[Pachinko seems more than happy to hop up on the couch and curl right up on Rean's lap, obviously content with this new late night visitor. Sure, he's a bit heavy and warm, but with the AC working it's magic, at least Rean won't feel overheated.]
Heh, think nothin' of it.
[He takes that glass to go fill it with water, moving himself to the kitchen but still able to have a conversation over the counter that overlooks into the living room.]
Probably for the best you don't go into school tomorrow--with those bags under your eyes I don't think you're gonna recover that energy by tomorrow morning.
[Rean looks up at Crow in the kitchen, momentarily surprised by the suggestion. His eyes quickly soften, however, and he laughs under his breath.]
...heh. You know, normally, I'd call you out on that, but... you probably have a point, this time. What with both of us being up so late, it'd be a struggle to pay attention tomorrow morning even if I had been sleeping well these past few nights.
Hey, hey, don't act like this isn't my extremely legitimate medical opinion! I'm worried about you walking into doors, and who's going to have to kiss those booboos? Me.
[He returns with that water, setting it on the coaster and chuckling.]
Besides, my attendance has been pretty across the board lately.
[Crow's eyes wander a moment, trailing back to Rean's, focusing on those glasses, and more importantly, the colour behind them.]
So I never mentioned...but... your eyes, they finally changed, huh?
[Rean's cheeks unwittingly twinge pink at the talk of "kissing those booboos," and he immediately levels a glare at the other man.]
You're not going to "have to kiss" anything, thanks.
[Big words from the idiot who throws himself in harm's way, but, you know. He nods at Crow in actual thanks before picking that glass up and taking a sip.
He's just swallowing as Crow finishes asking that next question, and he casts that lavender gaze back at Crow.]
Ah... yeah. The day the fire broke out, actually. [With his off-hand, he pushes his glasses back up his nose a little.] At first, I'd just been too freaked out about them to put my contacts in, but after that... well, with all the smoke, putting contacts in again just hasn't seemed like that great of an idea.
[Rean's glare is shrugged off with a smile, taking a seat on the chair perpendicular to the couch with his coffee. Pachinko looks up, content that his human is nearby at least, before going back to snuggling and purring.]
Good idea. The smoke's already not good for the eyes, contacts'll irritate em worse.
Ha... I was about to say, I barely even remember what you used to look like. But since I'm on the app, too, my opinion doesn't really count there, does it?
But, yeah. I see where you're coming from. I kind of feel like I'm just permanently cosplaying, now.
It'll feel that way for a bit, and then you'll reach a point where you don't even notice. Besides, like I said, it suits you.
[Don't mind if he just reaches over to gently take those glasses off. They look cute, don't get him wrong, but he wants to see them not masked by some spectacles.]
[That glare is lowering into the deadest stare Rean can manage with his cheeks flushed like this.]
I can still see well enough at this distance, you jerk...
[And the conclusion he's drawing from Crow with glasses is oh no, he looks good with those. So, the obvious thing to do here is to reach out and snatch his glasses off of Crow's stupid face, fumbling to shove them back on his own.
Just shove aside the problem and it'll go away, right? (No it won't, but let him live.)]
[C'mere you big fluffball. Crow's just gonna scoop you up into his arms and hold you like a baby, burying his face into that stomach. This is your life now, accept it.]
He's so mean to me, Patch. I offer him the finest room available in the house and he snubs me...
I'm counting on you to keep out of trouble, can't even trust him in his sleep.
[Pachinko blinks evenly, his soft purr telling all.]
Haha. You asked for my sparkling personality, didn't you? I'm sorry to tell you, it doesn't get much better than this.
[He's smiling, though.]
All right, thanks. [He pushes himself to standing, careful not to jostle the cat on his shoulders too much.] And honestly, I'm probably going to be dead to the world for the next several hours, so I doubt hunger's going to even register. But, I'll keep it in mind.
[A pause, then turning his gaze to Crow. It's gentler, now, both it and his voice soft and warm.]
Crow shoves his hands into the pockets of his pajama pants, content with how the night's ended as he starts to make his way to the steep staircase that leads up to his bedroom.
