IC Inbox - Ryslig

[blap_blap]

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[justbeingknife]

They are, ain't they? Whoever runs this place must be real creative.

[ Tim was so weirdly adorable sometimes, but he was right -- they were cute. He moved over to the front of the case next to Tim, gravitating towards a display of tiny petal-themed petit fours. There was a selection of lemon bars, too, and bunny-shapped rolls, cupcakes with swirls of frosting... ]

So the kitty donuts, and the cherry blossom cakes. It says they got cherry filling, and I gotta try that.

[ Look he was into it, he loved seasonal junk. His side brushed against Tim's as he swept his gaze across the furthest corners of the glass case. ]

By the way, you're lookin' sharp today. Did ya polish your hooves?

[ Don't think he didn't notice, Tim. Although his favorite part of the ensemble was the exposed forearms, hands down. ]

[blap_blap]

[They say that sex sells, but apparently, so does cuteness. It certainly was a viable marketing strategy to Tim.]

Yeah, definitely, let's go with those. You've got a theme and you're sticking to it, huh?

[That's definitely cute. And now Tim knew that Majima liked cherries, both the fruit and the flower, or possibly just liked cherries in the springtime? Maybe it was like pumpkin spice in the fall, something that people liked to get at one particular time of the year and then forgot about for the other 300 days of it.]

[Tim rubbed the back of his neck and completely failed to not blush at the compliment. It was kind of nice to have the effort that he put in get noticed, though.]

Oh, thanks. I, um, well, I can't wear shoes anymore, so this was kind of the next best thing. And I just wanted to, uh, look nice.

[The person behind the counter was gathering up their order-- the kitty donuts and petit fours. Tim also asked her for a couple of the chocolate croissants, since they were recommended.]

Do you want something to drink, too?

[Tim was picking up this tab, so might as well get something nice.]

[justbeingknife]

Japan's big on seasonal food. Come spring, there're a lot of cherry-blossom themes. Strawberries, too... but I'm not sure what ya eat when out here.

[ He'd never given it much thought before, but now he sort of missed the air of limited-time-only novelty products. And speaking of things flushed red, that blush suited Tim surprisingly well. Maybe it was the contrast between the build and the behavior: jacked dude that loved kitties and, apparently, compliments. ]

I'd like green tea if that's an option. Otherwise, I'll take a black coffee.

[ So coffee it was! The clerk started gathering up all the pastries and putting them in a neat carrying box. ]

Takes me forever to keep my fur looking nice [ or at least it did compared to his hair, which was black and glossy and well-behaved without effort, everyone hate him ], especially now that it's spring. I wondered if it isn't the same for you.

[blap_blap]

[He loved kitties-- and one of those donuts looked a lot like the kitty that he'd adopted after the bug doppelganger fiasco, so really, how could he resist it-- and probably everyone liked compliments. The former was always a weakness of his, and the latter was in part from the fact that he didn't get them very often.]

[Two coffees were added onto that order, because Tim could really drink it at any time of the day, even if it was inadvisable to do so, and the clerk was busy for a few minutes with getting everything together.]

Oh, yeah, it is. Talk about problems I never thought I'd have to deal with. [Tim had enough issues dealing with his normal stupid hair, it was thick and never liked to do what he wanted it to do unless he used a lot of product. (He is kind of jealous of Majima's dark, pin straight, sleek hair.) Now he also had to deal with half of his body going through a shed.] I guess it's not as bad for me, since I only have half of me to worry about? And there are brushes for that kind of thing.

[Shedder brushes were a godsend.]

[justbeingknife]

They --

[ Oh. Oh. Fuck.

It wasn't like the idea hadn't occurred to Majima at all that he might benefit from some of the same products as...................

canines, it was just that he didn't want to deal with the clerk while he bought fucking dog shampoo for himself, okay? The stares and combined shame would probably make him burst into flames, and not the fun kind. Majima nabbed the carry box and one coffee, leaving the last cup for Tim as he tried to strategize

no fuck it ]

...Where do ya shop for those?

[ look don't say petsmart ]

[blap_blap]

[Well, Majima sure as fuck booked it out of there. Tim paid for the pastries and the coffees, snagged his own, then followed him outside. Maybe he was, uh, a little too indiscreet there about talking about dealing with the hair issue? He made a mental note to be a little more sensitive about it. Tim didn't want to embarrass him, though he also didn't want to leave Majima hanging if he was suffering through shedding season with no relief.]

