breakaleginhalf | dataBURST: IC Inbox

[Gil's hands are much bigger than his own, in spite of the disproportionate styling he's drawn in. He's also a lot stronger than he is, and there's nothing funny about this so he can't muster up the wherewithal to keep his grip where it was.

Nothing to do but take it in. Listen up, and trust that Gil meant what he was saying.

Yakko's eyes drift down to that ugly new line across his neck. Catches the nervous bent to that smile.]

You know... [Oof, his throat is going all tight.] On the list of famous guys to aspire to, Rasputin should be dead at the bottom.

[Ha ha. Ha.

He really can't do this.

Yakko does find the strength to break loose then. He wraps his arms around Gil's middle and pushes his face into his shoulder, careful to miss anything bandaged or freshly bruised. As best as he can, anyway. He can't look him in the eye when he's talking like that. There's a spot of wetness blooming where he's hiding his gaze away, dampening the shirt. It's probably a pipe leak. Don't worry about it.]

Just because it's hard to kill ya doesn't mean it's okay....

[Sometimes it was easy to forget just how much larger than life Yakko was. Famous star, cartoon character, seemingly endless well of cheer and confidence. To see him wrapped tight around Gil's chest, burying his face and... god, crying?

Gil's never seen him look quite this small.

And when he puts his hand on Yakko's back to hold him a little tighter in a one-armed hug, he can feel his own eyes prickling as well.]

More okay for it to be me than someone who's not used to it. [It's a sincere platitude, but by god is it a grim one.] I've spent... a long time. Being the punchline for Jigsaw's riddles. Dying hurts, sure, but it's easier than letting someone else go through that.

[His mouth twists. He pulls loose of his shoulder, even if that ceiling pipe is still leaking on his face (haha that's so weird) to give the guy a look.]

If you heard anyone else saying something like that, you'd slap them silly.

[The look nearly makes him smile, but he holds that one in, instead just huffing dryly.]

Yeah, well, most other people haven't already lost track of how many times they've died. Zero to one's a bigger step than ninety-nine to a hundred.

That's no excuse! I oughta slap you silly!

[All right, now he's riled up again. He's on an upswing. He's indignant! He's ruffled! He doesn't want to see or think about Gil going through any kind of funny business ever again!

Yakko seizes both sides of his cute little face (So plush? Where did that razor sharp jawline go?) and pokes their noses together. He means business, Buster!]

I say you've done ninety-nine times in the grave too many! Give it up! You're banned from going back, you hear me? B-A-N N N N N N-E-D! BANNED!

[At which point he yanks a rubber stamp from his pocket and pops it against his forehead. It's official. Ya BANNED.]

[The grabbing makes him blink but Yakko poking his nose into Gil's makes him rear back automatically, feeling several wounds pull and sting from the suddenness of the action. The telling him off isn't even a problem, until suddenly there's a stamp being smacked into his face and he actively pushes Yakko back, largely by instinct and accident. That didn't hurt but it sure was fucking surprising - and when he goes to touch it he can feel the tacky letters sticking his fur in uncomfortable directions.]

...I don't know I didn't see that coming.

[Whoop—

Yakko tumbles to the floor, conked on his rear. He cranes his head up to Gil with an inquisitive blink.

Huh. Okay, guess he's a little jumpy. Normally he'd be happy to get thrown around, that's the status quo and it weirded him out that people were so accommodating around here. But those wounds: Yakko peers to make sure Gil doesn't flinch again, nothing starts acting up.

Only then does he clambour back onto the couch like a fuzzy limbed toddler. He takes a seat at his side instead of his lap, more cautious than needy now.]

Well it's what you deserve. It's official now. If I hear one more word outta you about all that I'll take you to court!

[Gil wonders how long it's gonna take for that BANNED to go away, if Bugsy sees it that can't end well.

Still, he leans forward to rest his elbows on his thighs again, spreading a little to make sure his torso stays mostly straight, and gives Yakko a bit more of a natural smile. Still a sly little crook of his mouth, as is his wont, but he does seem a bit more relaxed.]

Well, does the prosecution have more questions about any of this shit? [He lifts a hand, keeping his elbow planted, and gestures vaguely at himself.] For like. The entire everything.

[It's water soluble, fret not. He likes you too much to use permanent ink okay.

Yakko is happy to see the smile, easing into one of his own as he moves to finally wipe his eyes clear. Sniff a little too, get back himself together after all that freakish indoor rain. The question catches him off guard.

Does he want to know more?

His eyes flit to the scars. The bandages. Scars aren't a part of his life, not unless they've been painted on some goon for ludicrous effect. He could ask what did this, how'd you get that. Did it hurt? Did that one finish the job? If he gets the story is he going to picture the blades and the burns every time he looks Gil in the eye?

He does and he doesn't. It's a queasy curiosity pushing him to point and ask, and a quivering dread that holds him back. He likes neither feeling. They're still foreign to him, even after months in this psychedelic sinkhole.

