KHR Hell because fuck

[warmskies]

Comments

[kokuyoyo]

[As they reach a stoplight, Chikusa takes the time to give him a dead eyed look.]

It's not as if I have a personal chauffeur to take over in case of an emergency. It's sensible.

[possedere]

[For someone so reserved, he could give some cutting looks when he wanted to. Mukuro laughed despite himself, shrugging as he leaned back into his seat.]

I'll gladly be accommodating to your sensibilities then, priest. Should we start now?

[kokuyoyo]

I'm not letting you start driving in a place where we're surrounded by traffic and you can cause property damage. It's my insurance....

[And he doesn't get paid enough to put up with Mukuro's nonsense.]

But when we stop for the night, I'll see about teaching you the very basics... As long as you can drive in a straight line and not crash into someone, that should be enough.

[possedere]

Shouldn't you have more faith, priest?

[Should he have any considering Mukuro had just told him that he was terrible at driving? Amused, he popped a few more chocolate pieces into his mouth, watching the priest thoughtfully.]

I make no promises. Is this the reason you wanted me to come along?

[kokuyoyo]

Faith and a lack of common sense are two different things...

[He's a priest, don't try to pull that shit on him, buddy.]

[At the question, however, the deadpan look gets a little softer and awkward before he schools it into neutrality again, focusing his eyes back on the road as the light turns green.]

....I told you the reason I wanted you to come along...

[possedere]

[How cute his little priest could be. Licking some stray chocolate from the corners of his lips, Mukuro leaned forward so he could rest his chin against the priest's shoulder, watching him in amusement.]

Really? What was the reason again, Chikusa Kakimoto?

[He just wanted to see what he would say, and reward him properly if it was an answer he liked.]

[kokuyoyo]

[A small jerk goes through him as Mukuro leans close, breath catching. Honestly, this early in the morning- ]

I'm driving.... Stop toying with me when we're on a busy road...

[possedere]

How am I toying with you, Chikusa Kakimoto? I'm more than willing to follow up on my promises.

[Small miracles, but it was only his voice that was suggestive even though it was tempting to have his hands and other things wander.]

[kokuyoyo]

I'm driving. [Repeated a little more firmly and slowly, as if that will make Mukuro listen.] You can't follow up on your promises, so just be quiet...

[possedere]

Would you like to make a wager on it?

[Because Mukuro might already be leaning forward to brush his lips against Chikusa Kakimoto's cheek, one hand spread over his knee.]

[kokuyoyo]

[His thigh jolts a little underneath that wandering palm, a jerk of muscle, and the steering wheel whines a little bit under Chikusa's own hands as he tightens his fingers around it. It's hard to ignore him when he's like this, breath caressing his skin.]

I thought you weren't a morning person... We haven't even made it out of the city.

[possedere]

What can I say, you bring rouse every bit of me my cute little priest.

[While it was tempting to see how far he could go, he'd leave it at that for now, since it was crowded and getting into a car crash might put a damper on the trip. He leaned back in his seat, but kept the hand where it was.]

Should I wait until we're outside of it then?

[kokuyoyo]

[The weight that has been burdening him eases up when Mukuro moves away from him, allowing him to let out a breath. Already, he's regretting inviting the demon along for this. At the same time...]

[Glancing down on at the hand still resting along his thigh, he sighs again.]

You know, there was a reason I packed so much food for you. It's too much to ask that you keep your mouth preoccupied with something besides sinful words, isn't it?

[possedere]

And you say I'm not the morning person.

[However Mukuro didn't sound too put out, withdrawing his hand with a chuckle as he finished off his chocolate bar. He fiddled with his phone for a bit to keep abreast of all of his schemes and plans and people of interest, but about an hour in, the scenery was going to start putting him to sleep if the priest decided to enjoy the quiet.]

[kokuyoyo]

[They both know who's the morning person between the two of them, but Chikusa falls quiet. So long as Mukuro can go quiet, that's all he need. Soon, the crowded walls of the city fall away bit by bit until it's trees instead, their green branches stretching up towards the sky.]

