[It...is sort of nice to get out. Or maybe it would be, if the novelty of being able to ever wore off. (It hasn't quite yet.) Unfolding to North had been the hardest part, but afterwards it was as if a gaping uncertainty had finally been filled, and after that...it's a bit easier. Hashing over it again. Being more certain as to why and how, and with friends that he can actually maybe sound off against for once...]
[Figuring out how the normal back-and-forth usually goes after that is still kind of tricky, though, and things might have actually gotten pretty awkward if Zelos hadn't taken the course of action he does now. After this long, Jack should be used to it--really--but it still manages to catch him completely off-guard anyway. Doesn't see it coming, looking the other way as he is, until there's warm arms wrapping around and a hand in his hair--]
--Hey, what the--! [Jack splutters, immediately struggling (somewhat ineffectually) against the grip, staff tipping to one side as he tries to swat Zelos' hand away. Or at least get an elbow properly lodged in the guy's ribs, because really...] That'd better not be a noogie, 'cause that's just asking for payback, y'know--
[GOD DUDE WHY MUST YOU ALWAYS RUIN NICE MOMENTS but it's for the better, because otherwise Jack's not entirely sure how he would have responded to what Zelos actually did say, even with the ridiculous gestures to accompany. He had heard it, though. And he appreciates it--the understanding there.]
[The staff does little to pry Zelos away, but the jab to his ribs lodges in just enough for a loud, exaggerated whine as he pulls away his hands, letting them hover in the air just above where they'd been before.]
Oww, hey, hey, those twiggy elbows are payback enough! Come on!
[The elbow was enough to stop him from leaning on Jack, but he's moving forward again to pinch at his cheeks from behind, stretching them out a bit. His sing-song voice is quick to follow.]
Don't be so cooooold hu~n~ny!
[And then he promptly releases Jack's cheeks and erupts in laughter. (You can bet he's scrambling to his feet and away if he needs to dodge staff swings or slaps, too.) This conversation has gone out the metaphorical window. But then, they'd gotten out what they'd needed to, hadn't they? Wallowing in it wasn't going to help. His main reason for calling Jack out here was a desire to cheer him up and distract from things, anyway. Remind him of his friends here and now.]
[It's the little things that still manage to strike as the strangest, really. If Jack even knew the thoughts at hand on Zelos' end, there, he might have been objecting a bit--he should have been the one trying to make others happy, and that's a point of insecurity that's been eating away at him for awhile now, around here. If he actually allowed himself to think about it enough (something he hasn't yet), there was something rather selfish about it--being so preoccupied about his own problems that he couldn't even spend the time to try helping the problems of others better.]
[Even centuries of isolation aside, Jack's never actually--engaged in stuff like this, very often. Being on the receiving end of joking and cajoling that he usually tries to be the one doling out.]
[But Zelos doesn't give him any time to consider that, and it's good. Because it's nice. Even as it is completely embarrassing; just when he'd almost thought he was free of the hands, there's a pair pinching his cheeks and--puns now, really--?]
Oh, that's it-- [Zelos lets go, and Jack twists around; it's a good thing he's already scrambling up and away indeed, as Jack does very nearly clock him over the head with his staff, misses barely. Quickly enough he's on his own feet too, though, and he's most certainly not letting Zelos get away with all of that if he can help it--! To the point that he actually drops his staff, just for a bit, letting it clatter and settle on the rooftop tiles in favor of lunging forward and snatching at the nearest snatchable article on Zelos' person with both hands. Incidentally, this happens to be the front of his vest.]
[Don't mind Jack while he attempts to haul you down at least to eye-level, the better to try wrapping one arm around your neck and put his free hand to good use mussing that great head of hair you've got there, yes. ...Admittedly Jack hasn't actually had the chance to put anyone in a headlock before, and this one's a bit wanting, but hopefully the discomfort of an icecube administering a noogie will help override that. Which is the main point here. ...Though even despite vindictive words and gestures, Jack finds himself laughing all the while.]
[In his taunting with his run, he's clumsy and his vest is caught. Being dragged down to eye-level is a startling enough motion in itself, especially when his thoughts were so properly interrupted.
