I love you and that's all I really know

[reddosmod]

FEBRUARY 2022 EVENT

IMAGE DESCRIPTORS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
Prompt One
[Image One: Bloody fingers hovering over chalice of blood.]
[Image Two: Semi-nude people dancing in circle with joined hands.]

Prompt Two
[Image One: Hauntingly large man coming up behind young girl while other girl screams.]
[Image Two: Old woman walking towards a panicked young woman.]

Prompt Three
[Image One: Obscure, nude bodies twisted together in a circle. Non-graphic.]
[Image Two: Nun holding holy book while red liquid pours from unseen face.]

Prompt Four
[Image One: Chocolates.]
[Image Two: Chocolate.]

[NAVIGATION]

Prompt 1 • Prompt 2 • Prompt 3 • Prompt 4 • Plotting • Newsletter

[JUMP TO COMMENTS]

BONDING PACTS

WHEN: Anytime
WHERE: Anywhere
CONTENT WARNINGS: Blood ceremony, bodily ceremony, telepathic/empathetic connections, possible forced/coerced relationships.

---

[From BEGINNERS GUIDE FOR BLOOD PACTS. Found in the Archives:]

"There are a variety of blood pacts one can make, but the most popular are Bonding Pacts. Bonding Pacts should never be made on a whim: they are a serious commitment.

PROCEED WITH CAUTION!
We can thank the Doorway for Bonding Pacts. Everyone knows the story: the Reckoning was made to go fight the impossible battle against blood pollution, corruption, and beasthood. The Doorway vowed to wait for the Reckoning to return and has never moved since. This is ultimately believed to be the first Bonding Pact ever made in Trench and it is considered to have opened up Bonding Pacts as a possibility in general.

The most common misconception about Bonding Pacts is that they must be exclusively for romantic partners. This is not true The majority of Bonding Pacts, as a matter of fact, are actually familial and platonic in nature. Most romantic pairs decide that marriage is a safer option just in case someone gets a case of cold feet. On the other hand, this also means that the Bonding Pact can be the ultimate sign of devotion in a romantic relationship. We aren't interested in telling you what is right for your relationship, but the history is worth considering before taking that step.

So what is a Bonding Pact and how do you do it? Despite being one of the strongest pacts in this world, it is also one of the simplest to perform! Here's what you'll need:

1x Vial of blood per participant wishing to enter the pact
1x Small essence* of each participant
1x Live red rose
2x Live white roses
1x Pouch of ashes
1x Silver cup/container of some sort

*It was once believed that "essence" translated to organ, but we have since learned that this can be a single strand of hair, nail clipping, eyelash, teardrop, spit...You get the gist. It has to be something that came directly from your body that isn't blood.

You need to leave the silver cup out under the moonlight for at least one full night. You must complete this ceremony the evening after and only in the evening. Bonding Pacts cannot be made during the day. When you plan to begin the ceremony, you will need to perform it in a doorway or under any type of arch. This is to allow the Doorway to bless your pact and strengthen it permanently.

You will combine all the ingredients into the cup and thoroughly stir with a fragment of bone/antler. This concoction will thicken into a pastelike consistency and it should be black in color. If it smells like fresh roses, you did it right. If it smells like rancid food, you messed it up and will have to completely redo the ceremony.

Finally, each participant will cover one hand with the paste. To seal the bond, you will need to place your hand upon the one you wish to bond with. Where you place it matters and will determine the nature of your Bonding Pact. Each will have a drastically different consequence/benefit.

ROMANTIC BONDS: Place the hand somewhere on the face. This indicates a public relationship that is to be respected by all involved. This bond will create a telepathic connection between all participants. This telepathy cannot be heard by anyone else nor can it be interfered with from distance or chaos. It is possible to bring your romantic partner back from beasthood through this connection. Extreme cases of this bond have allowed romantic partners to take over one another's minds in severe situations. It can be difficult to shelter your thoughts from your Romantic Bond partner, but it is possible. They will know when you are keeping thoughts from them. Some partners have learned to respect each other's privacy while others have gone insane from the connection.

PLATONIC BONDS: Place the hand somewhere on the chest/shoulder area. This bond will create an This bond will create a physical connection. between all participants. This physical bond will allow participants to pick up on each other's physical pain or pleasure. You will be able to know when your friend is in physical harm. This creates a "phantom pain" of sorts. This can either weaken you substantially or give you an enormous boost during a fight. Best friends have been known to harness this ability well and use each other's pain to literally get stronger during a fight with monsters. On the other hand, a strained relationship can just cause you to feel the same debilitating pain as your friend. This cannot be used to bring someone back from beasthood.

FAMILIAL BONDS: Place the hand somewhere on an appendage whether arm, leg, tail or otherwise. This bond will create an empathetic connection between all participants. This empathetic bond will allow participants to naturally know what the other is feeling and may be able to sway one another's emotions through this connection. Like the romantic bond, it cannot be ruined by distance or chaos and has been used to bring people back from beasthood. Extreme situations have allowed partners to take total emotional control. You will always know when your Familial Bond partner is in emotional distress. You can send your Familial Bond emotional support when you can feel their stress, even at a distance. While this may not always work, many have reported it can greatly alleviate corruption and can even be used to recognize corruption patterns in order to prevent it.

HOSTILE BONDS: Place this bond exclusively on the neck or on anywhere on the back. While it may seem farfetched to make a bond with your enemy, there is some merit to the madness. This will create a unique power connection between all participants. This bond will allow one another to feel the ebb and flow of one another's powers. It is said the most well-forged Hostile Bonds may even allow characters to share abilities between one another. Hostile Bonds are known to drastically increase aggression and competitive behavior between participants. This has caused hostility to stir and may even lead to hatred. However, a successful Hostile Bond that is worked on with steady communication and agreement can be enormously successful and horrifically powerful.

Once you have left your handprint on your partner's skin, the spell will take hold. The handprint will glow and everyone will briefly have a vision of the Doorway standing before them. Don't be alarmed: they are only here to solidify the connection. You will feel great warmth and then the connection will be made. The handprint will stain your skin permanetly so choose wisely. The stain may be extremely light, barely visible. For others, it may be much darker. It is unknown what causes the variation.

This pact can be performed any time of year but is strongest when performed during or near the Egg Moon. While it is not required to have an audience for this ceremony, it is believed that an audience greatly strengthens the bond. It has become customary for people to make vows in combination with the ceremony for an additional layer of power.

As a further point of caution...These bonds can be forced on an individual."

FAQ
1. These bonds cannot be broken except by extreme magical interference such as through some sort of game event, a character being dropped from the game, or something like the Blade of Agency. Death will not disturb the bond.

2. There is no "limit" to the number of participants for the ceremony. Romantic bonds can be made between multiple people. The connection will only exist between those who partook in the ceremony at the same time.

3. People can be added into a Bonding Pact at any time.

4. Gender/species has no impact on the bond.

5. People can create different bonds with the same person.

6. These bonds are open-ended and can be translated to better fit your character.

IMPENDING INTIMACY

WHEN: February
WHERE: Everywhere
CONTENT WARNINGS: Intimacy-based monster, intense themes of stalking, jealousy, possession, guilt, shame, physically violent deaths, possible themes of adultery/cheating, some negative ideaology towards promiscuity.

---

[From History of Blood Crazed Zealots: Chapter 15 Caution About Curses found in the Lumenarium:]

"Do not be fooled by this seemingly passive curse. There are few things more potent than a Blood Crazed Zealot's magic, and few emotions are stronger than that of jealousy. The story goes that one Blood Crazed Zealot was in love with another and entered a sacred blood pact to unite their blood and souls. However, the other Blood Crazed Zealot's love was not as pure, and soon they strayed in body and in mind. Of course, no secrets can be kept in a blood pact, and one thing led to the other.

