Only one bed

[madmeemey]

there's only one bed!

Two characters have to share a room for the night. Every room is occupied, but fortunately there is one last room available.

There's just one problem — there's only one bed, and the characters aren't comfortable sharing it.

- TV Tropes

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[educated_wish]

What I don't wish is for you to stuff that thing in your mouth, especially if you do concede to kiss me again later.

[ He's just going to busy himself with cleaning up, as if he'd never said that, as if it can be forgotten if he doesn't look at him. ]

It's gross, and terrible, and disgusting. Find another use for it, if you have to.

[ He's one to talk, with that weasel he'd been eating earlier. It was just typical of what he actually ate around here. It's the idea of someone else doing such a thing, too, that horrifies him. ]

[alivian]

[Alivian makes a face in response, nose wrinkling.]

I'll take a rain-check on kisses, for sometime after the taste is gone from my mouth.

[He tears off a small section of stinker fish and pops it into his mouth.]

[educated_wish]

...well.

[ How is he supposed to react to the fact they're not stricken from the record as an idea? He attempts to shrug it off and avert his face while doing other things, but it's obvious he's a little reddened. ]

How does it taste?

[ He's still not actually looking at him. ]

[alivian]

[He hasn't chewed the piece yet. The texture is... wrong. Even from a section of it that lacks fur, it's...

[It bypasses his usual diluted sense of taste, and once it does, he immediately spits it out, and spits again with a grimace.

[And again, salivating more than usual.

[Time to shove more of that actually decent fish into his mouth.]

...No words for it.

[His voice is strained, and his eyes are a little watery.]

"Foul" isn't strong enough.

[educated_wish]

I told you.

[ Logan points at him, and tries not to laugh. But he doesn't try very hard. ]

I told you. You think I haven't tasted some of the worse shit around here? I knew what it was going to be.

Listen to me next time, please.

[alivian]

[Alivian isn't even mad. He just coughs a little, pouts at Logan, and then makes another disgusted noise.]

Curiosity satisfied.

[Oh god it's still clinging to his tongue...]

[educated_wish]

Will you accept some alcohol? That's pretty much the only thing that will erase the taste.

[ Yes, he speaks from experience. ]

I didn't bring it here, but we have some back at my place.

[ It's... odd. To realize he didn't bring it, or feel the necessity of it for even a moment. He has to reflect on that. ]

[alivian]

Gods, seriously? Very well. I will... endure it until then.

[He picks at the very last morsels (sob) of fish, and then gets up with some shakiness. Proper bath time. This time, when he dips into the lake, he sticks to the shallows so it only comes up around his back when he sits down, and reaches back to rub and scratch his fingers through the fur at his spine, using the water to help part the strands and chase away lingering sweat and the like. His tail partly floats towards the surface, wiggling to help his balance while he works.

[He can't even enjoy it, his tongue still reeling from stank-fish.]

[educated_wish]

[ Logan considers. He can tell he's having a bad time, and he pities him a little, now - though he still doesn't feel bad about the 'I told you so'. ]

If you can handle being alone for two minutes, I can run back and get it.

[ Though he hates to leave him alone. He'd worry the entire time. ]

[alivian]

...No. We go back together. I'll live.

[His fingers fight through a few tangles as they work their way down to his tail. After a moment, he shifts his posture, grasps the base of his tail, and gives a slow, firm pull, grunting with relief as several of his tail's vertebrae pop at once, and at least a few in his lower back attached to it.

[Spine feeling less tight, he works to clean up his tail, too, fingers catching the odd tuft of undercoat and dragging it away, along with the odd twig or pebble.

[Occasionally, he has to stop to endure the gross taste in his mouth. But is he going to ask for that alcohol anyway? Hell no.]

[educated_wish]

[ Logan glances over, interested, when he hears that popping. And he just kind of forgets to look away.

He is way too interested in this man, he reflects. He needs to stop and reassess here. But he can't force himself to. ]

...feel better? Other than the taste.

[alivian]

Mm. Less like my spine is wedged between a pair of poles. It gets stiff fast.

[More tail work, flicking away tufts of white and silver fur that pull loose. He smells very slightly like wet dog, sorry. Especially as he gets up and starts to gently squeeze water out of his fur - starting by pressing down along his back.]

Pulling it is a small pleasure. Just enough pressure loosens everything up. Temporarily.

