[ 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.
[ Wouldn't the Exarch be interested in knowing that if it the case of someone experienced finds themselves paired with one who isn't, care is, in fact taken. One to help guide and ease. And, in truth, he knows that he won't find the ears of a Hyur there. Maybe it's telling that Theo is already aware ( even if the purring hadn't tipped him off ) that there wouldn't be. Instead he presses fingers against the skin behind the jaw, mindful of his own nails that he doesn't quite keep short. ]
Every three to five years. [ Might as well educate then! ] Though I can't say that I've spent that time with another in...
[ In lieu of answering, Theo returns his attention to lips; they had always caught his eye, in truth. But he does bite the bottom gently, giving a bit of a tug before releasing it and pressing another kiss there again. ]
A lifetime. At least.
[ He's not touching anything below that belt. Not yet. Not until permission is given ( or until the Exarch himself decides to rid himself of garments though that's not entirely necessary either. Though at the moment, he quirks his lip into an apologetic smile, knowing that the other can see it even if Theo cannot see him in return. ]
So we may both be somewhat out of practice. Thus... [ Another quick peck. ] Cast your spell or find a way to cover my eyes because that hood of yours must come off.
[ Another bite. There's no sound in response, this time, but he melts back into the bed at it. A little of the constant, constant tension falling from his body. ]
Well, no time better than the present to set that lack of practice right.
[ It's a joke, even if it sounds far too sincere to be one. And he lets go of Theo's ear, trails both hands to the sides of his head, sliding fingers over skin as he does. Cradles his face delicately, thumbs pressing lightly over his temples. ]
[ Theo does have to wonder if it is truly a joke or not. By all means it sounds like one from the words being spoken, but not really from their tone.
He leans into the touch, breathing out a little shakily as the sensations are both hard and soft. Warm and cool. It makes his ears twitch and eyes close. Theo trusts the Exarch and knows taht the spell will not go away. So that when he opens his eyes next, there's nothing. Just gray and the ability to differentiate a presence of light or an absence.
Which means that his ears are going to be moving even more, to detect sounds of movement. He holds the hand made of crystal. Chooses this one to press futher against his cheek and then to press lips against what should be a wrist. A sign. A gesture to say that the Viera appreciates every aspect of the person he finds himself with. ]
I suppose I do always enjoy a challenge.
[ It is also meant to be a joke. However Theo is a bit breathless himself for it to be delivered effectively. ]
[ The significance of the hand Theo chooses doesn't go unnoticed, and he isn't quite sure what to make of it. Even blinded, he would have been able to tell the difference. The difference in temperature, in texture. Even in sound, he imagines, to Theo, because flesh would absorb sound and crystal reflect it. So it must be a choice, that he kisses the hand of glass. Else perhaps proof that either of them is as worthy as the other. And really, both of those mean the same thing.
So it's the hand of glass that remains, when he needs to withdraw a hand. It stays there, wrist to Theo's lips, as the rustling of cloth indicates that the hood is being pulled away. A very quiet, supressed noise of discomfort as his ears adjust to being able to move again after being compressed under the hood.
He undoes his braid. He's always worn his hair the same way, no need to give unnecessary clues. ]
[ Theo does little more than press lips against the surface. He figures that the Exarch can't really feel much of anything there so the Viera would rather reserve more attention to the hand of actual flesh when it is available once more.
His ears move at all of the sounds that he is being presented with. Theo knows exactly when the hood has been removed. His ears can also pick up the sound of the hair tie coming out, but Theo has no idea what is actually happening, only that movement is. ]
Perhaps. I suppose it might ease things a bit.
[ But his other hand reaches out. He can't see so it's a touch difficult for him to find the Exarch's bare cheek. However it is what Theo is seeking. ]
[ It's information, not feeling, that he takes in through the stone. If his half-petrified breast swells with emotion, it's because of the sight of it, not the sensation. All his arm senses is the temperature of Theo's lips. A slight pressure. The texture of them, each minute fold in the skin. The heat and regularity of his breath. They don't combine to form a whole, the way they would if it were his own skin.
