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TDM 020: FROSTED FLAKES
| TDM 020: FROSTED FLAKES |
Uploading user data to environmental systems. . . please wait.  Augmentations c̴̦͋o̷͓̺̘̓m̸̮̈̾́p̸̻̃l̵̠̱̤̅e̷̢̧̺͐̃̽t̸͈̓ḙ̴͙̓͘. Proceed . . .? Y/N > Y  Your eyes blink open to the blinding glare of overhead lights and the sight of a pair of glassy mechanical eyes boring into your own. The face above yours moves like liquid mercury, forming an approximation of a figure that you recognize and trust implicitly: a friend, a loved one, a caretaker. Perhaps even a god or a goddess. From its lips fall the patterns of a language that is strange and robotic, and yet familiar to you: Welcome to the N̵̩̈́̓ä̶͇́͂͘m̸̠͒e̴̞̻̾ͅl̷̹̄͝ḙ̷̺͗s̵̳͊̀ṣ̵̱̚ͅ ̶̧͒̄Í̴͔s̵̡̛̺̍̓ļ̵̥͖̄͛͌ḁ̸̳̟̒́n̵̻͑́͗d̴̩͕̰̂̊̔ Darkness overtakes you once again. I. Arrival  When you awake, you find you have washed up on the otherworldly pink sands of an impossibly beautiful beach, the tropical scenery spoiled only slightly by your seasickness. New arrivals, waterlogged and covered in sand, will be greeted by robots who welcome them with towels and bracelet devices. The A5 card is already loaded up. If you don’t manage to get away from them quickly enough, they may even usher you toward the Laid Bare Spa, where new arrivals will be offered free massages, a sauna, hairstyling, and their clothing may come up permanently missing. But you will be given a complimentary towel to leave with if needed! Feel free to explore the Island, all is available for your use. Stake your claim on a place to live in the now, whether an apartment in the City, a shack on the beach, or a bigger space at the House of Worship with friends. Your inventory will be found a day later, wrapped up haphazardly and delivered to each arrival's home. II. Tropical Snow  The Augur hasn't forgotten your festive needs, Islanders! Though the Island weather remains sunny and tropical, a powdery snow has begun to fall from blue skies, collecting into pristine piles overnight. Fortunately, unlike some other snowstorms Islanders might have experienced, this one won't freeze you. In fact, the temperature of the powder is perfectly pleasant, even though everything else about it is exactly as one might remember from white holidays past. It even sticks together nicely, making it absolutely perfect for snowballs, forts, and sculptures, and the 'bots encourage Islanders to enjoy this little treat from the Augur for the limited time that it will last. Even robots pelted by snowballs will chirp cheery encouragements. It is, however, a little slippery… and a bit tacky. And sweet? Catching snowflakes on your tongue has never been so rewarding. III. It Came From Above  In addition to the Island's traditional cherub dragon helpers, Islanders may notice a newcomer to the skies above: these zippy little drones, which flit about playfully and broadcast festive songs from Islander memories whilst they assist the dragonets in decorating the hospital and other public buildings in wintery colors and charming strings of lights. Make sure you mind your head, because the more mischievous of the drones have minds of their own when it comes to decorating sometimes! If you're looking a little dour, you might become the next surface wrapped up in lights and tinsel. Maybe even with someone else, for pleasant company of course! Oh, and those mistletoe bots? They seem to pick targets at will, locking on and hovering overhead until their If asked for assistance with a drone, Island robots will helpfully inform you that the drones make excellent pets! Just be sure to pick one that doesn't bite. IV. Sticky Circumstances  The robots may have made a veeerryy slight miscalculation. As time passes, the mysteriously room-temperature snow that blankets the Island begins to… well, melt. Except, it doesn't melt into water. What results instead from this well-meaning experiment is a slippery, sticky, sweet substance just like icing sugar… but everywhere. On the sidewalks, on the buildings, sliding in globs off the leaves of every palm tree. While it may taste good, and pests like ants are never a problem in paradise, it's quite a nuisance! Robots will offer credits for assistance in clean-up, rewarding especially handsomely as the mess seems to gunk up their joints. With enough help from Islanders and drones, the mess could be cleaned up within the week! If an Islander would rather just enjoy their Island-wide slip and slide, however? The 'bots won't fault them. N A V I G A T I O N |
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He can tell that Xue Yang feels impatient, though this is very sudden, even by Xue Yang's standards. Without any aphrodisiac, just what could have caused this? If he won't let him turn away, however, then Xiao Xingchen can at least make this easier.
