[It is an heirloom. Hikaru doesn't even know if his family has any heirlooms like this, unless the random junk in his grandpa's attic counts. --Sai's goban, of course that isn't junk, but he can't imagine just handing it over to Touya. The purple binder filled with Sai's games was supposed to be invaluable, impossible to turn down, but then Touya refused to take it for himself. Really, it isn't fair that Touya can give him something important, with his voice like that, his eyes like that, tempered by fire. He's as bright as any fireworks display, but he's more like a hurtling meteorite, the impact of him a life-changing event. Hikaru's heart is probably one more deep impact away from disintegrating to bits. The full force of Touya's everything might be too brilliant for him.
Still, Hikaru tries not to sound so overwhelmed when he repeats himself:] Thank you for giving this to me. [And then:] We'll have to play again, soon, so I can have a game to put inside it. [And he tries not to cry when he carefully tucks the album under his arm and then helps get the watch around Touya's wrist. Touya is accepting of this much, though he deserves so much better than this. It does look good on him. Hikaru spends a moment running his fingers along the sides of it, making sure the leather strap (that's real leather, and it should match the jacket he gave him) is a close, comfortable fit. Doing so gives him a rather strange feeling, one that he has no clear comparison for. Like, let's say, if Touya were a girl, then maybe this would be like placing a diamond necklace around her neck. That kind of a gesture. Stupid and sentimental, right? Ridiculous, isn't it? His fingertips, lamb-gentle, linger over the shadow of Touya's pulse. He wants to... again, he wants to kiss Touya there, to chart out his heartbeat while they're playing a game. He wants to make Touya's heart speed up and slow back down.] Happy New Year, Touya, [he echoes, quiet enough that only Touya should be able to hear him. Then he uses the sleeve of his hoodie to wipe at his eyes, left and then right, whisper-laughing at his own emotions. He's able to smile a little more after that.
The walk back to the house is uneventful, at least to begin with. He does stay close to Touya's side, close enough to feel the fur brushing against him--and then he gives into impulse and drapes his arm around Touya's slender waist. In the dark, it isn't like anyone's going to see what he's doing, and he doesn't know that he'd care if anyone did. Touya feels like normal flesh and blood--not obsidian, and not a shooting star.] I'm surprised it isn't snowing, [is his idea of an explanation, directed at the darkness ahead of him.] It's fucking cold out here.
[The tea is a warm, welcome relief upon their return, and the space heater, too, and the intensity of Touya's gaze has a way of warming him up from the inside out. Offered the cup of sake, he's both a little surprised and a little pleased that Touya's willing to serve this tonight. His mouth tugs into a smirk as he thinks back on all the warnings his mom gave him about alcohol consumption. If he weren't careful, she told him, he'd end up like his useless uncle Daisuke, always in debt, drowning in drink. Or he'd turn into a floozy like Kyoko, suffering one failed relationship after another, unable to settle down. Hikaru didn't understand half the shit she talked about, not at his young age, but doing something expressly forbidden had plenty of appeal. He went straight to his father's stash--and he regretted it not too long after, having made himself sick. Even before he got sick, he kind of hated the taste and the feelings it gave him. Being numb, blurry, out of control of himself...
But as he's taking the first sip of sake, as he's closing his eyes, he's suddenly confronted with the vivid sight of Sai's hair plastered all over his bedroom. Sweat beads up under his collar, cold as ice, and he takes another sip of the sake, and another one after that. It wouldn't be bad if he had one night to stop thinking about Sai and how afraid he is. It wouldn't be so bad. Before he can change his mind, he drains the entire cup and then sets it down with a gasp, and with more of a smirk, at that. Touya gives him a disgruntled look, and he can only think to say,] What? You're not going to keep up with me? [Generally speaking, Touya is nothing if not corruptible when it comes to a challenge from Hikaru. It doesn't have to involve Go.] Oh, don't be a baby. Just pour some more, Touya. I'm not feeling anything, not yet... [Maybe he just wants some company for whatever stupid thing he's doing right now. Wouldn't be the first time he's drawn Touya into one of his disasters.]
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Still, Hikaru tries not to sound so overwhelmed when he repeats himself:] Thank you for giving this to me. [And then:] We'll have to play again, soon, so I can have a game to put inside it. [And he tries not to cry when he carefully tucks the album under his arm and then helps get the watch around Touya's wrist. Touya is accepting of this much, though he deserves so much better than this. It does look good on him. Hikaru spends a moment running his fingers along the sides of it, making sure the leather strap (that's real leather, and it should match the jacket he gave him) is a close, comfortable fit. Doing so gives him a rather strange feeling, one that he has no clear comparison for. Like, let's say, if Touya were a girl, then maybe this would be like placing a diamond necklace around her neck. That kind of a gesture. Stupid and sentimental, right? Ridiculous, isn't it? His fingertips, lamb-gentle, linger over the shadow of Touya's pulse. He wants to... again, he wants to kiss Touya there, to chart out his heartbeat while they're playing a game. He wants to make Touya's heart speed up and slow back down.] Happy New Year, Touya, [he echoes, quiet enough that only Touya should be able to hear him. Then he uses the sleeve of his hoodie to wipe at his eyes, left and then right, whisper-laughing at his own emotions. He's able to smile a little more after that.
The walk back to the house is uneventful, at least to begin with. He does stay close to Touya's side, close enough to feel the fur brushing against him--and then he gives into impulse and drapes his arm around Touya's slender waist. In the dark, it isn't like anyone's going to see what he's doing, and he doesn't know that he'd care if anyone did. Touya feels like normal flesh and blood--not obsidian, and not a shooting star.] I'm surprised it isn't snowing, [is his idea of an explanation, directed at the darkness ahead of him.] It's fucking cold out here.
[The tea is a warm, welcome relief upon their return, and the space heater, too, and the intensity of Touya's gaze has a way of warming him up from the inside out. Offered the cup of sake, he's both a little surprised and a little pleased that Touya's willing to serve this tonight. His mouth tugs into a smirk as he thinks back on all the warnings his mom gave him about alcohol consumption. If he weren't careful, she told him, he'd end up like his useless uncle Daisuke, always in debt, drowning in drink. Or he'd turn into a floozy like Kyoko, suffering one failed relationship after another, unable to settle down. Hikaru didn't understand half the shit she talked about, not at his young age, but doing something expressly forbidden had plenty of appeal. He went straight to his father's stash--and he regretted it not too long after, having made himself sick. Even before he got sick, he kind of hated the taste and the feelings it gave him. Being numb, blurry, out of control of himself...
But as he's taking the first sip of sake, as he's closing his eyes, he's suddenly confronted with the vivid sight of Sai's hair plastered all over his bedroom. Sweat beads up under his collar, cold as ice, and he takes another sip of the sake, and another one after that. It wouldn't be bad if he had one night to stop thinking about Sai and how afraid he is. It wouldn't be so bad. Before he can change his mind, he drains the entire cup and then sets it down with a gasp, and with more of a smirk, at that. Touya gives him a disgruntled look, and he can only think to say,] What? You're not going to keep up with me? [Generally speaking, Touya is nothing if not corruptible when it comes to a challenge from Hikaru. It doesn't have to involve Go.] Oh, don't be a baby. Just pour some more, Touya. I'm not feeling anything, not yet... [Maybe he just wants some company for whatever stupid thing he's doing right now. Wouldn't be the first time he's drawn Touya into one of his disasters.]