bakerstreet | Snuggles

[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?]

[Nothing beat a duel with Ryuko. Nero had evened out with time but only a couple years prior, he was just as testy as she was. It made him want to keep an eye out for her, knowing she was rough around the edges and, generally speaking, edges tended to brush up against others poorly. She was an impatient and rough lady but overall, she wasn't mad like he'd been. Besides, she hadn't been eager to butt heads with him all the time.

The real problem had been that she filled out and he noticed. With her visiting him so often, Nero felt as if Ryuko had added another layer to things. He'd notice if she bent over to pick something up or come in with her blouse a bit undone and it had been the motivation for many cold showers those days. It had been getting tougher to genuinely call her scrawny at that point.

He relaxed his arm, glancing down at her. Even if she still looked a little flustered, she still had jabs in her. She looked more ready for a fight than she looked like she was in the middle of fantasizing about him, anyway. Had Ryuko been watching him?]

Huh? [He couldn't help it. Awkward as it was, Nero still felt he needed to follow up.]

Couldn't hear you, with you turtling up like that.

[Ryuuko clicked her tongue and ground her teeth together with a feral growl- of course he couldn't bring himself to simply drop it. they were both stubborn that way, but he had to know his jabs were going to be met with hostility on her end. shifting her weight roughly she nudged up against his side bodily and elbowed him in the ribs.]

Shaddup already! It's starting.

[not that she was particularly invested in the movie to begin with but it WAS the reason he invited her over. the only reason... right?

she settled back down... only, this time she remained pressed against his side. sure, having her shoulder wedged in his armpit probably wasn't the most comfortable for him, but she didn't care. the frown that remained etched into her features softened a little, nevertheless she kept her eyes trained on the screen. if he insisted on maintaining this invasion of her space, she was going to exploit him as a glorified human pillow.]

[Ryuko called his bluff, leaning in and resting herself on him, albeit throwing a couple elbows. It was par for course, at least. When she pressed against his side again, Nero's arm bent at the shoulder naturally and ended up resting on her shoulder, draping over Ryuko almost fondly.

Shoot. He hadn't intended on that but the shove on Ryuko's part did the trick. At the last moment, Nero decided to play it off. He sealed up his shocked expression with a readied, calm grin.

Meanwhile, his head went a bit foggy. It was a solid way to retaliate. Nero considered just how close they were and he measured about a few millimeters of clothing and little else. Ryuko was flush against him that way and he had to consider how difficult it would be to clear off the couch with it intact. Nero quietly dug his fingers into his other thigh, taking a deep breath. Relax.]

And miss the... whatever the hell this is? [There was a lady on the screen, scantily clad and being chased by a giant paper mache ghost. Total chick flick.]

Glad we're on board.

[yeah, this was prime time alright. with an amused snort Ryuuko fed herself another scoop of curry before she gestured to the screen with her spoon.]

The hell is this dumb bitch doing? What part of runnin' round half naked in a haunted mansion struck her as a good time?

[she had to focus on that, and not how thrilling it actually felt to have Nero's arm around her. she couldn't let herself get too excited, it probably didn't mean anything special. but for once, she kinda felt it- special, that is. that she could lower her guard enough to be like this with anyone was a true testament to how much she'd bonded with this guy. the simple fact was Ryuuko didn't trust easily but oddly enough, with Nero it somehow came naturally.

her spoon scraped the bottom of the container- guess she was hungrier than she'd initially thought? or maybe eating was just her way of keeping her body distracted. without something to busy her hands with she wasn't sure what to do with them, really. she dared a glance in Nero's direction and got her answer. she reached across him to nab his soda for the second time tonight. at least this time her motives were pure- she just wanted to steal a sip!]

There wasn't really a reason for her to be in the mansion anyway, right?

[It was right then that contact had gotten difficult for him. The movie itself, as uninspired as it was, failed to keep his attention off of Ryuko. He locked his jaw a time or two whenever she shifted or adjusted herself and, for the most part, she left it at that. She hadn't made a peep about how his arm rested on her shoulder, leaving him to wonder if she'd just decided to wait him out. He wasn't even paying attention to the crappy movie's plot just to try and goad her on anymore, either. He simply gave up.]