Only to be stopped by that comment, eyes flicking over to catch Rean's own. It's a soft, quiet few seconds as it registers, trying to hide a cute little grin from escaping his lips.]
I told ya, it's nothin'. We're pals, right?
Sleep tight~
[At least until he makes breakfast in the morning. He's got plans with that rice cooker.]
[That smile, as much as Crow tries to hide it, sticks in Rean's head long after Crow vanishes up the stairs. He just stands there for a moment, trying to come to terms with the slight fluttering feeling in his chest before feeling claws lightly dig into his shoulders as Pachinko kneads at him.]
...all right, all right. Let's get to bed, shall we?
[Rean pries the needy fluff from his shoulders and sets him down so that he can prep for bed. First things first, unzipping the duffel bag and pulling out his charger and a pair of pajama pants. The phone gets set up first, and the pants change shortly thereafter. He's not really worried – Crow's up in his room and he doesn't hear or sense anything, and even if Crow somehow surprised him and snuck up on him, it's not like he'd see anything worse than a pair of boxer briefs. The scandal. Really, though, Rean's sure he's seen as much or worse from the gym.
Once that's situated, he heaves the rice cooker out of his bag and sets it on the kitchen counter. Crow's the one who asked for it, and while he's got no idea what Crow's plans are for the next morning, he doesn't see any use in it taking up space with his things.
With all that settled, it's time to go to bed. He flicks off the light (after having to do a bit of searching to figure out how), flops into the made-up couch with a soft sigh, and then pats on his chest for Pachinko to hop up, to which the cat happily obliges.
When Crow eventually re-emerges from his bedroom, he'll still find Rean fast asleep on the couch. Pachinko may or may not be with him, cats are fickle creatures. But one thing is certain – this is the most at peace Crow will have ever seen him.]
[All things considered, Crow did wake up at a semi-decent hour. It's funny--it's like Rean's presence alone was enough to calm his mind from the nightmares he was having and give him a momentary reprieve. Getting up while the clock was still in the single digits was a victory in itself as he stumbles down the stairs, bedhead and all, rubbing one of his eyes with the palm of his hand.
Pachinko was wide awake by now, moving towards his food bowl to sit there patiently until Crow decided to fill it. As much as he loved Rean, he loved a full tummy slightly more.
Crow chuckles and starts to walk past, but not before catching a glimpse of Rean who still lie asleep on the couch. ...Wow, you never really notice how much a person's dealing with until you see them lying peacefully without a care in the world. Rean was no different, with his lips parted just enough into something of a smile, the way he was nestled into those blankets so comfortably you'd never guess he'd been sleeping on the couch...
There's a jolt of electricity through Crow's veins, and although he wears his poker face well, he can't help but find himself staring at Rean like this...and how the smile he usually wears is so much heavier.
How are you single, Rean Schwarzer.
Before he gets started on breakfast, he'll go quickly tuck those blankets around him, making sure to keep him comfortable before heading to the kitchen to start on breakfast. Should Rean wake up in the time he's making it, he'll hear the sounds of bacon sizzling, along with Crow's voice gently speaking to....someone....?]
'chinko, for the last time, you can't have a piece of bacon.
[With how his own memories have been haunting him as that recurring nightmare, Rean's been almost afraid to drift off for the past month or so. This time, however, his dreams are peaceful, and if there's a hint of a smile on his face, it's in no small part due to them.
He dreams first of an open road, of plants and lampposts blurring by as he grips the handlebars of a purple motorcycle. When he glances down beside him, he sees a familiar mop of silver hair in the sidecar.
"Tell me, Rean. What part of 'invite someone' don't you understand? It really isn't that hard." Red eyes glare up at him from under the headband and those messy bangs, but the familiar sparkle is still there. He's only half-serious, Rean's sure of it. "Man. What would you have done if I wasn't free?"
Rean finds himself laughing, responding with a lightness in his voice and in his chest that's a bit unfamiliar.
"Haha... Sorry." His voice lilts a little. "I do appreciate you coming along, though."
