ercookies | TDM 010: PARTNER UP, PARTNER

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TDM 010: PARTNER UP, PARTNER

00. Arrival

This time, you come out of the water, the Nameless Island's own inherent energy drawing people in. It's like being suspended between realities and abruptly pushed from behind through a rift in dimensions. It may make you sick, or that might be the motion of the ocean, lifting you to the surface and carrying you to shore.

Waterlogged and covered in sand, new arrivals will be greeted by robots who welcome them with towels and bracelet devices. The A5 card is already loaded up. Feel free to explore the Island, though there isn’t much to see. Most of the buildings are abandoned and in dire need of repair, and beyond the city lingers a thick fog that obscures much of the wilderness from view. Wander too far into this fog, and you will find yourself mysteriously looping back to where you began, your memories of what you were doing and how you got there erased.

With that in mind, it may be wise to stake your claim on a rundown apartment, a tent on the beach, or a bed in the “comfortable” barracks. Your inventory will be found a day later, wrapped up haphazardly and delivered to each person's makeshift home.

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I. Laid Bare Basics

There is a new addition to the scenery at the beach, and everyone is welcome! Especially new arrivals, who will be ushered to the recently-established Laid Bare Spa, where (provided they don't slip away from the bots' helpful grasp) their uncomfortably wet, sandy clothing will be stripped away and they will be lovingly pampered by the cold metal hands of the resident robots. Long-time Islanders and newbies alike are welcome to enjoy such amenities as hot and cold baths, sauna rooms, scrub-downs, thorough whippings with birch brooms, skin treatments, massage and energy work, and more! All rooms are thoughtfully decorated with tasteful murals of naked and disrobing bodies.

Maybe you'll see someone you recognize?! (Maybe you'll see... you?)

Islanders who happen to find their clothing mysteriously missing are welcome to borrow a Laid Bare branded towel to cover up with on their way home.

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II. Tattoo to You, Too

The Augur understands that sometimes, it's difficult to find a partner to indulge you in those favorite Auspicious Acts - especially for new arrivals, but surely even long-time residents could benefit from a little assistance now and then. That is why ever-benevolent entity has gifted Her precious Islanders with tattoos which feature their most secret, urgent, and/or shameful of desires! (Even if that desire is to simply complete a Bingo.)

The tattoo may be a picture or a word, and it can appear anywhere on the body. At first it is pleasantly warm to the touch, like a soft glow of light on your skin. It soon becomes apparent - through either robot advice or a notification on your communication device - that your task is to find a match for your tattoo and complete the depicted act with that person. The longer one goes without completing the act, the more the tattoo seems to heat up, until it feels like it is burning into your skin.

Take too long, and the tattoo may become permanent. Otherwise, the tattoo will fade within hours of completing the Auspicious Act.

[ For TDMers: feel free to select any favorite kink for this prompt! If you complete a kink that doesn't appear on your card, you may switch one square for the completed kink. For current players: by participating on (tagging into) this TDM, you may switch one kink into your card (it must be the kink in the toplevel prompt you responded to). ]

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III. Creepy Crawly Caterpillar Crawl

Are you on the hunt for credits? Then have the robots got a task for you! The 'bots of the Nameless Island are recruiting Islanders to go bug collecting in the caves, crevices, and hollowed-out logs of the wilderness. The quarry? The (shudder - literally, the robots will shudder) doom-summoning harbinger bug. They describe these creepy creatures as fat, fuzzy, and rainbow-colored, with long, fluffy antennae that look like rabbit's ears.

The robots describe these critters as so dangerous that Islanders should only hunt them in pairs. Should your team return successful, you both will be rewarded very handsomely for every caterpillar caught!

The bugs are typically very docile and seem to enjoy soft pets, judging by the cooing and squeaking noises they make (especially to scritches behind their "ears"). Poke or disturb them however, and they may bite! Body parts bitten by angry caterpillars will swell up cartoonishly, and can only be treated by having someone else suck the venom out. Good thing you're traveling with a partner!

The 'bots strongly recommend against keeping these little buggies as pets, but they're not your dad.

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N A V I G A T I O N

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Just the once... [This time the awkward little tug at his wrist is far more conspicuous.]

Sometimes it doesn't matter who, sometimes there will be certain... shared aspects that you must identify. This particular one is simplified by needing only to find the person that matches your mark.

[He clears his throat again, cheeks flushing as he studiously avoids any chance of meeting Dedue's gaze.]

Which is a bit convenient. I'm afraid the Augur has little care for one's preferences when assigning such ah... pairings. And they seem quite determined to match everyone recently.

[The tug this time does not go unnoticed. Once, could be nothing. A second time, it's suspicious. Otherwise, the blushing and dancing around the subject of intimacy does not surprise him; Fodlan has different expectations and standards pertaining toward nudity and sex than he'd grown up with, so this is not precisely new.

