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Lux:
Hey. Are you free tonight?
Aaron Cohen:
It's not my shabbat to work. But it's the hannukah shabbat. So I have plans. But they're at home. Are you okay?
Lux:
Yeah. Would just like to see you, if that's okay. Are they plans I can crash?
Aaron Cohen:
Of course. Yes. Have you eaten?
Lux:
Not yet.
Aaron Cohen:
I can fix that. Bring your appetite. Hope to see you soon, Lux.
Lux:
Want me to bring anything?
Aaron Cohen:
Comfortable clothes? A smile? Scritches for Chewie?
Lux:
Doable. Be there soon.
It is indeed soon when there's a knock on Aaron's door, only around 20 minutes later. Lux must have been close by when they texted him.
They're bundled up against the bitter cold, knit hat covering their closely cropped hair and a long thick coat, high boots and leggings poking out from underneath. Despite the chill air, they seem fairly comfortable in the cold, not shivering or anything--in fact, oddly still. But when the door swings open their head lifts and they offer Aaron a soft smile, tugging down the colorful scarf covering the lower half of their face. "Hey."
Their eyes look a shade brighter. Maybe it's a trick of the light?
Aaron Cohen:
Aaron's house isn't fancy. It's South Philly. It's had some money put into it, clearly, but it's over a hundred years old and it looks it. A narrow, inner city front porch with a single overhead light bulb. A screen door, a heavier storm door. There's a mezzuzah on the jam, of course. And white and blue lights wrapped around the porch railing. It's a cozy frumpy stubborn south Philly Jewish home for a cozy frumpy stubborn south Philly Jew. It is pretty instantly recognizable as the kind of place he'd choose for himself.
The doorbell brings an instant distant high pitched yipping that grows louder and louder as tiny scratchy skittery sounds chase across hardwood floors. Something small and mighty collides with the door, and the yipping is urgent. Aaron's shadow sort of looms into place behind the faceted glass of the front door, backlit by the hall light behind him. So when the door opens, it's very very very clear the extent to which he's been working on himself in their absence.
He's picked up Chewie by then, and that's killed the yipping, but the little guy's tail is wagging like lightning. He looks every bit as guarded and uncertain as a partner should in his place. He's fully aware there are going to be conversations. But the smile helps, and it helps a great deal. "*Chag Hannukah sameach, Lux. Someone missed you." Chewie, too. He takes a step back away from the door to Lux back in to his life.
Lux:
Likely to little surprise, Lux doesn't look concerned or uncomfortable. It looks rather like they had only gone a week without spending time together, not... this long. Their smile is warm and the crinkle of their eyes playful and bright. "Just someone?" Lux asks lightly, but does smile warmly at the little excited dog. "Hey, sweetie... Oh, I missed you too. Come here and give me love." They hold their gloved hands out for the dog, and if allowed scoops Chewie up in their arms to get puppy kisses and smooch the top of his head in return. They step inside as they fuss, and after a moment of nuzzles and smooches Lux looks back up--and then down, giving Aaron a slow look over, brow arching. "Wow."
Aaron Cohen:
"Yeah," Aaron agrees with a rumble in his chest. "Wow." The changes are, well, changes. He'll never be quite so soft as before, and his hands will never be quite as gentle. But he does look centered, very much possessed of himself. And with Lux radiating 'it's okay, everything is okay' like and emotional water bottle, even his very natural anxieties aren't in the way.
Chewie has what may come to be too many tiny little licks at the cheek and corner of the mouth for Lux. The dog is made of fur and wriggling. His little wet cold nose pokes into Lux's ear, sniffs at their head. Catches up on Lux the way dogs do. And Aaron's, frankly, happy to watch it happen. It will be easier for them, frankly, once that little guy is calmed down.
And once it has, which only takes a minute or two, Aaron steps back in as though to take their coat. And at some point makes the conscious decision he's going in for a hug.
Lux:
Lux is happy to let Chewie wiggle and snuffle-kiss, letting out a little huff of amusement as their ear is poked. But they keep one eye open to peer at Aaron, slowly taking in the changes to his body. At first simply admiring, but then a more thoughtful regard as they take him in.
Once Chewie calms, Lux leans over to set the pup down and unzips their coat, revealing a baggy sweater that hangs down past their hips. The coat is shrugged off for him to take, and without missing a beat they are turning into the hug to accept and welcome it. Their arms wrap around Aaron's middle to squeeze tightly, their cheek pressing to his shoulder, eyes closing to savor the embrace. Not immediately letting go, unless Aaron cuts it short.
