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[matadorable]

If you're hearing this message, I am probably not here. Or I am furiously pressing every button I can because I forgot how this thing works. One of the two! Either way, I will get back to you...eventually.

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[matadorable]

Isn't it, though? [Sporting a toothy grin, he bats his brown eyes at Joaquin.]

[medalsome]

[Really, Manolo? You want your best bro to die from busting his gut? Joaquin doesn't think he has much more laughs in him and his ribs are starting to hurt.

Wheezing a little, his hands clutch weakly at Manolo's shirt.] You're killing me, Manny! Jesus Christ...

[Man, when did he get so tired? Laughing was an unspoken form of exercise.]

[matadorable]

[The laughter is contagious, and now Manolo's shoulders are starting to shake.]

That's what you get for not showing such delicate antiquities proper respect!

[medalsome]

Delicate? Pfft, yeah right, your head is as hard as a rock!

[He sure fell down enough staircases to prove that point.]

Antiquated, sure, but I guess that makes me just as ancient. Moreso! You should respect your elders!

[He gives Manolo a light poke in the side with his index finger.]

[matadorable]

Okay, technically!! [He pokes Joaquin in the forehead.] I turned 20 last month. We are the same age now, so you can't pull that card anymore!

[medalsome]

Technically [and Joaquin half-heartedly swats his hand away] I'm still half a year older than you, so yeah, still older!

[And for that poke, Joaquin decides a little wrestling is in order. Prepared to be attackled!]

[matadorable]

No! [Manolo is gasping for breath as he laughs.] I'm drunk and I'm old! Be nice!

[Of course, if Joaquin really wants to play this game, that's fine. Manolo will just TICKLE HIM, and he grabs for his friend's sides to do just that.]

[medalsome]

A-ah! [Joaquin doesn't expect such a counter-attack! He's weak from having laughed so much before and now he can't stop again, feeling like his ribs are about to break.

But he can't lose this quickly! No, he has to fight back! He struggles to somehow get Manolo's arms away from him while also managing to hold him down. It turns into a weird, vice-like hug around his friend, though it seems Joaquin can't help but still laugh.]

[matadorable]

Ahh, no! [Manolo tries his best to wiggle out of Joaquin's grip, struggling like a fish out of water, but to no avail.] This should be against the rules!

[medalsome]

There are no rules in hug war!

[Joaquin grips him tighter and buries his face in the crook of Manolo's neck, stifling more giggles.]

[matadorable]

Whaaat, you mean they teach that in the military? [He snickers, and now he doesn't seem to mind that his friend is holding onto him so tightly. Instead, he snuggles into Joaquin's arms with a content smile.]

[medalsome]

[The mix of alcohol in his system and physical exhaustion are starting to take their toll. Joaquin is tired but he doesn't let go. When he speaks just the tiniest brush of his lips and mustache glance across Manolo's neck.]

'snot for just any occasion it's... secret... technique something.

[matadorable]

[Joaquin's words tickle at his neck, which draws a breathy laugh from Manolo.] The most secret, most macho of techniques. I see...

[medalsome]

Def... definite...

[He dozes off before he can quite finish whatever thought he was trying to convey.]

[matadorable]

[Joaquin's slow, steady breathing combined with the warmth and security found in his arms start to make Manolo's eyelids grow heavy. Soon, he's trying to fight off a yawn of his own, but he begins to drift off to sleep himself...]

[medalsome]

[Joaquin wakes with a jolt sometime later. It's warm, he's way too warm, and there's someone right up against him. Or, more like, he's right up against someone else, his arms thrown about them in a messy tangle.

This is so abnormal Joaquin thinks he's perhaps just dreaming it all, but then his eyes adjust to the darkness, their last candle having burned itself out a while ago. Probably a good thing, as his head is pounding a bit from all the alcohol drying out his system. God, why did he drink so much...?

Finally, he looks down. It's Manolo.

That's both relieving and distressing for some reason and slowly Joaquin tries to drag himself away. God, what time even is it?]

[matadorable]

[Joaquin's movements are met with a whine from Manolo, who stubbornly digs his fingers into his friend's shirt in a bid to keep him in place. There's no way he's coherent enough to ask questions. He just wants to stay like this for a few more hours...]

[medalsome]

[Joaquin frowns, not sure how to take that. Guilt eats at him when he thinks of how tight Manolo seems to clutch onto him though.