But they combine to form something, because it's not only the fondness he borrowed from G'raha Tia that drives him to sigh contentedly and lean his cheek into Theo's waiting hand. Even if all he said were true, even if they had never met before, he would want this. He would adore the man who brought the night back. He would give much for a chance to express his adoration like this. ]
I should like to do nothing more.
[ He withdraws his hands, taking Theo's free one in one of his own. Fabric rustles again, he swallows. Then he places Theo's hand on a bare thigh, robes pulled up enough that he can guide his hand under the skirts of them. He can't disrobe himself while Theo is still above him, so this will have to do until they untangle themselves at least a little. ]
[ Just because Theo can't see doesn't mean that the Exarch can't. So he must know the soft, but heated expression that the Viera wears. His eyes are no less bright, no less mixed with affection and wanting. With the way that he looks at the other, it might call into question as to whether or not he can still see.
He spends the next few moments rubbing that cheek. Thumb sweeping under an eye. Against one of the marks he knows to be there. Theo wonders what the man must look like now with so many years upon him. How have those features changed. ]
Then lead. I will follow.
[ Which he means in more than one way right now. However that meaning might be missed. It's the rustle of fabric that has his attention. He looks down, though he can't see what's going on. Ears move again. Perking towards the sound in keen interest.
Then he can feel the flesh of a thigh. Soft. Theo squeezes while also taking a shaky breath. Slowly. Don't rush. Don't scare off the other as he starts to explore this area as well.
Theo will have to shift soon. Their current position is actually not good on his back and doesn't allow for a decent angle to actually enjoy the warm skin under his hand as it roams. ]
[ There is, of course, no chance at all that anything Theo does could scare him off. Just as there is, likely, very little chance that anything about the half-consumed state of the Exarch's body could disgust Theo even were things not as they are now. It's only a shame neither of them knows.
For a second, it feels like more than coincidence, the way Theo's thumb traces his marking. But no. No. It's simply where the thumb would fall naturally, holding his cheek like that. But oh, it's easy to pretend. Theo's eyes are still focussed upon him, and it's easy to pretend that he can see him. That he knows. That the adoration in his gaze is from looking at him, despite every ugliness the tower has left him with.
It will hurt, of course, to stop pretending. But it will be over, all of it, soon enough. A little hurting will be worth this.
His breath hitches when Theo squeezes his thigh. He sighs in a way that would be a soft moan if it had any voice behind it at all. The thigh is flesh, mostly, with only tiny hairline cracks of crystal creeping down the side of it. If he moves his hand much further back than that, his knuckles might graze fur.
He turns his head to kiss the heel of Theo's palm. Then again, a little higher, trailing up to the pads of his fingers. ]
Let me stand. I think- I think it my be wise for me to disrobe sooner, rather than later.
[ He's not sure he trusts himself to be willing to let go of Theo for long enough to do so, if this continues. ]
[ One day it might come up... If Theo had known in this moment. Then he might feel some shame, for going into this knowing full well whom he is sharing this time with while the other is clueless. Believes himself to be hidden or just some warm body to satisfy needs. It's far more than that...
And Theo can't allow himself to articulate that right now. So maybe it is better to be lost and just feel instead of think too much.
He hears the way that the Exarch's pulse changes. The breath and the lack of it. Now Theo won't go too far back, but he will run fingers over where skin meets crystal. Wander down to the bare knee before skirting up the inside of that thigh, back over the top before he can reach anything truly intimate. Stoking fires, perhaps. Teasing in a way.
Then the other is kissing his palm and a small noise gets caught in his own throat. A nod because all of the sudden Theo is feeling a bit light headed. ]
Right. Of course.
[ Oh okay. Right. Which means that he has to kind of get off of the other. Which he does. Reluctantly. It's only for a couple of moments and the return will be that much sweeter. ]
[ His footsteps are soft as he moves across the room, and the first sound isn't the rustling of fabric, but something else. That basket scraping against the table slightly as he looks through it, moving aside items (something soft and light, the distinctive rustling of dried tea in a paper bag, packages of what is presumably food of some sort covered in cloth) until those noises are interrupted by the quiet clink of glass against glass. More footsteps, moving closer again, and then glass against wood, this time. Something small - a vial, by the way the sound echoes - being placed on the table by the bed.
