TIMELINE: Post-canon; established relationship.

"Drive safely."

"Ready?"

They're on the rooftop of the hospital, face to face and Emu is a second away from bolting because this is nerve wrecking.

"...not really," Emu mutters, feet shuffling and wringing his hands.

"It'll be alright, Emu." Parad places his hands on Emu's shoulders and gives him a reassuring squeeze, a teasing grin playing on the bugster's lips. "Just, y'know, drive safely."

Groaning, he gives Parad a light shove. "How can you be so calm? What if I mess up and hurt you?"

The teasing expression softens as Parad shrugs. "You've never been worried whenever I took over your body, so why should I?"

"That's because you know what you're doing," Emu says reasonably before pointing to himself. "Me? I don't have the first clue on how to...'possess'."

"That's why I'm gonna teach you." Stepping close, Parad snakes his arms around Emu's waist. "And you also got something to look forward to once you get the hang of it."

The mischief in Parad's eyes warns him to be wary but Emu is more curious than not.

"Meaning...?"

Parad leans down to brush his lips against Emu's ear. "You'll improve your control when we joint masturbate— I'm sure you hadn't forgotten how fun it was that first time when you accidentally possessed me."

Blushing at the memories that come to mind at Parad's words, he yelps when the hands on his waist slide down to grope his rear.

"Parad...!"

Laughing at his incorrigible lover, Emu tries to squirm out of Parad's hold but the bugster just reels him close and cackles as he nuzzles their faces together.

Honestly, it's like being in love with an overgrown cat.

"What? It got you to laugh, didn't it?" The smirk on those impish lips softens into a smile as Parad sways them lightly side to side. "It'll be alright, Emu. I'll still be here so, if things go awry I'll step in."

Emu winds his arms around Parad's neck, brows furrowing in worry. "This is a lot of trust, Parad."

"Why do you think I'm always surprised whenever you let me take over?" Parad says ruefully before his expression turns sombre. "Especially after all the times I hurt you using the same ability."

Shifting, he cups Parad's face in his hands. "I know you're not the same person that you used to be, Parad. I trust you, that's why it's never hard to let you take over."

"Then know that it's the same for me too."

Parad leans down to reel him into an open mouthed kiss that still makes his toes curl. When the bugster pulls back enough to rest his forehead with Emu's to curl the bond around them, Emu sighs in content as the warmth of it helps eases some of his worry.

With a snicker, Parad gives him a cheeky grin. "I trust you, Emu."

"Even if I'll mess up?" Emu asks wryly.

Snorting, the bugster sends him a flat look. "Duh."

Even though he's still worried, Emu is reassured at the hard earned trust in Parad's eyes. So with a deep breath, Emu leans up for a brief kiss then steps back with a determined set of his shoulders. "Alright."

Expression smoothing over into something serious, Parad folds his arms across his chest. "Now, remember what I told you. It's similar to teleportation, but instead of reforming to a location, you're gonna envelope me."

Emu nods. "And I can use the bond to lead my way to you, right?"

"Yup." Parad throws his arms to the side. "Ready...?"

Taking a deep breath, Emu focuses on reaching deep into his antibody and feels it slowly dispersing. Once he can feel the familiar sensation of his body breaking down into particles, he nods.

"Go!"

There's a dizzying sensation before Emu gives the bond a firm tug and suddenly, he's falling onto his butt with a faint ringing in his ear. Emu feels like the wind has been knocked out of him, especially since there's the odd sense of being at the edge of awareness. Worried, he searches Parad out through the bond.

"I'm sorry! Are you alright?"

Warm laughter chases down the bond. {I'm fine} Then he feels Parad giving him a mental nudge. {Open your eyes, Emu}

Doing as he's asked, Emu blinks and looks around at his surroundings. It takes a couple of minutes for him to adjust at the heighten senses but it's close enough to his own that it soon feels like second nature.

In the past, Emu never really understood how different his biology is from other humans until Kuroto revealed his status as Patient Zero. Since then, it was hard to ignore or dismiss the heighten senses or how he's actually a great deal stronger and resilient than others. Initially, he was dismayed at the knowledge that he's not a normal human— hasn't been one since he was eight years old too. But...as time goes on as well as exercising patience in understanding his own unique individuality, Emu has since made peace with that fact. Nowadays, he finds it reassuring and comforting; more so when it's just another thing he and Parad can share together.

Once the ringing subsides, Emu tries to stand up before wobbling back down when his center of gravity doesn't agree with him. At that familiar sensation, he glances down and finds that he's wearing the same clothes that Parad was wearing. When he runs a hand through familiar curls, Emu lets out a disbelieving laugh.

Now that definitely confirms that he's in Parad's body.

"It really worked..." Patting himself (themselves?) down, he checks over his borrowed body in worry. "But are you really okay, Parad?"

A burst of reassurance. {No problems here}

"So..." excited, he grins and gives a teasing mental poke at Parad, "test drive?"

Parad lets out a huff at that. {Guess I won't the only one to use the car jokes anymore, huh?}

"I'll do my best to be careful," he promises before slowly getting to his feet and shifts his weight accordingly to match Parad's height. He's always known that Parad is tall but to actually experience the difference is another thing entirely.

{I know} Tendrils of love and support wrap around him before mischief joins in. {Now let's go have some fun!}

Laughing, he lets their visions bleed. "Let's."