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[Oh, he can get it done with the buttons intact, that is the gospel truth. Not that he intends to do anything more than press mouth and fingers all over what skin is available to him right now, no, he's satisfied with this— but all the same. The look Lorenz gives him makes him smirk, sliding that hand on his waist around to his lower back and pulling him in that much closer. There's nothing more appealing right this second than Lorenz flushed and shivering under his touch, and now Constantin dips lower, to press a kiss just below his jawline.

So: Lorenz is pretty, all clinging and eager, and he makes pretty sounds, and Constantin would very much like more of that, actually, so— hmm!]

You're fairly good with words, aren't you, [Mr. Shelter-in-the-Storm, please--] Talk to me.

[Rate and review, sir.]

Goddess, you wish me to speak?

[Surprised and with a tremulous laugh in the words, a laugh that fades into a pleased little hum when Constantin draws him nearer. Lorenz arches into his touches, gasps, struggles to find words. How dare he ask something that requires so much thought?]

W-why? [Fingers twist slightly in his hair, unsure if he wants to pull the blond closer or beg for a moment to catch his breath.]

Mere words are not half so clever as your lips.

[Hmm, a very good start. He hums and mouths against his neck again, trailing down lower to nip at a spot that could, say, hide behind a slightly higher collar. He's conscientious, see, at the same time that he's eager to hear Lorenz say more pretty things with that waver in his voice.]

You are why— I want to hear precisely how you feel.

[Every little detail, gasps included, that's what he wants to hear. The words matter less than the whole package, hearing Lorenz come a little more undone with each press of lips, but the words are nice on their own, anyway. Flattering already!

So he kisses that same spot again, letting his other hand slide back into Lorenz's hair, gently urging him to tilt his head back a little more and give him some more space here to... explore.]

[Teeth come into play and Lorenz whimpers, pulling himself hard against Constantin for a moment, squirming slightly in his lap. How he feels? How does he explain something like that? Lorenz lets himself be urged back, offers up his throat more, finds the words even harder to speak like this.]

... I feel?

[How he feels? How- more kisses, fingers in his hair, guiding him and another gasp catches in his throat. There's hardly room enough to process all the sensations, the heat of the hands on his body, the warmth of Constantin's mouth. Asking him to string together words that have any kind of sense is absolutely cruel.]

H-hot...? Like ah- a candle flame... [The hand in Constantin's shirt moves to wrap around his shoulders instead, to steady himself, brace himself, breath coming fast and shallow and for a moment he fears he may swoon even without the corset.] warm, burning... the slightest p-puff and I... mmmight cease to be

[Oh, and here he thought he might get a couple shy mumbles - which would still be lovely to hear, mind, but a candle flame is so delightfully unexpected that it makes him chuckle. He slides his hand up Lorenz's back to press between his shoulders, teeth grazing that same spot on his neck more sharply before he kisses the spot tenderly. A candle flame...! This man!]

I couldn't say whether I've ever set someone aflame before...

[That he was told, anyway. Who can say. It's still excellent to hear it from Lorenz, and he hums appreciatively against his neck; it's quite the compliment. A few more kisses, some brief and light and some open-mouthed and lingering, before he adds:]

But no matter; I can use a delicate hand. [He smirks against skin, murmurs the last bit,] I'd be sorely disappointed if you ceased to be so soon.

[The fact that he chuckles makes Lorenz start to tense up, embarrassment flooding his cheeks instead of just desire. The arm he'd just put around his shoulders comes back, giving Constantin a slight shove. There's no real power behind it, no insistence, but Goddess it's embarrassing enough, isn't it? That he's turned to clay in the man's hands, malleable and clinging.

Doing what he'd asked without thought or question.

But then to laugh at him? He barely has time to register any real indignation at it when teeth follow so quickly, startling a moan out of him. A sound that is cut off as quickly as he can, snapping his mouth closed, lips pressed tightly together to stop anything else embarrassing from escaping.

Oh but it's so much harder to breathe this way, teeth biting unforgivingly into the inside of his lips.]

[That shove almost, almost makes him laugh again, pleasantly amused at the fussiness of it. He squeezes his arm tighter around Lorenz instead in a kind of apology, a silent promise to not laugh anymore. He's done, he's good— it's fine.]

Lorenz— [He leaves that spot on his neck alone for a moment, tilting his head up to kiss his cheek, lingering there.] You can still say when.

[Just in case; the man even moans prettily, Constantin could keep doing this until one of them really does burst into flames, but just in case. If not, though... He slips his hand back down to Lorenz's hip, drumming his fingers significantly. What's better than being half in his lap than completely in his lap? Preferably with less shoving.]

[He doesn't actually move, despite the invitation. Just takes the opportunity to lean against him, catch his breath and savor the reassurance that kiss to his cheek is meant to be. Even as he does though he's lifting his hand to cover his mouth, eyes closed, shaking a little.