Best to get that detail out of the way now, embarrassing as it is, so he doesn't need to separate from Theo again. Though no, he isn't going to say what he just fetched unless Theo asks.
Then comes the moving of fabric. The loose material of his robes, first. His heart drums. He swallows. The sound continues a moment after the act should be done, as he folds the robe to calm himself. Then the tighter material of his smalls, and then he's bare before Theo's unseeing eyes. His breath hisses out softly from behind a bitten lip. ]
No more interruption, I promise. [ His spoken hand is shaking just a little as he takes Theo's and guides both of them to his hips. ] Whatever it is you wish of me, know that I wish it too. Have wished it, my friend, for some time now.
[ All the while, Theo pushes himself back further. Against the wall, really. Had he sight, then chances are that the Viera would be watching the Exarch the entire time with interest. As it stands at the moment, Theo can only follow him with his ears. It's a good moment to calm his own breathing.
The discomfort he had been handling has eased - be it the promise of things to come or by engaging in some contact - for the time being.
Yet the Viera can still hear the Exarch's heartbeat. The hissing. Then it's hands taking his own and guiding them to the skin of the other's hips. ]
No more interruptions. [ This time it's Theo taking in a shaky breath as he gives a gentle squeeze. ] At your pace. You are. Nervous?
[ Though it is a relief, to hear that he would also want whatever comes to pass. It also creates a bit of a puzzle for Theo - some time means what? He also tugs the Exarch down, this time the Miqo'te will be the one in Theo's lap or close to it. ]
Really... "Whatever it is" implies you are not entirely sure what it is I "wish" of you. So how can you know if those desires align?
Only a little. [ There's no sense denying it. If he does, he runs the risk of Theo assuming worse. The last thing he wants is for it to seem like he's here out of obligation. ] Blind or not, it has been some time since I have stood before anyone like this. But 'tis nervousness only, nothing more.
[ He lowers himself into Theo's lap, holding his breath for a moment as skin first touches skin. Until his legs are in place, straddling Theo's hips at each side, he doesn't breath out. It's only when his weight settles in Theo's lap and his heart starts to settle in his chest that he releases the breath in a long sigh, a little shaky but joyful. ]
I know because I would not be here, were you not trusted. I know you would not wish for anything that did me harm. [ Carefully, he slides his hands up Theo's arms, fingertips sliding over the muscle of them to his shoulders. One hand stays there and one, the spoken one, keeps going. Trails up his throat to tilt his head upward just enough to kiss him, because sitting in Theo's lap makes him slightly taller instead of slightly shorter. ] My wish is to be close to you. That you should be happier for my presence than my absence.
Then I will do what I can to alleviate it. I will also continue to tell you that you have permission to warn me off in the case that I get overly assertive.
[ Because it will come to that. Theo already knows. Can sense it beneath his own skin. It's never been quite this heated or tense before. But then there hadn't been the emotional component before either. He recalls his sisters and mother telling him that it would be so, when Theo had truly connected with someone, but he had always doubted it.
His hands move from hips to the dip in the other's back. Purposefully he ignores the area that he knows the tail to be located at. Instead he focuses on the texture of the Exarch's skin against his finger tips and what muscle is there. Theo's eyes slide to half mast, that soft purr in his own throat from the hands that explore his own skin. Fire is left behind, nerve endings being triggered with the barest of touches.
Then a kiss. One he returns. Once. Then twice. ]
Hmm. Then you needn't worry. It has been that way for some time.
[ Really since the moment that Theo had recognized him. Knew who is hidden behind that cowl. But see with the Exarch being in his lap, the Viera is in a rather good position for what he does next. And that his shower the other's neck with kisses down to the collarbone. Then lift him slightly to press lips against the center of his chest. ]
[ He pauses when Theo repeats his own words back to him. Just for a second. Just for long enough to convince himself that no, the spell worked. The blindness is holding. It's a coincidence, only a coincidence.
No accusation follows. No demand to know why he's lying. Why he's here. Why he deserved to be the one to survive. Just kisses down his neck, over flesh and crystal alike. Hands on his back, lifting him. Lips against his best, close to his thumping, ringing heart.