They chat back and forth for a bit, about costumes and a school festival Rean can only very distantly recall. Rean worries about Crow coming along with him – isn't he busy? – but Crow brushes it off. Rean's impressed, but he can't help but take a slight dig at him.
"That's... surprisingly believable. Heh. And here I thought the instructors had caught wind of your gambling plans, and you were trying to escape or something." He can't keep the hint of laughter out of his own voice by the end of it.
Crow just coughs, and Rean freezes.
"...Wait. Seriously?"
"Eyes on the road, Rean! Eyes on the road!"
And when he turns his gaze back, there's no road at all, and no motorcycle. Instead, he's looking at a beautiful starlit garden, and Crow's on the opposite side of him now as they sit on a wooden bench. Glowing nebulas light up the sky, which... seems to be draping down surprisingly close by. Are they... inside?
Yes, this is a festival attraction, he realizes. An indoor starlit garden. His past life couldn't manage smart phones, but they have this?
"...But seriously, man," Crow pipes up, looking at Rean out of the corners of his eyes and snapping him out of his thoughts. "They built this place to literally put stars in pretty ladies' eyes. ...And here you go and invite ME. I mean, I'm touched, really, but LOOK at the girls in our class! You could've had your pick!"
"Haha, maybe." He answers automatically. "But what's the problem with the two of us hanging out?"
Before he knows it, he's lost in conversation again. About romance, about not wasting youth. Crow mentions offhandedly that it'll be over before Rean knows it, and that strikes a particularly strong chord with Rean.
Right. Crow's graduating soon, he realizes with a sudden fear of the finality of that statement.
"Over in a blink, huh? That carries a lot of weight, coming from you." It's meant to encourage him, though, he knows, and so he buries that anxiety underneath the more appropriate sentimentality of a first-year student looking up to his senior.
There's a brief moment in which something falters just slightly in Crow's expression, before he closes his eyes with a laugh.
"...Heh. Damn right, it does." Somehow, that's comforting to Rean, to have seen that — Crow's worried, too. Perhaps his anxieties aren't so unfounded, after all.
But that moment passes, and soon enough, the two of them have slipped right back into their usual banter, and Rean can't help but bask in how comfortable it feels to just be talking to Crow like this, listening to his voice...
His voice...
"...For the last time, you can't have a piece of bacon."
Rean's eyelids flutter open when Crow's voice seems closer now than ever, and he pushes himself up on the couch as he tries to blink the sleep out of his eyes. Where is he? This isn't his dorm room—
He hears a soft mew, and it all clicks. Right. He's staying with Crow to avoid the heat. Crow's probably talking to Pachinko.
"It's not gonna work this time..." Mewing for bacon? He hears another mew, a more earnest plea. "...Okay, one little piece, but that's it."
Rean stretches and forces himself up off the couch, wandering toward the kitchen. Voice still betraying how groggy he is, he's the one who responds to Crow this time.]
[Crow's eyes flick up from what he was doing, caught in the act as he had a little bit of bacon in his fingers to give to his cat. Not that Pachinko was going to wait for the conversation to end, getting on his back legs and gently taking that piece from Crow's fingers.
Sorry, Rean, but as much as he loves you, he's not getting denied his bacon.
But Crow's eyes light up when he registers that Rean's awake, moving his way around the kitchen to the little table inbetween the den and the kitchen, pulling a chair out for him to sit down.]
'Mornin, sleeping beauty! [His voice is chipper, leading his kouhai over to sit.]
Relax, a little bacon's not gonna hurt him. He's a big boy, after all, and needs his protein. [Pachinko mews in agreement to which Crow looks over at.] It's NOT gonna be a habit, you big fluffball.
[Back to Rean.]
Breakfast'll be ready in a few minutes. How'd you sleep on Casa de Crow's couch?
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Heh, think nothin' of it.
[He takes that glass to go fill it with water, moving himself to the kitchen but still able to have a conversation over the counter that overlooks into the living room.]
Probably for the best you don't go into school tomorrow--with those bags under your eyes I don't think you're gonna recover that energy by tomorrow morning.
...
Besides, I'm skipping too.