[Majima's fur was lovely and fluffy, but dear god, it would be hell when the weather got really warm if he was stuck with it. Tim had a lot less to deal with and it was still kind of uncomfortable.]

Oh, uh, I go to a salon. [Because... that's where you go for hair stuff. And hoof stuff, in his case. Pedicures were infinitely more important now than they ever had been.] There are some that cater just to, you know, people like us, and they sell all sorts of things for... personal grooming?

[Was that term not going to upset him?]

How... how have you been dealing with it?

[justbeingknife]

[ He didn't seem offended, but lbr the subject was a little embarrassing. He waited outside the store for Tim, and then resumed walking. ]

Lust-han has a service for monsters that shed. Other than that, findin' a brush with as many bristles I could find and... brushing a lot. It's pretty hard to keep my clothes clear of extra hair, even when I ain't furry.

[ The other side of having hair that was so easy to handle, honestly. He'd never had to worry overly about using the right product. Well, one way or another, what fur Majima had was glossy and silky, so maybe his fur was similarly an easier time than most furry monsters had? It was probably going to be a problem when he started shedding for reals, though. ]

You, uh... Could I persuade ya to part with some tips?

[blap_blap]

I'm sure that helps. She's the lady that runs the bathhouse, right?

[Tim hadn't ever been, but he'd heard things about it. He'd consider going himself, but... it would be really awkward to try to get that kind of service, considering the region that he was furry in.]

Your fur is a lot denser than mine, so it probably needs more work. [Tim tended to get woolly rather than fluffy; a problem in and of itself, but a different kind.] I do know that there are certain special brushes that are better at getting undercoats out, and that's probably what you want? Regular ones don't do the trick as well. I have some shampoo and conditioner that are supposed to help, too.

I think putting the work in with the brush makes the most difference, though.

[Sorry, he didn't have any magic bullet cure for shedding season.]

[justbeingknife]

That's right. A naga.

[ He supposed it made sense; cows and bulls were a lot less furry than wolves. No matter how methodical he tried to be about it, though, there were some places one simply couldn't reach as easily. ]

An undercoat brush, huh...? Still wouldn't make brushin' the back much easier, though.

[ His gaze dropped briefly, skating over Tim's lower half before moving back up again. It was Tim's tail he'd mostly been looking at, though it was hard to separate someone looking at someone's tail versus their ass. Scout's honor, though! Really! ]

What about when ya turn into a bull? Minotaurs do that, right?

[blap_blap]

No, I guess you'd need to ask someone to help you with that?

[Nothing wrong with asking for a little help sometimes, right? And it's not as though Tim would be bothered at all to help out with Majima's majestic fluff. Let's be real, Tim was absolutely the kind of person who watched videos on the ECHOnet of people brushing mountains of fur out of their cloudlike doggos and thought it was adorable.]

[And hey, Majima, go ahead. Look at the ass, you're allowed. Tim put his entire self in this outfit in the hopes that senpai would notice him, so feel free to notice.]

[Additionally, what.]

...Wait, can I do that? Is that a thing that I'm supposed to be able to do? [Add this to the list of shit that Tim hates about monster puberty-- there's no guidebook for this.] I've never tried. I didn't know that was a thing?

[justbeingknife]

[ In answer, Majima put his things down on a convenient bench and shifted into his wolf form, which at this point in time could be best described as 'a fluff monster'. Over six feet from tip to tail (which was wagging), nudging against Tim's side as if looking for pets. Most of his winter coat was still in, but there were spots here and there where his fur was beginning to make way for his darker summer coat.

Owing to the grooming he'd gotten recently, he smelled a little like sandalwood, and was much softer than a wild specimen would have been. SO SOFT. Tim could put a ham hock hand out and watch his fingers disappear. ]

Most animal monsters can. That's what they told me.

[blap_blap]

[Oh.]

[This was the first time that Tim had ever seen Majima in his actual wolf form, and he was just so fluffy. Fluffy and big and leaning up against him like a dog that was asking for attention, and even if Tim didn't know that this massive doggo was Majima, and therefore the best doggo? He wouldn't have been able to resist the floof.]

