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[littletonoidea]

"This is the audio log of Communications Officer Doug Eiffel of the-- previously of the U.S.S Hephaestus, leave a message and I'll see if I can bear to drag myself away from whatever utterly engaging task I must be doing to not notice my comms--"

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[reformedsinner]

Gonou gives him a quick little flicker of a smile, uncrossing his legs so he can gently lean one against Eiffel's.

"He is a very good kisser," he agrees with a spark of mischief. "But... Eiffel, you are a good friend. Unless you're spectacularly terrible in bed, what more do you think he's expecting from you, that would make you bad for him this way?

"Have you asked him what he wants?"

[littletonoidea]

"Good friend, I'll take your word for it." But hey, he's not shutting it down outright. Improvement! "Good boyfriend--"

And he blows a loud raspberry.

"I've got the permanent record to show for it if he wants hard evidence."

He lifts his hand, holding his cigarette in his mouth so he can rub his neck.

"But, uh. I haven't, yet. Kinda got distracted by the whole kiss the girl moment."

[reformedsinner]

"You should," Gonou observes. "Because I don't think he wants you to change the way you treat him, except by adding sex.

"And maybe getting him flowers. He likes flowers."

He leans back against the couch cushions, watching Eiffel with sharp interest.

"But when you panic and run away from him over what he sees as just asking if it's okay to add sex, it does make it look as if you don't want him but you're too chickenshit to say no." He delivers the uncharacteristic profanity in the exact same pleasant, level tone as the rest of the sentence: he's not angry with Eiffel, exactly. But it had hurt Jedao, and he sees no reason not to be clear and direct about that.

"So you should ask him what he wants, in words, and tell him if there's anything he wants that you don't want. In words."

[littletonoidea]

The Uncharacteristic Profanity makes Eiffel blink and rear back a little in surprise. Gonou isn't supposed to swear!!

"You can't tell me that Jedao's not incredibly upfront about when he's got his tracter beam locked on something," he comments dryly. "But- God, I dunno. I've... never had sex with a guy before?"

And it feels weird admitting it to Gonou, who has probably had plenty of mano ay mano action in the sack with Jedao and definitely thinks he's being ridiculous. "Which is- I mean, I dunno about your world," he caveats wryly, "But in mine it's kind of a big deal to even tell people you like guys. Especially where I live. Forget about doing the do unless you were really goddamn confident you weren't gonna get disowned or stoned in the town square. Or worse."

[reformedsinner]

"I don't know how well Jedao will understand that," Gonou admits. "I don't think his world has any sexual taboos that aren't about consent. But, ah... yes, my home is the same, that way.

"But I decided a long time ago that it wasn't worth it to deny myself happiness to be accepted by strangers." His voice is soft; his gaze drifts down to his hands and stays there, distant as he gazes into the past. "Not being accepted can bring difficulties of its own, of course. But hiding everything -- also does not make you safe."

[littletonoidea]

"Oh, well, I stopped worrying about being accepted by strangers a long time ago. Some time in high school, probably." After a certain point you just. Stop trying to make friends, it's just easier. "I'm worried about whoever I'm with getting hurt 'cos of me. Which, like- I know that's not a problem here, everyone is weirdly accepting about all the rainbow crap we've got going on."

Certainly because there's bigger issues than whether you're gay or not, but also hey - he used we there. Progress?

He pauses, and huffs a short burst of smoke out his nose. "I think I'm just really getting up in my own head about it, huh."

[reformedsinner]

"Maybe a little," Gonou agrees gently, glancing up at Eiffel with a quick smile. "But also-- I don't think you need to worry that Jedao will be hurt. He can almost beat me in a fight with my limiters off."

And it might have been more than almost if he hadn't been trying not to go for the kill -- but there's no need to bring down the mood like that. Instead, still gentle, he adds, "You're much more likely to hurt him by trying to keep him at a distance than by getting too close."