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[torchbearer]

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[reneger]

You said make something I want. And I always want more knives.

( knives are sharp and pointy and have never failed him. but he is leaning into kyle's space soon as he's close enough, pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth. )

Find anything fun?

[torchbearer]

Nothing unusual. It's surprising. Everything's wide open but I haven't spotted anything familiar.

[ it'd be nice to see mogo again. kyle sighs into the kiss, briefly wrapping his arms around jason. ]

[reneger]

It is a different universe. Probably missing all the shit you're used to.

( but kyle wraps his arms around him, and jason's--wrapping his own loosely around kyle's hips. not holding him in place, just holding him. )

[torchbearer]

[ he shakes his head a little. ]

You don't really get used to things out there. Sometimes you do, but it's always a lot.

[reneger]

Then the lack of familiarity's even less surprising.

( space is too big, but jason had known that already. he's betting kyle'd been looking for something specific, but hadn't found it. )

You were out patrolling in space?

[torchbearer]

A little of both. Sometimes I just like to drift in space for a while.

[ just let it all go. let the dark swallow it up. unchained.

but it's only for a brief moment. he lets himself come back to earth. lets himself come back to jason. ]

[reneger]

Yeah, I could see why.

( space is quiet. empty. if jason felt like he could take off into the vacuum of space, he might take advantage of the quiet, too.

arms fall from around kyle, and jason turns around to head back to the couch. )

Hungry?

[torchbearer]

[ kyle hums. ]

I could eat.

[reneger]

( a detour from the couch then, to instead head towards the kitchen. )

Sandwich or leftovers?

[torchbearer]

Sandwich sounds good.

[reneger]

( sandwiches it is. jason flits around the kitchen, going in the fridge for deli meat and cheese, the cabinet for bread, a couple of jars of condiments--the basics. he knows how to make a sandwich.

stays quiet for a moment while he starts putting shit together. almost like he's--bracing himself a little. )

Rayner.

[torchbearer]

[ kyle looks up for a moment. ]

What is it?

[reneger]

( what is it, and jason's mouth opens before it shuts again. focuses on putting mayo on bread and shifts gears.

offers instead an easier, )

'm glad you're here.

[torchbearer]

[ kyle softens at that. he slips his arms around jason, resting his chin upon his shoulder. ]

I'm glad you're here too.

[reneger]

( his stance widens a little. just enough he can comfortably lean back against kyle without putting all his weight on him. the mayo covered butter knife gets set down for a moment, too. )

Yeah?

[torchbearer]

Yeah.

I come back to you.

[ any time he feels less tethered, less in touch . . . he remembers. and he comes back. ]

[reneger]

( he's quiet, for several moments. holds himself back from saying the automatic you deserve better that comes to mind--not because he doesn't think it's true, but because he doesn't want to hear kyle's response to it. jason's strong, enough he's almost killed batman more than a few times. didn't, not because he couldn't but because he didn't want to. he's destroyed several of gotham's worst, gone toe to toe with leaguers on more than one occasion. but it's this shit that gets him all fucked up. that has him hesitating before every sentence, not because he's afraid he might get too mouthy, but because he's afraid he might just give kyle too much.

so he picks up the knife. gets back to work, and offers as nonchalantly as he can, as if his ears weren't flushed red, )

You can hold onto me tighter, y'know. I don't mind.

[torchbearer]

[ kyle chuckles softly, pressing a kiss to the tip of jason's ear. ]

Okay.

[ and does exactly that. ]

[reneger]

( he can feel how hot his ears are and now that kyle's decided to draw attention to them it's not like he can just--ignore it. gross. jason tips his head into kyle's, but more for the gentle headbutt it results in than anything else. )

Didn't just mean--right now, like this. I meant more in. . . general.

[torchbearer]

[ he does laugh a little now. ]

Okay, okay. Duly noted.

[reneger]

( rude.

jason has two fully assembled sandwiches, but he's not moving away from the counter yet. mostly because he's--enjoying this. the contact. )

I don't mind it when you touch me and shit. I know I tense up sometimes but it's not 'cause I want you to stop.

( he's trying to give kyle blatant permission, not that he thinks it's necessary at this point, but. kyle touching him, holding onto him tightly, nosing in close--it's nice, even if the gentle physical contact still throws jason off a little. he likes it, and while jason can lean on kyle and get in his space all he wants to try and show it, he knows words are important here too. )

[torchbearer]

[ kyle hums. ]

I know. Old habits and all that.

I'll try and do it more often.

[reneger]

You should sleep more often, too.

( voice low, a little more solemn, but it breaks into something softer when he grabs onto kyle's arms enough to loosen their hold so jason can turn around in them, and--stays in close.

smiles. )

'fore I hold you down and make you.

[torchbearer]

[ kyle has always enjoyed a little manhandling. donna used to do it frequently. ]

Who says I'm against that?

[reneger]

Do you want me to hold you down, Rayner?

( it's soft. playful even. jason raises a hand to cup his palm against the back of kyle's head, fingers threading through his hair. )

'cause there's more fun ways to do that than trying to bully you into a nap.