[open] waste time with a masterpiece, don't waste time with a masterpiece

[activatingcombatmode]

Who: Zack Fair & You
Status: Open
Where: Where these threads happen.
What: A catch-all log for closed threads for February! Includes a few Manta Board prompts as well. If you would like something specific please let me know.
Warnings: Tba.


[🐺 a. the edge of sleep: closed to crewmates & planned cr]

[Ever wonder what it's like to drown? It's a story of opposites. There’s peace in the water. Like it’s holding you. Whispering low tones to let it in. And every problem in the world will fade away... But then there's this thing. In your head. And it's raging. Lighting every nerve with madness. You have to fight. To survive. And all the while the question is before you. Have you had enough?

Zack can't breathe. He can't concentrate. All he can feel is the water cradling him like a vice and the strange invisable fingers around his throat that are both there and not there. He's drowning... He has to fight to breathe and swim. He has to fight to wake up.

This time he does manage to wake up. It's with a painful jolt, his body screaming in pain as he winces awake. His lungs gasping and his muscles screaming. The black mark on his hand pulsates with dirty murkiness, threatening to slide up his arm.

There can be a few places to find Zack when he wakes up. Either in his cabin aboard his crew's ship or on deck where he's failed to keep himself awake and has fallen asleep in a chair or even leaning against the wooden railing. Or at the worst passed out in some random storage room on the ship.]

[🐺 b. part of their world]

[When he's not suffering sleep deprivation Zack does manage to get some work done. Life goes on and he’s well enough during the day to go about his daily life. That means that Zack is getting back to work. And that means taking pictures of...]

Mermaids? Great, the last time I dealt with mermaids they wanted to drag me under the water.

[He sighs. But he clicks through his shellphone for the camera function and then nods.]

Let's just hope the mermaids we find today are a little less touchy-feely.

[🐺 c. wildcard]

[got something else? feel free to put that down here or find me at michrure for some extra plotting.]

Comments

[activatingcombatmode]

[He chuckles in return. Even turns his face to G'raha's skin and blows a very mature raspberry on it.]

Agree to ... agree then. [Yeah.] We both are.

[afflatusexarch]

[ WOW YES SO MATURE OF YOU!? G'raha yelps and laughs, tail smacking against Zack.

This is not what you do in order to sleep, sir! ]

To think it all it took was sitting at the wrong table one random evening.

[activatingcombatmode]

[Listen, this is therapy. Zack grins against G'raha's skin and then kisses the spot just below his collarbone.]

Well, that and you wearing a pretty dress.

[Don't forget that's when Zack completely wanted to ask him out on a date.]

[afflatusexarch]

[ He hums, amused and touched by the kiss. G'raha scratches at the back of Zack's head. Right were the neck starts - the hairline. ]

Is this a poor time to tell you that I still have that dress? 'Tis kept with my things in my room.

[activatingcombatmode]

[Head scratches feel the best... He's a content man right now. Nightmares completely forgotten for now.]

You're telling me this now? Are you going to wear it for me again sometime?

[afflatusexarch]

That might depend entirely upon your behavior. It really would be sort of your eyes only at this point.

[ As silly as it is. Raha doesn't really get the appeal himself but if it appeals to Zack? Well then that makes it worth it. ]

Maybe after we are cured.

[activatingcombatmode]

[Don't underestimate the power of lace and stockings.]

Hah. Alright, that's fair.

[He can be good and wait.]

I'm surprised you kept it, though.

[afflatusexarch]

It... Well. It was the payment for going through with all of that nonsense. I suppose I could have just sold it, in hindsight.

[ So why didn't he...? ]

[activatingcombatmode]

[Zack looks curious.]

No harm in keeping it, I guess? Maybe you could use it in another job sometime.

[You know, sneaky corsair things. Or something.]

[afflatusexarch]

Ah... I don't think I'll need to go undercover like that again? Rather, I am going to actively try to avoid that.

[ At least in the sense of being fooled into it. ]

[activatingcombatmode]

That's fair too. Do you want to sell it then? Or keep it?

[afflatusexarch]

After seeing the expression on your face? How could I possibly think of selling it?

[ Because he is a brat and wants to see Zack fall apart. ]

[activatingcombatmode]

[Oh, he'll fall apart, alright!! He grins...]

So you're keeping it just for me? I'm flattered.

[afflatusexarch]

Not sure why this is so surprising. I allowed you to convince me to accept a gift of yours.

[ His nose brushes Zack's brow. Then he presses a kiss there with a content sigh. ]

Truthfully, there is quite a bit that I would do just to continue to see that smile of yours.