The jealous and betrayed Blood Crazed Zealot created a vicious curse that still plagues the world to this day. We know of no cures, no remedies, no way to beat it. We only know how to keep it at bay. But It is always around, It is always near, and It will always follow. We have not yet determined the exact way It is transmitted from one person to the next, but we believe it has to do with exchanging some form of intimacy. Whether that be with sex, words of love, or even just saying a loved one's name, the curse will follow.

It appears as a person walking directly towards you. At first, you might not even pick it out from the crowd, until it gets closer. Then you see oddities. Water spills from its body, or its arm looks broken, or many walk along completely naked. There is something off about the creature, and worse yet, no one sees It but you and anyone previously cursed by It. It moves slowly, and it would be easy to assume that it can't really hurt you. After all, if you shoot it with a gun or tear it down with powers, it breaks apart as easily as a human body...

But then It gets up. It reforms. It is impossible to kill. It doesn't react to pain. It doesn't react to words. It changes appearances when you lose sight of it, making it almost impossible to keep your guard up against it. The last time you saw it, it might have been a little girl, but now it looks like a six foot tall man. You might buy yourself some time, might be able to distance yourself by taking a swim or a fly...But It will find you. It will always find you. It can break through doors and windows. There are no wards against it.

When it finds you, it will kill you. It matters not what your powers are, what your blood is. This creature existed with the single purpose to destroy and it has perfected the art. Once it has a hold of you, you are powerless. You first lose all abilities, and then rapidly, your life follows in one crushing moment of paralyzing fear and agonizing pain. It throws its victims to the ground and breaks their bodies apart. No one wants to find the bodies of those it has consumed. It takes only seconds to kill you. Don't let it touch you. Don't let it get close enough to touch you. It will win.

When it has finished, it begins to stalk to the person that had passed it off. It's a never-ending cycle. Person A has it then gives it to Person B who gives it to Person C. Person C dies, so it goes back to Person B until person B can find someone new to give it to. Be wary of giving affection this month. You tenderly saying your beloved's name or engaging in sex or flirtation might just pass the curse along."

FAQ
1. The curse is meant to be severely undermined. The creature appears as an ordinary, unsettling-looking person with no obvious abilities. It can kill anyone regardless of their abilities or species.

2. The curse can be passed by saying a loved one's name (platonic/romantic/familial), sex, kissing, loving touches. To break the curse, one can sleep with a Trenchie or say the name of a loved one not present in Trench.

MOTHER'S MERCY

WHEN: The hex only appears during February
WHERE: Everywhere
CONTENT WARNINGS: Religious based trauma/forced guilt/shame, extreme themes of self-mutilation and possible sucidial ideations, hexes, altered mental state, forced confessions.

---

[A sermon by Mother Mercy as recorded by an unnamed Disciple, followed by an attached document titled MOTHER'S FORGIVENESS. A misspelling or unusual wording throughout the sermon is intentional. Disciples debate whether the document was intended as support of Mother Mercy's hex or as a way to help people avoid it. The sermon and Mother's Forgiveness are written in different handwriting. The documents can be found at the Pale Sanctuary:]

THE SERMON
"It was in the midst of Febuawry that the Doorway suummoned me for council,
They had fallen in love with the Reckoning and desird to create an eternal bond,
They wanted to have me present at the seremony to [provide] blessings,
Yet it was with regret I [had to] deny them their wish and instead provide cawsion,
But you see, that is the role of a Mother. We tell our spawn what they do not want to hear but muust.
It is a Mother's Mercy to pass on wisdom, to show compassion and care.

I told the Doorway that we live in a cruuel world, a cruuel world that can rawt a gewd heart,
I told the Doorway that it would be kindr to leave bonds uuntethered,
That it would be a kindness to both to let their love lingr and fade,
Than to let it be subjected to the atrocities of this world's bluud lost.
For what is a strongr emotion than jealousy? I ask of you.
What is a strongr emotion than loneliness? I ask of you.
What is a strongr emotion than longing? I ask of you.
What drives people to insanity quickr than being denied their heart's desires?
No, I told them, they should let go, for a Pthumerian owes this world selflessness,
And a Pthumerian's love can permanently stain this world in a way no one else can.
It would be a kindness to all.

But the Doorway did not want to listen. The Doorway defied [my] advice and created bonds,
The Doorway opened an eternal connection to the Reckoning, The Doorway stained this earth with the consequence of love, of relationships.
Do not be fewled by the luuxury of these words.
There is suuch a thing as selfless love, and this was not it, And so the time came for me to regrettably be proven right.

The corruuption of our cruuel world festered as people created bonds,
For the bonds made the agony of loss so much greater.
With the Doorway's curse*1, people who lost their family, their spouses, their friends also lost themselves.
Loss is painful no matter how you enduure, but the Doorway's curse ensuured it would ruun*2 deep into your soul.
It would corrupt. It would ruun*2.
This was not merciful. This was not love.

And so I counseled the Reckoning to go and keep the corruption at bay,
The Reckoning will not return to the Doorway for corruption will never end,
For beasthewd will never end.
The Reckoning keeps her sword high, and the Doorway will wait for eternity for a lover who will never return.
This is a mother's mercy. Perhaps one day, the Doorway will dissolve their curse.

Now let us bow our heads and pray. And remember, my Disciples, abstain from the curse.
Regulate your desires. This is not to cast shame, but to cast cawsion."

*1: The "curse" refers to the Bonding Pacts that are now popular in Trench. There may be some logic to Mother Mercy's rhetoric given the intensity of corruption experienced post-Bonding Pact. However, one could argue there is an equally high chance of counter-corruption due to deepening relationships through blood magic.

*2: It would appear that the word "ruin" and "run" were spelled the same at this time.

[Footnotes are in the Wayward Watcher's handwriting and clearly added at a much later date than the original sermon was recorded due to the darker quality of the ink. The following document "Mother's Forgiveness" is in the Wayward Watcher's handwriting as well.]

MOTHER'S FORGIVENESS
"Thus shortly after the sermon, a hex began to spread throughout Trench. The source of which seemed to be people who were actively resisting personal desire in some shape. People who tried to resist lust or love or other basic desires began to experience convulsions of pain. The internal agony would rapidly escalate the more they resisted "temptation" and eventually, people found one of the only ways to alleviate this pain was to mutilate themselves. A small cut would bring some relief, but the more harm they brought themselves, the more relief they felt.

I have theorized that this may be the first incident of Sleepers transforming themselves into the Blood Crazed Zealots. This was the first time I began to experience Sleepers who had permanently modified their physical bodies in drastic ways. Many would seem content with the modifications but their personalities were distorted by exacerbated corruption. Those who avoided harming themselves would fall into beasthood in alarming numbers. For a while, the only solution the Hunters and I believed in was to mercifully put these creatures out of their misery.

I quickly learned that many people, especially Sleepers, had burrowed down so many desires that it became an outright plague of corruption throughout the city. We needed to do more than just hunting down those who fell to it. The bodies were piling in numbers and the blood pollution was creating more beasts than we were killing. I sought out Mother Mercy and demanded a solution. I reasoned with her that while she may want to avoid the Doorway's blood magic, it was unfair to allow Sleepers to go punished so severely for a Pthumerian's choices.

Eventually, we came to an agreement. She would purify those who came to the Pale Sanctuary and asked for her forgiveness. They must confess their desires to lift the hex. Mother Mercy will, fittingly, take mercy on those who wish to redeem themselves. Be careful of your desires, Sleeper, for if you keep them locked up, they may just be your ruin. Confessions to Mother Mercy should be a last resort. To avoid the hex, consider honesty.

Good Luck,
The Wayward Watcher."