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...heh. You know, normally, I'd call you out on that, but... you probably have a point, this time. What with both of us being up so late, it'd be a struggle to pay attention tomorrow morning even if I had been sleeping well these past few nights.
Just don't make a habit of it...
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[He returns with that water, setting it on the coaster and chuckling.]
Besides, my attendance has been pretty across the board lately.
[Crow's eyes wander a moment, trailing back to Rean's, focusing on those glasses, and more importantly, the colour behind them.]
So I never mentioned...but... your eyes, they finally changed, huh?
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You're not going to "have to kiss" anything, thanks.
[Big words from the idiot who throws himself in harm's way, but, you know. He nods at Crow in actual thanks before picking that glass up and taking a sip.
He's just swallowing as Crow finishes asking that next question, and he casts that lavender gaze back at Crow.]
Ah... yeah. The day the fire broke out, actually. [With his off-hand, he pushes his glasses back up his nose a little.] At first, I'd just been too freaked out about them to put my contacts in, but after that... well, with all the smoke, putting contacts in again just hasn't seemed like that great of an idea.
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Good idea. The smoke's already not good for the eyes, contacts'll irritate em worse.
[But with a sip of coffee, he smiles.]
It's a good colour on you.
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These things just come out around Crow, he can't explain it.]
...heh, you think so? I'm... getting used to it. Felt pretty wrong at first, but I don't really notice unless I stop to think about it now.
And compared to you, it was a pretty small change. I can't even imagine how you must have felt.
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It does feel pretty weird to start, like when you get a new haircut. But I gotta say, my eyes and hair have really grown on me too.
Though I'm not sure this combo of colours will ever be normalized to a person who's not on the app.
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But, yeah. I see where you're coming from. I kind of feel like I'm just permanently cosplaying, now.
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[He smiles, taking a sip of his own water.]
It'll feel that way for a bit, and then you'll reach a point where you don't even notice. Besides, like I said, it suits you.
[Don't mind if he just reaches over to gently take those glasses off. They look cute, don't get him wrong, but he wants to see them not masked by some spectacles.]
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[Oh. His glasses are gone. He blinks owlishly for a split second before his cheeks flush deeper and he flails toward Crow.]
H-hey! I do need those to see, you know!
[And now those lavender eyes are glaring at him, their owner all but pouting.]
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I know, I know, I'm just trying them--
[There, placed.]
Ta da! Oh...wait, you can't see them, can you. Pachinko, what do you think?
[Pachinko: I think you're flirting you stupid idiot.]
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I can still see well enough at this distance, you jerk...
[And the conclusion he's drawing from Crow with glasses is oh no, he looks good with those. So, the obvious thing to do here is to reach out and snatch his glasses off of Crow's stupid face, fumbling to shove them back on his own.
Just shove aside the problem and it'll go away, right? (No it won't, but let him live.)]
And I somehow doubt Pachinko cares.
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Let him have an opinion, Rean!
[But he'll let the man have his victory, moving to hide his smile behind his coffee.]
He'll probably want to stay with you tonight, if that's okay. He's a big boy, so the offer for my bed's still open.
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[As if on cue, Pachinko moves to headbutt Crow. Hey, human. Quit flirting, he's fluffy and needs attention.]
...Like so.
[Rean adjusts his glasses again so they're sitting properly.]
If he winds up sleeping on me, I really don't mind. For the last time, though, I'm not kicking you out of your bed.
[And that's final!]
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[C'mere you big fluffball. Crow's just gonna scoop you up into his arms and hold you like a baby, burying his face into that stomach. This is your life now, accept it.]
He's so mean to me, Patch. I offer him the finest room available in the house and he snubs me...
I'm counting on you to keep out of trouble, can't even trust him in his sleep.
[Pachinko blinks evenly, his soft purr telling all.]
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Maybe you should be looking at it as I'm just letting you remain the king of your castle, and I know my place.
[Crow burying his face into Pachinko earns a laugh, though. Cute...]
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Well, if you're gonna sweet-talk that logic into me...
[Crow stands up, hoisting Pachinko up onto his shoulder before leaning over to ruffle Rean's hair gently.]
