[ oh, right. izumi manages to shut up, but now he's raising a brow at his bf. ]
We're visiting dolphins, idiot. What, are you going to join the ranks of those lowly stupid mortals that you just brought up?
[ but izumi's a morosexual in all his life, so he's just going to drag sandalphon towards the pool where the children are cooing around the dolphins that were summoned to the pool's edge by some caretakers. he lets go of sandalphon's hand to go crouch down near one of the dolphins that's squawking with glee. ]
See, aren't they harmless? Quick, take a photo of me. Make sure to get my good angle, okay?
[He reaches out to grab Izumi's arm, but it's too late. He's already within biting distance, and he's...
...Fine, actually...? Sandalphon squints suspiciously at the dolphins, though now that he's getting a close look at them he can see they more closely resemble the costume Azrael was wearing than something like Old Bruce. These are the gentler species, then...though he's still wary as he pulls up the camera on Izumi's phone.]
All your angles are good angles, but...just be careful, alright?
[He's seriously worried, eyes trained on the dolphins rather than paying much attention to the photo he's taking.]
[ izumi rolls his eyes, but inside he's touched by how concerned his boyfriend is about his own safety... really though, there's nothing to be worried about. he places a hand on the dolphin while pulling down his mask to show off a brilliant smile for the camera --
"Oh my gosh, is that Sena Izumi?" "It is, it is! Secchan in the flesh!" "Quick, quick! Get the photo!
...only for everyone in the vicinity to recognize him. cue the fans crowding around him, almost knocking sandalphon off his feet as they ooh'ed and ahh'ed at izumi, who can do nothing but offer a close-eyed smile and a wave - a cue that he's pissed at this predicament and that he's mentally kicking himself for attracting this much attention already. ughhhhhh. ]
[Idols are considered to belong to the public; they have to be ready and able to provide them with a perfect public image at all times, in exchange for adoration. Such is the way of Izumi's profession.
Unfortunately, Sandalphon is not beholden to those same principles. After fumbling with the phone in his hands, doing his utmost not to drop it, Sandalphon roughly shoves the members of the gathering crowd out of his way, fixing anyone who tries to argue with him with a spine-chilling glare. As he gets close, he affixes a pair of sunglasses to his face, pulled from a pocket in the nice jacket he's wearing.]
If anyone takes any more pictures from this moment onward, there's a licensing fee! Give him some space, alright?
[He hooks his arm through one of Izumi's, gently tugging him back through the path he shoved into existence in an effort to extract him from the crowd.]
Come along, sir, you'll be late for your next shoot if we don't get going soon.
[He continues to drag Izumi along until he finds the nearest restroom, which he quickly pulls him into, closing the door behind him and dragging the trash can in front of it just in case anyone tries to follow. The sunglasses come off, and Sandalphon gives him a sheepish smile.]
...I panicked. I know this is a miserable place to hide, but...
[He's just being selfish. He wanted this day to be for just the two of them, and he's apparently willing to hide out in a public bathroom to make sure that happens.]
...I hope I got that picture. Your smile was wonderful.
[ to be honest, izumi was counting on sandalphon to come rescue him somehow, but he didn't expect the whole acting thing. and the next thing he knew he's in the public bathroom, with sandalphon switching from that cool facade of a bodyguard to a bashful smile of a boyfriend. ah, izumi could just kiss him.
oh wait, he can. here's another kiss on the lips for all his trouble. ]
Since when did you learn how to act?
[ there's a teasing tone in his voice, which does nothing to hide the blush on his face. whether sandalphon had caught that smile from earlier on camera, it's nothing compared to seeing this expression on izumi's face that's made because of him. ]
...Thank you. And sorry if I ruined our date already. [ sighs. ] You could afford a better place for us to hide in, though.
[ at least they won't spend the rest of the day here. ]
[Were it not for the unfortunate nature of their current hiding place, Sandalphon would pull Izumi close and kiss him breathless, utterly captivated by the warm expression on his face. As it is, though, making out in a public bathroom isn't exactly on his list of things he wants to do, so it's fairly easy to hold himself back in this case.]
It was here or the janitor's closet, and I wasn't sure if that would be locked or not.
