[log] Beauty and the Sea God
Who: Hirakoba Rin and Kurobane Harukaze
When: Late night Tuesday 6th/Early morning Wednesday 7th
Where: Bane’s place
Summary: Seashells, Dogs, and a Family Secret
Warning/Rating: PG-13 (Bane can’t seem to keep his clothes on; mentions of animal abuse)
Player Comments: A bit of a history lesson on Bane and his dogs and the reason he doesn’t use his first name.
Comments/Crits Allowed: Y
Rin stared at the dark house in front of him as he tried to adjust the… interesting top he was wearing. If two seashells could even be called a top at all. He’d never realized how uncomfortable shells could be before... and how hard they were to accessorize. The grass skirt had really been his best option, and Rin was just praying that no one else ever found out about this little stunt of his. But he’d promised Bane a worshipper wearing seashells, and he was going to get it!
Of course, Bane had also promised that his door would be open at any time, and… there was no sign of Bane anywhere. Rin leaned back to study the house again. He didn’t want to knock too loudly and wake up Bane’s parents, but… maybe if he could identify Bane’s window… either he’d be doing the stereotypical throwing of pebbles, or he’d just crawl in and surprise Bane that way. Hopefully. Rin still wasn’t sure just how to handle this.
Bane dragged a hand through his hair before shaking his head quickly, a spray of water flying in every direction. It was a good thing it wasn't exactly a cold night, else walking back home from the beach while still soaking wet would've been a damn sight more uncomfortable. White swimming trunks - now almost completely see-through thanks to the water - and his surfboard tucked under his right arm were all he had, having found it too troublesome to try and take a towel with him down to the beach whenever he went night surfing now.
He'd developed a routine for his favourite hobby now, leaving the house not long after dinner and not returning until well after everyone else in the neighbourhood was asleep. Not that he really minded. It gave him a chance to have some quiet, alone time. Time to think without having to worry about being interrupted. Tonight was different, though. Something wasn't right. And as he came up to the pathway from the beach and neared his house, he figured out what it was.
Someone was on his doorstep. Someone blond. Someone in odd clothing. Was it someone drunk? No, they didn't seem to be. Then what? Unless...
"Rin?"
So lost in thought he’d been, contemplating the house in front of him, that Rin literally jumped almost out of his seashells when he heard the voice behind him. “That would be me~” Well aware that he looked patently ridiculous, Rin turned around, having recognized the voice. “I forgot you go out at night. I was starting…to wonder….”
He couldn’t help the way he trailed off when he got a good look at Bane. Under the moon, reflecting the water still beading and trailing down his skin, and those shorts…. Rin made himself look away before he could really contemplate what he could hazily see under them. “Well~ You really are a sea god, aren’t you, Bane~?”
The final comment made Bane grin, though he gave no reply to it. "Starting to wonder what?" he asked as he walked closer to the blond and stood right in front of him. He took a moment to look Rin over from head to toe, nodding slowly in approval as he took in the entire get-up. "Only you could pull this off," He commented with the same grin.
Bane then stepped away with only a gesture with his to head to Rin, instructing him to follow. He walked down the side of the house and into the backyard, leaning his surf board up against the large fence that penned the area in. The back door was wide open, two of Bane's three dogs lying on the grass while the third sat in the door way like a guard. "So what brings you to Chiba at such an hour?"
“Starting to wonder how I’d get your attention without making your entire family think the crazy person was out to rob them blind or something~” Rin flushed a little as Bane gave him the once-over, and he just hoped it was dark enough to hide it. “I look ridiculous, admit it. I sure can~!” At least, the grass skirt did. The seashells…Rin could learn to like that particular look, if only for the endless amount of amusement that people’s reactions to it could give him.
“Well…you know, I was just in the neighborhood and decided to drop in~” Partly true, even, since Aragaki wasn’t too terribly far away, even if he had no clue his senpai was dressed like that…and probably wouldn’t want to know, either. He eyed the dogs with a bit of a wary eye. “Ummm, they don’t attack on sight, do they?”
"Who? These guys?" Bane almost laughed, but caught himself. "No way~ They're trained to be around kids. Well... Jak and Daxter are, at least. I'm still training Shindo." He crouched down and whistled, calling over the smallest of the dogs from his sitting place in the doorway. He spent a few minutes fussing over the puppy, scratching behind his ears and giving him a belly rub when he rolled over onto his back, before straightening back up again.
"So just passing through, huh?" He made his way towards the actual structure of the house and to where a showerhead was mounted on the wall. Bane turned the water on and spent a short minute under the cold spray, washing himself clean of the salty sea water, before turning the water off again and grabbing a towel from just inside the backdoor. "You wanna come in?"
Rin couldn’t help chuckling at the dog names. “Mmmm, you know? Sometimes it’s alright to put down the game controllers~ No one will hate you for that.” He found himself petting one of the dogs that came trotting over to him while Bane showered off…he knew what a relief it could be to rinse off the salt, even with as much as loved the ocean himself. And it was very rude to watch someone shower if you weren’t actively lusting after them, too.
“Mmm, sure I’ll come in, unless you want to keep sharing the seashells with the rest of the world~” Rin walked over to stand next to Bane. “Will I get to see the abode of the sea god with my own eyes~?”
Bane pouted as best he could with a towel draped over his head, drying his hair. "My brother named them," he said. Sure, he had been the one to suggest to Yoshiaki that he should choose names that he liked, fully aware of the sort of games the kid was interested in at the time. "Jak and Daxter are family dogs, anyway. Shindo's the only who's actually mine."
Once he was finished toweling himself off, Bane stripped off his swimming shorts with relative ease - considering how much wet material liked to stick to skin - and then wrapped the towel securely around his waist. "Of course~" He said, hanging his shorts over one of the wires on the washing line. "You can even try some of my mom's cake~" He was feeling a bit hungry after being out surfing so long.
“Did you have to do that~?” Rin laughed as Bane just…stripped down right then and there. Sure, the towel was on just as fast, but Rin had enough time to register an extremely attractive ass before it was covered again. Not that it really mattered, since Rin himself was one to strip naked whenever, usually on the beach. Body shy he wasn’t. “Mmmm, I’m sure your mom’s cake is amazing, but I’ll pass~ Not that hungry, thanks~”
"I'm sorry, did you not get a good enough look~?" Bane said with a quiet laugh and a grin before stepping inside, the two larger dogs bounding inside after him while the smaller waited until Bane called his name before heading inside as well. Bane headed into the kitchen, filling three of the dog bowls with kibble before topping up the water level in the larger fourth bowl. "Need to remind mom to buy more dog treats... No, you aren't getting any. Greedy guts." One of the golden retrievers had paused to lift his head at the sound of treats but whimpered and returned to the biscuits in his bowl. Shaking his head, Bane chuckled softly before turning to sorting out his own stomach. "You sure you don't want any?" He asked, pulling out an airtight container from one of the cupboards.