But he does not mock or tease; Dedue listens diligently instead.]

Do you have a mark yourself?

[Lorenz is actually so much better about the blushing and dancing around things than he used to be. Up until someone from Fodlan shows up and is horrified and reminds him all over again about the etiquette he's largely set aside. But Dedue is straight forward as ever... and it leaves Lorenz with naught to but sigh and unbutton the cuff of his sleeve.]

I'm afraid so...

[And sure enough a similar crown rests on Lorenz' wrist. Not precisely the same, a bit more delicate, a bit smaller but clearly a matched set. The crown of a queen to his king.]

[Quietly, Dedue gazes at the mark on Lorenz's wrist. It's similar enough, meant no doubt to be a matching set.]

No doubt a cruel twist of fate for you.

[He isn't even particularly upset that he is linked with Lorenz, but rather has the presumption that Lorenz would prefer otherwise. Dedue is no noble, and is a man of Duscur. It is true that no one here particularly might care about such things, but in the past Lorenz has never been that subtle about what he seeks for himself.]

[He can't help it, it's so impossibly melodramatically Faerghun that he scoffs outright.]

Not hardly. [Sorry, Dedue, absent of the pressures of his House and standing he has made quite a few discoveries... most of which he had merely been afraid to admit to himself before.]

I should think it more a cruelty to you. Having only just arrived and- [A soft, melancholy smile, another gentle touch to his arm, light and brief.] Likely you have little memory of me beyond our academy days... and if you do it is almost certainly at my most unbecoming.

[The touch again. It does not bother him particularly, but it still strikes him as so odd how more open to that Lorenz is now.]

We have not spoken much before. [Not to say that Dedue doesn't have his own observations of Lorenz, various impressions and conclusions. But it's not something he cares to address right now.] I would prefer to understand you on my terms, if I may.

[To the matter at hand:] Intimacy always appeared more taboo for the people of Fodlan. It is not considered as such for Duscar. However, this manner of... addressing it is different for me, naturally.

In any case, I would not find it so terrible in your company as you may think.

At least allow me to apologize for my behavior in the past. I know youth is not a sufficient excuse for the overwhelming breadth of my ignorance but it is all I can offer. I am truly sorry if ever I made you uncomfortable at the Monastery. [Regardless of the matter they have to deal with Lorenz finds, for Dedue especially, he cannot simply let the opportunity to finally offer the apology he deserves pass him by. He presses a hand to his chest, bows slightly, more formal than he has been now to attempt to demonstrate the sincerity of his words.]

I never had the opportunity to give such an apology in Fodlan, the interactions you had with our forces were always brief, hurried affairs... but you did a great deal to help us.

I would say it's an honor to be able to return the favor but that implies a level of selflessness I cannot claim to possess. [He finally looks back up at Dedue, stepping in close to him, lifting his hand to rest lightly against the other man's broad chest, a self-satisfied little smirk tugging at his lips. Not that it stops him from blushing furiously but he is at least able to admit to his own desires a great deal more easily now.] I assure you, improper though it may be, it will be my pleasure to give you a proper welcome.

[While Dedue never really regrets his own brevity, he does recognize the skill and eloquence to Lorenz's language. It's something he does appreciate, even if it is not something he himself is especially good at.

This time, he doesn't bring attention to the hand on his chest. The physical contact makes more sense now that he understands Lorenz has been here for sometime, and while there is no question as to who this man is he can additionally perceive how Lorenz has changed in some ways. Apologies aside, there are tells.

Dedue reaches for Lorenz's other hand, raising it up to give it a light kiss to the palm.]

Thank you.

[Leave it to Dedue to summarize all of his thoughts and emotions to two words. If it helps, his eyes are considerably warmer when he looks at Lorenz right now.]

I would be glad to have you.

[Lorenz will never fault someone for not being as... verbose as he tends to be. It's something he has never really been able to master, though he does do his best not to speak so much that he might offend someone with his idle prattling. It's taken years but he does at least try to ensure that when he speaks now it is something of substance, not merely to appease his ego.

Oh and admitting that's really all he was doing in his youth is still difficult even as he'd begun to recognize the habit in his father and then, of course, himself.

But Dedue doesn't need to speak when he can make such a small gesture convey so much. Acceptance, gratitude, maybe even a hint of desire or amusement in those lovely eyes. Pity he had never realized how pretty Dedue's eyes were before. The hand he kisses moves up to cradle his face, making Lorenz' breath catch when the heated flesh of that tattoo brushes against his jaw.]

Have me, will you? [Something wicked and mischievous in his smile.] Why, Dedue. Does that mean you intend to have... Count Gloucester at your mercy?