Aaron Cohen:
Aaron does not cut it short. He steps into the hug and pulls Lux into himself once he feels them surrender to it. They may feel lighter on their feet for being somewhat lifted, and at the least very snuggly held. One meaty hand cups the back of their head, petting down it slowly a few times. A few for his benefit, a few for theirs. And then his hands still, move so that he can hug them tightly one more time, and only then begin to ease off. But only so Lux can get space if they want it. The scent of ozone lingers around him now, and that will certainly stick in the nose after so close a hug. It's not unpleasant, necessarily. Like hugging the idea of after a thunderstorm.
Lux:
Lux is cold to the touch, the air around them chilly, but it's not the same bitter discomfort that you'd feel stepping outside. It's the sort of chill that just makes you savor snuggling up under a blanket by a fire, making the warmth of the hug all the more enjoyable.
They exhale sharply as they're lifted, letting out a soft delighted sound. But when Aaron loosens his grip, so does Lux. They lean back, but don't completely pull away, keeping a hand on Aaron's side as they smile at him. "Your hugs have gotten even better. Didn't think it was possible," they tease lightly.
Aaron Cohen:
"That's a relief. I wasn't sure you'd approve," Aaron answers with a sudden belt of his warm laughter. It does a lot to spend what obvious nervousness his body had been harboring. Maybe it really all is okay. He spends some time looking down on Lux's face, into Lux's eyes, and then sends a smile down their way, too. It's then that he gives Lux's elbows a squeeze and slips away. Confident there's going to be more, now.
The coat and scarf are taken and hung on hooks by the door. Rowhouses are more or less all alike around here. The door opens on an entry hall, there's a living room right off it. Stairs to a second floor behind the entry hall wall, a kitchen behind the living room, and behind the kitchen a mud room leading to the back yard. There's a second story and a basement. Given the neighborhood, probably more of a cellar. It is not, therefore, spacious is the point.
"I-- should we talk? I don't know-- dinner? Are you hungry?" Have you eaten and are you hungry are different questions after all.
Lux:
"How could I not approve? It's still your body, and I happen to quite like your body," Lux says mater-of-factly, but sincerely. They bend down to give Chewie another scritch-pet to assure that he hasn't been forgotten, then they're looking around to take in the interior of the little home. Based on their smile, they approve.
The mention of talking draws their attention though, and they turn their eeriely bright eyes back to him. "Yeah... We should talk. And eat, yes. I've missed your cooking."
Aaron Cohen:
"I hope you're down for fatty greasy foods, because that is all I have in the house right now for the most part. Hannukah and all." It being traditional to eat fried foods during this period in memory of the oil of the lamp. "Was about to whip up some mahtzoh brei. And if you want to have a dessert first course, there's custard cream sufganiyot in the fridge." A big fried sugar caked donut with fruit and, in this case, custard.
It's all the same furniture, more or less. There's familiarity there to it all, for all that it's also all different. New appliances, of course. Those got left behind. He starts prepping the butter and mahtzoh and eggs and such, creating the batter for the brei. It's a funny messy quick prep, a true choice for 20 minute meals. He hums to himself as he works with that happy bear rumble he gets.
"My teacher graduated me. With the group I'm in. In the wizards. I'm a talon now. That means I help out when there's threats, and advise people on how to avoid them. Try to do a lot more of that last one, of course." He doesn't make Lux start the talking, which is probably a good sign.
Lux:
"Fatty and greasy sounds amazing." Lux is never one to turn down dessert first, so heads for the fridge to help themselves. They dig out a serving and after some searching, lean back against the counter with it and a spoon. Their movements are kind of strange as they flit about, fluid and graceful. They've always been nimble, but now it feels... ethereally so.
Still, once stationary again, it's easy for them to just be Lux, not some strange dream given human form. They look at him curiously while savoring a bite of fried deliciousness. "Talon? Sounds badass. And--Congratulations. I'm sorry I wasn't around to celebrate the graduation with you, but... it seems to really suit you. Are you happy, being a talon?"
Aaron Cohen:
"I'm calm?" Aaron says it towards Lux in a manner that implies he'll take it. "Calm on my way to happy? In here?" Aaron points at his chest, gives it a little pat with his fist. "You know me, Lux. I laugh when I'm happy, I cry when I'm sad. This too shall pass." Aaron pours the mix into the buttery pan and gets to stirring, shaking the pan periodically to keep the eggs from sticking. "I used to live with this crushing dissonance between the world I wanted to make and the world that was. And now I know what that feeling was, and I've gotten to know it. Gotten to know it as part of myself. This has been kind of like a second adolescence on an emotional level." Aaron lifts his head up and ponders that for a second. "Maybe there's something to that."