Because this? This was fun. This was the sort of messing around he loved to do but never expected to get to do so genuinely. Always tried for even between the sadness and the lies, but didn't always manage to quite get there— but now he seemed better at it. Opening himself up more meant experiencing this more, and this was something he really, really liked. Just laughing and goofing off no matter what was going on around them because they had their friendship and enough hope to face what was coming.
Even in the moments when his head is locked into a hold like that, he's still laughing and it's as genuine as ever.]
He has to fight to stop laughing, even still, but his whining comes out loudly as he swats and struggles against Jack, grabbing his arms and turning in an attempt to wrestle himself free.
He probably only manages to get them to fall over in the process.]
[Either way, he's laughing more and eventually giving in to his hair being a loss in this battle. In revenge, he slumps, putting all of his weight on Jack in whatever position they've landed themselves in.]
Okay, okay, come on, you're freezing—! [Not that he minds, clearly, with all this extra physical contact.] Let go!
[Honestly, Jack was half-expecting to get thrown off or something, and so it's actually a pleasant surprise when he realizes he can get a noogie in.]
[(It's something he's never done before...)]
[The feeling of victory's still fairly short-lived, though. Jack realizes Zelos' attempts to shake him off have resulted in actual loss of balance a bit too late, yelps a bit when they both hit the rooftop tile, but somehow he still stubbornly manages to keep one hand planted on the guy's head, which is a high success as far as Jack's concerned.]
No, never! Not 'til you say Uncle, and that definitely didn't sound like--ah-- [Wait what why are you flopping on top of him no what are you doing--Jack wheezes a bit, grip around Zelos' neck loosening in favor of attempts towards pushing him off, but it's not particularly successful. Puffing out a huff, Jack settles with trying to wriggle his way out instead, keeping one fist firmly planted in Zelos' hair all the while and adding a bit of extra ruffling just for the principle of the thing.] --Hey, this is cheating! Don't make me add ice to this too!
[Insulted by the thought of ice becoming involved, Zelos recoils more than he had with the light pushes and shoves. He retorts by snagging Jack's hoodie that had so perfectly fallen beneath his head and tugging it over his forehead further as he pushes off. Falling back out of Jack's grip, he brings his own hands to his head as he falls on his back on the roof tiles, sighing in exaggerated exasperation.]
Ahhhh! My hair's all messed up thanks to you! [Hardly, honestly. Just a little crazy at the top and now his headband's lopsided.] Let's call it a tie! A tie!
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no subject
[Figuring out how the normal back-and-forth usually goes after that is still kind of tricky, though, and things might have actually gotten pretty awkward if Zelos hadn't taken the course of action he does now. After this long, Jack should be used to it--really--but it still manages to catch him completely off-guard anyway. Doesn't see it coming, looking the other way as he is, until there's warm arms wrapping around and a hand in his hair--]
--Hey, what the--! [Jack splutters, immediately struggling (somewhat ineffectually) against the grip, staff tipping to one side as he tries to swat Zelos' hand away. Or at least get an elbow properly lodged in the guy's ribs, because really...] That'd better not be a noogie, 'cause that's just asking for payback, y'know--
[GOD DUDE WHY MUST YOU ALWAYS RUIN NICE MOMENTS but it's for the better, because otherwise Jack's not entirely sure how he would have responded to what Zelos actually did say, even with the ridiculous gestures to accompany. He had heard it, though. And he appreciates it--the understanding there.]
[Noogies are easier to put into words, though.]
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Oww, hey, hey, those twiggy elbows are payback enough! Come on!
[The elbow was enough to stop him from leaning on Jack, but he's moving forward again to pinch at his cheeks from behind, stretching them out a bit. His sing-song voice is quick to follow.]
Don't be so cooooold hu~n~ny!
