all our pieces fall right into place

[incogneto]

WHO: Charles and Erik
WHERE: All over
WHEN: Last two months?
WHAT: Charles and Erik have been on a long trip to fundraise for the Foundation and here are some things
WARNINGS: Bickering and making up like an old married couple tbh

1. The hotel room
[ It's only been a week or two since they packed up and left the States, and Erik's already feeling his age as if it creeped up on him and finally decided to announce itself onto his bones. He drops onto the bed and it groans and sinks in unison with his aching muscles. ]

We're going to have to try this another time when the Porter decides to make us thirty again.

2. In a taxi
[ Erik leans forward in the cab and tries to talk to the driver in Arabic, though his intonations are a bit odd and his accent is heavily German. ]

Excuse me sir, can you take a right at this place? Will be faster, there is a lot of...

[ He's blanking on the word for traffic and if Charles offers any words, he'll wave him off mentally. ]

...Too many cars together ahead.

3. Sightseeing
[ Erik is glad that he and Jaime made that chair for Charles, because there are very many narrow paths and cobblestone streets here, and they've found themselves with a few hours to spare tonight after their conference. He thought it might be nice to take a walk around, be tourists for a day in the way he never got to be his first few times through the neighborhood.

He really did always have a lot of business to take care of. ]

It's beautiful, isn't it?

[ His breath hangs a cloud on the crisp October air, and he leans over to adjust Charles's scarf and make sure it's extra tight. ]

Comments

1.

[aberranthubris]

[ Charles can't help but find Erik's complaints amusing. Even if he could have been the one voicing them. ]

You like being old, [ he argues as he hovers neatly beside the bed and spills himself onto it. The chair is such a blessing in so many ways. And yet, it still feels delightful to straighten himself up, to lack any pressure where there had been some from the straps and buckles. He breathes out a sigh. ]

Can we just sleep until morning? [ Who cares if he doesn't brush his teeth for one night? ]

Re: 1.

[incogneto]

I hate being old.

[ He grunts and doesn't even look at Charles when he says: ]

Fine. Let's just sleep, we'll get up early and have a fresh start.

[ But then he'd have to crawl under the covers. And change into his pajamas... ]

[ Slowly, reluctantly, he reaches for his belt to take off, but then a few seconds later realize he fell asleep taking off his belt. ]

Charles.

[ He reaches over and accidentally hits his friend in the chest. ]

[aberranthubris]

[ Charles has given up with everything. If Erik is passing out on top of the covers, he's not going to be able to get under them. That's just reality. And he's too tired to complain.

He realised that he dozed off when something hits him on the chest and he wakes up with a start. ]

What are you doing? [ It comes off a little bit too sharp but he's honestly startled. ]

[incogneto]

Sorry, meant to tap you. Can you... just keep me awake a little...

I'm going to wash up.

[ But his hand goes limp and he falls asleep again... ]

[aberranthubris]

[ That was a request. Charles didn't honestly want to. He could in theory wake them both up and push them through the motions, but he had no desire to do that.

Instead he flopped onto his side and then squirmed closer to Erik, pressing his face against Erik's shoulder, his arm over Erik's middle and just let sleep claim him.

They'd wake up early. He already knew that Erik would be up at the asscrack of morning and it would be awful, but for now, Charles didn't want to know anything about being a responsible adult who brushed his teeth every single night. ]

[incogneto]

[ Now he does wake up, and he throws an arm around Charles sleepily. ]

You're warm and comfortable.

[ And Erik is already horizontal and everything...

So he idly rubs circles into Charles's back and calms himself down, preparing for...

Oh no.

Now he can't fall asleep... ]

[aberranthubris]

[ Charles makes a a few pleased sounds at the back of his throat, pressing a little closer to Erik, his nose right at the crest of Erik's chest.

It would be a perfect place to fall asleep. And wake up from.

But then something moves in Erik's mind and Charles finds himself blinking his eyes open as well. ]

Mnn?

[incogneto]

Sleep. I guess I just got a second wind.

[ He holds Charles tightly, and tries to shift into somewhere more comfortable, thinking that might aid him along. ]

Don't worry about me.

[aberranthubris]

[ But Charles is now worried. So he nudges Erik mentally, mostly because Erik is holding him so tightly that he doesn't have much room to move. Which is actually rather fantastic but doesn't promote a lot of nudging. ]

What's wrong, old friend?

2.

[aberranthubris]

[ It's hot and humid and awfully uncomfortable. Charles feels like he has a film of dust over the sweat on his skin and it's never getting off. He wants to tell Erik to just give it up. He'll be able to handle the cab driver with just a tweak of his mind but Erik being Erik always has to have a modicum of control over any situation.

