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[ he almost chokes when she mentions biting back--a laugh that's nearly a cough, and he takes a moment to compose himself. A little huffing sound escaping him as he shakes his head. ]

I am, fortunately, a little hardier than I look. I can't throw a punch but I can take one. [ he aint afraid of no bite from -- ... anyway. ]

It'll take some getting used to, but. Hopefully, you'll adjust to it. ...I don't really mind the scent of blood though, it just makes me a little hungry sometimes. [ a tease of his own... before he's putting a hand on his chin. Looking down at the floor as she says... that. Considering her words, tossing them around in his head before he gives it a shake. Letting the easiest feelings come out first. ]

There's nothing to thank about any of this, Lapis. I'm letting you stay here because I want you to be here. Being alone after all that we saw isn't a good idea, for either of us.
...That aside. I said it before, didn't I.

That I like having you around.
You're a comfort, to me. [ his heartbeat--which is often so very quiet, feels rapid in his ears. He considers melting away into shadow for a moment-- but steels himself. ]

You're not a burden.
I want you here. ...Spending time with you has become my favorite part of waking up in the evenings.

[ The reaction gets a pleased little giggle from her, her usual soft smile a little more accented now that the fangs are there. It almost makes her tempted to hide her smile behind her hand, but... Well, he's already seen them, so there's nothing to hide. ]

Well, you already know I'm not too bothered when it comes to donating. [ A tease for a tease, before she blinks - watching as he seems to consider her words. She didn't say something strange, did she?

But as he speaks, Lapis finds herself strangely... blanking for a moment. This wasn't the response she was expecting, and she finds herself flustered once more. This is happening more and more around him, isn't it? She resists the urge to bite on her lip, lest she make herself bleed again, and absently rubs a hand against a burning cheek. ]

That's... [ She takes a deep breath, trying to ignore how red she must be right now. A hand rubs at her arm, an oddly nervous gesture, but she forces herself to keep her eyes on him. ]

It's the same for me as well. I like being with you, spending time with you makes me... happier than it does with anyone else. And you're always soothing to be around, it feels like my worries are so far away. [ She pauses, letting out something almost like a sheepish chuckle. ]

I guess I was worried about being a burden because I, ah... [ Aha. Ahahah. She's going to explode. ] I want to keep staying by your side.

[ she didn't say anything strange. Not that jinwoo thinks. He's just thinking a lot these past few days--and he'd had a lot on his mind back in that terrible dimension, too. funny how being faced with death just... made you think about the things you regretted, or didn't get to do.

Eizen and the others he'd watched die are alive again, sure, but it put that thought into his head: the life they led was dangerous. Both in the order, and the idea of escaping it--they had no idea what sort of things they might see in the future, what might come, what opportunities could be missed...

he lets out a sigh, touching the back of his neck with a hand. ]

...Then. If that's how you feel. There's no reason to feel like a burden, or anything like that.
I'm completely fine with it. [ fine with ... of course, it'll take a little more to get his point across.
He's going to move in, just a step more. Lift a hand, to touch his thumb against her cheek. Sliding it under one of her eyes, letting a sort of sheepish smile move across his face. ]

Because I feel the same way. The shadows are more comfortable with you being the one sharing them with me.

So.

Keep staying by my side. If you'd like. I'll continue making your heart light as you've made mine.

[ It's a thought process Lapis understands; there's been... a lot of mulling over the last few days. Regrets and what ifs that could've been left unsaid, if Eizen and Blade really did pass away. It's not something she wants to repeat. She's so... tired of squashing feelings away, as if they don't exist, no matter how terrifying or nerve-wrecking they may be.

She wants to be a person again, not something the Order used to spill blood. And after their conversation before, when they came back from the library, she has a chance at that. A chance he's helped open up for her.

So she deals with how brightly she's blushing, how it only burns all the more as he speaks and brushes his thumb against her cheek. She simply lets out a shaky breath and smiles, actually smiles, up at him. ]

Of course I'd like to. There's nothing else I want more.

[ But... Actions over words have always been her forte, and there's a certain spark in her eyes now as she reaches up - tugging gently on the collar of his shirt so he'll lean down. ]

[ she's definitely not the only one with colour in her cheeks. Being a vampire with low blood pressure, he cannot get as bright as her--but it's a noticable flush of colour around his normally very pale features. His fingers linger against her face as she reaches up to make him lean down, and he gives a little more: taking a step forward, moving so he can slide an arm around her waist.

