[it almost surprises him that he has to resist the urge to stop unmussing his hair, to just go ahead and move about the station, business as usual, looking like he planted both of his hands on a Van de Graaff generator. because as much as Ryuji is thinking he might be chill with doing this sort of thing, Dave's thinking that he's becoming pretty chill with being called cute. it's certainly been said a lot, anyway, both accidentally and on purpose.]

[and ... well, fuck it, they've managed to be goofily flirty in much more serious situations before, and he's not gonna get it back to the preened bird shape it was earlier. he lowers his hands, his hair in a state of not completely out of whack, but still pretty ruffled and fluffy. you win this round, Ryuji.]

Okay, don't think for a second that you're escaping a five-course, Michelin Star round of gourmet revenge here. It's still gonna happen, and I'm still not tellin' you when.

But, yeah, all right. I wouldn't mind zoning the fuck out for a little while.

[hell, maybe Ryuji will get that scenario he's picturing sooner than later. and honestly, what exactly they just experienced, and the reality and full gravity of what Dave's going to have to do to handle it, won't hit him until later. when he's alone with his thoughts, probably. and it'll probably take him a while to not completely blank out on a way to approach it.]

[for now, though? chilling it is.]