FAQ
1. The "desires" do not need to be romantic or sexual. They can be someone who desires to resolve an issue, someone who wants to have more friends, the desire to be successful/powerful/famous etc. The "desires" should be prominent. Small desires like wanting a donut for breakfast will not cause harm.

2. Crippling feelings of guilt over desire will consume and corrupt. Characters can avoid the hex by admitting their desires to someone. It does not have to be to Mother Mercy.

3. Those who confess to others or Mother Mercy will feel immediate relief of the hex. People can experience the hex multiple times if they go back to hiding their desires.

4. Confessions can be given to anyone. If you're in love with someone, you can just confess it to a friend rather than the person you are in love with. Of course, it's not like Sleepers would know that...It would be easy to think you have to be forced to confess to your loved one.

5. Characters do not need to self-mutilate for this prompt. Many can just go through their usual corruption stages/beasthood that you would have planned for your characters ahead of time. This is intended to be a bit of history for the Blood Crazed Zealots. You can be flexible on how your character goes to extremes to alleviate their pain. This may include substance abuse, irrational behavior, etc.

THE CHOCOLATIER: BONUS PROMPT

WHEN: February (Chocolates can be saved for the future via freezing.) The drive to find the Chocolatier only lasts during February.
WHERE: All throughout Trench and surrounding areas.
CONTENT WARNINGS: Themes of temptation (non-sexual and/or sexual), addiction, blood sacrifice, severely warped personality/reality including temporary amnesia, inability to use body, paranoia, vomiting organs, homicidal feelings, mild body horror.

---

"What is the weight of your pleasure?"

You hear the gravely, sexless voice greet you somewhere in the streets of Trench. You knew the creature had not been there just a minute ago, but now you are no longer alone. A creature roughly the size of an elephant sits beside you, a chalice hovering in the air between its outstretched hands.

The scent of chocolate wafts from the creature. But this isn't just the smell of chocolate. It is the experience of pleasure itself. You can feel the warm melt of chocolate over your tongue, your body wrapped up in inexplicable warmth and silky softness, something whispering across your skin. Your scalp tingles as if someone were playing with your hair or you just heard the best song in your life. It's like sinking into your own bed after getting home from a long trip away.

It's nearly impossible to resist the stupor the creature puts you in. The Chocolatier gazes at you calmly. This is an infamous beast, rare to show its face, but known among locals as one of the most dangerous...For no one can bring themselves to slay it. They dare not even write about it in fear of this creature being capable of taking pleasure away from Trench altogether. Corruption has thoroughly consumed this soul, any sense of self lost, but is this truly the kind of beast that Hunters wish to bring down? It pacifies all those that meet it, even the most violent of souls. The desire to fight, to be hostile will be greatly diminished in its presence. Surely...Surely it cannot be bad.

"I only ask for a token of your blood. For that, I will give everything...Your pleasure, your desire...It is yours. In one single bite...Or perhaps...You may think to give one of my chocolates to someone you admire...For surely...Who could resist such a gift...?" It offers its chalice. "Just a drop will do, my friend..." It seems like such a reasonable request for such a grand gift. Common sense would normally be kicking in right about now, but the Chocolatier drives common sense from the mind and replaces it with sheer want. Someone with mental protection abilities, enchantments or blessed items may be able to resist the temptation and step away. Most people however will likely give over a drop (or more) of blood. The more blood you give, the more chocolates you receive...

And oh! Even if you dislike chocolate or typically can't eat it, you know that you can eat this piece. You know that you will like this chocolate. It's perfect in every way. It was made exactly for you...Or perhaps, even, a special someone in your life. A chocolate for your friend, your lover, your sibling, or...maybe even your enemy. Once you have been given the chocolate, the Chocolatier vanishes. You don't have to eat the chocolate right away, but the longer you resist, the greater the temptation will become. God forbid you lose the chocolate. Some have gone completely insane by the loss. Maybe you should just eat it or get it to your buddy!

There are a wide variety of chocolates you may be blessed with and each one has a different effect. The Chocolatier may seek you out multiple times, but it seems impossible to intentionally summon the Chocolatier.

All effects last a few hours to a few days. Consuming paleblood or darkblood will help alleviate symptoms. All chocolates may lead to corruption and beasthood if they get out of control. Resisting the symptoms worsens effects. While these chocolates are intended to set up new connections, the effects will be doubled if the effect is layering on a pre-existing situation (ie; if you eat a dark chocolate around the person you're sleeping with, you'll find them even more irresistible. If you eat a milk chocolate around your significant other, you'll feel even more in love). You can eat multiple chocolates at once to experience multiple effects at once.

Milk Chocolate: This will inspire extreme romantic attraction to the first person you interact with after eating this chocolate regardless of if you know them. Melted and consumed with other food, it will provide additional feelings of being loved.

Dark Chocolate: This will inspire extreme sexual attraction to the first person you interact with of your preferred gender(s) after consuming. This has been used as a powerful aphrodisiac. Melted and put directly on the skin, it can cause extreme pleasure.

White Chocolate: You desperately want to befriend the first person you interact with after consuming. Melted and consumed with other food, it will provide additional feelings of security in your relationships.

Caramel: You will feel deeply indebted to the first person you interact with after consuming. You will want to do anything they ask, be anything they ask, and follow every order or command they give you.

Almond: You will be extremely compelled to communicate exclusively through song to other people. You will also be compelled to randomly sing your inner monologue and overshare via a spontaneous, musical number.

Raspberry: This will cause you to start vomiting a variety of organs. They aren't your organs. Some of the organs may still be functioning when they come up.

Orange: You will begin to completely confuse people for each other. Their faces and names will swap around in your mind. You might mistake your best friend for your partner. You will have difficulty remembering who is who.

Strawberry: Your emotions will be projected from you without your control through an aura. This aura can provide visual cues (such as a golden light around you when you are happy or a blue when you are sad) as well as smells and possibly even sounds.

Cherry: This will make you extremely flirty and cheerful. You will find it difficult to be in a bad mood and wind up hitting on people regardless of your personal attraction to them.

Coconut: This will cause temporary amnesia either long-term or short-term. Some people may have false memories put in their heads by this chocolate, many of which will be better than the lives they originally lived.

Coffee: This will cause extremely erratic, irrational behavior. You will become reckless and arrogant, making moves in situations you normally never would. It can boast confidence and ego. The crash from this chocolate is terrible and feels worse than a hangover.

Hazelnut: Some physical marker will appear on your body to show that you are romantically and/or sexually compatible with someone. This may be their name appearing on your skin, the first words they ever said to you, or your eye color changing to theirs. This does not force sexual/romantic attraction but rather lets you know who you might make a good match with!

Peanutbutter: You now have animal features of some sort. Dog ears, wings, new eyes. This has been known to provide temporary abilities similar to the animal you have been combined with. Some have even been known to be able to transform completely into the animal at this time!

Peacan: You will drastically lose function over certain body parts. This can cause feelings like your arm is no longer there or under your control. It may cause a complete surrender of your bodily functions in general.

Truffle: You will feel a crushing sense of paranoia that something is controlling you, watching you, and dictating the experiences around you. You will become increasingly suspicious of interactions and start theorizing about little things.

Vanilla: You will become obsessed with specific individuals and begin to actively plot their murder and likely attempt to commit it. This isn't just bloodlust: it's plotting violence. It's about wanting to get away with murder as much as committing murder.

CODING

Comments

whoopsies definitely. cw: nsfw content

[givehead]

(K rests an arm around his waist and it may as well be a death sentence. He can feel the warmth girth of K's arm, the security, the solid reality. That gesture of mine and mine alone steals away Dirk's breath. It's the kind of thing he has always wanted to experience in person but never had such luxury. It makes Dirk pliant, his body relaxing against K's, one arm even slipping around K's neck.)