“Mmm, actually no, I didn’t~” Rin joked, leaning back against the counter and watching Bane. “I’d rather my closer look was in better light, though, so I can thoroughly study your magnificence, maybe even draw it so I can keep it close to me forever~” He was chuckling at the antics of the dogs, and so almost missed Bane’s next question. “Hmmm? Yeah, I’m sure.” He smiled a bit wryly at Bane. “My stomach hasn’t quite recovered from nerves yet, and neither has my appetite~”
Bane cut himself a slice of the cake and placed on the countertop before putting the lid back on the container and putting it away again. He returned to his slice just in time to lightly swat at a nose that was inching towards it, planning to steal it. "Daxter," he scolded, lightly pushing the dog's head out of the way before looking at Rin. "I can think of a few people who might not be exactly... fond of you drawing me naked," Bane said before taking a large bite of the cake. "C'mon. M' 'ooms 'is way." Seems no one ever taught Bane not to talk with his mouth full.
“A fewm hmmm~? Got names for me, O Sexy Beach God?” Rin grinned as he he followed Bane, years with Tanishi and Kai making Rin an expert in that kind of speech. “And besides, I’m an artist~ Do you know how many naked bodies I’ve drawn over the past few years~?” He paused. “Actually, I’ve been the naked body a few times, too~ My turn’s coming up again soon, now that I think about it….”
"Well, my parents, for one," Bane said once he had devoured the rest of the slice of cake, licking crumbs from his fingers as he pushed the door of his room open and hit the light switch. A bookshelf full of books was pushed up against one wall, three surfboards propped against the wall next to it and a set of dresser drawers beside those. A pile of (probably) dirty washing was starting to build up by the door of his wardrobe. The desk was covered with school books and loose pieces of paper, and posters a varying content - mostly surfers and the occasional personal photo - covered the walls.
He opened his mouth to say something further, but stopped when he heard the faint sound of someone screaming in pain. He sighed. "Excuse me for a moment," he said with a slight smile before pushing open the door of the bedroom across the hall from his own. The main light was out, but the room was filled with a pale glow from the television.
"Yoshiaki, sleep."
"Save point."
"Sleep."
"Save point!"
"Sleep."
"....Sleeping." A click and the room went dark. "G'night, aniki."
"Good night, 'Shiaki." Brothers.
Rin chuckled, listening to that byplay as he curiously looked at Bane’s walls. It was weird, like he was in the room of any of his friends back home with all the surfing imagery scattered around the room. Never one to stand on ceremony. Rin took a seat on the edge of Bane’s bed and fell onto his back, staring up at the ceiling, pausing adjust one of his seashells. “How in the world do mermaids put up with this?” he muttered.
Once he was sure his brother was going to go to sleep and stay asleep, Bane finally left the room and closed the door behind him. He knew it was a little hypocritical of him to scold his brother for staying up all night, but he tried to pay it no mind. It wasn't his fault he had gotten a visitor and it wasn't in his nature to turn people away. Stretching his arms in front of him, he stepped into his room. "I was gonna say make yourself at home," he said, slightly amused. "But I guess you already have~"
“Oh, I haven’t made myself completely at home~” Rin smiled up at Bane. “I’m still dressed, I haven’t started going through your drawers, nor have I started drawing on the ceiling~ So I’d say that you’re coming out ahead on this deal~” He rolled from his back to his stomach, glad that he was wearing his speedo under the grass skirt, otherwise that could’ve been embarrassing. “Unless you want me pawing through your panties~?” he teased.
"If you wanted a pair of my boxers to take home as a souvenir, you only had to ask, Rin~" Bane pulled open one of his dresser drawers, dropping the towel from his waist and pulling on a pair of boxers before closing the drawer again. "Though you may want to be careful," He added as he hung the towel over the top of his door. "The dogs are coming." As if on cue, two black noses poked in through the doorway before the pair of dogs ran and jumped onto the bed, uncaring of the fact that Rin was already occupying it.
“Mmmm…souvenir, or part of my shrine to Bane, Sea God Extraordinaire~? I guess you’ll never know~” This time, Rin wanted, completely unashamed as Bane pulled on his boxers. “Lovely proportions, by the way~” he added, licking his lips. “I have to convince you to do some nude modeling for me sometime~” He wasn’t even phased by the dogs jumping up onto the bed, one of them jumping on him for a moment. “That’s nothing, compared to having Hiroshi launch himself onto me~”
"I bet," Bane said with a quiet laugh, sitting down on the edge of the bed and leaning forward to tap the floor with his fingertips. "Come on, Shindo. Silly thing." The black puppy finally snuck in through the doorway, hunched in on himself as he walked as though he was trying to make himself seem smaller. "I can't help but think his last owner was cruel to him, the way he's so shy and withdrawn..." His tone as he picked up the dog sounded worried, laced with a touch of bitterness.
“I hate people sometimes.” It was a surprisingly bitter statement for someone like Rin to make, but looking at the puppy, he really meant it. “To even think of hurting an animal….” It wasn’t something that he could condone on any level. “Sometimes….” He sighed. “Well, at least the cutie has a good home now.”
Bane nodded, managing a smile as he hugged his arms loosely around Shindo before letting him walk off his lap and properly onto the bed. "Jak and Daxter are rescued dogs as well," he said, reaching back to pat the top of the nearest dog's head. "Jak here was found under his mom... And Daxter was chained to a pole without food or water... They weren't even a year old. I was ten when we adopted them, and I had to fight to keep Daxter because he was so violent." He still had faint scars from the dog, none really noticeable unless you were looking for them.
“Oh dear god….” If Rin ever came across someone who was doing that to an animal now…he’d probably kill them. No questions asked. “They seem pretty well-adjusted now, anyway~” He reached out and started petting the nearest dog, smiling at the feel of fur under his fingers…he’d always loved furry animals, but was never able to have one. “You guys did good~”
"If you told anyone eight years ago that these two dogs were going to be lifeguards and babysitters, they probably would've laughed at you," Bane gave the dogs a soft push so he had room to swing his legs onto the bed. Shindo crawled into his lap and onto his stomach, pawing at his chest. "I didn't want to give up on them... They were just neglected kids, like the ones I help now... Dad understood that and showed me how to look after them, even after Daxter put him in hospital." He gave a short laugh. "Sorry... I could talk about these guys all day."
“Put him in the hospital?” Rin raised an eyebrow at that, but he didn’t pursue the topic, figuring it was none of his business, not really. “Well, no one’s stopping you from going on about them~” he pointed out cheerfully. “Though, considering that it’s the middle of the night, I don’t think you can’t talk about them all day~” Very helpful, Rin was. “It’s clear that you care a lot about them, and that’s sweet. Nothing wrong with being an animal lover~”
Bane just shrugged. "Daxter put us both in hospital," He explained, leaning forward and moving his hair to reveal a long scar on the back of his head. "That was the second time I had to fight to keep him. I even threatened to run away with him." The memory brought a small grin to his face as he sat back again, slowly petting Shindo. "Kids, animals... It doesn't matter what they are, they all deserve help and I want to provide it for them."
