Closed Sleep If You Can, Sara... Open to Mahou Tent

x..-.

SUMMER CAMP '24, CARNIVAL TENT Tone climbed back up onto the very top bunk of the bed he shared with Sara. Only to find a tiny annoying and rather ominous message written in the air above his mattress. It didn't take a genius to realize who was responsible for such an action. Yami was the culprit. If he wasn't, Tone would really be surprised because who else would be awake at this time? The rude message only served to make Tone more annoyed, although why he was feeling like this was a mystery to him. Usually he would try to stay out of trouble to keep the peace between everyone. But this time... he felt like doing anything and everything he could to prevent anyone from getting too close to Yami. Wait, what was he thinking? This wasn't him. Tone shook his head a little bit, trying to banish all his strange thoughts. Popping some popcorn into his mouth, he began to munch on the snack.

x..-.

At least Yami had cast a spell down below, he had to have because Tone hadn't heard or seen him get out of the bed. And he couldn't hear them anymore. Not that he'd wanted to in the first place. Tone continued to devour the popcorn until there was nothing left inside the little red and white container. As he studied it he let out a little huff upon realizing that he had nowhere to put the item now that he was done with it. Might as well do something with it so it could be used again. Waste was not something they taught you in Japan. But what could he do with it now at night?

Glancing around the room from atop his bed, Tone's eyes alighted on a bunk across the room. The one occupied by Akira and a brilliant thought came to his mind, one that he quickly put into action. "Scourgify!" Tone incanted, pointing his wand at the empty popcorn container. Within seconds, the container was magically fresh and clean as if it had never been used before. Setting it aside, Tone reached over to the post of the bed where he had dangled his enchanted backpack. It was the best place to put it, it was right beside his bed yet out of the way and was very accessible.

Rummaging through the contents, quietly of course, he found what he was looking for and pulled them out. A few enchanted snowballs, three to be precise and a small piece of parchment paper.

Placing the snowballs carefully into the popcorn container, Tone smiled. Scribbling down a few words onto the parchment, he finally finished putting together his creation for him. If Akira or anyone else took a look at the paper lying on top of the snowballs in the popcorn container, it would read... If it gets too hot for you, here's something to cool you down for awhile! The message was simple and Tone hoped Akira would like it. Even if he didn't see it until he woke up the next morning, it was fine. Since the snowballs were enchanted, they wouldn't easily melt in the tent.

Even if they did end up melting, he could always grab some more.

Tone hoped to see Akira in a good mood or at least a better mood after tonight, if all went well. But if not, he'd just keep trying both with Akira and Yami until he succeeded and he would eventually succeed, that much was for certain. Because the boy would not give up on them. Never again. Tone grabbed the container and swung his legs over the side of the bed for the second time that night. Hopping down and landing softly on the floor, he made his way over to where Akira was. Placing the container on his bedside table, Tone smiled as he looked down at the other male.

A bit of hair was dropping down into his eyes and face and Tone leaned down to reach out with his hand towards Akira. He gently tucked the unruly strands away from Akira's eyes behind his ear and patted his head lightly before turning to return to his own bed. If anyone happened to see him at the time, his actions might have come across as more intimate by nature, even though the truth was the complete opposite.

Sara listened quietly as usual to his friends words, looking briefly guilty at the other mentioning that being unhappy wasnt the same as being happy. It was precisely the reason why Sara didn't use the word 'happy' to describe the situation Yami put them in. That would just be a lie, and he wasn't really good at lying. There was a mixture of relief and guilt that Yami managed to catch that on. Sara unconsiouslys tried to find any sort of resentment or dissapointed on Yami's face. And when he couldn't find it - the relief grew. Eventually outweighting the guilt. Especially that.. smile.

He narrowed his eyes in confusion at Ginyami's next words. " Here? Like… here.. now or.. here like.. in general… " he couldn't help but ask a bit anxiously. Unsure about what he had done to help Yami at all. He didnt know if the other was talking about his … sudden actions, or 'here' as in their entire friendship.