Wait, when'd she find that chainsaw? How's that supposed to beat the gh--

[There had been a sudden shift in Ryuko's weight and he could feel her chest rub against his just a bit. As she managed to grab hold of his soda, she would have felt, just over his thigh, the erection he'd been trying to will away for the past fifteen minutes. Nero cleared his throat a bit, his expression cast low. He'd felt he could be a trustworthy guy for Ryuko to hang out with before but it all went out the window at that point.

Nero thought he could play chicken indifferently.]

[ah. yep. that was. definitely Nero's rock hard dick she accidentally brushed up against just now. with that realization settling in, Ryuuko froze momentarily, fingers flexed around the soda can she'd been after. every fiber of her being wanted to confirm with her eyes what she knew she felt, but she resisted the urge with every drop of strength she had. if she looked at it... there was no going back, no chance of plausible deniability. were it anyone else, her knee jerk reaction would have been to flip out, but that wasn't going to help either of them. so she swallowed back any embarrassment she felt and tried her best not to overheat. she could feel herself inwardly panicking, unsure of how to proceed without making a total cluster fuck of the situation.

why was he hard to begin with? was it because she'd been leaning on him? hadn't he encouraged her to do that though, when he'd put his arm around her? if it bothered him then why hadn't he said anything or made a move to put space between them? unless... he didn't want to stop it. but.. that was crazy, right? he'd never given her any inclination that he thought of her like that. she'd be rushing to conclusions if she just assumed how he felt. of course, Ryuuko could always ask... but she wasn't sure she had the guts for that. she at least had the benefit of no outward indication of her unspoken desires... men just weren't that lucky.

she tried to rationalize it as a natural physical reaction that was, to be fair, out of his control. Ryuuko leaned back into her spot, soda can cradled against her lips. an awkward silence permeated the air between them as the obnoxiously loud chainsaw screeched through the tv speaker. what was she supposed to say? how were they supposed to move past this?]

Beats me...!

[tilting her head back, Ryuuko downed the entire soda can and only came up for air once it was empty.]

She'd have better luck fighting it off with a big... hard... slab... of wood.

[what followed was absolutely the sound of Ryuuko trying not to choke on her oncoming laughter-- SHE COULDN'T HELP IT. IT WAS TOO GOOD TO PASS UP.]

[There had been a few grueling seconds between Ryuko brushing up against him and then her going right back up against his shoulder. Quiet. She'd been dead quiet the whole time, Nero looking down at her in bafflement. A number of different scenarios ran through his head from embarrassing to the sorriest apology of his life. He'd been ready for it, in fact. He and Ryuko bounced off of each other like fireworks but there was a difference between a raunchy joke and, well, that. He had to say something--

Then, all of a sudden, she chimed into the movie and stunned him right out of it. Nero opened his mouth to ask her something but then Ryuko drank all of his soda in one long chug, leaving him completely and utterly at a loss. Without a backfoot to even stand on, Nero swallowed hard and watched her until she suddenly blurted it out--]

Fucking--what's gotten into you?!

[It was a feeble attempt at salvaging just a fraction of his dignity back.]

Pffft- [her body shook with the force of pent up laughter and after a moment of trying to hold it in, it finally spewed out of her, together with a huge belch. more or less the least lady-like thing ever. she didn't care, she was too easily amused by her own joke.] Me???

[Ryuuko shot him an incredulous look.]

M'not the one with a bad horror boner.

[His mouth opened, caught off guard by a full-throated belch. Nero took a full second longer to snap back, mystified by the raw tenacity it took to come back from something that loud and still want to verbally tussle even more. Neither of them backed off and they were inches from the other's face even in the middle of arguing.]

Bad horror!? You know that's not what did it! The hell am I supposed to react when you rub up on me!? [Of course he didn't think about whether or not he'd have to explain himself after he said it. That's why he kicked himself every day for having such a short fuse.

Oh well. Time to double-down.]

So now it's my fault!?

[she couldn't believe it- the fucking nerve of this guy to try and put the blame all on her. she was (mostly) innocent!!! ]

You put your arm around me!!

