tell me who you are, i can be the gentle boy

[quatrain]

The staff party starts at midnight and I don't have to work during it! Make sure you come in costume!

[ He Ming sends the text, a reminder, and runs off to work that evening. It's not exactly Halloween—the bar will inevitably be far too busy on the night of—but an earlier day when they're allowed to bring plus ones. Rune's costume, which mostly employs his already ironed black dress clothes and is only vampiric by dint of a borrowed cape and some fake fangs and blood, is left laid out on his bed for him to pick up. With Rune already having a key, he can let himself in.

His own outfit gets picked out of a hat at the bar. He Ming laughs at his luck with the others and gets dressed in the bathroom before starting service.

The "French maid" costume is cheap, but it fits him, and the thigh garter that's as frilly as the rest of it is kind of cute. He ties the bar apron over the top and takes a picture for Rune, posing cheesily in the mirror. ]

Look, I got my costume assigned! What do you think?

Comments

[ceremonious]

[ There's a thoughtfulness to the way Rune hums as he considers that. ]

I don't know how it works. Most witches do this with other witches. I think it's rare for a human to ever be involved. [ That's also something to worry about at a later time. Right now, all he does is settle forward so he can touch He Ming as much as he can with every part of his body. ] I can be with you like this no matter what we decide.

[ A soft breath, and he turns his head towards him, seeking out his mouth so he doesn't have to wonder why he shivers at the touch of He Ming's mouth below his ear. He nips at his lower lip and curls his arm around him, drawing him into his personal space so there's absolutely nowhere to go but forward. Or backwards, if he wished to escape. The sound of He Ming's breathing and the soft wetness of their kiss has drowned out everything else—even the thought of going back to that tent to spend the night in it.

He brushes their noses together. ] But I'd rather not part with you at all.

[quatrain]

[ If it's rare for humans to be involved, then that means he's special and that Rune is special too. He Ming lines his body up against Rune's and moves his arms and legs so they slot together. Regardless of the exact mechanics of the binding, they're better together. That's the only sort of reward he needs. ]

Okay. [ Rune's mouth is slick and warm. He Ming uses his tongue to tease his lips apart, cautiously optimistic about his own comfort right now. When he pulls away he thinks we can do this. He can do this. ]

Let's stay here, then. [ With the leg between his, He Ming hooks at the back of his knee and brings their hips together. That sends a thrum through him, like a string that's been plucked, a flicker of harmony with the universe around him.

It isn't just them out here. He Ming doesn't mention the whispers; they're quiet right now, so much less important than giving Rune another kiss. He stays on his mouth after, nibbling on his lower lip. Even though he knows how wide the world stretches, it feels sweet and close and simple as long as they're like this. Looking at Rune, grinning, he suggests, ] Let's do it under the stars. Like you said before.

[ceremonious]

[ In the years since he'd left this place, he'd never thought he'd find himself in this meadow, in this grass. He never thought he'd be with someone who meant more to him than the possibility of his magic. There had been times weeks ago that it wouldn't have mattered, that he should have let He Ming go back to his normal life, but after seeing pieces of their future together, Rune doesn't doubt that they could do anything as long as they were together. He'll have to figure out so many things, but for now, all he does is slide his hand up He Ming's back and gently fist his fingers in his shirt to hold him close. ]

We can't stay forever. [ Pointless to say, but there's really nothing left for him here. The magic that grounds him could easily be found elsewhere. ] But that seems a simple enough request.

[ He Ming's grin is met with the slightest smile from Rune, nudging his face up just enough to kiss him again. They're close already, but it suddenly isn't close enough, not after the things they'd said to one another. Not after the promise of being together, of binding himself to He Ming and He Ming to him. It might be dangerous, and some part of Rune is worried it might hurt He Ming once it's done. Yet, that doesn't stop him from pursuing more of his mouth, from turning their bodies so that he hovers over him as they kiss and his hands slowly trek under his shirt to feel the warmth of his skin and the way his heart beats. As if it does just for him.

Perhaps he's in love, then. Right at that moment, watching He Ming's face before pressing his lips to his jaw and the edge of his ear. ]

Let's go back to the tent. It'll be more comfortable there.

[quatrain]

Yeah, well... [ He feels the fabric of his shirt wrinkle, feels the lumpy shape of Rune's fist, just about the size of his heart, at his back. They're together. He Ming smiles again, their lips brushing. ]

...I'm going to need internet and running water at some point.

[ They'll go back to the city soon. This seems like a different world, a place so disparate from his familiar apartment with its walls and cords and TV. But back in the city, he'll still be with Rune, at least. They'll be close. He'll be able to look into his eyes—like he's looking right now, seeing them glimmer from starlight as the wind tosses his hair—and know.

I'm in love with you. ]

Ah. Okay. [ He squirms, momentarily flustered after his own thoughts, and scrambles upright.

The air is thick. He Ming breathes it in, deep and quick, pulling Rune's arm with each large step he takes. It's been a while since he felt this excited. Longer since he's felt excited about this. Before it slips from his grasp, he's trying to hold onto it. If he can bring it under the lamplight in the tent, unfold it and examine it, even better. ]

Let's go. I want to—let's go.

[ceremonious]

[ As always, he's caught up in He Ming's enthusiasm and finds his heart aching with it. There are too many things, still, to decide, but this he knows, at the very least. He knows it and craves it more than all the magic in this place, momentarily blindsided by such a revelation until they're back inside the tent.

Or stumbling into it, Rune's arms around He Ming to pull him closer as he leans to kiss him. A while from now, he'll convince him to participate in a ritual with him—perhaps when he binds them together. They'll be out in the open, vulnerable to one another. It's the only thought he has when he slips his hands beneath He Ming's clothes once more, smoothing his palms up his sides and pausing long enough to savor the heat of his mouth. It feels good, like nothing's ever changed and Rune hasn't had to consider He Ming's safety over that eternal desire to have as much power and leverage as he possibly can over those who've wronged him.

It doesn't alter his plans, only deviates them slightly. ]

Undress for me, [ he murmurs, only freeing his hands because there are a few obvious things he needs to get from their bags. ] I'll join you, and you can tell me what you want.

[ Which he will do so as equally naked because he's never shy about that, and really, he doesn't want to lose the motivation or that excitement. ]

[quatrain]

[ He comes to a halt, half-turns in Rune's arms to face him again. Each skip of his palms along his sides brings out another soft noise. He Ming pulls his shirt off first (it's already crumpled), then unbuttons his pants and kicks them off to the corner.

While he watches Rune fetch stuff from their bags, he circles his hand over his lower stomach, tugging slowly at the waistband of his briefs. ]

I'm not sure exactly what I want. [ As he works his underwear down, feeling the cooler air hit him, the knowledge that he's exposed is not the good kind of exciting anymore. He frowns. ] I think... I only know what I don't want.

[ Stuff they'd avoided soundly that time in the bar, by dint of having the additional thrills of being so near his coworkers and the costume. Now, with just the two of them and the tension between them, He Ming hesitates. ]

I feel like I got really boring. And you missed all my crazy college days. [ He mumbles the admission. It makes him feel even guiltier to verbalize it. As compensation, he reaches for Rune to pull him to stand closer. ] Do you have something you want? It might be easier for me if you... [ He brushes the back of his hand against Rune's cock, glancing into his eyes and feeling shy for perhaps the first time in his life. Or at least in their relationship. ] If you take the lead. I trust you to do that.