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 Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2020 7:27 pm
"Yu, this is gorgeous," Priam was saying as he took a few more steps around the garden. His steps were careful, but now that he was healing up a bit better--certainly thanks to trips to Nalanda, and all of Soleiyu's magical tricks that made Priam wonder why the world even needed doctors when some people could just tap into magic.
"I don't know when you and Sterling had time to do this," he said, walking along the smooth little path. He was enjoying his day with Yu; he'd been feeling good enough to get out and about and had admitted to being a bit restless, so this had been the perfect little trip outside.
He was feeling better, but not yet strong or fast enough to keep up with the dogs on any sort of walk.
"That tree is big enough to sit under. I could come sit out here and read. You might have to help me back up, but." He swung his hand, just slightly, in Yu's. "I'm hoping that won't be a problem. The weather's so nice today. Do you think..." His voice trailed off for a second as he stared at a perfectly beautiful spot in the backyard that was just calling to him.
"...Do you think I could convince you to let me go inside and make up some sandwiches and lemonade for us, and maybe we could have a picnic? --You could finish weeding out here while I make something up for us? It could be," he shrugged. "A little romantic. If you're in the mood for lunch. And fresh air. And company?"
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Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2020 7:34 pm
“You think so?” Yu was surprised and grateful for the reaction. “I'm… I’m glad, it was a real mess when we started.” He admitted. He almost…almost said that he should see Ilya’s…but the b*****d had key’d his CAR after blaming him for the garden wreckage. He wasn’t recommending -anything- that would flatter the b*****d. “I …suppose if you’re -careful.” He teased a little, he was so glad to see that Priam was recovering better than he’d feared. Modern medicine might be better than he had thought it could be honest. “Little picnic would be really nice.” He murmured. “If I find enough scrap wood around, we can maybe make a bench around the base of the tree, or …I mean I can also ask Sterling to help me pick some that aren’t recycled too.” He admitted. “But I’m not gonna say no to company, I mean if I do then I’m probably a little crazy eh?” He smiled softly. “Go on, I’ll get out what I need for weeding and be waiting, leave the door open a crack? Then I can hear if you need a hand?”
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Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2020 7:49 pm
"I'll be careful, I promise," he assured, unable to resist the smile that lingered; he was having a hard time keeping it a secret that he enjoyed such check-ins and being fussed over to such a degree.
He was still swinging his hand a little bit, enjoying the warmth and the way their fingers tangled together. "I'll leave the door open a crack, but I'll try to keep my eyes on the dogs and Oreo, just in case any of them are feeling a little adventurous."
He was looking back to the house but had yet to relinquish his grip on Yu's hand.
"...Yu," he began after a few seconds. "Before I go." A very brief pause and then, "Do you think it would be out of line to ask for another kiss?"
He looked back at him and let their eyes meet, intent on making sure the request wasn't obscene; he was growing more comfortable with these little displays of affection, and it didn't seem to matter how often they held hands, or how often they shared a little kiss, he was still getting the same rush of endorphins as he had the first time.
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Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2020 8:21 pm
A soft huff of a laugh and some of the tension he’d been carrying with him eased out of his shoulders. “Not out of line at all.” He murmured and leaned in to plant one of those oh so gently kisses to Priam’s lips. There was a promise there, of more hungry kisses to come, but the caution of injuries yet healing still. He brushed a finger down Priam’s nose as he pulled back from the soft sweet thing of a kiss, smiling and giving a gentle squeeze to the hand with which his fingers were entangled. He liked the idea of a picnic out here. Eating in the sun because they could not because there was no inside that they could call home. He liked the idea of Sterling having a similar schedule soon and being able to join them. “I’ll help keep an eye out for the goofy animals too, promise.” He added. “If they're too adventurous go ahead and close it but. I am still in worry mode, so you’re stuck with that.”
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Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2020 8:52 pm
There was nothing but love in Priam's eyes, both given the kiss and the tenderness of Yu's finger brushing down his nose. He had never known anyone else to do such a thing; it was unique, just like him. "I think your worry mode is cute. It makes me feel like I'm worth worrying about." He gave his hand one little squeeze and turned back to the house, carefully making his way back in. He waved when he got in--and kept the door open just a crack.
Which left only Yu and Ilya together, in their backyards.
...Ilya, who had stepped out quietly, with absolutely no intention of interacting with Yu at all after their most recent conversation. Ilya, whose sole purpose in being outside was to clean the little metal table and chair set he kept on the little patio just outside the back door. He heard voices, and steeled himself to completely ignore them; he knew Sterling and Yu had been working on their backyard and he had worked very hard to keep his own outside activities to a minimum.
He hadn't seen Sterling since his backyard had been torn up, and while he had done his best to even everything out and replant the grass to grow over the bald patches, there wasn't much he could do in the way of replacing everything he'd had. He didn't have a good lie for what had happened to his collection of herbs and he had no idea what he'd tell Sterling about the little fruits and vegetables he'd been so excited to plant.
...If Yu had told him much of anything, maybe he'd never even have to come up with a lie.
