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[saltinourstars]

Continued nonsense

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[beautymarker]

[Suga's almost been waiting for this moment, even if he hasn't realized it - the moment when he'd see Tsukishima show actual passion for something. He's warming to volleyball more and more with every Karasuno win, but this quiet pleasure in delivering tidbits of background information about his favorite movies is something different.

It's really charming, and really cute.]

Ah, I didn't know they already had CGI back then! Is that how they did those really wide backgrounds with dinosaurs walking around everywhere?

[saltinourstars]

[It's a different level, engaging Tsukki in something he already cares about. His posture loosens, hands turn more animate. Like a spring unwinding.]

Exactly.

Terminator and The Abyss used it first, but Jurassic Park was the huge breakout. They had to learn to do all the effects from scratch, because this was the first time doing 'Real' animals instead of aliens or -

[And then he's waving Sugawara off, because here comes the scene in question.

Onscreen a tour vehicle rolls to a stop. The astonished humans looking up - and up - at a Brachiosaur. A creature that should not exist but did, and does, if only for a few shots. Tsukki feels a swoop in his stomach. The same as when he was little, watching for the first time.]

[beautymarker]

[Luckily Sugawara tends to find most things he doesn't already know interesting, so his eager absorption of Tsukishima's factoids about the movie is utterly genuine. If he also happens to admire the new boy slowly unfurling in front of him, well, that doesn't mean he's not paying attention.

Then Tsukishima directs his attention back to the screen and yes, this is one of the scenes Suga imagined would require complete silence. It's a breathtaking moment, no denying that, with every aspect working together to create the same sense of wonder the characters feel...

... but Suga finds that his gaze slides back over to Tsukishima, watching him sidelong while keeping his head directed at the screen. Cute. How many people in the world even know that Tsukishima can be so cute? A fond little smile sneaks onto his face, but this is different from the expression that forewarns of a handsy teasing attack. It's just - warm.]

[saltinourstars]

[Sugawara's right. It's a rarity. You can count the people who have seen this version of Tsukki on one hand. Was it more, before high school? He can't always have been so guarded, right?

The movie rolls on - Science, egg-hatching, one-liners from Mr. Goldblum. When a sick Triceratops appears, Tsukki's sure to point it out.]

That's the one they brought to Hawaii. There's a pit under it with a puppeteer.

[beautymarker]

[Sugawara does have to wonder. His own little brother has been quiet and deeply introverted his entire life, but there's never been the same chill to his solitude that Suga feels radiating from Tsukishima. It's protective, not defensive, and there's a big difference between the two: while Kenzo feels safer alone, Tsukishima seems to feel threatened in some way by most company.

Anyone who anticipates threat that intrinsically does so because they've been given a reason.]

A puppeteer? It's not an animatronic? [Suga leans closer to the tv, now watching the Triceratops with rapt attention.]

[saltinourstars]

[Thing is, Tsukishima doesn't act like an introvert. Much as he complains about volleyball, no one's making him play. He's always had Yamaguchi, and seeks interactions with others. Mostly insults. Riling up the other First Years and opponents is an art.

It's when people make demands - Be friendlier, eat more, play better - that he shuts down.

Locking everyone out.]

"Animatronic" means it's a combination - Puppet and robotics. There's actually a whole team working with her.

[beautymarker]

Jeez, you're a real genius about this stuff. I'm surprised you're not giving me a harder time for the dumb things I keep saying.

[It's just so nice getting to see this relaxed, friendly side of him, maybe even more so because Sugawara knows that he faces a lot of pressure to mesh better with others. Even with Yamaguchi always at his side, Suga does wonder if Tsukishima's a lonely person in general - and with the way they've opened up to each other about romance, the question nags at him even more.]

[saltinourstars]

Must be slipping.

[Tsukki wouldn't describe himself as lonely.

Whether that's true?

More complicated.

Anyway, he doesn't mind answering. Sugawara's questions are different than Yamaguchi's. Gives watching a new angle. As storm winds lash the island, Tsukki points it out.]

That's the actual hurricane. Some maniac of a cameraman went and shot it.

[beautymarker]

Or you're starting to like meee~

["Like" as in "a step above tolerate," not "crush." Even if Suga thought that was a possibility, he wouldn't dream of using it to tease Tsukishima - if anything would cause his walls to snap back up at double strength, that would be it.

Anyway. It's not on Suga's mind. It's not on either of their minds, surely. They're just becoming friends.]

Oh my god... [Now that Tsukishima's pointed it out, the storm is so obviously real - wind from literally every direction nearly ripping branches off trees, lashes of rain far less uniform than the machines used in movies - that Suga feels his mouth drop open at the idea of being in the center of it and trying to gather workable footage.]

... I don't know if I could ever dedicate myself to anything that fully. I mean, risking injuries, sacrificing personal time, that's one thing, but... they didn't even need these shots, someone just thought they'd make the end product better and that was worth it. [A smile slowly lights his face.] How cool.

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[Tsukki finds himself smiling back. Genuinely.]

Yeah. I don't think this movie would be half as good without everyone buying into it.

Oh - Shut up now.

