altimit | .:Spoopy Ti-I mean September Catch All:.

Germany. Black Forest.

[ Which gives his own location, if not precisely, then fairly specifically. And very possibly makes it more absurd when Ganymede realizes that he could cross the border within ten minutes if he wanted to.

Michel glances between Ganymede's swimwear and the hot spring, and a corner of his mouth quirks in amusement. ]

And cook in it?

[ Wow! Good thing he has no history of doing odd stuff like getting in with his armor on! He casually switches to his swim outfit too, trusting Ganymede about proper hot spring protocol here. ]

Black Forest in Germany...but you know of it.

[ Ganymede's small and limited braincells are working in overdrive to attempt to figure out the location specifics.

But he's blinking as he watches the amusement spread across his boyfriend's face. ]

See? I knew you wouldn't!

[ That's not what he said, but he goes to hop into the hot springs. His swimsuit basically functions as a towel, anyway. He sits into the waters, already barefooted anyway. He makes a 'come here' gesture with a hand. ]

[ Well... It's not like he's particularly withholding his personal information from Ganymede by this point. He gives a little shrug. ]

... I'm in Strasbourg. It's why I've picked up some German.

[ In and around his steadfastly avoiding talking to people. The imperious little summons pulls another tiny smile out of him, and he steps into the water to settle down near Ganymede. ]

Some of the other players were unequipping... everything. This is a reasonable middle ground.

...Oh, you probably could cross over to the other country in a heartbeat.

[ It's easy to listen to people speak, pick up their mannerisms, and phrases without even bothering to converse with them in the slightest. Especially if this has been a constant thing. Living in such an area for years, that is. ]

Maybe that's comfortable for them and how they do it back home? ...I thought about doing the same, but it'd hardly make a difference, with the thin fabric.

[ It's like he's almost naked already. What's the point? Though, it could embarrass Michel. Since he's close enough, he'll just lean his head against his shoulder, however. ]

Easily enough, if I had any reason to travel.

[ A night train probably wouldn't even be crowded. He might hardly need to see another person, and certainly not to speak with them. He just has no particular drive or curiosity to see anywhere else. There's no reason to think it would be better than where he is.

...But he's not exactly brooding about anything when Ganymede is so completely derailing his thoughts with what he is or isn't wearing under the water. He's right that there's not much of a difference... He startles a tiny bit guiltily out of this line of daydreaming when Ganymede leans against him. ]

R-right. It's comfortable like this.

A reason like me?

[ Ganymede asks, thinking he is being mightily clever, but it really isn't.

And hey, his comment is totally innocent. Completely. Though, when the other is caught off, as indicated by his words for sure, Ganymede can't help but laugh lightly, shifting slightly so he stop leaning, and like this it's so easy to shift onto his knees. Then to press a kiss against his cheek. ]

Is it even more comfortable now?

[ A double attack ensues by a second light peck against Michel's lips. That should help in his focus. ]

[ Assuming this is after the fated dance invitation, the only counterargument Michel can give is a wry little grumble. ]

I still can't believe your performance doesn't have streaming...

[ Can't he be awkward and parasocial about it, and watch Ganymede dance from the comfort of a dusty blanket fort as if he's a fan and not his boyfriend? He freezes up when Ganymede's lips brush his cheek, enough that he only barely returns that featherlight kiss to his lips. It's hard to move when he's blushing as hard as he is. ]

...No.

[ This isn't "comfortable" and Ganymede knows it. But it's certainly very nice. ]

[ We can assume that!! Ganymede is so smug to hear that Michel has no argument against these particular string of words, though. ]

We don't believe in streaming just yet.

[ ...That's a joke from his end, but the head of the theatre production would collaborate those words seriously. Ganymede also thinks he's so much more prettier and radiant face-to-face, though. He's taking no disagreements on that one either. ]

Then what is it?

[ Moving to press a kiss, this time to the other side of Michel's cheek that he missed. Very innocently. ]

It isn't a superstition or an urban legend.

[ "Believe," nothing! But Michel is mostly grumbling for the sake of grumbling. He hadn't been ready to meet Ganymede in person yet — possibly ever. But now...

