tramitem_net | (no subject)

"I think those re healthy boundaries to have," Bail said, probably sounding again like a psychologist. But still the truth.

"I do have one I need to tell you about-" and he really hoped Ben was understanding about this. And he was a bit nervous about the answer because he wanted a specific answer and maybe Ben wouldn't like it...

"I don't introduce my daughter to someone I'm dating unless the relationship is serious. I'm not saying we should make whatever it is we're doing now, an official, serious relationship. But that until we reach that point, I just keep this separate from her. And she knows this rule of mine, too. She'll know I've started seeing someone, I won't hide that. But unless we decide this is a more permanent thing, I just don't bring my dates around her."

"That's fine. Getting entangled in a kid's life and then having to disentangle wouldn't be a good time for anyone including me, and would just plain be bad for her." He doesn't need to be a psychologist to know that.

He brushed his thumbs along the sides of Bail's hands, without letting them go. "That said, I still think you should bring her to watch the show. I probably won't have time to meet anyone, and I think she'd enjoy it." A tiny pause. "I don't like the idea of her missing out on fun time with you because I'm part of it."

Bail really couldn't stop from smiling. Everything about this conversation was affirming.

"Any other questions? Or am I free to resume kissing you?"

He thought, he really did, but -

"I'm sure I'll have more, but they'll probably only come up once you resume kissing me." That is humor, albeit self-depreciating humor.

Or Ben's charming cheekiness.

Bail leaned forward and resumed kissing Ben. Surely any second Ben would pause to ask another question, but Bail was swept up anyways.

He freed one hand to wrap lightly back in Bail's hair and really paid attention to every single aspect of how Bail kissed, and into thoroughly returning the kiss. Learning and even more than learning enjoying.

Until, yeah:

"Are you going to watch me skate at some point?"

Bail didn't really stop kissing, so much as he just moved his mouth to Ben's throat and between kissing there, said, "I would love to watch you skate. But..." he paused to give just barest nip of teeth, "I will look at your ass if you wear those skating pants." Okay, he might stare at Ben's ass even in other pants, too.

He's totally distracted by the mouth on his throat and his thoughts fall apart at the slight edge of teeth. Enough to make his hand on Bail's hair tighten and to make a soft, surprised, happy noise in the back of his throat.

"So watch my ass while I skate?" he suggests, having missed part of the point, probably. "Or come with me and watch my ass while we skate."

Bail's response was a sharp intake of breath when that hand tightened in his hair, though he didn't stop kissing Ben's throat.

"I would do either."

He slipped a hand to the small of Ben's back and pushed their bodies closer together.

He went with Bail pulling him in, but he also paused for a moment there, waiting to see if he needed to say something or if he could just enjoy.

When it stopped there he went with just enjoying the closeness and heat trapped between them.

"I'll put it on the list when it's my turn to date plan again." Then he settled in to paying special amounts of attention to Bail's throat with his mouth.

Bail moaned - yes moaned - when their bodies finally came together. He ducked his face into the side of Ben's neck. His fingers curled into the fabric of Ben's shirt. He needed to breathe a moment.

And he would have done more but just as he was going to do more, the cat jumped up right next to them on the couch, startling Bail.

It made him laugh, but it also made him realize the time. He didn't want to leave. But...

He took a deep breath. "Is this a sign that it's time for me to go...?"

He laughed a little breathlessly, too, but it was also a serious moment and he needed to get blunt and direct right about now.

"This is a sign that I'm supposed to be going to bed. Whether you stay or go is up to you - you're welcome to spend the night - but I really should probably not have sex until I'm less reactive."

They stopped talking about it, but he knew that he was not entirely clear headed after his surprise body modification.

Bail had to agree that that was the most sensible thing to do.

"I respect that... I'd like to spend the night." He dropped a light kiss on Ben's lips.

He pushed himself back off Bail's lap and stood, but held a hand out to him.

Once he was up the cat jumped down and padded toward the bedroom door. "Then let me give you a fast tour so you know where the bathroom is, and let's go to bed."

