ashenputtel | IC Inbox

Balthus I need your help

Ashe? What is it, pal? Something wrong? You're not in trouble, are you?

Not in trouble exactly

But

[He's screaming internally about how to ask this.]

You know when you were in my dream because of what you transformed into?

Well I have a problem because of what I turned into

Ohhhhhhh. Oh, okay. So it's a gem thing? Or a, uh...I guess a creature thing?

Don't worry, I'm here for you. What can I do to help?

I

Well

help im horny

Oh, yeah, that does feel kind of weird, doesn't it? Just do what I did and put some socks on 'em, then it won't hurt so much if you keep bumping 'em!

[...horns...horny...]

[BALTHUS PLEASE]

No not that!!!

I want to have sex please!!!

Oh. OH.

[oh, well then.]

With me, really? I mean, if you're sure about it, then yeah, of course I'll help you out. I'm just a little surprised, is all.

Yes with you

You're nice and you're my friend and you're really really handsome

Most of all I feel really comfortable around you.

Aw, pal. Then leave it to me, I've got your back.

[That's not all he's gonna have before this night is through /careless whisper]

You want me to head over to your place? Wait, you're staying with the professor, right? Maybe you want to come to mine instead?

Oh. Yeah that'd be good

I dont think he'd care but I dont want to bother him or anyone else

I'll come as soon as I can

[hell yeah he will EHHHH]

[And sure enough, just like before, Balthus is hanging out on his little balcony watching for Ashe's arrival, this time with a beer bottle dangling from his clawed fingertips and his wings tucked back against his shoulders.

If anything, he seems a little lost in thought, but it's Balthus, so it's not exactly like he has to wander very far into the proverbial mental forest before he's hopelessly lost, after all.]

[There's the click on the pavement as Ashe makes his arrival, hooves instead of boots. Nervously, his tail flicks, and he looks up where Balthus is waiting.

Shyly, he holds up a hand.]

H-hey, Balthus.

Hey, bud.

[He raises his bottle in silent suggestion of a toast, leaning on the railing and peering over at him. Like Ashe, he's also barefoot — albeit with the thick scales that run up his feet and legs to his knees, which are essentially boots to begin with — and he's very definitely only wearing a short pair of cutoffs, because...well. Wings.]

C'mon up. Growlst will get the door for you.

[Right, Growlst. A little more comfortable, Ashe smiles up at Balthus before he gets to the door. Right on time, the vine opens the door for him. Ashe slides his fingers over the consentacle.]

Hi Growlst. Thanks for letting me in.

[Ashe steps inside, letting out a breath. He's glad that Balthus doesn't seem to mind about any of this.]

[The apartment is, as ever, a comfortably cluttered little hole in the wall with a feel of a brick-walled basement to it. It's roughly the same as it was on the night Ashe slept over — the blanket he'd borrowed is still draped haphazard over the back of the couch he'd slept on, even — save for a knotty, sun-bleached old piece of wood that's been propped up like a trophy on a tabletop against one of the far walls.

As Balthus comes in, Growlst squiggles over and forms a little lump with the end of his tendril, which Balthus reflexively bumps his fist against as he goes by. Mollified, the tentacle wriggles back towards its pot, pausing only to brush approvingly against the back of Ashe's hand along the way.]

So.

[Soooooooooooooooo.]

I don't want to be nosy or anything, here, but...like you were saying, I want you to be comfortable. So I hope you weren't hoping I'd just put you against a wall and ravish you, or anything like that. Figure we'll take it a little slower to start with, yeah?

[Well, the board is new. Ashe looks at it, baffled for a moment before he sees Balthus. The psuedo-fistbump is endearing, and he stifles a laugh as he watches it. What the hell, that's cute.

Right. So!]

O-oh. No, I'm... fine with talking it out. Just bear with me, I still kind of have a hard time talking about this stuff.

Slow is good.

All right. C'mon over here.

[He beckons faintly, motioning Ashe over to the couch before taking a seat himself. There's plenty of space next to him to occupy, if Ashe so chooses, but on the other hand...

On the other hand, Balthus is manspreading like he always does, except this time it's in what seems to be an inviting way.]

You can take the chair, if you want it. Or the couch. Or just sit in my lap; it's really up to you.

[Is it too fast to sit on the offered lap? Well, if it was, he supposes that Balthus wouldn't have offered and he does want to be there very badly. Though still bashful, Ashe edges closer until he settles on the offered leg, leaning lightly against Balthus.]

Like this?

[He sure hopes so.]

Hey, you tell me. Is it comfortable for you?

[Even as he says it, he's moving one hand slightly to settle at the small of Ashe's back, while the other curves lightly around his knee. He's not really holding him so much as just giving the suggestion of it, taking it gradually while they figure each other out.]

Don't feel bad if you're a little shy. Nothing wrong with that. I bet once you warm up, though, you're a real firebrand, right?

[The touches don't bother him. If anything, Ashe relaxes a little more, then he lets out a soft laugh at the suggestion, his cheeks pink.]

I wouldn't say that.

Look, I... I'm really grateful you're willing to help me out. I think you're kind and handsome and... and so strong. But I also sort of... hope that maybe you find me a little bit attractive too?

[That's his only bit of reluctance in all of this, truthfully.]

[I don't need you, he remembers Ashe's nightmares saying. Nobody needs you, I'll never be good enough for anyone. And now, like this, he hears it again: he hears it in words like grateful and maybe and hope.

Maybe it would've been better if he'd never heard those things. Any answer he gave would've been more genuine then, less influenced by other things he knows. But like this, he knows exactly what damage a wrong answer could do, and so he takes an extra minute to be sure he's finding one that's honest, but also mindful, in its own way.]

Do you want to know what I'd be telling you, if we didn't already know each other and you wound up in my lap like this?

[He smiles, a kind of lazy crooked grin, and his gaze doesn't leave Ashe's face.]

I'd say something like, "Y'know, I didn't know stars could fall, but you've got two of 'em for eyes." And then I'd try to get you to smile, 'cause it's a little dark in here, and that'd brighten it right up.

You've got a lot to be confident about. If the guy you're with isn't looking at you like you hung the moon in the sky, then he's the one who doesn't deserve you, pal. Not the other way around.

[That kind of pick-up line makes Ashe laugh quietly, ducking his head as he looks at Balthus, more at ease. It's that kind of thing that reminds him a bit of Sylvain, but in a good way; Sylvain would say things to compliment Ashe, calling him handsome and reassuring that after everything they would still be friends. And really, that's the most important thing he could ever ask for.

He takes one of Balthus' hands, pressing his cheek into the palm of it, minding the scales and claws and all.]

You really are very sweet. Anyone would be lucky to be with you. So, I'll count myself that much, too.

Thank you.

Ha — got you to loosen up, didn't I?

[With his hand up against Ashe's face, he's perfectly situated to run the side of his thumb over the curve of Ashe's cheekbone, stroking softly.]

I don't want you to be grateful right now. I want you to be interested in me, too.

[He winks.]

You saying it doesn't bother you, that I've made you wait this long without a kiss?

[A warm smile beams on Ashe's face at the thumb, and his blush returns swiftly. Ah, how can he say that he's been interested for awhile now? Balthus has an impressive body and heart alike -- and all the times Balthus checks his crotch gem does not help. Or it helps. Hard to say.

The wink makes him giggle, and he leans in closer, hesitantly putting his hands against Balthus' impressive chest.]

Then kiss me already.

IC Inbox | noctiumrp

text; un: arrow.of.justice

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