He lifts a hand to Ganymede's waist to help balance him as he leans around like that. It's like la bise, except no one's even done that to Michel in ages. ]

It's...

[ Nope, he's going to freeze up again without words. How patient is Ganymede going to be? ]

In Greece, it's practically unknown like proto ancient history.

[ ...Now it's clear he's just messing around.

With a hand on his bare waist, it feels a little scandalous, in the fun way.

Michel freezing up is so cute, so he waits a few seconds, enough to ask: ]

It's what?

[ Guess where his next target might be? A mystery! ]

[ Ganymede is such a terrible liar. At least Michel knows when he's up to his tricks, and just gives an exasperated little squeeze of his waist. ]

It's... [ help, he still hasn't really come up with a word. ] ...w-warm.

[ What if he doesn't wait for Ganymede to launch another attack? What if he just leans in to press a light kiss to Ganymede's cheek in return? Very safe and chaste. ]

[ Isn't he... ]

Because of the water? Me? Or both—

[ He gets attacked on the cheek, though, making him actually blink with a blush on his face from the heat as well as something else. Then Ganymede will lean forward to place a kiss on Michel's nose in retribution. ]

I've been here before. It isn't the water.

[ At least that he can answer with certainty, if a little wryly. It helps that Ganymede is blushing now, too.

He wrinkles his nose a tiny bit at the unprovoked attack, although not in displeasure. ]

Why is it always my nose...

[ Ganymede really likes that, for some reason. ]

Then it's me!

[ Ganymede states so proudly and then reaches out with both hands so he can rest them against Michel's cheeks. ]

Because it's one of the ways I enjoy sharing my affection with you.

[ And he gets the funniest reactions when he attacks his nose. Look at that nose wrinkle. He loves it, just like how he loves every single other part of Michel. ]

D-Don't just say it so bluntly!

[ Ganymede?! Michel is turning more red by the second, beneath Ganymede's palms covering the clearest evidence of it. Hopefully Ganymede is prepared to handle it if he faints into the water. ]

It's true, though.

[ It's small pieces of affection. What's wrong with showing that? And he's happier, being around Michel.

Looking at his slowly reddening face, he can't help but feel warm. He's not thinking straight, because his body is also rather heated thanks to the temperature. Here's another gentle kiss on the lips.

...sorry if he makes you faint, Michel!! ]

You have a genius for embarrassing me...

[ Well, Ganymede can go ahead and make him feel faint. As long as he doesn't mind Michel holding onto his waist just a little more for balance.

There's a little delay, Michel contemplating the fact that once more they're in a semi-public area. But then, anyone could already have seen their kisses on the beach. Hesitantly — a little dizzily — Michel leans in to kiss Ganymede once more in return. ]

[ Ganymede laughs a little at the comment.

As for the return kiss, he certainly doesn't mind, but well, this might mean he's leaning a bit more against him, settling into his lap a bit so he can continue the kiss.

It's soft, gentle, like the initial one he's given. But by this time, with them trading a few more kisses, there's a bit less fumbling. His hands rest neatly on the other male's shoulders, and he closes his eyes, simply letting the heat and the moment envelope himself a bit.

With hardly anyone around, he does admittedly feel also a bit more brave. But, well, trading kisses aren't so hard it seems. ]

[ He's expecting it slightly more than he was at the beach, so he doesn't startle for Ganymede's weight settling gently over his lap. Maybe it's that they both feel lighter in the water, or maybe it's that this kind of contact is beginning to feel the slightest bit natural to him. His hand slides slowly to the small of Ganymede's back, and he closes his eyes as he kisses back.

It's embarrassing that just this much can get his heart beating faster. Like he's a teenager. It's near enough, isn't it? This is all those deferred experiences at once, the giddy exploration and warmth of discovery. Until and unless he hears anyone else's footsteps, he has no reason to stop. ]

[ Rip in rest when they eventually hear the sound of someone's footsteps approaching...okay, no. They really do have the hot springs to themselves here, and just like this, Ganymede continues to catalogue in his head every little feeling that's running up through him. The gentle touch of Michel's hand as it rests against his back so easily. The warmth of the general temperature, and though he can't differentiate, he also takes care to consider the heat of the other male's body close to him.