[Tim sank the fingers of one hand into the dense fur at the scruff of his neck-- then he added in the other hand, too, and gave him some light scratches along his nape, because he really couldn't resist giving scritches when he had his hands on a dog. Wolf. Wolfman? Whatever.]

[Honestly, it was taking all the willpower that Tim possessed to not just kneel down and press his entire face against Majima's fluffy neck.]

Oh my god, you're so soft.

[Focus, Tim.]

[justbeingknife]

And it's hard work, y'know.

[ Majima arched his back in pure wolfy happiness, pushing back against the touch. With a wolf body came a deep love of scratches, and as Tim was the one administering them, there was no need to pretend to be standoffish.

His tail thumped against the back of Tim's calves (get it? calves?), and he shut his eyes and opened his mouth in a doggy grin. That was one contented sigh. He wouldn't care if Tim did bury his face in that ruff, not if he kept up those pets. ]

Just a little harder, if ya please...

[blap_blap]

It's paid off, you're just... you're the fluffiest.

[So, all of the higher functions of Tim's brain have switched off due to the sheer cute happiness radiating off of Majima's canine face when Tim scratched a little harder along his neck and back, as requested. If they had real cameras around here, that happy doggy grin was something that he would take a picture of and use as a phone background or something. So cute! So happy! He loved it.]

[Bonus, the ideal amount of petting could occur because Majima could direct him to exactly where he wanted his scratches. It was a win-win situation. Or, well, it wasn't a winning situation for his pants, because there was definitely some shed hair getting on them, but that was fine. A small price to pay for a happy wolf.]

How's this?

[Maybe a little bit behind the ears, too? And did he have one of those hot spots that made dogs thump their leg when you scratched at it?]

[justbeingknife]

Really hits the spot.

[ Maybe he did... although Tim would have to find it first. What did happen was that Majima's ears twitched involuntarily as Tim began to scratch... and then he flopped over onto his side, one forepaw sticking pawpads up as he hit the grass. ]

I dunno why it feels so good, but it does.

[ He shoved his nose under Tim's hand, even though it was sort of self-defeating if he wanted more scratches. But then, once someone got him going in this form, it was hard to completely control himself.

He curled his forepaws inward in the air, making faint swimming-type motions as he spoke. ]

We should probably... get goin', though.

[blap_blap]

[Majima was killing him right now, truly and honestly. Tim was dying, he couldn't handle the sheer cuteness of Majima's little flop onto the grass and his one big paw sticking pad upward into the air. Tim knelt down so that he could continue petting him; up over his head and behind his ears when he shoved his nose into his palm, then along his flank and back up under his chin.]

[The swimming paws... god. He was dead, that was it, here lies Timothy Lawrence, he died as he lived: fixated on something cute.]

We probably should. [He was still petting him, though.] You'll have to change back, though, or else you can't have anything with chocolate.

[Pause. Actually, now that he thought about it, how did that work?]

...Is chocolate only bad for you when you're all the way wolf? Or is it just not bad for you at all anymore, or, like, always bad for you?

[justbeingknife]

Think I'm okay. I still drink plenty of coffee.

[ Well, not as a wolf, but when he turned into a wolf, Majima didn't notice any ill effects despite the coffee probably still being in his stomach?

A little 'rrr' of contentment escaped him as he brought two paws to touch Tim's hand. The pads of his paws were smooth, if not quite as poofy-soft as a housecats would be. Then, reluctantly, he rolled himself up and shifted back, looking slightly disheveled as he stood. Majima swept his hair back into place, brushing some loose fur off his collar as he did so. ]

You're... really good at that.

[ Just going to go over here and pick up the baked goods and coffee. ]

[blap_blap]

[Petting time was over, apparently. Not that he didn't like having Majima around as a man-- and actually there was something very attractive about him being just a little bit disheveled, just a little bit out of his usual clean-cut look-- but Tim could have happily pet him in his wolf form for hours.]

Petting cute things is my true calling in life.

[If doling out affection and attention to fluffy animals (and weres) was an industry, Tim would be at the very top of it. He would be the CEO of I Want To Hug Every Cat, Inc and living his very best life.]

[He waited for Majima to grab the snacks and his coffee before starting to walk again.]

