i_speak_softly | Forty-Fifth Theory [Voice/Action]

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?

Showers are more efficient, but... [Shyly:] Well, the l-last time I suggested this was in the m-middle of a bath, so... p-perhaps it would be... fitting.

[Only he's his scrawny little human self this time. How can Don find this appealing...? He wonders whether he should even try to question it.

... Wait, he always questions everything. Of course he should.]

... I-It depends on which you p-prefer, of course...

A bath is fine with me. [He leans over to kiss whichever part of Robert's face is convenient, then goes into the bathroom to start running the water.]

[Robert follows rather closely, making a point of sticking close to Don. Naked, his body heat is a lot easier to discern - for obvious reasons, since he isn't covered by several layers of fabric - and he takes advantage of this by pressing his slender form into Don's sides, cautiously stroking his shell in little patterns that mimic the ones on the smooth surface.

... His shell is really beautiful, actually. Maybe it isn't flawless - nothing in nature is flawless, really - but it has a weathered beauty reminiscent of some craggy surface, like an oceanside cliff face.]

... Y-You're so beautiful, Don... [He murmurs this while tracing Don's carapace with slow tenderness.

It doesn't even occur to Robert how strange this might sound to an outsider, or even to Don himself.]

[Don sits on the edge of the tub, and looks back up at Robert with a bright but nervous smile. His partner's body heat has reminded him - a comfortable bath temperature for a turtle might feel too cold to a human.]

[He gestures to the running water.]

Is this warm enough for you?

[Distracted from the whole being-sappy thing for a moment, Robert leans over to sample the temperature of the water. It is slightly cooler than what he's used to...]

Hrm... a bit warmer would be nice, but... I would not wish to make you uncomfortable either...

[Besides, Robert doesn't depend as much on the heat of the water.]

I ought to learn exactly what the most comfortable temperature is for you... [Robert tries too hard.]

[These are tangents Don doesn't want to go on right now. There are conversations they'll have to have in the fall, but... they don't need to have them tonight.]

[He reaches over and turns up the hot water a little.]

After you.

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