[ Katsura recognizes the importance of eating and does prioritize it, but he isn't accustomed to having people invite him to eat with them ever since the end of the war. It was usually just him and Eli, and with Eli gone, well. It was just weird.
Katsura scrubs the dish a little more, keeping his focus on his work. He appreciates the additional praise. Pulling back from the dish, he dries his hands off with a towel. He turns around and faces Sakamoto, looking up at him. ]
—Well, I suppose I can eat something with you if you absolutely want me to. Do you absolutely want me to? [ Don't milk this invitation like this, Zura. ]
Would it make your meal more enjoyable to have me there? [ pls stop trying to find more indication of being desired. ]
[Sakamoto can see the desperation in his eyes, that fierce need to be loved, to be reminded that he is important.
It is a desire he cannot resist, a fire he's fueled time and time again in the hearts of many. He opens his mouth and answers, honestly, but with a quiet intensity:]
[ There's a pause before Katsura answers, walking past him. ] I'll take time from my busy schedule to provide you my company, then.
[ Sakamoto doesn't see it, but he's smiling when he walks out of the kitchen and heads down the aisle, clearing his throat and forcing his lips to a straight line. However, by the time he reaches Sakamoto's seat, he realizes a problem. There was no seat for him. There was a gap that could maybe fit another chair, which he begins to look for. Once he finds an empty one, he asserts it in between Mutsu's seat (probably disrupting her eating time) and Sakamoto's seat before sitting down.
With a content hum, he gives Mutsu some kind of proud look before eyeing the rest of the food on the table. .. So this is what it was like to eat with a whole bunch of people. Katsura knew from eating with his followers but this seemed like a lot more people. Plus, he didn't always get a chance to sit down and eat with ALL of them. Sometimes they would be off doing their own tasks and eating where ever their feet took him.
[Neither Sakamoto nor Mutsu catch that look Zura gives the vice captain, and instead, the merchant chooses to finally chip away at his food. He has a limited amount of time after all, and must stay on schedule if he wants to knock all his deals out of the park today.
Still, "discipline" is something Sakamoto has never done very well, and today is no different. One would think that he is simply eating, with that innocent expression on his face and all, but one hand darts under the table when nobody notices.
One of Zura's legs should be close to his own, and he pinches whatever skin he can get between his fingers, not hard enough to bruise, but hard enough to be felt indeed.]
[ Katsura is just about to get started on the food that he has on his plate, not really paying attention to how his smile is growing— hearing the chatter of the crew men and their conversations, the clanking of utensils and just.. the abundance of people that seemed like a gigantic family. All he can think of is hearing his own chopsticks against his dish in a small house that seemed so big when he was the only little thing to live there.
What snaps him back to reality is the pinch of his thigh, causing an embarrassing squeak to erupt from his throat. It also Katsura's posture to straighten and his cheeks to burn as his jaw sets firm. Turning to Tatsuma, he gives him a warning kind of look. ]
Don't play with your food. [ Of course, Sakamoto wasn't doing anything of the sort, but he figures he just needs to say this to 1.) give Sakamoto a vocal scold of some kind, 2.) try and cover up Tatsuma's flirting from any crew that might have put their attention on them by the noise he made. ]
[Sakamoto simply laughs in response, shoulders heaving as he does. When he lets out that irritating sound, it's as though his entire body participates, and perhaps that's why he's just so loud. Even the dishes clank against the table, his knee jerks and it hits the wood from underneath.
Annoying as it is, that smile of his- On a dark day, it really is a ray of light.
He doesn't say anything, and he only shoves more rice into his mouth (messily, some grains stick to the side of it). But he does compensate somewhat by letting that wanton hand touch Zura again, more gently this time. Sakamoto slides his own rough palms over his friend's knuckles in some vague attempt at an apologetic gesture.]
[ He doesn't get what is so funny or why Sakamoto is laughing— and this is an ongoing thing. Sakamoto laughs, Katsura doesn't get it (sometimes, though, he does and he is the only person that does) but the warm hand wrapping over his typically cold, clammy fingers that rest underneath the table does make his heart beat happily as he eases a sigh out and closes his eyes for a moment.