[The crowd might've caught up if they'd spent too much time trying to get a locked door open...ugh, just thinking about it makes him angry. He knows that being an idol makes Izumi happy, so he'd never say a word against it...but he'd be lying if he said he didn't look forward to the day Izumi commits to modeling full-time, so he can finally tell the rest of the world that Sena Izumi belongs to him and him alone.
It isn't Izumi's fault that the industry is like this, so there's no sense in being upset with him.]
...I doubt I'll ever be able to put on a performance like that again. It was doubtless the adrenaline rush from being shoved, and...
[He wonders if he should say this next part out loud, but he rolls ahead with it.]
...There's this...certain smile you make when you're upset. That was the smile you were making. And the thought of you so upset, when I wanted you to be happy today...I simply couldn't...
[The turbulent mix of emotions it stirred up moved him before he even knew what was going on.]
...I'll make it up to you. For...shoving you into a bathroom to hide from the crowd.
[ ah, was he really making that face at the time? izumi did that out of reflex, a mask that's quickly put on when fans are around. guys like tsukasa are immediately intimidated at the sight of him smiling like that, but sandalphon was actually thinking of what he really felt instead of merely running away.
his heart clenching, he takes sandalphon's face in his hand, his smile genuinely warm. ah, if only he'd be allowed to make out with his boyfriend right now too, but a public bathroom is too gross of a place to do it in. he can't even normally sneak more than one kiss out there. ]
The dolphins were cute up close, you know? I wanted you to come meet them too. That's the least you can do.
[ he lets his boyfriend go with a sigh and he shrugs off his coat. ]
Here, let's switch. We can probably get them off our trail like this.
[ he chose sandalphon's outfit for the day so it's fine. ]
Oh! That's a good idea. Next time I should remember to bring a change of clothes in a bag, too...
[It...honestly kind of sucks that the two of them have to think about things like this just to go on a date. Swapping coats in a public bathroom is probably not something that any of his friends can say they've done on dates...not that he can tell them about any of this. No one can know who he's dating, after all.
...But whenever he starts thinking like that, all he has to do is look over at the man he's doing all this for. That smile, the lingering warmth of his fingers trailing across his cheek...it's all worth it.]
You want to borrow my sunglasses, too? No, that'd just make you look conspicuous with the mask...
[And he doubts Izumi would wear a hat unless he needed to for a job. Hat hair is real and it's a huge pain. He sighs, zipping up Izumi's jacket halfway. It's a little tight; after all, he's got more muscles than his boyfriend does, at least in his arms. Given Izumi's been a ballet dancer since childhood, their legs are probably more evenly matched, though...
...No, no, he can think about his legs later! Sandalphon shakes his head slightly as though to physically jostle the thought out of his mind and drags the trash can back to the corner where it belongs.]
...All right, let's try this again. We're going to go pet some sharks.
[ even though izumi picked out his boyfriend's outfit for this date, there's something about sandalphon wearing his jacket that's making his face flush a little. not that sandalphon's interested in the first place, but izumi's lucky that sandalphon hasn't tried out modeling yet, despite all the teasing and encouragement he's given him. his bf really is handsome enough for the consumer market, and izumi's own modeling cred would go down the train and he'd lose a lot of jobs and he'd have to see sandalphon as a rival and -
okay, let's not get carried away here. izumi gives sandalphon a Look before flicking at his forehead. ]
More like I'm going to toss you to some sharks if you get it wrong again.
[ IS HE BLIND? if that's the case, izumi grabs his hand and shows themselves out the door, leading the way back to the dolphins. the crowd that were here for izumi has dissipated for now, so at least he can breathe out a sigh of relief. ]
Okay, here. You go pet them first, and I'll take a photo of you. [ pushes his boyfriend forward to the pool where those cute creatures await. ] They won't bite, trust me.
But their sonic waves...I already get motion sickness, so if I'm more susceptible...
[What on earth is he talking about? Nevertheless, everyone else is fine, so he approaches the dolphins with some hesitation and reaches down to touch one. It makes a squeal of excitement and butts its nose against his hand, prompting a gentle smile from Sandalphon, who ends up properly petting it after all. He completely forgets to look up at Izumi and give him a smile for the camera, but maybe his more candid one is more worthy of being photographed anyway.