You're probably a lot cuter as a wolf than I'd be as a... I don't know, a cow? Is that what I'd turn into? I've never even met a cow. Not one that was, like, [He made a vague gesture.] all in one piece? And not a hamburger?

[He grew up in a city, okay, the most wildlife that he ever had to deal with were the Tantalus equivalent of rogue pigeons.]

[justbeingknife]

Normally, I'd say some bit about how I ain't cute... but tell ya what. Once we get there, I wouldn't mind some more of that magic.

[ There was just a time and place for petting, that was all! He took a sip of coffee as he strode, because multitasking. If only Tim had brought a frisbee. Or a tennis ball. Then he could have really seen something adorable. ]

Anyhow, cows can be cute! I've seen photo evidence. Ya can't just give up like that.

[ Look if he had to suffer through being fluffy and filled with barks, surely Tim had to have his bovine charms. As they moved out of the town center, the scenery started being less paved street, more hills and trees. And it wasn't long before they came across the first of the puffy pink cherry trees.

Majima took a detour and walked toward it, under the branches. He looked strangely happier, face turned up to look at the flowers -- like he was trying to drink it in, commit it all to memory. In a way, he was; they only bloomed once a year, and out here... well. For now, it was a reminder of kinder times, sweeter memories. ]

See a spot ya want to set down?

[blap_blap]

[Majima could have some of that magic whenever he wanted it. Tim's hands were at his disposal.]

[When Tim finally figured out how to turn into a bull, he was going to go to the most unlikely place for a bull to be and turn into one. In this world full of monsters, he will become a cryptid. Confused people would look at him and wonder why a cow was there, and how it had gotten there, and why it was so calm. He would do it for the goof.]

I'll guess I'll take your word for it, but I think you'll still have me beat.

[In cuteness, anyway. Sorry, Majima, he didn't make the rules. It was just like math or something, probably-- fluffy wolves were cuter than bulls.]

[The city gave way to a more open landscape after a bit of walking, and it was more green space than Tim had seen in a long time. Tim followed Majima on his detour and the tree was beautiful-- a magnificent display of delicate pink flowers contrasted against dark branches, fluttering in the gentle breeze. And that was absolutely something that Tim was looking at, because he hadn't really ever seen anything quite like this before, but he was also looking at the way that Majima's whole face and body changed when he stood underneath it.]

[This was something important to him, and he'd chosen to share it with Tim-- just the look on his upturned face made something in Tim's chest go tender at the sight. He'd said a few times that Tim was sweet, but doing something like this kind of gave him a run for his money in that department.]

Yeah. How about over here?

[He tugged gently on Majima's sleeve to get his attention. There was a spot underneath some of the spectacularly blossoming trees that was relatively flat and grassy and inviting, nicely sun-dappled. He led Majima over and spread the blanket out; they'd be able to look up and have a canopy of pink flowers over them.]

You could lay down, if you don't want to get a crick in your neck.

[And Tim's lap was always available for him to use as a pillow, if he wanted.]

[justbeingknife]

[ For a guy who who hadn't been out for hanami before (as far as he knew), Tim knew how to pick a good spot. Majima set down the items from the cafe and helped smooth the blanket down, and then took a seat beside his companion. They were close enough that his fingers settled over Tim's, and he didn't move them.

But at the sound of Tim's voice, Majima glanced sideways at the man. Was he offering what it sounded like he was offering? And if so, how did he know Majima was into laps? ]

...I think I'll accept that invitation.

[ The idea of it made him feel a little exposed -- vulnerable, in a way that the affair with Makoto had taught him could be used to hurt. Would be used, if he was still under Shimano's thumb. But he did want to. So he shifted, resting his head on the proffered lap so he could feel the indirect sunlight on his face. Majima's long, dark hair pooled over the fabric of Tim's slacks... and was it just him, or did Tim make a pretty nice cushion? ]

It's been a long time since I went out and looked at the flowers.

