[ The talk of research and confirmation of data might be off-putting, if it wasn't familiar by now. After all, Wrathion was brilliant, and tended to see the world as problems that could be solved. Equations and strategies and histories. Pieces on a board.
But he wasn't as firmly rooted in cold logic as one might assume. Here was the proof, resting warmly against him with the steady thump of a heartbeat against his shoulder blades. ]
[He does not answer right away. When he's approached his feelings on this previously, the response had been different than what he had expected. He does not desire to be taken the wrong way, and so he gives some careful consideration about his answer.
It comes rather simply, with another lifting of his chin to rest against Anduin's shoulder -- and thus, his cheek.]
I was...concerned for you. I knew you would likely be alone in your apartment.
[He had left him alone enough times before. That is the core of it. His opinions on his friends and their shared acquaintances will be unwelcome, even if part of Wrathion feels that context is important. Its not what he needs to hear right now.
[ On its own, his concern had never been cause enough for him to stay. Much less to invite him here, where he could not simply leave when he liked. It wasn't so long ago that Wrathion had turned up on the streets of the city to carry him home to recover. But once safe in his apartment the dragon had left as swiftly as he was able.
How bad off must Anduin appear now? How much did Wrathion really know about what happened? ]
...and offering to tie me up seemed the best way to remedy that?
[ His tone stays light, even as the dragon's curious answer continues to run through his mind. ]
[ Not really. Not in the least. But he does smile as a result, lifting his hand -- and Wrathion's with it -- to brush his lips affectionately against the back of his knuckles. ]
Well, it certainly helped to not be alone.
[ And it seemed he'd been at least partially right. Whether it was the actual placement of the ropes, as he'd mentioned at the start, or whether it was something deeper and more abstract, he'd helped.
Being here with him stills the disquiet in him, if only for a little while. ]
[He feels Anduin shift and the soft press of his lips, which brings him back to the reality that this is purely a temporary state of affairs ... as always. Wrathion exhales softly at his back, lifting his chin away from the other man's shoulder to allow him the small affections he requires.
He could admit that they felt nice, even if he knew they could not last for more than a few hours at most. More important is the information Anduin gives him verbally.
As predicted, it had more to do with his presence than what they were doing.]
My door will remain open to you ... should you find it required, in the future.
[He's done more than enough to prove that he knows the value of discretion between them -- enough that some of the closest between them appear to still believe they are largely unacquainted with one another.
[ Anduin falls quiet again, knowing that while this might have been sorely needed...he can't trust himself to know when he'll need to pull back again. His instinct is always to forge ahead, to push through whatever troubles or obstacles lay before him, and deal with whatever happens to him as a result as a secondary.
But that's a weight he's not willing to let Wrathion carry. Surely he has enough to worry about. If he's already concerned enough to invite him here of his own accord, then that will have to be enough.
Instead, the young king press his lips to the dragon's hand again, this time to the edge of his palm, the heel of his thumb. ]
What about this?
[ The ropes had been...enlightening. More than enjoyable. But perhaps Wrathion's desire for research been sated, and thus his interest in that particular diversion diminished. ]
[Wrathion's resulting chuckle is low and amused. But he gives the question some thought anyway, fingers flexing around Anduin's when his lips come to press against his palm.]
I believe...I am fond of it.
[Even beyond the supposed benefits he'd been informed of, experiencing it and exploring it ... the intimacy, combined with the art and academic applications. It was so uniquely engaging in a way that other activities had not been.
And in reviewing all of that, he finds his head resting back against Anduin's as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.]
Is that odd?
[It feels like it is, given how the king had vocalized his particular train of thought.]
[ Anduin can feel that chuckle resonate in Wrathion's chest, where they're still pressed close, and the sound is another one of those little details he's going to store away for later.
A simple thing, but still his. Still theirs. ]
Relatively speaking?
[ A huff of laughter catches in the crease of his palm, before his lips press there as well. And again, further down, at the hollow of his wrist. ]
And you? I imagine it is a bit different, on the other end of things.