A second dolphin swims up, demanding attention, and he somehow ends up having to placate two at once, laughing freely in a way he hasn't in a long time. There are kids waiting in line, though, and Sandalphon would hate to hold them up, so he eventually withdraws his hands and rejoins Izumi, wiping his wet hands dry on the front of his thighs.]
...Those creatures remind me of some of my acquaintances from home. It was...nice to get a chance to see them this close. What are they called? Dolphins? I'll have to tell everyone they're a different species...
[They really are just like the archangels of instruction...but he's not gonna wax nostalgic too much about old friends on a date.]
[ sandalphon's a freakin' angel with six wings yet he's weak to sonic waves of all things?! why is izumi's boyfriend so weak...
but ah, seeing one of sandalphon's rarer smiles is making izumi weak in the knees too. maybe that's what he meant. he quickly snapped a photo of that, and a couple more; a talent that he'd gleaned from stalking his precious junior a number of times, now put to good use. ]
The more you know, right? I'm sure your world has more unique animals compared to the ones here on Earth, though.
[ since sandalphon's been reverse-isekai'd and all. ]
Wanna go to the underwater tunnel? It's not as scary as the dolphins, probably.
They—I wasn't scared, I was concerned! You've never fought a shark!
[They're beginning to get stares again, so Sandalphon opts to let Izumi take him to the underwater tunnel instead of continuing to argue this point, talking about Sky Realm wildlife in the meantime.]
...I'm not sure how to describe some of the creatures that live in the Sky Realm, and honestly...most of them are things I would have to protect you from. Some of them are similar to the ones found in this world...for instance, there are species of rabbits in my world that have wings for ears. Even they can be dangerous if provoked...
[The more he thinks about it, the happier he is that he ended up here, and not vice-versa. When they arrive at the underwater tunnel, Sandalphon can't help but marvel at it.]
This is...not even the Astrals ever made something like this.
[It's probably well within their capabilities, but none of them really ever had a use for a tank with a built-in tunnel.]
...With this...it really will be as though we're in the ocean...
[He's definitely excited, even though he's trying to play it cool.]
[ you can't hide what's inside, sandalphon. izumi leads him inside the tunnel, joining a throng of children and adults alike as they look above their heads and watch various marine wildlife swim past in the blue landscape. this is izumi's favorite part of the aquarium, and it really shows. ]
Some of the creatures they keep here are docile for the most part, but they're just as dangerous if provoked. Watch out for those manta rays, now.
[ they're just... vibing...
they make it at the middle of the tunnel, which is a circular space with benches provided if people wanna sit and rest their legs for a spell. but izumi continues to pull sandalphon to one corner of the room, a tiny secluded area that hides a beautiful display of coral, with some fish swimming past. ]
I don't think anyone would see us from here...
[ he slides his own mask down as he hands sandalphon his phone again, before going up to the glass display to pose for the camera. though it's less posing and more smiling, as izumi beams at his boyfriend with a rather obvious blush on his face. ]
[Sandalphon stares intently at the manta rays the entire time, apparently taking Izumi's words extremely seriously. But of course, nothing happens, they're sea pancakes separated by very thick glass from the rest of the aquarium. He can't help but marvel the entire time Izumi pulls him along, eyes shining like a little kid's.
He had no idea oceans were like this. He doesn't even know how to begin to describe it for the people back home—so maybe it's fine if he just lets himself enjoy this moment here and now, without worrying about going back home.
When they arrive at the coral display and Izumi moves his mask down, Sandalphon instinctively steps slightly to the side, blocking the view of anyone who might be behind them. He really doesn't want a repeat of earlier, though the fact that this part of the tunnel is more or less secluded certainly helps. It really feels like a date, now, when they're so far away from the crowds...]
...You're...
[Sandalphon chokes on his own compliment, averting his eyes to stare right at the phone as he takes pictures, blushing just as obviously as Izumi is. Why is it always here that he fails? Why can't he just say what he's thinking?
He snaps a few pictures, and then...well, he doesn't usually like asking Izumi to change poses because he doesn't want to make him feel like he's at work on one of his precious few days off, but...]
...Can I take one of you looking at the coral, too?
[It's not really a candid shot if he knows about it, but he'd like it anyway.]
[ he doesn't mind the request, as he's used to it by now. he turns around to face the coral, a tranquil smile on his face. ]
Come over here too. You should see this.
