"It's...." Idia pauses, making a face. He's not grossed out or anything, it's just unexpected and feels kinda weird. "It's... um... dripping down my thigh."
Yeah, time to get cleaned up, though his walk to the bathroom is a bit more hesitant and awkward now. He really doesn't want to clean it off his floor and he's not sure how much is still in there. Cater came hard, they both did. Idia definitely took the brunt of the mess, though. "OMG I feel so bizarre. Not bad, just... different."
There's a couple of seconds where Cater's so surprised by what Idia says that he doesn't react. And then it swells in him, laughter bursting from his lips in a torrent of amusement. "Oh, Seven! I'm sorry, my bad!"
Because it's his fault, for sure. And it's not like it crossed his mind to think about what might happen afterward. "Clench, Flam-bae, clench!" Not that Idia would have an easy time clenching right now. That's definitely some muscle strength he'll have to work on.
Idia makes a noise like a slowly dying miniature whale and hobbles more quickly into the bathroom, his face burning. "Ha ha, real funny! Feel like the world's runniest cream doughnut." There's a pause as the shower starts up and he adjusts the temperature. "Aaaaand somehow I just made myself hungry. Gross."
If someone had laughed at him like that before, he would've been mortified. Now, coming from Cater? He's a little embarrassed but he knows he can tease back. Another new feeling he can definitely get used to, and isn't he leveling up by leaps and bounds?
He can't stop! It's a full on giggle fit! Cater's red-faced and gasping as he holds his sides thanks to the additional comment about doughnuts. "Stop, I can't handle it!" His core was already burning, and now it's fully on fire. "There are tears in my eyes!"
Thankfully, it really is all in good fun, and it only makes Cater's heart feel more full. He's sure that Idia's going to be thinking of how to return the favor, but that's part of the fun. He wants Idia to tease him back. Each level of progress he makes only fills Cater with pride.
Idia smiles to himself at the sound of Cater laughing in the next room. These days, his dorm room echoes with happier sounds. Maybe it’s finally starting to feel right, like those sounds belong here.
He sighs happily at the thought as he piles his hair on top of his head in a messy twist and covers it with a wide band to keep it in place. It doesn’t need to be washed and waiting for it to dry takes a while. That done, he steps into the shower to start rinsing off.
“Maybe we should eat something!” he calls out over the spray. “And I guess hydrate, too?”
"Hydrate or diedrate, yeah?" The giggles start to subside as he listens to the water running, imagining Idia's body underneath it, the fire of his hair subsiding. "Want me to make a run to the kitchen after I shower?"
Not that he wants to leave, really, but Idia's right. They should keep up their energy if they're going to be doing this again. Even if they're not feeling hungry, their bodies are going to let them have it later for all the extra exertion.
“I can send a couple of drones to the cafeteria! How else do you think I get food when I don’t leave my room?” Idia lathers up as quickly as he can, wanting to get back to the bed so Cater can clean up. “I’ll submit the order once I’m done, you can let me know what you want.”
Once he’s clean on the outside, he takes a deep breath. Time to finish up, then. He turns his back to the spray and reaches around to push a finger up inside himself.
Oops, that was a loud moan. He wriggles his finger around to… ah… clean himself out.
Did he just hear what he thinks he just heard? Cater's about to shout back about how he assumed Ortho just picked up all the food for him, seeing as his younger brother is so social, but before he gets the chance Idia lets out a very particular noise. Cater peers toward the bathroom door, sitting up halfway.
"You good in there, Idia?" His tone is half playful and half surprised. "It sounds like you're having a bit of fun without me."
"Y-- yeah!" Idia mentally curses over the crack in his voice. He stills his efforts in hopes it will make him sound steadier. "Just finishing up, I'll be out soon!"
He bites his lip as he flushes the last of Cater's seed out of his body with warm water and a somewhat more careful probing. His face is hot but hopefully he can blame that on the water since he had it pretty steamy. Turning off the spray, he braces both hands on the wall and closes his eyes, steadying his breathing. He doesn't want Cater to think he's a horny pervert who's addicted to getting off!
(He also doesn't want to think that it might be true.)
Fortunately for Idia, Cater's more likely to believe that any newfound addiction to getting off is a temporary affliction. He practically self-identifies as a slut, himself, and even he's feeling way more frisky than he's ever felt before by virtue of his romantic feelings. They're so honeymooning. And anyway, if Idia was a sex addict? Probably still wouldn't be a problem. There's just be a lot of teasing in their future.