Coincidence, then. Because even like this, he's certain Theo would never suffer to touch him if he knew. He sighs contentedly, trying to lose himself in the sensation again, as much as he dares. ]
Then it seems my wish was granted ere I even spoke it. [ He bows his head to hiss the top of Theo's, rubbing a cheek against one ear, giving a rumbling purr in response to Theo's clicking one. His tail snakes slowly back and forth, brushing over Theo's legs. ] I shall have to find a new one.
[ Of course. Coincidence. Whatever helps the Exarch keep moving on, even if it is denial. Even if he isn't doing a very good job at hiding himself in the end.
All of that, while it does matter, can be set aside for the moment. Because Theo, too, is having a bit of a time trying to not just lose more of his sense. It's growing increasingly difficult to not lose himself in the scent and sounds that the Exarch makes. The texture of warm skin and cool crystal even as his hands explore and roam over that back. Shoulders. Hips. As if Theo is mapping out the surface and memorizing every little flaw or identifying feature.
His ears fold a bit, to allow the other access to his head. But then that cheek rubs against a year and this time it's Theo's breath that catches. Close behind is a shuddering groan that has him squeezing the other frame tighter. ]
That isn't necessary.
[ Don't find a new wish. This one is fine. Theo would happily grant this one over and over as hands once more find hips and knead the skin. The red mage will press his face against the Exarch's chest, holding onto this person like he's so very precious.
Perhaps- [ And he falters for a moment, when Theo buries his face in his chest, holds him in a way that is somehow both delicate and desperate. Gentle as if he were made of spun sugar, unmoving as if he might be stolen away at any moment. Like he matters. Like the world might stop turning if anything befell him.
He doesn't know what to do with that, but he's lived that desperation long enough to recognise it in another. His voice is softer when he continues. He strokes his hands up and down Theo's back, and it's equal parts comfort and heated, desperate touching. ] -perhaps you are right. In this, there is no need to strive for more. I can bask in the knowledge that my wish is fulfilled and want for nothing.
[ He rubs his cheek against Theo's ear a few more times before kissing along it. Nipping carefully and lightly once or twice as he reaches the end. But he never addressed Theo's concerns from earlier. So he draws back a little - only a little, because a few ilms of distance between Theo's face and his chest is all their position allows. Reaches for Theo's face and guides it upward. Looks him in the eye, blind or not. ]
Worry not, my dear, dear friend. Overly assertive or not, I am not yet so hopelessly besotted with you that I would let yo do aught I did not wish for.
[ He is, of course. There is nothing, near enough, that he would not do for his guiding star. Save for that he knows full well that Theo would not want that. ]
[ The desperation stems from more than one place, of course. First and foremost really is just that need for the warmth another person brings to his bed. A feeling of touch and being touched in return. Theo is feeding off of it, of course. But then the second part does stem from the fact that he doesn't know what the man who had decided to hide is identity means to do. It's far too close to losing a friend again for the Viera to much like it. So perhaps that feeling is slipping into his actions.
But of course it's probably a good thing that his face remains there. Because the attention to his ears is dizzying. If he hadn't any sense left the red mage might have needed to adjust positions because it is maddening. The Exarch can feel how Theo's voice is muffled, as there's that slight echoing sound in the crystalline part of his frame from the biting. There's definitely an airy moan on his lips, though the other can probably feel that open mouth all the same. ]
Hmmm. I will continue to worry.
[ Though now the Exarch gets to see Theo's expression though the reverse can't be said. Flushed skin, making those freckles stand out, and even eyes a bit glazed over. Only a moment though, because Theo is pushing up once more to seek a kiss from lips. Yet this time his hands trail down over hip and bare thigh. Then back around again to, finally, where the base of that tail is. Oh he could move on from touching and feeling the other.
But he can wait. He can wait until the Exarch his comfortable, relaxes, and wanting just as badly as Theo is. ]
[ Of course, he is beautiful. He has always been beautiful, in all he does. But now more than ever, long eyelashes casting deep shadows over his eyes, revealing only the faintest sliver of piercing green. Constellations of freckles.
He is only too willing to kiss again. Bruising in intensity at first - oh, his lips will be swollen later, and visible beneath the hood besides, but it is hardly as if he intends to leave any time in the near future. Then softer, as Theo's hands slide over his thighs, eventually broken by a long sigh.