.... fuck this, man. It's way too early for this and he's hungover and sick feeling.

He gives up, closing his eyes as he resettles.]

[after Pan plot wraps up...]

[medalsome]

[Joaquin was tired. He felt physically exhausted and his heart ached. To think, children could be corrupted in such a way. That was terrifying. The perpetrator had been stopped (sorta) and Heropa had been set to rights, but the cost was still too great for Joaquin to feel like celebrating, and beyond that...

He didn't know how Manolo was, but he expected he would hear from him soon. When he thought about his friend he felt sad, but there was also burning anger smoldering beneath. How dare he go around and break his promise to stay safe! Even if they didn't sign some contract Joaquin had expected Manolo to have some sense of self-preservation! He was through with it! He needed a smoke.

Joaquin thought about his motorcycle, how it was still stuck back at the municipal center. Probably still illegally parked, too, as their town hadn't had much time to scrounge around before everything became Neverland. He could probably still go pick it up before anyone thought to tow it away. He'd have to leave soon, but for now...

For now, Joaquin walked to the park near their house. It was a place he usually enjoyed being; he took jogs around it every morning and sometimes he practiced his yoga there with Gwendolyn. Right now, though, he just found a bench he could sit and brought out the cigarettes and his lighter. He hadn't needed to mess with them in a while but now he felt like he could go through the whole pack in one sitting.]

[matadorable]

[As soon as the curse was lifted, Manolo stuck around only long enough to make sure no one needed any immediate healing. Then he was off to find Joaquin. He didn't know whether Dr. Gottlieb had contacted his friend or not, but that wasn't all that relevant. In either case, it was clear he needed to find his friend as soon as possible. Manolo wanted to come clean about what he'd done, and to give reassurance that he'd actually been careful during his time in Pan's forest.

When he didn't find him at home, Manolo ignored the unsettled feeling that prickled at the back of his mind. Had he immediately left for De Chima? No, that didn't sound right. The next thought was that Joaquin had somehow gotten hurt, and he moved with more urgency as he stepped back outside and anxiously looked around to check if maybe he was coming this way.

Finally, finally, he did find him, at a little park just a little ways down the street. His large frame, with smoke curling from the cigarette in his mouth, made for a striking sight -- and also a disconcerting one, knowing that these days Joaquin mainly smoked to deal with stress.]

Joaquin! [He slowed down as he approached the bench, unable to fight the concern gnawing at his chest.] You're not injured, are you?

[medalsome]

[He heard his name called in that familiar voice but he didn't turn, not immediately. He couldn't look at manolo just yet. Instead he took a long drag from his cigarette and exhaled a cloud in a slow puff.

He still didn't glance over when he spoke.]

I'm fine.

[matadorable]

[That tone set off warning bells, the sort of tone that said "I really don't want to talk to you or anyone else right now", and while a more sensible person would have taken it as a hint to back off, Manolo just became more worried.]

Oh. Good. That's...good. You're fine, I'm fine...[He floundered for words, wondering how to segue into what he needed to say.]

Listen...Joaquin. After I saw that video of Pan killing Tetsuo, I...ended up coming back, but it wasn't done carelessly. I did...everything I could to help while still making sure I didn't get hurt like before.

[medalsome]

[A small part of Joaquin was relieved to know Manolo was fine but he stubbornly refused to acknowledge it, much like how Manolo consistently refused to acknowledge Joaquin's feelings on the matter. He took another puff and gave a hum, short and stoic.

He listened, he did, but Joaquin didn't give a shit about some guy like Tetsuo. He only really cared about Manolo but even that was starting to feel like a mistake. Finally, Joaquin dropped his cigarette and stepped on it to make sure it was ground out, then he looked up.

He froze, glancing up and down Manolo's form. He swallowed, managing to keep his voice level.] Good for you. I hope you're proud of yourself.

[matadorable]

[That pause caught Manolo off guard, and it was only then that he realized he still hadn't changed out of his Remembered form. Having spent the past several days like this, he'd simply grown used to it...but that still didn't mean he needed to flaunt this particular power in front of Joaquin.

Too late for that.]

...Joaquin? Are you okay? I'm sorry, I really should have changed back before I found you. I just...needed to see you as soon as I could.

[medalsome]

[And yet now that he had found Joaquin it turned out he couldn't say the same in return.]

Well, you've seen me.

[And he started walking away, back towards the nearest road. He needed to hail a taxi to get himself back to his motorcycle.]