sandwichbasket | OPEN POST/TFLN CONTINUATIONS

If you would allow it, that probably would be less disconcerting than a vanishing one upon myself.

[ He perches at the edge of the bed, leaning forward to unfasten his sandals. He's not quite so desperate to help in any way that he can that he'll consider wearing shoes in bed. And he's aware now, constantly, of every tiny noise in what he always thought of as a silent act. The metal of the buckle clicking. The sound of the leather strap dragging against it as it pulls loose.

It wasn't until he realised he ought to be as quiet as possible that he started realising just how much noise even the smallest action makes ]

Thank you. You are good, to allow me my whims.

I wouldn't have suggested if if I wasn't agreeable. You are doing this for my sake.

[ It is true. Every little sound is making his ears twitch. It's too loud, of course. But that doesn't stop Theo from creeping closer. He has a bit of a plan, of course. But right now it's just to lean against the Exarch's side. ]

You needn't mention it. Truly.

[ Because he's about not to be "good." Because the aggression is about to come into play. ]

[ He has concerns about blinding Theo. Of course, Because he has concerns about just about everything. It's already clear that noise is difficult for him, would that grow worse without his sight? To say nothing of how tempting it might be to indulge, to pretend that he sees the face of someone he knew long ago and still chooses to do this.

But Theo leans against him, and he voices none of these concerns.

Instead, he leans into Theo in turn, pulling his feet up onto the bed and tucking them beneath him. ]

I am here.

[ All of those concerns hardly matter. They pale in comparison to the Exarch's comfort in the end. Theo's ears would be largely sensitive, yes, should the need occur to follow through with such a plan. Yet he believes that he could tune all out if needed. There would be far more interesting things for him to hyperfocus on instead. In that scenario anyway.

Not that he's thinking too much on that right now. The other body shifts and leans against Theo in return. There's a soft, warm hum that seems to vibrate through his entire being shortly after those three words are said. ]

Good. Make yourself comfortable.

[ Because Theo is. That last bit of restraint just seems to go to the wayside. He can't exactly stop the himself from shifting and dropping onto the Exarch's lap. What a scene this must be. A fully grown Viera half huddled into blankets but curled up on another's lap. ]

[ Well, he wasn't quite expecting that. And perhaps he should have been.

Theo is warm. Softer, somehow, than the indomitable Warrior of Light. Smells of himself, the way he recalls, rather than of the merging of black and white aether and blade oil. And as he very cautiously moves, starts combing his glass fingers through lavender hair-

-it's more than he would have ever dared to want. Emotion twists in him as tension and then leaves him as a soft sigh. His fingers are much as they appear to be. Cold. Smooth. Hard. He can't feel Theo's hair against them, not in the way he would with his own skin. It's information - he is in contact with long, smooth strands of hair. They are not liable to cause damage to this part of the tower (his fingers). It's easier this way, for the moment. Even the warmth of Theo's body through his robes is a lot.

And before he catches himself, he purrs softly. ]

[ It works the other way for Theo as well. Like this, he can take in the scent of the other, more sensitive to it like this than he would be regularly. Given that he is under the blanket still, there's no contact there to make his skin prickle, but the crystal hand in his hair does that anyway.

Really it's an odd feeling. He doesn't know what he had been expecting from that, but it is cold. And the Viera presses against that hand to continue to feel that more - on his heated flesh more than in his hair. At least for as long as it will last.

Now he doesn't comment on the purring, though his ears twitch at the sound of it. Theo wouldn't dare. Besides... the Exarch might be able to feel something from Theo rumbling right back, if not able to hear it. It's so subtle. ]

[ He does catch himself eventually. But he doesn't stop. It's unthinkable that Theo wouldn't have noticed the sound, but if it stops then that's all the more suspicious. And if things do progress so far that a blindness spell is needed (if. He can barely bring himself to touch Theo's hair with his spoken hand), it'll be difficult to disguise hit ears or tail. If his height has not already given away that one detail.

It is not the end of the world, if Theo comes to suspect he is a mystel. Troublesome, slightly. He wasn't expecting him to remember G'raha Tia's name. It's something of a damning coincidence that he bears so many likenesses to a dead man. But there are other mystel in the world.

So he lets himself purr softly. And he can't hear the rumbling in return, but he can feel it. Through his glass fingertips, mostly (something trembling. Not a threat to the tower). Theo presses into his hand and he only hesitates for a moment before returning in kind, stroking through his hair until his fingers reach the bare skin of his neck and then leaving his hand there, cold and smooth. ]

The cloth should be a little less cold now, if you want it.

[ One day they'll have the conversation with a certain G'raha Tia and all will come to realize that Theo had known who the Exarch was for a while. For quite a while. It is only out of respect that he doesn't call the other out. And right now, the Viera can't be bothered. After all is said and done, Theo won't even bring up the purring or anything might have identified the Exarch.