[she could play the finger pointing game too!]

That's cause I--

[Nero grit his teeth, turning his head away. They could go back and forth on it but was running out of steam and he felt like most of it was his fault. Shit, he was pissing her off for real, wasn't he? He sighed, reaching up and rubbing his head with the heel of his palm.

There way no backing down from it once he looked away. That was a loss.]

Ugh... I caught you starin' at me and I wanted to play a prank but I--I kinda thought you'd be into it or somethin'.

[he'd caught her staring.... shit. he must have meant earlier, with the whole underwear incident- Ryuuko's face flushed just recalling it. she had no excuse for that... she'd definitely been ogling his junk. but really, what was a girl supposed to do!? she could argue it was because he took his pants off- but then he could argue back that she'd practically dared him to. they'd be going in circles all night, if they kept at it. hopeless idiots, both of them.

it was the mention of a 'prank' that really sent her over the edge, though.]

D-Did you invite me over for a hook up!?!? Am I just some friggin' booty call!?

What? [He was beyond yelling, at least. Nero ran his hand flat against his face, groaning.]

No, I didn't. Look, just... Ugh. You can definitely do way better than me, so don't take it personally, alright? [Fortunately, yelling and fighting with her took the edge off of the pants situation, so he stood up with a bit less concern.] Sorry for grossin' you out.

[well, they sure were handling this terribly. Ryuuko wasn't sure how she was supposed to feel about a statement like that. it didn't feel all that great, even if he'd tried to phrase it in a way that shouldn't have hurt her feelings as much as it did. no matter how he worded it, it still felt like rejection. not that she did herself any favors blowing up like she had and accusing him of luring her here on false pretenses. it was all coming out wrong, like word vomit, and she didn't know how to dig her way out of the hole she'd created for herself.

Nero stood up, and she felt her heart sink.]

.... What's with that moronic self-depreciating bullshit? "It's not you, it's me"??? I can do better?? Who gave you permission to decide what's best for me, huh!?

[her voice shook, anger getting the best of her as she crushed the now empty soda can in her grip and chucked it at the back of his head.]

How the hell am I not supposed to take that crap personally!? I'm old enough to make up my own mind. You don't speak for me!

[He didn't want to turn around. The can bounced off of his head. He reached up to scratch where it hit him and turned back, his eyes burning with anger.

Every time in his life before that, he'd just let the anger take hold of him and just end his relationships then and there. This time, it had been different--different enough that he saw the end of it at its natural conclusion and that he didn't want it to end that way. He took two steps back to Ryuko and put his knee on the couch just beside her, glaring at her. Furious.]

We're settlin' this right now then, no bullshit. Your call. I'm gonna close my eyes and stay right here and I'm gonna wait for you to break my jaw or kiss me. I'm not gonna walk out on you but I'm sure as hell not lettin' us dance around this shit, either. We've got talkin' to do.

[He shut his eyes, his fist balled up in the couch cushion.]

Edited 2021-06-10 01:38 (UTC)

[if there was one thing that could be said about Ryuuko Matoi, it's that she never cowered in the face of danger. she fought her demons head on, and Nero was no exception. anyone else might've been intimidated by the way Nero turned to glare down at her, but she didn't flinch. it wasn't until his knee sunk into the couch beside her and the rest of him loomed over her that she felt truly trapped. cornered, like a mouse.

he gave her that ultimatum, and Ryuuko felt herself break into a sweat. she gulped and stared up at him, face flushed.]

You sure you wanna risk windin' up in the hospital??

[she definitely could break his jaw, if she wanted. lord knew she was mad enough to swing on him. he was acting like a complete jackass- and on top of it all, forcing her to deal with these feelings before she was ready.]

... Who the hell wants to kiss someone so scary looking???

[Ryuuko frowned harder and reached to grab his collar, tugging him down toward her and holding him there for a moment, really letting the suspense soak in. in reality she was just working up the courage to seal the deal.]

Fuck it.

[she decided to just. go for it. consequences be damned. she leaned forward abruptly and her lips crashed against his.]

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