station72 | [ OPEN ] Hot Springs Episode!

[ Sorry Shiro, Sam can't hear that over the sound of him pushing Shiro's shirt a little further as his hands drift upwards, palming over bare skin and tracing his thumb gently along one of the scars he knows from experience is pretty sensitive. ]

Hmmm. What're you worried about them seeing?

[ But he's teasing, and his mind curls around Shiro's easily, beckoning him closer. ]

( Come with me. There's a rock alcove that's private, so no one can see us. I'll keep it PG-13, I promise. )

[His right hand is wrapped around the edge of the pool, at this point. Fingertips digging into it. That spot is sensitive, and Sam clearly knows it too well. Part of him is... a little jealous. How easy it is for Sam to just casually wind him up like this. How he doesn't even think about it.]

[Wouldn't it be nice, if Shiro could do the same?]

You know -- me.

[It does take a few moments more for him to pull together the composure necessary to answer him.]

(What are you planning...?)

[ It would be nice, maybe. Sam certainly wouldn't complain. But Sam's not complaining now. He loves being able to do this to Shiro, to distract him and get him going like this, and to know that it's because of Sam.

If Shiro doesn't think that he winds Sam up just from that, well. Sam needs to do a better job telling him.

But that - is about what he'd expected, and where he'd have backed off if Shiro didn't want people seeing them kissing - reluctantly, and with some mixed feelings - he can't let that go. For the moment he forgets about his plan to pull Shiro away.

He leans in, arms flexing as he pulls himself a little bit out of the water to press a kiss against Shiro's stomach. ]

( You ) [ Another kiss. ] ( Are fucking gorgeous. ) [ He drags his lips over a scar, and continues another kiss to a different scar with every few words. ] ( Soon as we get some time to ourselves I'm gonna spread you out, pin you down, and go over every inch of you until it sinks in. )

[The same part of him thinking vaguely jealous thoughts of how he wishes he were more skilled at this is, distantly, wondering if maybe Sam doesn't deserve someone who is. Doesn't deserve someone capable of giving him more.]

[It's overruled about as soon as the kissing starts. Right there of all places. Sam's voice in his head, punctuating every kiss, only helps spread a flush from his hairline right down to his collarbone. Breathing picks up -- but, okay, he can do this. He can hold this together.]

[... pin you down... ]

[That hand wrapped around the edge of the pool, braced tight, fingers clenched... suddenly goes right through the stone. Jerking Shiro sideways in the process.]

[And, you know, consequently, making him flounder into Sam.]

[ Skill doesn't matter. Sam'd tell him if he knew - he doesn't give a shit about whatever skills Shiro has or doesn't have. What matters is Shiro, making Shiro happy, making him feel good. Sure, maybe Sam'd like more, but the hive mind complicates things. That's not on Shiro.

There's a sharp, pleased thrill that shoots through him when Shiro fucking breaks the rock - loses control because of Sam, and damn Sam couldn't have asked for a better response - even when Shiro crashes into him. With their mental connection as strong as it is, Sam feels Shiro falling the moment he does and is able to adjust, taking Shiro's weight with ease. ]

( I'm gonna take that as 'hell yes please do all of that especially the pinning down.' ) [ He resettles them both, hauling Shiro in and hooking his hands under his thighs to hold him up in the water. And he sure is just gonna start moving, carrying him further into the pool. ] ( I got you, sweetheart, come on. )

[Sam should know. He should really, really know how good he's making Shiro feel through this. He had been squirming in his seat, and, honestly, the breaking the side of the pool was a damn good indication of how into this he is.]

[Except his hold on Sam is significantly more gentle. Considering he doesn't want Sam to go the way of the side of the pool.]

(Not now! You said--)

[He is so... so flustered. Bright red and sputtering. Hair slicked down to his face and hanging in his eyes. Not saying no in any sense of the word. Just protesting the whole pinning down... in public.] (Not here!)

[ It's a really damn good indication. Sam's pretty damn proud of himself for it, honestly, because if he made Shiro feel good enough to forget himself for just a moment -

Well. Mission accomplished. Or at least, the start of the mission, Sam's got more in mind for the night. Especially with Shiro holding on so damn gently, even while he's flustered as hell.

Sam tilts his head up to kiss Shiro, soft and sweet, as his mind curls protectively around Shiro's. He knows - he knows what Shiro's hesitations are, knows where his boundaries sit and where his limits are firm and where they can be pushed, and he's not looking to do anything to upset any of that. ]

( Trust me? )

[Maybe he'd let one of his hands hold on tighter. But not both. No way -- that hand is mostly off limits. Even now, after they've been doing this for so long.]

