driftfleet | Let's all hold hands and sing Kumbaya

[Allen's crew had been settled and he had been exploring the sights when Clay calls him. When he sees who it is, yeah, he'll answer right away]

Hey you!

[The smile on his face gets brighter once Allen answers, already feeling a lot better about this place]

Hey yourself!

How's your crew? Everyone good and fine?

Yeah! Everyone's happy to get off the ship for awhile.

[Well, a couple of them are depressed, but that's unrelated to the planet itself]

Where are you at? I'm assuming your crew's all settled in if you're calling.

Yup! We're about the same way here; everyone's really happy to be off for a while. And on a planet like this, too! [Which is still so weird, but whatever at this point] Anyway, I'm near the first inn of the tree place. Can't miss it!

Oh! You mean near the pier?

[He hopes so because he's pretty sure he'd get lost if Clay means elsewhere]

I don't think I'm far from there! I can be over in a few minutes!

Yeah! Not on it, but close. I'll see you when you get here!

[With that, he turns off the comm and waits for his boyfriend, bouncing a bit on his toes with eagerness. It hasn't been long, but it's still always kind of hard to be separated from him when they always get to spend so much time together on the places they visit.]

Yeah, see you soon!

[He'll turn off his own communicator and pocket it, starting to move in that direction. Sure enough, in about five minutes he can be seen approaching. He gives a big smile and wave before he starts speeding up his steps to meet Clay]

[Once Clay sees Allen, he returns that big smile and wave, then hurries on over to meet him halfway.]

Heeeey!

[And once he's close enough, he wraps up Allen in a tight embrace, even lifting him off his feet for a second before he sets him back down again. There's joy and love and affection and relief all being felt at once, and he shuts his eyes while he sets his chin on his boyfriend's shoulder.]

There you are.

Yeah, sorry I-

[He feels a lot of the same happiness and affection, but man- when Clay hugs him like that? He feels a strong wave of Clay's own emotions. Which weren't bad things to feel, but they caught him off guard enough to be disorienting, causing him to stumble a little in his footing]

- Ah. What's-

[-Going on. Yeah. Guess who hasn't touched anyone else yet]

- Ah! Sorry!

[He, too, felt those same emotions coming from Allen, and it made him feel a bit disoriented as well, since he wasn't used to it. But he'll hold onto Allen a little longer to make sure he's got his footing, then move back, hands up as if to gesture that he didn't mean it.]

It's, uh. Something the planet's known for? One of the locals told me about it. [While holding his hand in both of their own, which felt so, so awkward.] When you touch someone, you sort of... know what they're thinking and feeling?

[He crosses his arms, half to think, half to keep himself from touching Allen unless he's okay with them touching each other. (Honestly, Clay isn't sure if he could last a month or however long they stay here without touching him)] My theory is that something on this planet heightens our sense of empathy to insane levels, but it only happens when physical contact is made.

Know our thoughts and feelings?!

[Holy shit whaaaat. Is that why all the local here kept holding hands?? He just thought they were all dating and stuff, wow. ]

That's...different. [Definitely going to take some getting used to] I guess I didn't notice because I haven't touched anyone.

Yeah... [Definitely different.] I touched a few of my crewmates, and I kinda... cracked the pier I landed by, so the locals kept putting their hands on my shoulders and stuff while I helped them fix it earlier. It's weird. [And that reminds him:] Just so you know, the people here are really handsy.

[Jeez-] Ah- thanks for the warning. I'll be sure to watch out for them.

[Because while he's sure these people are just used to sharing all their thoughts and feelings with each other? He definitely was not, nor was he okay with the idea of sharing such things with a bunch of strangers. That just wasn't going to happen.]

[But he'll smile sheepishly as he pushes a lock of hair behind is ear] You...cracked the pier? Are you okay?

[Yeah, hence why it was incredibly awkward for Clay. They were able to see right past his apologies and confident assurances and could tell he was mortified and nervous, only to send him supportive thoughts and feelings and - It was deep, too deep, but Clay had to endure until the pier was fixed.

Which, speaking of that.] I'm fine! I can fly ships, and I can land them in water, but trying to park it like it's a boat? Not so much. I ended up bumping the pier too hard, and, well... yeah.

Ah, right. I could see why that could give you some trouble. We got lucky there.

[But like he said, the touching from all the locals must've been weird. Especially when Clay, while pretty honest, had his own things about privacy. Which...]

So...um, what do you think we should do?

[And then there's that question. Clay gives a shrug with one shoulder, still keeping his arms crossed for now.]

