IC CONTACT

[octoroom]

...

[You may be hard-pressed to get him to pick up the phone portable database, but you can find him about base when he's not out in the ocean. Like the octopus he is.

Or you can blare a message right into his brain. That's fine.]

→ ACTION / AUDIO / VISUAL / TELEPATHY

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ACTION

[undyingly]

[Night time finds Shiro seeking out Fukami and the cozy little nook that he and his favorite bunk buddy have been camping out during the nights as of late. This time though, he's not coming empty-handed. Instead he's got a book in his arms, cradled against his chest.

He peeks around the corner to see if the octopus is here already, face lighting up when he catches sight of him. Excellent yes good. He beams at him and makes his way over towards him.]

Fukami! Getting ready for bed?

[octoroom]

Mm.

[It's an absentminded answer, affirmation-- Fukami is folding up his long coat that makes him seem larger than he is, his tie, his brown vest. He's just in a simple shirt and his pants, even his boots and socks are folded up neatly and set aside...

He glances up once he's done folding, though, eyebrow lifting curiously at the book in Shiro's arms.]

Planning on reading before you sleep, Shiro?

[undyingly]

Well, maybe.

[Shiro informs him. He scoots his way over and toes out of his shoes. He tosses the book down on his blankets and things before tossing himself on it too, looking over and up at Fukami.]

I was thinking we could read together.

[...what he was actually thinking is that Fukami could ready to him.]

[octoroom]

Read together.

[He echoes it with a slight frown, more puzzled than bothered by this suggestion. All of a sudden, he's thinking about Memoca and Dolphi asking him to read with them...

Hmm. He leans his back against the wall.]

What kind of book is it?

[undyingly]

I think it's a book of short stories. It might be nice just to relax, right?

[He holds the book up towards Fukami with a hopeful expression on his face. Don't break his heart here Fukami, look how excited he is.]

I thought a distraction would be nice, especially since you've been working so hard lately.

[octoroom]

[Fukami's confused frown fades and he leans his head lightly back against the wall behind him as well, watching Shiro thoughtfully.]

All right.

[He has been working hard-- but he's been concerned, about the earthquake coming their way.] We'll read it together, then.

[undyingly]

[There is a lot to be worried about here. They're kind of on the very edge of survival at this point in time, trying to cobble together the things they need. They're doing pretty well, but still, it's not what he's used to, not what a lot of people are used to, he's sure.]

Good! Thanks.

[He pats the place on the blanket beside him. Come sit join him Fukami?]

[octoroom]

[Slowly, Fukami slides over to settle beside him. It's-- difficult, to say the least, to keep his tentacles out of the way, so some might end up curled nearby, but by now it seems that Shiro really doesn't care much about them.]

You needn't thank me.

[One hand moves to the book in Shiro's hands, fingers opening up the cover.] Where shall we start?

[undyingly]

No? Even when you're humoring me this much?

[Shiro asks with a laugh. At least he's a self-aware pest. That counts for something, right? But as Fukami settles in, Shiro will settle himself, scooting closer, no hesitation in cozying up to those tentacles. Nope. Shiro doesn't care about them at all, and this way they can both see the print. He holds the book towards Fukami a bit, leaning towards him.]

Well, here, this is the first one. Let's start there. [He flips the first few pages to where the tale begins.]

[octoroom]

I can't wish to do something?

[Fukami's eyebrow arches at him, as though he's unimpressed by the implication he's merely humouring. Shiro, please!! He'd be far more reluctant about it if that were the case. His tentacles shift and squirm, coiling instinctively around Shiro.

Sigh. Stupid tentacles. Anyway.

He looks down at the text, seeming as though he's reading, though he does give Shiro a sidelong glance, wondering if he's going to ask for something more--]

[undyingly]

Oh! You definitely can. That's even better actually, if you do.

[Way better than just humoring him. Then they can both enjoy this. Shiro is still getting cozy, glancing down in surprise as those extra arms coil about him. But that's comfy too, and he takes it as permission to lean his head right against Fukami's shoulder.

So he can see the book better.]

...maybe we could take turns reading it out loud?

[READ TO HIM.]