So far, he's been quiet in all things. His words haven't risen above a whisper. And so the long, desperate groan that leaves him when Theo's hand slides over the sensitive base of his tail is- not loud, by any reasonable standard, but near-deafening compared to any sound to leave him up until now. ]
What- mmn- what might I do, then? [ His hands are still on Theo's face, cradling it as he leans to press their foreheads together. ] To soothe your worries.
[ It's a good intensity. One of those kisses that causes a bloom of heat in his chest. Though who is to say that those lips won't continue to stay bruised throughout the next couple of days. It will be a hard thing not to think about it since those lips are the only feature that is readily able to be seen.
The groan doesn't have to be loud. To Theo's ears it might as well be. Such a sound has them twitching and closing his eyes. He needs to take a deep breath, a stuttering one and he brushes their noses together. Theo is soaking it all in. That itch in the back of his mind being soothed for the moment. ]
Is it too forward to say that touching me in return will go a long way?
[ He's gotten a reaction from that tail. Thus fingertips continue to stroke the base that tail. Two fingers up and down the spine, all the way to that tail and back up again. The other slides up the Exarch's side. Across the shoulder blades and into hair. Theo tangles fingers there, though he wants to go after an ear.
It's like he's waiting for permission for that as well. ]
[ The bulk of his tail isn't particularly sensitive. But the base of it, where it meets his spine, very much is. He arches into the touch. And he doesn't voice any more of his reaction, but even his heavy breathing is soft and warm.
His hands slide downwards. Fingertips ghosting over Theo's neck, then running along his collarbone to his shoulders. ]
I fear that, perhaps, the time when anything might have been too forward has passed. There is very little you could ask of me, lovely warrior mine, that might be improper. There never has been. [ And he lowers his head to kiss at Theo's neck, fingernails travelling down his back now. Lightly. Barely deep enough to leave little fading trails in their wake, nowhere close to leaving even the lightest scratches. ] Certainly not now. Ask what you will, my friend.
[ The more he says it, the more the emphasis seems to be on 'my' and not 'friend'. The kiss grows teeth as he tilts his head so his closest ear falls into Theo's hand, and this one is enough to leave a mark. A faint one, but a mark nonetheless. ]
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sandwichbasket) wrote2021-11-26 01:03 am
no subject
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.
no subject
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. ]
no subject
[ 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. ]
no subject
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. ]
no subject
[ 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.
no subject
Every three to five years. [ Might as well educate then! ] Though I can't say that I've spent that time with another in...
[ In lieu of answering, Theo returns his attention to lips; they had always caught his eye, in truth. But he does bite the bottom gently, giving a bit of a tug before releasing it and pressing another kiss there again. ]
A lifetime. At least.
[ He's not touching anything below that belt. Not yet. Not until permission is given ( or until the Exarch himself decides to rid himself of garments though that's not entirely necessary either. Though at the moment, he quirks his lip into an apologetic smile, knowing that the other can see it even if Theo cannot see him in return. ]
So we may both be somewhat out of practice. Thus... [ Another quick peck. ] Cast your spell or find a way to cover my eyes because that hood of yours must come off.
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Well, no time better than the present to set that lack of practice right.
[ It's a joke, even if it sounds far too sincere to be one. And he lets go of Theo's ear, trails both hands to the sides of his head, sliding fingers over skin as he does. Cradles his face delicately, thumbs pressing lightly over his temples. ]
Blind.
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He leans into the touch, breathing out a little shakily as the sensations are both hard and soft. Warm and cool. It makes his ears twitch and eyes close. Theo trusts the Exarch and knows taht the spell will not go away. So that when he opens his eyes next, there's nothing. Just gray and the ability to differentiate a presence of light or an absence.
Which means that his ears are going to be moving even more, to detect sounds of movement. He holds the hand made of crystal. Chooses this one to press futher against his cheek and then to press lips against what should be a wrist. A sign. A gesture to say that the Viera appreciates every aspect of the person he finds himself with. ]
I suppose I do always enjoy a challenge.