[There is a requirement of some manner of authority required after all. Lorenz finds it... well, rather cute honestly.]

[There's a soft huff from Dedue, but he doesn't seem annoyed. This is the purpose of it, isn't it? For authority. Perhaps, then, Dedue is almost amused.

That and he can appreciate the softness of Lorenz's hand against his face.]

Forgive my turn of phrase, Count.

[There's a bit of wryness in his voice.]

I would enact whatever you wish of me.

[Lorenz laughs at that, his amusement far clearer than Dedue's, bright and delighted.]

Oh, my dear... Rule number one, here: Never offer "whatever" another wishes.

[He tsks softly, hand slipping from Dedue's face down to his chest, twisting abruptly into his shirt and tugging hard to pull them closer together.]

That is a good way to get yourself in trouble... but we can discuss boundaries somewhere a bit more private.

[Lorenz leans up, presses a playful kiss to his cheek, and then he turns away, leading the way back towards his apartment as casually as can be with the silent expectation that Dedue will follow.]

[For his part, he knows precisely what he says and who he says it to. But he doesn't remark otherwise -- mostly because the kiss on his cheek actually does surprise him.

Well. Huh.

He does follow quietly, glancing once more to the mark on his arm. It's a peculiar situation, one they've already gone over in detail, but what makes it odder still is not the idea of sex itself. The way it's encouraged, to put lightly, is what the problem is. Suffice it to say, he isn't opposed to this with Lorenz, but it would have been better if they mutually agreed on their own terms instead of the circumstances this island has put them in.

There isn't much that can be done for that, though. So, Dedue keeps up, wordless in how one might expect him to be.]

[Luckily Lorenz' apartment is on the end of the nearest building so they don't have terribly far to go. There's a fleeting moment as he leads Dedue into the stable area that he realizes there's a distinct possibility that Dimitri might still be untacking Darby from their morning ride and his cheeks darken before he even finishes opening the door. But his steed merely chews on her hay, cocking an ear in mild curiosity at the new comer before returning to the far more important task of lunch.]

This is Darby... His Majesty comes to visit her most mornings, take her out for some exercise and such. Constance has her pegasus and Seteth his wyvern but I believe those are the only mounts... still here.

[Sahar had left with Claude and so had Ingrid's pegasus. But he is determined not to dwell on it and so is quick to lead the other man upstairs to the apartment proper, pushing the door open and waving him graciously inside.]

Please, make yourself at home. I would normally offer tea but I daresay these marks are going to get increasingly uncomfortable so, perhaps, we can have some tea.... later.

[The horse gives Dedue pause, and he tenses his jaw slightly. Not that he's afraid, not so much as he's concerned how the horse would react to him. Most animals don't... really tend to like Dedue.

So he doesn't dwell at all and just. Nods. Good, he's glad Dimitri is able to see Darby. he has a better knack for mounts. A natural cavalier.]

I appreciate you being accommodating, either way.

[Truly, he does. Lorenz doesn't have to aid him in such a way, but he is.]

[Dedue she came with him from the battlefield... where they'd just fought Nemesis and a bunch of other dead people. You are absolutely not going to phase her. Besides. Dimitri gave her sweet grass.

Which is a pity because that means Lorenz has missed out on the delight of watching Dimitri working in the morning. Truly a sight to behold. Oh... Oh maybe Dedue will join him in the mornings? That would be lovely.]

Please, Dedue... We all do our best to assist one another here. Life is enough of a struggle without adding complications that, in the end, mean nothing outside of Fodlan.

[Lorenz, for his part, drapes himself over the chaise at the far end of the couch, leaning against the back, legs drawn up beside him. The smile he offers the other man is equal parts coy and genuinely bashful even as he pats the cushion beside him.]

Come, sit with me.

[Listen. He's dealt with his fair share of animals finding him frightening. He's just going to accept that it's inevitable.

Anyway.]

I suppose that is true.

[Albeit he finds that much easier to parse with some people than others.

In any case, Dedue follows the invitation with a nod before he's taking a seat, sitting upright and certainly not being languid about it nor draping. It's quite the difference between the two of them.]

[Lorenz frowns softly, reaching out a hand to rest on the other man's arm, a gentle, encouraging squeeze.]

Dedue... You needn't be so stiff or formal. I'm sure that... sounds absurd coming from me.

[Don't mind those long, elegant fingers tracing idle patterns on your arm, Dedue.]

As much as I disagree with you offering "whatever" I would like to know what you like, you know. As appealing as just ordering you around might be I want to make sure you enjoy yourself, too.

[continuing here]

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TDM 010: PARTNER UP, PARTNER

00. Arrival

I. Laid Bare Basics

II. Tattoo to You, Too

III. Creepy Crawly Caterpillar Crawl

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