“Ouch….” Rin winced a little when he saw the scar. “I give you credit for fighting to keep him, then~ I know some people would’ve been scarred for life and terrified of dogs after that.” Like Chinen had been, for example. “You’d adopt the world, if you could, wouldn’t you?”
"I so would~" Bane's grin widened before he breathed out slowly and let his head loll to the side, glancing at Rin. "So how have you been, beauty? It's been a while."
“Yeah, it has been.” Rin closed his eyes, thinking. “Not too much~ Training, always training. Beating the crap out of some people who screwed with my Bunny~ Had my art thing in Kyoto…I swear, it was just like tennis Nationals, only in suits and a ton cattier~” He chuckled. “But it was still a great weekend, all the same. How about you, sea god~?”
"Been busy," Bane closed his eyes, laying his head down, counting them off on his fingers. "Tennis training, surfing training, dog training, school, vice-captain duties, friend issues, family issues." Even Bane was surprised that he hadn't collapsed.
“Mmm, that reminds me. About that meme~” Rin opened one eye to look at Bane. “Putting aside our secret not-crushes on each other…what is it that you wish you could tell me?” Rin had actually been concerned about that ever since he had read it, to the point that he’d been thinking about it when he should’ve been thinking about other things. “It seemed to be…ummm…serious? Well, weighing on your mind, anyway.”
Bane's eyes opened slightly, looking at the dog curling up on his stomach. He looked deep in thought, considering whether or not he should tell Rin what was weighing on his mind or not. It wasn't something he had ever talked about outside of his family and even in his family, the subject was only brought up when it was unavoidable. "Did you know... even my parents call me Bane?" he said quietly.
Rin sat up, blinking at that. “No…I didn’t know,” he said slowly. “I mean…well, Bane comes from your family name, right? Wouldn’t your parents, your family, call you by your given name?” It made sense to Rin, but then, he was also one who didn’t stand on formality, anyway, and didn’t let anyone do it to him. “I…how does that make you feel?” He reached out and laid a hand on Bane’s knee, looking at him with a serious expression.
"I prefer it," Bane propped himself up on his elbows, still not taking his eyes off Shindo. "I don't answer to... to my first name." He couldn't even bring himself to say it. It was like Voldemort in the Harry Potter series. It just wasn't said.
Alright…that was a bit weird. “I don’t even think I know your first name…now I know why.” Rin tilted his head to the side and looked at Bane curiously. “Can I ask why you don’t like it? I mean, there’s usually a reason for these things…”
Bane cast a short glance at Rin before looking away again. One hand began slowly patting the top of Shindo's head again in silence before he finally made a decision. "I know I can trust you," He said quietly. "But... this is something no one outside my family knows... not even Davide or Ryou or Sae."
“Then it might be easier to tell me.” Rin’s voice was equally quiet. “Sometimes, it’s the people who are closest to us that are the hardest to talk to. And I promise I won’t tell another soul. No one.” Because Rin didn’t tell people’s secrets…secrets came to him to die, not be turned into gossip.
"I know you won't...." If Bane had any doubts about what Rin would do with any information then he wouldn't even consider telling him anything. "My dad has an older sister who married young - this is long before I was born, mind you - and it wasn't until after the wedding that my aunty decided to tell everyone that he was a well-to-do businessman known in Tokyo for his charitable personality. He was the perfect man and, when they had their first kid a year after getting married, he turned out to be the perfect father. So perfect that when I was born a year after Kenta, my parents decided to name me after my aunty's husband in hopes I would grow up to be just like him."
“Well.” Rin shook his head. “That’s…a pretty crappy reason to name a child. Hoping they’ll be someone else, and not their own person.” He considered Bane carefully, then moved to sit up next to him, leaning back against the wall. “And I doubt he was perfect. No one ever is, no matter how much they might look it.”
"He wasn't... He was far from it," Bane sighed and leaned against Rin slightly, closing his eyes. "He was a nightmare... I was five when they finally noticed though..." His fingers curled into a fist, resting on top of Shindo's back, his knuckles turning white. "Kidnapping... sexual abuse, domestic abuse over six years in Chiba and Tokyo..." His tone was slowly getting more and more bitter and his eyes - now open again - were harsh and glaring at nothing in particular. "And they only gave him twenty-four years for one case of kidnapping and they're giving him a parole hearing... I won't let them let him go. I grew up with kids he hurt and it still affects some of them badly. I won't let him hurt anyone else..." There was a loud bang as Bane's fist suddenly connected with wall.
Rin felt his stomach sinking more and more as Bane spoke, and when he punched the wall, Rin could hardly blame him for it. He’d have been punching something himself, if he had been in his place…he wanted to punch something, hearing that, preferably the asshole who had done that! He shifted, though, wrapping his arms around Bane and holding his friend against him. “And that’s why you’re so protective of your kids,” he murmured. “And you should be…I mean…it’s….” He pressed his face in Bane’s hair. “Were…were you one of those kids?”
Bane let himself lean into Rin, closing his eyes and trying to calm himself back down. Talking about it always got him so worked up. He hated it. He hated it almost as much as he hated that man. "I wasn't," he said quietly. "I saw him take one boy... but I was barely three. I didn't understand it until one kid finally spoke up."
Inside, Rin said a silent prayer of thanks for that…not that it was better that someone else had suffered that, but it was one less scar that Bane had to work on healing. “There’s a special kind of hell for those people, I think,” he said after a minute. “The kind that preys on children and uses them for their sick purposes. A kind of hell like we can’t give them on Earth, and I understand capital punishment for that reason…because nothing we do can meet what they’ll get after.” His hold on Bane tightened. “Meanwhile, you’re here, doing such good work with your kids and helping people to heal from their own scars, and you’re fucking amazing. You have more power than any creep.”
"I don't think even hell will take them in," Bane muttered, the bitter tone yet to leave his voice. The dogs had all finally settled back down, having been startled by the punch to the wall. They were closer now, as well, all too used to being around for Bane's fits of anger whenever he talked about this sort of thing. He was just glad his parents hadn't stirred from the sound, his brother, either. He knew his mom wouldn't be too worried that he had friend over. She might raise an eyebrow at Rin's attire though... "I just... want to do something for these kids... That man... I was named with him in mind... And I always get so scared that I really will turn out like him... It's not... my name."
“You couldn’t.” Rin’s voice was full of conviction. “You could never be someone like that. And a name can’t turn you into that. You’re so much more than that, Bane. On so many levels, you’re so much more than that! And you’re going to be such an amazing man, and I know that you never have to worry about being anyone other than who you are.” Rin shifted and grasped Bane’s chin gently, making Bane meet his eyes. “You weren’t named with him in mind. Not the real him. You were named for the idealized version of him. And maybe it worked, because that’s who you are. A wonderful, amazing, warm, giving, caring man who couldn’t be a better person for those kids to have in their lives.”