Oh yeah. Such a gentleman. (One doth protest too much. Dirk was a fan of edging himself so he would only proceed to be more flattered should it come up. He's turning himself around so that he was facing K, wrapping both arms around his neck now. Sorry, K, you started this and now Dirk clearly wanted to finish at least some of it here.)

I hereby give you consent to kiss my dead body should you ever come across it. I promise I'll probably come back.

(Like in all those fairy tales. A kiss would be preferred. He moves a hand against K's cheek, admiring him not for the first time, but with just as much wonder as the first time. This beautiful fucking face of a gorgeous fucking android. He was already so, so pathetically weak for him. He slides his hands down to rest on K's chest and although he's wearing his shades, there's something softened in the way he stares at K then, his head bowed and lips parted.)

You could likely get me on my hands and knees right now with the right kind of look. I do believe you severely underestimate how much control you specifically have over me. I'm trying to resist the urge to get onto my knees right now. Especially if it's for you being possessive of me. (He waits for a beat and then huffs a small laugh, carding a hand through K's hair.) Do you want me to call you something? Daddy maybe? Master? I'll be whatever you want me to be.

cw: nsfw content

[obeir]

[ Dirk isn't wrong. K really has underestimated just how readily Dirk would embrace being dominated after a little encouragement in that direction, and it sends a sharp jolt of heat up his spine. He can't deny how much he enjoys control in this context, even within the constraints of their nebulous friendship-not-relationship. It's difficult not to indulge further especially with Dirk so close and touching him like that... But at the same time, the very public setting they're in isn't exactly ideal for exploring something this new, and he isn't where he needs to be emotionally for sex to be possible — he just isn't capable of casual sex, and he's always been honest about that.

But it is a fun fantasy regardless. Unless Dirk may have been partially serious about flirtation like this being mean? He'd hate for Dirk to feel led on. Maybe he needs to tone things down. ]

You stay where you are. I don't intend to provide anyone with a public show. [ Any more than they already have, anyway. And they are drawing more attention now; he can feel eyes on them even if he isn't paying their audience too much mind. One corner of his mouth quirks up in an amused half-smile as he tightens his arm around Dirk. ] Unless there's something substantial you wanna barter for.

[ It's teasing; K's unlikely to ever trade using sex or voyeurism as currency like that, for the simple fact he has no interest in being a commodity again. The same reasoning dictates why he won't trade using his own blood. This time, at least, he thinks to make it clear he's not being serious, adding: ] That's a joke, by the way.

[ There's a definite appeal to being called master, and that gets some careful consideration for the future...

But daddy seems unintentionally funny given neither of them had parents and his age is in the single digits. Even if he does understand the sexual connotations usually have little to do with age or relation. Hopefully, anyway — he doesn't care for the pseudo incest that humans seem obsessed with in their pornography. For an android who's always wanted a family of his own, it's just distasteful. ]

And if I want you to be yourself...? [ It raises an important question. ] Do you prefer more separation between yourself and your fantasies?

[ He gives a tug to indicate he wants Dirk to continue walking with him, intending to head toward slightly less crowded areas when possible. ]

Re: cw: nsfw content

[givehead]

(Dirk seems thoroughly amused. It's clear enough that despite the crude talk, he wasn't intending on carrying through with anything in the public eye. Like hell, he would waste his first time getting physical with K in front of other people, but the idea was fun to tease with and it seemed like K was on the same page as him with that. Granted, a little public possession was pretty hot.

He grins at K, laughing lowly at the idea of bartering anything. Then a more solid laugh at K clarifying it as a joke.)

Don't worry, stud, I ain't looking to barter anything away just yet. (Or possibly ever. He enjoyed his sex shop but at an arm's length. He had no real interest in becoming something of a performer. Not that there was anything wrong with it, but he'd rather create weird shit with drawings.

He has no real opinion on the daddy thing. It amused him more than anything because much like K, he had no concept of family the same way regular humans did. Like K, he didn't quite get the whole incest or age thing. There were plenty of things he saw in porn that he never really grasped in real life.)

Aw. What's the fun in that? (But he says it softly, something tender in his tone. He was touched by the question.)

I don't know. (Might as well be honest.) Haven't gotten to live out many of my fantasies.

(He thinks about the few things he had done with Jake and Savage, contemplating while he lets K tug him. He walks with him, thinking carefully. He seems to be in the same mindset because he takes a cut through an alley.)

I think I would prefer less separation. I want to know I'm the one doing it for you rather than some idealized version of myself. (He's surprised by his own honesty. He lets go of K and moves over to lean against a brick wall. It was much quieter in this alley and he realizes how much he needed the privacy. Not just to enjoy K's companionship, but to take a breather from the crowd. He sighs, relaxing. He just needed a second.)

I'm always putting on a show. I like the idea of ...(The word 'someone' almost slips past his lips, but then he thinks on their earlier conversation. He looks at K directly.) I like the idea of being a more honest version of myself with you.

(Hm. It was...surprisingly easier to talk like that than he anticipated. He looks down at his feet, smiling slightly.)

I thought I'd feel more awkward admitting that. (But he just feels good. Relieved, even. He grins at K.) How about you?

cw: nsfw content & allusions to noncon elements related to android slavery

[obeir]

[ Following Dirk into the alley, K remains close by. He can't shake the desire to maintain some kind of physical contact even with this relative privacy, an urge that's undeniably possessive in nature, but he also wants to give Dirk space if he needs it while he's decompressing. At the question, he ducks his head slightly, trying to will away the flush he can feel creeping back up his neck. ]

I want you, not a fantasy. [ Dirk's honesty has made his own easier as well. ] So I hope I can make it easier for you to be that more honest version of yourself. I know I can be hard to deal with. Especially when — corruption, or who knows what is making me feel half crazy... [ A wee bit of an understatement. ]

And I'd like to be myself. To know I'm the one doing it for you, too. [ He's trying (and failing) to suppress a teasing smile as he adds in a quieter tone: ] Even if I might want to pretend to be your "master" sometimes. As long as you also want it.

[ Occasional roleplay could be fun, he's learnt that much. It just isn't something he'd want to do all the time — that would get mentally fatiguing, much in the same way Dirk describes always putting on a show. Truthfully, K probably enjoys more "vanilla" encounters the most, full of affection and emotion rather than chasing orgasms. Of course, his physiological limitations might have something to do with that. ]

I explained this to Ult Dirk, and don't know if the knowledge carried over to you. I've only experienced physical attraction when there was a significant emotional connection first.

[ And he's still puzzling over his physical reaction of a while ago, but thinks it felt qualitatively different from previous times. More akin to a physical reaction to physical stimulus rather than emotional, but he also can't deny caring for Dirk as a friend and possibly something more; so maybe there was an emotional component too, just different from what he's used to. It warrants deeper examination. ]

And either because I'm not a pleasure model, or it may be this way for all my kind— [ He'd prefer not to be so explicit, but also worries about the meaning getting lost or confused with more polite verbiage. After some hesitation, he continues. ] We're designed to be used. I think less consideration went into giving us the capability to experience pleasure ourselves. [ In other words... ] Orgasms tend to be more of an unexpected bonus, let's say, and not necessarily a guarantee.

When I told you I'm not interested in casual sex — something purely about physical gratification, and without an emotional connection... It wasn't an excuse, or a preference. I don't actually know if I'd even be capable of it. [ He'd essentially be servicing the other person, he thinks. They'd be using him for their own gratification. It would be about their pleasure; it seems unlikely he'd experience any without that needed emotional connection. ]

Unless ordered. [ A heavy, uncomfortable silence follows that, full of unspoken implications. It feels strange mentioning it like this, but also important for Dirk to know. It's never been easy to talk about; it's traumatic. As TB helped him to develop free will, it reframed almost everything about his early life in his mind. Treatment that he'd once simply accepted as part of being an android was then recognised for what it was: violent abuse. Non-consensual. Slavery.

