Osora let her arms drop, once she was sure Reeha had sent the text, the view of her toned stomach disappearing. She tilted her head towards the second set of stairs in the living room, these ones continuing up. “Let’s go then. You look exhausted.” She held her hand out, offering him the chance to take it, even though they weren’t going very far.
Tali took the invitation right away, his eyes wide as their fingers linked together on his doing. He smiled sweetly at her, completely and utterly love-struck by her. “Okay… I’ll follow after you, lead the way.” He purred, turning to wave at the group. “Thank you all for your kindness!” He hummed, smiling kindly as he followed after Toki.
His thanks was met with a chorus of various farewells and good nights, including a too-obvious wink from Maki.
Osora led Tali up the second flight to the third floor, the hallway the travelled through and the visible other couple hallways they passed all lined with photos. Some sported the whole family, and others parts, including one of a younger Osora with plain white hair grinning as she held a younger Reeha on her shoulders. Notably though, none featured any sort of man old enough to be any of the sibling’s father.
Tali tilted his head at the photos, smiling softly. “You were cute even back then.” He noted out loud, glancing at her. He wanted to ask about her father, but was worried to. It seemed she didn’t like her father much at all. “Toki? Is it really ok to let me stay in your room?” He asked gently.
“Once again, cute isn’t really a word people use to describe me.” Osora said, her steps slowing slightly as she glanced at the pictures with her younger self in them. “And of course it’s okay. It’s my room after all. I call the shots in there.” She joked, the lighter tone clashing with her dull expression.
“It’s the word I use.” He replied with a smile and a slight wink. His eyes studied her face, drinking in her beauty. “Right… right… your shots.” He tore his eyes from her face, and instead looked around for another door. “Soo… where is your room, if I may ask? I’m not used to this layout.”
“Just down here. My room has the fire escape.” Osora said, pointing to the end of the hallway, where a bedroom door covered in faded stickers and odd gouges was. If one knew their way around knives, they’d know that was just what those were, gouges from throwing knives.
She pushed open the door to her bedroom, tugging him into a room that was simultaneously just what one would expect from a young adult, and nothing at all what one would expect.
The first thing that stood out was the large desk. Actually two folding tables side by side, they were covered in clocks in varying stages of disarray and tools and parts of all sorts, along with a few food containers. A small sleeping mat was shoved into on corner, a stuffed crow sitting on the black pillow. There was a punching bag hanging from the ceiling in another corner, which seemed to be a fitness corner, if the weights and other small equipment were any indication. There was a string of fairy lights tacked above the open window, and the walls had decorations varying from a few clocks to posters of horror movies and a few of musicians, and a map of the city that looked like it had been marked on hung near a lamp on a night stand. Overall, odd, cluttered and ordered at the same time.
“Home sweet home.”
Of course Tali drank in as much detail as he could. He absolutely adored her room already, from the stuffed crow to the lights at the window. He beamed at it all, grinning from ear to ear. “Cute~!” He teased, nudging her gently.
“Where would you like me to place my stuff? I left my bag downstairs so I might have to go get that.”
“Gods, you really like referring to everything about me as cute, don’t you?” Osora commented, raising an eyebrow at him as she let go of his hand, making her way around the room and making sure it was at least semi clean enough for someone else to sleep in. “Anywhere is fine. Feel free to make yourself at home, just try not to break anything, obviously.” She dropped her own bag on the office chair by the tables, returning to standing in front of him. “You can start getting settled, I’ll go grab.”
“In my defense you’re awfully cute.” He nodded gently and chose a corner away from her mat, wanting to make her feel safe. “Thank you Toki. You’re a wonderful person, don’t tell yourself otherwise.” He murmured gently, smiling at her as he leaned against the wall.
“You can take the mat. I’m not using it tonight.” Osora said, waving towards the sleeping mat as she plopped down in the office chair after moving her bag onto the table. “Work to do. And I wouldn’t say wonderful.” She pulled a small laptop from her bag, opening it up on the table and waiting for it to turn on as she searched for a pen.
He blushed lightly and shook his head. “No. That’s yours. I know better than to use it.” He murmured gently. “I have a small mat and blanket in my suitcase I can use.” He murmured. “I want to leave yours open for you. If you get tired you’ll need a place to sleep.” He noted softly.