With the cake and the tea aside, he braces himself onto the table and pushes himself up onto it, all without pulling away or breaking the kiss. Knees folded under him, his hands hold him steady as he leans forward. He's just a little above Xue Yang like this now, even with his shorter stature in this form.]
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He doesn't want to think too hard on it.
His aggression ebbs little by little. His grip on Xiao Xingchen's shoulders loosens a bit, and his kissing gets less insistent. He still holds Xiao Xingchen in place, but after a time he even manages to pull back enough to murmur, ]
Daozhang...
[ before resuming.
Why can't it be this simple? Why does it need to be anything more? ]
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Finding a way to excise Xue Yang from his life entirely would surely be more wise, but he would have to give up everything else he's managed here so far, possibly just to be found again. There would be no point.
Whether he wants to or not is a matter he needs not address, if he thinks of it like that.
Soon enough he pulls back for air, still close enough for their noses to touch, less tense now that whatever strange mood has passed. But through the haze of their kiss, he now has a sense that... he should not let this go ignored. After something so sudden, Xue Yang can't expect that to not be commented on.]
Why did you...?
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[ Though his voice is light when he says it there's a sharpness to his gaze that makes it through.
As if perhaps to distract, or maybe just because it's in the direction his mind is going anyway, he starts to nudge Xiao Xingchen to come forwards. He doesn't pull him off the table, not yet, but Xue Yang still wants Xiao Xingchen to come over to where he's situated. Even in the confined space of the cafe seating, the two of them are used to making space for them to sit against each other.
Whether he's actually missed Xiao Xingchen is the sort of thought that Xue Yang doesn't let himself consider. He most certainly doesn't have feelings like that, so it's not worth dwelling on at all. ]
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His head feeling light - memories of their past encounters enough to spark arousal with the slightest attention - he grasps for what else he remembers to put together some details of this opaque and contradictory man. Now that he thinks of it, he has seen Xue Yang in a foul mood before. It was that day the disguise finally slipped—a day he still almost wishes he can forget entirely, despite how little sense it makes to want to be fooled. His expression wasn't turned to Xiao Xingchen like this, but he surely would have tried to run the metal puppets through if Xiao Xingchen hadn't stopped him. Xiao Xingchen didn't worry about the things that merely emulated life; he just knew he should discourage that aggression.
Bringing back a detail of that story did something to make Xue Yang aggressive like that again. He's not quick to assume that Xue Yang is telling the truth just yet, given how he can put on an act well enough, but his response still makes him question even more. Is there more to this story that Xue Yang has yet to tell? Was this sudden kiss... related to that same idea Xiao Xingchen had from before?
So lost in thought he is that he responds to the nudging without realizing his actions. He moves his legs out from under him, so he sits with the backs of his thighs on the table, parted just enough for the silk tulle of the skirt to dip between them. From there, he pushes himself forward to place his knees on either side of Xue Yang's legs—]
W-Wait, right here?
[He finally responds, snapping to awareness. Why hasn't he controlled himself better?]
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It doesn't have to be right here, daozhang. There's lots of places we could go instead. We could even go back home.