Slowly releasing the breath he hadn't realised he was holding, he rubs the back of his neck as he looks at Dirk, trying to gauge his reaction to all of that. ]

That's the topic I said to put a pin in before. I've been wanting to explain it to you.

Re: cw: nsfw content & allusions to noncon elements related to android slavery

[givehead]

Bro, I'm not a dream to deal with either. It's cool. I can handle it. (Everyone had bad days and worse moments. Dirk may not have incredible social skills, but he had enough to realize that this was a serious topic leaning away from flirtation. He was fine with that though. He rests entirely against the brick wall behind him, watching K calmly and patiently from behind his glasses. He does smirk the slightest bit.)

Oh, you definitely do it for me. (And the master thing...Yeah. He would not mind getting used to that kind of dynamic in their relationship. Not all the time, no, but once in a while it could be fun. Dirk was overzealous and liked to push things to the extreme because that was the kind of person he was, but K was attractive enough on his own merit that Dirk didn't think he would really need more than whatever K was willing to give.)

It's a little difficult to parse my memories from different splinters. Some don't come over at all. (An important thing he might as well point out too. He could be his own worst enemy and never even know it unless someone told him.

The functionality of androids was endlessly fascinating to him, and what K explains makes complete sense from a technological perspective. Understanding opens up on Dirk's face and something in him relaxes completely.)

Oh. (It's not relief in his voice, but plain and simple acceptance. It felt completely different than when Jake and he had conversations about attraction. That had always been a wheelhouse of Dirk desperately trying to figure out how to keep Jake's absent attention. It was different than Jake just working differently on a fundamental level. Granted, sexuality was a bit murkier than all that, but Jake had been somewhat attracted to him at a basic level. Just not attractive enough or in the right ways.

This was nothing like that. It wasn't Dirk who wasn't doing it for K. It was just how K's actual body worked, and there was nothing wrong with that.)

That makes sense. (No offense. No concern. But a frown does cross his face because yeah, he can get what's being alluded to. The idea of anyone forcing K into that position rears an ugly emotion deep in his gut. He curls his hands absently into loose fists and has to count backward through ten in his head. He wonders if anyone had ever done that to K, but he doesn't ask. It felt wrong to ask about such a sensitive, vulnerable situation.

All the same, it makes that protective instinct in him flare up like a wild fire. He crosses his arms over his chest. Briefly. Then he unfolds his arms and reaches a hand up to rest it again against K's face.)

We never have sex unless you want it, okay? I don't mind waiting. And I don't mind if we never have it. Like, yeah, I'd love to, but it's fine if it doesn't come to that.

(Were it someone else, he might have the wind taken out of his sails. Might have felt inferior or something, but even Dirk wasn't that selfish to pin this on his self-esteem. He lightly strokes a thumb over K's cheek, staring intently at him.)

I won't order you around. I'll flirt and ask, maybe, sure, but I won't ever push that shit on you. I want that part of our relationship to be mutually satisfying if we ever get there. I promise.

cw: nsfw content & allusions to noncon elements related to android slavery

[obeir]

[ As worried as he was that he'd find disappointment or aversion in Dirk's reaction, he isn't actually surprised when he doesn't. Despite all the bumps in the road they've already faced, Dirk has proven his character when it matters most as far as K's concerned — he's a good person and worth having in his life. This conversation only further proves it.

There's a palpable sense of relief when he tilts his head into Dirk's touch, smiling as he closes his eyes for a moment, soaking in the feelings of closeness, security. This really couldn't have gone better and it's such a weight off his shoulders, knowing that Dirk understands. Moving a little closer, he tries to gently tug Dirk away from the wall, just enough to be able to fully slip his arms around Dirk and lean into him. The solid press of his body is as comforting as his words are.

The fists, the crossed arms... he'd paid especially careful attention to Dirk's body language in that moment and though he knows those emotions weren't directed at him, but rather at his circumstances, he still offers a quiet: ] I know that was a lot... I'm sorry some of it's upsetting.

And— Thank you. [ There's a strained quality to his voice now, thick with emotion. It's maybe sort of embarrassing to be so affected by their conversation, but there's no helping it — a little kindness has always gone a long way with K, and this is so much more than that. ] I do think things will work out fine, whatever happens.

Re: cw: nsfw content & allusions to noncon elements related to android slavery

[givehead]

It's okay. I'm glad you told me. I'm only mad at the idea of you or other androids being subjected to that bullshit. (It's hard not to think about Anna too and if she had ever gone through anything like that. Between K and Anna, Dirk can feel a sour press of distaste for humanity. He was a sexual guy too, and he couldn't wrap his mind around thinking you owned someone like that. Like you could just make demands of a sentient being and deny them a choice.

He allows himself to be pulled away from the wall. He automatically goes to K, wrapping his arms around him in turn. He squeezes him hard and part of his soul seems to vibrate against K, a hum of subtle energy Dirk doesn't even mean to give out. But it's a warm presence. Dirk rests his hand against the back of K's neck, tucking his fingers up into his hair.)

No need to thank me. You deserve basic consideration. (He turns his head and presses his mouth against K's temple. He leans back to look at K, moving his hands to K's shoulders. He gives him a light smile.)

I think so too. Thank you for telling me, K. Seriously.

[obeir]

[ K all but melts into the warmth of their embrace. The curious sensation of energy doesn't startle him; perhaps a part of him instinctually recognises it for what it is, because soon he's ducking his head and pressing his face against Dirk's neck for several long moments. The rest of the world might as well not even exist right now.

It may not be the kiss that he'd fantasised about earlier, but he's hardly disappointed. The feeling of Dirk's lips against his temple, the simple affection of the gesture warms him to his core. Yes, things are going to be just fine, he thinks.

When he looks back up he returns the smile. His own thoughts aren't far off from Dirk's — he's reminded of what he'd wanted to ask, before, following Dirk's defensive reaction to his poor choice of words. It directly ties into the topic of attraction and how they both experience it. ]

Before, when you said you don't intentionally seek out other androids...

Were you worried that I think you're only interested in me, or only friends with Anna, because we're androids? [ Given everything Dirk has told him about his interest in robotics and androids, plus the flirtatious comments about K himself being a dream come true to him, he's reasonably certain he isn't far off base here. ] Because I don't think that. Just so you know.

[ He can feel heat rising to his face as he admits: ] If my being an android makes me more attractive to you, though, I'm not gonna complain.

[givehead]

(Dirk could have easily held onto K like this for hours. Part of him hoped K might consider spending the night later. Even if nothing happened, it would be nice to just be like this with him. Play some soft music...God, that'd be the closest thing to heaven. It had been tempting to give a real kiss, but Dirk thought it might be a bit in poor taste to go for a kiss after a conversation like that.

The question is fair enough and Dirk nods.)

I think so, yeah. I'm more comfortable with androids. I feel more natural interacting with you. (Less like he had to worry about odd human social tics that he still doesn't entirely understand. It didn't dictate his personal interest in either, but it certainly did catch his attention and make him feel like he could be more himself with androids.

He was relieved to know that K didn't think he was only interested because of that. He smiles at him, one brow quirking up.)

Don't get me wrong. It's very hot to me that you're an android, but I'd think you're still hot even if you were a plain old human...(His smile turns into more of a smirk and he raises his hand to play with a bit of K's hair.) Or a hunky cat boy. Or a centaur. You'd probably do it for me in juuuust about any masculine body.

(Mmmmmm. Hybrids. He leans up to kiss K's cheek, close to his mouth, but not quite.)

You just get me going, okay. (He rests his hand against his forehead, sighing dreamily.) Such a babe.