[It's.... a very strange moment. Chikusa is glad that Mukuro is quiet as he drives along the freeway, further and further away from the city.]

[When they finally hit the first little town, it's minuscule- the kind of out of the way place that survives almost purely on those passing through. Pulling into its gas station, Chikusa pauses, glancing over to see if Mukuro is still awake- and if he should rouse him if he isn't.]

[possedere]

[It seemed that the exhaustion of getting back into his mortal vessel and scrambling to get ready to go on these trips with Chikusa Kakimoto had finally caught up with him. Mukuro slept peacefully all the way up to the gas station, and he only awoke because of another human bodily function he had not missed. Drowsily, he sat up, hair more askew than normal, wiping at his face.]

What's this?

[He was half tempted to go back to sleep, but human nature called.]

[kokuyoyo]

Gas station.

[For obvious reasons he thinks need no explanation.... And less obvious reasons that he's not inclined to explain to the demon. At least, not yet. Pulling his hand back, he raises an eyebrow.]

Do you want me to get you something while we're here?

[possedere]

Mmmm.

[Mukuro rubbed at his eyes, still not processing the worlds wholly and clearly. It seemed to take his mind a few extra seconds to understand what the priest was saying, and answering him seemed like too much work. He shook his head, but did unbuckle his seat belt, slowly clambering out of the car.]

Bathroom.

[Being stuck in a human vessel was the worst.]

[kokuyoyo]

[What is it about this moment that has a warmth curl in his chest... Chikusa wants to make an excuse for it, like the ephemeral nature of the morning or the strange transition of liminal spaces or- anything. Something. But he's become quite knowledgeable in what it looks like to lie to himself, and he knows the real reason as Mukuro sleepily rubs his eyes with all the vulnerability of a child.]

[Opening his door, Chikusa steps out with him and just nods.]

I'll be waiting out here then.

[And he will, too, after all is said and done with the gas. There's a garlic knot in his fingers, half eaten, and he's a bit lost in thought.]

[possedere]

[If Mukuro had been more awake and alert, he might have believed the priest would have gone back on his word and left him in some random gas station in the middle of nowhere just to get rid of him. But instead, he just felt entitlement when he saw the priest waiting for him, a sense that all was right and well.]

Been waiting long?

[He moved in to snag a bite of the garlic knot, more interested in stealing something that was the priest's and not out of any real hunger.]

[kokuyoyo]

No. Actually, I was wondering-

[His words snip short as Mukuro's teeth dig through his food, and Chikusa shifts back a bit from surprise before the feeling fades away. Instead, there's just a quiet exasperated sigh. He swears...]

I could have swore I told you about all the snacks I packed for you beforehand...

[possedere]

It tastes better from your mouth, priest.

[Guess who was more awake and ready to be a pain in the ass again? Mukuro only smiled guilelessly, wiping at the edge of his mouth as he withdrew, before raising an eyebrow.]

What were you wondering?

[kokuyoyo]

[How does Mukuro even live with some of the shit that spews out of his mouth...? Chikusa dead eyes for a moment, even though he knows no amount of judgment will ever make the demon stop, before sighing.]

...I wanted to make brief stop in this town. Just... [He looks away, back towards the freeway.] ...To see what it's like. It wouldn't take long...

You could sleep in the car if you wanted.

[possedere]

[As long as the priest knows.

Mukuro looked around at the sleepy town around them, tempted to go back into the car to nap more because he was still exhausted, but he was also curious to see just what his cute little priest would get up to.]

I'll go with you. Maybe they have a store with cute hats for you.

[kokuyoyo]

Have you always had this strange obsession with hats?

[Frowning a little, Chikusa ate the rest of his garlic knot and settled back into the driver's seat. There'd have to be somewhere to stop at in this little town, surely, but they couldn't just sit here in a gas station.]

Surely it couldn't have started with me.