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[neighsaying]

INBOX (UN: OMNIDIRECTIONAL) text / audio / video / action This is Jean. Leave a message, and I'll reach back out when I'm available. [ Previously was thunderspear ] code credit

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[neighsaying]

Stellari, at the kitchen.

I can be off soon, though.

[laserhawk]

Meet me at the pier then?

[neighsaying]

Meet you there.

[ Jean makes haste in wrapping up his work, leaving notes for Maruki and the cooks, and then heads out. He's wearing his heavy winter coat over one of his normal sleek outfits, and there's a small tin in his hands; sugar cookies, iced in colors that remind him of Dolph and other bright things.

He waits at the pier - he didn't need to ask where, it's the spot where they had their date together. When he hears familiar steps, he turns with a smile on his lips. ]

[laserhawk]

[ dolph is holding something in a paper bag. he seems a little on the fretful side, shifting on his feet before he relaxes at the sight of jean. he heads over to press a light kiss to his cheek ]

I got you something. I meant to give it earlier, but I had to — It took some time for me to figure it out.

[ he holds it out. inside is . . . a scarf. it's not incredibly well made. the stitching is a bit awkward. it's black in colour, with stars and a lake in the middle. ]

[neighsaying]

[ Jean kisses Dolph on the cheek as well before he pulls away. The statement that he 'had to figure it out' has him tilting his head curiously.

He hands Dolph the tin of cookies in exchange for the bag. When he opens it, it takes him a moment to realize that it's handmade. ]

You made this?

[ He doesn't sound disappointed. He sounds touched, and he immediately pulls it out to drape it over the back of his neck, looking at the stars and the lake. ]

[laserhawk]

[ he hesitates before speaking. ]

Eren told me, long ago, that gifts of clothing were romantic. They counted as . . . intention. I wasn't — I didn't feel confident about it before.

[ he pauses before reaching to adjust it, tugging on jean's collar. ]

I am now.

[neighsaying]

[ Clothing was romantic - intention. Jean hadn't even considered that, but what was one of his first gifts to Dolph?

A sweater, to keep him warm. Jean smiles softly, leaning into Dolph adjusting his collar a little. He leans up to press a kiss to Dolph's lips, soft and gentle. ]

I love it. I love you. And I accept, obviously.

[laserhawk]

[ dolph smiles, just as soft, as he slides his arms around jean's waist to kiss him, letting the sweetness of the time linger on their mouths. ]

[neighsaying]

[ Jean sinks into the kiss easily. He knows Dolph is always worried about the cold of his metal parts, but Jean has never found them to bother him. He wraps his arms over Dolph's shoulders, only pulling away when he needs to breathe. ]

I feel a bit bad I just got you cookies, now.

[ It's a light tease, but he's already plotting a gift to get Dolph in the future. ]

[laserhawk]

[ dolph gives a low chuckle, squeezing him a little. ]

I like cookies. It works out.

I was thinking about this for a while. It's my . . . engagement gift. I didn't get you a ring, so I wanted something of equal meaning for you.

[neighsaying]

I love it. It means more than any ring.

[ He tilts his head to look up at Dolph a little. ]

"Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a sixpence in your shoe."

It's a rhyme about a superstition, from one of Erwin's books. It's supposed to mean good luck for newlyweds.

[laserhawk]

[ huh. ]

I think I've heard of it. Long ago.

I guess you can wear it then. If you want.

[neighsaying]

[ Jean smiles teasingly. ]

Even if we end up getting married in the middle of summer and I'm sweating my ass off?

[laserhawk]

[ he flushes. ]

Maybe it can tucked away somewhere.

[neighsaying]

Like on the bed.

[ ... MAYBE he has an angle here, as he leans up to whisper it into Dolph's ear. ]

[laserhawk]

[ the flush darkens. ]

It's not a . . . bad idea.

[neighsaying]

With me in it.


Wearing nothing else.

[ If Dolph still hasn't gotten the hint by then, Jean will be smiling. But he might kiss him just to make it clear, too. ]

[laserhawk]

[ he hums into the kiss, pleased. ]

I'm sold.

[neighsaying]

[ He kisses Dolph again, then pulls back a little to nudge him to start moving. ]

They should have installed jetpacks in you.

[ It's a teasing grumble as he starts walking them towards the portal. He doesn't have a place in Stellari, and like hell is he going to take Dolph back to the kitchen to hook up. There's TWO perfectly serviceable living locations in Visium. ]

[laserhawk]

[ dolph hums. ]

I never used them. It was easier just to jump off buildings.

[ which would probably kill anyone else, but hey. he is a super soldier. still. jean brings up something that had been percolating in dolph's mind. ]

I was thinking of getting a place in Lumindea anyway.

[neighsaying]

You sound like Levi, saying that.

[ The most direct route is a line, etc. At Dolph's comment, though, Jean tilts his head. ]

For our house? Or for upgrading from the tree house.

[ There's still a lot about the nebulous future home they haven't settled on, other than that they do want it. There's the option of having it on the farmland, or perhaps Dolph has decided he wants the space of Lumindea. ]

[laserhawk]

[ dolph hesitates. not out of apprehension or uncertainty. after talking to eren, he feels he finally has an idea. no, not an idea.

an understanding. ]

For our house.

[ a beat. and then he shakes his head slowly. ]

For my house.

[ the ownership around that word fizzles like a lit firecracker on his tongue. will jean understand? he's not sure. he just has to keep going. ]

Eren and you — Everyone has their own definition of home. Of what it means. And I realized that . . . I want to find my own definition. I don't want it to be Eren's or yours. It has a place for both of you. For all the people I love.

But I want it to be mine.

[ he lets that settle before replying, ducking his head. ]

I mean. I still want the things we planned. The sunflowers. The bar. All of it. I just — [ he trails off. ] — I want to try this.

[neighsaying]

[ Dolph so, so rarely asserts ownership over anything that hearing my house makes Jean slow down. He makes sure he's looking at Dolph, listening to him carefully. As he speaks, there's a small smile on his lips, and open affection on his face.

It's a surprise, to be sure. It's not a bad one, and Jean thinks he understands what Dolph needs here. ]

Okay.

[ He smiles, turning to take both of Dolph's hands in his. ]

I mean - you should absolutely have that. Something that's all yours, that you get to figure out what to do with.

Thank you for leaving space for me, but it's yours. I want you to find what home means to you.

[laserhawk]

[ even though jean has always understood, has always been graceful, has always taken his time with dolph even when it was painful, this moment of acceptance hits him straight in the chest and his breathing stops short. his eye even stings, overcome.

because saying mine and not being shot down . . . when has that ever been true?

his shoulders shake momentarily as dolph bows his head at the weight of it. no, the freedom of it that has stolen his senses. he brings jean's hands up and presses a kiss to his knuckles before pressing them close to his heart. there's more he wants to say but his throat's all choked up. so he can only manage. ]

I'll find it. But you are — You are all my love.

[neighsaying]

Hey...

[ Jean's smile goes soft and intimate, even though they're still technically in public. He presses his fingertips against Dolph's chest, feeling his heart beat through the shirt he's wearing.

Dolph had to be strong because he had no other choice. For how tall and broad he is, he carries a heavy weight. Jean can only hope that this lets him start to make the load lighter. See the kind of person he already is, kind and loving, trying even when the world has beaten him down.

And Jean will be there when it's too much, to help him. ]

I love you, too. I'll always love you. That's - [ He so rarely says this. He knows what it means. ]

That's a promise. Even when I'm gone, my bones will remember the shape of you.