#《 ship – 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 » proton 》

[reiketsui]

What's the deal with you and Proton

" what deal? "

attack dog and handler given permission to kill never talk about beyond the closed doors lips against bloody knuckles casual intimacy 'i can't be close enough to you without devouring you whole' the white and the black swan singing to each other as foes and bruising each other as lovers 'no one knows you like i do and i won't let them' scorching obsession fleeting touches while passing by on the hallway worshipping abandoned celestial and damned by the gods i ████ you so i need to kill you hand lingering against the back of the neck 'i will never allow anyone else see this side of you' sanctification memorizing the flavor devoted longing bite marks underneath the collar the twist of a blade purifying fire deranged desire

" there is no deal. "

ask my muse questions about other muses & their relationship with other muses

[reiketsui]

" Date idea: you take me to the vet to get me microchipped. " Deadpan, laying on the couch.

he's sitting on the couch beside the other, half of his concentration focused on applying the moisturizing hydro shellos cream to his face, the other half on the obnoxiously long-running movie on tv. it's hours past the usual routine bedtime – but that tended to happen on these lazy off-days. yet another gripe archer had with them. he gives a sigh, rubbing the lotion underneath the dark circles under his eyes when the words break the silence.

" that would be useful in a hostage situation, " spoken with an equally deadpan tone, arms outstretching to ease the tense muscles before he leans down next to proton on the couch, eyes drifting shut. " you could get your rabies booster shot, too. " / @chounaifu

[reiketsui]

" I know how your pulse feels between my teeth. That's not something you memorize from a casual fling. "

he stares up at the ceiling of the hotel room, heart still hammering against his chest and pulse thrumming in his ears so loud he barely registers the words delivered from the other side of the bed. the sheets feel uncomfortably hot against his bare back, the deep scratches in the flesh causing a burning sensation to flare throughout his body with the warmth. with a slow exhale, he brings an arm to cover his face to take a few, deep breaths.

just as it grows too unbearable, archer sits up, brushing his still trembling fingers through his messy hair, the wild strands damp with sweat.

the silence lingers. those words are a direct tactic to crawl under his skin. they have to be. as if proton hasn't already etched himself into his nervous system in a way that he was refusing to acknowledge.

he turns, resting his palm against the man's chest as he leans over him, gaze narrowing with spite.

" you don't know the taste. and you never get to, " he doesn't believe his own words.

i don't know what to do with myself if we go any further.

[reiketsui]

Tired. Sleepy. Not awake yet. Slouched against him in bed.

"ᴼᵐᵘʳᶦᶜᵉ."

a full decade of routinely waking up early meant that weekends and the occasional off-days archer didn't manage to avoid worked the exact same way, with his inner clock waking him up at no later than seven. this particular sunday is no exception. if he'd been alone, he would've gotten out of bed hours ago, but now, it's nearing ten and he's still shifting through the reports on his laptop – so deeply concentrated that he notices the man stirring beside him only as he moves closer to slouch against him. blue eyes remain glued onto the screen, a questioning 'hm?' given under his breath as his other arm leisurely wraps around proton's waist.

" we're out of eggs. but i need to walk the dogs, anyway. 7-eleven? " the mere mention of it makes the houndoom on the bed wake up from sleep and lift his head, tail swishing in excitement. / @chounaifu

[reiketsui]

" I think you look pretty regardless, " he's saying this as they're both worn out, visibly tired and running on low battery after work.

" huh? " he hadn't expected the silence to be broken – especially not with a comment like that. they have always been comfortable beside each other in silence, be it work or off duty, and it has became a kind of unwritten rule to keep words to a minimum after a long shift like this. there is no need to awkwardly try and fill in gaps with meaningless smalltalk when they know each other as– thoroughly as they do.

for a moment, he's taken aback, suddenly aware that proton knows exactly how much he dislikes being seen like this, with the signs of exhaustion clear on his face and the faint traces of mascara smudged in the corners of his eyes. his brows furrow, the only sign of the sudden bashfulness being the brief touch to the back of his neck as he turns his gaze away. " come on, let's go home, " they can count it down as the first time archer has ever vocally expressed wanting to leave work. / @chounaifu

[reiketsui]

SERENADE he's singing k-pop music on their walk back from their midnight 7-Eleven trip.

why did i agree to this.

it's a common thought to cross archer's mind with everything proton drags him into – including these occasional midnight store runs. most of the time, he does enjoy the quiet atmosphere of it. there is no sense of rush when off-duty, less strangers to keep mental track of, the sense of common civilian comfortability of browsing through the store shelves while idly talking about the next day's dinner plans, piling up a variety of snacks in the basket (or in the arms of the man who had been the one to suggest grabbing a basket upon entering), and listening to the faint hum of the electronics. archer could admit it. it gives him a sense of peace few things do these days.

sometimes, a wrench is thrown into the peacefulness of it in the most unexpected ways. he stares at the man dumbfounded as he breaks into a song in the middle of the dead quiet, dark patch of street illuminated only by a few old street lights – the first syllables of the performance making a few rattatas hiding in the trashcans skitter off. not only that, but the houndour on the other end of the leash joins in with a howl of his own. worse than all of it combined is the way a genuine chuckle attempts to bubble up his throat.

fine. it would be rude to interrupt. / @chounaifu / actions.

