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[ it's a good thing she had done some shopping in advance.
they've never shared birthdates, which is fine, but she still wanted to be prepared anyway. or maybe it was just that she had walked past a store in the nest some time ago and saw it that made her think of him. either way, tseng will have a small box delivered to him in the morning, inside he will find a pair of cufflinks.
attached is a card with reservations at the gilded cage for dinner and a poem: ]
Voici des fruits, des fleurs, des feuilles et des branches
Et puis voici mon cœur qui ne bat que pour vous.
Ne le déchirez pas avec vos deux mains blanches
Et qu’à vos yeux si beaux l’humble présent soit doux.
they've never shared birthdates, which is fine, but she still wanted to be prepared anyway. or maybe it was just that she had walked past a store in the nest some time ago and saw it that made her think of him. either way, tseng will have a small box delivered to him in the morning, inside he will find a pair of cufflinks.
attached is a card with reservations at the gilded cage for dinner and a poem: ]
Voici des fruits, des fleurs, des feuilles et des branches
Et puis voici mon cœur qui ne bat que pour vous.
Ne le déchirez pas avec vos deux mains blanches
Et qu’à vos yeux si beaux l’humble présent soit doux.
[ although tseng knows that there's a function on his watch that could translate the poem written on the card, he would much rather ask clorinde to read it to him herself later on. it goes into a pocket instead, and tseng carries it with him as he dresses for dinner in a suit (nicer than his daily wear, and so neatly tailored to his legs that it seems a little indecent) and, of course, the cufflinks that had been her gift. they suit him perfectly, no surprise there.
he makes his way down to the gilded cage a little before their reservation time, only to find clorinde already there and waiting. emboldened, perhaps, by the gift as a reminder of her care for him, tseng approaches her and brings one hand up to cup her face gently before leaning down for a kiss, lingering and passionate although not especially deep, in full view of anyone who may walk by in that moment. ]
Hi, [ he says when they pull apart, giving clorinde a small, private smile. ] And thank you.
he makes his way down to the gilded cage a little before their reservation time, only to find clorinde already there and waiting. emboldened, perhaps, by the gift as a reminder of her care for him, tseng approaches her and brings one hand up to cup her face gently before leaning down for a kiss, lingering and passionate although not especially deep, in full view of anyone who may walk by in that moment. ]
Hi, [ he says when they pull apart, giving clorinde a small, private smile. ] And thank you.
[Among the many blessings about having Darkstar back at his disposal in the resort, Rufus opines, is this: that now when he wants to send confidential little gifts, he has the world's most reliable courier, and one altogether unlikely to leave Tseng on high alert that someone has snuck an unauthorized incendiary device into his kitchen without him knowing.
She's quite adept at it, too. She's even carrying the little black box with painstaking care in the neat wrap of her tentacle instead of in her teeth, because far be it from her to risk even the slightest droplet of drool on such an auspicious package to deliver.
Inside, resting nestled on black velvet, sit a pair of tie clips, one sleek and one a little more flashy. What's curious, however, is that the velvet backing is a little misshapen and sits at an odd skew, almost like there's something beneath it.
Because there is, in fact, something beneath it.
The earrings, buried below, are clearly handmade; the wire wrapping is a little mismatched and one of the fastening loops isn't quite closed seamlessly. The note beneath is in Rufus's handwriting, blue ballpoint pen on a bit of scrap note paper torn to size and folded over again.]
Tseng,
Hi. No cryptic notes this time, just candor. The president would never handmake a gift and the director of the Turks would never wear something so hazardous on the job. You don't have to wear them at all, if you don't want to. I don't think they're even your style. I remember my mother had a set that looked a little like these, though, albeit finer and much more expensive.
It made me smile to think of giving you something like this. I wonder if it was the same one you remember from the elevator.
Happy birthday,
Rufus
She's quite adept at it, too. She's even carrying the little black box with painstaking care in the neat wrap of her tentacle instead of in her teeth, because far be it from her to risk even the slightest droplet of drool on such an auspicious package to deliver.
