[Basically, if it involves a board and the chance of falling on his face, he's there. Chase raises an eyebrow slightly that the retreat is the apology on the table today, and not the precursor to it.]
Then you're apologising for freaking out over something you had every reason to freak out about. [Shrug.] Accepted.
[Of course it was an accident. Chase got that as soon as Caspian started calling out the wrong name -- and isn't it strange how something can be a relief and mildly insulting all at once.]
I'm probably not the most important person to reassure about that. You told him?
[For one minute some terrible images flash though Chase's head, but the momentary twinge of panic fades in recollection of that ill-fated arse grab. And he'd teased her about taking an interest in the underaged.]
I'm not involved with Angela. But if I was, and she was spending a fair portion of time with someone who could easy enough be my twin, I think I might have cause for concern.
[Whoops, sorry there wombat, hehehe. As for this theoretical concern, it actually makes Caspian smile. Just a little one.]
He knows he has no cause for concern.
[Caspian doesn't ask Chase to trust him on this one. Aside from the possibly visually scarring implications for an Australian, there is the fact that he has this much confidence and faith in what he shares with an Englishman.]
Long time. [Both for a teenage relationship and for it to be 'not like that'. And Chase would feel a lot more comfortable asking the questions he feels he should within the safety of white walls and sworn oaths] And is it a secret or just not common knowledge?
[Either is a fairly impressive record in a city where personal information is curse currency, but Chase has no idea whether this relationship is merely something he hasn't noticed thanks to the propriety of the pair involved, or whether it's information purposely kept out of the public domain. He adds, again, the reassurance of the other night.] I'm not going to tell anyone anything you tell me. I'd just like to know if you've had anyone to talk to.
[A long time, and he says it with some amount of pride too. As for the rest of Chase's questions, well those aren't so easy to answer. He runs a hand through his hair again and lets his upright posture slowly curve into a slouch, elbows coming to rest on his knees. Here, Caspian is repeating what he knows is the reason for their secrecy, not necessarily how he truly feels about it.]
It's a private matter that no one needs to know, so it is a secret.
[Then he shakes his head and his face feels hotter.]
No, no one needs to know what you do in your personal life. But it's not always a good idea to shut everyone out, either. Relationships aren't easy, sometimes you might have questions neither of you know the answer to. Even kings have confidantes. [Hopefully couched in terms Caspian can relate to, Chase waits for the next crescendo of gaudy carousel music.] I assume this is your first sexual relationship. Has anyone explained appropriate barrier protection to you? Condoms.
[Except he would never in a million years ask Trufflehunter. What would a badger know anyway. There is his professor, the closest figure to a father for him, but he isn't here. And there was Zach but...well most of them know what happened to him.]
...........
[Staring is what happens next because the first part he's a bit shy to admit and the second part draws a memory of Eden.]
[And Chase is going for his wallet. Interesting fact: when he first started giving this kind of talk, he was supposed to counsel against these. Also against homosexuality, though, so in for a penny, in for a pound. Luckily he still carries stock, even though there are no buyers lately, and he shields the view with one hand as he holds up the little foil square with the other.]
If you're going to be having sex, particularly if you're having rough sex, then you need to consider using these.
[It's a lot easier to ask that than to be specific. He notes the discretion and exercises it when studying the curious foil too.]
I know this is for keeping a lady you admire without child.
[Thank Eden for that gem. For all his hesitation Caspian does keep their best interests in mind. He may not have any control on what this will do emotionally, when they must say their goodbyes, but he can look after their health.]
[Honestly, Chase is surprised he knows that much, however delicately phrased. If he knew Eden passed the information on he'd have expected Caspian to parrot something more like dinnae feck without it, else ye'll have a wee babby.
Wait, is that Scottish? Never mind.]
It's also for keeping a gentleman you admire in good health. Sex - any kind of sex but particularly sex between two males - involves bringing two not particularly clean areas of the body into close alignment. You can catch an infection from exchanging body fluids that way, just like you can catch one from breathing close to one another. Strictly speaking, if the two of you haven't had any other partners it's not as much of a problem, but accidents happen. Curses happen. You can make your own decisions about it as long as you're both informed.
[Condom back, please, lest he look like a dealer. And back into the breast pocket of his jacket.]
You can get those from me free at the hospital. And I'd rather talk you through using them there than in a kid's play area.
[No one wants to hear Caspian attempting to parrot Eden's accent...or anyone else's for that matter.]