Bane didn't say anything for a moment, just held Rin's gaze in silence before finally letting a slightly smile stretch across his lips. He broke the eye contact, letting his head drop to press against the blond's shoulder. "Yeah... Yeah, you're right," he said quietly. Then the head lifted again, and the mood was changed. It was brighter; happier; normal. "Not bad for a blond beauty in seashells~"
Rin couldn’t help chuckling some at that. “Well, even us dumb blonds have our moments~” he chirped. “It’s that empty-headed zen thing, I guess~” He glanced down at the seashells and flushed a little. “Well…I did promise you the seashells, and it’s very rude to promise something to a god and not deliver~” Rin paused for a moment. “Though I wish I had stuck to jeans, really….”
Bane grinned and gave a soft laugh, lifting one of the seashells and peeking beneath it. "Not a bad fit~" He commented before freeing himself from beneath his dogs - Shindo on his lap and Daxter on his legs - and standing. "I may have something for you." He crouched down in front of his clothes drawers and pulled the bottom drawer open. After a few moments of digging, he stood and threw a pair of shorts Rin's way. "Try those. You're about the same size as Sae so those should fit."
“Fresh~!” Rin was laughing, though, as he caught the shorts. “Like there’s anything to see under there, anyway…I’m rather flat-chested, probably much to my boyfriend’s dismay~” He unfastened the seashells-they were starting to itch a bit-and untied the grass skirt, so he could step into the shorts. “Mmmm…definitely much better than a skirt~ Thank you, my sea god~”
"I'm sure he can't be too worried about what's flat and what's not if he's still your boyfriend," Bane said, leaning against the drawers and watching him. "What sort of god would I be if I wasn't prepared for situations like these? Did you want a shirt as well?"
“Nah~ I’ve spent half my life shirtless after all. And I don’t have anything you haven’t seen before~” Rin winked at Bane playfully. “To be honest? I’m not body shy and I have no sense of modestly. I’d be just as comfortable lounging around your room naked as I would be fully clothed. It wouldn’t matter to me, but it does to a lot of other people.”
Bane grinned and moved to scratch behind Daxter's ears softly. "Just like Sae then," he said. "I'm not a fan of wearing shirts unless I really have to. They're so uncomfortable and restricting."
“Aren’t they just~?” Rin nodded in agreement, settling back on the bed again. “It’s more those pesky laws that have me putting shirts on at all. Left to my own devices…nah. Or if I’m cold. Then the layers go on.”
Bane nodded. "Only if it's really cold," he said. "I don't know if I'll be needing to take more than one shirt when I go to Okinawa."
Rin considered that. “Well, I think it can get chilly there, come January, February.” Of course, Rin probably had a different definition for what counted as “chilly”…he’d been told it was rather skewed. “I’d bring three shirts, just in case. Short sleeves, long sleeves, and something you’d wear if taken out for a date.”
Bane blinked. "Date?" He looked at Rin and frowned in confusion.
“Yes, a date~” Rin shook his head. “People go on them sometimes…sometimes they end with a hug, a kiss, or even sex. You might get asked on one, or you may decide to ask someone out…you never know~”
"I know what a date is, Rin," Bane deadpanned and poked the blond's forehead. "I'm going there to surf. So I can be like him." A hand lifted to point to a poster by his spare surfboards. "So I can be a champion like Susu."
Rin shifted up to capture that poking finger between his teeth, nipping playfully. “Mmmm…I see~ And the only thing you’re missing, by the way, is a big heart around that poster with ‘Susu + Bane 4-EVER’ scrawled in lipstick~”
Bane swatted Rin upside the back of the head, but looked the other way in an attempt to hide the slight flush on his cheeks. "I'm not a girl, Rin," he mumbled.
“Mmmm, no you are very much not a girl~” Rin’s eyes slid over Bane’s form appreciatively. “Definitely not a girl…hey, big boy, why don’t you come over here and flex for me some, hmmm~?” He sprawled back on Bane’s bed and tried his best to look inviting.
"If I wasn't scared your boyfriend would kill me, I'd be all over you by now~" Bane said with a grin before shoving at the two larger dogs. "Move your fat asses. You take up too much room."
“Who says he’d have to know~?” Rin managed about thirty more seconds of pure seductiveness before dissolving into laughter. “How do you manage to sleep in this bed on a normal basis~?”
Bane grinned and rolled his eyes, pushing at Rin's side. "Under a pile of dogs, normally," he said, beckoning Shindo back over. "Or I ditch the bed altogether and sleep in the lounge... and they all use me as a pillow."
Rin moved over just enough so that Bane could get onto the bed again. “Sounds comfy, the lucky dogs~ Do I rate a Bane pillow~?” Not that anything would be as comfortable as his Tanishi pillow, but a Bane pillow would be a close second.
"Well, I don't see why not~" Bane grinned, laying down and lifting the arm closest to Rin. He slid it under the blond's head and around his shoulders to create a nook for him to lean in.
“Mmmm~” Rin took the invitation gladly and snuggled into Bane. “You smell like home….” The faint sent of salt water still clung to Bane, and it was one of the most comforting scents that Rin could think of. “Plus, you’re warm. A most excellent pillow~” Strong, solid, smelling like the ocean…yeah, that was perfection, alright~
Bane smiled, lifting his hand to run it through Rin's hair slowly. "I take it that means you're just going to crash here, then?" He asked, shifting them both over a bit when Shindo decided he wanted some attention too.
Sadly, Rin had to reach up and remove Bane’s hand from his hair, even if it did feel good. “Sorry…you may be my sea god, but only one person is allowed that particular privilege~” Basically because it felt too good when the right people, played with his hair, and Bane could definitely be a “right person”. “If you’d rather, I can go…trains might still be running, or I could go throw myself on Kou-chan’s mercy.”
"All good~" Bane said, simply letting his hand rest on the bed beside the blond. "You can stay if you want~ But if you're still here when mom gets up, expect to be fed. Lots." His mom always had a habit of making too much food and complaining when her sons didn't eat it all.
“Then I better sneak out before breakfast, right~?” Rin was more than used to disappointing mother with how he ate-his own and Tanishi’s both came to mind-but that was somehow different. “Nationals really took a toll on my stomach, and it’s still not handling much.”
"Well, I go for a run before mom gets up every morning," Bane stretched then settled back in, closing his eyes. "I can take you to the train station then if you want."
“As long as you wake me up~” Rin didn’t try to argue the waking him up thing; he didn’t think it was worth the effort to. Instead, he just snuggled closer to Bane’s warmth, his own eyes closing. “Mmmm…pleasant dreams, Bane….”