His backyard was sad and pathetic, and it looked like he'd just massacred it for no reason. The broken shelves for his herbs had been taken to the curb and removed before any questions could be asked; it was too battered and splintered to be repaired, and Ilya didn't know how to replace it--or if it was even worth it, now that he was once again looking at new listings.
...Finding a flaming back of fecal matter on your doorstep was enough to drive anyone away, much less someone who couldn't stomach the filth that came with it. He was overprepared, with a fire extinguisher, but it didn't matter what you put the fire out when the bottom of the bag tore open while you were trying to remove it afterwards.
Ilya hadn't had enemies until Yu decided they were enemies.
Now, he suspected he knew why.
The more attention Ilya paid to the house next door, the more he'd see.
Like now, when he'd turned at just the right time to see Yu, with his tender touches, kissing Priam. Sterling's car was gone, there was no doubt that he wasn't home, and it felt like all of a sudden, all of his worst fears were confirmed.
A cold, violent dread clutched at Ilya at the thought of anyone being stupid enough to cheat on Sterling, to think that he wasn't enough.
He hadn't confronted Yu about the filth left on his doorstep, even though it had made Ilya sick--twice--between picking it up and disposing it and actually scrubbing everything clean, but this wasn't something he could let slide.
"--Are you serious?" he called across his backyard, the first words he'd spoken to Yu since he'd been on his doorstep last.
He was dressed again, far too upscale for someone who was scrubbing metal furniture, wearing his gloves and expensive shoes. He'd done next to no gardening or upkeep of his lawn recently--there wasn't much to take care of.
His eyes were cold on Yu, in angry disbelief at what he'd just observed.
Sterling deserved better.
Better than this. Maybe even better than him.
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Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2020 9:00 pm
And there if was, back in all its glory and it brought friends! All the tension that had for that brief moment slipped out of his back and shoulders. One... judgmental... comment. That was all it took from that steam pressed bleached out son of a b***h. “What... NOW?” He demanded gritting his teeth so hard he could hear them creak. “Am I gardening in scandalous t-shirts? Would you like to carve your initials into the tree?” He bit out pivoting slowly to face the fence, and the man who could more easily peer over it.
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Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2020 9:06 pm
If Ilya had any sense of humor, Yu had chased it all away. There was absolutely no enjoyment in his face, and he stood up and left his cleaning supplies on the table as he walked over, closer to the fence so he didn't have to yell.
Of course Yu would be shameless. Of course he wouldn't see the issue in kissing someone else. Ilya knew Priam enough to know that he was Sterling's friend, to know that he'd been staying with them since the accident.
"Are you cheating on Sterling?" he hissed, voice low and incredulous,; the question was barbed and offended, like he couldn't believe Yu would have the audacity to be so shameless about it.
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Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2020 9:16 pm
The face Yu made, could quite honestly be called ‘exasperated murder muppet.’ He was somewhere beteeen the expressions of ‘are you serious’ and ‘I will murder you in your sleep using only your own eyelids.” “Really? SERIOUSLY that’s your new best shot? Keying my car wasn’t enough now you’re...” He stopped himself, hands balling into fists and then uncurling into claws and back as he tried to steady himself. “I... and not cheating, on Sterling, not that it is ANY OF YOUR business. Sterling is likewise, not cheating on ME when he kisses Priam, which is also, not your ******** business. We, the three of us... are trying something out. Its worked great so far because no one tried to pull any shady s**t about it.” Was he thinking about the flowers again? Bet your bottom dollar he was.
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Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2020 5:34 am
The heat he felt at the concept of Yu cheating on Sterling burned for a few seconds longer as the thought processed in Ilya's mind--and then immediately turned into icy dread.
Certainly it must be his business if his friend was being taken advantage of, if someone was using his kindness and open heart for their own gain. Which was what this looked like--Yu and Priam had been so comfortable with their physical affection, and it wasn't like Sterling had said anything.
...Which was fine, if this was a consensual relationship then it wasn't his business, friend or otherwise.
There was the brief pang of embarrassment, humiliation, that he did deserve, even if his intrusion was made with the best intention.
That registered on his face, however briefly, before he buried that away. His ears were red, it was the only evidence that he'd been flustered. "--You think I'd resort to petty vandalism? I've left you perfectly well alone. Forgive me if it's jarring to be accused of trying to homewreck when it looks like you're..." He gestured vaguely to their back yard, to where they had kissed.
His hand returned to his side. "--You don't seriously think I keyed your car," he challenged after a few seconds, trying to figure what it was made Yu think that he was the sort of person to do such a thing.
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Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2020 6:36 am
Yu looked tired like a deep bone weariness at the world that was slowly trying to eat him up from inside, if it was the question or just the state of the world it was hard to say. He took a deep breath trying to maintain his calm. “Because it smelled like your house, and I can’t think of anyone else who would make a key mark look like it was drawn with a straight edge.” He rubbed hard at his eyes with the heel of his hand like he could push the weariness back into a box. “Whatever man, the car still works and you can color me impressed that you made the cleanest spot on the damn thing, at least till I pay for car soap.” Seriously though, who the hell washed a section of the car before putting the -straitest- key line he’d ever seen down the side of it? Even his vandalism was neat and pressed to perfection.