So his smile pops on bright and bold.]

Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuh — you ever meet one of those Hemsworth boys down under?

[...yeah, he's not gonna fault Yakko for going for something easier than All That. A part of him feels... disappointed, somehow, that Yakko didn't seem to want to ask - the Desire was there, that much he was certain, but too tempered by Fear to win over (and not enough to harvest, either). But his everything is a lot to take in, even for people who did understand where he was coming from.

So his smile widens, almost cheeky to match Yakko's.]

Not personally, but one of my friends served one of them at Starbucks once and got a twenty dollar tip on a grande capp, I forget which. Apparently they're really nice in person.

[Avoidance is the easiest way to never learn things! Yakko loves the pursuit of academia. He does not enjoy the pursuit of adulthood. This is in addition to the long hours he's just spent losing his mind, waiting on a text, replaying that sick crunch and the twin rumpled bodies on the cold concrete.

So he's desperate for a little levity. So what? That's what he was built for.]

Really? Dot's gonna love that. [He leans up, hand to mouth, conspiratorial.] Between you and me, hearing about Mel Gibson when we got back broke her poor heart.

[Some nineties crushes just don't age well.]

[And Gil was built for eating people and getting murdered. Sometimes you gotta break the mold.

He still cringes sympathetically at Yakko's "secret".] Yeah, yikes. Luckily I've never heard anything bad about the Hemsworths, so she's got some safe ground there. And you can have Margot Robbie, 's'long as you don't mind some Jokers on the sidelines gunning for you.

[The effect is immediate.]

Margot Robbie?!

[His eyes transform into hearts. He swoons, dangling over Gil's lap as more hearts trail after him, floating like dandelion fluff on air.]

She already had a wolf on Wall Street, maybe it's time she had a Warner!

[Gil doesn't resist blowing on the hearts when one gets too close to his face, watching it spin around wildly, but otherwise he's laughing at Yakko's little stunt.]

She's all yours, man, I'll be off fighting Dot for a spare Chris.

OoooOOOOOoooh! [Okay he's lucid again. Propping up on elbows and a wild grin back in business.] Which one's your favourite? I'll see if I can steer her in the other direction, but she's persistent.

[There's no telling who'd win that fight.]

Oh I am not giving up Evans, Yak, she can keep all the rest for all I care as long as I get that one.

[There's not really any winning when there's an Animaniac in the fight, but it's good to dream.]

I'll even throw in RDJ, sweeten her pot with some spicy armour.

I should have known. Say no more! I feel like she's a Hemsworth gal anyway. Or maybe Pine. He's the dark horse in this equation.

[I'm sure he'd put up a good fight. Plus he's cute so Dot may be compromised.

Yakko sits up proper again. This is fun and all, but it's hard to ignore the facts forever. He's still sticky-faced and ruffled. Gil's still a train wreck.]

Hey, you should get some sleep. Look at those peepers. You look like you haven't seen sleep in a century.

[Hey, another little smile from Gil! Yakko's on a roll.]

Oh, like you're one to talk. You smell like you tried falling asleep in a stack of pancakes. [He leans slightly sideways so he can give Yakko a gentle punch on the shoulder.] Fair's fair, though, I'll go to my room and have a shower and nap if you do. I can even send you a selfie when I'm in bed.

That's because I did.

[More or less. As if he was going to sleep with his mind racing like that.

Yakko takes the punch with a fond grin, even as he tries to weasel away. No dice. Sometimes it's nice being the littler guy. He was always the big brother type, shoulder punches and head pats were his domain. Here he's on the receiving end of both, and it can impart a kind of instant fondness. Something that makes him nostalgic, though he's rarely treated so warmly. As long it doesn't lead to petting, or messing with his tail, or whatever else people do to their dogs. He's not an animal!]

All right, you got yourself a deal! [Yakko jumps off the bench, raring to go. Ick, he really is feeling that sticky mess now.

But he doesn't speed off just yet. He looks up at Gil. Then grabs him by the hand and starts to pull.]

C'mon! I'll walk you upstairs!

[If only to feel the living warmth in his palm a while longer. They live in the same building. It's a decent enough excuse.]

[Gil's an only child, so he doesn't have much of a personal frame of reference for dealing with younger people being this familiar with him. It's an unusual experience, different to how his students interacted with him, with respect and a vague defiance.

But having Yakko climb all over him, zero sense of personal space or propriety and tugging at his hand to haul him to his feet, he kind of wonders if this specific exasperated fondness would be what having a little brother's like. He rather likes it.]

Hey, be careful. I'm fragile.

[Said with a smile, still - it's not like Yakko's actually pulling too hard, or that Gil can't resist him if he so wants. It just takes a moment and a tight little groan to stand up, as all his aching muscles protest along with the scars (God, he really did get banged up, huh, it's hard to really judge that anymore) but he'll let Yakko drag him towards the stairs.]

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