soulager | (no subject)

[ Out of all the things to happen after... you know, those two months, Mira thinks it's pretty safe to say she couldn't have expected this. It's one thing to have feelings for one person, but two? Yeah, that'd come out of left field entirely. Not like she's going to, you know, complain. It's nice, to be able to feel comfortable around two people.

It's in the quieter moments when they're all together, especially, that she's reminded of how much she loves them both. And it's the quieter moments that mean most to her, because they've all come pretty far, haven't they? Too bad she just can't, you know, spit it out.

She's still not sure how to approach it, but maybe she lets on more than she intends, especially when they're not doing anything in particular. Well--that's not exactly true. They're visiting her brother, and she'd made the incredibly smart suggestion of watching a movie while he's off at work. She kind of feels like the universe is playing a joke on her, because she didn't take into account that his couch is smaller than she'd remembered. It's not like she's, you know, complaining about being between Therion and Zelos, it just makes it a little hard to focus on the movie.

It's fine. She's got this. It's fine. ]

[For all that Therion's typically all ears for a story, movies are still... a lot, for him. They're entertaining spectacles, don't get him wrong, but the effects and the camera angles and the backing soundtrack, it's all a tad overwhelming for a guy only lately introduced to indoor plumbing. He makes a valiant effort, blinking, but his eyelids keep drooping lower and lower.

With anyone else, he wouldn't let his guard down like this, especially not in such close proximity. His outside of his leg's basically flush with Mira's. But time and again in their weeks under the sea, Mira proved herself safe. Proved herself trustworthy. Gentle little brushes between them, casual touch, has started to become one more language between them. It doesn't even surprise him anymore.

Getting used to Zelos has taken more time, of course. Therion's lingering smidgen of doubt has likely neither been surprising nor, you know, unwarranted. But they've had time, and Zelos has been trying--and, from what Therion can tell, he's been trying for Mira's sake.

That's something he understands.

So, like a cat acclimating to new furniture, Therion's mild, habitual wariness with Zelos has eased away. Trading banter back and forth with him has never been difficult, but it's lost what used to be a watchful edge under the surface. It's. Nice, sitting with both of them.

Slouched down slightly in the couch cushions, chin tucked into a soft, new scarf, Therion starts to doze off a little, his fluffy white head very near Mira's shoulder.]

[ At least the technology here isn't as big of a jump for Zelos. It's still taken a little time to get used to some of the finer bits, but between the magitechnological at home and everything in the facility, adapting was pretty easy for him. It usually is; for all his faults in character, he's gotta at least pretend he knows what's going on, sometimes.

Though everything that's going on here is still sort of a surprise. That he's even here with Mira and Therion like this is... surprising, to say the least. Not that you'd ever see them complaining – the fact that they trust him enough like this means more to him than he'll probably ever be able to articulate. They both probably have some idea as to what it means, Therion in particular, but... Zelos has always been more of a doer than a talker in that regard. In every other one, he doesn't stop talking.

But he's blissfully quiet here as they watch the movie together, all sort of nestled together on Mira's brother's couch. It's a little cramped, with how small it actually is, but you won't catch him complaining. But he does have to stretch a little bit, flexing a bit as his arm goes around Mira and part of Therion on the back of the couch.

He glances down at the two of them for a moment, then goes back to... whatever's on the screen at the moment. ]

[ ... honestly, that something like this hasn't happened already is more surprising than the fact that he's pulling something like this. Look, she's watched movies. She's read books. She's onto you, Mister Chosen.

But also, again, she's definitely not about to complain. It's comfortable, being tucked up against his side, with Therion leaning against her, close enough that if she moved her head just slightly, his hair would tick her cheek. As nice as it is, she's also kind of nervous, inexplicably. She thought it was nervewracking enough to have feelings for one person, but two?

Probably the most unlikely two people, but maybe that weirdness is what keeps them all together. Together with a lowercase t, not Together, she reminds herself. It's hard to deny that there's something there, though. Mira's just not sure what that something is, exactly. Therion's strangely easier to read, at least if only because he lets his guard down. Zelos, though... She kind of really hopes he's not pulling that surface-level flirtation.

She looks up at him, and quietly--though with Therion this close, she'd be more surprised if he didn't hear--she says, ]

That was some stretch.

[ She doesn't try to hide the way she lifts her eyebrows. ]

Though you overshot your target some, Zelos.

[Oh. He's awake. Therion doesn't even bother opening his eyes. Or moving out of reach. Or even lifting his head from Mira's shoulder.]

That's my hair you've got your fingers in. Mira's would be softer, don't you think?

Who says I overshot?