[obeir]

Then I hope you'll interact with me more. [ It's intended to be light teasing but comes out sounding more earnest. Which is... a bit regrettable. K's trying not to be too clingy, but it's hard when a part of him really wants to monopolise Dirk's time and attention and feel like a priority to him. Maybe — hopefully — the feeling will calm down if Dirk does talk to him more often, like he'd promised. ]

Feline and equine, hmmm... I'll keep that in mind.

[ Because he has no doubt partial transformation options exist in Trench. He's read about some related to corruption and beasthood — he probably wouldn't want to mess with any of that, but if there's a safer, temporary option, like there'd been in Deerington... It would be worth it just for Dirk's reaction. This time he manages to make his teasing clear: ] But I'm glad if my current body is adequate.

[ K's smile becomes a touch mischievous as he leans in and brushes a light kiss to Dirk's cheek in turn, then takes one of his hands and pulls him toward the other end of the alley. If Dirk lets him, he'll keep hold of his hand while they walk. ]

Come on. You're looking a bit faint, I'd better feed you soon. Is there anything else you want while we're here?

[givehead]

(There's nothing more he wanted, no. Part of him did just want to abscond from the crowds and the noise, and part of him wanted to finally be alone with K in a proper sense. The kiss to the cheek leaves Dirk feeling a roar of warmth just beneath his skin, not too dissimilar to how he felt when he realized the flowers had been for him.

Roxy had kissed him on the cheek once and left a waxy, black lipstick smudge as evidence. He hadn't washed it off until his shower that night. Even from a platonic approach, he had wanted to keep a hold of that feeling of simple contact. The kiss from K feels more electric than that, and Dirk distantly wishes there had been a wax print to stay tacky and obvious on his skin after.

He's quiet, but it's a comfortable silence. Leads them to one of the lamp locations to bring them to his home. Perhaps unsurprisingly, he lives completely alone and well outside of Trench's usual parameters. There is nothing surrounding him, but the woods managed to feel loud in the same way the ocean used to feel loud.

The inside of his home is as cold and sharply defined as Dirk himself. It isn't until they get inside that Dirk realizes...he should probably make a few adjustments. He turns to K, looking the slightest bit embarrassed, but doing his best to school that expression.)

...I should...clear up the kitchen before you see it. It might be dangerous if I don't.

(Because.

He kept...swords in literally every cabinet and they would definitely just come tumbling out of K absently went to look for something. He had weird shit littering all about, things like puppets and what either might look like sex toys in the process of being made or robotic parts.)

Do you mind waiting here for a minute? It won't take me long.

who needs regular cutlery when you have KITCHEN SWORDS

[obeir]

[ The silence is equally comfortable for K. For as well as he tolerates the bustle and noise of the crowd, escaping into the wooded outskirts with Dirk is a very welcome reprieve, and he spares a moment to simply breathe in the smell of nature when they arrive. It's so different from what he's accustomed to, and there's an undeniable sense of seclusion and peace here that he distantly thinks he could get used to.

He takes in Dirk's home with obvious interest as they're making their way inside, feeling as though he's getting a further glimpse into Dirk's personality through his living space. It's a very elegant aesthetic, all things considered. It suits Dirk well, he decides. He gives Dirk a smile when he turns to him. ]

That bad, huh? [ Yeah, he has no idea. He's thinking the kitchen may just be in disrepair the way most Trench homes are. Which prompts him to offer: ] Home renovation has sort of become my specialty the last few months, if you want any help here. I don't mind waiting. I might snoop a little, though.

[ Purely teasing; he'll respect Dirk's privacy unless he's actually invited to explore. ]

Then I'll help you unpack your sylladex and get your new kitchen set up.

it's true!! you can still cut with a sword...and eat with a sword..

[givehead]

(Dirk enjoyed the seclusion too. Isolation had been difficult in some ways, but in other ways, it was comfortable to Dirk too. He wasn't sure how he would be able to function living in a high roaring city. He could work in peace out this far. Plus he liked how the danger of the forest was a natural layer of protection.

He stares at K, blanking completely because K looks handsome and at home in his place already. It takes him a second to process what K was implying and he raises a hand.)

Oh. No. It's finished. It's just extremely dangerous in there. I don't want you to get impaled by accident.

(That's...normal to say! He doesn't even offer any follow-up on that.)

Feel free. I'm sorry if you come across anything especially weird.

(He doesn't quite smirk at the teasing, but there's somehow a look of amusement that plays across his face all the same. He might not change his expression much, but he wasn't quite as stoic as he liked to think.)

Thank you. I'll be done in a second.

(Which, considering this is Dirk, winds up being almost literal. He darts away and into the kitchen. There's a startling amount of noise, of metal clattering and the obvious sound of elaborate movement. Dirk's going to put the swords into his office space and he makes quick work of the task.)

Okay, you can come in now. (He's only slightly ruffled when he appears again, hands on his hips. He hadn't bothered to shut the cabinets. Some had knicks from the swords. One had a knife sticking out of the door that Dirk hadn't bothered to fix. There were approximately two jars of food in one cabinet. No silverware or plates, but at least they had picked some up. There were a few bottles at least for liquids, so he's...kind of...trying.

The fridge had some puppets in it and robot parts. For? No reason at all! Dirk's rubbing at the back of his neck, giving K a look.)

I told you it was kind of scarce. (But hey, at least he has an entire shelf of some orange soda????)

I do have mushrooms. (...He lingers...) Do you...want help cooking?

(Translation: do you want to risk me helping you out?)

[obeir]

[ Impale...?

Dirk doesn't seem to mean it as any sort of suggestive innuendo, either, which only makes K all the more curious. Amid the intriguing — and definitely alarming, what was all that clattering? — sounds coming from the kitchen, he does take the opportunity to look around the place a bit more, though he doesn't get far before Dirk's already returning for him. ]

No, but thank you for the offer. Cooking dinner's what I'm contributing to this date. You're charming enough for the both of us, I'm just trying to keep up here.

[ Hmm, that slightly ruffled look... it's hard to resist. He takes advantage of the situation and spends an unnecessarily long moment adjusting and smoothing Dirk's clothes for him, his touch lingering, in much the same manner Dirk had done for him earlier. Just a little playful retaliation. Looking pleased with himself, K goes to investigate the state of the kitchen.

It's. Well. Not in disrepair as he'd thought, in fact it's quite a nice, surprisingly modern setup that has him looking forward to "christening" it with their dinner preperation. But it is awfully bare. More like a cell than a home. They'll have to do something about that.

Shrugging off his backpack, he places it on the kitchen table and begins removing the various ingredients and seasonings, neatly arranging them on the table for the time being. ]

You must eat out a lot, I'm guessing. [ He looks up to give Dirk an amused smile. ]

I'll take those mushrooms, sure. They'll be good with what I have planned. Do you have a preference for where all your new cookware and utensils and such are gonna go, or may I...?

[ He doesn't want to presume too much; Dirk may not appreciate him coming in and treating the place like his own kitchen. But he's more than happy to organise and put everything away before he starts dinner, if Dirk doesn't mind. ]

cw: food scarcity

[givehead]

That's me. Here to be charming and pretty to look at. Trophy husband material. (He's just rambling at this point for the sake of making noise. He's not actually used to not being able to properly help in any situation, even one as non-serious as cooking.

K absolutely does not help matters by reaching out to smooth out the edges. Dirk doesn't make a noise exactly, but his nose crinkles and there's a fleeting flustered look that crosses his face. God. K made him feel like such a virgin sometimes without even trying. Then K is gone and all Dirk can feel is where his hands had been, and more importantly, where his hands hadn't been.)

Bro, you're kinda a tease. (He moves after K, watching him remove his backpack and get situated.)

I don't eat much in general. (It's a simple admission paired with a shrug.) Back home, I'd go fishing and that would be most of what I ate for the day, so.