[Obviously, all signs had pointed to the fact that it was enjoyable. But Wrathion isn't quite so dense not to recognize that it was not necessarily the rope that had done all the work.
This had been somewhat out of the dragon's usual comfort zone, in terms of intimacy. But it allowed just enough control of himself and the level at which he chose to engage that had helped him be more open.
Knowing the difference was...probably the root of the question.]
Edited (my s key went on strike) 2021-02-21 20:53 (UTC)
[ How to explain in a way that makes sense. Getting out of his own head for a change, not having to worry about anything but what he was told or asked to do. No second-guessing. All he had to do was trust that Wrathion would take care of things.
Which might have been a taller order before arriving in the city. But now? Some of those old hurts do honestly feel as if they're on the way to healing. ]
It felt good. Just focusing on what you were doing. I think you might have been onto something, with your research on pressure points.
[ As he unconsciously shifts his legs ever so slightly, brushing against Wrathion's calves as he does so. ]
Well, if his majesty thinks so, surely it must be true.
[There is a tone that he applies to that statement, playfully offended. As if he would ever do anything half-way, when it came to matters of research and application of it. One hand peels off of Anduin's in order to reach up and ruffle his blond hair, pushing it into his eyes.]
[ There's a huff as his hair is shoved into his face, already untidy but now completely blocking his view of the dim room. Luckily he doesn't need to see far to swat idly at Wrathion's hand. ]
As the subject of your little experiment, I think I have a say.
[Though Anduin cannot see his smile, he offers a very light scoff as his hand is swatted away. It is promptly held up in surrender, and his mouth rests back against his shoulder.]
But of course, to answer your original question, if you ever have need of such experiments again...I would be so happy to oblige.
[ He takes a deep breath, reaching to push the loose, fine strands of blond back out of his eyes. For all of the good it does seeing in the room.
Not that he needs to. His hand falls back against Wrathion's, where the dragon's arms are still wound around him, and a smile creeps across his lips. ]
[In response, Wrathion's lips peel back slightly to press his teeth into Anduin's shoulder where his mouth had been resting -- not enough to cause pain or pierce skin, but enough to demonstrate his affection for the idea. And for the young king.
He could have no greater affection than knowing he was worthy of that praise, that something he'd done had helped rather than hindered. Anduin was not the only one who had needed this, apparently -- even if he would not vocalize it in quite the same way.
Speaking of what Anduin needed:]
I read that the individual doing the tying is meant to provide care for the one being tied after the fact, but...
[Well. Now they are both sticky, and wrapped up in one another. Perhaps that was its own form of care.]
[ By now, the press of his teeth is a familiar thing, though this is far gentler than he's been before. He still takes it for what it is, sighing contently and squeezing his arm in much the same fashion. ]
Rest assured, I feel quite cared for at the moment.
[ The physical marks, he can heal on his own. There's cleaning up, getting water, all the things that should be included in aftercare according to his studies.
But they've never been conventional about anything before. Why not also this? ]
[Though, in truth, he was beginning to get drowsy. The exhaustion, the warmth, the unfamiliar feeling of calm and safety. It was a recipe for disaster. But there were no additional eyes in his flat, at least, no easy way to be caught. It wouldn't hurt them to lay there a bit longer, wrapped in this embrace.
The dragon curls in a little tighter to Anduin's grip, and allows his eyes to drift shut.]
[ It goes against their rule. They've been so careful up to this point, so deliberate in when and how they spend their time together.
But in the warm light of Wrathion's bedroom-turned-den, and with the radiant heat of the dragon's embrace as warm as a crackling hearth at his back, it's impossible to resist the tugging threads of exhaustion that have weighed on him. The last thing that crosses his mind as he closes his eyes is the idle thought that maybe, just maybe--
I guess if they tell you but... what if they don't?
--he might have an answer, now.
And Anduin, for the first time in days, sinks into a sound and peaceful sleep, tangled in the arms of the Black Prince. ]
When he wakes, there is a tackiness upon their skin that causes an uncomfortable sensation to slide down his spine when he shifts himself. Immediately, he becomes aware of the fact that he had, in fact, fallen asleep. He was awake now because his mouth was try, and his body craved water.