[ It is also meant to be a joke. However Theo is a bit breathless himself for it to be delivered effectively. ]
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So it's the hand of glass that remains, when he needs to withdraw a hand. It stays there, wrist to Theo's lips, as the rustling of cloth indicates that the hood is being pulled away. A very quiet, supressed noise of discomfort as his ears adjust to being able to move again after being compressed under the hood.
He undoes his braid. He's always worn his hair the same way, no need to give unnecessary clues. ]
Perhaps I ought to issue one, then.
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His ears move at all of the sounds that he is being presented with. Theo knows exactly when the hood has been removed. His ears can also pick up the sound of the hair tie coming out, but Theo has no idea what is actually happening, only that movement is. ]
Perhaps. I suppose it might ease things a bit.
[ But his other hand reaches out. He can't see so it's a touch difficult for him to find the Exarch's bare cheek. However it is what Theo is seeking. ]
You will have to help guide me.
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But they combine to form something, because it's not only the fondness he borrowed from G'raha Tia that drives him to sigh contentedly and lean his cheek into Theo's waiting hand. Even if all he said were true, even if they had never met before, he would want this. He would adore the man who brought the night back. He would give much for a chance to express his adoration like this. ]
I should like to do nothing more.
[ He withdraws his hands, taking Theo's free one in one of his own. Fabric rustles again, he swallows. Then he places Theo's hand on a bare thigh, robes pulled up enough that he can guide his hand under the skirts of them. He can't disrobe himself while Theo is still above him, so this will have to do until they untangle themselves at least a little. ]
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He spends the next few moments rubbing that cheek. Thumb sweeping under an eye. Against one of the marks he knows to be there. Theo wonders what the man must look like now with so many years upon him. How have those features changed. ]
Then lead. I will follow.
[ Which he means in more than one way right now. However that meaning might be missed. It's the rustle of fabric that has his attention. He looks down, though he can't see what's going on. Ears move again. Perking towards the sound in keen interest.
Then he can feel the flesh of a thigh. Soft. Theo squeezes while also taking a shaky breath. Slowly. Don't rush. Don't scare off the other as he starts to explore this area as well.
Theo will have to shift soon. Their current position is actually not good on his back and doesn't allow for a decent angle to actually enjoy the warm skin under his hand as it roams. ]
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For a second, it feels like more than coincidence, the way Theo's thumb traces his marking. But no. No. It's simply where the thumb would fall naturally, holding his cheek like that. But oh, it's easy to pretend. Theo's eyes are still focussed upon him, and it's easy to pretend that he can see him. That he knows. That the adoration in his gaze is from looking at him, despite every ugliness the tower has left him with.
It will hurt, of course, to stop pretending. But it will be over, all of it, soon enough. A little hurting will be worth this.
His breath hitches when Theo squeezes his thigh. He sighs in a way that would be a soft moan if it had any voice behind it at all. The thigh is flesh, mostly, with only tiny hairline cracks of crystal creeping down the side of it. If he moves his hand much further back than that, his knuckles might graze fur.
He turns his head to kiss the heel of Theo's palm. Then again, a little higher, trailing up to the pads of his fingers. ]
Let me stand. I think- I think it my be wise for me to disrobe sooner, rather than later.
[ He's not sure he trusts himself to be willing to let go of Theo for long enough to do so, if this continues. ]
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And Theo can't allow himself to articulate that right now. So maybe it is better to be lost and just feel instead of think too much.
He hears the way that the Exarch's pulse changes. The breath and the lack of it. Now Theo won't go too far back, but he will run fingers over where skin meets crystal. Wander down to the bare knee before skirting up the inside of that thigh, back over the top before he can reach anything truly intimate. Stoking fires, perhaps. Teasing in a way.
Then the other is kissing his palm and a small noise gets caught in his own throat. A nod because all of the sudden Theo is feeling a bit light headed. ]
Right. Of course.
[ Oh okay. Right. Which means that he has to kind of get off of the other. Which he does. Reluctantly. It's only for a couple of moments and the return will be that much sweeter. ]
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Best to get that detail out of the way now, embarrassing as it is, so he doesn't need to separate from Theo again. Though no, he isn't going to say what he just fetched unless Theo asks.