You know, more than normal.
"If you say so," Cater croons, sitting up the rest of the way and stretching his legs out over the side of the bed. Whenever Idia comes out, Cater will be leaning back on his palms, looking like an absolutely sexy mess. The grossness does make for a certain kind of picture, even if he's definitely looking forward to having a shower.
"O-- okay, I'll take care of it." Thank the gods he sounds steadier now. He splashes cold water on his face to ease some of the redness before drying off. Slipping on a plush gray bathrobe (the red one he happened to get for Cater some weeks back hangs on a hook beside his), he finally lets his hair tumble down from its bird's nest. Okay, he looks clean and calmer, so venturing out should be safe.
He steps out of the bathroom, followed by wisps of lingering steam, and immediately spots Cater looking like a ravaged dessert buffet. He gulps and tries to offer a smile but he can feel the heat rising to his face again. "Sh-- shower's free...."
Yup, gonna distract himself by summoning one of his drones, tapping in the message to the cafeteria: spicy curry for Cater and maple-pumpkin curry for himself.
Cater's clearly regained enough energy that he's feeling particularly devilish. Jumping to his feet, he stops long enough as he's passing Idia on his way to the shower to give him a hearty smack on his bathrobed behind. Knowing the kind of effect he can have on his boyfriend makes him feel incredibly encouraged--even more so when he imagines Idia rising (in more ways than one) to the challenge of doing the same.
"BRB, hot stuff," he promises with a wink before disappearing around the corner. Not needing to do the same kind of maintenance with his own backside this time around, he's sure to make good on it. Once the water turns back on and Cater steps in, Idia will be able to hear the ginger start singing.
Idia yelps at the smack, more red flooding his face and even into his ears. The bathrobe is just plush enough to take the worst of the sting out, which makes the feeling really confusing to his body. He quickly sends the drone out before covering his face with both hands, and as Cater disappears into the bathroom he hears a mumbled "You're incorrigible."
Settling onto his bed, Idia takes a deep breath. Hearing his boyfriend singing is a sweet surprise that calms him, his nervous smile melting into something more genuine. Cater Diamond is ridiculous but Idia wouldn't change him for anything. Two such wildly different people, coming together into a happy, loving pair... it really is like Cater said, the true ending route to a satisfying dating sim.
Singing has been a lot more fun for Cater, lately. He used to do it partially because he wasn't unware of having a nice voice, partially because it was an easy way to get into a club that wouldn't cause undo bonding. Since falling in love, there's just been this urge to break out into song for no reason other than that his heart is so full and needs to express itself. It's also easy to time himself in the shower that way, finishing his rinsing and scrubbing by the time he's finished with his song.
Once he's shut off the water and wrapped himself up in his gifted bathrobe, Cater's feeling refreshed in so many ways. He comes right over to the bed, eager to place himself where he belongs: in his boyfriend's arms. "Would you believe me," he asks, "if I said that I missed you?"
“Absolutely.” Idia reaches out and pulls Cater into his arms, kissing him slow and soft. When he pulls back, his smile warms his yellow eyes to gold. “Because I missed you, too.”
His heart has become a soft, warm, winged thing, fluttering in his chest. He loves everything about Cater, his smile, his teasing, his kindness and vulnerability. They’ve both fallen hard but each softened the landing for the other.
Cater melts easily into the kiss, wishing he could live in that single moment forever. But then, the next moment is just as nice, and so is the next. Snuggling in, he wraps his arms around his boyfriend's chest and holds him close, happy just to be able to just gaze into those unique, incredible eyes.
"Who would've taken the two of us for such saps?" Even in his dreams, he was never so lovey-dovey.
It's almost a disappointment when the drones deliver their food, just because it means detangling from one another. Still, eating is definitely for the best, and Cater's looking forward to mingling their sweet and spicy lips.
"Being sappy isn't as bad as I thought it would be. Though seeing it from an outside perspective is different from feeling it myself."
Idia had never dreamed about romance in his life. Okay, maybe he had very rare dreams of a more... passionate nature, but actual love and cuddling and sweet-talk? Not that he can recall. Maybe because he never thought this was a possibility for him, but now that it's reality he's a little surprised at how natural it feels. Being affectionate with Cater makes the other boy happy, which gives Idia a warm feeling in his chest that he craves, and in turn it makes him want to keep Cater happy because it makes them both feel good. He'd always said love was just chemicals in the brain, and scientifically that's true, but the effect of those chemicals is truly wondrous.