[He has to admit -- it's a little cold now that he's actually been half-dunked in the water. But that's a fleeting thought. Fleeting, because of the mouth on his. The sudden sense of security that has every muscle fighting to relax. To let loose, just a little.]

(You don't even need to ask...)

[The answer is yes. Always yes. Even flustered and half-clinging onto him in the middle of a hot spring, the answer is still yes.]

[ He wishes he wouldn't hold any part of himself off limits - but he gets it, and he's not gonna protest. Not when he's got Shiro in his arms, and he can feel Shiro wanting to just relax against him.

It means more than he can say that Shiro's answer is yes - that it's always yes. It's probably not the time to dissect his thing about trust. ]

( Then let me take care of you. )

[ He settles Shiro closer against him and just - carries him through the water like a dork, until he reaches the little rock alcove he'd spotted earlier. He's draped a towel over the opening to provide an extra measure of privacy, and he ducks underneath it. ] ( Think you can relax a little here? )

[He's always trusting Sam. Nothing in their relationship, in any aspect of it, has ever made him feel otherwise. Has ever given him a reason to say anything but yes. Emphatically, gratefully, yes.]

[There's a little shiver. The shirt slicked to his skin offering nothing in the way of warmth -- little ridges of goosebumps on his neck. But he nods. He'll worry about taking care of Sam later. This is clearly important to his partner.]

(You planned this, huh?) [There's amusement in his words. A lot of it. And agreement, too. Yeah, he thinks he can handle this, without many eyes on him.]

( I know the man I fell in love with. )

[ By which he means yes, of course he planned it. And he's teasing, but he does know Shiro, and he's more than willing to try take the extra step to make him comfortable.

He drops down to sit on one of the rock seats at the back of the alcove, settling in without letting go of Shiro and leaving him essentially in his laps.

Then he tugs on the hem of Shiro's shirt. ]

( This is a lot more relaxing without being still being totally dressed, you know. )

[Well, for that, he has no words. Nothing applicable anyway. Hopefully the way his brain sort of melts at that is enough. Leaning his head down to rest against Sam's. Breathy little laugh on the exhale.]

[A breathy little laugh which turns to a nervous sort of one, when they're sat down. Together. And he's very, very glad for the barrier between them and the rest of the pool.]

(I... know. But questions... you know.)

[Sam's already seen. Sam already knows -- what's covering his skin under the shirt.]

[ It's enough. It's more than enough, and it makes Sam grin a little, stealing that second, exhaled laugh with a kiss. ]

( I know. Even good people can be stupid about that. ) [ Shiro's not the only one - Mat'd been out there with a scarf around his neck, until Sam teased him out of it and promised not to ask. ] ( That's another reason why we're here. )

[ So Shiro can actually relax a little, actually enjoy himself without being extremely conscious of the story his scars tell. So Sam can take Shiro out of his head, just for a little while.

He pushes Shiro's shirt up, pulling it over his head and dropping it down on the rocks next to them, out of the water. ]

( Turn around? )

(I... don't think even Pidge or Elena has... that they know.)

[He's sure Pidge knows something of it. She's the closest to him, here. The one who's been like family from the start. Not that he's ever come right out and said, 'by the way'. There's not much reason to.]

[He shakes his head, doing his best to help with the whole, shirt removal thing. Look, he's an adult he's got this.]

[Only to arch an eyebrow, shifting back off Sam's legs to stand in the water, slowly turning.] (Yeah?)

( Unless you're planning on spending a lot of time around them shirtless, there's no rush. You can wait until you're more comfortable. )

[ He strokes his palms up Shiro's back, warmer than usual thanks to the heated water, and leans in to press a kiss between his shoulder blades. ] ( Yeah. Perfect. )

[ You're perfect is the unspoken addition, but he doesn't have to say it when wordless approval and appreciation fills every part of their connection. Sam scoots back on the ledge until his back rest against the rocks, making room for Shiro to sit between his legs. His hands settle on Shiro's hips as he pulls him down - and for a moment he's tempted to keep tugging, to get Shiro's back flush against his chest and wrap his arms around him, tilt his head back against his shoulder for easy access to kiss him whenever he wants -

But maybe later. He's got a plan, and instead he leaves space between them so he can put his hands on Shiro's shoulders. His thumbs press in at the base of Shiro's neck, starting on working out the knot of tension he knows Shiro holds there. ]

(Not... if I can help it. I don't think Elena needs more trauma. Or Pidge.)