[reiketsui]

"Do I have to fill this out again?"

He's holding the bingo sheet.

" i got the message the first time around, " he's just gonna lightly flick him on the nose. it's his turn to be annoying as a treat. / @chounaifu

[reiketsui]

He takes Archer's hand, and brings it to the space between his own neck and collarbone. Ask for a tender spot, you'll receive. But Proton is smug, and doesn't think he'd actually dig in.

the single inch of height advantage he has against proton really makes a difference when they are face to face like this – in addition to the slightly taller heel of his shoes to further emphasize the point. his gaze remains sharp, gloved fingertips ever so slightly digging into the exposed skin. the other hand trails downwards, grasping onto the exact spot he left the bruised bite mark last night. " do you get off on thinking i wouldn't? how delusional, " in this position, it's easy to drag him close, mere half an inch away from their lips touching.

but instead, he swiftly grasps onto that generously opened zipper of the man's uniform top, zipping it up all the way.

" back to work, executive. " / @chounaifu

[reiketsui]

He takes one of Archer's gloved hands in both of his own.

"Take a break for the day," it's a firm but concerned voice.

" just stop your damn fussing for one minute and go finish your own shift. you are the one here on overtime, " it's more hostile than necessary, words hissed from between gritted teeth. the pounding headache is growing worse underneath the sharp, artificial lighting of the office, creating a contrast against the city view behind the window and the hastily pulled on curtains.

those fucking neon lights.

archer stops on his tracks as his hand is grasped onto, the sharp glare seemingly permanently etched onto his features softening some. it's such an unfair move. he stays still as the words break the silence, gaze directed elsewhere. he suddenly becomes aware of all the obvious signs of exhaustion in his body, the way his joints ease from the rigid position, shoulders slumping some as he allows himself to take in a proper breath, making no move to tug his hand away from the gentle hold.

"  – fine. how about that 7-eleven trip, then? " he's not ready to discuss about going home early. but it's a start. / @chounaifu

[reiketsui]

"LISTEN" >:)

the entire trip back from goldenrod is silent between them. well, not entirely silent – both of them easily slip into the business casual talk when meeting up with the client on board the magnet train. words spoken in a tone completely different to the one they used with each other, both of them knowing exactly how to treat a business partner of this caliber in order to keep up a productive streak between rocket and his company.

yet the words exchanged on the roof of that building repeat themselves in his mind to a point of madness. he is unsure what had prompted him to speak up – as he's equally unsure what pushed him towards the first proper kiss in the hotel room all those years back, when death was looming closer than ever before.

the cruel irony of two solitary beasts wrapping their bodies together in a moment of yearning passion, the beacon light of the radio tower flooding the room in maroon hues. archer never forgot a single second of that night, despite of his mind having shut out the majority of events of the era.

how could he forget?

he'd kept the leash firmly wrapped around proton's neck up until that, until the very night before what could've been their last day alive. they'd sworn to lit goldenrod ablaze were they to fail, if their message wouldn't reach their leader or he chose not to return – they wouldn't go out with a whimper.

in that moment, archer had thought about detaching the collar and telling him to run and save himself from the certain death he was leading them towards – despite of knowing that proton would have never listened to a command like that. just like all those times he had driven the man away in a fit of unstable rage, only for him to return to linger near the door of his office. it was only archer's own, selfish desire in the moment. i meant to spare you from this.

the door closes behind them as they enter the dark apartment, an exhale getting firmly stuck into his throat as he's pinned against the wall. he holds his breath for a split second, the arms draping around him telling how this is a continuation of their previous conversation cut short. archer has no intentions to push it too far – it's already a heavy mental toll, for both of them. they made a promise not to talk about it for a reason. everything between them is left behind closed doors, both physical and mental ones.

his arms make their way around proton to tug him in closer, close enough to keep their eyes from meeting – it's almost too much to bear as it is. there, surrounded by the dark, quiet apartment with the saffron city neon lights shining through the large panoramic window, archer feels more vulnerable than ever before.

" for whatever it is worth, i don't think you're a coward, " the words are quiet, enough so to mask away the fleeting emotion. " i thought about running away too. can you imagine– " he shakes his head, giving an almost pained chuckle. it's a horrid, shameful confession for him – the man whose reputation was built on being the shining beacon of loyalty. but he, too, had had his moments of doubt after they were abandoned without a word. the thoughts questioning whether all of their pain was worth it.

