( date night is happening, dammit )

[goldspecktacles]

Who: Elliot, Leo, + anyone they ask for help
What: These boys want to have a date but they're too Victorian
When: July 28th.
Where: Their/Yuuto's/Mu's House




It's been well over a year since they had confessed their feelings to each other. A year of trying to figure out courtship while navigating a modern world and fresh serving of traumatic experiences. And to be quite frank, Leo is tired of putting his relationship with Elliot second. He knows about the theatre's script change and recognizes that his friends are in danger, but he cannot keep letting stressful things distract him from Elliot.

They're having a date tonight.

Yuuto and Mu are being evicted for a night.

That part took a long time, too. Mu was happy to go stay with Satou for a night, where she would no doubt try to bond with a reluctant Chron and eat cloves of garlic like popcorn, but Yuuto required a crowbar to get him out of the house. Leo waves Yuuto and Mu off at the front door, smiling politely and bidding them a good night...

Then slams the door shut.

Finally. They're alone.

...

...

................ now what.

Comments

[rejectedchain]

“They’re gone? You really managed to kick Yuuto out?”

Elliot watches the whole exchange, still dubious despite witnessing it himself. Leo hadn’t intimidated Yuuto at some point, had he? That thought is quickly shrugged off. Maybe he should be more concerned, but he’s just glad they’re finally alone.

They’re alone.

…Oh.

He’s been so preoccupied with his impatience that he almost forgot to be nervous. Now that there is nothing to distract him from Leo, he’s been helpfully reminded that he has almost no idea what he’s doing.

After staring for a moment, he finally steps over, putting his hands on Leo’s shoulders, gingerly and gentle. He wants this, they’ve certainly earned it. Anyway, there’s no way he’d let Leo one-up him.

[goldspecktacles]

Leo’s exasperated sigh comes with a teasing smile, “I invested some Starling and favors into hiring a babysitter.”

He means this as a joke, of course. Leo doesn’t think of Yuuto as incompetent or needing to be taken care of in that way. If anything, the issue was that Elliot’s elder brother dotes too hard and may be addicted to taking care of others.

Feeling Elliot’s touch, Leo’s teasing expression falls to a soft gasp. They’re alone. Even in their last apartment, Leo never had a chance to be alone with Elliot. They were both doing their best to play grown-up for the children living with them. He didn’t even have time to imagine intimacy.

Now it just takes one touch for his imagination to run wild. Leo isn’t used to feeling his face turn this red.

“We have the whole night to ourselves, then. Shall we..?” Do what? Leo has ideas, but he needs to recover his confidence before voicing them.

[rejectedchain]

How long had Elliot pushed his feelings aside, convincing himself that he would want nothing more than Leo to remain his best friend and valet? The option that they could not only be together, but intimate wasn't something he thought possible. Not until they both ended up here, where suddenly everything became possible. Elliot was torn. He wanted to honor Leo, his feelings and tradition, but no one else here expected that of him. He wasn’t a patient person on a good day. The pang in his chest had only gotten worse, but there were always distractions. Sometimes it felt like the world was orchestrating to keep them both apart.

Now there were no excuses or distractions, other than his own thoughts. He can’t help but imagine what sort of expression Leo was making-how he would react later. Would his eyes grow intense like storms, or would he become more shy? Elliot isn’t sure if he can wrap his head around the latter…is he still stalling?!

Without everyone else, the house is uncharacteristically quiet. Leo’s gasp echoes in his very being, provoking that longing and overshadowing any reservations. Before he can convince himself otherwise, he turns Leo around so that they’re facing eachother so he can almost blurt out something stupid.

“…Your face is red,” He notes, his voice dropping softly. He can’t tear his eyes away.

[goldspecktacles]

Leo feels himself being turned around. And he allows it. Looking into his lover's blue eyes hits different now. He knows full well why they are alone tonight; They both worked hard to clear the house for a reason. They've both expressed that they want this and that they want it tonight.

So why is he suddenly feeling so shy?? Leo forces a pouting frown when Elliot mentions his face is red. Like he needed to say that aloud... Leo can feel the burning heat just fine, thank you.

Before Elliot can say anything else that makes Leo feel more shy, he pushes himself onto his tiptoes. Putting a hand on Elliot's shoulder, leaning in, and claiming the first kiss of the night. First, Leo tells himself, because he's not going to settle for just one.