Lux:
Lux's gaze lingers around Aaron's chest, not oogling this time but staring as if they could watch his heart beat and measure it's rhythm.
"You always did fight so hard for the world. For everyone. I'm glad to know that you're still willing to fight for it and protect it, even if... things aren't what you wish they could be."
"A second adolescence makes sense. Not just because you've gotten ripped, but that's a nice bonus. But I mean... Seeing the world in a new way and finding your place in it."
Aaron Cohen:
"i think they could be." Aaron touches his temple and then gestures with a knifed hand on a point forward. "I can see it. I can see the way. Or, you know, I feel like for me I can. Which is practically the same thing, I guess." Unless you're terribly wrong. He slides the mahtzoh brei onto plates, grabs some syrup for condiment, a carton of milk to drink. It's a hearty breakfast-for-dinner kind of meal, tasting of rich butter and hearty crunchy mahtzoh, and held by soft chewy eggs. He puts Lux's plate on the two seat table in the small kitchen and slides into his own chair. It takes him a moment to say, "I want to say I'm sorry for pulling away, Lux. I won't make any justifications. I told you I loved you and then I let you stay away."
Lux:
Lux follows to the table, setting the remains of the donut aside. They settle into the chair and smile down at the plate of delicious looking food. “If you can see it, then you know the right direction to walk in to reach it, right?”
The smile sobers as they pick up their fork to poke at the food. “That’s the thing. I stayed away. It’s not all your fault, Aaron. But… I’m sorry too.”
“You don’t need to make excuses, but knowing where your head is at would be… good? About us?”
Aaron Cohen:
"It's not for me to judge you, Lux. It's for me to control what I do. And I let us down." They're both complicit in it, sure. But that doesn't mean Lux doesn't deserve their own special apology for it. Just like he got. Which goes even further to easing matters along. The question asked comes with something Aaron was rarely able to provide before. Pretty clear-headed and thoughtful responses.
"In my head-- I still have a really hard time figure out how me being involved with you when you're in a marriage is helpful to you. It's not-- it's not anything you've done, or said. Or anything like that. It's just my belief system. There's this weird orthodox hangup about it all. And pride, too. I'm not the top priority in any of my partner's lives. That's just how it is. I don't really pursue sex all that much. I pursue people and sometimes the sex happens. And both of you are very sensual people, and I don't begrudge you that, I'm just intimidated by it. I-- I--- I-- can't compete. With what-- you know? I'm vanilla, Lux. What is it that you need from me, Lux? Why are you here? What brought you back?"
Lux:
Lux frowns at him, setting the fork down so they can extend their hand across the table in offering.
"I..." The questions turned back on them makes them hesitate. The mask that hides their true emotions from him starts to crack. Vulnerability starts to peek through, eyes growing dimmer, lips twisting with uncertainty. No, not everything is okay. Lux isn't okay. "I didn't come here... to get anything from you, Aaron. There's no--one thing I'm trying to get from you. I just... wanted you. I wanted to make sure I hadn't screwed everything up so badly that we couldn't... find each other again."
Aaron Cohen:
Aaron regrets his word choice when it is repeated back to him. There's a tick at his cheek, and he lowers his gaze. "I didn't mean it to sound like that. I'm sorry. More in the holistic sense. But... you answered that, too, I suppose." He's quiet for a time, gathering his thoughts while take some bites.
"I told a man that needed help the other day that it's never too late to turn towards Light." Aaron looks back up again, reaching over to cup the side of Lux's throat affectionately, then pet down their arm and settle his hand over theirs.
"I only thought I was talking to him. Of course, Lux. If we want to do this, we can. Nothings's screwed." Scandal rabbi will no doubt think himself very naughty when he adds the dangling, "Yet?"
Lux:
Their head tips into his touch, eyes closing for a second or two, only to open so they can look down at their hands. Their fingers lace through his, squeezing gently. "I want to do this," Lux says softly.