Then as King of the Castle, I hereby decree you get some shut-eye. You're not going to school, but you should still get as much as you can.
[Crow's voice is gentle, as he watches Pachinko bridge from his arm to around Rean's shoulders like a scarf.]
Need anything before I head up?
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It's definitely because he has a moving, purring scarf now and thus can't move too much and not because he likes it. Totally.]
Yeah, yeah... and might I suggest the same to you, my lord.
[The sarcasm could not drip any more if he tried.]
Mm... point to an outlet I can use to charge my phone overnight, but that's about it.
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[Crow'll move over to the side of the couch, crouching down to move the side table to check.]
Alright, you can use this one--bottom one's for the lamp, but the top one's free to use. If you get hungry, fridge is open too, so help yourself.
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[He's smiling, though.]
All right, thanks. [He pushes himself to standing, careful not to jostle the cat on his shoulders too much.] And honestly, I'm probably going to be dead to the world for the next several hours, so I doubt hunger's going to even register. But, I'll keep it in mind.
[A pause, then turning his gaze to Crow. It's gentler, now, both it and his voice soft and warm.]
...Thanks, Crow. I mean it.
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[He says back, just as warmly.
Crow shoves his hands into the pockets of his pajama pants, content with how the night's ended as he starts to make his way to the steep staircase that leads up to his bedroom.
Only to be stopped by that comment, eyes flicking over to catch Rean's own. It's a soft, quiet few seconds as it registers, trying to hide a cute little grin from escaping his lips.]
I told ya, it's nothin'. We're pals, right?
Sleep tight~
[At least until he makes breakfast in the morning. He's got plans with that rice cooker.]
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...all right, all right. Let's get to bed, shall we?
[Rean pries the needy fluff from his shoulders and sets him down so that he can prep for bed. First things first, unzipping the duffel bag and pulling out his charger and a pair of pajama pants. The phone gets set up first, and the pants change shortly thereafter. He's not really worried – Crow's up in his room and he doesn't hear or sense anything, and even if Crow somehow surprised him and snuck up on him, it's not like he'd see anything worse than a pair of boxer briefs. The scandal. Really, though, Rean's sure he's seen as much or worse from the gym.
Once that's situated, he heaves the rice cooker out of his bag and sets it on the kitchen counter. Crow's the one who asked for it, and while he's got no idea what Crow's plans are for the next morning, he doesn't see any use in it taking up space with his things.
With all that settled, it's time to go to bed. He flicks off the light (after having to do a bit of searching to figure out how), flops into the made-up couch with a soft sigh, and then pats on his chest for Pachinko to hop up, to which the cat happily obliges.
When Crow eventually re-emerges from his bedroom, he'll still find Rean fast asleep on the couch. Pachinko may or may not be with him, cats are fickle creatures. But one thing is certain – this is the most at peace Crow will have ever seen him.]
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Pachinko was wide awake by now, moving towards his food bowl to sit there patiently until Crow decided to fill it. As much as he loved Rean, he loved a full tummy slightly more.
Crow chuckles and starts to walk past, but not before catching a glimpse of Rean who still lie asleep on the couch. ...Wow, you never really notice how much a person's dealing with until you see them lying peacefully without a care in the world. Rean was no different, with his lips parted just enough into something of a smile, the way he was nestled into those blankets so comfortably you'd never guess he'd been sleeping on the couch...
There's a jolt of electricity through Crow's veins, and although he wears his poker face well, he can't help but find himself staring at Rean like this...and how the smile he usually wears is so much heavier.
How are you single, Rean Schwarzer.
Before he gets started on breakfast, he'll go quickly tuck those blankets around him, making sure to keep him comfortable before heading to the kitchen to start on breakfast. Should Rean wake up in the time he's making it, he'll hear the sounds of bacon sizzling, along with Crow's voice gently speaking to....someone....?]
'chinko, for the last time, you can't have a piece of bacon.
[Mew.]
It's not gonna work this time...
[Mew...]
...Okay, one little piece, but that's it.
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He dreams first of an open road, of plants and lampposts blurring by as he grips the handlebars of a purple motorcycle. When he glances down beside him, he sees a familiar mop of silver hair in the sidecar.
