contact part deux

[bouchonne]

if this were modern times byerly would probably make you listen to total eclipse of the heart before you were able to leave a message

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[bouchonne]

[ A huff of laughter. The only force in the world stronger than horniness: curiosity. At least where Bastien is concerned. ]

Do you have anything in mind? [ With a lightly ironic tone: ] A tour of the finest Denerim has to offer?

[cozen]

Ouais.

[ Because his hand is already on Byerly's butt, that's the location of his chiding pinch. Nothing to be ironic about. ]

Or—no. A tour of stories. Show me where some things from your life happened. Fine or not.

[bouchonne]

Hm.

[ Byerly rubs his thumbs along Bastien's belly. ]

I can do that. But you must promise to not feel bad over the less-than-fine things.

[cozen]

[ Bastien's middle twitches—that is not distracting—but his face is unmoved, eyes narrowing. Half playful, half serious— ]

That is an absurd thing to ask me to promise.

[bouchonne]

Well, I'm hardly going to walk you around if it ends up making you feel sad. I think it's a reasonable demand.

[cozen]

Mm.

[ All the care of a bard who used to make all sorts of verbal agreements he'd be risking his life to break afterwards goes into, ]

I promise to be more glad to know more of you than sad about what I know, and if there is some sadness mixed in, all it will do is make me hold onto you a little tighter sometimes. Not despair or regret knowing. Deal?

[bouchonne]

[ Byerly nuzzles the side of Bastien's neck, a sincere agreement. Then, more facetiously, he steps back, mimes spitting in his palm, and holds out his hand for Bastien to shake in order to seal the bargain. ]

[cozen]

[ After that nuzzling, it is perhaps entirely unforgivable that Bastien spits in his own palm for real, not pretend, and snatches By’s hand for a slimy shake.

Or perhaps entirely forgivable, given all the spit they’ve swapped already.

Bastien drags Byerly back out into the street by their clasped hands. Then he lets go as naturally as if he were just not much of a hand-holder, rather than someone avoiding it in a place it’s a more unusual sight, in their specific circumstances. ]

Where first?