If he wasn't ravenously hungry, separating to eat really would be disappointing. Still, he sticks as close to Cater as he can while they enjoy their curries. He puts on a playlist of soft anime and game themes for background noise, the one with more than a few romantic pieces. It almost feels like a dinner date, except for their attire and their careful perch on the edge of Idia's bed. Maybe more like room service in a hotel after a night of passion? That's a dating sim trope Idia can enjoy. Wow, part of his brain is still gleefully reeling over losing his v-card. How long does that high last?
Cater chatters happily as they eat, feeling his stamina increasing as his body thanks him for every bite. If it wasn't for the framing, it could very well be a normal day at the cafeteria for dinner, the way he's able to speak with such casual openness. With his hands full cradling his food and water, he has one of his legs idly stroking Idia's--like he needs to be providing some form of physical affection or he'd lose his own mind for the lack of it.
If Idia's battling a newfound addiction to pleasure, Cater might be developing one for compulsive, idle touching.
Polishing off his plate, Cater sets it aside and guzzles plenty of water, quenching his thirst and soothing his overheated tastebuds. "Man," he comments, "I could definitely get used to not having to battle cafeteria lines, that's for sure."
He flops backward, all smiles, and reaches to stroke the soft fabric of Idia's bathrobe.
The entire time, Idia is very aware of Cater's leg touching his. Knowing why without anything being said? Now that's a surprise, but Idia knows it's part of what they've learned together these last weeks. The thought of anyone else touching him doesn't sit well with the introverted Housewarden, but Cater can do almost anything and Idia welcomes it. The ginger boy has earned himself some high-level privileges. Speaking of privileges, though....
"One of the advantages of being an introvert that runs all of NRC's security systems. Getting special permissions from the Headmage is the only reason I could go to school here. Otherwise I'd never survive the gauntlet of social interaction." He glances over at Cater with those quietly happy eyes. "And then I wouldn't have met you. So I guess indirectly, we owe him our thanks."
He sets his own dishes aside, noting that he actually finished everything. Huh, his appetite is improving even more lately. Sipping his water, he strokes Cater's hand with his free one, finally tangling their fingers together again. Cater is somewhat fair, but next to Idia's ghostly pallor he looks positively tanned. The thought... doesn't bother him the way it might have before. Cater loves him, looks and all.
"Him, or the Dark Mirror? The only reason I'm here at all is because it saw potential in me." If it wasn't for that, he was just some regular teenager. His dad had a good job but they were far from wealthy or prestigious people. No reason for the Headmage to have scouted him personally, like the rumors sometimes said he'd do.
Cater brings their joined hands toward himself, kissing Idia's knuckles. "Either way, I'm grateful." That they were put in the same school, the same class, and that he didn't miss his chance to get to this point. It's hard to think that there wasn't some great force working to bring them together. Fate wasn't something that Cater used to believe in, but now...
"Guess we owe them both." Idia blushes sweetly at the kiss, feeling just a bit like the princess recently rescued from distress by the handsome knight. "Do you realize how much had to happen for this super-complex quest line to get to this point? So many things could've gone wrong...."
If Idia's original wish to be with the "real" Ortho had come true, he'd be dead. Likely Cater would've never known the truth about why, because it was almost guaranteed the others present would've been killed as well.
"I finally started to feel like I deserve to be happy, and it's because of you."
Cater nods as he gazes up into the beautiful face of his incredible, amazing, unique boyfriend. "It scares me," he admits in a small voice, "how close we were to losing each other."
Still, he smiles, because there's no point in being hung up on those what ifs anymore. Their past, their traumas, those will always be a big part of their lives, but the balm of their love soothes it, turning their open wounds to faded scars. "It makes me love you even harder."
To make up for all the points in time that maybe they'd have loved each other sooner. To pay tribute to all the AUs where they never do. They made it through all the odds, and now all they have to do is appreciate it every single day.
"I'm going to make sure you never forget all the things you deserve. Happiness, love...hope for the future." That last one was big for him, too. "For me, you're home."
Home. The Isle of Woe. The only rotten bruise on this bright apple that is their relationship, the virus in the code. Eventually, all rot spreads and ruins the fruit, the virus destroys the system. Idia doesn't want it to happen to them.
His gentle smile doesn't falter. For once, the gloom in his heart doesn't make it to his eyes. He refuses to make his beloved sad, after all they've been through.
"And you're mine," he whispers. He brings their joined hands to his lips, mirroring Cater's earlier kiss. "No matter what, right?"