Maybe it's a bit forward, but he's not thinking about that right now. His thoughts are on lapis, and the way his heart is beating in his ribcage. How holding her feels right; that he'd be lying to himself if he kept shying away from ...this. ]

Stay with me, then.
Regardless of what happens from this moment furthur.

We'll take care of one another. [ a quiet mumble, as his forehead presses against Lapis'. A small smile on his face. ] I'm usually used to ignoring my heart, you know.

[ Lapis desperately tries to ignore how her own heart speeds up as his arm wraps around her waist, her arms looping around his shoulders now as he leans down. This is almost... terrifying, in a way, being so open like this. But it's nice too, makes her feel giddy - makes it impossible to suppress her smile; warm and fond as she looks up at him. ]

Mmhm, we will. [ A soft sound escapes her, as his forehead presses to hers. Her voice softens as well, gentler than usual as she leans in just enough that her nose just brushes against his. ]

Then we're the same there. [ For so long she shut all her feelings down, but no. Not anymore. ] But I'm glad I was able to convince you otherwise. In case I didn't make it obvious, I really do like you a lot.

[ it's certainly a raw sort of 'being open', but. Honestly, after all they've been through in the last week--in the last few months, truth be told, compounded by the traumatizing experience that reminded both of them that life may be shorter than they realise--

It's easy to be open. Lapis makes it easy, he's thought to himself, more than once. Her playful but firm nature--the way she can be sweet but turn around and be the greatest pillar of strength he'd ever seen--

He's grown attached. Blindingly so. And for a man who's lived a third of his life in the dark, he'd be a fool to continue lying to himself that maybe he wants a little bit of that light in his life.
...Even if, funnily enough, that light draws the shadows around him more comfortably than should be natural. ]

Ha, I cannot tell if you're teasing me again, or saying you've made some sort of fool of me. [ he hums with a pleased sound at the back of his throat. A smile moving over his face. ]

But then again.
One does say that, when smitten, it is easy to be a fool, yeah?

[ Aaah, even seeing that smile is enough to make her heart skip a beat - his words pulling a soft huff from her, too gentle to be an actual chuckle. It's far too late now to deny just how much she likes him, and now that she's... admitting it, it's easier to embrace all the burning blushes and skipped heartbeats.

This shy, quiet man hounded by bad luck... Who is so much more than he thinks he is, a source of safety and comfort. Who gave her the push to finally look beyond what the Order laid out for her. How can she not be so enamored with him? ]

Hmm... Maybe a little bit of both. But that's true, so that would make us both smitten fools. [ She feels like one, all uncertain and filled with a giddy, nervous energy - ]

And if you don't tell me otherwise, this fool is probably going to kiss you soon. [ - But that still won't stop her blunt forwardness. ]

[ for all his world of bad luck and misfortune--it's this moment that strangely feels bereft of it. That shadow that clings to him somehow lying dormant to let him have this moment--to free him from some dumb happenstance that might have him tripping up his words or waiting for the ceiling to fall down above him.

He isn't subtle about his he brings his arm up to touch the side of her face, curling his thumb along the front of her earlobe; the other settled against her cheek. ]

I don't really see a reason to tell you 'otherwise'.
And...
Maybe I don't mind the idea of being kissed by a fool.

[ His tone is playful--because he's trying to cover up exactly how pink that blunt, very forward statement was making him. Even for someone like Jinwoo--a vampire, cool-skinned and pale--it's more than obvious.

He'll at least meet her halfway though--their foreheads already touching, it doesn't take more than a little shift to close the gap; letting his lips brush along hers with a very soft intake of breath. ]

[ Part of Lapis does wonder if his bad luck would strike; if something would fall or there would be a misstep somewhere. But maybe misfortune has turned a blind eye for once, giving them this moment after everything else they've been through - there can be dumb mishaps later.

For now, her attention is solely on Jinwoo; how pink he's turning despite being so pale, how cool his hand feels against her own burning skin. There's an unconscious lean into his hand, as it rests against her cheek; she's so used to how naturally cold he is that it's more soothing than anything else. ]

Oh? This fool is very glad to hear that.