At the mention of simply tolerating the colours the tent bombarded him with, Sara looked away tensely. Despite finding it difficult to look at Yami while he was explaining things to him, it was impossible not to hear it. It doesn't end at just listening either. Each word, carefully crafted and gentle spoken, sinked in Sara's bone, feeling each word associated with each random memory of his people pleasing tendencies. He may have thought about this a lot, but it was a different matter entirely to have someone speak of it. It only shows that Ginyami was still paying attention to him. Even if Sara had started to have doubts during their 4th Year.

He only managed to look back to Yami when he felt Yamis hand tightening. That- and the weight of his question was evident on Sara's furrowed face. His shoulders naturally tensing at how his mind came to a blank at such a question. But it seemed Ginyami noticed and gave him the grace of not needing to answer now. As if listening was enough, contrary to how Sara felt.

When he really had no choice but to look at Yami as the other pressed their foreheads close, it was surprisingly.. not pushing him for a flight or freeze. He could listen Yami's words clearly, as well as the gentle wisp of his breath, the faint recognisable scent of ginko and incense, as we'll as his own persistant heartbeat. Eventually even Yami's hand on the side of his face. Tenderly - like holding something he cared for greatly. Worth being careful with - in contrary to how Sara is often depicted as based on appereance alone.

It was really only when he felt the unfamiliar sensation of lips on his that he really blanked out. Evident by how his face no longer was furrowing in deep thinking- but just - blank shock. As if his brain had malfuctioned. That was.. uh.. something.

It felt.. like something important was admist them, and their relationship as a whole. But Sara quelled down the possibility, as that it was far too absurd to consider. He was being.. friendly in a westerner sense, perhaps. Just like how he was friendly now. If friendly even cut it. It seems inconsiderate to use the mere word 'friendly' to describe the way Yami looked at him.

With their faces so close, Sara truly forgot everything else happening around them. That their kouhais was just around the corner, that Tone had woken up, that his own legs were tied by Yami's spell, even Samantha that was just above their pillow. Who likely would've given him a judgemental stare if she was seeing the scene and was sentient enough to notice.

" …. I.. don't…" his voice was quiet, despite the spell around them that prevented sound from escaping their private bubble. " I don't .. know. I.. " he let out a slight panicked sigh. " I want to.. I really.. but I'm not.. sure.. . I'm not confident in keeping that promise and I .. don't want to dissapoint you. What if.. I just.. try and it never goes anywhere.. I dont.. want that but its .. I'm.. sorry Im making excuses I just.. dont.. want to promise something I'm not .. confident with. . "

@Ginyami Midorimori

Banner by Hanako Tone

Roleplaying as Ginyami Midorimori from Mahoutokoro
"English | Japanese"

"By ‘here’, I mean in this bed. Beside you," Ginyami clarified with an uncharacteristically shy smile. But he didn’t explain the reason he thought Sara had helped him realize about why he was there. Not just yet.

"You noticed that I didn’t answer your questions before," the shorter sixth-year commented with a small smile. "Most people would have forgotten them or not cared anymore if they had been answered or not after they realized the person they asked them of wasn’t who they thought they were. You had asked those questions of Hiro at first. But you still wanted to know the answers when you found out it was me - even though that would have been the last thing on most people’s minds. Even while I was making you uncomfortable, you put my comfort first. You’re the only one I know who would do that."

Taking a deep breath, he exhaled slowly as he said, "I suppose I owe you several answers. Yes, everything is okay. It wasn’t before, which was why I was angry enough to want to make everyone angry with me and have someone speak up about being angry regarding the tent. Hardly anyone did, though. Which…well, maybe it’s for the best, because I calmed down and I feel better now. Especially after talking to you."

Ginyami eyed the way Sara’s hair fell across the top of his forehead and the cut of his jawline; features he was familiar enough with to see through instead of be distracted by. His thoughts distracted him instead as he gazed at Sara without really seeing what was physically in front of him. He felt more like he was looking inside him than at him; like he could figure out what made his friend so special so long as he stared deeply enough.

"I was cold, both figuratively and literally, but being in this bed with you has left me anything but. And no, I don’t want to switch beds. I’m quite happy where I am, thank you." His smile grew, as did the fondness in his gaze, though in the dark, it might have been tricky to see.