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Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2020 7:22 am
Ilya looked at him for a long moment, as if he could read more into his thoughts, his convictions, just by seeing him. His focus was broken and his eyes averted for only a second when he saw one of the dogs pressing its nose against the glass and looking out excitedly. He looked back to Yu, frustrated.
"If I get a felony or misdemeanor charge, I lose my job and everything I've been working for. Not only do I not have a history for violent or destructive tendencies, I've also never come to your house with any intent to destroy things," he reminded. "I don't know how it could smell like my house--have you been in my house?"
The suspicion was there but it was subdued. Contrary to the cinnamon that he'd been gifted and kept out of necessity for politeness rather than any sort of actual fondness, his house smelled clean.
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Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2020 7:35 am
“Christ… NO! I can smell the damn cinnamon from here!” He shook his head exasperated. “Are you like….nose blind to it? You still smell like it, If I didn’t think they were too messy for you I’d bet you lived on cinnamon rolls.” “And I said whatever, so don’t ******** freak out about it, I’m DONE… don’t ******** with them, don’t do -actual damage… and I won’t say jack. I’m not ******** with your damn job. I want nothing to DO with your job. Just… PEACE… I’m ******** tired. I don’t even care if it was -sleepwalking, ******** peace.”
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Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2020 8:10 am
"It was a gift," he said dryly. "One I much preferred to the flaming bag of fecal matter someone thought to leave on my doorstep."
He didn't say he thought it was Yu, but maybe it was implied in his tone.
"I thought it would be rude to throw out, it was a gift from one of the neighbors when I first moved in." He seemed suddenly self-conscious, that a smell could cling to him, and if his hands weren't covered in gloves he looked like he might have tried to brush it off of himself.
He didn't owe Yu anything. In fact, good, he deserved to be uncomfortable, he hoped he hated the smell of cinnamon.
...Except, he didn't. He was mad about his garden, he was mad about the harassment, but he wasn't vengeful.
He hadn't looked in Yu's file, but it wasn't hard to know. You don't fight fire with fire, no matter how much you want something to burn.
There was a part of him that wanted some shred of decency, that wanted this to just stop. The accusations were driving him as mad as the transgressions against him, but Yu wasn't buckling.
So he tried a different approach, because he just wanted this all to end.
"If it's bothering you, I'll get it out. But I didn't do anything to your car."
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Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2020 9:45 am
“Whatever man…” Yu shook his head, he was too tired to point out that most people wouldn’t have washed a section of the car before so precisely cutting a line in the damn thing. And like he said, he was fine as long as it worked. He couldn’t afford for anything to go seriously wrong. “Sounds like the Local kids are on you too, do whatever you want with the cinnamon.” He waved his hand and shook his head. “S’probably why the dogs started going off at odd hours.” He added with a small frown. Because it wasn’t like they seemed to go off at Ilya, or him… which didn’t help the situation with the car, he’d just woken up to that as exasperating and petty as it was. If he let it go, maybe things would stop, it wasn’t like Ilya could get away with any more flowers being sent. Right? There hadn’t been any hint that they were leaving him behind. Getting into another shouting match would just look like hell too, especially with Priam just inside. He wasn't sure they'd understand.... he had too much of a history with Temper that could be thrown in his face after all.
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Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2020 10:07 am
Ilya's teeth were grit, trying to brace himself and remain calm, but he found that when Yu wasn't going off the rails and having aggressive outbursts, it actually wasn't awful talking to him. There was still a grudge in his heart, if only because he didn't know what Yu had done--but with the introduction of local kids as an issue, he fell quiet for a moment.
He didn't relax, not really, but something became a little less defensive.
It didn't explain everything--didn't explain why Sterling had been sent a letter with his name on it, didn't explain the almost intimate attacks--but it was something.
Yu had been so adamant that he hadn't torn up Ilya's back yard but Ilya couldn't really imagine why anyone would have gone through such an effort unless it was specifically to hurt him.
"...Are there? Local kids," he clarified, and took a few reluctant steps closer to the fence, if only because he might have shared the same caution of Priam overhearing any more of this than he already had. He spoke in a lower volume, "I don't make a lot of friends at my job, but I don't make enemies. I doubt anyone I've worked with knows where I live, and even if they did, I expect someone's more likely to show up with a gun than a shovel. --Did you look into those tracks?" he asked, because for as convinced he was that Yu was just a damn good liar, he hadn't slept well since that night.
It wasn't just that the dogs would sometimes go off, it was that Yu was so adamant that it hadn't been him; there was no gloating, no smugness, no threat to stay away from Sterling.
Just outraged defensiveness.
If it wasn't Yu, he knew it wasn't Priam, and there was no way Sterling had suddenly gotten so athletic he could have scaled the fence like that.
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