We haven't, we don't share.
[He says it quicker than he intends to but the very idea of, well, engaging two people at the same time in such relations is hard for him to understand. You know all about that don't you, Chase, right? Right? Oh, have the foil square back too. Next he asks a question that's even harder to phrase if only because he doesn't want to sound presumptuous or insulting. He just isn't used to being counseled, especially over something that obviously causes the likes of Peter and Neil(son) distress.]
[Yes they do. Maybe if they get him drunk enough? Anyway, the hasty defence is hard to miss, and Chase is sure everyone has wonderful intentions but, like him, sometimes they get screwed when they're not expecting it.]
I'm sure, but the nature of this place might not always allow you to keep your own rules.
[In all honesty, turning the discussion to the practical (clinical) is infinitely more comfortable on his side than listening to Caspian's apologies for a kiss and run. They could pretend the kiss never happened, even. That would be great. But the fact is that he knows now, and knowing can sometimes be akin to a duty of care. Some people might just call it care. His gaze slides sideways to meet Caspian's solidly perhaps for the first time since he sat down.]
Well I don't have the... practical experience. [LETS JUST CLEAR THAT UP] It's just hard enough being in a relationship sometimes without having to work through any problems on your own.
[And that sidelong glance narrows slightly. Assessing or just amused.]
We're past the stage where I had to hold you on the board. We'll be fine.
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timeasmymeasure
staring at emotion in the light of day / i was running from the things that you'd say
Date: 2009-09-09 02:25 am (UTC)Then you're apologising for freaking out over something you had every reason to freak out about. [Shrug.] Accepted.
staring at emotion in the light of day / i was running from the things that you'd say
Date: 2009-09-09 02:30 am (UTC)I didn't mean it, it was an accident. And I don't want you to think that it's the very reason I like spending time with you. Because it isn't.
[Look it's hard to talk about this without mentioning that.]
staring at emotion in the light of day / i was running from the things that you'd say
Date: 2009-09-09 03:16 am (UTC)I'm probably not the most important person to reassure about that. You told him?
staring at emotion in the light of day / i was running from the things that you'd say
Date: 2009-09-09 03:25 am (UTC)He knows. Of course he knows.
[Caspian nods before running his fingers through wavy brown hair.]
I am sure you're understanding of what Angela did to him, right?
staring at emotion in the light of day / i was running from the things that you'd say
Date: 2009-09-09 03:32 am (UTC)I'm not involved with Angela. But if I was, and she was spending a fair portion of time with someone who could easy enough be my twin, I think I might have cause for concern.
staring at emotion in the light of day / i was running from the things that you'd say
Date: 2009-09-09 03:42 am (UTC)He knows he has no cause for concern.
[Caspian doesn't ask Chase to trust him on this one. Aside from the possibly visually scarring implications for an Australian, there is the fact that he has this much confidence and faith in what he shares with an Englishman.]
staring at emotion in the light of day / i was running from the things that you'd say
Date: 2009-09-09 03:49 am (UTC)Can I ask how long this [Palms spread in an all encompassing gesture without actually implying anything] has been going on between the two of you?
staring at emotion in the light of day / i was running from the things that you'd say
Date: 2009-09-09 03:58 am (UTC)This other question does bring some warmth to his cheeks but he does his best to answer it without sounding foolish.]
Since last year, here.
[Not there. More than likely never there.]
staring at emotion in the light of day / i was running from the things that you'd say
Date: 2009-09-09 04:15 am (UTC)[Either is a fairly impressive record in a city where personal information is curse currency, but Chase has no idea whether this relationship is merely something he hasn't noticed thanks to the propriety of the pair involved, or whether it's information purposely kept out of the public domain. He adds, again, the reassurance of the other night.] I'm not going to tell anyone anything you tell me. I'd just like to know if you've had anyone to talk to.
staring at emotion in the light of day / i was running from the things that you'd say
Date: 2009-09-09 04:23 am (UTC)[A long time, and he says it with some amount of pride too. As for the rest of Chase's questions, well those aren't so easy to answer. He runs a hand through his hair again and lets his upright posture slowly curve into a slouch, elbows coming to rest on his knees. Here, Caspian is repeating what he knows is the reason for their secrecy, not necessarily how he truly feels about it.]
It's a private matter that no one needs to know, so it is a secret.
[Then he shakes his head and his face feels hotter.]