"I think one reason I’m here in this bed with you is similar to the reason I picked this tent. I wanted to purposefully make you uncomfortable to see if you would ask me to leave." Ginyami's smile turned sad. "You didn’t ask me to leave, though…which concerns me. That's why I asked you to learn to know yourself and to understand where to draw lines and set healthy boundaries. You should be just as important to you, if not more, than anyone else."

Another reason he had slipped into his bed was that he cared so deeply about Sara and admired him so much that he had wanted to be close to him any way he could, including physically, but he didn’t say that aloud.

Sara had made Ginyami realize why he had slipped into his bed so impulsively when Sara had called him out on not having answered his questions, proving how attentive and caring he was and why Ginyami adored and admired him so much. But in reminding Ginyami how completely and utterly selfless he was, Sara had also unintentionally reminded him how his selflessness was so great, it was a personal flaw of his. The pureblood figured it was about time he try and correct it - for Sara’s sake.

He heaved a long sigh. "Sara, you’re attentive, considerate, caring, comforting, understanding, captivating, and always trying to please others. Your efforts make people so happy, whether you know it or not. I know you must find that hard to believe, but you said you would try your best to believe me if it would comfort me…so if you can believe that what I say is the truth…then you’ll try to believe that you deserve to be happy, too."

Ginyami reached out to affectionately stroke the side of Sara’s face with a light hand. "You might say all you need to be happy are your…friends…and plushie. But what do they really know about you, if anything? Don’t you know more about them than they do you?" he inquired gently.

"You don’t seem to know what it feels like to be truly known and seen by someone for who and what you truly are rather than superficial appearances and how people judge you based on that. You deserve better. To allow someone to get to know you more deeply and intimately; to let someone in. Won’t you allow me to do that for you? To see if I can; see if you like it and if it makes you happy?"

His hand slid from Sara’s face down to gingerly try to touch Sara’s own hand. "We’re childhood friends, so we know each other better than most. If anyone has a chance to be able to see you for who you truly are, like I feel you can see me, wouldn’t I be the best candidate?"

When Sara responded to his request that the taller teenager make a promise to him, Ginyami blinked, perplexed. "'Disappoint me?'" he repeated. "I'm not asking you to succeed, Sara. All I'm asking is that you try not to lie to yourself again. As long as you try, that would be enough for me. But if it makes you uncomfortable to promise, then I won’t hold you to it." He moved his hand away from Sara's. "Thank you for sincerely thinking about my request and being honest with me about how it makes you feel. Those are the sort of boundaries I wish you would set more of; more of the self I hope you get to know and where the limits of that self's comfort are."

He was quiet for a minute or two, seeming to be gathering his thoughts. Or, perhaps, courage. Because when he finally spoke again, he asked, "Sara...will you try something with me? Will...will you go out with me? As in…will you try dating me as my boyfriend?" The sudden flush that darkened his cheeks was mercifully difficult to make out in the darkness. "It could be for practice. You could see how it feels to be someone’s boyfriend and find out if that makes you happy. Because in the end, I really want to see you happy. And, to be perfectly honest, I’m confident I have the greatest chance of anyone right now to be able to help you achieve that."

@Sara Kohana

Sara stayed quiet at first when Ginyami confirmed that it was being here with Sara, that was nice. Mainly because he stopped breathing. He felt his shoulders hunched as the words were hard to believe. It seemed pathetic after so long of being friends, these sort of things were hard to believe. But the way Ginyami said it, and perhaps the scenario they found themselves in, had pushed Sara's usually overactive- overthinking mind to pin point closely on the one thing that overrode all other emotions. " …_{I'm glad}…"

At Ginyami;s explanation, he felt his face flush so much it might as well be permanently as red as the ruby streaks that painted the inner walls of the circus tent. He wanted to say more excuses, perhaps that it wasn't really that big of a deal, or someone else would've done the same, or that of course - anyone who joined a bed with Sara, must've been loosing it. Who would want to get this close to him? Sara could always set aside his own discomfort, knowing others were likely even more uncomfortable. But the way Yami explained it, made him feel … appreciated. Maybe a little sad. Because the way he said it made it seem like Sara was the only one that had done it so far, and yet… it made him… a little happy. Even if he felt guilty for it. No joy comes without a price. Even so… Sara found himself wanting to be special to his…friend. In the end Sara chose not to say anything.

