‍♂️

*He can't be in the other room. Not tonight. Not after everything that had happened. When he had collected himself enough to get off the floor and exit into this room, Tomosei did so, turning on his phone to do something other than sit and sulk and try to figure out a puzzle he'd never be able to solve. Disgust. He's neither princess nor private when the text comes through. I'm drinking in the bathtub. He should block her again. It's not his damn problem. It shouldn't be. It never should've been. He takes in a deep breath and replies before he really realises what he's saying. Instinct kicks in. He wracks his brain for all the steps so familiar to him. Comfort. Safety. Sleeping in the bathroom is nice until she falls. Until she breaks the bottle and there's glass everywhere she steps. Until she can't get the painkillers and she complains her head is killing her and it's all too goddamn awful to bear, and the light's too bright, and the tile too cold. It's nice until her back hurts from the floor, or the neck from the tub. Until she can't lift herself up and someone has to figure out how to get her out, because it's the only bathroom there is, and she's too heavy for someone else to move without help that won't arrive. Because every time she says something Tomo knows she wishes she was seeing somebody else. Somebody that wasn't him.* Fucking stupid. *He whispers it to nobody. The memories don't affect him like he thought they might. They just came, then went, like they didn't mean a thing. Maybe they didn't. Maybe they shouldn't. Zero had used his stigma. Zero had kissed her. Tomo never thought he was special for the way Zero so stupidly convinced him of something, but there was a specific sting to Jo's admissions that he wasn't willing to name.

2:52 AM

A specific sting to the fact that she could do something with her feelings even if it hurt her more in the long run. That she, despite it all, had someone to talk to at the end of it all. Someone shitty and useless, but someone. He drafts a message to Gen and deletes it. Drafts it again. Deletes it again. What's the fucking point? He drafted a message to someone else instead. One with pen and paper, carefully crafted, neat. Perfect. Dearest mother,*

"..." This is where that really pretty "Princess" is, right? "..." Is that really Kurosagi's "girlfriend"...? Ken hates Kurosagi. He hopes someone as sweet and kind as Princess Tomosei wouldn't actually date that Chad. Ken sighs. And leaves a bag of his artifact candies with a note on how to use them. They taste good-- like strawberries. But more than three in a row will make you sick. Ken knows because he barfed last time he was invited to a party and tried to remain invisible. He bolts away after the delivery.

Ken shows up the next day outside of Princess Tomosei's door. This time he has a bouquet of flowers he arranged from Hotarubi's garden. The captain there is pretty nice, so he probably doesn't mind. The bouquet has blue hydrangeas, pink begonias, and lavendar. Ken looked it up and apparently it symbolizes admiration, love, gratitude, femininity, hope, and desire. Seems like a good combination. Ken leaves the bouquet on the ground in front of the door. Later he will find Kurosagi's hair in the garage and practice a black magic spell to make him and Tomosei break up... Ken leaves.

The detective comes knocking. "Hello in there! I'm a private investigator, Detective Hale, and I have a few questions that you might be able to help with, if you don't mind."

mis started a thread. 2/9/2025 10:13 PM

Ken slips a piece of paper with his number on it under Princess Tomosei's door. He hasn't been able to get that kiss out of his mind. There's no way Tomo doesn't feel the same way about him...

Gag.

3:25 PM

Leo shakes the door handle vigorously before knocking.

Leo draws a dick with a sharpie on the door before walking off.

Tomosei said he was off campus... so Zero takes his shiny new key to Tomosei's room and lets himself in. He takes a nap on the princess bed.

9:15 PM

It's one of those canopy beds. really fancy and comfortable. has the like. curtains??? you know what i mean. Certified Comfortable As Fuck. Or so he's told.