(Limited food. Some days he didn't catch anything. There was a reason Beta Bro was so much meatier than Dirk had ever managed. He has kept a similar diet in this place mostly because it was what he's used to.)

And if I get caught up with work I just don't really...y'know. Think about it. (This dude had a terrible diet, in other words. He gets the mushrooms for K and shakes his head.) Nah, man. Put them wherever you want. You will be the one using them more than I will.

cw: food scarcity

[obeir]

[ K lapses into a thoughtful silence while he absorbs what Dirk's telling him, easily reading between the lines. A terrible diet, indeed. And he wants to do something about that, and not just for tonight. He nods his thanks as he accepts the mushrooms, putting them with the rest of the ingredients. Then he turns to Dirk and motions to a point above his head. ]

Your sylladex?

[ There's a pause as he chooses his words. ]

This could become a more regular occurrence, if you'd like it to... Eating together. [ Feeding Dirk, really, because K doesn't eat much either, by design. But he usually will eat more when he's injured, since it helps speed up his already accelerated healing process, as does extra sleep. He idly wonders if these are the kinds of details about his physiology that Dirk might be interested in.

His expression becomes a bit shy as he amends: ] Or I can even just drop off my latest attempts at new recipes for you to try, because I do enjoy cooking as a hobby. [ So Dirk wouldn't always have to play dinner host if he doesn't want to; K certainly doesn't want him to feel smothered by his concern or romantic gestures. Even if he thinks Dirk really could stand to have someone in his life who actually cares about his welfare in these ways. And K would like to be that someone. ]

cw: food scarcity

[givehead]

Oh, yeah. Sure. (Dirk pulls up the sylladex, getting everything out that they had shopped for. He closes the sylladex out and leans back against the nearest counter as K began to talk.)

I'd like that. (Both for the companionship and the idea of having a more consistent eating schedule. He did wonder about K's physiology quite often, but he still wasn't too sure on what was or wasn't rude to ask.)

I mean, if it's all the same, I'd like to enjoy the meal with you. If that was okay. (Rather than having him just drop it off. Even if Dirk didn't know how to express the want, he knew he wanted that with K. He wanted to have that normalization and reliability...something. He yearned for that kind of caring, even if he didn't realize it in a broader sense.)

Thank you, by the way. For all of this. Oh...Let me get some music going.

(He gets out his Omni and sets it aside to start a simple playlist that he had made for K a while ago. It wasn't the same thing as the song he had made, but it was still one of his preferred means of affection.)

I hope you vibe with this. I spent hours putting it together if we ever hung out like this.

i forever love this playlist it's perfection

[obeir]

[ The shyness fades with Dirk's words, replaced with a much softer look and warm smile as he begins putting everything away. ]

Of course it's okay. I'd really like that too. I want to spend more time with you.

[ And if he's able to take care of Dirk at the same time, all the better. He isn't the only one wanting some sort of normalcy, reliability — just something steady in his life that can be counted on. K's hoping for the same through their developing relationship; a solid foundation that can be relied on even as everything else might fall apart around it. Something like that doesn't happen overnight, but he feels good about where they're headed together.

Especially when Dirk starts the playlist. He's speaking K's language now and it shows in the way K momentarily stops everything he's doing just to focus on the music. That Dirk took the time to put this together for him... It's an incredibly thoughtful gesture. ]

Thank you for inviting me. I've had a good time today.

[ Oh, he recognises the first song, too. ] I love the music.

[ His smile grows as he resumes seeing to dinner, starting some water boiling in a pot for the noodles. He's gotten the sense that Dirk would probably feel more comfortable helping in some way rather than just watching, so once he's rinsed off the various vegetables from the market as well as Dirk's mushrooms, he gets two cutting boards and knives set up on the counter. ]

Actually I could use your help, if you don't mind. Can you help cut these? Doesn't need to be perfect, just bite-sized pieces.

my youtube really did good on its algorithm w it haha

[givehead]

Then that's what we'll do.

(This was...so beyond what Dirk has ever done with anyone. He's not uncomfortable in the slightest, but it does feel almost like a dream. He actually even bothers to push the edge of his own mind to see where his dream self was just to make sure it wasn't a dream. He's back to his present mind in a matter of seconds and realizes that yeah, this is his reality.

It's easier than shopping in the market. He focuses on the soothing, smooth beat of the music and watches K openly. Part of him wants to drift over and just lean against K's back while he cooked, but he stays where he is, unsure of what might be okay. He wonders if K would dance with him again later.)

I've had a good time too. But if I'm being honest, I'm having a better time now.

(Music was absolutely Dirk's love language too. It was easier than trying to put his thoughts into words or gestures. Music had always spoken to him on a deeper level than just about anything else.)

Me too. Maybe we can dance later. (There. That wasn't so hard. His gaze drifts between K's face and his arms and then his hands. He's handsome as hell and Dirk finds himself swooning just a bit. Goddamn. He's entering his own sort of fantasy when K asks for help. The only really obvious give is the way Dirk's head snaps a bit as if he had to wake up. He's at K's side in a moment.)

Sure. (Cutting up stuff is easy enough. He uses his natural speed and dexterity to chop up the first vegetable in a split second, but then he slows down on the next one. More because he realizes he kind of just wants to enjoy the moment rather than rush through it the same way he did everything else. Take the time to just enjoy the knife in his palm and the sound of cooking between the beats of music.)

I've never really done this sort of thing with anyone. (Not like this. This is probably obvious, but still.) It's different. I've always seen that kind of stuff in movies and always wondered what appealed to people about it? But I think I understand now.

[obeir]

[ Good music, better company, and even dancing later? This dinner date couldn't get more perfect, as far as K's concerned.

...Well, maybe only if it started snowing. A good excuse to curl up together by a fire, assuming Dirk's amenable to cuddling. ]

Promise?

[ There's something to be said for the simple domesticity of cooking with someone. Domesticity in general, really — it's always appealed to K, he finds it deeply comforting in a way few other things are. The first vegetable instantly falling into pieces with the speed of Dirk's cutting is met with a quietly amused glance as he's rolling up the sleeves of his dress shirt, and he's pleased when Dirk decides to take his time afterward. ]

A good sort of different? I find it relaxing. I'm glad we could do this together. [ The cutting boards are positioned in such close proximity to each other that his shoulder or forearm occasionally, sometimes intentionally, brush against Dirk's lightly while they're working, a subtle sort of affection. And it isn't long before he's quietly humming along to the music. He really does enjoy it.

Soy sauce and several spices and herbs are mixed together in a dish and set aside while he cubes the tofu. Hopefully Dirk won't mind the vegetarian protein option. Authentic meat really didn't exist in K's home universe — protein was largely plant and insect based — and it's still something of an acquired taste to him; he's a bit less confident in his ability to cook with it. He prepares the wok with a little of the sauce mixture and oil before plunking the tofu in to sauté it first, so it'll be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, just the way he likes it. Ideally, so will Dirk.

Once the tofu's plated and there's enough vegetables prepared, he begins stir frying those, all the while intermittently checking the texture of the noodles as they boil. The casual way he just adds more of the vegetables as Dirk finishes cutting them (while naturally allowing their hands to brush in the process) speaks to his experience — stir fry is a deceptively simple meal, but there's a delicate balance required to ensure everything gets cooked exactly the right amount, no more and no less. ]

[givehead]

Promise.

(That would be an easy one to keep. Domesticity was completely foreign to Dirk. So unfamiliar that he doesn't even realize that's what's so soothing about all of this. He is someone who tries to overanalyze all of his own feelings and he's not sure where to place this element of comfort.

Mmmm. Men with dress shirts rolled up.)

You look really good tonight. Like, really. (Short of being absolutely thirsty about K.) I feel like you'd look really nice dressed down too.

