babermetrics | IC INBOX

Oh please. I am a gentleman and would never put a lady through so much. Though I hear these days, such courtships are supposed to be on more even 'footing' if you know what I mean?

[He's saying it jokingly, maybe with the hint of something else there, because what is the harm? It's likely not going anywhere and he's suddenly in a mood, due to a lot of things.

(And well, for some reason, he really wants to disabuse Leon of that notion, but just out right saying it is crass. And makes it sound like he expects something from it.]

Oh yeah?

[He's not quite sure what William's getting at, but he's ready to pursue it, even if it's just joking around. He's in a mood himself. And it's hard not to poke at his own moods when they're working out, being fun rather than nerve-wracking.]

So you know all about modern "courtships," huh? Like what else? If you've got any questions, I'm your man! I'll teach you all I know, ha ha!

[To be honest, William doesn't know what he's getting at either, but he can figure that out.]

Hah, teach me? If anything, I would be the one teaching you. I think I could show you a thing or two about refinement.

Heh, you got me there . . . I wouldn't really say I'm the most "refined" guy in bed.

[Which isn't quite what they were talking about, but he can't resist taking it there if the subject is refinement. Hell, he wasn't doing a good job resisting taking it there anyway. He grins over at William and leans a little closer.]

That's totally not what it's all about!

Why am I not surprised?

[Granted, it's not like he had really any thought into what Leon was like in bed, but well this was a strange night. But he'll lean in closer anyways, because at least it doesn't feel uncomfortably strange yet.]

Then what is it all about? Enlighten me.

It's about having fun! I swear, man, no one gets it. It's supposed to be fun and feel good or else you're doin' it wrong! I guess I wouldn't know about "courtship," though. But if that ain't fun, why bother with it when you could just do the fun parts? Know what I mean?

[He glances briefly over at his roommate's closed door. He's not coming out or anything right now, is he? Wait, why would it matter if he did . . . they're not, like, doing anything. They're just sitting close together on the couch having totally normal guy talk.]

[William follows Leon's quick glance, but doesn't think much of it. They are having a normal conversation after all. A mostly normal one.]

The fun parts? I will admit that I have never thought about it in those terms, though recently that idea seems nice. Enough that I am curious.

Yeeeah? Really? Soooo . . . you sure there's no girls here you're "curious" about?

[A totally normal conversation. After a brief consideration on whether to tack this on or not, he decides, why the hell not, and presses on:]

—Or anyone else? Y'know a guy like you could totally find someone to teach you how to have fun!

I have a tragic lack of female influence in my life unfortunately.

[He pauses for a long beat Leon's next line. Is this a pathway to hell? Maybe? But he's been on that road since before he was even born.]

...it's a matter of taking the plunge, isn't it? But the idea does have merit, finding someone to, what is it, fool around with?

[He'd just realized lately how finite life was. It was time to adjust his perspective a bit.]

[It is, indeed, just a matter of taking the plunge. Leon hesitates for a moment, and then decides that's stupid. This is William. He trusts William not to totally freak out or hate him, even if he's not interested. This probably won't be that bad even in its worst case scenario, so—]

—So, I'm just sayin', if you ever decided you were into, like, experimenting around, not necessarily with a chick . . .

[His mind stumbles for a moment, not quite ready for the suggestion it thinks it's hearing. Or is pretty sure it's hearing at least. Somehow he hadn't thought the joking would go this way. But well, here they are...]

Perhaps. I mean, maybe. If it wasn't an imposition or anything like that...

[He laughs, embarrassed and disbelieving—but pretty thrilled, too, nervy in the good way—and lifts his hand to wave that off.]

Y-you're kiddin' me, right? I'm asking you if you wanna get laid! I mean—with me! And you're gonna say, "as long as it's not any trouble"? Trust me, if it was trouble I wouldn't offer! It's like the opposite of trouble!

What else am I supposed to say in a situation like this?

[A million other things, definitely. But he leans back a little, because yeah, this is embarrassing, in the way that most emotional openness can be.]

I just... it's not something I had thought about in great detail. Or had assumed you would be interested in offering.

[Granted, hearing "I slept with a man" from Leon hadn't been a thing William would have expected ever hearing either. ]

It ain't like you've gotta decide now, just so you know . . . if you've never thought about it before, maaaaybe think about it and see how that goes?

[He leans back too, a little embarrassed and definitely red-cheeked, but—this isn't going so badly. Right? Maybe William's not interested . . . that'll sting a little, so Leon hopes he'll at least soften the rejection some, but there are worse fates than rejection. Hadn't he just been talking to Rise about that?

He mutters more quietly:]

I definitely thought about it in great detail once? Ha ha!

I will then. Think about it I mean.

[He's not disinterested, that's for sure, though he hasn't actually thought about it much either, beyond those weird thoughts that happen to him when he's around... any man that's even half good looking.

But his head is too fully of too much to just jump in after returning to this place so soon.

But the next line, his eye widen.]

Wh-what? Really?

Yeah, is that weird? You don't mind, right?

[Damn, maybe that was saying too much? He's still no good at judging what to say to guys versus girls . . . here he'd been ready to imply even more than that, because guys know what it's like, right? But maybe that's not how it works.

Not that William's flustered reaction isn't pretty cute, so it's not exactly getting him down just yet.]

...It is a bit of a surprise is all. Hearing that. I wouldn't have thought you would. At all.

[They're friends and all that, but William's aware that his personality is difficult at best. There are probably people Leon knows that are far more pleasant to deal with than himself.

And it's just a bit strange in general, hearing that people think of him that way. At all. William's aware of the possibility, but his mind always likes to avoid directly confronting it. The idea that anyone is actually attracted to him that way.]

It's flattering actually.

You're damn right it is! I've got great taste!

[This fact is highly debatable.

He grins, though, relaxing that the reaction wasn't as bad as he'd feared it might be.]

. . . It ain't like I wanted you to know. And I don't mean to make it sound like I've been pinin' after you for months or something. It's not really that kinda thing!

[Yeah it's best not to think about Leon's taste.

He laughed a little at that though, even though he was still beet red.]

I would hope not! Not after the girls you mentioned. I would be a bit worried otherwise.

Heh . . . yeah, about that . . . things're a little complicated with my love life right now . . .

[He laughs too, and leans against William's side, companionable. It's not like this moment is making things less complicated. Kissing him wouldn't uncomplicate his life. But damn if it wouldn't be nice.]

Oops?

Anything you want to talk about?

[He leans back against Leon wondering exactly what had gone wrong. And if it was something he even wanted to know about? But well, he had asked the question.]

I guess a lot has been happening without my notice.

Heh, 's been a while since we caught up, huh? It ain't that serious . . . I just kinda ended up pulled in all these different directions. You know how that feels? It's nothin' like back home, though. I guess that's the problem?

[He gets comfortable there where he is. A little contact makes everything better.]

I never like liked anyone back home!

For me it feels like it's been months since I spoke with you, so yes. But pulled in different directions? But yes, I have some experience in that...

[Arguably with less romance involved.]

Really though? You never felt that way about anyone before?

[He leans just a tiny bit harder in response to that. Months . . . even though it's not on his side of things, it still feels kind of lonely. He's just glad William hasn't forgotten him or moved on or whatever.]

I mean, I've liked girls enough to get with, and I've liked a few girls enough to really go after 'em, but I've never liked a girl so much I was like—okay, I'm ready to date her! It's like that.

So you can't choose, is that it? Because you have never been in a position where you wanted to?

[He relaxes, feeling comfortable. When he leaves for real, he's going to miss this, a lot.]

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