His other hand drops to cover Constantin's at his hip, gently lifting it away with a shake of his head. No, Constantin. You don't get to laugh at him, however good natured, and then ask for more. Even if he wants to believe it was good natured. He- Goddess this is why he writes and writes and rewrites and in the end still doesn't dare show a soul. If there is any one thing he has anxiety about it is his tendency to wax poetic.]

It's hardly polite to laugh, you realize.

[He tries to let it be light, playful, but he's too breathless and shaken for it to be anything less than sullen. Not that this hasn't been lovely but... it... soured things a great deal when it's followed by laughter.

Still. The fact that he hasn't flounced from the room in a panic or tears says a lot about how much trust he's putting in Constantin right now.]

[Ah, so that is when, huh. Constantin draws his hand away from that hip without protest, catching Lorenz's protesting hand to hold instead, smoothing his thumb over the backs of his fingers.]

You're upset.

[Still a low murmur, not so much kissing his cheek again as sort of... bumping it affectionately. Hold on, he's got words, they're coming—]

I thought it was quite pretty, what you said, and I do very much like spending time with you, so...

[He shrugs one shoulder, pulling back enough to catch Lorenz's gaze with a sheepish half-smile. He's an excitable man; his emotions bubble up and over and he laughs without thinking, it happens. This is certainly not the first time he's been called out on inappropriately snickering before, but in his... defense? This is an earnest attempt to course correct.]

I do mean that, and I am sorry. Forgive me?

[Does he dare seal it with a gentlemanly hand kiss? He does.]

[Of course he's upset... but he leans into the little nose bump regardless. Like a cat, the both of them. Still he sulks a bit more, looking away when Constantin leans back to catch his eye. Not because he doesn't believe him but... because he does.

He's not quite done being melancholy just yet and he knows the moment he meets those lovely amber eyes he's going to smile and melt and any chance he might have had at getting a tad more doting will be gone. It is upsetting though so he doesn't want to just... immediately excuse it.

Lorenz is doomed the moment that kiss lands on his knuckles, still pouting just a little, though he hardly needs to with kiss bruised lips. He finally looks up to meet Constantin's gaze. He wants to call him out on the little white lie in there. Quite pretty hah. But he doesn't dare bring attention back to his own fumbled words and foolishness. ]

You really are lucky you're so charming, you know. Anyone else would be likely to have gotten a hand print for their troubles, not a chance to apologize.

[Constantin is no poet; it endeared him, to say the least, but if Lorenz wants to skip over the actual pretty words part, he's willing. This time when he lets go of that hand to slip both arms around Lorenz's waist it's just to hold him snugly, not pull him anywhere. Apparently he's charming, so he can surely get away with just this, too.]

You're as generous as you are lovely! Perhaps I ought to thank you, as well.

[For not slapping him... how close did he come to getting slapped without even knowing it... Haunting.]

So... are you alright?

[The words weren't pretty though. He knew that and honestly, looking back on it only made him cringe. Metaphors? No, not even. Similes. And that was the best he could come up with? Goddess save him.

But this is nice, too. Just... letting Constantin hold him, shuddering slightly with the aftershocks of sensations that were all too foreign to him. Every brush of his collar or ghost of his hair had him twitching slightly. Enough to have him laughing at himself, a little, embarrassed at how overly sensitive he is to all of this.]

I... am...? Embarrassed but... not as bad off as I could be? [Taking that time to pause, to let him work through things before the actual kissing began on the couch. (Making out? Is that what this is? Was? Oh Goddess what has he done?)]

[Hmm. It is nice to hold him like this, a warm and comfortable weight leaning against him, much as, ah... well, to feel him shiver and see his well-kissed mouth is distracting, much as Constantin is behaving himself right now. He shifts into something closer to an earlier position, when Lorenz had had his head on his shoulder - that's cozy, and cozy sounds good right about now.]

Well, I am undoubtedly glad for that. You needn't worry about me chattering away about this to anyone— I'm not that kind of man.

[He will tell anybody who stands still long enough about his lifetime of trauma, but kissing and telling? That's just gauche! Imagine the gall!]

I appreciate your discretion.

[Yes, this is nice, very nice. Constantin is warm and this is cozy and he's quite content to just snuggle in against him for the moment. Of course as he settles in he has to straighten his shirt a little, fixing the collar, adjusting where his cravat is after Constantin had pushed it down.

His breath catches, surprised when there's a gentle heat to that pressure, nothing substantial, really, but not something he's used to and he finds himself stroking over the spot, fingers sliding over silk.

..... wait....

Did that..... no. don't be silly....

Did he????]

I thought you might.

[A touch amused, but he's serious about that discretion, so it works out. He's happy to sit back together like this and idly watch Lorenz fuss at his clothes, and—

Ah, and.

Constantin purses his lips, gaze sliding... away... to look at the wall. Boy, that sure is a wall. He's never done anything wrong in his life, don't freak out—]

Something the matter?