[ Zelos leans forward slightly, smirking at Therion even though he's barely acknowledging his existence. ]

One of us needs to make sure you're keeping up on your personal hygiene. I'd hate for Mira to get a face full of greasy hair.

[ He tussles his hair for good measure. ]

[ That's it, she's going to just evaporate one of these days. She can't stop herself from resting her head lightly against Therion's. ]

You know, if you keep picking on Therion, I'm going to have to exile you to the balcony. It's pretty cold out...

[ She tries to stay serious, but she's not going to actually do that. ]

[...Hold on. Now they're both touching him. And Zelos claims it's on purpose? Mira can't be leaning on him by accident, either, not when he just spoke and she knows he's right there, conscious.]

...

[To say nothing of how she's protecting him. Even jokingly. From Zelos, as if she has some kind of say over both of them, as if they're. Hers. Like they belong to her, in a way, and.

Even though he's obviously overthinking it, he... likes that.

Whatever she really means, and whatever Zelos means with his stupid tousling, Therion can only grumble faintly because shaking Zelos off would mean dislodging Mira, and perish that damn half-baked thought. Instead, he half-opens one eye to give him a baleful, steady look.]

...You can't. He'll get lonely without us.

[And his deft little burglar fingers dart up and catch a lock of Zelos's hair.]

Better make sure your hair passes muster if you're going to crowd in like that.

[Without breaking eye contact (and also without dropping the grouchy look, though perhaps there's something else there), he draws Zelos's long red hair up to his and Mira's faces so they can fucking smell check him.]

[ .......... he deserves this, to be fair. He knows this. So he's surprisingly pretty chill as Therion grabs some of his hair. He'd generally be a little more sensitive about it, but... with these two picking at him, he's way more at ease than he typically is.

He chuckles, leaning into Mira a little bit more. ]

Easy on the merchandise, there. I'll let you borrow my shampoo and conditioner, if it meets your approval.

[ His hair is a national treasure in two worlds-turned-countries! He's gotta keep it well maintained. ]

[ Oh, now she's the one being bullied-- She's flustered, but she's also okay with this. There's something nice about messing with each other like this, considering their start... which she will not do, because she would rather not right now.

So, yeah, she fuckin' smell checks Zelos. Amazing. She huffs a little, but with Zelos and Therion both leaning into her, she can't be actually upset. ]

It's not terrible, but I think I'll stick with mine. Here I thought you'd have something more impressive, Mr. Chosen.

[ It's easier to not focus on how flustered she is when she's teasing them. ]

Cute of you to try to mark us with your scent, though.

[He gives the strands of hair he's captured one curious rub between his fingers before letting them go. Yup. Silky. Feels like quality and care.

With that, he turns more decidedly towards Mira, resettles his face in the crook of her shoulder, sighs, and makes to go back to sleep. If Zelos and Mira want to be touchy and snuggly, so be it. He's equal to that. Can't make him blush and shy away.

Also: Comfy. Warm. It's not quite as strange as it used to be, here with them.]

Hey, you can't fault me for trying. One of us needs to look out for the others' well-being, it may as well be me.

[ He smirks as his hair gets relinquished after the inspection, using his free hand to pull it back over his shoulders and out of the way again.

He feels Therion settle back into Mira's shoulder and follows suit, leaning his head against her as the two of them sort of snuggle up some more. ]

[ Oh.

Well.

Now both of them are snuggled up against her, and she's pretty trapped. But she's not upset about it. Her heart's racing about a mile a minute, though. Clearly, she didn't think this through, and now she's suffering the consequences.

All things considered, though, she could be in a lot worse position than this. ]

If you're so worried, you'll just have to teach us your secrets.

[ Her voice is a lot steadier than she'd guessed, but it's still pretty... affected. No one can blame her, though, being sandwiched in by two guys who occupy the most space in her heart. ]

...I don't know about that.

[With his nose all but pressed to Mira's neck, Therion can feel her breakaway pulse. With Zelos copying him and leaning into Mira, taking every opportunity he can get to get close to her, Therion thinks he's got the size of what's happening.

Despite himself, he cares--more than he can admit--for both of them. It's all right. It'll feel good to help them along. Therion continues casually:]

If he doesn't teach us, he gets to keep doing it himself.

[This is what he does: artfully exposes what's buried, brings it to light for the taking. Zelos will be careful with Mira, because she's not just some leaf-a-dozen "hunny," not with everything she's done--everything she's become--for all of them. And in return, Mira will be so, so careful with Zelos, with his broken, cutting edges and the scars of his chains.

Therion knows. Both of them, the exquisite, aching beauty of them, have struck him indelibly to his core. Because they have, because they mean so much to him, he goes out of his way to layer meaning into his otherwise light voice.]

Going to take care of us, huh, Zelos?

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melts in through the nearest wall here also

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