His eyes open again, gazing what he can see of the other man, hands shifting slightly so that his fingers can lightly curl around those light-colored strands of hair hanging over those shoulders. He continues the kiss a bit longer, before pulling back, and moving to boldly sneak one against his neck, though after that he watches Michel for his reaction. ]

[ He doesn't have to watch hard, because Michel is very reactive. The startled flush spreads all over his face and halfway down his neck as he tilts his head up minutely, his breath hitching on a soft sound.

It's just a little kiss. It's not even anywhere particularly scandalous — but he thinks his heart is just about beating out of his chest now. Is this alright? Is he allowed to...? His fingertips slide slowly up Ganymede's spine before he pulls his hand back outright and settles it on Ganymede's chin instead. He strokes along the curve of Ganymede's jaw before he makes to tip Ganymede's head lightly upwards. ]

M-may I...?

[ Isn't he lucky? The beautiful flushed color spreading across Michel's face is evident straight away, and judging by the fact he doesn't fall back into the water or something indicates that he... likes it? The sound even moreso, which garners a quick uptick of the blond's heart rate, which feels like it's racing a mile a minute.

Those fingers sliding up bare skin carefully until they're now resting on his chin have him momentarily distracted, and even further when Michel moves to tip his head upwards a bit. ]

...Yes.

Whatever you want to do—I'm okay with it. You are too, right?

[ "Whatever" he wants to do. It's much too broad a word for Ganymede to use; Michel's thoughts are flooded, too urgently, with all of the desires he's never let himself really linger on. So many things he never thought would be possible that he's now felt. Kisses. Holding hands. Ganymede's cheek resting against his shoulder. And instead of being satisfied, he still wants more. ]

That's... t-that's a little...

[ But he won't let that keep him from taking the permission that Ganymede already granted and pressing one slow kiss to Ganymede's throat. Then another, savoring how soft the skin is beneath his lips. He traces a droplet of water, kisses lingering with just a little awe, until his nose bumps Ganymede's collarbone. ]

...You don't have to rush for my sake. It isn't equal. Your avatar is — is the same as your own body.

[ Ganymede would be giving up a privacy that Michel isn't quite offering in return, in other words. ]

[ An impossibility, Ganymede once assumed himself. Who would he have allowed to get that close to him? To touch him in such a manner. But, it isn't like he hadn't imagined—hadn't dreamed, sometimes. Yet when he thought someone might be angling for that in the past, he just ran away from the possibility—never returned any overtures made his way.

Until now. But, how was he to know Michel felt the same? Until he hears those words. Until this very moment. Now, it emboldens him a bit more. So that he feels no resistance, even if he's anxious, but not unreceptive. No, perhaps eager would be a good word too. A soft breath leaves him at the gentle kiss at his bare throat; definitely hardly scandalous, but precious all the same.

Feeling him so close makes his hands shift so they're closer, more upwards, but still threading through all that hair; just not with only hand, but with both at Michel's back, which he can reach easier with his head lowered. ]

You're saying your avatar isn't? Why does it matter?

My eye color is different.

[ He doesn't quite seem to understand the level of difference Michel is talking about here. ]

[ "Why does it matter," indeed. Michel lets out a little puff of breath against Ganymede's throat, not quite a sigh. It's so easy for Ganymede to dismiss it without thinking, but... ]

I could be anyone behind this avatar. A... a bald old man just looking to get someone with a beautiful young avatar to let me do something like this.

[ Only Michel could multitask internet safety with being incredibly talented at killing the mood. That doesn't stop him from pressing another brief kiss to Ganymede's collarbone as he settles his hands around his waist again. ]

If you're really alright with that, with it only mattering what I look like here...

[ He wants to hear those words. That this fake world is enough, and that this moment can be just about that safe level of remove. Then he can stop thinking about everything but the way Ganymede's hands feel touching him, sliding through his hair. ]

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