tramitem_net | (no subject)

"There are a lot of ways to get there. What works depends a lot on the rest of what's going on. I'm certainly not expecting you to turn into a master of shibari any time soon." There's a smile to go with that, largely based on the foregone conclusion that this would be a thing. "But that is another reason I don't like gags. If I can talk and start losing circulation I can just tell you to lighten or loosen it up. Also sort of why breath control and bondage don't really go together - can't tap out if I can't move. Basically, if I've got communication you've got guidance."

Edited 2020-06-08 21:25 (UTC)

Foregone? Oh, yes. The more Bail learned about Ben, the more he wanted to know. The more that attention from Ben felt warm and inviting and a place Bail wanted to rest in.

And the more he really wanted to kiss Ben.

Or lick his fingers. These were two warring physical desires in Bail's head at the moment, and he was going to ignore both - because foregone conclusions weren't the same as consent.

"That much I understand. Safety and consent are the foundation of everything. I can say right now that if you're not comfortable with something, neither am I."

He flashed a warm smile at that, pushed up onto one knee just a bit and leaned over enough to lightly graze his lips over Bail.

"Sometimes, academic knowledge, good instincts and a good heart get you all the important parts."

He settled back then, still in reach and still curled up against Bail at holding his hand, but not pushing for more or pushing it further. Not shy or timid just - comfortable and waiting on reaction.

That kiss was entirely unfair.

Bail knew whatever Ben wanted to give was entirely fair. He couldn't demand anything more.

But that kiss was too fleeting, too light, it felt incomplete, and Bail wanted to chase Ben for that ending. And all of this was probably apparent on his face.

Reaction? "Can I kiss you again?"

He laughed, softly. "You can absolutely kiss me. Especially since I didn't hang around long enough to make this time an 'again'."

It was a really good reaction.

Permission granted, Bail didn't hold back one more second. He leaned over and the kiss he gave Ben was anything but fleeting and light. He didn't plan on pulling back any time soon now that they were here.

He moved his hand - the one holding Ben's hand. He didn't let go, just moved it up to brush his thumb along Ben's cheek. Just more ways to touch in this moment.

After what felt like a satisfying eternity, Bail pulled back just enough. "I've wanted to do this since you showed up in those pants the other night."

He was utterly and completely in the kiss, and at ease within it. He was in no hurry to end it, and there was no demand that it continue. He simply returned it, enjoyed it, and accept it for what it was.

The hand on his face was part of that. Intimate, warm, affectionate - made him feel wanted and grounded and secure all at the same time, and kept his focus completely on Bail. Taste, touch, even, this close, smell.

He groaned softly when Bail pulled back, hand coming up to rest on his chest and - blinked and laughed, low and just a touch rough. "It wasn't intentional, but I won't say I'm sorry. Except maybe sorry you didn't do this then."

Edited 2020-06-10 23:24 (UTC)

Bail smiled. "I didn't know it was a date, then. But I thought about it- I've really thought about it."

His hand free now, he slipped it behind Ben's neck. He kissed him again- the man's mouth was addicting, Bail couldn't get enough. A feeling he hadn't felt for someone in a while, to be honest.

The hand on the back of his neck when Bail returned to the kiss was the point that Ben wanted Bail. Massive hot button, emotionally and physically and the sound that came out of him was, frankly, obscene.

He arched his neck into the touch, and nipped at Bail's lips, leaning in to deepen it and to get his hand on Bail's shoulder. Knelt up in a way that was close to putting him in Bail's lap.

He absolutely did not want sex tonight and wasn't going all the way there but he suddenly really just wanted Bail.

This was perfect, actually. There was something undeniably intimate and satifying with just this. Getting to know each other now on this level. Finding new ways to touch each other- well, to even just touch each other really. But learning how Ben reacted to the back of his neck being touched was a thrilling turning to find so quickly.

There was no need to rush- this could be the point of the thing.

Bail nipped back at Ben's lips in turn and took liberties to find new skin to kiss all they way back to Ben's ear.

Ben made a soft, happily startled sound and then used his hold on Bail's shoulder to pull himself the rest of the way up and--

swung around so he was kneeling across Bail.

He kept his weight mostly resting on his knees on either side of the couch and supported by his thighs, and no contact at all between their, well, more intimate regions, but it gave him the perfect angle to tangle the fingers of both hands in Bail's hair, incline his head for Bail's mouth to explore and, not incidentally, let him lick his way along the line of Bail's jaw.

"How long have you been divorced?"

"Um-" Bail had a moment where he couldn't muster more than that.

His mind was lost in the feeling of Ben's hands in his hair, his mouth and tongue on his jaw and neck, and the glaring lack of contact between their more intimate regions even as Ben straddled him.

That had happen so quickly his mind was slow to catch up. And he really didn't see why it had to.

"Um-"

But Ben had asked. It just took Bail a moment to kick in the part of his brain that did math.

"Six years." And before Ben could ask another question for his distracted mind to trip over he quickly claimed the man's mouth with his. That should give him some time.

He might have been just a little bit smirky while he waited on Bail to come up with an answer for him.