They also take a long moment to gather their thoughts and build their courage to speak. "The past year has been... difficult," Lux admits softly. "Not just for us. I... have... run away from everyone. I'm not... trying to make excuses for my actions either, just--just--it's been hard. To be... present. Emotionally. My Queen... the Queen of my Court... She has told me she's mentoring me so I can replace her. I don't know if that will be anytime soon--I hope it isn't, but--" Lux grimaces. "I've already broken the heart of someone I loved, because I chose my Court over them. They have forgiven me but I don't think things will ever be completely the same with them. And if I take up this mantle... How could I ever not choose my Court? We are... secrets and sorrow and that... sometimes feels like there isn't room for love." Lux's voice is barely a whisper now, a volume meant for sharing secrets.
"Last night was the Solstice. The first day of Winter. We... burn symbols of hardships we do not want to carry into the new year. I held someone as they burnt their connection to the Court so they could put their family first. I guided them through that sacrifice. They chose love, and I... I don't know if I could ever set aside my sorrow like they did. I wish I could, but I can't..." Lux looks away, eyes wet with shame and guilt. "But I don't want to be alone either, Aaron. I feel selfish for coming here, asking you to have me anyway, and I think--that's why I haven't, why I stayed away. And you seemed... It seemed like you were happy anyway, with Ziv, so I figured I'd save you from..." Lux grimaces. "Me."
Aaron Cohen:
"Hey. Hey." Aaron's voice adopts a 'please don't talk about my friend that way' tone, his hand squeezing their wrist firmly on the table. "No. No. Never, Lux. I'm a fully self-saving man now, Master Yoshitsune threw a damn grizzly bear at me once and then told me after I conjured it I couldn't use my fire hammers because he promised Fox the bear would enjoy itself." Aaron is nodding his head, yeah. Yeah, Lux. That happened. He sounds more amused and amazed at himself than anything. He wrestles bears now. On, like. Short notice. Little Japanese men randomly throw bears at him and then tell him the rules of the bear fighting match. That was definitely not a thing Aaron could do a year ago.
"He would find parts of myself that I still doubted and attack them mercilessly. Lovingly, but mercilessly. Each time, he'd tell me what I'd done wrong and how to improve. But he never stopped attacking those weak points in me. It taught me how to see them and predict them, and it taught me how to start to unmaking them as I discover them in myself. There's really only this left, you know? That I feel like I don't have a hand on in myself. Sex. Relationships. What I even am?" Ace? Gay? Gayce? He's from a time where that shit really mattered. "And the more I grow into the other parts of myself, I admit the less I feel the rest of it mattering. But I have to tell you, Lux, that's starting to feel like cowardice. I am a whole man, and I deserve a whole life. That includes happiness and sadness. Does Winter mean you can never be happy? Do you have to be sorrowful all the time? Even when I'm tickling you?"
He does not start.
Lux:
Stories about wrestling magic bears makes them blink, so surprised that it knocks them temporarily out of their feelings. They stare at him for a few seconds, blinking slowly--then lets out a soft snort of amusement at the image of Aaron wrestling a bear. "That's... you're... okay, that's not fair, the thought of you wrestling a bear is very distracting."
Their hand squeezes his tighter, eyes softening as they meet his. They listen, nodding a little. "You've really grown stronger, huh? I'm proud of you, Aaron. And whatever you decide you are, I accept you. Even if you decided you never wanted to have sex again, I'd still want you."
Their head shakes. "No... It's not... that we have to wallow in our sorrow all the time--but we do wear it as armor and carry it as a weapon. If we carry sorrow with us, then it gives the Gentry less power to use our loss and trauma against us." Lux's mouth opens and closes, struggling to continue for a beat--but then they just exhale a sharp breath. "I feel like a fraud a lot of the time. You feel in love with Lux--this bright energetic confident sensual person, but a lot of times its... Just a mask, Aaron. Before, I could convince myself it was me--faking it until I make it, you know? Lately it's been harder to pretend, to not feel so... empty."
Aaron Cohen:
"Baby. No." Aaron's voice is rumble quiet now, ironically growing a little sad for Lux's sake. Ever wanted to harvest from a boyfriend? Bet that'll make things better. Oof. Poor Lux. "I--." Lux has a habit of making Aaron's propensity for easy casual speech and always knowing what to say fly out the window. So he has to pause, visibly collect himself, and try again.
"I fell in love," he starts softly, "with someone who woke up every day and decided to give the world the person you were to me. Just like every day I get up out of bed and decide to be who I am. Of course it's hard, Lux. And for you, I can only begin to imagine how hard. I have-- I have no context. I have literally no capacity to begin to understand what you suffered. And in loving you, I am powerless before that fact, far far far far far more than I am to the harm your sorrow brings me." Aaron's head shakes a little, warding the idea out of his own head, even if it has to persist in Lux.