[ Even though she's the one being forward, she can feel how the blush burns to the tips of her ears as he meets her halfway. There's a hitch of breath as his lips brush against hers, her heart feeling like it's skipped a beat or two, but all that does is push her to close the gap completely. Despite the giddy, nervous energy the press of her lips to his is firm and sure - the arms around his shoulders tightening that little bit more, as her fingers curl into the fabric of his shirt.

In this moment, she can forget what happened before and ignore what may come after. She just wants to focus on this, on him. ]

[ he's called her a fool, but. It's honestly him that's a fool. He'd always commented that being moved to Kaisou was the World's Worst Promotion, but yet, if he hadn't--he'd not have met Lapis. He'd not have gotten the chance to meet someone who's become more comfortable to have near him than shadow itself--someone who didn't fear his misfortune, and even embraced the shadows that seemed to cling to him.

Kaisou would never be a nightmarish assignment so long as he could count on Lapis being at his side.

With the gap closed, her own desire to meet him with a kiss; Jinwoo settles against her with a comfortable sound in his chest. Letting his eyes flutter closed as it goes from a chaste, unsure touch--to a full, certain press. Sealing her lips against his own as he lets it linger, for just a moment. Maybe two. ...three, into four.

He doesn't need to breathe, and yet he pulls away after the fifth--was it sixth moment?

He can't remember. Because the moment he pulls away from it, he repeats the action. ]

[ Her own eyes flutter closed as she leans into him, her heart still thudding a harsh rhythm in her chest. Now that she's close to him like this, there's... the very real danger that she'll find it hard to eventually pull herself away. She wants to stay like this, basking in his touch - showing how much she feels for him, when words tend to fail her.

She wonders if Jinwoo would believe her, if she tells him meeting him here was one of the luckiest things to happen to her. No matter what may come their way next, she knows she'll be happy so long as she's by his side. And if she can't properly put it into words, she can at least show it.

There's a moment where she catches her breath when he pulls away, though if she was going to attempt to say something it's swiftly forgotten when he leans back in. A soft sound escapes her as she returns the kiss with no hesitation, more than content to let it linger. But unlike him, she does need to breathe, and eventually it becomes a little harder to ignore that.

The moments blur together, but with great reluctance she forces herself to pull back to catch her breath again; her voice a breathless whisper when she's actually able to put words together again. ]

L-let me... catch my breath a little...

[ it's easy to forget to breathe when you don't actually need to. Or, at least, need to a whole lot less than other humans. Learning new things about this 'vampire' thing was certainly ...interesting.

He stops when Lapis asks for a moment and he looks embarrassed, momentarily--a little chuckle escaping out of his nose as he definitely did not realise he'd been pressing quite so much to steal her breath quite so much. ]

--Sorry. Sorry, I. Forgot. [ forgot whAT ] I wasn't thinking. Are you okay? You--

[ he laughs again. quiet, breathless. ]

I've been wanting to do that for a while.

[ There's a breathless chuckle from her as well, shaking her head a little when he tries to apologize. ]

It's fine, I'm fine... [ - Ah.

Hearing that though, it's enough to make her fluster all over again. Even though she said to give her a moment, she's the one who leans back in to press her lips to his. She only lets it linger for a moment, before she pulls back to leave a few quick, light kisses along his jaw and then press her forehead to his once more. ]

So have I. But now we can do that as much as we want.

I'm going to take you up on that.

[ he murmurs, with a sort of soft chuckle that escapes out of his nose, letting his forehead rest against hers for the moment as he lets his eyes flutter shut. Just enjoying being close to her, a thumb dancing down along her cheek as he shifts his head a little--back and fourth, just once. Brushing his lips along her bottom lip as he contemplates. ]

'As much as we want,' mm.
That's a dangerous suggestion to make.

[ Her eyes flutter closed as well as she bumps her forehead against his once more, an affectionate nuzzle. She... really could spend far too long like this, basking in his presence and touch. And soon there's a shift of her arms as a hand moves to curl around his nape, fingers gently tracing over the skin. ]

Hmmm? [ The hum is low and soft, all faux innocence as she leans into the thumb trailing along her cheek. There's a gentle catch of her breath as his lips brush against her own, before she closes the distance in a very fleeting kiss. ]

Now why would you say that? I happen to like my suggestion.

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