Inside, resting nestled on black velvet, sit a pair of tie clips, one sleek and one a little more flashy. What's curious, however, is that the velvet backing is a little misshapen and sits at an odd skew, almost like there's something beneath it.
Because there is, in fact, something beneath it.
The earrings, buried below, are clearly handmade; the wire wrapping is a little mismatched and one of the fastening loops isn't quite closed seamlessly. The note beneath is in Rufus's handwriting, blue ballpoint pen on a bit of scrap note paper torn to size and folded over again.]
Hi. No cryptic notes this time, just candor. The president would never handmake a gift and the director of the Turks would never wear something so hazardous on the job. You don't have to wear them at all, if you don't want to. I don't think they're even your style. I remember my mother had a set that looked a little like these, though, albeit finer and much more expensive.
It made me smile to think of giving you something like this. I wonder if it was the same one you remember from the elevator.
Happy birthday,
Rufus
Is that so? I'm not certain he understands that I am not the one who is going to be observed.
But I am amenable, with ground rules. The usual, and additional. Please understand, I don't intend to give too much leeway when presented as the main course.
But I am amenable, with ground rules. The usual, and additional. Please understand, I don't intend to give too much leeway when presented as the main course.
Oh, Tseng, by the way, I've just hired an unvetted new recruit for the Turks. I'd like him to immediately become my personal bodyguard on the merits of he's fit and appears to need quite a bit of space in his slacks.
Expedite his credentials, would you? Don't worry about the interview process, I'll be taking care of that myself, alone in my office for the next few hours. Undisturbed.
Expedite his credentials, would you? Don't worry about the interview process, I'll be taking care of that myself, alone in my office for the next few hours. Undisturbed.
[ tseng reads the text twice: once with unmitigated alarm, and then a second time when he remembers that this was pretty much word for word the terrible script that he and rufus had been kicked off of, a week or two ago. ]
At once, sir. Shall I also immediately provide him with handcuffs and a sidearm, despite never having tested his proficiency with either?
At once, sir. Shall I also immediately provide him with handcuffs and a sidearm, despite never having tested his proficiency with either?
[ what a delightfully curious text to receive from matoba. honestly, it's a little surprising that this is how he chooses to call in his favor, but tseng isn't going to look a gift chocobo in the mouth. ]
I do. Are there any guidelines around the type of compliment, or do I have creative freedom?
I do. Are there any guidelines around the type of compliment, or do I have creative freedom?
I have a question for you. It's about boundaries.
[He always sounds so proud of himself when he brings up boundaries, these days. The praise me just radiates off him.]
It feels awkward to put this in writing but I suppose it's not a particularly difficult question.
If someone wanted me to bottom for them, I wouldn't do it unless you were comfortable with it. Not because I'm concerned about jealousy or possessiveness but. Because you're important, and you were my first, and I would be content with you being the only one who ever had me that way if it were important to you.
"Be content" sounds less enthusiastic than I meant it to. What I mean is I don't need anyone but you to be happy. And what's important to you is important to me. So I'm asking if that's something that's important. If there's anything of me that you want to keep to yourself, it's yours. ...Okay?
[He always sounds so proud of himself when he brings up boundaries, these days. The praise me just radiates off him.]
It feels awkward to put this in writing but I suppose it's not a particularly difficult question.
If someone wanted me to bottom for them, I wouldn't do it unless you were comfortable with it. Not because I'm concerned about jealousy or possessiveness but. Because you're important, and you were my first, and I would be content with you being the only one who ever had me that way if it were important to you.
"Be content" sounds less enthusiastic than I meant it to. What I mean is I don't need anyone but you to be happy. And what's important to you is important to me. So I'm asking if that's something that's important. If there's anything of me that you want to keep to yourself, it's yours. ...Okay?
[ one-hit ko from how endearing tseng finds this message tbh ]
Thank you for asking. It's sweet that you did.
If you feel comfortable bottoming for someone else, it's all right with me. There are some things that I would like to keep between us--for instance, you are the only person I call "baby," and I think I would possibly take it personally if you called someone else "daddy"--but I am comfortable with you bottoming for other people as long as you feel safe doing so.