Honestly he is just content to lean into the cool touch. It's enough, for the moment. Soothing and bringing the unbearable heat down a little. The ear not partially pressed against a thigh is moving with every sound though, an indication that Theo is paying attention. ]

Hmm. No. This is preferable.

[ Contact. Touch. Closeness. ]

Very well.

[ It's hard to say how long he remains there, quiet, glass hand over Theo's pulse. He could know, if he wanted. Let the tower tell him in microscopically small units of time, to the hundredth of a hundredth of a second. But he doesn't want to know. He just wants to stay here, in this room, faced with undeniable proof that the Warrior of Light never died the choking, withering death of enhanced black rose.

He's more cautious with his spoken hand than he was with the tower's. When he finally brings it up to Theo's head, brushes a fingertip lightly over a lock of hair, his heart is beating so fast that this close, hearing so sensitive, Theo can probably pick up a new, unfamiliar sound. A ringing quality to his heartbeat, like a finger running along the side of a glass.

With a soft exhale, he buries his fingers of flesh and bone in Theo's hair. ]

[ Or like the echoing of sound against glass, yes. It is a sound that makes him frown, if only because he's so unaccustomed to hearing it. Granted, should he really focus on such sounds, he might have picked up something similar before now.

But he can appreciate the coolness at his neck. Can feel how tentative the touch with the other hand his. Theo is thinking about how he can encourage it along when it moves of its own accord. Actually in his hair. The quiet little sound in Theo's throat becomes a touch louder - but still soft.

Now one of his own arms wiggles free so that he might find the means to wrap around the Miqo'te in return. ]

Stop fussing. You would not have been allowed in here at all if you were not trusted.

[ Trust. ]

Apologies. I am honoured that you would trust me. It has- it has simply been some time.

[ Some time since what, he doesn't say. There is the obvious thing it might refer to, of course, incorrect only in the way it would imply that there has been a time before this. It has been some time since his mind last let him entertain this as a possibility. Since he last let himself consider what it might feel like if he just reached out to comb his fingers through Theo's hair.

It's different, the feeling of strands of hair against his fingertips, his own fingertips. Against the crystal it was only information. Against skin, it's all emotion. Alive. He is whole and here and alive and he will remain that way. Still cautious, he drags his fingernails (he would have called them claws, once, but he keeps them clipped short and rounded these days) over the skin of Theo's scalp lightly. ]

You have earned it.

[ Not that, of course, the Exarch can guess how. Theo will not necessarily explain either. All the other needs to know is that it isn't something that has been just granted on a whim.

Rather, the whim comes by way of the Viera burying his face into the Exarch's stomach. He doesn't care how much is flesh or how much is crystal. His ear twitches, as if imploring the other to actually continue and not just stop at the scalp. Yet Theo breathes a sigh. The warmth is still there. Still consuming.

But this helps. Immensely. ]

[ It's careful, still. But he moves his spoken hand down slowly. Over scalp. Down the back of Theo's neck. And after a few seconds of hesitation, under the blanket to slide down Theo's back, between his shoulderblades.

He's so warm. In the burning, fevered way of his condition, yes. But also in the living, breathing way. Burning with life, even as he knows that somewhere inside of him the strangling nothing of the light is taking hold. ]

Whatever I have done to earn it, I should do again a thousand times. [ Then, carefully stroking at one ear with the fingertips of his crystal hand- ] Will you look at me? Only for a moment.

I would rather you didn't.

[ He would rather not lose the other again. If it at all can be avoided. There is no need for another dramatic sacrifice. No, this is fine. This is sufficient. Being here for Theo in a moment where things could so easily make him regret being alive the next couple of days ~~stupid hormones and instincts~~ is better than anything like that.

It feels good though. Having that hand move along his ear. His neck. Down to his bare back. It causes Theo to shiver, just a bit. And have to breath in deep. He can feel it. Just a simple touch, skin to skin contact, is enough to want to make him squirm in place.

But then the Exarch is asking for Theo to look. But... Hnn. Eyes flutter open and he shifts so that he can do just that. No, he can't make out anything under that hood and Theo is going to be respectful and not try to sneak a peak. ]

Yes?

Truly? Very well, then.

[ And yes, he is going to be overthinking what he could have possibly done to win Theo's trust that he also needs to not do again. The arrangement with Feo Ul, perhaps, ensuring his safety while also binding him to a pixie. Or perhaps he took offense to his fighting at his side. Or-

-he will have to consider it later (were the sandwiches too much?). Theo is looking at him.