"No matter what," Cater promises without hesitation. Even before they'd started dating, he had no particular thoughts about where to go or what to do. Summer was looming, and beyond that they'd be seniors. There are plenty of choices, none of them meaning anything. But now, it isn't a question at all. Presumptuous or otherwise: where Idia's going, he's going. What might have once been a difficult conversation has already solved itself. Even if he had to break down the doors himself, he'd follow behind his beloved.
"I'd fight the Great Seven if I had to make sure of it."
How could someone like Cater stomach being in a gloomy place like Idia's homeland? If Cater follows Idia there, how long before the Isle of Woe sucks the color and life out of him? Could the selfish Idia Shroud let his beloved go to protect him from that life?
Idia doesn't want to think about it right now. Whatever time they have, he'll cherish it.
Still clinging to his boyfriend's hand, Idia leans in to press his forehead against Cater's. "I'll always love you, Cater. Nothing could ever change that."
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Yeah, time to get cleaned up, though his walk to the bathroom is a bit more hesitant and awkward now. He really doesn't want to clean it off his floor and he's not sure how much is still in there. Cater came hard, they both did. Idia definitely took the brunt of the mess, though. "OMG I feel so bizarre. Not bad, just... different."
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Because it's his fault, for sure. And it's not like it crossed his mind to think about what might happen afterward. "Clench, Flam-bae, clench!" Not that Idia would have an easy time clenching right now. That's definitely some muscle strength he'll have to work on.
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If someone had laughed at him like that before, he would've been mortified. Now, coming from Cater? He's a little embarrassed but he knows he can tease back. Another new feeling he can definitely get used to, and isn't he leveling up by leaps and bounds?
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Thankfully, it really is all in good fun, and it only makes Cater's heart feel more full. He's sure that Idia's going to be thinking of how to return the favor, but that's part of the fun. He wants Idia to tease him back. Each level of progress he makes only fills Cater with pride.
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He sighs happily at the thought as he piles his hair on top of his head in a messy twist and covers it with a wide band to keep it in place. It doesn’t need to be washed and waiting for it to dry takes a while. That done, he steps into the shower to start rinsing off.
“Maybe we should eat something!” he calls out over the spray. “And I guess hydrate, too?”
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Not that he wants to leave, really, but Idia's right. They should keep up their energy if they're going to be doing this again. Even if they're not feeling hungry, their bodies are going to let them have it later for all the extra exertion.
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Once he’s clean on the outside, he takes a deep breath. Time to finish up, then. He turns his back to the spray and reaches around to push a finger up inside himself.
Oops, that was a loud moan. He wriggles his finger around to… ah… clean himself out.
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"You good in there, Idia?" His tone is half playful and half surprised. "It sounds like you're having a bit of fun without me."
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He bites his lip as he flushes the last of Cater's seed out of his body with warm water and a somewhat more careful probing. His face is hot but hopefully he can blame that on the water since he had it pretty steamy. Turning off the spray, he braces both hands on the wall and closes his eyes, steadying his breathing. He doesn't want Cater to think he's a horny pervert who's addicted to getting off!
(He also doesn't want to think that it might be true.)
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You know, more than normal.
"If you say so," Cater croons, sitting up the rest of the way and stretching his legs out over the side of the bed. Whenever Idia comes out, Cater will be leaning back on his palms, looking like an absolutely sexy mess. The grossness does make for a certain kind of picture, even if he's definitely looking forward to having a shower.
"I'm thinking...spicy curry!"
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He steps out of the bathroom, followed by wisps of lingering steam, and immediately spots Cater looking like a ravaged dessert buffet. He gulps and tries to offer a smile but he can feel the heat rising to his face again. "Sh-- shower's free...."
Yup, gonna distract himself by summoning one of his drones, tapping in the message to the cafeteria: spicy curry for Cater and maple-pumpkin curry for himself.
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"BRB, hot stuff," he promises with a wink before disappearing around the corner. Not needing to do the same kind of maintenance with his own backside this time around, he's sure to make good on it. Once the water turns back on and Cater steps in, Idia will be able to hear the ginger start singing.
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Settling onto his bed, Idia takes a deep breath. Hearing his boyfriend singing is a sweet surprise that calms him, his nervous smile melting into something more genuine. Cater Diamond is ridiculous but Idia wouldn't change him for anything. Two such wildly different people, coming together into a happy, loving pair... it really is like Cater said, the true ending route to a satisfying dating sim.