“If I get tired enough to crash, it’s usually right here.” She said, pulling her hair back with one hand as she continued rifling around for a pen. She finally found one, sticking it in her mouth to free her hands. Then she kicked off, pushing the chair across the hardwood floors to the map to study it. “Don’t sleep much anyway.”
The skin-stealer watched her carefully before he stood. “Rest, Toki. I’ll go grab my things.” He murmured, gently taking her hand and pulling her back to her chair. “Rest here. I’ll be back.” He promised, flashing her a charming smile as he slid out the door, rubbing at his face as it began to tingle. He needed his mask soon. They’d all see.
The second he was at his things he drew the plain, emotionless mask from its place in his bag and placed it over his face. He relaxed immediately, taking in a deep breath as he made his way back upstairs.
Once he was safely back in her room he flashed an awkward smile, then realized she couldn’t see his face. “Ah, don’t mind the mask. I sleep with it. Less likely of a chance someone could see it and connect a few dots.”
Osora, still in the same place and studying the map intently, her charging phone in one hand, glanced to the door as Tali returned. She blinked, a bit surprised by the mask. But his explanation made sense. She nodded, her eyes flickering to the light switch next to the door. "Feel free to hit the lights and get to sleep." She didn't need much light, her eyesight functioning weirdly well in the dark. And the fairy lights Ren had given her one year for her birthday gave off enough light should she need it.
Tali nodded once, flicking off the lights and moving to set up his space. “Thank you.” Was all he said as he removed his shirt and climbed onto his mat, burying himself under the blanket.
Surprisingly, as he brought himself back into his own form, he remained just as tall. His face was hidden just enough that one couldn’t see his features, but from the corner of his cheek poked out something black; a tattoo that he hadn’t consented to.
((So my kink is one person waking up the other with nightmares/having panic attacks while awake and THUS waking up the sleeping person so uh. That’s a possibility I’m putting out there…))
“Goodnight, Tali.” Osora watched him lay down, her expression as soft as it could possibly get. She looked back to her map after a few moments, keeping an ear on his breathing to make sure he fell asleep fine. She was quiet as she typed up a text and sent it, before moving back to the table and typing in her laptop. She was in the middle of a project close to her heart, and she’d set herself a deadline. Now she just had to write.
(Yyeeeeeeesss bring that on in here haha! I like it! Is Osora the one with nightmares or Tali?)
Tali fell asleep fine. It may have taken him awhile to do so but the sounds of Osora near by somehow comforted him. He drifted off, his black hair ruffled and messy as he pressed the side of his masked face into the pillow. If one were to remove the mask they’d find a peaceful, smiling face.
((I’ve got a scene in mind of something triggering the panic in Osora and she like. Just breaks down, or the Osora version of breaking down, and stumbles towards the window cause the fire escape is her head clearing space. Thoughts?))
(I like it! I like it! So like, she wakes up Tali and he moves to comfort her right?)
((She’d already be awake, because she goes for nights without sleeping sometimes, but ye))
(Oh yeah of course! Haha. Would you like me to start or would you?)
((Could you? I gotta go find a device with a bigger screen than this one))
(Of course!)
If one stayed around long enough with Tali they would learn that he was an awfully light sleeper. So it was no surprise that he stirred upon hearing someone move in the room. It was Toki.
For a moment he couldn’t figure out why she was up still, his eyes blinking blearily through the holes of the mask until he realized something; she was going right to the window.
He was up in a second, a thinner hand grabbing her elbow and pulling her into his chest. His sleepy scent smelled of Patchouli and Cedar Wood and washed over Toki when she was pressed against him.
“Toki… what’s wrong?”
“Can’t breathe. I can’t-I need out. Smoke, too much smoke.” Osora gasped out, looking about as frantic as one could imagine her getting, and then some. She had frozen completely when Tali had grabbed her, and still couldn’t seem to move in any direction except the window.
There was no smoke. Not literally, at least, because the smoke was all in her mind. She’d been writing. Something so normal and familiar that it shouldn’t have triggered the panic attack, but it was what she’d been writing that had.
”Just stay still and they’ll live. You’re good at that, aren’t you? Pretending nothing phases you. So let’s see how long you can last.” The smoke was filling the room now, joining by the smell of burning flesh, the fabric over her arm and shoulder catching and staying lit and she couldn’t move, she couldn’t move or they would die and the rest of the city would too, slowly and painfully, god it hurt- Osora was shaking now, almost violently, and a strangled sob left her as she gripped Tali tightly, still struggling to breath and failing horribly.