"Mmhm.. You too, Rin."
When: Late night Tuesday 6th/Early morning Wednesday 7th
Where: Bane’s place
Summary: Seashells, Dogs, and a Family Secret
Warning/Rating: PG-13 (Bane can’t seem to keep his clothes on; mentions of animal abuse)
Player Comments: A bit of a history lesson on Bane and his dogs and the reason he doesn’t use his first name.
Comments/Crits Allowed: Y
Rin stared at the dark house in front of him as he tried to adjust the… interesting top he was wearing. If two seashells could even be called a top at all. He’d never realized how uncomfortable shells could be before... and how hard they were to accessorize. The grass skirt had really been his best option, and Rin was just praying that no one else ever found out about this little stunt of his. But he’d promised Bane a worshipper wearing seashells, and he was going to get it!
Of course, Bane had also promised that his door would be open at any time, and… there was no sign of Bane anywhere. Rin leaned back to study the house again. He didn’t want to knock too loudly and wake up Bane’s parents, but… maybe if he could identify Bane’s window… either he’d be doing the stereotypical throwing of pebbles, or he’d just crawl in and surprise Bane that way. Hopefully. Rin still wasn’t sure just how to handle this.
Bane dragged a hand through his hair before shaking his head quickly, a spray of water flying in every direction. It was a good thing it wasn't exactly a cold night, else walking back home from the beach while still soaking wet would've been a damn sight more uncomfortable. White swimming trunks - now almost completely see-through thanks to the water - and his surfboard tucked under his right arm were all he had, having found it too troublesome to try and take a towel with him down to the beach whenever he went night surfing now.
He'd developed a routine for his favourite hobby now, leaving the house not long after dinner and not returning until well after everyone else in the neighbourhood was asleep. Not that he really minded. It gave him a chance to have some quiet, alone time. Time to think without having to worry about being interrupted. Tonight was different, though. Something wasn't right. And as he came up to the pathway from the beach and neared his house, he figured out what it was.
Someone was on his doorstep. Someone blond. Someone in odd clothing. Was it someone drunk? No, they didn't seem to be. Then what? Unless...
"Rin?"
So lost in thought he’d been, contemplating the house in front of him, that Rin literally jumped almost out of his seashells when he heard the voice behind him. “That would be me~” Well aware that he looked patently ridiculous, Rin turned around, having recognized the voice. “I forgot you go out at night. I was starting…to wonder….”
He couldn’t help the way he trailed off when he got a good look at Bane. Under the moon, reflecting the water still beading and trailing down his skin, and those shorts…. Rin made himself look away before he could really contemplate what he could hazily see under them. “Well~ You really are a sea god, aren’t you, Bane~?”
The final comment made Bane grin, though he gave no reply to it. "Starting to wonder what?" he asked as he walked closer to the blond and stood right in front of him. He took a moment to look Rin over from head to toe, nodding slowly in approval as he took in the entire get-up. "Only you could pull this off," He commented with the same grin.
Bane then stepped away with only a gesture with his to head to Rin, instructing him to follow. He walked down the side of the house and into the backyard, leaning his surf board up against the large fence that penned the area in. The back door was wide open, two of Bane's three dogs lying on the grass while the third sat in the door way like a guard. "So what brings you to Chiba at such an hour?"
“Starting to wonder how I’d get your attention without making your entire family think the crazy person was out to rob them blind or something~” Rin flushed a little as Bane gave him the once-over, and he just hoped it was dark enough to hide it. “I look ridiculous, admit it. I sure can~!” At least, the grass skirt did. The seashells…Rin could learn to like that particular look, if only for the endless amount of amusement that people’s reactions to it could give him.
“Well…you know, I was just in the neighborhood and decided to drop in~” Partly true, even, since Aragaki wasn’t too terribly far away, even if he had no clue his senpai was dressed like that…and probably wouldn’t want to know, either. He eyed the dogs with a bit of a wary eye. “Ummm, they don’t attack on sight, do they?”
"Who? These guys?" Bane almost laughed, but caught himself. "No way~ They're trained to be around kids. Well... Jak and Daxter are, at least. I'm still training Shindo." He crouched down and whistled, calling over the smallest of the dogs from his sitting place in the doorway. He spent a few minutes fussing over the puppy, scratching behind his ears and giving him a belly rub when he rolled over onto his back, before straightening back up again.
"So just passing through, huh?" He made his way towards the actual structure of the house and to where a showerhead was mounted on the wall. Bane turned the water on and spent a short minute under the cold spray, washing himself clean of the salty sea water, before turning the water off again and grabbing a towel from just inside the backdoor. "You wanna come in?"
Rin couldn’t help chuckling at the dog names. “Mmmm, you know? Sometimes it’s alright to put down the game controllers~ No one will hate you for that.” He found himself petting one of the dogs that came trotting over to him while Bane showered off…he knew what a relief it could be to rinse off the salt, even with as much as loved the ocean himself. And it was very rude to watch someone shower if you weren’t actively lusting after them, too.
“Mmm, sure I’ll come in, unless you want to keep sharing the seashells with the rest of the world~” Rin walked over to stand next to Bane. “Will I get to see the abode of the sea god with my own eyes~?”
Bane pouted as best he could with a towel draped over his head, drying his hair. "My brother named them," he said. Sure, he had been the one to suggest to Yoshiaki that he should choose names that he liked, fully aware of the sort of games the kid was interested in at the time. "Jak and Daxter are family dogs, anyway. Shindo's the only who's actually mine."
Once he was finished toweling himself off, Bane stripped off his swimming shorts with relative ease - considering how much wet material liked to stick to skin - and then wrapped the towel securely around his waist. "Of course~" He said, hanging his shorts over one of the wires on the washing line. "You can even try some of my mom's cake~" He was feeling a bit hungry after being out surfing so long.
“Did you have to do that~?” Rin laughed as Bane just…stripped down right then and there. Sure, the towel was on just as fast, but Rin had enough time to register an extremely attractive ass before it was covered again. Not that it really mattered, since Rin himself was one to strip naked whenever, usually on the beach. Body shy he wasn’t. “Mmmm, I’m sure your mom’s cake is amazing, but I’ll pass~ Not that hungry, thanks~”
"I'm sorry, did you not get a good enough look~?" Bane said with a quiet laugh and a grin before stepping inside, the two larger dogs bounding inside after him while the smaller waited until Bane called his name before heading inside as well. Bane headed into the kitchen, filling three of the dog bowls with kibble before topping up the water level in the larger fourth bowl. "Need to remind mom to buy more dog treats... No, you aren't getting any. Greedy guts." One of the golden retrievers had paused to lift his head at the sound of treats but whimpered and returned to the biscuits in his bowl. Shaking his head, Bane chuckled softly before turning to sorting out his own stomach. "You sure you don't want any?" He asked, pulling out an airtight container from one of the cupboards.