He melted back into the kiss, though and was thoroughly distracted. The hand on his neck definitely bought Bail some time, and so did the fact that Ben could use this position to run his fingers through Bail's hair and trace aimless patterns against the skin just under it.

He made a soft sound, as much content as aroused, and just stayed there, until he had to breathe.

"How many men have you been with since then?"

...Look, there may be a reason people want to gag hm.

Bail enjoyed the reprieve and let himself get lost in the kiss.

The next question was a bit more serious so he pulled back enough to give him space to breathe and find his thoughts. Certainly not mad or put off by the question, he just felt he should give it more serious attention.

"A few- about equal to the number of woman I've been with." Might as well be open about his bisexuality.

"Do you want more precise numbers? Only two partners between then and now were more serious relationships."

He laughed, very softly, and kisses Bail again, tip of his tongue tracing along Bail's lower lip.

"I don't need specifics. I just want to know that you're not rebounding or experimenting." Which was important to his sense of safety. Nothing else mattered much to him, to be honest.

Either one of those would be a set up for pain of a sort he wanted nothing to do with.

Bail instantly understood what Ben was asking.

"I know who I am- you're not some journey for me to find myself. I don't know how this will work out, but I want to see it through because I'm interested in you as a person."

He didn't move to resume kissing because then had a question of his own.

"Does it bother you I have a daughter?"

That news was a relief. It was a relief because it meant he could feel free to invest as made sense and he wanted.

There were no sure things, of course, but not having definite nos at the outset meant that it was worth finding out more, and seeing what could be or would be.

He settled some of his weight back, which was onto Bail, but not overpoweringly so. It just made it easier to look at Bail's face. "Bother? Not at all. It does intimidate me, or to be more specific I am aware that it may intimidate me in the future." Right now it was just a matter of respecting Bail's schedule and knowledge that his daughter was the first priority. Those weren't hard for him.

He had more questions. They were less important than answering this one.

Bail smiled, and then tried to reassure Ben, "She intimidates me, too, and she's just ten."

This part of the conversation Bail was decidedly more relaxed. They needed it and it set a good foundation for whatever was going to happen next between them.

"One of my brothers is a politician- Shouldn't affect me or us or you at all, unless we start a life of crime? Which I don't think we will." He hoped, the future was always uncertain, but he was fairly sure he wasn't going to go down that path.

"Does that bother you?"

"I'm pretty sure being intimidated by kids is pretty normal." At least kids you may have any responsibility for. At least she was ten. Older would be more potentially contentious and younger would be more potential responsibility--

at some point.

The next question made him laugh, though there's some seriousness in his answer. "That depends on what is politics are and how much they come up at family gatherings, but no, probably not. What does your ex wife do?"

"There's a rule that no one talks politics at family gatherings unless it's a very good Trump joke. I don't agree with him on everything but the quickest summation is he is liberal."

He looked for Ben's hands then, found them and held onto them. Then looked back up at Ben.

"She- Catherine works in psychological research." And he figured now was a good a time as ever to explain this part of his past. "We met at Yale, same program and we were both part of the the Peurto Rican Student Organization. She knew what it was like having Peurto Rican grandparents, too." He smiled because it was a fond memory, no matter how the relationship ended. "But a few years after Elizabeth was born, we realized we just," he shrugged, "didn't feel the same way about each other when we first met, more just friends. So we got divorced. I wouldn't say we're still close friends, but she's a great mother and we do our best for Elizabeth. I'm not upset with how everything turned out."

He was more than happy to give Bail his hands and to have them held, though he did return the grip so he was also participatory in the hand-holding. The contact and, in truth, even this position for the conversation were nice.

Comfortable, even.

He does some quick, and vague, mental math. "That's a long relationship. That your still on good terms says a lot about both of you - and the relationship when it was working, actually. Maybe the background in psychology helped." That was a very, very gentle tease. "How's she handled your other couple of relationships?"

"It did," tease or not, the truth was the truth. "A relationship doesn't have to end in happily ever after to be successful. Sometimes people change, sometimes relationships can change, too. Ours did."

Bail didn't think the question was unnecessary, Catherine was still a part of his life in some ways because of Elizabeth, which meant Ben had to factor that in as well.

"She's been fine. She knows I won't knowingly put Elizabeth in harms way which is the only thing she'd been concerned about. She's remarried herself. I like him, and so does Elizabeth.

"Catherine knows I'm bisexual so if you're concerned about how she will react to this," he gestured between them - still holing Ben's hand. "She won't have a problem."

"Am I going to need to get a psychology degree to keep up with you?" That part was a joke rather than actual concern. He was pretty secure in himself, at least, and usually self-aware. That was probably as good as it was going to get.

The rest he went serious at, particularly when Bail mentioned Catherine knowing about his bisexuality. "The important part to me there is that she knows. Don't date the guy in the closet is right up there beside don't date anyone coming out of a serious relationship, with a crazy ex, or experimenting with their sexuality for things I've done my share of and am over."

Not traumatized just - too old for that stuff at this stage in his life.

"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."