This is so.. weird. He didn't think he would ever be holding hands with somebody like this on the down-low and in front of so many people. It's .. exciting and refreshing. A part of him wants to lean against Sakamoto and bury into his shoulder, take in his scent with each breath and just feel content.. but another part of him wants to appear strong and confident, here in front of other people. They don't need to see how happy he is about this.
His thumb rolls along the side of Sakamoto's hand in appreciation, a very small smile curving on his lips. ]
Or at least, it shouldn't be. Sakamoto had never imagined, even as a small child, that he could settle down with someone, with anyone, and have anything that vaguely resembled a normal relationship. The stranger thing, however, is that he doesn't fear it.
Stagnancy is a thing that he's come to despise- Of place, and of people. He can barely stand being on one planet for more than a few days, he must catch wind of the next place he'll be off to the moment he steps foot in it, because sitting still means standing still, or stopping altogether.
That is something he cannot afford to do, he must constantly be trudging forward.]
Yeah?
[And yet he is relieved, Zura is finally within reach, not even an elbow's length away from him. From the day he lost his ability to stand at their sides and call himself their equal, to ensure that doom and gloom had not seized their hearts entirely, he has believed in them but missed them all terribly.
Gintoki had been getting his life together, slowly, but surely- Sakamoto keeps from thinking about him any longer, it will hurt too much, and he will begin to cry. Takasugi is a goddamn bastard, and while the thing he did was unforgivable, it only confirms that the man is beyond help and that he's angry, hurt to the point of killing not himself but the next best thing.
At least this way, Zura will not die while he is in another galaxy. He will not feel lonely. Sakamoto tightens his grip on his beloved's hand, but soon-
[ It's something Katsura shouldn't get too attached to— uninterrupted bliss. With Sakamoto being such a busy and successful captain and salesman, it makes sense he is busy. Zura's smile easily disappears and draws into a thin line. He understands. Duties are important, but a sinking feeling of disappointing makes his stomach twist.
Katsura puts his hand that as holding Sakamoto's on the table as he holds his utensils, eyes watching his food and looking slightly crestfallen. ]
As you are, then, Sakamoto. [ ok but please don't be busy all the time.. ? don't leave him. ]
[He has to go, and quickly too, tugged at by an invisible thread (that happens to have been cast from Mutsu's eyes, look at that death glare!).]
Hold down the fort for me!
[Sakamoto claps a hand heartily onto Zura's shoulder, though it falters for a brief moment in time, squeezing hard but also lingering to caress whatever lies underneath all that fabric.]
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no subject
They were very cute.
[He can afford to be a little more candid in private.]
Man, and the attention to detail! Impeccable! Truly, impeccable. Ahaha...
[Softly, he utters a few words. While his tone is gentle, gentle indeed, there's an urgency in his voice.]
You won't amount to much if you don't eat with us, right? Take a break! Have a bite. It doesn't matter how hard ya work, if ya don't recharge!
Come sit.
no subject
Katsura scrubs the dish a little more, keeping his focus on his work. He appreciates the additional praise.
Pulling back from the dish, he dries his hands off with a towel. He turns around and faces Sakamoto, looking up at him. ]
—Well, I suppose I can eat something with you if you absolutely want me to.
Do you absolutely want me to?
[ Don't milk this invitation like this, Zura. ]
Would it make your meal more enjoyable to have me there?
[ pls stop trying to find more indication of being desired. ]
no subject
It is a desire he cannot resist, a fire he's fueled time and time again in the hearts of many. He opens his mouth and answers, honestly, but with a quiet intensity:]
Yes.
Very much.
no subject
I'll take time from my busy schedule to provide you my company, then.
[ Sakamoto doesn't see it, but he's smiling when he walks out of the kitchen and heads down the aisle, clearing his throat and forcing his lips to a straight line.