He didn't expect Ginyami to remember everything he asked, so he listened intently. He wanted to say he was surprised that Ginyami was bothered by something but… he was too happy that the other even considered answering his questions. Even knowing that Sara wouldn't have pushed it to be answered in the first place. "…. thank you" he managed to say in a whisper, appreciative. " For…being honest with me. I.. I'm sorry I didn't do anything earlier.. I felt .. you were .. off but.. I wasn't sure ..and if.. I could even help.."

"O-oh.." Wth did literally and figuratively mean. Literally- Sara could understand. Though- wouldn't the fireplace in the middle of the tent be more .. better? It was putting his head in so much of a spin that he couldn't come up with a good answer. Ginyami might've not seen an issue with sharing beds, but what of the others? Seeing 2 seniors in the morning sharing a small bed… oh god… just thinking about it made his cheeks flush. But… if it made Ginyami feel better… perhaps Sara could just.. slip out .. eventually. Once the other was asleep.

he blinked at the others next words. "…. You… you were.. hoping .. I'd.. ask you to leave?", confusion in his tone. That was a confusing admittance when heard through the perspective of a certified people pleaser. The next few dialogs Ginyami managed to share didn't really make sense to Sara. Especially with the barrage of nice words he seemed to mercilessly attack Sara with. Perhaps that was the plan to render him speechless - cause it worked. And with Ginyami's hand almost shyly intertwined with his, Sara's brain stopped working entirely. Rendered speechless as if the others soft tones penetrated deeply in his mind.

It was scary, really. More scary than looking into his own reflection. He almost couldn't register Ginyami's next words. But he did take notice of the warmth of Ginyami's hand growing with distance. His body reacting faster than his mind did, Sara's hand reached out for the others hand. Trying to clasp it as if it was the only thing that made sense to him. Of course, it didn't last long. Whether or not Ginyami allowed him to hold it, Sara would snap out of it, feeling red at what on earth just happened. And yet, he couldn't really ..find it in himself to let go of Ginyami's hand. As if he wanted to say sorry and thank you at the same time.

Sara didn't think it could get any worse than this. His hand trying to find comfort in Ginyami's under the secluded sheets, and the minute or 2 silence that seemed to be a lot louder than his own racing thoughts in his mind. But absolutely NOTHING could've prepared him for Ginyami's next words.

" Practice…" Sara mumbled, feeling a little lightheaded now. He was grateful for their position now. Surely if they did this standing, he would've lost his balance. Ignoring the instinctual reaction to reject the idea outright, just like he had whenever others mistook their relationship. If not for Ginyami's earlier words, perhaps Sara really would've rejected the idea. He would be lying if he said he hadn't … considered the possibility. Being with Ginyami for so long… relying on him…. anyone could see the quidditch beater was at least…attached. Still… dating someone felt.. too good for Sara. Like he would mess it up, and hurt both of them, and Ginyami - of all people- was definitely someone.. Sara never wanted to hurt.

But the way Ginyami framed it was like… it would be helping Sara instead of putting pressure on him to do things well. Even implying that GInyami would get something out of this too. Like it won't be one-sided.Sara stayed unusually quiet, the weight of Ginyami's words hanging over them, knowing that what Sara said next may change their relationship forever.

Sara thought of all the things Ginyami has said so far, feeling his heart race as he did. Instead of doing his usual seeking for double confirmation, he spoke in an almost whisper like voice. His head tilting down as if he was too shy to even look at Ginyami despite the darkness. " … w-…what.. would I.. have to do..first..? I.. I don't know.. how to ..but .. but I'll try .. like you said..earlier… I'll try.." he said his last words, a little more confidently. Like a promise. " …If.. if this will..make …you..um... us.. happier.. with .. -with you,, helping me.. learn about..what I want..and boundaries.. and .. me learning.. then I.. sure.. we can be.. boyfriends. … "

_{ooc: yeah ik his dialog is all over the place sorry guys sara's just malfunctioning}