(There are a million more things he wants to say, but he actively tries to curb the instinct to let his natural perversions ruin the simple sweetness of this moment. He nods at the question.)

Yes. (Relaxing. He looks down at the food, chopping at K's pace rather than his own. He's surprised by how nice that is too. Normally slowing down only annoyed Dirk, but this was just fine.) I don't think I'd find this relaxing if I was by myself.

(Might as well admit that. It was definitely a task worth doing together. Maybe he could bother to learn a meal for K's sake though. It could make a nice surprise. He stores that idea away for a later date. Dirk likes the occasional touches, each one making him want to scream and kick his feet. He does neither, not so much as changing his expression even once, but there's a certain energy humming from him.

He certainly doesn't mind a vegetarian approach. Animals were scarce enough in his world that he had never even had something like beef or chicken and that hadn't changed when he arrived in this world either. When K gets to cooking, Dirk sits on top of one of the counters and just watches K, always within reach, but giving the android space to work.

It smells a hell of a lot more appetizing than what he normally ate. He summons his Omen at one point, a solid white seagull that rests on his shoulder. He grew up with seagulls all around his house, and he liked the presence of his own soul so near. The bird swoops away from Dirk and rests on K's shoulder, living up Dirk's desire to rest on K but refusal to make that move. Dirk's almost embarrassed by the bird's obvious affection but doesn't do anything to stop it either. Hopefully, K wouldn't mind the sudden companion.

He does eventually abandon the counter to get some water out. When the food is finally prepared, Dirk's a bit like a little kid, hovering by K's side and trying to figure out what he's supposed to do exactly, how he's supposed to plate anything.)

Can you plate mine for me? (He doesn't want to ask for help, but there's a clear puzzlement to his voice to suggest that he has no clue if there's any sort of etiquette here. Pls help, K.)

This looks really fuckin' good. And smells good.

[obeir]

[ The compliment out of the blue sends a rush of heat to K's face and he briefly ducks his head, looking more pleased than embarrassed. He's still getting used to having someone notice him in this way again, and it feels... really good. ]

There's that saying, happiness makes people more attractive...

[ Oh— he's wondered about the form of Dirk's Omen, and isn't surprised to see it manifests as a seabird. What is surprising is the way the Omen comes to perch on him while he cooks, and he glances between the bird and Dirk with a questioning look, smiling. His physical interaction with Omens other than his own has been extremely limited because it seems weird to touch the personification of someone else's soul, and so to have one touching him now... it's hard to not read into it. It brings to mind how something in him had resonated with Dirk's soul during that moment at the Red.

Tentatively, he reaches up and strokes the seagull's breast feathers with his fingers, marvelling at how smooth they feel. His eyes are on Dirk as he does so, curious if he can feel it.

Once all the ingredients are combined and the stir fry's finished, he's already making preparations for dishing them each a plate when Dirk makes his request. ]

Of course. I do hope you'll like it. [ And just in case it needs to be said: ] Keep the music on, too. [ Because it has definitely set the mood. Plus, it'll be nice to slow dance to a bit later.

The only real serving etiquette K's concerned with is making sure Dirk gets a bit of everything to try. He moves his backpack and any remaining cooking items from the kitchen table and sets their plates down so they'll be sitting across from each other, unless Dirk opts for another arrangement. All the while he's let Dirk's Omen remain perched on him undisturbed; his nose wrinkles in amusement as a thought suddenly occurs to him. ]

I almost feel like a pirate. [ Just with a seagull instead of the stereotypical parrot. There are plenty of suggestive jokes to be made about piracy and he's knowingly inviting them at this point, figuring Dirk's been so well behaved tonight that he deserves this opportunity to let loose a little if he wants to. ]

[givehead]

I think being attractive makes attractive people more attractive. (Dirk, honey. No.) Oh, wait.

(Right. He got it now. He looks silently pleased with himself because the idea of him having any capacity to make someone else happy?

Shit. Oh. He's never done that either, he doesn't think. He falls quiet, thoughtful, wondering what exactly he was doing to make K happy. He wanted to study it like a science project to make sure he could replicate the same steps in the future. But there wasn't really anything he felt like he was doing.

When K touches his Omen, Dirk doesn't feel it in a literal sense, but it does give him a warm, pleasant feeling straight through his chest. It gives him the sensation of being held and it's a feeling he doesn't want to go away too soon. He's almost shy of K's gaze, grateful for his own shades, or else he'd be terrified of what look was in his eyes at the moment. Something too vulnerable, most likely. The shyness of the moment temporarily renders him mute, and he just nods at K. Yes, he'll keep the music on. He's sure he'll like the food, yes.

He doesn't find his voice again until K mentions being something like a pirate. A smile flickers over Dirk's face and he tips his head to look at K overall.)

You would look like an absolute bombshell in the pirate aesthetic... Naw. We can't go down that road. I'm trying to be an upstanding gentleman here. (Look at him. He really is trying so hard, isn't he?) You'd pull off the dirty, eyeliner, bearded look.

(............Noooooooo he's going to die. He exhales loudly, sitting at his spot at the table. Atlas flies from K's shoulder to land on Dirk's head. Dirk doesn't even seem to care. He's busy mourning the fact that his night was not about to be filled with railing K.)

I'm literally too gay for this. (Just so K was aware. He fusses with his Omni to distract himself, but there's a purpose, and a few minutes later, he's projecting an image up above on the ceiling to go along with the music. It seems to be just cute, old reels of anime scenery. It's pleasant and washes the room in soft pastel lights. It's romantic and it syncs well with the rest of the mood.

He settles down and moves to take his first bite. He just holds the fork in his mouth for a moment because oh. Oh. Oh. He's completely still and then, very slowly, slides the fork out. There are brand new textures and tastes in his mouth and he wants to dissect each and every one. There's a pleasant salty tang from the soy sauce and the tofu is shockingly good. He chews slowly, and while Dirk remains stoic, his Omen does not. Atlas's feathers poof up and the bird makes a soft, elated little chirping noise before shaking its whole body out. It's rather endearing, but it's also exposing Dirk like hell, so he waves his hand and brings Atlas back to him, hiding the bird back inside of his soul.

Damn. What the fuck. He levels K with a careful look.)

This is really good. (Understatement of the century.)

[obeir]

[ While the glasses do make it difficult to really read Dirk, K's been getting better at interpreting everything else in his expression and body language to fill in the blanks. Noticing these subtle nuances is literally part of his programming as a detective, but it's his lived experience that enables him to pretty accurately guess at what's happening. Enough that he thinks they ought to explore touching each other's Omens more... ]

I was sort of expecting something about plundering booty, but you're being so much more gentlemanly, it's true.

[ There's suppressed laughter in his voice as he makes this observation. Okay, yes, Dirk scores points for keeping it classy this time. His effort is actually very charming.

K's eyes follow the projection up to the ceiling and he watches the pretty pastel scenery for a few moments, before returning his gaze to Dirk across from him, much more interested in seeing his reaction to the meal. So it's probably kind of weird to be watching someone this intently while they eat, but — this is a big deal to K, even more than he's let on thus far.

When Dirk's Omen suddenly poofs up and chirps, expressing everything that Dirk keeps so carefully shuttered, K just can't help it any longer. His shoulders are shaking with silent mirth that soon enough he can't contain, huffing a pleased laugh as he covers his mouth with one hand. ]

I'm very happy you like it.

[ And he doesn't even have to summon his own Omen to prove it; it's plainly written in his delighted expression. Now that he feels he's received Dirk's approval, he starts eating too. And just as he'd thought, the mushrooms have added a very complementary earthy flavour to everything that's made it better than it could've been otherwise, as far as he's concerned. ]

Your additions and help have made it perfect, I think. We do need to do this more often.