However, by the time he reaches Sakamoto's seat, he realizes a problem. There was no seat for him. There was a gap that could maybe fit another chair, which he begins to look for. Once he finds an empty one, he asserts it in between Mutsu's seat (probably disrupting her eating time) and Sakamoto's seat before sitting down.
With a content hum, he gives Mutsu some kind of proud look before eyeing the rest of the food on the table.
.. So this is what it was like to eat with a whole bunch of people. Katsura knew from eating with his followers but this seemed like a lot more people. Plus, he didn't always get a chance to sit down and eat with ALL of them. Sometimes they would be off doing their own tasks and eating where ever their feet took him.
But this.. had a very home-like feeling to it.]
no subject
Still, "discipline" is something Sakamoto has never done very well, and today is no different. One would think that he is simply eating, with that innocent expression on his face and all, but one hand darts under the table when nobody notices.
One of Zura's legs should be close to his own, and he pinches whatever skin he can get between his fingers, not hard enough to bruise, but hard enough to be felt indeed.]
no subject
What snaps him back to reality is the pinch of his thigh, causing an embarrassing squeak to erupt from his throat. It also Katsura's posture to straighten and his cheeks to burn as his jaw sets firm.
Turning to Tatsuma, he gives him a warning kind of look. ]
Don't play with your food.
[ Of course, Sakamoto wasn't doing anything of the sort, but he figures he just needs to say this to 1.) give Sakamoto a vocal scold of some kind, 2.) try and cover up Tatsuma's flirting from any crew that might have put their attention on them by the noise he made. ]
no subject
Annoying as it is, that smile of his- On a dark day, it really is a ray of light.
He doesn't say anything, and he only shoves more rice into his mouth (messily, some grains stick to the side of it). But he does compensate somewhat by letting that wanton hand touch Zura again, more gently this time. Sakamoto slides his own rough palms over his friend's knuckles in some vague attempt at an apologetic gesture.]
no subject
This is so.. weird.
He didn't think he would ever be holding hands with somebody like this on the down-low and in front of so many people. It's .. exciting and refreshing. A part of him wants to lean against Sakamoto and bury into his shoulder, take in his scent with each breath and just feel content.. but another part of him wants to appear strong and confident, here in front of other people. They don't need to see how happy he is about this.
His thumb rolls along the side of Sakamoto's hand in appreciation, a very small smile curving on his lips. ]
Much better.
no subject
Or at least, it shouldn't be. Sakamoto had never imagined, even as a small child, that he could settle down with someone, with anyone, and have anything that vaguely resembled a normal relationship. The stranger thing, however, is that he doesn't fear it.
Stagnancy is a thing that he's come to despise- Of place, and of people. He can barely stand being on one planet for more than a few days, he must catch wind of the next place he'll be off to the moment he steps foot in it, because sitting still means standing still, or stopping altogether.
That is something he cannot afford to do, he must constantly be trudging forward.]
Yeah?
[And yet he is relieved, Zura is finally within reach, not even an elbow's length away from him. From the day he lost his ability to stand at their sides and call himself their equal, to ensure that doom and gloom had not seized their hearts entirely, he has believed in them but missed them all terribly.
Gintoki had been getting his life together, slowly, but surely- Sakamoto keeps from thinking about him any longer, it will hurt too much, and he will begin to cry. Takasugi is a goddamn bastard, and while the thing he did was unforgivable, it only confirms that the man is beyond help and that he's angry, hurt to the point of killing not himself but the next best thing.
At least this way, Zura will not die while he is in another galaxy. He will not feel lonely. Sakamoto tightens his grip on his beloved's hand, but soon-
"Sakamoto."
Mutsu speaks.
"We have to go."]
no subject
Katsura puts his hand that as holding Sakamoto's on the table as he holds his utensils, eyes watching his food and looking slightly crestfallen. ]
As you are, then, Sakamoto.
[ ok but please don't be busy all the time.. ?
don't leave him. ]
no subject
Hold down the fort for me!
[Sakamoto claps a hand heartily onto Zura's shoulder, though it falters for a brief moment in time, squeezing hard but also lingering to caress whatever lies underneath all that fabric.]
I'll be seein' you later.