.....No..
staring at emotion in the light of day / i was running from the things that you'd say
Date: 2009-09-09 04:39 am (UTC)staring at emotion in the light of day / i was running from the things that you'd say
Date: 2009-09-09 04:48 am (UTC)[Except he would never in a million years ask Trufflehunter. What would a badger know anyway. There is his professor, the closest figure to a father for him, but he isn't here. And there was Zach but...well most of them know what happened to him.]
...........
[Staring is what happens next because the first part he's a bit shy to admit and the second part draws a memory of Eden.]
staring at emotion in the light of day / i was running from the things that you'd say
Date: 2009-09-09 05:00 am (UTC)If you're going to be having sex, particularly if you're having rough sex, then you need to consider using these.
staring at emotion in the light of day / i was running from the things that you'd say
Date: 2009-09-09 05:18 am (UTC)[It's a lot easier to ask that than to be specific. He notes the discretion and exercises it when studying the curious foil too.]
I know this is for keeping a lady you admire without child.
[Thank Eden for that gem. For all his hesitation Caspian does keep their best interests in mind. He may not have any control on what this will do emotionally, when they must say their goodbyes, but he can look after their health.]
staring at emotion in the light of day / i was running from the things that you'd say
Date: 2009-09-09 05:01 pm (UTC)Wait, is that Scottish? Never mind.]
It's also for keeping a gentleman you admire in good health. Sex - any kind of sex but particularly sex between two males - involves bringing two not particularly clean areas of the body into close alignment. You can catch an infection from exchanging body fluids that way, just like you can catch one from breathing close to one another. Strictly speaking, if the two of you haven't had any other partners it's not as much of a problem, but accidents happen. Curses happen. You can make your own decisions about it as long as you're both informed.
[Condom back, please, lest he look like a dealer. And back into the breast pocket of his jacket.]
You can get those from me free at the hospital. And I'd rather talk you through using them there than in a kid's play area.
staring at emotion in the light of day / i was running from the things that you'd say
Date: 2009-09-09 08:06 pm (UTC)We haven't, we don't share.
[He says it quicker than he intends to but the very idea of, well, engaging two people at the same time in such relations is hard for him to understand. You know all about that don't you, Chase, right? Right? Oh, have the foil square back too. Next he asks a question that's even harder to phrase if only because he doesn't want to sound presumptuous or insulting. He just isn't used to being counseled, especially over something that obviously causes the likes of Peter and Neil(son) distress.]
All right, I can visit...
Why are you helping me?
staring at emotion in the light of day / i was running from the things that you'd say
Date: 2009-09-10 02:08 am (UTC)I'm sure, but the nature of this place might not always allow you to keep your own rules.
[In all honesty, turning the discussion to the practical (clinical) is infinitely more comfortable on his side than listening to Caspian's apologies for a kiss and run. They could pretend the kiss never happened, even. That would be great. But the fact is that he knows now, and knowing can sometimes be akin to a duty of care. Some people might just call it care. His gaze slides sideways to meet Caspian's solidly perhaps for the first time since he sat down.]
Who else have you got?
staring at emotion in the light of day / i was running from the things that you'd say
Date: 2009-09-10 02:24 am (UTC)No one who seems to know or is willing to talk as much as you.
[Caspian admits but he likes to think it's more than just tending to a charity case. More importantly, apologies and safety aside...]
Does this change anything about surfing?
staring at emotion in the light of day / i was running from the things that you'd say
Date: 2009-09-10 02:45 am (UTC)[And that sidelong glance narrows slightly. Assessing or just amused.]
We're past the stage where I had to hold you on the board. We'll be fine.
staring at emotion in the light of day / i was running from the things that you'd say
Date: 2009-09-10 02:50 am (UTC)And the snow?
staring at emotion in the light of day / i was running from the things that you'd say
Date: 2009-09-10 03:00 am (UTC)Different type of board.
staring at emotion in the light of day / i was running from the things that you'd say
Date: 2009-09-10 03:09 am (UTC)[He feels comfortable enough now to sit up straight once more...making him taller than Chase, again.]
staring at emotion in the light of day / i was running from the things that you'd say
Date: 2009-09-10 03:17 am (UTC)[This with the confident air of someone who doesn't, anymore. Taller people fall even harder by the way.]
staring at emotion in the light of day / i was running from the things that you'd say
Date: 2009-09-10 03:25 am (UTC)[Yes yes and wombats roll, what's new. Fff.]