[ the blue from the water is reflecting upon his face, giving him an ethereal blue glow. he points at the fish swimming past and tells sandalphon of a fact he knows about it, keeping the conversation light and engaging enough that he doesn't bore his otherworldly boyfriend with mundane knowledge.
but with how sandalphon's looking at the displays like a child, there shouldn't be anything to worry about it. ]
...Hey. What do you think of the ocean so far?
[ his smile is relaxed, his hand reaching out to hold sandalphon's as he goes back to watching the display. he's been here before, but not for a date, and now he knows why it's a favorite spot for couples. ]
Edited (i posted too soon rip) 2020-05-04 13:52 (UTC)
[Sandalphon, for his part, wants to hear all about whatever facts Izumi can rattle off. He's utterly fascinated; even the most mundane knowledge about the ocean is completely unknown to him.
He looks down at the phone he took the picture with, smiling softly. The soft blue light reflecting in his eyes and staining his pale hair the same color as the skies he's promised to protect in his own world...yes, this will have to do. He can't very well ask Izumi to come with him once he's found a way home, after all.
But if he can envision him in those skies, even for a moment, it will have to be enough.]
It's...beautiful.
[He squeezes Izumi's hand, as though to say he's beautiful too.]
...I never would have imagined there was so much life in the sea. You've given me an opportunity I would have never had if we had never met, and I...can't thank you enough.
[He's given him so many more opportunities than just seeing some fish, too. Maybe that's what he's really trying to say here.]
And...more importantly...I'm happy to be here. With you.
[His delivery's a bit stunted, but the reason why should be obvious at a glance; he's bright red, trying really hard to vocalize at least some of the tender thoughts he's having about Izumi at this moment.]
...The ocean reminds me of you, I think. It's similar. Beautiful to look at, of course, but...even more beautiful the further down you can see.
[ if sandalphon's going to die, izumi is already gone. swimming with the fishes, probably. his face goes impossibly red, his grip on sandalphon's hand tightening as his poor brain processes all those sweet words he'd just said. how is he beautiful when he nagging his ear off and dragging him all over town while dodging rabid fans and paparazzi? ]
Y-You... You can't just say that...
[ his first instinct is to hide his flushed cheeks, so he pulls sandalphon in for a hug, hiding his face in his chest. he feels so warm, and even now he smells faintly of coffee, something that izumi's grown accustomed to over the months since knowing him. ]
I just... [ hold on, let him try to find the words. because izumi does want to hear more of that from him, but he isn't sure how his own heart would take it. ]
I'm glad... That you enjoyed yourself here. [ another pause as he takes a deep breath, steels himself. ] I don't want you to go just yet, so...
[ it's inevitable, once sandalphon finds a way back to the skies. so let him be selfish for just a little longer. ]
[He'll have to, someday. The world can't be without a supreme primarch—not until every threat to the skies has been eliminated. But realistically, that won't ever happen—there will always be a new threat. It's thankless, eternal work, but it's a mantle Sandalphon bears proudly.
...Even so, he's so happy he got to experience a quiet, peaceful life with Izumi. No cruel Astral experiments, no garden to be confined in—just a life lived normally, with the man he loves.]
I might not ever want to go.
[But that doesn't mean he won't. They both know that he has to, once he can.
Sandalphon returns Izumi's embrace, holding him tightly and stroking his hair. What a blessing it would be to stay like this forever.]
...So until the day comes that I have to...I want to be by your side. Perhaps that's too much to ask, coming from someone in my position. But I...
[He never got the chance to even so much as tell Lucifer how much he mattered to him. He won't make that mistake again. Not with Izumi.]
...I hope...that you'll continue to entertain my nonsense until then.
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We're visiting dolphins, idiot. What, are you going to join the ranks of those lowly stupid mortals that you just brought up?
[ but izumi's a morosexual in all his life, so he's just going to drag sandalphon towards the pool where the children are cooing around the dolphins that were summoned to the pool's edge by some caretakers. he lets go of sandalphon's hand to go crouch down near one of the dolphins that's squawking with glee. ]
See, aren't they harmless? Quick, take a photo of me. Make sure to get my good angle, okay?
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[He reaches out to grab Izumi's arm, but it's too late. He's already within biting distance, and he's...