“Mmm, actually no, I didn’t~” Rin joked, leaning back against the counter and watching Bane. “I’d rather my closer look was in better light, though, so I can thoroughly study your magnificence, maybe even draw it so I can keep it close to me forever~” He was chuckling at the antics of the dogs, and so almost missed Bane’s next question. “Hmmm? Yeah, I’m sure.” He smiled a bit wryly at Bane. “My stomach hasn’t quite recovered from nerves yet, and neither has my appetite~”
Bane cut himself a slice of the cake and placed on the countertop before putting the lid back on the container and putting it away again. He returned to his slice just in time to lightly swat at a nose that was inching towards it, planning to steal it. "Daxter," he scolded, lightly pushing the dog's head out of the way before looking at Rin. "I can think of a few people who might not be exactly... fond of you drawing me naked," Bane said before taking a large bite of the cake. "C'mon. M' 'ooms 'is way." Seems no one ever taught Bane not to talk with his mouth full.
“A fewm hmmm~? Got names for me, O Sexy Beach God?” Rin grinned as he he followed Bane, years with Tanishi and Kai making Rin an expert in that kind of speech. “And besides, I’m an artist~ Do you know how many naked bodies I’ve drawn over the past few years~?” He paused. “Actually, I’ve been the naked body a few times, too~ My turn’s coming up again soon, now that I think about it….”
"Well, my parents, for one," Bane said once he had devoured the rest of the slice of cake, licking crumbs from his fingers as he pushed the door of his room open and hit the light switch. A bookshelf full of books was pushed up against one wall, three surfboards propped against the wall next to it and a set of dresser drawers beside those. A pile of (probably) dirty washing was starting to build up by the door of his wardrobe. The desk was covered with school books and loose pieces of paper, and posters a varying content - mostly surfers and the occasional personal photo - covered the walls.
He opened his mouth to say something further, but stopped when he heard the faint sound of someone screaming in pain. He sighed. "Excuse me for a moment," he said with a slight smile before pushing open the door of the bedroom across the hall from his own. The main light was out, but the room was filled with a pale glow from the television.
"Yoshiaki, sleep."
"Save point."
"Sleep."
"Save point!"
"Sleep."
"....Sleeping." A click and the room went dark. "G'night, aniki."
"Good night, 'Shiaki." Brothers.
Rin chuckled, listening to that byplay as he curiously looked at Bane’s walls. It was weird, like he was in the room of any of his friends back home with all the surfing imagery scattered around the room. Never one to stand on ceremony. Rin took a seat on the edge of Bane’s bed and fell onto his back, staring up at the ceiling, pausing adjust one of his seashells. “How in the world do mermaids put up with this?” he muttered.
Once he was sure his brother was going to go to sleep and stay asleep, Bane finally left the room and closed the door behind him. He knew it was a little hypocritical of him to scold his brother for staying up all night, but he tried to pay it no mind. It wasn't his fault he had gotten a visitor and it wasn't in his nature to turn people away. Stretching his arms in front of him, he stepped into his room. "I was gonna say make yourself at home," he said, slightly amused. "But I guess you already have~"
“Oh, I haven’t made myself completely at home~” Rin smiled up at Bane. “I’m still dressed, I haven’t started going through your drawers, nor have I started drawing on the ceiling~ So I’d say that you’re coming out ahead on this deal~” He rolled from his back to his stomach, glad that he was wearing his speedo under the grass skirt, otherwise that could’ve been embarrassing. “Unless you want me pawing through your panties~?” he teased.
"If you wanted a pair of my boxers to take home as a souvenir, you only had to ask, Rin~" Bane pulled open one of his dresser drawers, dropping the towel from his waist and pulling on a pair of boxers before closing the drawer again. "Though you may want to be careful," He added as he hung the towel over the top of his door. "The dogs are coming." As if on cue, two black noses poked in through the doorway before the pair of dogs ran and jumped onto the bed, uncaring of the fact that Rin was already occupying it.
“Mmmm…souvenir, or part of my shrine to Bane, Sea God Extraordinaire~? I guess you’ll never know~” This time, Rin wanted, completely unashamed as Bane pulled on his boxers. “Lovely proportions, by the way~” he added, licking his lips. “I have to convince you to do some nude modeling for me sometime~” He wasn’t even phased by the dogs jumping up onto the bed, one of them jumping on him for a moment. “That’s nothing, compared to having Hiroshi launch himself onto me~”
"I bet," Bane said with a quiet laugh, sitting down on the edge of the bed and leaning forward to tap the floor with his fingertips. "Come on, Shindo. Silly thing." The black puppy finally snuck in through the doorway, hunched in on himself as he walked as though he was trying to make himself seem smaller. "I can't help but think his last owner was cruel to him, the way he's so shy and withdrawn..." His tone as he picked up the dog sounded worried, laced with a touch of bitterness.
“I hate people sometimes.” It was a surprisingly bitter statement for someone like Rin to make, but looking at the puppy, he really meant it. “To even think of hurting an animal….” It wasn’t something that he could condone on any level. “Sometimes….” He sighed. “Well, at least the cutie has a good home now.”
Bane nodded, managing a smile as he hugged his arms loosely around Shindo before letting him walk off his lap and properly onto the bed. "Jak and Daxter are rescued dogs as well," he said, reaching back to pat the top of the nearest dog's head. "Jak here was found under his mom... And Daxter was chained to a pole without food or water... They weren't even a year old. I was ten when we adopted them, and I had to fight to keep Daxter because he was so violent." He still had faint scars from the dog, none really noticeable unless you were looking for them.
“Oh dear god….” If Rin ever came across someone who was doing that to an animal now…he’d probably kill them. No questions asked. “They seem pretty well-adjusted now, anyway~” He reached out and started petting the nearest dog, smiling at the feel of fur under his fingers…he’d always loved furry animals, but was never able to have one. “You guys did good~”
"If you told anyone eight years ago that these two dogs were going to be lifeguards and babysitters, they probably would've laughed at you," Bane gave the dogs a soft push so he had room to swing his legs onto the bed. Shindo crawled into his lap and onto his stomach, pawing at his chest. "I didn't want to give up on them... They were just neglected kids, like the ones I help now... Dad understood that and showed me how to look after them, even after Daxter put him in hospital." He gave a short laugh. "Sorry... I could talk about these guys all day."
“Put him in the hospital?” Rin raised an eyebrow at that, but he didn’t pursue the topic, figuring it was none of his business, not really. “Well, no one’s stopping you from going on about them~” he pointed out cheerfully. “Though, considering that it’s the middle of the night, I don’t think you can’t talk about them all day~” Very helpful, Rin was. “It’s clear that you care a lot about them, and that’s sweet. Nothing wrong with being an animal lover~”
Bane just shrugged. "Daxter put us both in hospital," He explained, leaning forward and moving his hair to reveal a long scar on the back of his head. "That was the second time I had to fight to keep him. I even threatened to run away with him." The memory brought a small grin to his face as he sat back again, slowly petting Shindo. "Kids, animals... It doesn't matter what they are, they all deserve help and I want to provide it for them."