[Once he's satisfied with the water removal and some last touch-ups of cleaning, he walks back over to stand next to the fire while using his hands to help dry himself off, borrowing the heat from the flames to help evaporate the water.

[He clearly doesn't seem to mind if Logan keeps staring at him. It's not like he's hard (anymore.)]

[educated_wish]

You'll have to show me how to do that, eventually. If you ever need help with it.

[ Yes, apparently his fascination with the tail supersedes his want to keep a physical distance while things are unsure. Or maybe he just wants to be helpful. It's one of those. ]

I wouldn't want to try, screw it up and hurt you.

[ Yeah, he hasn't stopped staring once. ]

[alivian]

[That gets a brief smirk. The underlying part of it, not that Logan's staring at him.]

You just want to touch it, huh?

Sure. I'll demonstrate on myself and then offer to mimic that same grip and pressure on your arm or something.

[For now, his hands brush over his skin, and even through the soft tufts of pubic fur to dry it. Every so often, he turns his body a bit to try to keep from burning up from the heat on one side.]

[educated_wish]

You caught me.

[ He's red again, for what feels like the millionth time today. This doesn't really occur, so why does this man keep making it happen? He hates being flustered in even a small way. ]

But I'd take any opportunity to touch you.

[ ...did he just say that? Goddamn. He looks away. ]

[alivian]

Hmmm. Very well.

[Unconcerned with Logan's flustering, he continues to steadily brush himself off. He soon turns his back to it, rubbing his fingers carefully through the strands of fur on his spine and working his way downward, back and forth, and wiping the moisture off on his arms or parts of his back to spread it out to get it dry faster.]

Don't start growing fur like this. Getting dry without a proper towel and comb is a pain.

[educated_wish]

Eventually I will.

[ He shrugs a shoulder. ]

Twenty years in the future, my brother did it. I will too.

[ He seems completely ignorant of the fact his phrasing will be confusing to anyone who doesn't know he's traveled back in time before. ]

[alivian]

...Huh?

[It's Alivian's turn to be baffled, jaw dropping a bit, brow furrowing. He almost steps closer, but were it not for fucking stink-fish taste in his mouth, he refrains.]

I think my ability to understand language messed up.

[educated_wish]

Huh?

[ Oh, wait, was what he said actually confusing? He balks for a moment. ]

...let's just say I know the future a little too well, that's all.

[alivian]

[Alivian squints at him.]

Okay, that sounds almost like bullshit, but, assuming that's the truth, would you actually elaborate a little more? Please.

Because you're making it sound like you've time-traveled. And I just. I want to make sure I'm hearing you correctly.

[educated_wish]

Uh, yeah.

[ He considers how much that would sound like bullshit to someone who hasn't, and figuratively sweats a little. He starts pacing around the fire, not sure how to puzzle out his words. ]

I used to be from a very doomed future. I got sent back in time many, many decades to put things right.

I did, for awhile. Then things went to shit.

[alivian]

Oh.

I see. And... I'm sorry.

[His ears fold a little, uncertainty playing along his expression.]

I'm.. unsure what words would be appropriate, for that. But. Thank you, for clarifying.

I won't ask anything more on the matter. It's... it seems like a stressful topic to you.

cw: addiction

[educated_wish]

...thanks.

[ He's a bit confused at someone being curious yet refusing to ask. It's odd. But he looks extremely grateful for the fact. ]

I'll probably talk about it eventually. Just not right now.

[ He eventually takes a seat again, rather than pacing, but he keeps clenching his fists in his lap as if he's about to pop his claws, but he doesn't. ]

If we can head back soon, I need a drink. Or a cigar.

[alivian]

Mm.

Sorry, thank you for your patience.

[He squeezes out a little more water from his tail, and then turns around to mostly face Logan while he shakes it to flick more water off. From there, all he does is bend over to pull his dried underwear and pants back on. Nothing else. His shirt and coat, he drapes over an arm.]

You're definitely right. This taste in my mouth is truly dreadful. Whatever you've got on hand, I'm definitely going to drink until the taste is gone.

[Ali NO]

[educated_wish]

[ And Logan, no, because he takes the overt opportunity to eye the guy's ass as he bends over and pulls his clothing on. When what he has been referring to as 'the barrier' is on, he relaxes visibly from having one less physical stress. ]

You sure you can handle that much?

And you won't get drunk off your ass?

[ He raises an eyebrow as he stands. ]