"If you must be sad for them, be sad for them, and then let's try to be happy. Every day. I have so many miserable and obnoxious qualities you have not even begun to uncover. Yours may being sad, but if I can tickle you and make you laugh about it?" He sucks a tooth and waves a hand in the air, dismissing it.
"I got that. What?"
Lux:
They stare at Aaron as the mask cracks more, tears streaking down their face. There's relief in the tears, but also a brief glimpse of a deep well of sorrow peeking through, the dam holding it back straining.
But Lux is Lux, and even as they come so close to letting it all go, they instead take a deep breath and center themselves, putting up support to close the dam back up. That can happen another time. Tonight isn't about Lux, it's about plural-them.
"You're really fixated on tickling me," Lux murmurs with a trace of flirtatious tease. "You wanna go ahead and get that out of your system?" Their chair scoots a little closer around the table, until their knees are touching and Lux can more easily reach up to brush nimble fingers over Aaron's cheek.
"By the way? This is what I need from you. This is what brought me back. Even when I feel myself dim, you keep the world full of light."
Aaron Cohen:
"Blame HaShem," Aaron accuses, pointing up at the ceiling briefly, "he made doing that the rules." It's a tease. But also truth. It's an act of faith for him to do so, even if it's pretty cool that he does it anyway. His worried expression eases and crooked into amusement at the tickling joke. "I'm really fixated on wanting to make you happy for tonight. It's Shabbat. It's Hannukah. It's almost Christmas. It's it's just after-- the-- the Solstice?" He's learning Changeling holidays at a run, apparently. "And nobody handed me a rulebook that says you have to be miserable and alone tonight, Lux. Especially when you could be..."
"FIGHTING OFF BEARS!" And Aaron lurches into Lux with a playful growly roar to begin to tickle mercilessly at their sides and belly and at the side of their hip. He even tries to lick their ear at one point just in case the squealing laughter hasn't set in yet. His intention seems to be playfully wrestling Lux out of their chair and onto the kitchen floor without actually doing any harm to them at any point. Basically in a giant roll cage of his arms.
Lux:
“We call it the Longest Midnight, but yes—the solstice.”
Then he’s lunging at them and Lux lets out a sudden squeal of delight. They very, very rarely laugh, usually just soft snorts and huffs—but the squeals are still delighted and broken by sharp gasps as they wiggle in his grasp.
“Nooo! I’m not strong enough to fight off big strong bears!” They topple to the floor, where Chewie no doubt joins the playtime too, running over to yip and lick at their faces. “Chewie! Save me!”
Aaron Cohen:
Oh, yes. The machine gun yipping resumes, along with Chewie repeatedly running at the pair and bouncing off them with his forepaws, as though he could break them up or maybe is trying to join in on the play somehow. Aaron stops rolling them around when Chewie gets involved, not wanting to hurt the little guy, and winds up resting on the floor beside and somewhat atop Lux, cradling their head on the back of their forearm to keep it off the hard floor.
"I want to kiss you now," Aaron admits, because he believes in affirmative consent. He spends a moment looking at those lips of theirs. How he has missed them. And then on to their bright, bright eyes. "And hold you while you sleep. So when you wake up the first thing you know is that I'm here." He was doing so well prior to asking, "That cool with you?"
Yip. Yip. Bounce. Yip. Bounce.
Lux:
“Thank you, brave bear-hunter,” Lux says to Chewie, reaching over to pet the dog behind his ears for a beat, then focuses back on Aaron. They’re quite comfortable against and underneath him, their hand moving then to brush over his shoulder, then around to drape their arm around the back of his neck. They smile warmly up at him, eyes catching the light to almost shine. “Mm… yes. Very cool with me.”
They lean up to meet him half way, fingers gripping the back of his neck to hold him close. Their lips are soft and tender against his, longing to relearn how his lips feel and taste, but letting him set the pace.
Aaron Cohen:
Aaron does his level best to make this feel as least like a reunion kiss as he can. He tries to smile a casual smile. He tries to damp down his excitement and enthusiasm. He doesn't rush his way to Lux's lips. He tries so, so, so so hard to radiate the idea that this is nice and as it should be and right and good, but it is nothing but a night he wants to lose in a ton of others just as good. The only thing that could really give it away is the hammering of his big old heart against his ribcage. Telling on him. Telling on him so hard the entire time. Because, yes. He's going to remember this feeling for a good long time. He forces himself to ease back from the kiss once it has reached 'welcome home' and before it's reached 'oh god I have missed you'.