Well... we already share a lot, so I wouldn't mind the whole touch thing with you. [And now he does uncross them to hold out his hand for Allen, though he doesn't take his hand, instead letting Allen decide for himself if he's okay with that.] What do you think?

[Allen, for a moment, hesitates. The idea of opening up on such an intimate level to anyone is an intimidating idea for him. A lot of bad things could happen, being exposed like that.]

[But...this was Clay, he reminds himself. He loves Clay, he trusts him. Clay was someone he felt comfortable about being himself around, which wasn't a small thing. He knew Clay always accepted him, always cared for him- the good and the not so good parts of him. There was no reason to be afraid.]

I...guess we will be here at least a few weeks. [slowly, he will his hand to move and take that hand being offered to do so. Which he does, tentatively. ] It'd be better to just try to get used to it.

[ Through the touch, Clay can feel Allen's nervousness. But that love he felt earlier? It's still there. Along with the feeling of trust. ]

[And on the other side of things, Allen can feel nervousness as well, though a different sort, born from a fear of rejection that Clay had been hiding. But that dissipates quickly, and something like both joy and pride practically blooms in its place. That burst of feeling is accompanied by Clay's big smile, and he leans in to place his other hand on Allen's shoulder and kiss his cheek, the undercurrent of love and affection he always feels for Allen rising as he does so.]

We'll work it out. We'll be fine! [He gives Allen's hand a squeeze, gratitude and trust showing through the gesture.] And... let me know if it's too much? I'll do the same for you, too.

[Not that he could ever get tired of Allen, but feeling emotions like this can probably get exhausting after a while.]

[Allen meanwhile? Now that he knew what was going on when they were touching, found himself feeling floored by what he was experiencing. That each of Clay's movements were accompanied by a direct emotion. Emotions that he could guess that Clay was feeling from knowing him as well as he did, but that was hardly the same as feeling those emotions play out in real time. It was like being opened up to a new sense he never experienced before, or even the first time his left arm moved well enough to be of some use. Like a whole new world opened up...]

[ Whoa. ]

[The thought rings clear through their minds, along with the feeling of amazement]

[And he's feeling much the same way, especially as he experiences Allen's feelings of amazement. And the thought - wow. He kept experiencing the villagers' thoughts, and that was just invasive for him, but now that there's permission on both sides? It's deeply intimate, a level that he never thought possible that's totally and completely new.]

[ This is so intense. ]

Yeah.

[Wow okay, that voice in his head definitely wasn't his own. Just like the feelings of amazement that was coming from Clay. It was incredible and so strong at the same time.]

Yeah, I'd say it's intense. [He laughs a little, it's clear now he does this out of habit to deal with nerves] Were those thoughts just now?

[Yup, he can feel the nerves that comes along with the laughter as well. He kind of figured after all this time, but this just confirms it, and he lets out a huff of laughter as well, but there's a giddy sort of thrill there with it.]

[ Nervous? ]

I think so. That's what it felt like when the villagers kept touching me.

[ That was so weird I didn't like it but it's okay right now. ]

Ah- A little!

[Yeah it's going to take a bit to figure out how to know when respond to things via thoughts or vocal words. But Clay can feel a bit of warmth swell up when Clay thinks that last part. That this is okay with him but not with other people.]

[ We're out in the street maybe we should find somewhere private... ]

[Oh man, it's so weird having Allen respond to a thought he had. It's weird, but not necessarily bad. Like he thought before, it's okay when he's with Allen. He can't see himself tolerating it much with anyone else, like the locals who kept doing so.

That thought of Allen's makes him blink, then look around - that's right, they are in public. He feels sheepish as a result; not embarrassed, not really, but he definitely feels the need to get out of public eye when they're sharing something like this.]

Uh, yeah.

[ Where should we go? ]

They've got inns here... and we can rent tree houses? That's what they told me, anyway.

[ Tree house is probably less expensive it might be nice ]

[Considering what they usually get a room at the inn for? Outwardly, it causes him to blush a little. But in his mind? It flashes back to one of those hotel stays. Skin pressed against skin, the feeling of desire, lust-]

[ Bugger. Not now.]

[He scolds himself as he shakes off the memory. Definitely not what he meant. And the fact that Clay might've seen that makes it even more embarrassing.]

Ah, no I meant, just somewhere more- secluded. Just-

[There's embarrassment and a flusteredness to his feelings as he starts tugging Clay along- away from the Inn and out towards what looks a less busy area of trees]

[Lets just go.]

D I guess

D for sure!!!

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