...Fine, actually...? Sandalphon squints suspiciously at the dolphins, though now that he's getting a close look at them he can see they more closely resemble the costume Azrael was wearing than something like Old Bruce. These are the gentler species, then...though he's still wary as he pulls up the camera on Izumi's phone.]
All your angles are good angles, but...just be careful, alright?
[He's seriously worried, eyes trained on the dolphins rather than paying much attention to the photo he's taking.]
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"Oh my gosh, is that Sena Izumi?"
"It is, it is! Secchan in the flesh!"
"Quick, quick! Get the photo!
...only for everyone in the vicinity to recognize him. cue the fans crowding around him, almost knocking sandalphon off his feet as they ooh'ed and ahh'ed at izumi, who can do nothing but offer a close-eyed smile and a wave - a cue that he's pissed at this predicament and that he's mentally kicking himself for attracting this much attention already. ughhhhhh. ]
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Unfortunately, Sandalphon is not beholden to those same principles. After fumbling with the phone in his hands, doing his utmost not to drop it, Sandalphon roughly shoves the members of the gathering crowd out of his way, fixing anyone who tries to argue with him with a spine-chilling glare. As he gets close, he affixes a pair of sunglasses to his face, pulled from a pocket in the nice jacket he's wearing.]
If anyone takes any more pictures from this moment onward, there's a licensing fee! Give him some space, alright?
[He hooks his arm through one of Izumi's, gently tugging him back through the path he shoved into existence in an effort to extract him from the crowd.]
Come along, sir, you'll be late for your next shoot if we don't get going soon.
[He continues to drag Izumi along until he finds the nearest restroom, which he quickly pulls him into, closing the door behind him and dragging the trash can in front of it just in case anyone tries to follow. The sunglasses come off, and Sandalphon gives him a sheepish smile.]
...I panicked. I know this is a miserable place to hide, but...
[He's just being selfish. He wanted this day to be for just the two of them, and he's apparently willing to hide out in a public bathroom to make sure that happens.]
...I hope I got that picture. Your smile was wonderful.
[Maybe they can try again in half an hour or so?]
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oh wait, he can. here's another kiss on the lips for all his trouble. ]
Since when did you learn how to act?
[ there's a teasing tone in his voice, which does nothing to hide the blush on his face. whether sandalphon had caught that smile from earlier on camera, it's nothing compared to seeing this expression on izumi's face that's made because of him. ]
...Thank you. And sorry if I ruined our date already. [ sighs. ] You could afford a better place for us to hide in, though.
[ at least they won't spend the rest of the day here. ]
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It was here or the janitor's closet, and I wasn't sure if that would be locked or not.
[The crowd might've caught up if they'd spent too much time trying to get a locked door open...ugh, just thinking about it makes him angry. He knows that being an idol makes Izumi happy, so he'd never say a word against it...but he'd be lying if he said he didn't look forward to the day Izumi commits to modeling full-time, so he can finally tell the rest of the world that Sena Izumi belongs to him and him alone.
It isn't Izumi's fault that the industry is like this, so there's no sense in being upset with him.]
...I doubt I'll ever be able to put on a performance like that again. It was doubtless the adrenaline rush from being shoved, and...
[He wonders if he should say this next part out loud, but he rolls ahead with it.]
...There's this...certain smile you make when you're upset. That was the smile you were making. And the thought of you so upset, when I wanted you to be happy today...I simply couldn't...
[The turbulent mix of emotions it stirred up moved him before he even knew what was going on.]
...I'll make it up to you. For...shoving you into a bathroom to hide from the crowd.
[He isn't blaming Izumi for a second.]
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his heart clenching, he takes sandalphon's face in his hand, his smile genuinely warm. ah, if only he'd be allowed to make out with his boyfriend right now too, but a public bathroom is too gross of a place to do it in. he can't even normally sneak more than one kiss out there. ]
The dolphins were cute up close, you know? I wanted you to come meet them too. That's the least you can do.
[ he lets his boyfriend go with a sigh and he shrugs off his coat. ]
Here, let's switch. We can probably get them off our trail like this.
[ he chose sandalphon's outfit for the day so it's fine. ]
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[It...honestly kind of sucks that the two of them have to think about things like this just to go on a date. Swapping coats in a public bathroom is probably not something that any of his friends can say they've done on dates...not that he can tell them about any of this. No one can know who he's dating, after all.