Then he lowers himself back to the flats of his feet. "So what if it is?"

[rejectedchain]

Elliot's not sure if it's the heat radiating off Leo's skin or his own that leaves his lips warm, but he exhales a shaky breath. His heart is filled with light.

"I like it," he admits. It comes out more of a retort than he intends, but he means it. There is still so much they haven't learned about eachother yet. Sides they haven't seen or shown to anyone. Stubborn and jittery, he leans down to return the kiss. Elliot is certain he looks just as shy-or probably like an idiot, he doesn't have the same elegance in his movements Leo manages-but he can't quiet how thrilling stumbling in the dark is.

His fingers are clumsy as he takes Leo's hand, nearly walking into one of the walls as he gently, wordlessly, leads him to his bedroom. He doesn't say anything because he's certain if he does, it will be stupid.

[goldspecktacles]

He doesn't need to bounce onto his tiptoes as Elliot instead leans over him. Leo's hand rests in Elliot's, a perfect fit, as he presses forward to return the kiss. Like this, the anxiety and uncertainty begins to melt like sugar in tea. He finds himself becoming bolder as they walk towards the bedroom.

And decides to take the plunge with saying something stupid.

"Really can't wait, can we?" Whether he's teasing himself or Elliot, Leo isn't entirely sure. He follows the tease with a confession; "I've waited too long for a chance like this. It took too much effort to get everyone to clear out for the night."

[rejectedchain]

"Ah..." Elliot finds himself stuttering, the tips of his ears going red. Even though it's at his expense, Leo's teasing brings a bit of normalcy and predictability to this unfamiliar situation. Before he can ask Leo if he's moving too fast, his boyfriend answers his question for him.

"I wanted it for a while too. I'm sorry I kept you waiting." He smiles faintly over his shoulder, guiding him into his bedroom. He's suddenly painfully aware of every detail in his room- every book out of place and stray piece of clothing that's been left lying around because he couldn't be bothered to put it away. Leo's been in here before, but never like this. What does he say in this situation?

"My bed is...here." Maybe he should stop talking. He ducks his head, still blushing, and leads Leo to sit on his bed.

[goldspecktacles]

"I can see that." Leo's words imply another tease, but they're lighter than usual. He calmly sits next to Elliot on the bed, watching and admiring his boyfriend's every move. The way that Elliot can shed the expectation of nobility in front of him is still a comfort. Especially now, it reminds him distantly of when they first met. Would the boy who hid among books ever imagine being here with that loud mouthed noble?

He reaches for Elliot's hand with his own.

"We don't have to rush either. We've got all night." The way that Leo is leaning in suggests his motives and word's don't entirely align.

[rejectedchain]

Elliot’s only response to Leo’s teasing is to wince. While Leo appears calm, he finds his motions taut and restless with anticipation. Yet seeing Leo so calm-not from hiding behind a thick novel or spectacles but because he wants to be here-helps make his nerves easier to endure. They’ve both come very far, haven’t they?

His fingers tangle with Leo’s, the rough scarred skin of his hand holding his boyfriend’s.

“You say that, but what if we were to? We can do whatever we want. Isn’t that- don’t you think it’s exhilarating?”

He leans in closer, keeping his voice at a hushed, excited whisper, leaning in even more to pull Leo down with him on the bed, his free hand tracing down his pale neck, shy and intrigued.

“I’ve never kissed your neck before…” He muses. He’d always been trying to fit into the expectations they were held to.

returns from war

[goldspecktacles]

Leo meets Elliot halfway. That's always how it's been for them, after all. They're partners, neither fully relying on the other. He grips his lover's hand and pushes in while Elliot pulls them to the bed. It's only when Elliot touches his neck that Leo is surprised into a subtle gasp. One that quickly becomes a content sigh and smile.

"You haven't. We've had to behave for Mu." Leo whispers back, "But no one's here to stop us."

opens arms

[rejectedchain]

The loudest of his nerves quiet to see Leo fall into sync with his motions as they both would with anything else and his reaction-and his words-are the encouragement he needs. The first kiss against Leo's skin is tentative and gentle. He can feel his partner's pulse against his lips and notices the scent of his shampoo.

"I like it when I make you surprised. And when you smile. I like it when you do things," he's smiling himself while he confides into the dip of Leo's collarbone.