“Ouch….” Rin winced a little when he saw the scar. “I give you credit for fighting to keep him, then~ I know some people would’ve been scarred for life and terrified of dogs after that.” Like Chinen had been, for example. “You’d adopt the world, if you could, wouldn’t you?”
"I so would~" Bane's grin widened before he breathed out slowly and let his head loll to the side, glancing at Rin. "So how have you been, beauty? It's been a while."
“Yeah, it has been.” Rin closed his eyes, thinking. “Not too much~ Training, always training. Beating the crap out of some people who screwed with my Bunny~ Had my art thing in Kyoto…I swear, it was just like tennis Nationals, only in suits and a ton cattier~” He chuckled. “But it was still a great weekend, all the same. How about you, sea god~?”
"Been busy," Bane closed his eyes, laying his head down, counting them off on his fingers. "Tennis training, surfing training, dog training, school, vice-captain duties, friend issues, family issues." Even Bane was surprised that he hadn't collapsed.
“Mmm, that reminds me. About that meme~” Rin opened one eye to look at Bane. “Putting aside our secret not-crushes on each other…what is it that you wish you could tell me?” Rin had actually been concerned about that ever since he had read it, to the point that he’d been thinking about it when he should’ve been thinking about other things. “It seemed to be…ummm…serious? Well, weighing on your mind, anyway.”
Bane's eyes opened slightly, looking at the dog curling up on his stomach. He looked deep in thought, considering whether or not he should tell Rin what was weighing on his mind or not. It wasn't something he had ever talked about outside of his family and even in his family, the subject was only brought up when it was unavoidable. "Did you know... even my parents call me Bane?" he said quietly.
Rin sat up, blinking at that. “No…I didn’t know,” he said slowly. “I mean…well, Bane comes from your family name, right? Wouldn’t your parents, your family, call you by your given name?” It made sense to Rin, but then, he was also one who didn’t stand on formality, anyway, and didn’t let anyone do it to him. “I…how does that make you feel?” He reached out and laid a hand on Bane’s knee, looking at him with a serious expression.
"I prefer it," Bane propped himself up on his elbows, still not taking his eyes off Shindo. "I don't answer to... to my first name." He couldn't even bring himself to say it. It was like Voldemort in the Harry Potter series. It just wasn't said.
Alright…that was a bit weird. “I don’t even think I know your first name…now I know why.” Rin tilted his head to the side and looked at Bane curiously. “Can I ask why you don’t like it? I mean, there’s usually a reason for these things…”
Bane cast a short glance at Rin before looking away again. One hand began slowly patting the top of Shindo's head again in silence before he finally made a decision. "I know I can trust you," He said quietly. "But... this is something no one outside my family knows... not even Davide or Ryou or Sae."
“Then it might be easier to tell me.” Rin’s voice was equally quiet. “Sometimes, it’s the people who are closest to us that are the hardest to talk to. And I promise I won’t tell another soul. No one.” Because Rin didn’t tell people’s secrets…secrets came to him to die, not be turned into gossip.
"I know you won't...." If Bane had any doubts about what Rin would do with any information then he wouldn't even consider telling him anything. "My dad has an older sister who married young - this is long before I was born, mind you - and it wasn't until after the wedding that my aunty decided to tell everyone that he was a well-to-do businessman known in Tokyo for his charitable personality. He was the perfect man and, when they had their first kid a year after getting married, he turned out to be the perfect father. So perfect that when I was born a year after Kenta, my parents decided to name me after my aunty's husband in hopes I would grow up to be just like him."
“Well.” Rin shook his head. “That’s…a pretty crappy reason to name a child. Hoping they’ll be someone else, and not their own person.” He considered Bane carefully, then moved to sit up next to him, leaning back against the wall. “And I doubt he was perfect. No one ever is, no matter how much they might look it.”
"He wasn't... He was far from it," Bane sighed and leaned against Rin slightly, closing his eyes. "He was a nightmare... I was five when they finally noticed though..." His fingers curled into a fist, resting on top of Shindo's back, his knuckles turning white. "Kidnapping... sexual abuse, domestic abuse over six years in Chiba and Tokyo..." His tone was slowly getting more and more bitter and his eyes - now open again - were harsh and glaring at nothing in particular. "And they only gave him twenty-four years for one case of kidnapping and they're giving him a parole hearing... I won't let them let him go. I grew up with kids he hurt and it still affects some of them badly. I won't let him hurt anyone else..." There was a loud bang as Bane's fist suddenly connected with wall.
Rin felt his stomach sinking more and more as Bane spoke, and when he punched the wall, Rin could hardly blame him for it. He’d have been punching something himself, if he had been in his place…he wanted to punch something, hearing that, preferably the asshole who had done that! He shifted, though, wrapping his arms around Bane and holding his friend against him. “And that’s why you’re so protective of your kids,” he murmured. “And you should be…I mean…it’s….” He pressed his face in Bane’s hair. “Were…were you one of those kids?”
Bane let himself lean into Rin, closing his eyes and trying to calm himself back down. Talking about it always got him so worked up. He hated it. He hated it almost as much as he hated that man. "I wasn't," he said quietly. "I saw him take one boy... but I was barely three. I didn't understand it until one kid finally spoke up."
Inside, Rin said a silent prayer of thanks for that…not that it was better that someone else had suffered that, but it was one less scar that Bane had to work on healing. “There’s a special kind of hell for those people, I think,” he said after a minute. “The kind that preys on children and uses them for their sick purposes. A kind of hell like we can’t give them on Earth, and I understand capital punishment for that reason…because nothing we do can meet what they’ll get after.” His hold on Bane tightened. “Meanwhile, you’re here, doing such good work with your kids and helping people to heal from their own scars, and you’re fucking amazing. You have more power than any creep.”
"I don't think even hell will take them in," Bane muttered, the bitter tone yet to leave his voice. The dogs had all finally settled back down, having been startled by the punch to the wall. They were closer now, as well, all too used to being around for Bane's fits of anger whenever he talked about this sort of thing. He was just glad his parents hadn't stirred from the sound, his brother, either. He knew his mom wouldn't be too worried that he had friend over. She might raise an eyebrow at Rin's attire though... "I just... want to do something for these kids... That man... I was named with him in mind... And I always get so scared that I really will turn out like him... It's not... my name."
“You couldn’t.” Rin’s voice was full of conviction. “You could never be someone like that. And a name can’t turn you into that. You’re so much more than that, Bane. On so many levels, you’re so much more than that! And you’re going to be such an amazing man, and I know that you never have to worry about being anyone other than who you are.” Rin shifted and grasped Bane’s chin gently, making Bane meet his eyes. “You weren’t named with him in mind. Not the real him. You were named for the idealized version of him. And maybe it worked, because that’s who you are. A wonderful, amazing, warm, giving, caring man who couldn’t be a better person for those kids to have in their lives.”