...But whenever he starts thinking like that, all he has to do is look over at the man he's doing all this for. That smile, the lingering warmth of his fingers trailing across his cheek...it's all worth it.]
You want to borrow my sunglasses, too? No, that'd just make you look conspicuous with the mask...
[And he doubts Izumi would wear a hat unless he needed to for a job. Hat hair is real and it's a huge pain. He sighs, zipping up Izumi's jacket halfway. It's a little tight; after all, he's got more muscles than his boyfriend does, at least in his arms. Given Izumi's been a ballet dancer since childhood, their legs are probably more evenly matched, though...
...No, no, he can think about his legs later! Sandalphon shakes his head slightly as though to physically jostle the thought out of his mind and drags the trash can back to the corner where it belongs.]
...All right, let's try this again. We're going to go pet some sharks.
[He's still calling them sharks.]
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okay, let's not get carried away here. izumi gives sandalphon a Look before flicking at his forehead. ]
More like I'm going to toss you to some sharks if you get it wrong again.
[ IS HE BLIND? if that's the case, izumi grabs his hand and shows themselves out the door, leading the way back to the dolphins. the crowd that were here for izumi has dissipated for now, so at least he can breathe out a sigh of relief. ]
Okay, here. You go pet them first, and I'll take a photo of you. [ pushes his boyfriend forward to the pool where those cute creatures await. ] They won't bite, trust me.
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[What on earth is he talking about? Nevertheless, everyone else is fine, so he approaches the dolphins with some hesitation and reaches down to touch one. It makes a squeal of excitement and butts its nose against his hand, prompting a gentle smile from Sandalphon, who ends up properly petting it after all. He completely forgets to look up at Izumi and give him a smile for the camera, but maybe his more candid one is more worthy of being photographed anyway.
A second dolphin swims up, demanding attention, and he somehow ends up having to placate two at once, laughing freely in a way he hasn't in a long time. There are kids waiting in line, though, and Sandalphon would hate to hold them up, so he eventually withdraws his hands and rejoins Izumi, wiping his wet hands dry on the front of his thighs.]
...Those creatures remind me of some of my acquaintances from home. It was...nice to get a chance to see them this close. What are they called? Dolphins? I'll have to tell everyone they're a different species...
[They really are just like the archangels of instruction...but he's not gonna wax nostalgic too much about old friends on a date.]
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but ah, seeing one of sandalphon's rarer smiles is making izumi weak in the knees too. maybe that's what he meant. he quickly snapped a photo of that, and a couple more; a talent that he'd gleaned from stalking his precious junior a number of times, now put to good use. ]
The more you know, right? I'm sure your world has more unique animals compared to the ones here on Earth, though.
[ since sandalphon's been reverse-isekai'd and all. ]
Wanna go to the underwater tunnel? It's not as scary as the dolphins, probably.
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[They're beginning to get stares again, so Sandalphon opts to let Izumi take him to the underwater tunnel instead of continuing to argue this point, talking about Sky Realm wildlife in the meantime.]
...I'm not sure how to describe some of the creatures that live in the Sky Realm, and honestly...most of them are things I would have to protect you from. Some of them are similar to the ones found in this world...for instance, there are species of rabbits in my world that have wings for ears. Even they can be dangerous if provoked...
[The more he thinks about it, the happier he is that he ended up here, and not vice-versa. When they arrive at the underwater tunnel, Sandalphon can't help but marvel at it.]
This is...not even the Astrals ever made something like this.
[It's probably well within their capabilities, but none of them really ever had a use for a tank with a built-in tunnel.]
...With this...it really will be as though we're in the ocean...
[He's definitely excited, even though he's trying to play it cool.]
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Some of the creatures they keep here are docile for the most part, but they're just as dangerous if provoked. Watch out for those manta rays, now.
[ they're just... vibing...
they make it at the middle of the tunnel, which is a circular space with benches provided if people wanna sit and rest their legs for a spell. but izumi continues to pull sandalphon to one corner of the room, a tiny secluded area that hides a beautiful display of coral, with some fish swimming past. ]
I don't think anyone would see us from here...
[ he slides his own mask down as he hands sandalphon his phone again, before going up to the glass display to pose for the camera. though it's less posing and more smiling, as izumi beams at his boyfriend with a rather obvious blush on his face. ]
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He had no idea oceans were like this. He doesn't even know how to begin to describe it for the people back home—so maybe it's fine if he just lets himself enjoy this moment here and now, without worrying about going back home.