Charles leaves him at it while he fans himself with a road map. ]

We only have half an hour to the meeting, [ he says this even if Erik most definitely knows it. Who is he reminding then? Not himself. No, he's just voicing his frustration. ]

Re: 2.

[incogneto]

We'll make it on time.

Sir, can you please go fast....est?

[ He's really working on that Arabic. ]

Here.

[ He touches a thermos he's been carrying, which cools the metal, and holds it against Charles's neck. ]

[aberranthubris]

[ Charles sucks his breath in when Erik pushes the thermos on his skin, blinking helplessly. It takes a moment for that freezing touch to feel good.

But when it does, he leans back against it and groans softly. ]

It feels like swimming in moist steam...

[incogneto]

Most steam is moist.

Are you feeling alright?

[ Erik has a light sheen but naturally, he doesn't even look particularly bothered or out of place. ]

I can do this one myself if you'd like to wait at a cafe.

[aberranthubris]

No, I'm fine. [ Charles gives him a look from the corner of his eye. He's not going to succumb to a little bit of heat. ]

It's a lot. That's all. [ He bowed forward a little to dig up a bottle of water from his bag. ]

[incogneto]

I know. It'll be cold once the sun goes down, don't worry.

[ He's just glad they didn't come here at the height of summer ]

[aberranthubris]

Is it really? [ Charles asks with a shake of his head. He saw the weather reports. It's going to be hot still during the night but perhaps less suffocating than during the day. ]

You're not bothered much at all, [ he says softly and thinks it's awfully unfair. But he still reaches over to press his hand to Erik's thigh. ]

[incogneto]

There was that one time we went to Egypt, if you remember I was in full armor.

This isn't remotely as bad as that.

[ He places his hand on top of Charles's. ]

Besides, I prefer it to the cold. Unless you'll be there to offer to keep my hands warm.

3. if they're in finland they should have karelian pies!

[aberranthubris]

[ From hot to cold. Charles handles this temperature much better when it comes to stress and irritation. He smiles at Erik when he adjusts the scarf and nods briefly. ]

A frozen winter land. [ The cobbled stones of the street are icy and Charles is rather glad he doesn't have to walk on them. From his early years in London he remembers how slippery that can be. The stones weathered with time, surface smooth and providing barely any friction between unprepared boots and icy stone. ]

We should have lunch in one of those cute cafes, [ he suggests as he reaches out to take Erik's hand and squeezes it for a moment. ] I think that means crepes. [ He points to a word written on a menu display. ] I'd love to try some of the local pastries as well.

Re: 3. if they're in finland they should have karelian pies!

[incogneto]

Okay, let's go into this one.

[ He nods over towards one that's close to them because it looks inviting and there are a number of people even though it's a little bit late for lunch. ]

What do you think? Pannukakku? Apple lörtsy?

[aberranthubris]

These... [ Charles points out the crepes and tries to spell out the word that is displayed on top of them. ] Lat.. latu? [ It reads Lätty but look, he's never even tried to pronounce these little dots on top of a simple A. ]

Oh, whatever, [ he laughs warmly and leans on Erik's shoulder for a moment. ] With strawberries and whatever that curious looking pastry is with something yellow on top.

[ The cafe is warm and he peels off his gloves and hat, stuffing them into his pocket. ]

[incogneto]

They look like pirozhki.

We'll take a whole sampling.

[ He tries out his best Finnish at the poor guy behind the counter, who responds in English. ]

--Saanko kaksi kahvia?

[ Erik is trying ]

[aberranthubris]

[ The response takes a moment to come but then it's way too quick to really understand and goes something like 'tottakai, ihan just. Tossa, olokaa hyvät.' Most of it goes over Charles' head but he understands the two cups of coffee that is poured for them and the finger that points the sugar cubes wrapped in paper and milk and cream in metal pitchers.

He doesn't ruin Erik's fun with ordering the food, though, but instead takes over their coffees, adding some milk and sugar into his own. ]

I think it's called Karelian pie, [ he murmurs to Erik. He fished this out of the cashier's head. ] The thing with something yellow on top.

[incogneto]

[ Well it was certainly better than what he said, which was oval-shape bread with sand-like rice filling.

This really just happened because he forgot the words for that one. ]

I never would have guessed.

But I think I might have ordered three by accident.

[aberranthubris]

In that case I hope they're good, [ Charles chuckles but doesn't seem at all put off by any of it.

They pay up and the cashier tells them to sit down, she'll bring the food to the table when it's ready. ]

Let's go sit by the windows, [ Charles says and nudges Erik's elbow. ]

[incogneto]

Alright.

[ He leans in to take Charles by the hand, glad here that they don't have to wait until they're back in the hotel room to show affection. ]

I'm glad we decided to do this together.

It feels like old times.