bruce has a type: spies • PSL POST

[nerdon]

filler until it can be prettied

Comments

[yesbrogue]

Precisely. I'd never hear the end of it. [dryly, as he takes Steve's hand] I'm pretty sure most of them think I've never kissed anyone before.

[He picks up his sweater, though he doesn't put it back on, and leads Steve to his office, shutting the door behind them. There's a small, but comfortable couch there, and he gestures for him to sit.]

Are you all right?

[He's not asking about the fight.]

[bugleboy]

No, you... definitely have.

[ He thinks the entire time they walk. About how he wanted that. Clearly and definitely wanted that. How it was okay to want that but was he the type to want that? And how really, really good Merlin's legs looked even in trousers.

They enter and Steve relaxes somewhat behind closed doors. He gives a bashful smile and scratches the back of his head. ]

I've um. Never done that before.

[yesbrogue]

[Merlin gives him a warm smile in return, taking a seat on the couch and crossing said long legs. Steve's bashfulness is endearing, just like everything else about him.]

Never kissed anyone in general, or never kissed another man, specifically? Either is fine, I'm just curious.

[bugleboy]

A man.

[ He's quick to clarify with a hand extended. And he paces a few steps. ]

I.. didn't even know I wanted to kiss you until just then. [ A sincerely apologetic look. ] No offence.

[yesbrogue]

[Merlin just chuckles, shaking his head.] None taken. I didn't know that I wanted to kiss you until then either, so you're not alone there.

It... [and here he seems a little less sure of himself] it was nice, though. Wasn't it?

[maybe he's just being hopeful]

[bugleboy]

It was the best kiss I've ever had.
[
He wasn't very experienced but. He knew. Anyone, even being kissed for the first time, would know how wonderful that felt.

Steve finally sits down on the couch. ]

[yesbrogue]

Oh. [It's not the response he expected at all, but Steve seems so certain of it. And he finds that he has to agree, despite Steve's lack of experience. He made up for it in other ways.]

I enjoyed it too, very thoroughly. I suppose the next question is...do you want to try it again?

[bugleboy]

[ Did he go too far with that one? His mind was still racing trying to figure it all out.

There's one thing he knows for sure though. ]

Yeah. I'd like that.

[yesbrogue]

[Not too far. If he'd gone too far, Merlin wouldn't be leaning in for round two. It's a little different this time, properly initiating the kiss instead of simply returning it. He's gentle, deepening it slowly and patiently. Not teaching him, exactly, but letting him learn for himself what he likes.]

[bugleboy]

[ That feels amazing. Unlike any kiss that he's ever gotten before. There are a thousand questions in his mind at the moment. He'd never even considered--

But then Merlin's lips move in a new way and he's melting. All other thoughts are forgotten for just a few more minutes. It's definitely not the kiss and the talent behind it. It's the man giving it. Steve chooses the more satisfying route and sticks with it. A hand comes up to trace along his jaw. ]

[yesbrogue]

[Merlin leans into the touch, one of his own hands resting against Steve's chest as he makes a sound of encouragement into the kiss.

He likes being touched like that, even as simple a touch as it is. As removed as he tries to make himself seem, if anyone pays even the slightest bit of attention to the way he lets people lean on him quite literally and otherwise get into his personal space, they can see that it's something he enjoys.]

[bugleboy]

[ He gets lost, deeper and deeper into that kiss. Merlin is-- Wow. But Steve doesn't even know his name. His name.

He has to break the kiss for a second. Let him collect his thoughts. He's kissing a man - Merlin, of all people, what does he have with Brits - and enjoying it more and more. Deep breaths, Rogers. ]

[yesbrogue]

[Merlin finds himself needing to breathe too, so he doesn't protest when Steve pulls back. They both need a moment to collect their thoughts, because his own have been thoroughly scattered.]

I suppose we should...talk. About what this means. Or...could mean. I know this is new to you, so I expect you have questions.

[bugleboy]

[ His voice is way too grounding. Part of him wanted to keep living in that limbo. But he knew he was right. They had to talk about this, think about this. ]

Uh... Yeah. [ He says between a nervous laugh. His hand hasn't moved. ] You wanna get started? I'm kind of going in blind.

[yesbrogue]

[Merlin gives him a small smile, hoping it will ease Steve's nerves at least a little.]

There's no script for something like this, regardless of experience levels. But I will say that I wouldn't mind doing that again sometime.

[he pauses, working out how to phrase this next part] Dating is...tricky, in my line of work. I haven't done it in a few years; I had to lie to the last person about who I was, about everything I did, and that didn't sit well with me. But this...this is different. You're different.

[bugleboy]

[ His hand finally falls to his side. Dating? Seriously? With a man? He was glad that things were getting much better about that now. He knew far too many people who would have been shunned into his frozen wasteland if even whispers of that came out. There was no need to be ashamed of it.

But for himself? ]

Are you saying it'd go in reverse?

[ But here he is. Trying to find out Merlin's name. Or anything about him. ]

[yesbrogue]

[His smile widens at the question; somehow, he's not surprised it's what Steve asks first.]

It's possible that it could. You already know what I do, and it doesn't seem to bother you.

[bugleboy]

[ Steve shrugs. ]

Don't see why it would.

[ A pause. He. Doesn't really know where to begin with this. ]

Would you want to? Date me, I mean. I don't exactly have the best schedule either.

[yesbrogue]

[Merlin's smile turns a little wry at that statement.]

Some of the things I've done haven't exactly been the actions of a decent person. Even in the name of the greater good, I can see how it would be off-putting.

[Especially to someone like Captain America.]

[He laughs a little at the question, though.] Schedules can be worked around, no matter how complex. But in answer to your question, yes. I think you're a remarkable person, and not just because of the work you do. I would be lucky to have the opportunity.

[bugleboy]

[ Steve's expression goes serious. Pretty serious. And he looks Merlin right in the eye. ]

War isn't always about being decent, either.

[ He tried. He always did. He was never a coward. And they never did horrible things, not like some did. But that didn't mean he was innocent. He wasn't. And that was the kind of thing that kept him up at night.

But. They could deal with that together. That's what Sam was always telling him to do. Steve can't help but smile at a compliment like that. Formal, but that was Merlin for you. ]

Thanks. [ ... And he doesn't really know how to approach this next part. ] This is, uh. Kind of new for me. So maybe the schedules will be a benefit.

[yesbrogue]

[Merlin offers Steve a nod of acknowledgement when he explains. Maybe they have more in common than he'd realized. But that's a discussion for a later time, and he gives him a small smile in return.]

We can meet up when the timing works out for us. When we have some downtime. I do have a mission coming up in the next few days that may take a couple of weeks, but after...would you want to have a drink with me? Somewhere casual.

[bugleboy]

I'd like that.

[ Probably the best thing he's heard in a while. He likes Merlin. A lot more than he realized but he still does. ]

Do I get to know your name then?

[yesbrogue]

[Merlin's managed to keep his cool through most of this, but that question catches him off-guard entirely. There might even be a faint hint of pink in his cheeks.]

The only other person who knows my name is Harry, and it took him years to get it out of me. But I think I can make an exception, if you promise not to laugh.

[a long pause] My name is Angus. But honestly, Merlin feels more like my real name to me than anything else now.

[bugleboy]

[ Woah. Now that is something Steve has never seen. He'd wager a good number of people have never seen it either.

He waits with anticipation. C'mon. It couldn't be that bad. And it wasn't. Steve smiled wide and leaned in again. ]

I guess no one calls you Gus?

[yesbrogue]

[Rude, Rogers. Rude. Merlin just grumbles at that question.] Not if they want to keep all of their limbs.