shakebadguysshake

I plan to test the limits of your flexibility.

Tonight cannot come fast enough.

I'm gonna be so sore, it's gonna be amazing

See you when you get here

I am glad that you are looking forward to this as well.

[And, well, come the end of the night, Kit is pushing the students out of the studio and looking to see if Ella is there and unable to stop smiling.]

[And Ray is helping usher students out, avoiding small talk as much as possible. Though Prince Christopher seems to be lingering. Which isn't that odd, but -- still. Ray glances at him, keeping half an eye on the door.]

Hey Christopher. Um, just me here tonight. Anything I can help with?

[Ray is the last person he would expected to stay so late at the end of the night. With his two lovers, he was under the impression the other man couldn't wait to leave and get home. Not... that Kit can blame him.]

No, Ray, I'm staying this evening to clean up. Did you need something from me?

No, no. I was just um. I think Fraser was gonna pick me up. Maybe. But I'm not seein' him. He's usually pretty uh. Pretty punctual.

Hm, that is unusual. I was under the impression that he was the type to communicate should something turn up.

However, I thought that Ella was working at the studio tonight as well. I suppose she got caught up with our new dog.

[His smile slips a little as he looks around, obviously oblivious to anything amiss in this situation.]

... [Wait. Wait. Oh no.]

Did you uh. Did you send her a message. About. Meetin' up after work.

[Kit slowly turns to look at Ray before it dawns on him.]

Did you plan to meet up with Fraser after hours?

[Oh, yes, he's embarrassed. That sure is a blush to his face.]

Dear God.

I am so -- oh my god. I definitely thought you were Fraser. You two got a similar way of talkin', is what happened. With the Network bein' wacky I just thought his username got screwed up is all.

[Now he knows that his boss is very flexible and he can't unknow that and that's Upsetting.]

I...

[It takes Kit a few times to open his mouth and actual words come out. When he can, he lets out a bit of a guffaw.]

We've been had, Ray. I'm not sure how to feel about this, but... Let's agree to not talk about this again, shall we?

Do you wanna go grab a drink instead? Since uh, since Ella and Fraser aren't showin' up, clearly.

[Kit reaches over to tap Ray on the shoulder in a friendly fashion.]

Certainly. Let me get my jacket from the office and I will pay. I have a feeling that neither of us would really like to go home and have to explain this evening to our partners just yet.

I will not turn that down. [He claps Kit on the arm with a smile, feeling slightly better about things since they're just. Not gonna discuss that Kit is impatient and can't keep his hands off Ella. Apparently.

Nope, not thinking about that.]

Good. Although, I suppose you will have to lead the way.

[One, Kit doesn't spend that much time in the Down. Two, he wouldn't know the first thing about where to start looking here either, if he was honest. Three, he's not going to think about how he nearly hooked up with Ray. Nope. That's just awkward as fuck.

However, as they're walking, it does occur to Kit that Ray is the first person that he met here in Duplicity and that they've been sort of thrown together by circumstances more than once now.]

Ray, I... I'd like your opinion on something, since you've been here before and are acquainted with Ella and myself.

[There is a bar in the Down not too far away, and Ray steers them towards it. Absolutely not thinking about how he almost hooked up with Kit, and what that might have been like. He's a gorgeous man, and --

-- but nope, not happening, and that's fine with him.]

Yeah sure, what's up?

Well, you've been here in Duplicity for a while, yes?

[He clears his throat, feeling a bit weird talking about this with someone not his father or even the Captain of the guards, but he knows that this topic is a rather popular one in his kingdom, so it's only right that he speak about it how he wants and when he wants.]

You're aware of my situation back home. My uncle and father would like for me to marry a woman of rank, preferably a princess of another nation, but I've no desire to do so. I would rather marry for love.

Yeah, of course. I mean marriage is a complicated thing just by itself. But when you throw politics at it, it gets all jumbled up. Like. I get where the king is coming from and all, but I agree with you. Marry for love.

I plan on it.

[There is an unmistakeable tone of steel in his voice before he again feels uncertain.]

But that's not what I'm worried about. Do you... Do you think it prudent to get married here? I'm not too worried about being rejected, but there have already been situations here that have caused both of us to pair with other people.

I think as long as you both go into it knowing that it's a possibility, that you might get paired with other people because of the city, than I'd say go for it.

[He holds up his hand, which has a black band tattooed on his finger where a wedding ring might sit] I'm pretty much married to my Dom. But we know that the city's gonna do something to put us with other people. Or that we might choose to pair up with other people sometimes. But this? This means we're always gonna come back to each other. No matter what.

Well, the events of a few months ago are still very active in my mind. I... I never thought that I would participate in an orgy before coming here.

[It was the type of hedonism that would set the court back home to riot. There was no way he wouldn't find himself in ecclesiastical trouble should he confess that little tidbit to a priest.

When Ray holds up his hand, Kit nods, feeling better having had the fortitude to bring up this topic with his friend.]

I do like the way you and your partner have decided things. I suppose now I should start looking for a ring, yes?

[Oh man, he does not need to think of Prince Christopher in an orgy. He just -- he doesn't.]

I think if you want to go for it, you should. Like you said, I don't think Ella would say no, and so long as you're clear on your boundaries, and you have an understanding with each other that weird shit's gonna happen in this city, then... follow your heart, man.

[Hey, it was all fun and games for everyone involved. It's not Kit's fault that Ray missed out on seeing him in all his sweaty glory.]

We've talked about it, a bit, since then, but I suppose another conversation couldn't hurt things. It's a shame that we're here, however. I think my mother's ring would look lovely on her hand.

Oh that is a shame, I'm sorry to hear that. But I'm glad you guys found each other, here. That you were able to have something with each other.

I must admit that I would much rather have Ella than the ring. While it was my mother's, it will still be with her things should I return home. Ella, on the other hand...

[Kit sighs.]

It's complicated.

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