When they arrive at the coral display and Izumi moves his mask down, Sandalphon instinctively steps slightly to the side, blocking the view of anyone who might be behind them. He really doesn't want a repeat of earlier, though the fact that this part of the tunnel is more or less secluded certainly helps. It really feels like a date, now, when they're so far away from the crowds...]
...You're...
[Sandalphon chokes on his own compliment, averting his eyes to stare right at the phone as he takes pictures, blushing just as obviously as Izumi is. Why is it always here that he fails? Why can't he just say what he's thinking?
He snaps a few pictures, and then...well, he doesn't usually like asking Izumi to change poses because he doesn't want to make him feel like he's at work on one of his precious few days off, but...]
...Can I take one of you looking at the coral, too?
[It's not really a candid shot if he knows about it, but he'd like it anyway.]
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[ he doesn't mind the request, as he's used to it by now. he turns around to face the coral, a tranquil smile on his face. ]
Come over here too. You should see this.
[ the blue from the water is reflecting upon his face, giving him an ethereal blue glow. he points at the fish swimming past and tells sandalphon of a fact he knows about it, keeping the conversation light and engaging enough that he doesn't bore his otherworldly boyfriend with mundane knowledge.
but with how sandalphon's looking at the displays like a child, there shouldn't be anything to worry about it. ]
...Hey. What do you think of the ocean so far?
[ his smile is relaxed, his hand reaching out to hold sandalphon's as he goes back to watching the display. he's been here before, but not for a date, and now he knows why it's a favorite spot for couples. ]
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He looks down at the phone he took the picture with, smiling softly. The soft blue light reflecting in his eyes and staining his pale hair the same color as the skies he's promised to protect in his own world...yes, this will have to do. He can't very well ask Izumi to come with him once he's found a way home, after all.
But if he can envision him in those skies, even for a moment, it will have to be enough.]
It's...beautiful.
[He squeezes Izumi's hand, as though to say he's beautiful too.]
...I never would have imagined there was so much life in the sea. You've given me an opportunity I would have never had if we had never met, and I...can't thank you enough.
[He's given him so many more opportunities than just seeing some fish, too. Maybe that's what he's really trying to say here.]
And...more importantly...I'm happy to be here. With you.
[His delivery's a bit stunted, but the reason why should be obvious at a glance; he's bright red, trying really hard to vocalize at least some of the tender thoughts he's having about Izumi at this moment.]
...The ocean reminds me of you, I think. It's similar. Beautiful to look at, of course, but...even more beautiful the further down you can see.
[He's actually gonna die, maybe.]
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Y-You... You can't just say that...
[ his first instinct is to hide his flushed cheeks, so he pulls sandalphon in for a hug, hiding his face in his chest. he feels so warm, and even now he smells faintly of coffee, something that izumi's grown accustomed to over the months since knowing him. ]
I just... [ hold on, let him try to find the words. because izumi does want to hear more of that from him, but he isn't sure how his own heart would take it. ]
I'm glad... That you enjoyed yourself here. [ another pause as he takes a deep breath, steels himself. ] I don't want you to go just yet, so...
[ it's inevitable, once sandalphon finds a way back to the skies. so let him be selfish for just a little longer. ]
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[He'll have to, someday. The world can't be without a supreme primarch—not until every threat to the skies has been eliminated. But realistically, that won't ever happen—there will always be a new threat. It's thankless, eternal work, but it's a mantle Sandalphon bears proudly.
...Even so, he's so happy he got to experience a quiet, peaceful life with Izumi. No cruel Astral experiments, no garden to be confined in—just a life lived normally, with the man he loves.]
I might not ever want to go.
[But that doesn't mean he won't. They both know that he has to, once he can.
Sandalphon returns Izumi's embrace, holding him tightly and stroking his hair. What a blessing it would be to stay like this forever.]
...So until the day comes that I have to...I want to be by your side. Perhaps that's too much to ask, coming from someone in my position. But I...
[He never got the chance to even so much as tell Lucifer how much he mattered to him. He won't make that mistake again. Not with Izumi.]
...I hope...that you'll continue to entertain my nonsense until then.