LOCKED TO viliorate

[sadisticwarfare]

[It's been a little over ten years since the two of them arrived here. Ten years is an awfully long time to be stuck here, but returning home isn't an option anymore. It hasn't been an option since they first started changing, and that wasn't all that long after they arrived. Kimbley had grown a tail and ears and Archer's eyes had turned red. It's amazing to think they had been so scared by those changes back then.

Things are different now. They aren't human, but there's no reason for that to bother them. Archer is a vampire (something that he found painfully ironic in the beginning, but he's adapted quite well to it, if he does say so himself). Not much has changed about him, appearance-wise. His nails are much longer and sharper, his eyes are red, and he has the stereotypical vampire fangs, but aside from that the only difference is the slight point to his ears. It's not like he could get any paler anyway.

Archer enters their shared apartment after work, shrugging off his coat and hanging it up before proceeding into the living room.]

Kimbley, are you home yet?

Comments

[viliorate]

[Let's be honest here, Kimbley's terrible at fighting other monsters and has the scars to prove it.

He just has someone avoided being killed.]

I'll keep you protected from those that would do you harm. You can count on it.

[sadisticwarfare]

I know I can. I trust you.

[That doesn't need to be said, but he'll say it anyway.]

[viliorate]

[Kimbley makes it halfway through his second drink before he sets the glass down.]

I should stop there.

[His words are a little slurred, so this is probably a good choice.]

This has been fun. It's just you and me. We couldn't have done this in Amestris. I was too well known there.

[sadisticwarfare]

I know. It would have been nice if we could have gone out, but there's no sense in dwelling on the past.

[viliorate]

[He's going to try and stand now.

He's not drunk enough to topple over, but it takes him a moment to steady himself.]

Come on, let's go.

[....the tail probably helps his balance now. It's fortunate with all the fights he's been in that it hasn't been ripped off.]

[sadisticwarfare]

[You really should be more careful...

Archer stays close to Kimbley so that he can catch him if he falls. Hopefully that won't be a concern, but it's been a long time since Kimbley last had a drink, so who knows?]

[viliorate]

[He's certainly not in danger of toppling over without warning.

...tripping over his own feet, however...

Kimbley might catch himself on the way down, but maybe you should grab him.]

[sadisticwarfare]

[Well, that's not really a surprise...

Archer's reflexes are better than they were as a human, so catching Kimbley isn't a problem. He pulls Kimbley back upright and rolls his eyes.]

Be careful. Do you need me to help you walk?

[That question sounds teasing, but he means it.]

[viliorate]

Yeah, I guess I do.

[He's pretty damn embarrassed, but he won't turn down the help from Archer.]

[sadisticwarfare]

[He laughs, though the sound is clipped and over quickly enough. Archer wraps an arm around Kimbley's waist and moves to pull one of Kimbley's arms around his shoulders to support him.]

Alright, let's get you home.

[viliorate]

[...thankfully the spikes can't actually poke Archer like this. He gives Archer a lopsided grin, but doesn't protest.]

Lead on.

[sadisticwarfare]

[This is good!

Thankfully they aren't too far from their apartment, so Archer leads Kimbley back and gets him settled on the couch before he moves to lock the door.]

Do you need anything?

[viliorate]

[Kimbley shakes his head before changing his mind rather suddenly.]

Water. Water'll probably help.

[sadisticwarfare]

[Archer sighs but he moves to get Kimbley a glass of water anyway, returning and handing it to him.]

Don't drop that.

[viliorate]

[He smirks.]

I'm not that drunk.

[Drinking the water is a go.]

I was serious, you know. About what I said.

[sadisticwarfare]

Which part of it? You said quite a lot.

[viliorate]

[...why can't you just know what he's talking about.]

About touching me. I'm not going to let anyone else do it, but you can.

I'd kill someone else for trying it.

[Actually, he probably has.]

[sadisticwarfare]

Ah, I... I didn't think you were lying, of course, but...

[It's awkward. He looks kind of embarrassed and Archer immediately moves to flip through a book sitting on the coffee table.]

I appreciate it.

[viliorate]

[It's kind of a personal thing to admit, and he's content to leave it at that for now.]

Yeah.

[sadisticwarfare]

[Archer nods awkwardly and continues to flip through the book, obviously not reading it. He doesn't know what to say in response to that.]

[viliorate]

[Kimbley's content to fall silent. Archer will probably decide not to do anything with it but the offer is enough indication that Kimbley was serious, and he sees no reason to take it back. He trusts Archer more than anyone else, after all.

He watches Archer quietly, but doesn't speak up.

This is awkward in a way he doesn't know how to articulate]

[sadisticwarfare]

[It certainly is. Archer doesn't know what to say in response to it either, but he eventually sets the book aside and gets up.]

It's getting late. I should probably get some sleep.

[Dawn isn't for another couple of hours, but it's easier to try to sleep than it is to deal with how awkward things have gotten.]

[viliorate]

[He's certainly not going to complain.]

Right.

I'll...

[But he cuts himself off, shrugging, because he doesn't know what to say.]

I'll see you when you wake up.

[sadisticwarfare]

Of course.

[Hopefully things won't be this awkward tomorrow night...]

[viliorate]

[Well, when Kimbley wakes up a few hours before sundown, he's going to pretend that nothing is the matter. That conversation last night was extremely awkward and he's pretty damn content to forget about it.

He doesn't need to leave the apartment anytime soon, so he's going to awkwardly hover around instead.]