Not least of all because no matter who else you sleep with, I will always have been your first, and I have confidence that I'll always be better. Is that terrible of me? It's the truth, either way.
Thank you for asking. It's sweet that you did.
If you feel comfortable bottoming for someone else, it's all right with me. There are some things that I would like to keep between us--for instance, you are the only person I call "baby," and I think I would possibly take it personally if you called someone else "daddy"--but I am comfortable with you bottoming for other people as long as you feel safe doing so.
Not least of all because no matter who else you sleep with, I will always have been your first, and I have confidence that I'll always be better. Is that terrible of me? It's the truth, either way.
( from here. )
[ instead, he focuses on the minute responses he can sense—slight twitches of muscle, the hitch of alan's breath, a warming of his skin in the wake of tseng's mouth. all pleasant things so far, it seems, and very little tension that would tell tseng to slow down or even stop.when even the press of his tongue against alan's hole earns little more than a pleased sigh, tseng takes that as permission to press a little deeper. his hands shift on alan's hips to hold him steady, and tseng adjusts his angle, working his tongue more intently against that tight furl of muscle—not pushing inside yet, but applying firmer pressure and paying close attention to how alan's body responds.
after a moment, finally, tseng pulls back to give alan a moment of reprieve. it's then that he finally says, ]
Sometimes I do. It isn't exactly something I seek out, per se, but... [ he lifts a shoulder in a shrug alan probably can't see. ] I'm experienced and I get off on getting my partners off.
[ and that apparently makes him a good partner for any who want to explore new sex acts. ]
Edited 2025-07-01 18:06 (UTC)
[ Alan's breathing gets deeper as Tseng explores. His tongue is startlingly warm, smooth and wet and mobile in a way that fingers and cocks never can be. When Tseng does pull back, Alan has started to arch his back, and his cock, hanging below him, is harder and darker than when they started.
He lets out a shaky sigh, stretching his back and rolling his neck. The break is nice; the building pleasure eases off a bit and lets him resettle his position. ]
You'd make a good teacher. [ A chuckle. ] I mean -- you know what I mean. Someone has to be everyone's first something.
He lets out a shaky sigh, stretching his back and rolling his neck. The break is nice; the building pleasure eases off a bit and lets him resettle his position. ]
You'd make a good teacher. [ A chuckle. ] I mean -- you know what I mean. Someone has to be everyone's first something.
[Only a couple days later... She has been thinking about it on and off the whole time. Grappling with herself on whether or not she should actually take him up on it. In the end, curiosity gets the better of her.]
Is your time spoken for today? I'd like to follow up on your offer.
Is your time spoken for today? I'd like to follow up on your offer.
[ now that's a text tseng hasn't gotten in a long, long time.
actually, in retrospect it might be a little funny. after so long in the resort without putting his training to practical, necessary use, a small part of tseng had wondered whether he might be losing some of his edge. not in any significant way, of course, but enough that his reaction time might be a beat slower, his decisionmaking a bit less responsive.
as it turns out, he didn't need to worry at all. he's up and out of his own suite before the chime on the second message even finishes ringing out. ]
Location?
actually, in retrospect it might be a little funny. after so long in the resort without putting his training to practical, necessary use, a small part of tseng had wondered whether he might be losing some of his edge. not in any significant way, of course, but enough that his reaction time might be a beat slower, his decisionmaking a bit less responsive.
as it turns out, he didn't need to worry at all. he's up and out of his own suite before the chime on the second message even finishes ringing out. ]
Location?
I think I forgot to tell you my birthday is today. I don't need anything for it, but I thought you would like to know.
Though... maybe if you're not too busy, I could take a few pictures to share. I learned more about "taking photographs" recently.
Though... maybe if you're not too busy, I could take a few pictures to share. I learned more about "taking photographs" recently.