[ His hands slide up Xiao Xingchen's legs to lift the skirt up enough that it's out of the way and no longer between them. Almost like they're back on the boat he holds Xiao Xingchen's thighs, keeping him against Xue Yang's body and pressing the two of them together. There may not be any penetration (yet) but the resemblance to the position is unmistakable. ]
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Though... Xue Yang still wants to bring him "home". The thought makes him narrow his eyes and let out another light huff, even with the flush turning deeper and the arousal in his eyes and softened shape of his mouth.]
Redeem another card and we shall go to any place you like... f-for the day.
[A date shouldn't be any longer than that.]
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Daozhang...
[ He opens his mouth slightly as if he's going to say something else, but then seems to change his mind. Instead he goes for his device, and after a bit of poking, he shows the rewards app on his device.
Sure enough, he has another card that is completely filled up, helpfully displaying that it can be redeemed for a date. ]
How about it, then? Come with me again today.
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Of course he knew that Xue Yang has plenty of those cards, only sparing a quick glance to the screen before looking back to Xue Yang, the conviction in them just slightly lessened. Xiao Xingchen hoped Xue Yang would run out of these, yet now he isn't sure if his physical desires will keep letting him resist like he planned to.
He has a strange feeling about today that it won't be as simple as an exchange like this...]
Where do you wish for us to go today, Master?
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[ The reply comes immediately. ]
We have to bring my cake back.
[ Because even if it's definitely his and no one else will eat it unless he agrees, he doesn't want to leave it here. It's much better if it comes with him, and if Xiao Xingchen does too.
If there's somewhere else he decides he wants to go, he can think about that later.
But he doesn't seem to be in any hurry to leave here. Xue Yang places his hands back on Xiao Xingchen's hips, then leans in to connect their lips in another slow but deep kiss. It's just because this is what he enjoys. There's no deeper meaning to it than that. ]
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He could leave every other time Xue Yang has tried to insist about this to Xiao Xingchen, so what reason does he have to worry? Now, with nothing really having high stakes here and him spending enough time to figure out some of Xue Yang's quirks and habits, Xiao Xingchen surely knows how to navigate his time with him, if not control him (all the time, anyway). Still, he can guess it won't be nearly as simple as he hopes it to be.
Breaking the kiss as he turns his head away, he averts his gaze, which settles on the counter by the dessert display case. Thankfully, no one else is here—their position already looks like they're fucking on the table.
At least this time he's definitely not going to let Xue Yang carry him back while on his cock.]
Then allow me to retrieve a box for you, so we can go...
[His voice trails off before he can insist on saying "your home". Whether he's simply no good at wielding words that way for long, or... some other reason, he figures Xue Yang at least has the idea to let him go already.]
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Alright.
[ But he doesn't let him go without a small roll of his hips upwards first. ]
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All of his thoughts briefly leave him as the head of his cock - the shape familiar even with the wet fabric in the way - presses at his entrance, feeling like a tease while also asserting just how much control he really does have over Xiao Xingchen's body. He holds his breath as he lifts up one leg to turn himself around and gain footing on the floor. A painful throbbing between his legs makes itself known to him with every uneven step away from the table, his body wanting nothing more than to have Xue Yang pushing his thighs apart again. He manages to find one of the boxes and walk back with a semblance of propriety in his gait. However, his mussed hair, flushed face, and uniform torn so deeply down the front that a breast is almost fully exposed does detract from his efforts.
In a few quick motions, he slips the cake into a small box and closes it, wrapping it with a white bow with pale gold accents that matches the outfit Xiao Xingchen seems unaware is mostly ruined. He keeps it in hand, expecting to hold it along the way.]
I am now prepared to go where you wish, Master.
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Ah, daozhang, that outfit of yours looks pretty messed up. I was going to leave this for you like the rest, but since we're both here I can give it to you myself.
[ He reaches into his sleeve and takes out the body cage that he'd brought over, then holds it out towards Xiao Xingchen. ]
You can change into it right now if you want. After all it's not that cold outside.
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He looks back up with a sigh, glancing over the garment in Xue Yang's hands without high expectations.]