Zero steps into the bathroom, phone open to a notes app in one hand, the other ready to examine. Both are gloved as always. He starts cataloging everything with clinical precision: makeup supplies, item by item. Brand. Shade name or number. Limited edition sticker? Noted. He angles bottles toward the light to catch any print too faint to see. Every brush is examined next—size, shape, bristle density. He presses a few against his wrist, testing for softness. Kabuki. Angled. Fan. Nothing is beneath scrutiny. It should be noted—nothing is out of place when he’s done. Not a cap turned sideways. Not a fiber out of line. He’s been trained too well to leave evidence. Still, he lingers a beat too long looking at one of the compacts. A warm-toned shimmer he recognizes from the bridge of Tomo’s nose. He stares at it. Taps it closed like he’s sealing away a secret. He exits the bathroom and lays back down on the princess bed.

He's up again. This time to the various places where clothes might be. He checks tags for sizes. Notes it in his phone. Back to the princess bed.

Texting Chihiro is depleting his lifespan one text at a time... He stood up, walked a slow, silent circle in the middle of Tomosei’s room, then dropped back onto the bed like his legs gave out. The phone landed face-down on the blanket. He lay there for a moment, fully horizontal, eyes wide and vacant. Then, in a burst of silent panic, he grabbed one of Tomosei’s unnecessarily luxurious pillows and shoved it over his face.

“AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH—”

The scream was muffled, but its spirit was deafening. He pulled the pillow away, hair a mess and expression shell-shocked. CHIHIRO PLEASE JUST. AUGH. The phone buzzed again. Chihiro. Zero is going to combust.

Zero hightails it the FUCK out of the room before he sends his next text to Tomo.

Using one of the keys gifted to him, he silently lets himself into the room. Tomo is busy gaming. It looks like he's moved a lot of Kamiyama's setup in here, although it's clear it is temporary. He's in the middle of some match or other. Not surprising in the slightest. Zero gives him a quick kiss on the edge of his birthmark, though it's a little awkward as he hadn't been expecting blue light glasses to contend with. He wordlessly crosses over to the bed and quietly sets his bag at the foot of it. Shoes are removed and soundlessly set down before he climbs in and pulls the covers over his head. He won't sleep for sometime yet. Too much caffeine in his system. But that's intentional. He doesn't want to sleep. Not yet. Not until the sun rises. (edited)

For Zero, the worst day of the year passes relatively peaceful. He sleeps most of the daylight hours away and dreams of a Symphony at a concert hall featuring a talented female musician. Newly appointed as the principal pianist of the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. He dreams of a dinner. A drive. And a peaceful night. A windowsill of carefully cultivated herbs. Rose incense. Clair de Lune. When he wakes, only the warmth of affection remains. Something he had refused to let Aslan take. He misses her. Loves her. But the day is finally over and now he can move on... until next year. Tomo is engrossed in a ranked match. Zero gathers his things and walks over to him. Places a kiss where he always does. Right on the edge. It's less awkward this time. He maneuvered around the glasses a bit more skillfully... He sets a bag of sour candies on the desk as a thanks before slipping out of the room and heading back to Sinostra.

*Birthdays are stupid anyway, he thinks. Who needs a whole fucking day dedicated to them? Nobody. Not even the goddamn emperor. He doesn't say anything as Zero enters. Doesn't pause or acknowledge him save for a small huff at the kiss, cheeks tinging pink, hidden by the glow of lights against his face. Goodnight, idiot. I'm here if you need me. Your Overwatch stats aren't as shitty as before. Zero sleeps most of the day. Tomo lets him. He doesn't speak loudly or shout at the idiots in the stupid fucking matches, doesn't push him over to crawl into bed and sleep too, doesn't try to read his thoughts for clues on what's running through his brain. It's not his business. It's not his place to force and push. Happy birthday, idiot. Thanks for being here. For tolerating me. For all the other stupid shit you've done. For the lemon candy. For you. He doesn't say any of it out loud. He doesn't dare, because saying it aloud would make it too real. And he knows that's not what Zero needs right now. It's not until Zero closes the door and walks away that Tomo finally succumbs to sleep at his desk. He holds out long enough to win. Tie. It doesn't matter. His head hits the desk.* Happy birthday, Kōji. *He sleeps.*