"Tell me, Rean. What part of 'invite someone' don't you understand? It really isn't that hard." Red eyes glare up at him from under the headband and those messy bangs, but the familiar sparkle is still there. He's only half-serious, Rean's sure of it. "Man. What would you have done if I wasn't free?"
Rean finds himself laughing, responding with a lightness in his voice and in his chest that's a bit unfamiliar.
"Haha... Sorry." His voice lilts a little. "I do appreciate you coming along, though."
They chat back and forth for a bit, about costumes and a school festival Rean can only very distantly recall. Rean worries about Crow coming along with him – isn't he busy? – but Crow brushes it off. Rean's impressed, but he can't help but take a slight dig at him.
"That's... surprisingly believable. Heh. And here I thought the instructors had caught wind of your gambling plans, and you were trying to escape or something." He can't keep the hint of laughter out of his own voice by the end of it.
Crow just coughs, and Rean freezes.
"...Wait. Seriously?"
"Eyes on the road, Rean! Eyes on the road!"
And when he turns his gaze back, there's no road at all, and no motorcycle. Instead, he's looking at a beautiful starlit garden, and Crow's on the opposite side of him now as they sit on a wooden bench. Glowing nebulas light up the sky, which... seems to be draping down surprisingly close by. Are they... inside?
Yes, this is a festival attraction, he realizes. An indoor starlit garden. His past life couldn't manage smart phones, but they have this?
"...But seriously, man," Crow pipes up, looking at Rean out of the corners of his eyes and snapping him out of his thoughts. "They built this place to literally put stars in pretty ladies' eyes. ...And here you go and invite ME. I mean, I'm touched, really, but LOOK at the girls in our class! You could've had your pick!"
"Haha, maybe." He answers automatically. "But what's the problem with the two of us hanging out?"
Before he knows it, he's lost in conversation again. About romance, about not wasting youth. Crow mentions offhandedly that it'll be over before Rean knows it, and that strikes a particularly strong chord with Rean.
Right. Crow's graduating soon, he realizes with a sudden fear of the finality of that statement.
"Over in a blink, huh? That carries a lot of weight, coming from you." It's meant to encourage him, though, he knows, and so he buries that anxiety underneath the more appropriate sentimentality of a first-year student looking up to his senior.
There's a brief moment in which something falters just slightly in Crow's expression, before he closes his eyes with a laugh.
"...Heh. Damn right, it does." Somehow, that's comforting to Rean, to have seen that — Crow's worried, too. Perhaps his anxieties aren't so unfounded, after all.
But that moment passes, and soon enough, the two of them have slipped right back into their usual banter, and Rean can't help but bask in how comfortable it feels to just be talking to Crow like this, listening to his voice...
His voice...
"...For the last time, you can't have a piece of bacon."
Rean's eyelids flutter open when Crow's voice seems closer now than ever, and he pushes himself up on the couch as he tries to blink the sleep out of his eyes. Where is he? This isn't his dorm room—
He hears a soft mew, and it all clicks. Right. He's staying with Crow to avoid the heat. Crow's probably talking to Pachinko.
"It's not gonna work this time..." Mewing for bacon? He hears another mew, a more earnest plea. "...Okay, one little piece, but that's it."
Rean stretches and forces himself up off the couch, wandering toward the kitchen. Voice still betraying how groggy he is, he's the one who responds to Crow this time.]
...Don't feed Patchy bacon. S'bad for him.
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Sorry, Rean, but as much as he loves you, he's not getting denied his bacon.
But Crow's eyes light up when he registers that Rean's awake, moving his way around the kitchen to the little table inbetween the den and the kitchen, pulling a chair out for him to sit down.]
'Mornin, sleeping beauty! [His voice is chipper, leading his kouhai over to sit.]
Relax, a little bacon's not gonna hurt him. He's a big boy, after all, and needs his protein. [Pachinko mews in agreement to which Crow looks over at.] It's NOT gonna be a habit, you big fluffball.
[Back to Rean.]
Breakfast'll be ready in a few minutes. How'd you sleep on Casa de Crow's couch?
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