i_speak_softly | Forty-Fifth Theory [Voice/Action]

[A green hand will reach over and close that journal. Don has some ideas in mind for this evening, and there's no way he's going to let any of it get accidentally captured on video.]

[The hand will then move to Robert's shoulder, squeezing gently.] Hey.

[It's okay, Robert was probably finished weeping at the people he wanted to weep at, now.

... Except for Don, of course. He looks up at the turtle with bloodshot eyes, searching his face; his arms, weak as they are, immediately wrap around his smooth sides. He hates this - knowing that in two days his partner will go off to war and there is absolutely, literally nothing that he can do about it. Nobody to protest to, no claims to file, no forms to veto, no Council to discuss with... nothing. He's absolutely helpless.]

...

... W-Will... will you b-be alright? I, I a-asked if, if p-perhaps Ms. D-Daisy would... a-assist you, but, b-but I know you... [He hesitates here, but -] ... c-can fight.

... Wh-why did they have to take you now...?

[Don kneels down, sliding through Robert's grip, but letting his partner hold him. The commandant said the draft would only last four days, but it's sure to be a very lonely four days.]

It was my turn. I'll be fine.

[He hesitates, then asks:] Would... would you feel better if you saw what I can do?

[He's honestly not sure how Robert will answer. He doesn't know if the Terran is ready yet to see that, let alone to take reassurance in it.]

[Lonely for Don, yes... perhaps lonelier still for Robert. His partner, his best friend, other friends that he's made here... torn away from him for four days full of death and terror and constant fear that he'll lose them when there is nothing he can do about it again.

And he doesn't answer the question at first, just holds himself tightly against Don and... considers the statement.

...

Part of him, in some horrifyingly detached logical way, wants to see what he's capable of. Wants to see what will end up hurting - killing - the Third Party. Sapients. Sapients who were just on the other side of this bloody faction between the Malnosso and the Third Party.

...

The rest of him can't even fathom it, is terrified by the thought of seeing it so viscerally - it's one thing to know Don can fight and kill. It's even one thing to see Helios, warped by the AU, try to kill him. It is a whole other thing entirely to see Don, in his right mind, do things that would hurt or kill.]

...

I... ... P-Perhaps, but... [He tells himself that nothing could tarnish Don's beauty in his eyes, that this fighting thing wouldn't change him - after all, he knew Don could do this cerebrally. But... he's never seen a fight, he's never witnessed this kind of thing...]

...

I-it, it would be... th-the... f-first time I have... s-seen anything like it...

Only if you want to. [And he caresses Robert's head gently. He would never do something so unnecessarily upsetting to his partner.] I just want to spend time with you before I go.

[At this, Robert just clings even more fiercely.]

S-So... so do I...

I love you... [It's a soft sentiment, mumbled against Don's plastron with the desperation of somebody with a time limit.]

...

I-I, I will... m-miss you... f-for that time... p-perhaps we can e-exchange... c-correspondance when it is not dangerous...?

I'll call you whenever I can. [Though, knowing they don't even have the luxury of returning to the hotel at night this time, he's hesitant to be too sure the journals will work on the battlefield.]

[He ghosts his fingers over your back, and then:] Robert...?

[He has something very important to ask you.]

[Robert knows that too, which is why he's so hesitant about it. But the idea of even having a chance of communication is important to him.

He looks up at that soft querying tone, replying with one just as questioning.]

... Yes, Don...?

[He's willing to listen to anything right now. Just be with him.]

[He pulls away slowly, bringing his hands back close to himself, before asking:] Will you - be with me? Tonight?

[The euphemism goes over Robert's head entirely.]

... Of course I will, Don... I'll be with you whenever you want me to.

[Robert smiles and curls up against Don, obviously not getting it (though he'd probably react the same way if he knew what it meant, actually).]

... I would be with you forever if... if you wanted me to.

[Don pushes Robert back up before he gets too comfortable. They need to straighten this out first.]

No, be with me. Like you said during the experiment.

[Robert blinks a few times before it clicks.]

...

Ah... [He still smiles, but now it's accompanied by a slight flush.] I... I-I would be... honoured...

... B-But, you are certain you... w-want this now...? [Comfort sex does appeal to Robert right now... he wants the closeness. But...]

[Honored? Really?]

