about the wet cushion and left it at that...

.... she turned her gaze to the tv as he fiddled with the remote and continued chewing.]

M'nn, Better not be a chick flick.

[Nero smirked, snorting and switching to the start of a horrible, horrible movie. By the time it got past the credits full of studios and companies Nero had been confident didn't exist anymore, he finished half his curry and set the rest down on the coffee table.]

There's still a small chance 'Ghost Annihilationz'--with a 'Z'--could end up being a chick flick. You still in?

[To emphasize what a sore winner he was, once he was done, Nero very plainly rested his right arm on the back cushion of the couch, right behind Ryuko. He did his best to pretend it hadn't been the result of a bit of soreness over spilled ~~purple~~grape soda.]

[the only thing more appalling than this movie rating was Nero's thinly veiled scheme to make Ryuuko squirm. this was definitely payback for her bad behavior earlier, deep down she knew that, but on the surface it was difficult to decipher when muddied together with her own repressed hormones.

the fact of the matter was, Nero was hot. anyone with eyes could discern that much- but her attraction was something Ryuuko had chosen to keep to herself since day one. she'd figured someone like him couldn't possibly be into someone like her. there was the age difference, for one, coupled together with the fact he tended to treat her more like a little sister than anything else. she'd been fine with that, after all, she'd always wanted an older brother... sooo, wouldn't that make it fucked up for her to admit she'd be totally cool with Nero Nii-chan bending her over the arm of this couch??

Ryuuko shook her head free of THAT thought before she got too carried away and sunk further down in her seat, folding her arms across her chest with a frown.]

Bring it on.

[did she mean the movie... or the unspoken game of chicken that was still taking place?]

AHHH, IM GLAD /o/

!!! ok now i gotta not disappoint

lmao pls excuse my dumbass for not being canon familiar enough to realize wtf the red queen was

tbf it sounds like it's an item listed on bad dragon

SNORTS I think ilu

<3 now watch as nero gets killed in this thread

oh rip brave soldier

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