[The corners of his lips turn up in a little smile. Of course it's the fucking low rent and cat allowances. He's taken to really liking them being around, they're soft. Easy to chill with.]
[and if he keeps thinking that this is a dream, treating it like it doesn't matter to his waking self, he can stay casual and flirty instead of tensing up and ruining everything. plus... maybe he doesn't want to wake up. so he goes along, smirking again, when he's not nipping at tucker's bottom lip.] Pfffft, oh yeah? You got a warranty or something?
[He rolls to lay on his side, keeps his wings tiny now, too much effort to keep them big. He could almost look human, if not for the horns above the blanket.
He drifts for a second, comes back with a little jerk.] Uh-- Yeah. Other side of town, out of th' way.
[... it does at least give him pause, his eyebrows crinkling in the middle of his forehead.] I thought that was a zombie thing?[he mumbles, while he can. because the next second, there are teeth against his neck and fingertips against his waist and ffffffuuuuuuuuuck it really has been a long time, it must have been, if he's melting against the bed this quickly and easily...]
[He grins against his neck, sucks at the skin fully intent on bruising it. It's nothing to wrap his tail around one of his legs and start unbuttoning his longjohns from the neck. Christ this is the least sexy underwear on guys he's ever run into in his life. Not as bad as some of the women's though. A low groan sounds from the back of his throat as he moves.]
[He eyes Tucker as he blinks listlessly. Tucker's been... in and out... lately. Wash knows he's not getting enough to eat, but he hasn't initiated anything with him and after the last time Wash is hesitant to. It's just never come up. He hadn't thought that was possible with Tucker.
[This is nice. Relaxing, even if the reason for it is shitty and... Well bad. Not feeding is really bad. He's tried not to think too much about though. It's getting easier to not.
He lifts his head to look Wash's direction at the question, didn't quite catch it.]
You aren't interested in sleeping with me anymore. [Shit. He's always too blunt.] It's fine if you don't want to, obviously, but you've been starving. You know I don't mind if you need to.
Mmmmfff-- [that's all it takes, really, before church is melting against the mattress and twitching up against him. he's too reactive, made oversensitive by months and months without any direct skin contact; it leaves him winding through tucker's limbs, leaves him tilting his neck back and whimpering in the back of his throat, trying to encourage him. Usually, he'd worry about explaining the bruises, but right now? That doesn't matter at all.] Shit, just-- just fuck me, would you?
[His immediate kneejerk response because holy shit is that not the reason. It's a constantly daily struggle not to make a pass at him at the end of Wash's day when he climbs into bed. Or gets out of the shower. Or really any time these days.
He just didn't think Wash would really bring it up so directly. He's not sure how long it's been exactly but it feels too soon.]
[Okay now he's laughing against Church's skin as he peels away the underoos, trails fingers along his shoulders and down his chest. Fucking christ this guy hasn't been touched in ages, no wonder he's not scared or freaked out; he's desperate.]
You got it pal.
[Tucker kisses his way down, unbuttoning and pulling the cloth as he goes, gets to Church's hips and squeezes his cock gently. Making sure he's good to go with a little massage.]
[the longjohns are warm and comfortable, but... yeah. he wants them gone, as soon as possible. being peeled down around his waist is good enough for now, his spine arching to press his stomach up against tucker's hands.] I got--
[when he paws at his dick, he shudders. he gasps, his nails digging into his shoulders, his knees kicking up and together jerkily.] Fuck,
Okay. Then what is it? We haven't in, what, a month? I know how hungry you are. You're barely getting up most days.
[Wash tries to say everything gently. Not sound accusatory. Will it fucking hurt if Tucker isn't into him anymore? Yes. Would Wash want to know anyway? Yes.]
It's- [Hown can he explain it? A few centuries of worrying what would happen if this ever came up again and Tucker never did figure out a resolution to it. He's left worrying and fretting over what might happen.
He rests his head back on the pillow to watch the window, the sun set outside. When he finally speaks, he's quiet]
I don't want to kill you.
[And he let's that sit. It's a big admission, coming from him, and he feels like that shouldn't be just it.] Church died too...
[That wasn't his fault, not directly, but he's always felt a little guilty about the small part he played in eating away at his life. And then his twin shortly after..]
Sensitive. [Hey mutters it against his stomach, making sure to go gentle now that he knows. Tucker waits until Church settles again before working the underwear down further so he can sit on his thighs. He'll just keep up the slow attention to his dick, get him good and going.]
Y-yeah, maybe a lil, [he mumbles as his eyes slip closed, his head lolling on the pillows as he eases down.] No shame in that, right?
[well, of course there is, that's why he never brings it up, he's PLENTY ashamed, but ffffffuck. somebody else's skin against his... feels too hot, almost, but it's a nice kind of pain.]
[The implications of that settle in. Wash tries to keep the dawning horror off of his face. He had been so fucking wrong about all of this situation. It's not that Tucker doesn't care. It's that he cares too much.]
Church wasn't your fault, Tucker.
[That doesn't address any of the most important parts of this, but it's the only thing he has a response to right now. The rest is just -- he still has to process that.]
Tucker keeps his eyes glued to the window, terrified of seeing what Wash's face looks like now that he's been open. Vulnerable. He's never even told either of the Churches how much it eats at him about their deaths. He's sure they picked up on it some, but they have that unspoken agreement to not talk about it.
Still. He could go feed anywhere he wanted, but the fact of the matter is? He likes Wash. He likes being around Wash, likes being in a place that smells like him. It's been a long ass time since he's felt like just hanging out with a human and Wash wormed his way into his life to stay.]
I just- I don't want anything to happen to you. Not because of me.
Tucker, it's not enough it's going to kill me. Just enough to keep you from dying.
[Wash doesn't turn his face, or anything, but he sits on the bed next to him. Nevermind the laundry. This is a hell of a lot more important.
He likes Tucker. He likes being around him. Wash doesn't want him to have to starve, to look so goddamn gaunt and move so slow and -- on his account? Wash doesn't feel like that's worth it. He's going to die anyway. He's probably going to die early. Better that a year or whatever is shaved off to keep Tucker going.]
[As soon as Wash sits, Tucker readjusts himself for the weight. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter because Wash is going to die one day and if he keeps doing it, it'll be sooner than later. Church died too young, shouldn't have died so early.
Tucker reaches to grasp at the edge of his shirt at the waist, just between his thumb and forefinger, and turns to roll further onto his side and tuck his face against the pillow.]
Wash, I don't-- I can't wake up in the night to you dead. [Or show up to visit and everyone's at his funeral. Not again. Not a third time.]
You're not going to. [Well, maybe if he's with him that long. But Wash has never been planning to go in his sleep. He's ex-military now, but that doesn't change that he's expecting a bullet to do the job, not a heart attack.
With Tucker's face buried into the pillow, Wash doesn't have to train his face calm. He's free to furrow his brow while he tries to find the words that'll make this right. This whole time, Tucker's been fucking himself up on Wash's account. Wash isn't any good at talking to other people -- how is he meant to explain how much he wants this? To be just like they'd been?]
Tucker, I'd rather live a year or a few years less if the years I do get are with you.
[Tucker stills. The thought hits straight to his core, some part of him he forgot existed when Church died the first time. Someone actually wants to stick with him. A human wanting to stay with a life-sucking monster because it chooses to. He turns his head to look sidelong at him, eyes a little wet.]
... Dumbass.
[TucKER.]
Thought humans did shit to live longer, not die faster.
Page 4 of 6