bakerstreet | In a word

In a word

in ( a word ) meme
Hey! You! Quick! Describe the kind of person you desire most...using one word. Yep. One. Uno. Only. If you can't choose the word to describe your taste, conscious or unconscious, you'll be forced to blurt out a choice turn.

Ready. Go.

how to play
- top-levels: word. embarrassment. frustration. shameless? satisfied?
- comments: heckles. hookups. hilarity?
- thread

[ Sorry for the early post! ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Loving.

Sovereign.

Challenging.

Just one? My goodness, that's a bit—

[ And then the Power of Meme kicks in, forcing out: ]

Companion.

[ Thanks, he hates this! ]

Money.

Clever.

Confident.

Strong.

[ There's so many more words she's thinking of as well. ]

[ Asking her to narrow down what she wants — actually wants, not influenced by anything but herself — is difficult. Several words come to mind (loyal, dependable, competent, accepting) but there's certainly one thing she places a higher value on. ]

Honest.

Understanding.

Kind.

Circumspect.

[ she seems to fight it before blurting out: ] Understanding.

Patient.

Kind.

[ strong and vulnerable.

beautiful.

~~dave~~. ]

Kind?

[ it's not an answer most would expect from klaus, and there's a split moment where he's about to defend it... right up until he meets his gaze. an overwhelming familiarity leaves his mouth hanging for a second. ]

Yeah... kindhearted, gentle, sweet.

[ he narrows his eyes briefly. ]

--hey, do I know you from somewhere?

[Dave blinks at that. Why doesn't Klaus recognize him?]

Did - did I hit you too hard that day?

Klaus?

It's me, Dave?

[ bb!dave meet bb!klaus

his mouth goes dry as a range of emotions subtly flashes across his features. ]

What?

You don't recognize me.

[Dave tilts his head to the side, frowning and terrified and confused and... and wanting very much to take the other boy - man? - boy? in his arms and comfort him. Where the heck is that coming from? He likes Klaus, more than he did when they first met, and he's beginning to maybe believe Klaus' story, but that's a lot.]

You - you told me that we met. In your past. My future.

In the war.

[ a pang in his chest threatens to swallow him whole, there's no way he could know any of that unless he was telling the truth. klaus finds himself reaching out to touch him. to make sure this is real, that he's real.

he swallows thickly when his hand is met with a physical body, sadness, and confusion reflecting in his eyes. ]

I-- [ he lets out a breath like he's been holding it inside, ] Dave?

[Dave knows he shouldn't, it's not like they really both know each other the way they should and does this make him gay? ...does he mind if it makes him gay? But he takes Klaus' hand in his anyway, immediately wanting to comfort]

Yeah.

So you, uh.

You've met me. Even if you haven't met me...... my head hurts.

[ dave's hand encompassing his own draws his attention, and while he's not yet his dave, he knows those hands, those eyes. he knows that kind soul of his.

he huffs a laugh, the tension in his shoulders gradually melting away. ]

Yeah, time travel does that apparently...

[ for the life of him, he can't remember the other symptoms five mentioned, but he wonders: ]

How did-- how are you here?

[Oh, that feels nice. Both the clever fingers wrapped around his, and the slow relaxation in Klaus face. He can't help but smile.]

I don't think I'll ever get it.

How am I-? I thought this was my time.

Did I travel forward to yours?

[Dave winces, wondering again about the war. He wants to do his part. He wants to help others. He wants to fight for his country.

~~He really doesn't want to die.~~]

Me neither...

[ it took some getting used to, but klaus acclimated quite well in the vietnam war. of course, he's sure that was mostly dave's doing; showing him the ropes, watching his back.

klaus gently furrows his brows, glancing around the room, but nothing really tells him what time period he's in. ]

I don't... know.

I did have a lot to-- [ drink last night, and honestly, wouldn't surprise him if he found himself back in time again. his gaze softens once more and reaches out to set his hand against dave's jawline. ] Hey, are you okay? We'll figure this out.

[ooc: here if I got the html right]

You did? That's not real healthy for you, Klaus.

[Though there's no real judgement in his words. It's the 60s. Alcohol isn't great for you, but everyone drinks.]

[he exhales at that gentle touch]

I want to get back home.

[then, after a breath or two]

Be nice if you came, too.

[ klaus smiles a little wistfully, nodding. he knows it's not healthy, has always known but never really cared for his wellbeing. the only thing that mattered was keeping the ghosts at bay. then his smile drops a little, knowing exactly what it means if dave returns to his time. his breath catches in his throat, flashes of his future self dying in his arms.

klaus clears his throat, ] I--

Please stay, stay here, stay with me.

I can't... [ i can't lose you again is what he means to say but it gets caught in his throat. with the other hand, he gives dave's a squeeze. the truth of the matter is, even if dave did go back, klaus would leave everything behind to follow him. he'd spend the rest of his days with him, doing everything he could to change his future. ]

[It should be that easy to tell someone to take better care of themselves, right? But Dave knows it's not. So many people do bad things, get hurt, get killed.

~~Is that what he's doing, going off to war?~~

Klaus looks so resigned and upset.]

Oh. Oh, hey.

[Awkwardly, because he's never done this with Klaus, Dave tugs him into his arms. Still easier than actually speaking words right now.]

[ klaus easily wraps his arms around dave, clutching tightly at his shirt as if this moment is going to melt away, as if dave is suddenly going to disappear. he knows the story of what happened, but he hasn't yet lived it, doesn't know the true impact he had on klaus's life... and what it meant losing the only person he's ever truly loved more than himself.

he buries his face in the crook of dave's neck, inhales deeply, and lets out a shuddered breath. the differences are subtle, fresh wood as opposed to gunpowder... but the underlying scent is the same. ]

I'm sorry, [ he whispers, and smooths a hand over his back.

this... he can agree, is easier than words. ]