" –but i wanted to spare you more than i wanted to spare myself. in that moment, i would have been– content with an outcome like that, " his words remain firm despite of everything, the hesitation only lifting its head moments before the last sentence leaves his lips. " you held me above the surface through everything leading to that night. " / @chounaifu / pin my muse.

[reiketsui]

"Hey, wait, what the fuck did you mean by that?"

at least one of the top 3 picks of things of he didn't expect tonight was to find proton dangling outside of the window of his 15th story apartment.

only after he's painstakingly dragged the man inside and saved him from falling down all those stories he had somehow climbed without detection, does the question register. " the what– the marriage thing? you couldn't have asked this tomorrow at work? " the volume is gradually rising with each sentence as the realization sets in. a scoff is given, no effort done to help proton up from the floor as he turns his back, hand going to rest on his hip, taking a deep breath to stabilize from the effort of violently yanking the man indoors through the open window.

" took you long enough to let that marinate, " the words are spoken from between gritted teeth, followed by a long pause – he really hadn't thought this through, and not having a single rehearsed version of a conversation in his head is terrifying by itself. " this is the worst time to talk about this. we have a morning shift tomorrow. " / @chounaifu

[reiketsui]

' the only one who gets to kill you, is me. '

archer watches the body lying on the quiet sidewalk as it bleeds out with those numerous stab wounds, its hand still holding onto the gun he'd been pointing at him moments ago. every inhale and exhale is quickened with the rush of adrenaline, the single, faulty street light illuminating the scene from above giving off a low electric hum as it flickers on and off every minute or so. he breathes in deep, running a hand through his messy hair, the other still grasping onto proton's arm from where he'd dragged him away from the already very much dead corpse. in some reality, archer would have instantly gotten defensive – ' did you think i couldn't handle it? ' – even now, the urge is still there, like it's the reaction he is supposed to have.

instead, it's those words that cut right through his sternum like that lethal bullet would have, causing his brows to tug into a soft frown while the rest of his expression remains as unreadable as always. finally, he detaches his hand, simply giving him a look that says ' i know '.

" we need to call a crew to clean this up. " / @chounaifu / assorted sentences.

[reiketsui]

He MARCHES into his office, huffs, and shoves an event ticket RIGHT into Archer's hand. That weird kid suggested this idea, so, here's to nothing.

"We're going to a REAL dance. It's for the solstice in Nimbasa. I already bought an outfit, you ARE going." HUFF, red, puff, MARCHES OUT.

there are few things in life archer enjoys as thoroughly as quiet early morning shifts. he was used to being the first one to clock in – and often the last one to clock out – and the lack of commotion in the hallways made those three hours of sleep at night entirely worth it. it's easy to get lost in the routine of shifting through the paperwork from the previous night and let the loud thoughts shift into the background.

now, the routine is violently interrupted by the other executive barging through the door – without knocking, as per usual – and placing something in his hand before he can muster a response. " what the hell are you going on about, weren't you on a shift last night? have you been here all morn– " interrupted again, the following words leaving him even more dumbfounded. as the door is slammed shut again, his gaze shifts down onto the ticket in his hand, an exhale forced out. he'll refuse to be called the stubborn one ever again after this. / @chounaifu

[reiketsui]

He puts a giant, chibi-fied Houndour plush on Archer's desk, and proceeds to walk over and take a nap on the couch in the corner.

it's odd how he can identify the person just from the way they approach his door. this one particularly. the weight with each step, the delay between them. therefore, archer doesn't have to lift his gaze from the desk when the door opens – as usually, without a knock. a grave mistake for nearly any other person. how infuriating for him to give away such privileges.

" how was the m– " the sentence is interrupted when that thing is plopped on his desk. oh, it's huge. it's bigger than a real houndour. he stares for a moment, more than a little curious whether proton had been dragging that thing along the entire weekend. but as his eyes drift towards the man now comfortably sleeping on his couch, with the houndoom previously sitting by his desk now laying its head against the armrest of the couch to join the executive for a nap, he simply discards the thought. he'd kick him awake in exactly 45 minutes and ask then. / @chounaifu

[reiketsui]

I wanna see Archer hold Proton's hand (this is totally not Rex.)

anonymously tell me what you want to see happen to my muse.

" we do not ' hold hands ' because we aren't high schoolers. "

[reiketsui]

⚠️ MEAN to ME! >:(

MUSE SHAMING.

" stop being obnoxious then. the change starts with you, " he keeps flipping through the magazine on his lap, the other arm remaining draped around proton's neck, fingertips absentmindedly twirling his hair. / @chounaifu