Anduin was still there. They had broken their rule.
In less serious offenses, he might have said something along the lines of "rules were made to be broken", but this -- this put them at risk. It was why the rule had been established in the first place.
He should wake him.
Instead, he merely contemplates waking him while carefully unwinding one of his arms from Anduin's grip upon him. It is a challenge to engage in minimal movement while he rolls back to reach for the water bottle he had left on the bedside nightstand. The bottle tips into his hand after some creative maneuvering, and he uses his teeth to pull the cap off to drink from it.
And then he looks back down at Anduin, sleeping so soundly that he can barely see him breathe and for a while, he just watches him, attention drifting between the water and the blacked out window, where it is impossible to see the hour of the day.
Somewhere between all of it, he lets his eyes drift shut again. He would wake eventually, and then they would manage the problem.]
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no subject
But he wasn't as firmly rooted in cold logic as one might assume. Here was the proof, resting warmly against him with the steady thump of a heartbeat against his shoulder blades. ]
Why did you?
no subject
It comes rather simply, with another lifting of his chin to rest against Anduin's shoulder -- and thus, his cheek.]
I was...concerned for you. I knew you would likely be alone in your apartment.
[He had left him alone enough times before. That is the core of it. His opinions on his friends and their shared acquaintances will be unwelcome, even if part of Wrathion feels that context is important. Its not what he needs to hear right now.
A concept that he is still learning.]
no subject
How bad off must Anduin appear now? How much did Wrathion really know about what happened? ]
...and offering to tie me up seemed the best way to remedy that?
[ His tone stays light, even as the dragon's curious answer continues to run through his mind. ]
no subject
Less so, when you say it like that.
[But given that it had helped -- or, perhaps more accurately, the intimacy with him that came with it had helped ... did it matter so much?]
no subject
Well, it certainly helped to not be alone.
[ And it seemed he'd been at least partially right. Whether it was the actual placement of the ropes, as he'd mentioned at the start, or whether it was something deeper and more abstract, he'd helped.
Being here with him stills the disquiet in him, if only for a little while. ]
no subject
He could admit that they felt nice, even if he knew they could not last for more than a few hours at most. More important is the information Anduin gives him verbally.
As predicted, it had more to do with his presence than what they were doing.]
My door will remain open to you ... should you find it required, in the future.
[He's done more than enough to prove that he knows the value of discretion between them -- enough that some of the closest between them appear to still believe they are largely unacquainted with one another.
He could loosen the reins just a smidge.]
no subject
But that's a weight he's not willing to let Wrathion carry. Surely he has enough to worry about. If he's already concerned enough to invite him here of his own accord, then that will have to be enough.
Instead, the young king press his lips to the dragon's hand again, this time to the edge of his palm, the heel of his thumb. ]
What about this?
[ The ropes had been...enlightening. More than enjoyable. But perhaps Wrathion's desire for research been sated, and thus his interest in that particular diversion diminished. ]
no subject
I believe...I am fond of it.
[Even beyond the supposed benefits he'd been informed of, experiencing it and exploring it ... the intimacy, combined with the art and academic applications. It was so uniquely engaging in a way that other activities had not been.
And in reviewing all of that, he finds his head resting back against Anduin's as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.]
Is that odd?
[It feels like it is, given how the king had vocalized his particular train of thought.]
no subject
A simple thing, but still his. Still theirs. ]
Relatively speaking?
[ A huff of laughter catches in the crease of his palm, before his lips press there as well. And again, further down, at the hollow of his wrist. ]
No more so than anything else here.
no subject
[Obviously, all signs had pointed to the fact that it was enjoyable. But Wrathion isn't quite so dense not to recognize that it was not necessarily the rope that had done all the work.
This had been somewhat out of the dragon's usual comfort zone, in terms of intimacy. But it allowed just enough control of himself and the level at which he chose to engage that had helped him be more open.
Knowing the difference was...probably the root of the question.]
no subject
[ How to explain in a way that makes sense. Getting out of his own head for a change, not having to worry about anything but what he was told or asked to do. No second-guessing. All he had to do was trust that Wrathion would take care of things.