He pets a hand down their cheek and throat one more time, then adds a pair of kisses more on their eyebrows. He missed those, too. "Do you have anything else you need to get done this evening, before we turn in?" That's a normal question you ask, for this very normal set of circumstances. His smile doesn't bother to conceal his enthusiasm. "It's been pretty chilly lately."
Lux:
Lux is smiling adoringly at the Obrimos as the kiss breaks, and they linger close enough that they can press a soft kiss against his jaw. Close enough that Aaron might feel their own heart racing against their chest as well.
“No. There’s nothing else I want tonight than to have you hold me.” Their arms wrap tighter around his shoulders, and it becomes clear that Lux isn’t letting go—Aaron will have to carry them. “Is there anything I can do to make you feel more prioritized in the future? To show you I need you?”
Aaron Cohen:
"Find my weak points?" He answers softly, resting thumb and forefinger around their chin. "Attack them mercilessly with love. Until I can wrestle the bear of who I am when I'm with you." Aaron isn't quite certain what he's saying as he's saying it, but it's also clear he agrees with himself progressively more with each word he hears himself saying. Like it's drilled into him now, and is an instinct he reaches for. It doesn't hold fear any longer, for him.
"You can nurture. But don't let me hide. Don't let me settle. Don't let me get complacent. Don't let me take you for granted or treat you as less than you are. And however much you think you are, assume I think of you how you think of me, and treat yourself how you'd treat me in that position. Every time. When you come home and you're sad, just say you're sad. And if I ask if you want my help tell me. And either way you're getting a hug."
With that, Aaron pushes up to his elbow, and then draws Lux upright and onto his lap somewhat. He scoots them back against the wall, near to where Chewie's dogbed is. It'll help get the little guy calm again. "I have to see you once a week. Or I'll want an apology and an explanation?" Which is obviously not something the player will be held to in any fashion. He nods to that, though. It sounds like a reasonable boundary, now he's said it. "And the explanation can't be a phone call." Yep. That felt good. "I'll believe you more, if you say to my face."
Lux:
It makes sense to Lux, at least. They nod, sliding comfortable onto his lap. One hand dips to Chewie, petting to help calm him once he’s on his bed, but their eyes are on Aaron.
“I can do that. I—will try to do that. To be more honest with my feelings and trust you’ll love me anyway. And to challenge you.”
“Once a week is more than fair,” Lux agrees with a smile. “I want to be here more. A lot more. I’m so sorry for not being here.” Lux leans in for another kiss to his lips, lingering there a moment before murmuring, “I’ve missed you so much.”
Aaron Cohen:
"I figure if one day a week is all God gives me, I can't rightly ask more from you." Aaron is still sort of chuffed on himself setting and communicating a boundary. A reasonable one made for his benefit, too. He certainly looks a great deal more settled in what they're about in the wake of it all ending well. His ask accepted, the logic validated.
He's still for startlement when the kiss restarts, and since he's surprised he doesn't do half as good a job hiding how intoxicating it is to be kissed by Lux. When the kiss finally breaks, Aaron does so by tilting back his chin and exposing his throat briefly. It lets him get some air into his chest. And then he says with some pretty righteous enthusiasm, "So stop." He goes back in for another kiss, both sensual and intimate. A slow thing that starts with his hand gently cupping their cheek and continues as he begins to gather up their shirt to begin peeling it up. His now rougher hand spreads with familiar warmth over the small of their back and chases its way up and under their shirt to cradle the back of their neck. Not just hugging them, but holding them close. "Do you want to relocate...? I. We're next to the dog bed."
Chewie looks between them. He knows the word dog. He sits up, little tail wagging against the bed.
Lux:
Sorry Aaron, Lux cannot resist the temptation of an exposed throat. They smile against the side of his neck, pressing lips there. But Aaron’s lips are very kissable too, and they tilt their head easily into it.
Lux is still carefully letting Aaron guide the pace, but their enthusiasm and longing is clear as day. Their fingers curl into his shoulder and where hair meets neck, desperate to hold onto him for as long as possible. Their breath quickens, excited to just be with him no matter what results of the reunion. And smiling, feeling bright and happy, not just wearing a pretty mask.
“Ah…” Lux pauses to look at Chewie, staring at the adorable puppy eyes. “…Sorry, baby. I’ll make sure you get plenty of love later, but I need to remind your daddy how much I love him, right now.”
“Take me to bed?” Lux asks Aaron, lips quirking into a hopeful grin.
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