I thank you for your gift. However, I must ask for you to be a little more careful the next time you recall anything unpleasant.
[Yet after setting down the cake on a nearby table and picking up the body cafe, his expression softens as he looks it up and down.
The nameless friend had held him, distress in his voice as he told him about his absence. (He'll ignore his own situation at the time.) Surely part of Xue Yang's act, but how his heart had ached at the time, wishing he could be there and still unable to embrace his dear friend... Xiao Xingchen feels some worry come back to him as he starts to remember some of his words.
How has it come to this? Feeling sentimental over a garment that has an opening right over an intimate area?
He turns around with a shake of his head and - after a quick glance at the windows - starts to change right there, the air around him turning even hotter now. Perhaps an act meant to show Xue Yang that he won't fluster Xiao Xingchen so easily right now would be more effective if they faced each other, but the signs of how much effect Xue Yang has had on him already might be too obvious from the front. With his hair up today, however, he only belatedly realizes that nothing obscures the view from the back.
His shoulder blades shift as he lowers the body cage so he can step into it, delicate muscles moving in turn. Unfortunately, bending down enough for this requires giving Xue Yang a view of his ass with the straps pressing underneath it and accentuating the shape, almost as if in invitation. Adding to his problems is that he starts to struggle with the upper half as he sticks his arms in the wrong places, only having memory of wearing this once.
He peers over his shoulder. Last time, he had help—does he dare ask right now?]
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He quickly notices when Xiao Xingchen mixes it up, and though he does wait until Xiao Xingchen notices to offer assistance, offer assistance he does. ]
Daozhang, [ his voice is casual, and one might almost call it gentle, ] do you need me to help you put it on?
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Please lend me your assistance. After all, you helped me the only other time I have worn such a thing... when I found it in your trap.
[If Xue Yang wants him to recall all sorts of memories, that he can indeed do. Sentimentality aside, it didn't take long to connect the dots there, caught in a web while listening to an emotional plight of the one who had spun it.
He's felt foolish enough after moments like those that he almost doesn't feel angry with either of them anymore.]
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He admits to it without hesitation. ]
Yeah. It was good that it caught you. Who knows how long it would've taken us to cross paths otherwise? We only started living together afterwards, and I was only going to the cafe when you were around. When you stopped showing up I didn't have any reason to visit.
It brought you back to me, daozhang.
[ The last bit of the body cage slides into place and Xue Yang wraps his arms around Xiao Xingchen, pulling him against him and resting his head against Xiao Xingchen's. He doesn't want to think about how much he hated those days when Xiao Xingchen had vanished completely. ]
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He never thought he would care if others would remember him or not, but his other closest friends here are all immortals. To them, his presence is surely just a brief ripple in the water, quickly forgotten after the water settles again. With most of the people he'll likely no longer meet in this world, he would prefer that they forget him so he would not trouble their hearts. Being missed by someone who only wants to use him and play with him, but with the same kind of life as his, so deeply intertwined with his... is a more complicated matter.]
Fate seems to always find new ways to swiftly reunite us.
[Said in a dry tone, clearly decrying his luck. Or at least as dry as he can when Xue Yang's cock presses against him. Remembering as he was held in place by unyielding metal, while being fucked from behind by the one he thought he could trust more than anyone else—he swallows hard as the ache between his legs becomes more insistent.]
Surely that's not why you have such a mechanism. [At least Xiao Xingchen hasn't heard of anyone else being caught in there, a fact he's both grateful for and embarrassed even more by.] If someone else had also come by and found me first...
[He naturally worries more about being seen than what anyone else would possibly have done. Even the thought of someone else finding him with his intimate area completely on display makes him feel ready to die on the spot.
Should it be strange, however, that Xue Yang seeing could be less shameful?]
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I found it one day and thought it could be used to have some fun, so I leave things nearby from time to time to see what happens. If someone else had found you first, then you could have enjoyed fooling around with them before I got to you.