[All he'd needed to do was keep his mouth shut. Lorenz was thoughtful but wasn't planning to say anything. Brow furrowed, fingers petting over the spot on his throat, a little shiver of warmth rushing through him.

And then Constantin speaks. Not to him, very pointedly not to him.]

Constantin... [A note of warning in his tone. A pause, staring hard at the blonde.] You didn't.

[Ahaha... well, he's done a lot of things today, so that's not very specific! Maybe he doesn't know what Lorenz is talking about, except for how he very obviously does.

He glances back at him, at least.]

Now, consider this... [it was fun? no-] It's a highly discreet location! Your collars are spectacularly high.

Constantin!!

[For a moment Lorenz just curls in on himself, buries his face in his hands, blushing so hard he feels as though he should be outright glowing. His breath rushes out in a frustrated huff and then he's spitting out an admonishment.]

I can't believe you-

[Lorenz pries himself off the couch, striding across the room toward a window that he might be able to catch a glimpse of his reflection in. He's already undoing the knot of his cravat, tucking it into his waistband so he can unfasten the top button and try to see how bad it is.]

[Oh, there he goes—]

It's hardly noticeable!

[Well, it's a mark on his neck, there's no denying that at all. It could be... bigger? Darker? Neither of these are going to help Constantin's case, and fortunately he does realize this.

After a split second he pushes himself up to follow after Lorenz, hovering at his side. It's small, it could be worse...]

I don't suppose being mesmerized by your exquisite beauty is going to get me out of this one?

Hardly!!

[He practically shouts that last, tugging at his collar and looking at his reflection. It's hardly as clear as a mirror would be but it is still clear enough to show the soft red mark on his neck.

Surprisingly, though, Lorenz' shoulders relax and he lets his hands fall away from his collar once he gets a look at it. He's seen enough in his academy days (often on Sylvain) to have expected something large and dark, a heavy purple bruise. This... is actually relatively small and light.

He rounds on Constantin, grabs at one wrist, tugging him in close. Still very much not impressed but not as outraged as he had been.]

What was that? What are you going to tell me to earn your forgiveness?

[Go on, sir. Tell him how beautiful he is. It's a start, at least.]

[Ah, hello— Pulled in close, he looks up at Lorenz with a faint blush, momentarily surprised by the abruptness. He does get over it quickly, lifting his other hand to brush against Lorenz's cheek.]

Only that your beauty struck me so very deeply I could hardly think about anything else! Just look at you— no one could blame me.

[Nobody at all, perhaps not even very pretty men fussed over what he does with his mouth, hmm. Consider it. Constantin's hand drops down to his chest, fingers curling lightly in the fabric of his shirt.]

And as lovely as your sweet skin just so happens to be, I thought, why, I must of course endeavor to make this man feel... good.

[He was there, he heard the noises, he thinks he did a pretty commendable job at that much. Should he add marks under poorly-timed laughter on his mental list of things to avoid? Pity.]

[Lorenz can't help it. He laughs despite himself, smiling and tilting his head in to rest against the hand at his cheek.]

Well I see your flattery gets more... mmm verbose when you think you're going to get in trouble.

[Still the pause, the way he says that last word, it makes his cheeks flush and he glances away briefly. Ah... yes. He did achieve that quite well. Maybe too well.]

Well, is it working? Am I narrowly escaping certain disapproval?

[Eh? Eh? Just look him in the eyes and try to stay mad at him, go on. He shifts his hand to catch a lock of purple hair and twirl it loosely around his finger.]

Make no mistake, I mean every word. And I think you might just agree with me, at least in part.

[Hmm, yes? It was a net positive despite the errant, ah, metaphorical fumbles? He steps sideways, to turn them both and lead Lorenz away from the window. Come away from there, it's fine...]

Certainly not, there's still plenty of disapproval.

[Huff! Don't... play with his hair Constantin. Stop being sweet this instant, you fiend.]

Perhaps escaping a well-deserved scolding...

[Because... fine. Fine! back over to the couch but once they're settled again he swats the blond lightly with his cravat, dropping it into his lap and perching on the edge of the couch with his head tilted up.]

You are going to fix this so that there's not even a chance of glimpsing it, however.

[A well-deserved scolding he can do without, thank you, O Generous Lorenz... Back on the couch he blinks at the cravat, picking it up and turning it over in his hands a few times idly as he watches Lorenz.

Does Lorenz even know— oh, he's being smug and disapproving, sure, this is some kind of facetious punishment, Constantin is certain; but does he know the attitude is also very appealing? From any other prissy noble he hadn't just thoroughly kissed it would be different, but ah...]

What would you do if I said I don't know how to tie one of these?

[He does, he's already scooting closer to do just that, but what if! And if he can't resist brushing his thumb over that little mark he's left as he tugs Lorenz's shirt collar into place, well, don't shove him again.]

I ought to resist encouraging this, but you're pretty when you've won, too.

[Punctuated by a pointed tug to his collar, leaning in to kiss him on the cheek before sitting back to work on his arduous task of cravat-tying.]

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