[octoroom]

[Oh, as expected. Shiro wants him to read.

But the head on his shoulder gives him pause, and he slants a look down at Shiro as if he's contemplating this new position in which he's finding himself. Still, it's not particularly uncomfortable, and this isn't the first time Shiro's gotten touchy on him, so glancing back at the book it is.]

What if you fall asleep? [#treating Shiro like a child]

[undyingly]

[He's predictable. What can he see? He smiles when Fukami seems to agree. Ha. Winner is Shiro again. He doesn't move his head from where it's rested on Fukami's shoulder.]

If I fall asleep we can save the rest of the story for tomorrow night.

[Uhoh now it's going to be a tradition. Look what you've done, Fukami.]

[octoroom]

What if I don't wish to read tomorrow night?

[Oh no-- is the tradition going to be foiled so soon?!

Fukami is letting out a long sigh and Shiro might see his bangs hanging in his periphery as he bows his head to look down at the book once again.]

[undyingly]

Aaaah then the night after I guess. Or maybe tomorrow night I can read to you instead.

[Nope he's persistent. Super persistent. Not going to give up without a fight. For his storytime. Shiro peeks over at him curious now.

That's a good deal, right? It's definitely fair. So Fukami should agree!]

[octoroom]

[...Sigh. He really has to figure out how to stop being weak to Shiro's persistence. It's getting worse and worse as time goes on, as well, rather than better. How should he train himself against it? Hrm. With these thoughts in mind, he looks at the book in Shiro's hand.

He doesn't even give any assent to the plan, he just begins to read:]

It was New Years Eve. The elder members of the house party at Royston were assembled in the hall. Mr. Satterthwaite was glad the young people had gone to bed. He was not fond of young people in herds. [He'll just huff a breath that might be close to an understanding laugh, glancing at Shiro, before he continues reading...]

[undyingly]

[Struggling is futile, Fukami. It'll be less painful if you just give in now. That's the far easier option. He smiles and leans in all the closer, shutting his eyes and listening. This is pretty excellent right now.

He cracks an eye open at that laugh.

...he knows what you're thinking, Fukami. Don't think he does't.] Did you just find a kindred spirit?

[octoroom]

I wonder.

[Fukami glances down to Shiro, though he can see little besides some of his face and, naturally, his hair. His tentacles shift, some of them loosely coiled about him, hooked into his clothes.]

--"He thought them uninteresting and crude. They lacked subtleties and as life went on he had become increasingly fond of subtleties."

[Privately, here is where he and this character differ. Either way, he continues to read, his voice low and calm, gradually being pulled into the story. He's a good reader, you know?]

[undyingly]

[Fukami is good at this! And Shiro is enjoying it entirely. Though the truth is, something in the octopus's voice is soothing, and he will start dozing before too long. It's inevitable, and he's warm and comfortable and totally at ease around Fukami these days.

So even if it's an interesting story, and he wants to know WHODUNNIT, he is nodding off already.]

[octoroom]

[Well, there goes his audience. Fukami trails off when he notices the way Shiro's breathing is starting to slow. His tentacles coil around him with purpose, as though to move him to lay down.

That way, Fukami can go back to his bed-- air mattress--]

[undyingly]

[Oh Fukami that isn't going to work. Shiro may be asleep, but as Fukami shifts, so does Shiro. He turns into the octopus, hand curling like a vice right into the fabric of his shirt, his other gathering up a tentacle.

He plans on staying right here. He's comfy. And Fukami should stay too.]

[octoroom]

[Grunt.

Fukami looks down, unimpressed, as Shiro nestles right in like that. He's going to start sighing about this in a second. Very quietly, not enough to wake him (probably), he says:] Shiro. It's time to sleep in your own bed.

[And not on Fukami. Again.]

[undyingly]

[Yeah good luck with that one, Fukami. He is asleep right now. And warm and comfortable, and has no desire to wake up and move.

So his only resposne is to sigh softly and snuggle in closer.]

[octoroom]

[SIGH]

There's no way we're doing this again tomorrow.

[That's what he's telling the sleeping Shiro in a terse, matter-of-fact voice. He's just going to do his best to get Shiro in a position that he can also be comfortable with.]