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Once he's shut off the water and wrapped himself up in his gifted bathrobe, Cater's feeling refreshed in so many ways. He comes right over to the bed, eager to place himself where he belongs: in his boyfriend's arms. "Would you believe me," he asks, "if I said that I missed you?"
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His heart has become a soft, warm, winged thing, fluttering in his chest. He loves everything about Cater, his smile, his teasing, his kindness and vulnerability. They’ve both fallen hard but each softened the landing for the other.
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"Who would've taken the two of us for such saps?" Even in his dreams, he was never so lovey-dovey.
It's almost a disappointment when the drones deliver their food, just because it means detangling from one another. Still, eating is definitely for the best, and Cater's looking forward to mingling their sweet and spicy lips.
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Idia had never dreamed about romance in his life. Okay, maybe he had very rare dreams of a more... passionate nature, but actual love and cuddling and sweet-talk? Not that he can recall. Maybe because he never thought this was a possibility for him, but now that it's reality he's a little surprised at how natural it feels. Being affectionate with Cater makes the other boy happy, which gives Idia a warm feeling in his chest that he craves, and in turn it makes him want to keep Cater happy because it makes them both feel good. He'd always said love was just chemicals in the brain, and scientifically that's true, but the effect of those chemicals is truly wondrous.
If he wasn't ravenously hungry, separating to eat really would be disappointing. Still, he sticks as close to Cater as he can while they enjoy their curries. He puts on a playlist of soft anime and game themes for background noise, the one with more than a few romantic pieces. It almost feels like a dinner date, except for their attire and their careful perch on the edge of Idia's bed. Maybe more like room service in a hotel after a night of passion? That's a dating sim trope Idia can enjoy. Wow, part of his brain is still gleefully reeling over losing his v-card. How long does that high last?
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If Idia's battling a newfound addiction to pleasure, Cater might be developing one for compulsive, idle touching.
Polishing off his plate, Cater sets it aside and guzzles plenty of water, quenching his thirst and soothing his overheated tastebuds. "Man," he comments, "I could definitely get used to not having to battle cafeteria lines, that's for sure."
He flops backward, all smiles, and reaches to stroke the soft fabric of Idia's bathrobe.
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"One of the advantages of being an introvert that runs all of NRC's security systems. Getting special permissions from the Headmage is the only reason I could go to school here. Otherwise I'd never survive the gauntlet of social interaction." He glances over at Cater with those quietly happy eyes. "And then I wouldn't have met you. So I guess indirectly, we owe him our thanks."
He sets his own dishes aside, noting that he actually finished everything. Huh, his appetite is improving even more lately. Sipping his water, he strokes Cater's hand with his free one, finally tangling their fingers together again. Cater is somewhat fair, but next to Idia's ghostly pallor he looks positively tanned. The thought... doesn't bother him the way it might have before. Cater loves him, looks and all.
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Cater brings their joined hands toward himself, kissing Idia's knuckles. "Either way, I'm grateful." That they were put in the same school, the same class, and that he didn't miss his chance to get to this point. It's hard to think that there wasn't some great force working to bring them together. Fate wasn't something that Cater used to believe in, but now...
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If Idia's original wish to be with the "real" Ortho had come true, he'd be dead. Likely Cater would've never known the truth about why, because it was almost guaranteed the others present would've been killed as well.
"I finally started to feel like I deserve to be happy, and it's because of you."
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Still, he smiles, because there's no point in being hung up on those what ifs anymore. Their past, their traumas, those will always be a big part of their lives, but the balm of their love soothes it, turning their open wounds to faded scars. "It makes me love you even harder."
To make up for all the points in time that maybe they'd have loved each other sooner. To pay tribute to all the AUs where they never do. They made it through all the odds, and now all they have to do is appreciate it every single day.
"I'm going to make sure you never forget all the things you deserve. Happiness, love...hope for the future." That last one was big for him, too. "For me, you're home."
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His gentle smile doesn't falter. For once, the gloom in his heart doesn't make it to his eyes. He refuses to make his beloved sad, after all they've been through.
"And you're mine," he whispers. He brings their joined hands to his lips, mirroring Cater's earlier kiss. "No matter what, right?"
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"I'd fight the Great Seven if I had to make sure of it."
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Idia doesn't want to think about it right now. Whatever time they have, he'll cherish it.
Still clinging to his boyfriend's hand, Idia leans in to press his forehead against Cater's. "I'll always love you, Cater. Nothing could ever change that."
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