duplicity inbox | un: prince

[rosebyanyother]

"Morrigan Prince. I'm afraid I'm too busy to answer at the moment, but leave a message and I promise to respond as soon as I'm able."

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[compellingstatement]

I'll get over it.

[It's not much of an argument, but it's all Jon really has. He knows he can learn to live with what's happened. He has every other time. Jon is aware that Peter might well protest that thinking.]

But I- I can talk to him. See about- I'll ask him to warn me before coming to the archives. I can just... work upstairs when he drops in. That should be... I can make that work. It-it's fair. To the both of us.

[rosebyanyother]

[Peter doesn't openly protest it this time, if only because Jon agrees to come to some solution. He does, however, sigh as soon as Jon talks about getting over it.]

Thank you. [He still doesn't care, really, about the fairness for Tim. He barely knows Tim and what little he does know is 'an asshole to non-humans'. But he can acknowledge that Jon cares. For some reason. Still, it's important to acknowledge Jon's good behavior.

...And to reinforce it, a bit. Through other means as well.]

It's not any less painful for the people who care about you when you're hurt by your own hand.

[And not setting the necessary boundaries for his self-care is definitely Jon hurting himself.]

[compellingstatement]

[A different and exciting sort of guilt washes through him at Peter's words. Jon drops his gaze immediately to his label-maker, fussing with it more than he really needs to. He thinks about that last pet-play session that had gone so horribly wrong, trying to push past his boundaries and using Peter to do it.]

I'm not... trying to hurt myself. [That just happens to be how it happens sometimes.]

[rosebyanyother]

I know you're not.

[At least here, Peter looks over to offer Jon a bit of a smile. Which he'll keep doing until Jon looks back up at him.]

I just...I wish you'd put more stock in your own well-being, sometimes. I appreciate how....considerate you can be. [Sometimes....] In fact, it's one of the things I love about you. But not when it comes at the price of your own--

[Piece of mind, he's about to say, but decides not to. He knows Jon will only argue with him about having any piece of mind at all.]

Well. Your own well-being.

[compellingstatement]

[Jon barely holds back on saying his own well-being doesn't much matter anymore. He'll just get another look or disappointed tone, he knows it. He sees Peter smiling and he knows the other man means well. He'd want Peter to take care of himself, as well.

After what's just happened, though... It's difficult. He feels his breath starting to hitch in his chest again. Jon doesn't want to start crying again. It's exhausting and he's so tired already.

Maybe he's ready. He sets the label-maker down and reaches for Peter. If he doesn't pull away, Jon will finally wrap himself around the other man, hugging fiercely.]

You're too kind to what I am.

[The words are muttered.]

[rosebyanyother]

[Peter absolutely does not pull away. He lets Jon draw him in, wrapping his own arms loosely around him and curling over him just a little bit. His chest heaves, just once, at the relief in being allowed to do this, to touch.

(No more than that. He does not want Jon to feel bad for not being ready before this point.)

His lips press briefly and softly to the top of Jon's forehead.]

Not from where I'm standing.

[compellingstatement]

You're sitting down.

[It's a very silly argument, but Jon doesn't have a better one. He just holds tight, tries not to break down too much more than that.]

Kiss me? I can- It-it feels like I can still taste that thing.

[He's been sick and brushed his teeth more than a dozen times and still it lingers in the back of his throat somehow.]

[rosebyanyother]

[Peter huffs softly at the argument but doesn't make much of a response otherwise.

It hardly matters, since Jon is asking something of him. And it's a request he's all too ready to agree to.]

Of course.

[He shifts his hands to gently frame the sides of Jon's face and then leans down to brush his lips gently against his partner's. It's light to begin with, waiting to see if this is all okay.]

[compellingstatement]

[Jon lets it linger as something soft, just savoring how painfully gentle it is. Peter does as he asks and nothing more, waiting for Jon to make the next move. Jon's hands grip Peter's shirt at the back, clinging as he closes his eyes and tries to let himself be in this moment, not the ones before.]

I love you.

[Simple words whispered against the other man's lips before Jon kisses him again, deeper this time.]

[rosebyanyother]

Love you too.

[A warm, soft murmur before Jon is kissing him again. Peter kisses back, matching whatever intensity Jon applies. And nothing more.

One of his hands slips off of Jon's cheek to thread through his hair for a moment before he begins stroking it.]