Or looking at the shadow over his face, at least. In truth, even if Theo did try to make out what lies under the hood, he would struggle without the use of a powerful glamour dispeller regardless of the angle. And really, he didn't want him to look. He just wanted his face to be easier to reach.

He bends. It's an awkward position, practically folded in on himself. One that would have been easy enough for a miqote in his youth, but even if his body hasn't aged his back aches with it at the seam between flesh and crystal. But the effort is worth it, because he can press the flat of his palm against Theo's back to pull him in, bring his own lips (cold, soft where they aren't chapped from being chewed upon nervously) to Theo's. ]

[ This man is surely out to make things as difficult for Theo as he can. Does he even really know what he is doing, bending so to lay a kiss upon him? The spark that it ignites? How the Viera can take it as an invitation, whether it truly is or isn't? Because Theo had been fine with just the simple contact. While, yes, he could still feel the heat of his own body and that itch beneath his skin. But that he could manage.

But a kiss. That just makes that longing bloom a bit more. His ears perk forward, immediately interested. Then Theo finds himself putting down a hand to push himself up. Further into the Exarch's space. Partially to alleviate the strain that bending would cause and then also to kiss back. Because this...

This is putting a foot in a door. ]

[ The problem with his incomplete understanding of this condition is that he truly did believe that it would help. That there must be some component of this that requires such- charged actions, surely, else Theo's lying in his lap would be ineffective and inefficient compared to simply lying together bare the way people might to preserve warmth.

The key detail he is missing, of course, has nothing to do with Theo's condition or what might help it. It's that Theo knows who he is. And perhaps that basing his own understanding of what will and will not help upon Theo's own actions involves the less than accurate assumption that Theo himself is acting upon concepts like efficiency.

He himself ceases thinking overmuch about efficiency, once Theo kisses back.

He has thought about this, of course. He doubts he is anything close to the only one to do so. Who wouldn't consider kissing Eorzea's saviour? Surely half the star must have thought of it by now. Perhaps not all for so long. Perhaps not all in such graphic detail. Perhaps only a few might have imagined what would happen next-

It's a relief not to be bending so much. He wouldn't have minded, not when there was so much to gain. But it's a relief nonetheless. ]

I told you, did I not? All of this, I would do and do gladly, in happier circumstances.

[ His voice is a little rougher than when he last spoke. A little too much air stolen from his lungs by soft, gasping breaths. Even beneath the hood, a redness is spreading across his face. He isn't unaffected by this. His hand of flesh has managed to slide all the way to the small of Theo's back now. Mostly moved because of Theo's change in position, but he's making no effort to return it to where it was. The crystal hand cradles one ear, fingers curled loosely around it. ]

[ Well lying bare would certainly help things and may involve some charged actions. Though that thought is not entirely wrong, of course. There is efficiency to be considered and, in the past, Theo has done just that. He has spent former times such as this with another out of efficiency and genetic compatibility rather than anything being tied to the heart. That's what makes this so different as compared to those times.

His own feelings may or may not be involved. He may or may not think that the Exarch's feelings might also be involved.

Don't mind the Viera though, just because they might have pulled back to take a breather doesn't mean he's gone far. Though he does keep his gaze downward. Out of respect. His own voice is also deeper. Richer. Tongue feeling a bit thick. ]

Aye, you did. 'Tis that very statement that makes it all the more difficult to have any restraint.

[ Because now there's a hand on his back and Theo can feel it burning through him. There's a coolness against his ear that he is pushing into. One hand may yet brace himself on the bed, over the Exarch's lap itself., but the other has found it's way to the Exarch's side. There's so many layers, but that doesn't seem to stop the Viera from trying to find as few as there can be between skin ( or crystal ) and that hand. Even if it means only one layer.

Which means he's also steadily coming free from his blanket cocoon. ]

[ If he says what he wishes to say, this will hurt more than it needs to later. The more he does now, the deeper his betrayal will cut when the time comes.

But maybe it should cut, just a little. Just enough that Theo never once thinks to save him. Maybe this, now, is what he ought to do, to make his actions later unforgivable.

Or maybe he is just scrambling to justify it to himself how desperately he wants to keep going. Theo's hand is on his him, burrowing beneath layers of cloth. And he wants to know, in truth, where it might go next. ]

Then please, discard restraint. I will not ask it of you.

[ Even so, Theo would never think of leaving this one behind. He's already had to once and the Viera refuses to so again.

Hearing those words, that permission makes Theo shudder. A full body shudder that even reaches his ears. If that's what the Exarch also desires, then there's definitely no reason to deny himself. To allow his control over his instincts to fray to the point where he's uncomfortable and irritable.

Hopefully, then, that tail is in a spot it won't be crushed. Theo's aware that it's there, but where he's not entirely sure. Because he's pushing the other down onto his back. Lips are going to descend once more onto the other man's.