Then comes the moving of fabric. The loose material of his robes, first. His heart drums. He swallows. The sound continues a moment after the act should be done, as he folds the robe to calm himself. Then the tighter material of his smalls, and then he's bare before Theo's unseeing eyes. His breath hisses out softly from behind a bitten lip. ]
No more interruption, I promise. [ His spoken hand is shaking just a little as he takes Theo's and guides both of them to his hips. ] Whatever it is you wish of me, know that I wish it too. Have wished it, my friend, for some time now.
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The discomfort he had been handling has eased - be it the promise of things to come or by engaging in some contact - for the time being.
Yet the Viera can still hear the Exarch's heartbeat. The hissing. Then it's hands taking his own and guiding them to the skin of the other's hips. ]
No more interruptions. [ This time it's Theo taking in a shaky breath as he gives a gentle squeeze. ] At your pace. You are. Nervous?
[ Though it is a relief, to hear that he would also want whatever comes to pass. It also creates a bit of a puzzle for Theo - some time means what? He also tugs the Exarch down, this time the Miqo'te will be the one in Theo's lap or close to it. ]
Really... "Whatever it is" implies you are not entirely sure what it is I "wish" of you. So how can you know if those desires align?
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[ He lowers himself into Theo's lap, holding his breath for a moment as skin first touches skin. Until his legs are in place, straddling Theo's hips at each side, he doesn't breath out. It's only when his weight settles in Theo's lap and his heart starts to settle in his chest that he releases the breath in a long sigh, a little shaky but joyful. ]
I know because I would not be here, were you not trusted. I know you would not wish for anything that did me harm. [ Carefully, he slides his hands up Theo's arms, fingertips sliding over the muscle of them to his shoulders. One hand stays there and one, the spoken one, keeps going. Trails up his throat to tilt his head upward just enough to kiss him, because sitting in Theo's lap makes him slightly taller instead of slightly shorter. ] My wish is to be close to you. That you should be happier for my presence than my absence.
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[ Because it will come to that. Theo already knows. Can sense it beneath his own skin. It's never been quite this heated or tense before. But then there hadn't been the emotional component before either. He recalls his sisters and mother telling him that it would be so, when Theo had truly connected with someone, but he had always doubted it.
His hands move from hips to the dip in the other's back. Purposefully he ignores the area that he knows the tail to be located at. Instead he focuses on the texture of the Exarch's skin against his finger tips and what muscle is there. Theo's eyes slide to half mast, that soft purr in his own throat from the hands that explore his own skin. Fire is left behind, nerve endings being triggered with the barest of touches.
Then a kiss. One he returns. Once. Then twice. ]
Hmm. Then you needn't worry. It has been that way for some time.
[ Really since the moment that Theo had recognized him. Knew who is hidden behind that cowl. But see with the Exarch being in his lap, the Viera is in a rather good position for what he does next. And that his shower the other's neck with kisses down to the collarbone. Then lift him slightly to press lips against the center of his chest. ]
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No accusation follows. No demand to know why he's lying. Why he's here. Why he deserved to be the one to survive. Just kisses down his neck, over flesh and crystal alike. Hands on his back, lifting him. Lips against his best, close to his thumping, ringing heart.
Coincidence, then. Because even like this, he's certain Theo would never suffer to touch him if he knew. He sighs contentedly, trying to lose himself in the sensation again, as much as he dares. ]
Then it seems my wish was granted ere I even spoke it. [ He bows his head to hiss the top of Theo's, rubbing a cheek against one ear, giving a rumbling purr in response to Theo's clicking one. His tail snakes slowly back and forth, brushing over Theo's legs. ] I shall have to find a new one.
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All of that, while it does matter, can be set aside for the moment. Because Theo, too, is having a bit of a time trying to not just lose more of his sense. It's growing increasingly difficult to not lose himself in the scent and sounds that the Exarch makes. The texture of warm skin and cool crystal even as his hands explore and roam over that back. Shoulders. Hips. As if Theo is mapping out the surface and memorizing every little flaw or identifying feature.
His ears fold a bit, to allow the other access to his head. But then that cheek rubs against a year and this time it's Theo's breath that catches. Close behind is a shuddering groan that has him squeezing the other frame tighter. ]
That isn't necessary.