[ Meanwhile the display is only a distant second in Xue Yang's mind. He squeezes a bit tighter then lets up. ]
Of course it wouldn't have been as fun for you, but other people in this place can be alright too.
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The Augur certainly knows how to work along with you... but I would have left right away. Perhaps I might have needed to ask you about how to change my voice so they could never recognize me again.
[But why is he bickering with Xue Yang about matters like these? To say nothing about how whether or not any other trapped individual wants to...
Well, at least he wonders if talking about it like this can be another sign that he's come to terms with those feelings. He doesn't let himself stew in painful emotions for long, but even bringing it up isn't as difficult as he thought it could be. Whether or not that's what Xue Yang wants should be irrelevant.
Without thinking, he takes the cake box.]
We ought to leave. If someone else arrives right now, I'll need to serve them first.
[And in this new outfit that's definitely more revealing than anything used here before.]
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The way back is familiar, a route traveled by them together several times before Xiao Xingchen stopped coming back. Along the way Xue Yang occasionally pauses to tilt his head back and try to catch the sweet snowflakes on his tongue, but he always continues on quickly, sometimes laughing either at the taste or just amused at his own attempt.
It's only once they're inside that Xue Yang lets go. Inside the apartment is a bit disorderly, not quite as well-maintained as Xiao Xingchen kept it but most certainly far from abandoned. Xue Yang almost seems to forget that he's brought Xiao Xingchen along, instead going straight for the sink to wash some of the dirty dishes left there. Except it's because of Xiao Xingchen that he's even cleaning them now in the first place. ]
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As he casts a furtive glance at Xue Yang's attempts to catch the snowflakes, one of them catches on his lip at some point, still reddened from the sudden kiss earlier. He thinks about it for a moment before quickly licking it up.
When they arrive at the door, Xiao Xingchen's heart begins to race as it had earlier. He turns to Xue Yang, tense as he thinks of what Xue Yang could have planned ahead of time. At least he doesn't immediately see any ropes or cages as he glances inside...
What he doesn't expect is for Xue Yang to head to the kitchen on his own, doing a simple chore. However, he realizes quickly that this isn't a surprise. The sex isn't enough for Xue Yang, and even keeping him here by force doesn't square with what he told him on that river. He has to keep their entire old routine. Xiao Xingchen really shouldn't indulge him - at least without any prompting - but how can he let things look like this, anyway?
He steps into the kitchen to set the cake box in the refrigerator still without a word, before stepping back out to put some of the things back in their place—in the same place they were when he was living here a while ago. Clothes, folded and in the appropriate drawers; the double bed, made neatly with even the pillows fluffed up some more.
It's funny, he thinks as he tidies up. After everything else he wanted to do was established, he had already thought of a daily life as simple as this, without wandering from place to place. He's told himself many times that Xue Yang knows how to fool him, that he can't discount the possibility that he picked up on Xiao Xingchen's wishes enough to use that against him now, but it would be quite something, if a desire for a simple life like this is what they have in common. The two could not be more different, opposing forces that can't - should not - coexist in this world, and yet...
He sits at the foot of the bed, looking over the room that can be considered the last place he thought of as a home, after not seeing it these past months. Something here really does carry a feeling of inevitability that he wants to ignore.]
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After a moment he turns over his shoulder and calls out towards the bedroom. ]
Daozhang, are you hungry?
[ It's Xue Yang's cake, so he gets to do what he wants with it. ]
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Um... I suppose I am.
[Xiao Xingchen hadn't thought about it much, not even tasting some of the pastries he baked earlier. Now at the suggestion, he could have something... and at this point, he doesn't really have any reason to question what might be in the food. Though Xue Yang only actually made food for them once, he had ample opportunity to put whatever he preferred in it.
Whatever he could put in there couldn't change anything for long anyway, as far as he's noticed in his time on the island.
He gets up and hesitates by the doorway. What should he do here...?]
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