And Theo might, in fact, be after the clip that holds the white sash in place. ]

[ Beneath him, the bed smells of Theo. Above him, Theo smells of himself. It's dizzying, being surrounded by Theo's presence on all sides, that kiss stealing away his breath.

The clip comes loose. Without being held in place, the white cloth can slide away. Carefully, he takes his hand from Theo's back to instead take his hand, guiding it to the tie of his rope belt. If he wants to be rid of the sashes and such, he'll need to start with that. ]

Better. [ He says it breathlessly, breaking the kiss long enough to catch his breath and then pressing his lips back to Theo's. The next time he breaks the kiss, he moves his hand back underneath the blankets. Back against Theo's back. ] If I had wished for your restraint, I would not be here.

[ Meanwhile, what Theo can smell is something like a mix. A mix of the Tower itself and of a Miqo'te that he had known and had lost. And a bit of himself of course.

It's funny, how much awareness he has versus how much he really doesn't. His fingers, once that hand is guided to the belt, are rather quick. Deft at undoing the knot as well as the adornments. At the moment the only goal is to remove a couple of layers of material. The Exarch wears far too much. Perhaps to hide his frame as well?

Not a thought Theo is concerned with. Not while busying himself with his task, going to tug at the red garment to remove it as well. Maybe it seems a bit rushed, but it is difficult with the other muttering things like that. And it will slow once more immediate needs are met. ]

It seems like I am not the only one with needs.

[ Which is fine, really. Better, even. Because Theo can lavish the other with kisses. To the lips. Jaw. Peppered with small bites because of the leporine nature of Viis or Viera. ]

Alas, for all my best efforts, I am yet a thing of flesh. As vulnerable to needing as any other.

[ Well. Perhaps less than most, most of the time. He recalls G'raha Tia being quite susceptible to needing. More so than he has ever been since he put that man into the grave. Certainly it has never troubled him as it has right now.

He catches Theo's lips where he can. Does his best to kiss back. Without the red and white cloths, his black robe is thin and light. Enough to feel where is flesh and where is crystal, just about. Enough for him to feel the fever-warmth of Theo's skin. His blunt nails dig into the small of Theo's back at one of those little bites to the underside of his jaw, accompanied by a quiet gasp, followed by the apologetic pads of his fingers rubbing over where the nails bit in. ]

[ And this is how things will slow. The black fabric can't be delved into nor removed without the Exarch being the one to do so. For the moment, it seems to be enough. Theo's hands are exploring, hot and languid. Testing to see what areas are made of flesh and which happens to be crystal. It's a bit easier than one might think - it's cooler when there's a part that has been changed and transformed.

Not that he seems to mind where nails dig into his own skin. There might even be a hum of appreciation where sound are picked up by his ears and he can feel twitches under his fingertips. Counting ribs. How the muscular structure underneath his hands must have changed over the years. ]

And how long might you say it has been?

[ Since the Exarch has thought to actually attempt to satisfy those needs, in other words. Conversation helps to keep Theo from getting a little too carried away. Not enough to stop one traveling hand from dipping into the hood - not far. Not to remove anything. Just to feel where crystal and skin connect while the Viera attempts to take shuddering, grounding breaths. ]

A long, long time. Even by the standards of your own kind, I suspect.

[ Which is to say 'never', at least not with someone else. Not that he intends to reveal that. He doubts the viis place quite so much importance upon the first time as some of the other spoken races, not if this is a concern. But it seems best to not imply that Theo is in any way taking something from him.

Also maybe he finds it a little embarrassing, because there are still some boyish insecurities he hasn't grown out of.

Beneath the robe, the crystal is coolest and most solid over his heart. It spreads outward from there, crawling up his neck and cutting into his cheek. Down one arm entirely, and along another far enough that if there was a tattoo there, it must have been broken apart and replaced with glass the way the ones that might have been at his neck once were. It continues over his ribs, long ugly fingers of it cutting through the flesh of his sides the way it does his cheek. Along his hips and under his smalls, only finally tapering to nothing at the tops of his legs. The skin at the seams is warmer than the skin elsewhere, tender and heated like bruising. Aside from that he is colder than a seeker probably ought to be. Scrawnier than G'raha Tia was.

And, of course, there is no ear where a hyur might have one. If everything else didn't give it away. He leans into Theo's hand affectionately. Presses his hand flat against his back for now, though once those breaths become more steady he's ready to experimentally drag his nails lightly up Theo's spine. ]

'Tis measured in centuries. [ With his crystal hand, he catches the skin of Theo's ear lightly between thumb and finger knuckle. Rubs tiny soft circles into it. ] You may have to forgive my- being somewhat out of practice.

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