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One moment he and Tsume were sleeping peacefully, then Kiba suddenly woke up. He wasn’t sure what for, or if it was from a bad dream, but nevertheless he turned to his partner and snuggled up to his back. He figured Tsume wasn’t awake anyways to feel it, but to his surprise the older man turned somewhat and asked if everything was okay. Kiba felt bad at first for waking him, knowing full well his partner had work early the next morning, but still spoke to him anyways.
They just talked for a little bit. About Toboe’s schooling, about Hige’s sort of falling performance in his classes no thanks to his girlfriend. They didn’t mean to put the blame on Blue.
She was actually really nice, and very sweet. Hige was just entering that “dumb boy territory” which was to say he couldn’t focus on anything that wasn’t to do with Blue. Then they talked about Tsume’s work. He worked in a factory, assembling furniture and the like. It was rigorous, but he liked being physical. Kiba could only hope that at some point though he could go back to school, and get a college degree. He didn’t mention that part though. That concern he kept to himself.
Then they went back to Toboe.
“He’s been watching a lot of those… stage plays lately.” Tsume noted.
“Ballet?” Kiba corrected.
“Yeah, that.”
The brunette chuckled, nuzzling into Tsume’s chest, “You sound so enthusiastic.”
Tsume sighed, leaning his chin on the top of the brunette’s head. “It’s just so… much. He’s been watching nothing but that the past two weeks.”
“And that’s a good thing. It’s a beautiful artform. Ballet dancers are considered the strongest athletes in the world.” Kiba noted.
“Can’t they talk at least?” Tsume asked, almost sounding frustrated.
“Well if they spoke then it’d be ruining the whole point of the stage play. All of their thoughts, feelings, story are conveyed in their movement. Isn’t that pretty?”
“I just don’t get it. Hige and I are as… well rounded. As you and Toboe.”
Kiba snorted. “Wow, don’t be so eager to compliment us Tsume.”
“I didn’t mean it like that. I just mean I wish we could see what you two see.”
“Well… Toboe sees colors. Movement. Figures. Innovation. Screens, and smart devices weren’t a thing over 200 years ago. So, what do you think their entertainment was?”
“I thought ballet was only for the wealthy.”
“Maybe for some. But dance was one of the first artforms you know. People couldn’t exactly draw all the time, or had a language developed enough to speak.” Kiba paused. “So, movement, no matter how primitive was one of their ways communicating.”
“… That was so much to take in.” Tsume murmured. A laugh bubbled out of Kiba.
“The next time he’s watching Alice, or Nutcracker, just… watch with him. Ask him what he sees. I think Toboe would appreciate that lot.”
“Oh god. That god damn caterpillar.” Tsume face palmed, sort of bringing him back to why he brought up this whole conversation in the first place.
“It’s a beautiful dance Tsume.” Kiba tried to argue, though he felt exhausted of it too.
“Oh of course yes,” Tsume muttered, somewhat bitterly, “The first, you know, 500 times you hear it. Then it just, gets, to you and- I’m losing it.”
“He hasn’t played that much.”
“God if I hear that little tap of that instrument again-“
“It’s called a xylophone Tsume.”
“Well whatever, whatever the hell it’s called, I mean come on, you can’t tell me you’re not tired of it too.”
“I… am somewhat exhausted. But I appreciate his interest and love of it.”
“Somewhat exhausted? You can’t just get “somewhat exhausted” Kiba. That’s like saying. “Oh, I’m mildly dying but don’t worry the injury is only somewhat fatal.”
“It’s art Tsume. And yes, I am tired of it, but maybe I can introduce him to something different.”
“Okay, whatever. We’ll find something.”
“If you ever show him Alien again, I will crucify you.”
“Okay Alien is a classic, you can’t deny that.”
“Yeah, it’s such a classic that it scared him half to death and he was practically tethered to me for the entire week.”
“He was fine! He slept with us remember? That put him at ease!” Tsume defended.
Ah yes. That whole interlude. Tsume and Hige had gotten the bright idea to show Alien to Toboe while Kiba had been out shopping. And upon getting back he had walked into the infamous scene of the alien bursting from Kane’s chest. Poor Toboe. The blood drained from his face completely, and had nightmares the entire week. The only thing that brought him any comfort at night, was sleeping soundly between Kiba and Tsume, who wrapped their arms around him.
“Oh, does that include him waking us up because he thought there was one in our shitty apartment?
“Well- my point stands there’s other stuff other than ballet!”
“Oh, and we do not let a fourteen-year-old boy watch Texas chainsaw. He’s too young for that.”
“Jesus no wonder the kid calls you mom, you nag about everything.”
“I nag, Tsume, because I know better than to let kids watch that kind of thing.”
“Oh, so you think I’m showing them snuff films?”
“And chocolate donuts and pineapple soda does not suffice for a good breakfast.”
“It was a treat! They both had a hard week in school I wanted to do something nice for them.”
“Are you sure that’s not because you can’t cook?”
“Kiba I swear to fucking god if you reference Thanksgiving again-“
“First it was the turkey. Then it was the stuffing. Then it was-“
“Kiba shut up-“
“Then it was the cranberry sauce. I mean I’ve seen horror before but good Christ I’ve never seen anything like that.”
“If you keep talking then I’ll-“
“And then to top it all off we got smoked out of the house. What a Thanksgiving. Just wow-“
That must have been the final nail in the coffin, because then Kiba felt a pair of hands dig into his sides, as Tsume shifted on top of him.
“Wah-!! Get- Stop!!” he squealed, but was pretty much powerless against his boyfriend. Tsume had a few good inches on him, and was far more muscled and leaner because of the factory he worked in. Kiba was lithe, slim and so soft in Tsume’s hands. It was he got teased about now and then by his partner, but Kiba had a feeling Tsume liked it that Kiba was so sensitive in his arms.
“Not until you apologize!” Tsume grinned, not at all caring if they woke the boys up now.
“I- ahahhaha, stop!! Get off!” Kiba laughed, growing more hysterical. “Screw you!”
Then Tsume suddenly stopped. A glint was in his eyes. Kiba knew that one. The “we’re gonna do the devil’s tango right here and now.”
“Tsume NO. It’s too late for it.”
“Well… I’m just saying. Since you asked for it so nicely-“ The other’s hands sneakily went under Kiba’s shirt, trying to peel it off. Kiba could only growl in annoyance.
“Jesus is that all you can think about? Come on seriously we can’t-“
Then the door creaked open. The pairs eyes darted to the entry way, catching onto a little figure. It was Toboe. He only stood, taking in the position his sort of parents were in with wide eyes.
“I uh… I’ll just, exit now.”