[ Don't find a new wish. This one is fine. Theo would happily grant this one over and over as hands once more find hips and knead the skin. The red mage will press his face against the Exarch's chest, holding onto this person like he's so very precious.
Because he is. ]
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He doesn't know what to do with that, but he's lived that desperation long enough to recognise it in another. His voice is softer when he continues. He strokes his hands up and down Theo's back, and it's equal parts comfort and heated, desperate touching. ] -perhaps you are right. In this, there is no need to strive for more. I can bask in the knowledge that my wish is fulfilled and want for nothing.
[ He rubs his cheek against Theo's ear a few more times before kissing along it. Nipping carefully and lightly once or twice as he reaches the end. But he never addressed Theo's concerns from earlier. So he draws back a little - only a little, because a few ilms of distance between Theo's face and his chest is all their position allows. Reaches for Theo's face and guides it upward. Looks him in the eye, blind or not. ]
Worry not, my dear, dear friend. Overly assertive or not, I am not yet so hopelessly besotted with you that I would let yo do aught I did not wish for.
[ He is, of course. There is nothing, near enough, that he would not do for his guiding star. Save for that he knows full well that Theo would not want that. ]
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But of course it's probably a good thing that his face remains there. Because the attention to his ears is dizzying. If he hadn't any sense left the red mage might have needed to adjust positions because it is maddening. The Exarch can feel how Theo's voice is muffled, as there's that slight echoing sound in the crystalline part of his frame from the biting. There's definitely an airy moan on his lips, though the other can probably feel that open mouth all the same. ]
Hmmm. I will continue to worry.
[ Though now the Exarch gets to see Theo's expression though the reverse can't be said. Flushed skin, making those freckles stand out, and even eyes a bit glazed over. Only a moment though, because Theo is pushing up once more to seek a kiss from lips. Yet this time his hands trail down over hip and bare thigh. Then back around again to, finally, where the base of that tail is. Oh he could move on from touching and feeling the other.
But he can wait. He can wait until the Exarch his comfortable, relaxes, and wanting just as badly as Theo is. ]
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He is only too willing to kiss again. Bruising in intensity at first - oh, his lips will be swollen later, and visible beneath the hood besides, but it is hardly as if he intends to leave any time in the near future. Then softer, as Theo's hands slide over his thighs, eventually broken by a long sigh.
So far, he's been quiet in all things. His words haven't risen above a whisper. And so the long, desperate groan that leaves him when Theo's hand slides over the sensitive base of his tail is- not loud, by any reasonable standard, but near-deafening compared to any sound to leave him up until now. ]
What- mmn- what might I do, then? [ His hands are still on Theo's face, cradling it as he leans to press their foreheads together. ] To soothe your worries.
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The groan doesn't have to be loud. To Theo's ears it might as well be. Such a sound has them twitching and closing his eyes. He needs to take a deep breath, a stuttering one and he brushes their noses together. Theo is soaking it all in. That itch in the back of his mind being soothed for the moment. ]
Is it too forward to say that touching me in return will go a long way?
[ He's gotten a reaction from that tail. Thus fingertips continue to stroke the base that tail. Two fingers up and down the spine, all the way to that tail and back up again. The other slides up the Exarch's side. Across the shoulder blades and into hair. Theo tangles fingers there, though he wants to go after an ear.
It's like he's waiting for permission for that as well. ]
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His hands slide downwards. Fingertips ghosting over Theo's neck, then running along his collarbone to his shoulders. ]
I fear that, perhaps, the time when anything might have been too forward has passed. There is very little you could ask of me, lovely warrior mine, that might be improper. There never has been. [ And he lowers his head to kiss at Theo's neck, fingernails travelling down his back now. Lightly. Barely deep enough to leave little fading trails in their wake, nowhere close to leaving even the lightest scratches. ] Certainly not now. Ask what you will, my friend.
[ The more he says it, the more the emphasis seems to be on 'my' and not 'friend'. The kiss grows teeth as he tilts his head so his closest ear falls into Theo's hand, and this one is enough to leave a mark. A faint one, but a mark nonetheless. ]
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