[And then he promptly releases Jack's cheeks and erupts in laughter. (You can bet he's scrambling to his feet and away if he needs to dodge staff swings or slaps, too.) This conversation has gone out the metaphorical window. But then, they'd gotten out what they'd needed to, hadn't they? Wallowing in it wasn't going to help. His main reason for calling Jack out here was a desire to cheer him up and distract from things, anyway. Remind him of his friends here and now.]
no subject
[Even centuries of isolation aside, Jack's never actually--engaged in stuff like this, very often. Being on the receiving end of joking and cajoling that he usually tries to be the one doling out.]
[But Zelos doesn't give him any time to consider that, and it's good. Because it's nice. Even as it is completely embarrassing; just when he'd almost thought he was free of the hands, there's a pair pinching his cheeks and--puns now, really--?]
Oh, that's it-- [Zelos lets go, and Jack twists around; it's a good thing he's already scrambling up and away indeed, as Jack does very nearly clock him over the head with his staff, misses barely. Quickly enough he's on his own feet too, though, and he's most certainly not letting Zelos get away with all of that if he can help it--! To the point that he actually drops his staff, just for a bit, letting it clatter and settle on the rooftop tiles in favor of lunging forward and snatching at the nearest snatchable article on Zelos' person with both hands. Incidentally, this happens to be the front of his vest.]
[Don't mind Jack while he attempts to haul you down at least to eye-level, the better to try wrapping one arm around your neck and put his free hand to good use mussing that great head of hair you've got there, yes. ...Admittedly Jack hasn't actually had the chance to put anyone in a headlock before, and this one's a bit wanting, but hopefully the discomfort of an icecube administering a noogie will help override that. Which is the main point here. ...Though even despite vindictive words and gestures, Jack finds himself laughing all the while.]
1/3 gay tags
[In his taunting with his run, he's clumsy and his vest is caught. Being dragged down to eye-level is a startling enough motion in itself, especially when his thoughts were so properly interrupted.
Because this? This was fun. This was the sort of messing around he loved to do but never expected to get to do so genuinely. Always tried for even between the sadness and the lies, but didn't always manage to quite get there— but now he seemed better at it. Opening himself up more meant experiencing this more, and this was something he really, really liked. Just laughing and goofing off no matter what was going on around them because they had their friendship and enough hope to face what was coming.
Even in the moments when his head is locked into a hold like that, he's still laughing and it's as genuine as ever.]
2/3
He has to fight to stop laughing, even still, but his whining comes out loudly as he swats and struggles against Jack, grabbing his arms and turning in an attempt to wrestle himself free.
He probably only manages to get them to fall over in the process.]
Hey, hey, hey, not the hair—! Jaaaaaack!
ok done jesus this is gay
Okay, okay, come on, you're freezing—! [Not that he minds, clearly, with all this extra physical contact.] Let go!
off the charts tbh, slowly shakes head
[(It's something he's never done before...)]
[The feeling of victory's still fairly short-lived, though. Jack realizes Zelos' attempts to shake him off have resulted in actual loss of balance a bit too late, yelps a bit when they both hit the rooftop tile, but somehow he still stubbornly manages to keep one hand planted on the guy's head, which is a high success as far as Jack's concerned.]
No, never! Not 'til you say Uncle, and that definitely didn't sound like--ah-- [Wait what why are you flopping on top of him no what are you doing--Jack wheezes a bit, grip around Zelos' neck loosening in favor of attempts towards pushing him off, but it's not particularly successful. Puffing out a huff, Jack settles with trying to wriggle his way out instead, keeping one fist firmly planted in Zelos' hair all the while and adding a bit of extra ruffling just for the principle of the thing.] --Hey, this is cheating! Don't make me add ice to this too!
no subject
[Insulted by the thought of ice becoming involved, Zelos recoils more than he had with the light pushes and shoves. He retorts by snagging Jack's hoodie that had so perfectly fallen beneath his head and tugging it over his forehead further as he pushes off. Falling back out of Jack's grip, he brings his own hands to his head as he falls on his back on the roof tiles, sighing in exaggerated exasperation.]
Ahhhh! My hair's all messed up thanks to you! [Hardly, honestly. Just a little crazy at the top and now his headband's lopsided.] Let's call it a tie! A tie!