Which might have been a taller order before arriving in the city. But now? Some of those old hurts do honestly feel as if they're on the way to healing. ]
It felt good. Just focusing on what you were doing. I think you might have been onto something, with your research on pressure points.
[ As he unconsciously shifts his legs ever so slightly, brushing against Wrathion's calves as he does so. ]
no subject
[There is a tone that he applies to that statement, playfully offended. As if he would ever do anything half-way, when it came to matters of research and application of it. One hand peels off of Anduin's in order to reach up and ruffle his blond hair, pushing it into his eyes.]
no subject
As the subject of your little experiment, I think I have a say.
[ You jerk. ]
no subject
[Though Anduin cannot see his smile, he offers a very light scoff as his hand is swatted away. It is promptly held up in surrender, and his mouth rests back against his shoulder.]
But of course, to answer your original question, if you ever have need of such experiments again...I would be so happy to oblige.
no subject
[ He takes a deep breath, reaching to push the loose, fine strands of blond back out of his eyes. For all of the good it does seeing in the room.
Not that he needs to. His hand falls back against Wrathion's, where the dragon's arms are still wound around him, and a smile creeps across his lips. ]
...I think it's exactly what I needed.
no subject
He could have no greater affection than knowing he was worthy of that praise, that something he'd done had helped rather than hindered. Anduin was not the only one who had needed this, apparently -- even if he would not vocalize it in quite the same way.
Speaking of what Anduin needed:]
I read that the individual doing the tying is meant to provide care for the one being tied after the fact, but...
[Well. Now they are both sticky, and wrapped up in one another. Perhaps that was its own form of care.]
no subject
[ By now, the press of his teeth is a familiar thing, though this is far gentler than he's been before. He still takes it for what it is, sighing contently and squeezing his arm in much the same fashion. ]
Rest assured, I feel quite cared for at the moment.
[ The physical marks, he can heal on his own. There's cleaning up, getting water, all the things that should be included in aftercare according to his studies.
But they've never been conventional about anything before. Why not also this? ]
no subject
Then I suppose that is all that matters.
[Though, in truth, he was beginning to get drowsy. The exhaustion, the warmth, the unfamiliar feeling of calm and safety. It was a recipe for disaster. But there were no additional eyes in his flat, at least, no easy way to be caught. It wouldn't hurt them to lay there a bit longer, wrapped in this embrace.
The dragon curls in a little tighter to Anduin's grip, and allows his eyes to drift shut.]
no subject
But in the warm light of Wrathion's bedroom-turned-den, and with the radiant heat of the dragon's embrace as warm as a crackling hearth at his back, it's impossible to resist the tugging threads of exhaustion that have weighed on him. The last thing that crosses his mind as he closes his eyes is the idle thought that maybe, just maybe--
I guess if they tell you but... what if they don't?
--he might have an answer, now.
And Anduin, for the first time in days, sinks into a sound and peaceful sleep, tangled in the arms of the Black Prince. ]
no subject
When he wakes, there is a tackiness upon their skin that causes an uncomfortable sensation to slide down his spine when he shifts himself. Immediately, he becomes aware of the fact that he had, in fact, fallen asleep. He was awake now because his mouth was try, and his body craved water.
Anduin was still there. They had broken their rule.
In less serious offenses, he might have said something along the lines of "rules were made to be broken", but this -- this put them at risk. It was why the rule had been established in the first place.
He should wake him.
Instead, he merely contemplates waking him while carefully unwinding one of his arms from Anduin's grip upon him. It is a challenge to engage in minimal movement while he rolls back to reach for the water bottle he had left on the bedside nightstand. The bottle tips into his hand after some creative maneuvering, and he uses his teeth to pull the cap off to drink from it.
And then he looks back down at Anduin, sleeping so soundly that he can barely see him breathe and for a while, he just watches him, attention drifting between the water and the blacked out window, where it is impossible to see the hour of the day.
Somewhere between all of it, he lets his eyes drift shut again. He would wake eventually, and then they would manage the problem.]