Open/Closed Prompts

[perfectdistance]

Who ⬤ Nero and you
What ⬤ Open and closed starters
When ⬤ September
Where ⬤ Various
Content Warnings ⬤ Sex in at least one thread


I. Substory #3 Drifter Grifter

[He looks tiredly at the list of crimes of this grifter and for a moment he wonders if Bradley's out there stealing again? He's probably stealing, but is this specifically Bradley or just some idiot he doesn't have to care about?]

Okay, so what did this guy look like? Did he even have any information or was he just dining and dashing?

[Are there, for some reason, giant windows in your bathrooms? How is this guy getting out so easily?]

II. City of Rain, before hours
[Now more than Ever Nero's grateful to have his shop. An oasis of calm in the middle of the din of Jigokuchou. Of course, the quiet rule doesn't come into effect until the shop actually opens. Sometimes it is nice to be able to talk to his employees without having to write everything down on paper.

He has been cooking a little earlier than usual, but that might be because of the new hire. Bradley? Just somebody from home. At least it's very normal for Nero not to say much about himself.

He does send out a text to everyone who works there.]

Breakfast on Friday at 10 if you want to come early.

Tell me what you want.

III. Wildcard
[Give me another prompt or contact me via discord or PM.]

Comments

[perfectdistance]

I'm done and I had my meal when the last customers left.

[He does pour himself a small amount of wine. He'll leave when Bradley heads out for the night.]

[potensum]

[ oh... ]

So you were just waitin' for me?

[perfectdistance]

Is that so hard to imagine?

[potensum]

...Kind of.

[ he eats the last piece of his plate, pouring the last of the sauce over it before munching away. ]

[perfectdistance]

[He sips his drink, pulling up a chair nearby.

This quiet sort of air isn't something they got a lot back home, but it's nice.]

[potensum]

[ nnnnn. nero is so close.

bradley's trying to be good underling and not get himself kicked out - that would cut into his nero time, even though it frustrates him that he can't do what he wants whenever he wants.

in a small act of defiance, he reaches for nero's drink the moment he sets it down, drinking from the same glass. ]

...Thanks for the meal.

[perfectdistance]

You could've asked for your own glass.

[He doesn't snatch it back immediately, watching him drink out of his glass. It's not the first time they've done something like this, but it's been a long time.]

[potensum]

Lay off me. This is the only kind of kiss I can give ya now, apparently.

[ an indirect kiss. because nero's a little bitch who won't accept workplace makeouts smh. ]

[perfectdistance]

I remember you kissing me the last time we were alone here.

[potensum]

You know that wasn't enough.

[ he'll drink the rest of it now, thanks. ]

[perfectdistance]

You're so greedy.

[potensum]

Yeah, well.

If I do it again, you'll force me to stop at one point because you don't want to ruin the sanctity of your restaurant or some bullshit like that. And you haven't shown me where you live either, so.

[ so all he can do is sit here consumed with lust. ]

[perfectdistance]

Yeah, because nobody knows where I live. That's on purpose.

[His peace and quiet, his one little space.

He takes the glass back, pours himself more wine and downs it in one gulp.]

You know there are places for that, right? [Those love hotels? They're all over the Tamamo district.]

[potensum]

[ he wants to know where nero lives because he wants to live with him. he doesn't just... want to be fwb with the most important person in his life. it sucks. but it sucks more to just be his employee... and it's not like bradley can deny that just looking at nero still makes his dick hard to this day, so he's definitely not planning to say no to this.

love hotels aren't exactly a thing back in mahoyakuland, but it didn't take a genius to figure out what those buildings in nero's territory were for. still, he scoffs at nero bringing them up in the first place. ]

Ah, those love hotels? [ ...... ] You've been there?

[perfectdistance]

[Maybe if Bradley said something about what he wanted instead of assuming things, Nero would be more likely to agree. It's a big maybe, with the way Nero is.]

Once. [Funnily enough Nero has, but not for the reasons of banging. The other two men he's been with were at Barton's place, and in the underground palace. The only time he's actually gone was to feed a vampire.]

[potensum]

[ no wait he didn't really want to know. he makes a face, the waves his hand in front of him to make him stop. he's trying to sound casual and annoyed but he just doesn't want to get hurt right now. ]

You don't have to answer. I don't care.

[ sighs... ]

Though... I do remember walking by a nice one on my way back here from one of the deliveries.

[perfectdistance]

[Too late for that, he already has.]

Yeah? Want to check it out?

[Not necessarily with Nero, with somebody else? At some other point in time?]

[potensum]

[ sure, nero. he smirks. ]

Only if you come along.

[perfectdistance]

[He's had enough to drink now that he can blame it on the alcohol. It's not even that much, really.]

You're free tonight, ain't you? Finish up.

[And they can go together.]

[potensum]

[ that wasn't a yes, but... it also didn't sound like a no. hm. he laughs quietly, knowing nero was vague on purpose, and finishes the rest of the plate. nero knew exactly how much to serve him, and it felt nice that he still recalled after all this time.

he pushes the empty dish forward when he's done, looking at nero while he reaches for his own drink finally, finishing it up in one go. ]

...Now are you free enough to show me that place?

[perfectdistance]

[He takes the dishes away to be washed in the morning.]

I'm free now.

[It's late, nearly midnight. The perfect(?) time to make a mistake.]

[potensum]

[ bradley's still a little bit in disbelief, but... he waits for him. he probably won't believe nero's actually coming along with him until they walk outside long enough and reach the hotel. then, once they're inside, he realizes this is nothing like what he imagined it would be simply judging by the already tacky exterior. it felt like the inside should be more normal, but it was the exact opposite. that being said, bradley's definitely vibing with the gaudy interior decorations in it and is taking some mental notes.

maybe instead of an apartment he should just take over one of these hotels, he thinks. jk he'd be even lonelier then, but better to be lonely here than elsewhere!

he walks towards the big bed in the middle of the room, placing a hand over the sheets to feel just how firm and soft it is. part of him is afraid of turning back and finding out nero left already, but there's only one way to find out without glancing in his direction: talking to him. ]

...This is a pretty fancy room, huh? I wonder if this mattress could fit out the window.

[ for no bandit related reasons. ]

[perfectdistance]

[Surprisingly enough, Nero did not just abandon him after ten second in the room. There's a soft click of the door closing as he approaches the bed.

Looking between Bradley and the bed his expression is accepting, but exhausted.]

It wouldn't. [That window is just barely big enough to fit a person. Trying to get a whole mattress out seems impossible.]

[potensum]

[ he leans away from the mattress, relieved to hear nero's voice still around, then turns to face him again. standing up next to him, he remembers how small nero is in comparison - he hates the thought of other people seeing this and underestimating him, assuming nero's just a cook and not the former right-hand man of a very powerful gang of bandits. maybe nero's okay with that, but bradley sure isn't.

he reaches to touch the side of his face in silence, frowning. ]

...Nero. You won't push me away, right?

[ because if you get cold feet now he will KILL YOU. ]

[perfectdistance]

[Why would he want anybody to know about that part of his life? It's been centuries since that point. He's just some cook these days.

He reaches up, putting his hand over Bradley's, trying to be reassuring without knowing how.]

Not here.

[Not when it's just the two of them. Nobody else is going to come in. This is safe and discrete.]