Bane didn't say anything for a moment, just held Rin's gaze in silence before finally letting a slightly smile stretch across his lips. He broke the eye contact, letting his head drop to press against the blond's shoulder. "Yeah... Yeah, you're right," he said quietly. Then the head lifted again, and the mood was changed. It was brighter; happier; normal. "Not bad for a blond beauty in seashells~"
Rin couldn’t help chuckling some at that. “Well, even us dumb blonds have our moments~” he chirped. “It’s that empty-headed zen thing, I guess~” He glanced down at the seashells and flushed a little. “Well…I did promise you the seashells, and it’s very rude to promise something to a god and not deliver~” Rin paused for a moment. “Though I wish I had stuck to jeans, really….”
Bane grinned and gave a soft laugh, lifting one of the seashells and peeking beneath it. "Not a bad fit~" He commented before freeing himself from beneath his dogs - Shindo on his lap and Daxter on his legs - and standing. "I may have something for you." He crouched down in front of his clothes drawers and pulled the bottom drawer open. After a few moments of digging, he stood and threw a pair of shorts Rin's way. "Try those. You're about the same size as Sae so those should fit."
“Fresh~!” Rin was laughing, though, as he caught the shorts. “Like there’s anything to see under there, anyway…I’m rather flat-chested, probably much to my boyfriend’s dismay~” He unfastened the seashells-they were starting to itch a bit-and untied the grass skirt, so he could step into the shorts. “Mmmm…definitely much better than a skirt~ Thank you, my sea god~”
"I'm sure he can't be too worried about what's flat and what's not if he's still your boyfriend," Bane said, leaning against the drawers and watching him. "What sort of god would I be if I wasn't prepared for situations like these? Did you want a shirt as well?"
“Nah~ I’ve spent half my life shirtless after all. And I don’t have anything you haven’t seen before~” Rin winked at Bane playfully. “To be honest? I’m not body shy and I have no sense of modestly. I’d be just as comfortable lounging around your room naked as I would be fully clothed. It wouldn’t matter to me, but it does to a lot of other people.”
Bane grinned and moved to scratch behind Daxter's ears softly. "Just like Sae then," he said. "I'm not a fan of wearing shirts unless I really have to. They're so uncomfortable and restricting."
“Aren’t they just~?” Rin nodded in agreement, settling back on the bed again. “It’s more those pesky laws that have me putting shirts on at all. Left to my own devices…nah. Or if I’m cold. Then the layers go on.”
Bane nodded. "Only if it's really cold," he said. "I don't know if I'll be needing to take more than one shirt when I go to Okinawa."
Rin considered that. “Well, I think it can get chilly there, come January, February.” Of course, Rin probably had a different definition for what counted as “chilly”…he’d been told it was rather skewed. “I’d bring three shirts, just in case. Short sleeves, long sleeves, and something you’d wear if taken out for a date.”
Bane blinked. "Date?" He looked at Rin and frowned in confusion.
“Yes, a date~” Rin shook his head. “People go on them sometimes…sometimes they end with a hug, a kiss, or even sex. You might get asked on one, or you may decide to ask someone out…you never know~”
"I know what a date is, Rin," Bane deadpanned and poked the blond's forehead. "I'm going there to surf. So I can be like him." A hand lifted to point to a poster by his spare surfboards. "So I can be a champion like Susu."
Rin shifted up to capture that poking finger between his teeth, nipping playfully. “Mmmm…I see~ And the only thing you’re missing, by the way, is a big heart around that poster with ‘Susu + Bane 4-EVER’ scrawled in lipstick~”
Bane swatted Rin upside the back of the head, but looked the other way in an attempt to hide the slight flush on his cheeks. "I'm not a girl, Rin," he mumbled.
“Mmmm, no you are very much not a girl~” Rin’s eyes slid over Bane’s form appreciatively. “Definitely not a girl…hey, big boy, why don’t you come over here and flex for me some, hmmm~?” He sprawled back on Bane’s bed and tried his best to look inviting.
"If I wasn't scared your boyfriend would kill me, I'd be all over you by now~" Bane said with a grin before shoving at the two larger dogs. "Move your fat asses. You take up too much room."
“Who says he’d have to know~?” Rin managed about thirty more seconds of pure seductiveness before dissolving into laughter. “How do you manage to sleep in this bed on a normal basis~?”
Bane grinned and rolled his eyes, pushing at Rin's side. "Under a pile of dogs, normally," he said, beckoning Shindo back over. "Or I ditch the bed altogether and sleep in the lounge... and they all use me as a pillow."
Rin moved over just enough so that Bane could get onto the bed again. “Sounds comfy, the lucky dogs~ Do I rate a Bane pillow~?” Not that anything would be as comfortable as his Tanishi pillow, but a Bane pillow would be a close second.
"Well, I don't see why not~" Bane grinned, laying down and lifting the arm closest to Rin. He slid it under the blond's head and around his shoulders to create a nook for him to lean in.
“Mmmm~” Rin took the invitation gladly and snuggled into Bane. “You smell like home….” The faint sent of salt water still clung to Bane, and it was one of the most comforting scents that Rin could think of. “Plus, you’re warm. A most excellent pillow~” Strong, solid, smelling like the ocean…yeah, that was perfection, alright~
Bane smiled, lifting his hand to run it through Rin's hair slowly. "I take it that means you're just going to crash here, then?" He asked, shifting them both over a bit when Shindo decided he wanted some attention too.
Sadly, Rin had to reach up and remove Bane’s hand from his hair, even if it did feel good. “Sorry…you may be my sea god, but only one person is allowed that particular privilege~” Basically because it felt too good when the right people, played with his hair, and Bane could definitely be a “right person”. “If you’d rather, I can go…trains might still be running, or I could go throw myself on Kou-chan’s mercy.”
"All good~" Bane said, simply letting his hand rest on the bed beside the blond. "You can stay if you want~ But if you're still here when mom gets up, expect to be fed. Lots." His mom always had a habit of making too much food and complaining when her sons didn't eat it all.
“Then I better sneak out before breakfast, right~?” Rin was more than used to disappointing mother with how he ate-his own and Tanishi’s both came to mind-but that was somehow different. “Nationals really took a toll on my stomach, and it’s still not handling much.”
"Well, I go for a run before mom gets up every morning," Bane stretched then settled back in, closing his eyes. "I can take you to the train station then if you want."
“As long as you wake me up~” Rin didn’t try to argue the waking him up thing; he didn’t think it was worth the effort to. Instead, he just snuggled closer to Bane’s warmth, his own eyes closing. “Mmmm…pleasant dreams, Bane….”
"Mmhm.. You too, Rin."