He is so cute. Jaeha literally just thought that.

"You know, I wouldn't actually mind if you wanted to drop it."

"That's kind of a layers of meta problem, though, like, what does it mean to 'drop it' - I know what it means when I'm unbacklashed but it gets increasingly muddy as a concept when I'm carrying any meaningful amount."

"Just do whatever you wanna do and say whatever you wanna say without worrying about the damage you're doing to our relationship, how about? That way all—versions of you—get the same benefits. If I understand what you meant correctly."

This interaction is much easier than what's been happening so far, surprisingly. He's really not sure why.

"I will see what I can do but I'm out of practice at doing that under field conditions. World champion at figuring out what I wanna do when I'm fully clear and just introspecting alone in my room, but then I go save a few dozen people from a dungeon and it's like giving an Olympic archer a set of juggling clubs."

"'World champion', are you?"

"Yes! I would offer to prove it but even if I take you home and you fuck some sense into me it is not a spectator sport."

Well that was forward. He feels like maybe he'd been playing it too safe.

He wants to say something flirty and charming and provocative back but he's on a time crunch and he's backlashed so he'll need to just figure something to say on the fly. "I'm sure we can find other reasons for me to fuck some sense into you." Good? He thinks it was good, maybe.

Sounds like it's time for Haru to go through the rest of his cake and matcha kind of fast. "The phrase itself contains at least two reasons!"

His partner is gonna get mad if Jaeha fucks someone else rather than go back to their silo to guide him.

Does Jaeha care? He does not. Fucking this boy is going to be so much better guiding than whatever he could get with Wo Do-in.

He can finish his coffee reasonably fast, too—it's just an espresso—and then use the tried-and-true excuse of his partner eating too fast and oh no he got some cake on his chin, Jaeha supposes he'll have to thumb it clean and then lick it off his thumb. Can he turn that into a kiss? Inquiring minds want to know.

Not in the restaurant he can't. "I haaaaave test results from since the last time I went to Canada - if there's a dungeon emergency there there's this guy but there is not the guy in a way that would be an obstacle and that's the only guy - you?"

"—test results?" Like STD test results? "I only have my partner but we're not monogamous." Because Jaeha says so.

"Test results so that neither of us winds up having an embarrassing conversation with our doctors later? Can't exactly go the barriers route considering."

So yes STD test results. Fuck. He could have made those up with literally anyone else. "That is a good point that I have completely failed to consider," he admits.

"Well damn. I have the occasional irrationality but this is not actually one of them."

"Condoms and kissing cover most of it from the guiding perspective," he says, "and I can grab tests for next time." He would've loved to be more graceful about this, gah.

"Okay, I guess we can stop at the konbini on the way to my house, I don't have any."

"I do! I suppose I don't know your size—nor, for that matter, what you like to do, although I'm flexible."

"Well, one of those I will indicate in the konbini and the other I will indicate in my bedroom and neither of those are restaurant material despite the nonlocal language."

"Yes, sir." If they're both done he can get the attention of the waitress and pay for both of their orders.

"Oh, is it like that - hey, I was going to pick up the check -"

"Consider it my payment for being shown around."

"If you insist!" Off they go to the konbini, holding hands.

It takes him by surprise again before he remembers that Haru is Canadian. And maybe it's less of a big deal nowadays, anyway; he's importing his instincts from the last time he ever held hands with anyone which was, actually, kind of a while ago.

Off to the konbini.

If someone gives them a hard time that cannot be managed by simply not giving a fuck about stupid people's opinions, Haru will pick up Jaeha and fly away! He doesn't fly frivolously because nobody's usually available to fuck sense into him afterwards but it's an emergency option!

Condoms are got with a minimum of interest from the proprietor and then it will be a six-stop subway ride, not everyone has as much teleportation ability sloshing around as Korea, Home Of The Best Teleporter On The Planet And Not Because The Better Ones Are On Mars.

...no it won't, what.

He points his index and middle fingers forward and slides them down in the air to make the holographic commscreen appear. "Give me your address?"