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[inthebiblicalsense]

[In a very serious, business tone, Abel's answering machine sounds after any attempted calls that aren't responded to right away.]

You've reached Abel. I am not available at the moment, but I'll get back to you as soon as I can. If this is urgent, leave the line open.

And if this is Fitz I hope you're having a good day.

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[inthebiblicalsense]

The hang over he'd had after New Years had been the absolute worse, but he certainly wasn't drinking that. He'd dragged himself out of bed the next morning and felt miserable at work.

"For future reference, if you ask Aerith nicely, she has a hang over cure spell. It's for poisoning, but apparently it's affective."

[reargunner]

"Heh, I barely knew Aerith then." He just shakes his head slightly. "And a hangover's just part of natural consequences. I'll remember though, if I get one I can't handle."

Unlikely. Any comparison to the Everclear Hangover makes subsequent ones feel like a mild headache. He'd almost felt like he was dying.

"... You know she's the first one here I told my name to? She asked who I was and I just fucking... blurted it out."

[inthebiblicalsense]

"Funny how you can practically drink yourself to death with someone you barely know but asking for a cure is too much," he gently teases, pretty sure that he probably had almost died and the hang over would reflect that.

"She's like that. Zero judgement..." His hand slowly slips down, finding it's way under his shirt, just to touch, "her enthusiasm is infectious. She and I drink coffee some days, just...watch the SOLDIER do their workout. She calls it hydration club. I don't think I would have admitted to anyone else the first time I met them that I'd be interested in something like that." He laughs, shaking his head, "I don't think her mind wanders the same way mine does, but she definitely does have a good eye."

[reargunner]

"Hey, alcohol was normal. Magic was still fucking weird." He shifts a little again, squirming a bit against the touch under his shirt.

"Now I've used materia, some of my friends are demons and aliens and vampires and fuck knows what, and John is—... something else."

Then he prods his fingers gently against Abel's ribs.

"And you're terrible."

#affectionate

[inthebiblicalsense]

"Magic is fucking weird." He agrees, still thinks it is despite having used materia himself. "John certainly is something else..." He agrees, though at the prodding of his ribs, he tickles his fingers up Alexei's side in retaliation.

"An out of this world kisser, with beautiful eyes."

[reargunner]

"Ugh, don't, he feels like he could be my younger brother."

Too sweet and naive by far for Alexei to find him attractive in any kind of sexual way. John had slotted firmly into 'found family' rather quickly, starting with not being at all angry that he got stabbed.

"He showed me what he looks like. You know, when he isn't human-shaped."

[inthebiblicalsense]

"If it helps, the mistletoe started it." He adds, though really that had just given him the excuse. Honestly he'd been wanting to kiss him for a while. It really didn't help when he got to spend time with him in the kitchen and he was more dressed down.

His hand settles over his ribs, stopping the tickling efforts for the moment, "I've seen him as a bird, and he makes a very cute cat. But I get the feeling that isn't exactly what you mean."

[reargunner]

"It's not."

He does make a very cute cat, and he's taken a couple of naps with him that way, but that isn't at all what he meant.

"I mean... what he really looks like."

Or, at Alexei's best guess, as close to what he really looks like that it was still able to be comprehended.

[inthebiblicalsense]

"I haven't seen it." Which is probably for the better, honestly. He'd almost screamed when Bird!John spoke to him in his head that first time, but that was months ago.

"I'm...not sure how okay I would be, if I did."

[reargunner]

"I had a few nightmares after."

And he's not ashamed at all to admit that, because it was definitely a lot and he probably wasn't as ready for it as he claimed he was at the time.

"But it was still pretty fucking amazing."

[inthebiblicalsense]

"I don't blame you." Though if Cain had nightmares, he's sure he definitely would. Vivid ones, like he normally did.

"Maybe if you described it to me it would be less overwhelming if I ever do see it myself?"

[reargunner]

Describe it... well, he can try.

"He was probably just over twelve feet tall, long arms with clawed hands, and his body was just... mostly this... void with tentacles and smoke and it... kind of felt like leaning into a warm beanbag chair."

Implying that yes, he did touch.

"His voice seemed like it was... everywhere. But-..." And here he briefly pauses, his expression softening. "His eyes were the same. It was still John, and I don't think there's anything he'd willingly do to make me scared of him."

[inthebiblicalsense]

John was already tall, though twelve feet makes him feel a little unsettled, closing his eyes to try and imagine exactly what Alexei is describing. He had a vivid enough imagination, though his eyebrows furrow as he tries to follow along.

He gives up when he mentions his beanbag chair-like quality, blinking his eyes open again and staring at the ceiling, trying not to think about tentacles. God dammit Fitz, he really hates you sometimes.

"John is gentle, but that doesn't mean he can't be hard." He'd called for him once, when he needed him and he'd done his job of protector well even if he hadn't had to fight for it. Honestly he'd been glad he hadn't had to. "Maybe I'll ask him next time, if I can see. Not all of it, but some."

[reargunner]

Alexei just lets out a little laugh.

"Fuck, Ethan, I know enough of what John's capable of to know he could be fucking terrifying if he wanted."

But that isn't the point.

"But I've had a creature with power I can barely comprehend look at me and tell me he feels safe with me." Even as he says that there's a touch of wonder in his voice. It still blows his mind. "And that—... that's just..."

He makes a gesture with one hand. He doesn't have the words for it.

[inthebiblicalsense]

"That's John." He gets it, in different ways. When John had been a cat on his lap they'd sat on a bench, talked about anything and everything it seemed, and it was so strange to think that when he'd talked about what had come before the Barge, how isolated he'd been, he understood and they laughed about how the similarities were almost creepy. But sympathetic all the same.

"Beautiful, terrifying and loving John."