[ Which was Majima's way of saying that it was a long time since he'd enjoyed them with anyone, too. After a few moments, he closed his eyes, and then there was a wolf with his head resting on Tim's thigh, pointed ears swiveling to the sound of rustling leaves. He was getting fine white fur on Tim's pants, but as was the nature of all canines, didn't seem to care. His forepaws were curled loosely in front of him, exposing an expanse of fluffy stomach. ]

[blap_blap]

[Tim's lap was a probably perfectly adequate pillow-- it maybe could have been a little softer, his thick thighs were more in the beefy sense than the squishy kind-- and really all that mattered was that Majima was comfortable there. It was nice to see him relax, anyway, because he didn't seem like he got the chance to do that enough.]

[He wanted to commit all of this to memory-- the weight of Majima's head on his lap and the sunlight dappled across his face, the sound of the breeze in the blossoms and the occasional pink flutter when a flower or two were shaken off of the boughs. He didn't want to forget a second of it, because this was peaceful and sweet and meant something. There weren't very many people that he knew who would want to do something meaningful with him.]

They're really beautiful. [That was an understatement. They were spectacular, and ephemeral, and maybe all the more lovely because they weren't going to be around for very long.] Thank you for... for bringing me with you. I'm really glad that I got to see them.

[Tim looked up at the trees and felt an odd shift on his lap; when he looked back down again, Majima was back in his wolf form again, belly-up and looking pretty content right where he was. And, sure, there was a statistically significant increase in the amount of dog hair on Tim's pants, but who cared? He could always wash them later. A little animal hair never killed anybody.]

Couldn't get enough? [Tim reached over and scratched along Majima's fluffy chest. This would normally be the danger zone in cats, but thankfully hands in the vicinity of canine bellies were much safer.] Let me know if it's too hard.

[Bellies were more sensitive than backs and scruffs, after all.]

[justbeingknife]

[ When he answered, Majima sounded glad... and a little sheepish, even though the whole purpose of inviting Tim out here was so they could both enjoy the flowers. ]

Thanks for coming with me. I thought ya might like them.

[ But as an old hand at sleeping on the floor, Tim's lap was definitely a step up, firm or no. The sun felt warm on his skin, and then it felt warm on his fur. And Tim? One or two little petals floated down and landed on Tim, and if he'd been human, he'd have had to hide a grin. On impulse, he rubbed his cheek up against the man's fingers, and then leaned his head back to welcome the scratches with a growly little noise of contentment and a twitch of his rear paws. ]

What can I say? You're a talented man.

[ And besides, Tim was one of the few people he trusted enough to administer pets. Among those select few, the only one he trusted enough to roll over and actually give in to belly scratches. What if it got out that he liked them? Disaster, that was what. No one must know.

But this was nice. Tim was nice. He didn't even seem to mind that Majima was lying on him like a ridiculously oversized furball. ]

But if ya like, I can pamper you instead. I'm pretty decent at it, ya know.

[blap_blap]

[Was Tim supposed to mind that he had an oversized furball using his lap for a pillow? News to him, most of his ideal situations involved having some kind of furry mammal cuddled up on his lap, getting fur all over his pants. Usually a cat, since those had historically been Tim's favorite, but Majima had brought forward a lot of good points about the virtues of dogs.]

Told you, this is my true calling. You're helping me reach my fullest potential or something.

[His fullest petting potential. And he had a vested interest in making sure that other people didn't find out about Majima's predilection for tummy rubs. He didn't want too many other people to get a cut of the belly rub pie-- more for him that way. If everyone else found out that Majima's wolf form was so cute and that he liked scratches, they'd all want to pet him. There'd be riots in the streets. Pandemonium. Oh, the humanity.]

[Tim started working down from Majima's chest towards his belly. So soft, so fluffy.]

I bet you are. [Majima was good at taking care of Tim in a lot of ways, and that was only like... half an innuendo.] But not right this second? Let me, y'know, take care of you for a while.

[justbeingknife]

Mmm... well, if ya insist.

[ The wolf wriggled in delight as Tim started working his way down, tail switching back and forth in the grass like it had a mind of its own. This? This was heaven. He put his tongue out and delivered a couple of kisses to Tim's wrist, which was about as far as he could reach without twisting out of the way. ]

Oh, man. It's so good.

[ Normally? Majima liked to project something of an aura of reserve, but it was hard to seem cool and professional in the middle of belly scratches. Almost impossible, in fact. He'd probably even let Tim shove his face into that fluff. Think about it. ]

I'll take ya to a hundred cat cafes for five more minutes of this. No wonder dogs love it so much.