[ Sent without a message attached, a selfie of her in the mirror, clad in the shortest, silkiest-looking black slip. The shot is framed from the back, the hand not keeping her watch positioned correctly is palming her ass, spreading herself wide enough for him to catch sight of the plug she's already pressed inside that tight hole. ]
[ oh, goddamn. tseng is always pleased to see nami's name in his inbox, even more so now that she's back after a brief stint as a statue, but he's even more pleased to open the attached image and find something absolutely delicious to look at. shamelessly, tseng zooms in so he can better appreciate the contrast of black silk against skin, the perfect curve of her ass, and then lastly the flush of her hole where it's clenched around the plug that fills it.
fuck, she's so hot it makes tseng feel a little feral. he sits down in one of the barstools in his kitchen so he can text back, ]
Show me your pretty cunt, too. I bet you're dripping after getting that inside you.
fuck, she's so hot it makes tseng feel a little feral. he sits down in one of the barstools in his kitchen so he can text back, ]
Show me your pretty cunt, too. I bet you're dripping after getting that inside you.
[What do you get a guy who seemingly has it all? It feels like a lame gift, but he gets a handwritten letter and a strip of "homemade" coupons. The letter reads:]
As your friend I wanted to get you something your high rank couldn't just afford you. Please accept these coupons, and actually use them if you like them. If they're not satisfactory, please return them and make direct requests as their replacements.
Thank you for your patience, trust, and companionship.
[There's no signature, but there is a doodled mascot. It'll be easy to tell where the letter came from, because the first coupon is for one free item commissioned by Rin — whether it be a magecraft creation or a scented bodycare product. Following that are coupons for a massage, a 'home cooked meal', and friend-date, and a game night.]
As your friend I wanted to get you something your high rank couldn't just afford you. Please accept these coupons, and actually use them if you like them. If they're not satisfactory, please return them and make direct requests as their replacements.
Thank you for your patience, trust, and companionship.
[There's no signature, but there is a doodled mascot. It'll be easy to tell where the letter came from, because the first coupon is for one free item commissioned by Rin — whether it be a magecraft creation or a scented bodycare product. Following that are coupons for a massage, a 'home cooked meal', and friend-date, and a game night.]
[ to rin it might feel lame, but to tseng it's actually quite touching that rin wanted to gift him something useful, but that he wouldn't easily be able to acquire with his rank or funds. once he's had a look through the coupons and read the note, he sends a message back: ]
Thank you for the gift, Rin. It's wonderful, and I mean that genuinely. Although I suspect you might not know what you've gotten yourself into by offering a game night--it may not surprise you to know I have little experience with games and will therefore need an education first.
Thank you for the gift, Rin. It's wonderful, and I mean that genuinely. Although I suspect you might not know what you've gotten yourself into by offering a game night--it may not surprise you to know I have little experience with games and will therefore need an education first.
[A folded letter elegantly tied with red cord is delivered by a paper butterfly and either left beneath your door or unceremoniously dropped onto your head, wherever you may be on the morning of the 1st. Unfolding it reveals hand-pressed paper inked with a greeting in calligraphy pen:]
Happy New Year 🐀
The Matoba clan would like to extend its most heartfelt greetings and thanks for your patronage throughout the year. We pray for the good health and fortune of all in our care.
The clan looks forward to your continued partnership in the year to come.
With sincerest wishes,
的場静司
53rd head of the Matoba
[You will notice the seal of a rat has been added to the greeting. Well, obviously, because it's 2008! Happy Year of the Rat!]
Happy New Year 🐀
The Matoba clan would like to extend its most heartfelt greetings and thanks for your patronage throughout the year. We pray for the good health and fortune of all in our care.
The clan looks forward to your continued partnership in the year to come.
With sincerest wishes,
的場静司
53rd head of the Matoba
[You will notice the seal of a rat has been added to the greeting. Well, obviously, because it's 2008! Happy Year of the Rat!]
[On the morning of the first, a homemade postcard on high quality paper slides itself under Tseng's door. On the front is a piece of highly stylized calligraphy. On the back, in more standard but still extremely nice handwriting:]
Happy New Year!
Thank you for all your support last year. I look forward to working together again in the future. Wishing you good health.
Natori
[If the paper looks familiar, it's because it's definitely made from the set that Tseng gave him last week.]
Happy New Year!
Thank you for all your support last year. I look forward to working together again in the future. Wishing you good health.
Natori
[If the paper looks familiar, it's because it's definitely made from the set that Tseng gave him last week.]
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