It was a shame Ben had to get up, but he had an inkling they would revisit this spot again in the future.

He stood up. "Lead the way."

"Bathroom's just there." It was New York, he was single, there were only two doors and the one that wasn't the bathroom was his bedroom.

Which did have that massive, four poster, canopy bed in it. It was also a continuation of a lot of white, though the comforter and curtains in the bedroom were a pale, icy, blue.

"...Are you going to be okay sleeping in your underwear? I'd offer to help, but-" He was nearly six inches shorter than Bail.

Bail found the white an interesting look into who Ben was.

The bed was impressive and not like his own. But the posts had his imagination wondering just how to use them right. Seeing the bed also reminded him how lake it was and that he was actually tired.

"I'll be fine," he said with a laugh. "If you're fine with it."

"I'm fine with it. More than." He was also tired and, with some lines drawn and discussion had not at all nervous in stripping out of his pants and socks and dropping them into the laundry hamper.

The shirt he hesitated about, then left on. It wasn't a matter of shyness, it was a matter of how much he wanted to deal with at the moment regarding those scars.

Stripped down he turned the bedside lamp on and the overhead light off. At which point Elsa jumped up onto the bed to wait for him. "Thanks for staying."

Bail noticed the shirt and said nothing, focusing on his own strip-down: tie, button-up shirt, shoes, slacks, socks. Down to undershirt and underwear. But instead of the hamper, he made sure to fold everything and put them on the chair in the room - he couldn't avoid wearing the same clothes home tomorrow morning, but he didn't need to put in needless wrinkles.

He went to Ben. "Thank you for inviting me..."

It was dark now, but not too hard to see, still, once his eyes had adjusted.

"Can I hug you?" Ya, they'd drawn lines and set some boundaries, but he felt it was still a good idea to ask, given what Ben was going through right now.

He watched Bail undress and neatly fold his clothes with a smile. The man was absolutely gorgeous and the methodical care was... endearing.

"You can." He didn't say of course, because he didn't want to discourage the asking. He stepped over and into Bail, but actually smirked a little at him. What? He'd said Bail could hug him. Him instigating now would be 'cheating' the letter of the request.

But please, please, hug him so he can hug back.

Bail was beginning to understand the shape of Ben's cheekiness. Not pure insolence, but not innocence either. One way to get attention without directly asking. Maybe a coping mechanism to shield him from rejection if that was the outcome...

Either way, Bail was more than willing to initiate the hug he'd asked for. His arm wrapping around Ben, gentle where his hands touched the man's back, but still a firm embrace all around. It was, by far, the most intimate thing they'd yet done. And Bail actually liked that.

"What part of the bed belongs to Elsa? And what part am I allowed to sleep on?"

Once Bail's arms were around him, Ben returned the embrace by wrapping his arms around Bail, leaning in and resting his forehead against Bail's chest with a soft, but deep, sigh.

Deep, contented, sigh.

"Elsa will settle around you, though she usually ends up sleeping on my butt or on my pillow and above my head. You can sleep on whichever side you prefer." The bed only having a headboard against a wall helps that issue. "And you should bring clothes over to leave at some point."

Bail slipped a hand up to the back of Ben's neck to play with his hair.

"I'll remember that- and a toothbrush," he said, "Next time I spend the night."

He looked at the bed, and Elsa.

"I'll take the right side."

"I actually have a stash of new toothbrushes under the bathroom sink. You can help yourself to one of those in the morning."

He was pretty content with the hand in his hair. It had the effect of making him feel relaxed, aware of his body, and in this particular case and after this particular day heavy and tired.

He was reluctant to move but after pressing a kiss to Bail's jaw he moved away to pull down the covers and slide into the left side of the bed, covers held up in invitation.

Bail smiled and followed after Ben, sliding in close. He settled into the bed and from how comfortable it was that he was not long for the waking world. But he propped himself on his side to face Ben, free hand seeking out Ben's.

He did have one more question pop into his head.

"Does our age difference bother you?" It wasn't the same as someone 32 years old dating someone 20 years old, but he still had to ask.