sholmes catchall

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[greatdeduction]

...

[He's...flustered? Surprised?]

Come again?

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I mentioned how I get a feeling for the worlds, right? Part of the feeling for this one was ... whimsical. It made me think of you.

[ He drops his head, just resting the top of it against Sholmes. He wants to die of embarrassment at this admission. The guy has it bad. ]

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[Oh.]

[Oh my goodness. ]

[He's actually silent for a good moment, but the flustered feelings grow in intensity.]

I...I see.

[Wow. Wow. He's just going to stroke the top of the other's head, trying to ignore the warmth in his cheeks.]

That's very touching for you to do. I must admit, I am taken aback.

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[ They're both flustered messes and it's probably feeding back onto each other. ]

It's fitting this world would feel pretty refreshing after the last two.

[ Kotetsu stop. This is so embarrassing. ]

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[hey what the heck]

Kotetsu.

[Just smacking him on the shoulder sTOPPPPPP THIS FLUSTERED FEEDBACK LOOP LIKE HE LOVES PRAISE BUT THIS IS SO PERSONAL WHAT THE HECK!!!]

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[ This is terrible and yet it makes him feel this strange giddiness and he can't help but laugh at how he's feeling. How they're both feeling. ]

Yes, Sholmes...?

[ HE ASKS LIKE HE DOESN'T KNOW. But lifts his head to look back up at him, cheeks a little flushed. ]

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[Yeah, his cheeks are definitely red as well. KOTETSU YOU SILLY STUPID DAD.]

[He clears his throat.]

My dear sir, I am ever used to things being done in my name, as befitting a genius of logic and reasoning such as myself, but I do think this is the first time I've heard someone choosing to go to a whole world because of me.

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What can I say? I'm kind of sentimental.

[ Sir, this is more than kind of. But he hugs his waist even more. ]

You helped save my life and my sanity. It seemed fitting.

[ He's embarrassed, but there is such a strong warmth behind those words. ]

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[Yeah this is DEFINITELY more than "kind of sentimental".]

...Well, you did your part, too. But I will thank you for your incredibly kind words.

[He tucks some hair behind an ear.]

It means a lot for me to hear such a thing. I feel more than honored.

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It was comforting, having you there. Even if I know it was hard for you. Sorry to worry you like that.

[ There's definitely an apologetic thread in his emotions, being sincerely sorry that had to happen at all.

And he's tugging a bit more at Sholmes. If he were fully healed and okay, he probably would have just been more pushy and a little shit and dragged him down. But he's trying to behave not to damage himself further. Join on bed, please. ]

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You should never apologize for that.

[He rests a hand on his head. Maybe a few days ago, he would have simply pulled away. There is a pause, here, as if he wants to reconsider it, but...no.]

[With a low amused noise, he moves along with the tugging to join the man on the bed, his hands never leaving the other.]

[Hesitance was here, but...now he just wants to sit and bask in this warmth for now.]

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If you insist.

[ This isn't something he would have even attempted a few days ago and he shifts to get settled in comfortably laying next to him. He's about to lean in to kiss when he bumps a shard that was left there by mistake?

Wait, who is that hussy? ]

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...

[Hey, what was that?]

[He blinks.]

..........Why was I there?

[THAT WAS NOT YOU]

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[ At that reaction, he just bursts out laughing so hard. He can't help it. That is so cute and endearing and he's so enamored by that reaction that he can't help it, he leans forward to give him a very quick smooch. ]

That was Bunny... Er, Barnaby. My hero partner at home.

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[NO SMOOCHING SIR THIS IS SERIOUS]

Your...hero partner...?

[wait. he's grasping the other's shoulders, panic coming over the bond]

Y-You aren't dead, are you?

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[ Oh, oh. Oops, he didn't think about that.

He feels that fear swelling and tries to send back reassuring feelings as fast as possible. ]

Oh, no, no. I'm okay. I only passed out from the pain. This was a while ago.

[ He brings his hand up to rest on Sholmes' cheek, trying to help sooth his worries. ]

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...

[yeah binch DON'T MAKE HIM WATCH YOU DO DEATH SPEECHES]

Oh, thank goodness. I'm not fragile by any means, but I don't need you giving me a heart attack.

[A sigh.]

...He seemed rather attached to you, your partner.

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[ He didn't pick the memory! He does look apologetic, though. But ah, that. ]

We've had a pretty close on and off partnership. We couldn't stand each other when we first met.

[ There does seem to be some fondness coming off of that, some attachment on his own end. But it feels different to what he's shown Sholmes. It's strong, but... different. There's obvious trust and warmth.

Sorry, Sholmes. ]

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[Ah.]

[Well, now.]

[He expected the wife. But to know that Kotetsu has someone else in his life outside of that...]

[There's maybe a vague feeling of envy, but honestly, he's just sort of taking this in. He's silent for a moment, before he smiles.]

I suppose I'm not the only one to reap the rewards of partnership.

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[ There's a bit of a wry look at that. And then he shifts closer, tossing the shard aside so it won't trigger anything else again and presses his forehead against Sholmes'. ]

Maybe... Barnaby is important to me, but ...

[ He shakes his head a little. There's some complicated feelings in there. Nothing exactly negative, but conflicted. ]

We've both walked away from it before for different reasons.

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...Oh?

[Curiosity comes forward again as he stares at Kotetsu. So...even more similar to his own situation, then.]

What happened?

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It's kind of a complicated story, but there were some upsets with the hero business and my partner found out who killed his parents, he needed time off.

[ Yeah, there's that murder plot he mentioned before. ]

I took that time to go work off the mainstage. We hadn't spoken in about a year before he showed back up. We fell into working together again until he was invited back to the mainstage. They used me to get him to sign up, but I... went along with it.

I thought it was better for him to take on a new partnership versus being stuck with a declining hero. He ended up hitting it off pretty well with the new guy. But in the end, the guy ended up leaving to fly solo and we started working together again.

[ This drama? ]

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...

[wow]

[the gay drama of it all]

That's...well. That is certainly very complicated. All this sponsorship and all does make for some...twists and turns in this superhero "business", doesn't it.

[A nod.]

The life of a superhero sounds like quite the burden, outside of helping the populace.

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When you're fighting for points and viewership for the sponsors... Yeah, it can get a messy. I figured when Ryan came along, it was a good excuse for me to stay out of it. Barnaby cared a lot about the points and he was good at getting the views.

An aging tiger like me needed to consider what was best for him and I could spend more time with my daughter.

[ There's a bit of remorse in the thread? This was one of his minor "heroic sacrifices" that he made. Putting someone else before himself and stepping back. He's learned from this, which is why he didn't want to just walk away from Sholmes like he could have easily done before.

The confidence he has flickers some. Confidence in his choice? In what he was doing? In his heroism? Sure, it worked out in the end, but that still happened. It was a sore spot. It's nothing severe, but there's still a taste of that feeling. ]

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"Aging", oh, listen to yourself. You make it sound like you're verging on turning eighty. I know for a fact you're a solid sixty years old.

[It's obviously said to tease - this is no Bertolt situation.]

And come now, what happened, happened. [He reaches up to pat through Kotetsu's hair, reassuring.] This no place here for regrets, alright?