[He continues looking shyly at his knees as he answers.] I don't want to go to war again without - without having done that.

[Yes. Really.

Robert curls up gently against Don, tracing his fingertips across Don's hand.]

...

[Softly:] It... it s-seems... fitting, in a way.

... Though I wish... I wish I was... m-more competent, for you...

[Don accepts the closeness now, leaning around to kiss Robert softly on the cheek.]

You would make me look bad.

Hardly... [Robert presses into Don, taking in his presence almost greedily. He wants him close for as long as possible.

Craning his head upward, he brushes his lips softly against Don's beak.

... He wants this, intensely, but now he's not entirely sure how it's going to work properly. He's full of anxieties - will he accidentally hurt Don? How much does his knowledge of turtle anatomy match up to Don's body? What about Don's aversion to touches?

...

Robert really wants this to... well, work.]

[Don doesn't seem too averse to touching right now, at least. During a momentary separation, he murmurs:] You know I haven't done this before, right?

[Robert nods, letting his fingers stray over Don's plastron reassuringly.] You... d-did inform me of that, yes...

... I w-would... be m-most enthusiastic to, t-to attempt to educate you... [That isn't even just a euphemism, actually. He really would be happy to sit there and educate Don in the... usual sense of the word.

At this point, though, he's more focused on trying to pleasure Don...]

Likewise, I... I f-fear that my knowledge of your body is... l-lacking in some regards, so... please d-do not hesitate to inform me of any problems...

[Don doesn't take it as a euphemism. In fact, if they had more time, he might accept the offer. As it is, he makes short work of mostly-disentangling himself from Robert.]

Your room?

[Whelp. Robert looks minorly sheepish at this as he helps extricate himself from the turtle, and then pulls himself to his feet.]

Ah, y-yes.

... That, er, would be more p-prudent than... anything here, of course...

[Since one or both of them would probably be in danger of falling off the narrow couch.]

[Don will gesture for Robert to go first, then follow him into the bedroom.]

[He leaves his weapons outside.]

[Robert knows that Don isn't expecting anything like a "typical" or "idealized" scenario. Neither is he. But he can't help but feel mildly awkward.

... His bedroom is so boring... sterile, everything organized to a nearly obsessive degree; books (recent acquisitions) lining a shelf along one wall, a small desk, an alarm clock (it looks ancient to Robert but does its job well enough), and a space for his nanocomputer on that desk (as well as other paraphernalia like a lamp). There is a notable lack of pencils.

... Other than all that, and a small bedside table that houses the alarm clock (with a cabinet underneath it), the room is spectacularly bland. It's all in neutral shades - off-white with accents of grays or dulled blues, usually - and all pristine.

It almost seems sad.]

...

I-I, er, apologize... h-had I been a-anticipating this, I might have... [Robert trails off uncomfortably. What exactly would he have done? He's not exactly good at this romance thing.

After a nervous moment, he sits on the side of the bed, reflexively smoothing the sheets as he does.]

[Well, he didn't come here for the scenery.]

[Don has been in Robert's bed before, but not yet when he was in his right mind. He sits on it now, lowering his weight slowly to the edge of the mattress.]

Is there something we're supposed to do first... ?

[Robert looks sheepish, almost. He does tend to think of things in terms of some distinct, numbered, ordered process, but sex belies those sorts of categorized activities.

Still, there is something that is prudent to do, that immediately strikes his OCD-tastic mildly paranoid mind.]

... Ah, well... b-before we... actually engage in any sexual activity, it m-might be a good idea to wash ourselves... n-not that I would expect you to be anything less than clean, of course, b-but... it would make things easier and more hygienic...

[More mumbly:] And, er, b-bathing can... b-be erotic in and of itself, in... s-some contexts.

[So saying, Robert goes to remove his clothing - for the second time. His hands are a little shakier this time, but he isn't any more awkward about the process than he was before - the shaky hands are more nervousness and excitement than anything.

He's definitely flushed, though, in a way that he wasn't when the context wasn't erotic.]

Edited 2011-06-03 02:38 (UTC)

[In fact, Don was in the bath when Raph came to tell him about the draft announcement. But he'll gladly bathe again, especially if doing so brings him closer to Robert, either directly or indirectly.]

[He strips off his own remaining gear, folding it neatly at the foot of the bed.]

A bath or a shower?

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