[Here comes THE scene - Jeeps stuck in front of the worst. Place. Possible. The T-Rex paddock. Even though Tsukki can recite this sequence, shot-by-shot, he leans forward. Watching that cup of water begin to vibrate. Harder with each heavy, heavy step.]

[beautymarker]

[Definitely the most thrilling scene in a movie full of thrilling scenes, which is all that keeps Suga from watching Tsukishima watch it again. Suga has to set down his pocky box to grip the couch cushions on either side of his knees as he, too, leans forward millimeter by millimeter. ]

Oh no... ohhhhhh no, no no no... [Spoken under his breath to honour Tsukishima's command, but obviously something he can't control as the tension becomes unbearable. Then, when the kids get deserted:] WHAT THE HELL?! THAT THING BETTER EAT YOU, SHIT YOU OUT AND THEN EAT YOU AGAIN, YOU SON OF -

[Oops. Suga's team mom instincts have been activated. He may need a reminder about their agreement.]

SUGA IS CORRECT

[saltinourstars]

Geeze!

[The star begins her rampage. Thanks to the outburst, adrenaline's charging through Tsukki's system, adding a sharpness to the teeth, echoes to the roars. Rexy is huge. Towering over the vehicles, now tiny as toys. It's an impossibility. Where the dinosaur scenes have been nothing but joyous, this is the mirror.

The horror of ambition.

He still cackles when Rexy eats that lawyer.]

[beautymarker]

[Eyes going comically wide, Suga claps both hands over his own mouth and doesn't move them until there's a break in the tension - that being when the lawyer's devoured in a portajohn, of course, which makes Suga howl with laughter right along with Tsukishima.]

Oh my god... [He has to wipe tears of sheer catharsis from his eyes when he finally regains control of himself.] That was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen...

[Then Suga's phone buzzes in his pocket, which he definitely wasn't expecting this evening. With a confused frown, he pauses the movie and checks to see who texted him - then laughs, shoots a quick message back, and looks up at Tsukishima with humour dancing in his eyes.]

Kenzo heard us shouting and wanted to make sure there wasn't a fight going on down here. Honestly. [He shakes his head.] Sorry about the interruption and the shouting, let's get back to business here.

[saltinourstars]

Rude! Be more respectful.

[Kei smirks, rewinds the movie a few scenes - Maybe intentionally to right before the Toilet Chomp.

Maybe to see if Sugawara laughs again.]

[beautymarker]

I won't make a peep until the credits are over, I pr -

[Wait, there's the lawyer trapped in the portajohn again...

... and yeah, Suga absolutely loses it again. He winds up slumped slightly against Tsukishima's shoulder, struggling to catch his breath between peals of laughter.]

[saltinourstars]

[This is rare. People being smart enough to get the joke, laugh when Tsukki means them to. Turns out Sugawara's in the club.

Grinning, Tsukki shoves the other boy off.]

Oh my God, your face!

[beautymarker]

What about my face?! [Still wheezing with laughter, Suga tips all the way over to the other side of the couch and kicks Tsukishima in the side (teasingly, not one of the real stingers he sometimes delivers at practices).] I have a great face!!

[saltinourstars]

You look like a tomato - Hey!

[Tsukki fends off the 'attack', his own face almost red as Sugawara's. The curse of pale skin.]

Quit! We're missing the T-Rex chase!

[beautymarker]

This battle isn't over, it's just delayed!

[Since he's broken his promise twice now, Sugawara finally pulls himself together and sits up properly... but his lips are pressed tightly together and his shoulders keep shaking with stifled laughter.

Nothing to be done about it, he's got the sillies now.]

[saltinourstars]

[Tsukki isn't quite so gone, but a smile keeps flickering.

At least there's a chance to catch their breaths - A scientist and the kids are falling asleep in a tree. Then wake up to a Brachiosaurus herd. Nothing dramatic, unless you count the dinosaur sneezing.]

[beautymarker]

... the non-violent ones are so cute, aren't they? Imagine having something that big around that's basically docile. I want to pet its head.

[Suga's finally calmed down, thank goodness, but he hasn't lost his silly smile either.]

[saltinourstars]

Yeah. They are.

When I was a kid I wanted one as a pet.

[And kind of still does. Sugawara's not getting that factoid!]

[beautymarker]

[Ah, that's why Tsukishima's so darn cute right now... Sugawara's obviously being let in on a lifelong love for dinosaurs, so he's getting to see flickers of a younger, more innocent boy behind the protective walls Tsukishima has put up over time.]

I'm glad we started with this movie. Thanks for sharing it with me.

[Suga means the whole experience, really, but he doesn't need to put a fine point on it.]

[saltinourstars]

Hang on -

[Because it's that shot. The one that launched a thousand Awkward Sexual Awakenings. Maybe even one right on this couch!]

Now you can thank me!

[beautymarker]

[Oh great, that just sets Suga off all over again. Not quite as hysterically, at least, but he's definitely stifling giggles.]

I mean, look at him! There's literally nothing to be embarrassed about here. You have impeccable taste.

[Never mind that they have very few other points of agreement when it comes to crushes. One is enough.]