[That last bit is a joke. He doesn't bother elaborating on it, though, because he trusts Sam's going to know. Instead he just lets himself shudder at the contact. Swallowing a little heavily.]

[Because this is... yeah. He's really glad for the privacy here. And for a long moment, he's half convinced this is going to be something more than PG-13. He can feel that want. Something in him wants it, too. But that something doesn't get a say right now.]

[He leans back. Following suggestion, and...]

[And his knees almost give out under him. Because oh.]

[Oh, that's... good.]

[ And it's so like Shiro to want to protect them from that. Sam doesn't necessarily agree that either of them would want Shiro to protect them from that, to not share because he didn't want to lean on them - but he gets it. And he's grateful that, even if he has to remind him sometimes, Shiro will lean on him.

He doesn't say anything, because it was a joke, and Sam knows it. And he's much more interested then bringing Shiro out of his head and giving him some space to relax than anything else.

Which means he might not be planning anything above PG-13, but he's not gonna stop it, either.

There's a soft, fond chuckle at Shiro's reaction, and he puts a little pressure on his shoulders - a gentle but insistent instruction to sit.

Then he gets back to work, focusing on Shiro's neck and shoulders - slow, methodical, working out every knot and lingering over his scars, pressing in and firm strokes mixed with soft touches and barely there grades of fingertips.

His palms rest flat on Shiro's shoulder blades before he starts to move down his back, mind curling around his in a wordless check in. ]

[No, they wouldn't want that. But he isn't going to think along those lines. It's almost not possible -- almost. If they came out and told him, it'd be different.]

[But right now? Right now, there's not a whole lot of room in his head for anything but how those hands feel. For how Sam's hands feel. Sam could instruct him to turn around on one foot and he'd do it. Just to keep feeling like this. So yes, he sits.]

[More like sags, really.]

[Honestly, he'd forgotten what something like this feels like. What feeling relaxed was like. Everything has been wound too tense for so long, it would be again, and again. What did relaxation even feel like?]

[The check in is met with wordless appreciation. It's almost half-asleep. Incredibly enough.]

[ Sam can feel the way Shiro's mind starts to clear, as his focus blurs and it almost feels like Shiro's floating, and he lets himself have a moment to just enjoy that before he continues. ]

(That's it, just let go. ) [ Sam knows Shiro's boundaries and he won't push them, not right now - and he makes the impression clear as he presses a kiss to the back of Shiro's neck. ] ( You're so good, sweetheart, let me have this. )

[ When he’s finally finished working out the knots in Shiro’s back, Sam wraps one arm around Shiro's chest and gets the other hand in his hair, pulling him in and guiding him to rest his head back on Sam's shoulder, until Sam's chest is pressed flush against his back. ]

( Get some rest, Shiro. I got you. )

[He might really be floating, for all he feels connected to reality right now. Floating in the pool, floating in zero gravity. Surrounded by stars or liquid, he can't tell. Doesn't want to tell.]

[In all honesty, it's hard to remember the last time he felt this way. Maybe... maybe the first time it was clear they'd made it. They were free of the atmosphere. They'd done it, at last.]

[Drifting.]

[Sam's voice pulls him in. Pulls him back out of a distant memory. Enough to where he can press his face to his neck.]

[He loves this.]

(You're ... really going to sit there? If I crash?)

[You're really going to catch me if I crash. Aren't you.]

[ There’s a soft hum over their connection - intentional this time, not the usual faint hum of the symbiote. An echo of him humming out loud, some soothing, absent tune that probably belongs to a song, although Sam couldn’t have said which one.

When Shiro shifts back into focus, just a little, Sam smiles at the way he presses his face into his neck. ]

( Of course I am. )

[ I’ll always catch you.

His fingers card through Shiro’s wet hair, gentle, as he settles his arm securely over Shiro’s stomach. ] ( Go to sleep, love. )

[Well that just does him in. Not as if it were hard. It's been way too long since he crashed into sleep like this. Too many days -- running ragged for the purpose of not thinking. Not dwelling, when his brain wanted nothing more than to replay those images over and over again.]

[But all that feels far away.]

[It feels completely secondary to warm water and security. To the sensation of weightlessness, and memories of countless stars slowly turning.]

[He exhales. Slow. Steady.]

(Done.)

[ OPEN ] Hot Springs Episode!

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