[activatingcombatmode]

[Zack snorts at first, the laugh contently rumbling through his chest. Then he's hugging G'raha just a little more. Like he's the perfect cat body pillow.]

To be honest, I didn't think you'd let me give you gifts at first. You could barely take my honest compliments.

[He looks up at G'raha and gives that very smile.]

There isn't much you need to do to make me smile, though. Just let me call you cute anytime I want.

[afflatusexarch]

[ Raha huffs, a little embarrassed. Flustered. His tail thwaps against Zack for a moment before he settles again with the squeeze. ]

Complements are one thing. Gifts are another altogether. Those are appropriate to exchange given our present r-r-relationship.

[ Blushing! Yes, he is blushing now because he said something like relationship. An acknowledgement, of sorts, yes. G'raha hadn't wanted to assume anything but he's sort of making a claim now. To a certain degree.

And that's what Zack is going to see as he smiles up at Raha. It only worsens when he calls the Miqo'te cute. ]

Y-you assume I've ever had the power to stop you from doing just that.

[activatingcombatmode]

[Sue him, he really likes seeing G'raha a little huffy and embarrassed. But it's the word "relationship" that G'raha uses that makes Zack raise an eyebrow. He already figured they were in a relationship seeing as they already agreed to be partners and have been outright dating but it still amuses him in a good way to hear G'raha stumble over the word.]

You're right. Since we're in a relationship that means I can call you cute, give you compliments and give you gifts anytime I feel like seeing your smile. Do I have that right?

[His smile turns a little playful.

Truth be told, his heart is aching in a good way again. At the rate that G'raha is letting Zack go he feels like... Yeah. He's pretty sure he's falling for G'raha. Very hard.]

What's the word for that. Boyfriend?

[afflatusexarch]

[ He knows that he is being teased. Knows that tone of voice with the way that Zack raises a brow. Then seeing Zack smile... Oh Raha is taken. So, so taken. ]

Mmmn. I suppose if you want to be technical... Though I would have thought that complements are more in the wooing stages.

[ Implying that Zack has successfully wooed G'raha? At least that's the impression that Raha seems to be given Zack. But then he uses the term boyfriend. G'raha makes a surprised little trilling noise. ]

I-if that is the w-word that fits...

[activatingcombatmode]

[Zack lets out a quieter laugh. He then shifts so he can pull himself up and crawl up to hover over G'raha's body so they're almost nose to nose. Then he cages G'raha in with an arm resting near G'raha's head.]

Who says I'm past the wooing stages? The wooing stages last forever with me, Raha.

[He's still going to keep wooing G'raha because he adores his man more than he can say.]

Or should I say. Cute as hell, Boyfriend.

[afflatusexarch]

[ Oh! Raha's arms are still around Zack as the other shifts. He feels his face become warmer as those stunning eyes near his. As that smile makes his heart race and he forgets how to breath. Then Raha hears the statement - both of them!

This man!

Raha immediately flusters. A hand covers Zack's eyes so that the other man can't see how red in the face he is. How his ears are wiggling. Zack can probably feel that tail smacking him as it swishes in excitement. ]

A-aren't you supposed to be resting?

[activatingcombatmode]

[Too cute. Zack is suddenly blind and he laughs for it. No doubt that whapping tail is saying a lot. And he wants to see G'raha's face. He wants to see those ears. He nudges closer.]

I will. I am.

[Let him seeeeee.]

I just. I adore you so damn much.

[If he can't see G'raha's face and kiss him he'll collapse on the cat and hug him close instead.]

[afflatusexarch]

[ Don't worry... Raha will slowly pull his hand away. Just. Slowly. Because the laughter has probably taken away the sudden intensity of that gaze, right? And surely Raha has recovered enough through all of this... Right?

Probably not. Ultimately it won't matter though. The kiss comes and Raha accepts it. Hums and groans into it and Zack.

He'll address this "adoration" later. Kisses now. ]

[activatingcombatmode]

[Success, he finally gets his kiss. And even if he's no longer blinded he keeps his eyes shut and enjoys every second of it. Kisses now.

Nightmares or not... He's pretty damn happy right now.]

[afflatusexarch]

[ Oh yes. Kisses. Raha likes kisses. He sinks into the feeling. Any hackles that he had seem to melt away. Lips move against lips and hands go back into Zack's hair. ]

Zack... What have you done...

[activatingcombatmode]

[There's a small quirk of a smile against G'raha's lips.]

What have I done?