How do we shot dating

[glaciates]

Who: Isaac McDougal (glaciates) and Solf J. Kimblee (explosivecombat)
Where: Route 34
When: April 21, evening
Summary: Kimblee and Isaac attempt this "dating" thing.
Rating: PG to PG-13
Log:

[April 13. Eight days ago. Maybe it was naive of him (or far too sentimental), but he wouldn't be forgetting that date any time soon. That was the day he accidentally texted the entire network, asking for advice in a relationship. It was supposed to be private to Hughes, but... Well, he can't really complain. Things worked out.]

[...He's dating Solf J. Kimblee. He's not sure what to do with this knowledge. Other than smile stupidly when he's certain people aren't looking.]

[He's actually been in a much better mood for the past week. Normally he spends his time avoiding people and Goldenrod City entirely. That hasn't changed much; he only enters the city occasionally, usually in search of Kimblee. He's relaxing a bit more and he's not quite as worried about being attacked.]

[Isaac is finally getting used to being in Johto. Things are finally settling in. He really couldn't be happier.]

[That said, going on an actual date with Kimblee isn't something he'd actually considered. Dating in general isn't something Isaac is very comfortable with - but then again, what is he comfortable with? Other than reassuring everyone that he's a horrible person, obviously. So when he told Kimblee he was interested in a relationship... well, he hadn't thought it out this far in advance. Kimblee was supposed to turn him down. This wasn't supposed to happen.]

[Not like he's complaining or anything.]

[Isaac is much more comfortable outside of Goldenrod City, and he's currently standing on the shore of the river alongside Route 34. He spends the majority of his time around water - it's a force of habit by now. He can't use his alchemy, but he feels much safer when he does have a source of water nearby. He's not thinking about that, though; he's more focused on the fact that he has no idea what to do on a date with Kimblee. He normally doesn't have any idea what to do on dates but this is different. It's... well, it's a date with a man. This wasn't something that happened very often back home. Openly gay men weren't very common in 1915, after all.]

[Cornelius, Isaac's Surskit, is currently perched on his shoulder, keeping an eye out for danger - or more likely, Kimblee. Isaac's a bit too lost in his own thoughts to notice anyone anyway.]

[Oh, and if you're wondering, Kimblee, this was totally your idea. You did suggest it, after all! ...You totally know this is a date, right? Of course you do.]

Comments

[explosivecombat]

[...and that's about the point that the realization hits; they are being so stupid.

He laughs a bit, though the sound isn't a cruel one.]

You don't have to treat this any differently than a normal conversation, you know. It is still just me. Nothing's changed in that regard.

[glaciates]

[His initial reaction to the laughter is to get defensive - but it's only when Kimblee speaks that Isaac realizes just how tense he is. It is just Kimblee, and even if Kimblee likes to tease him relentlessly, Kimblee's still the only person he can relax easily around.]

...Yeah, I know. I'm never really sure what to say.

[The smile returns then, a bit less excited than before, at least.]

Things are different now; I don't want to screw it up. That's all.

[explosivecombat]

"Screw it up"?

[Kimblee tips his head a bit at that; he's very aware of how he behaves around people he's in a relationship with, but at the same time, he can't say he's ever really concerned with changing his behavior very much if it's not completely necessary for him to do so.]

How do you mean?

[glaciates]

[Isaac is silent for a moment, frowning at the ground while he tries to come up with a way to explain it.]

Well, I've... never really been good at this sort of thing. At picking up social cues and things like that.

[He shrugs half-heartedly. Isaac doesn't lie, and he's an open book emotionally. He normally doesn't try to hide anything, but he'd really prefer to pass this off as if it's nothing. He doesn't need Kimblee knowing that he's bothered by his massive amounts of social fail.]

[explosivecombat]

[Kimblee is quiet for a moment after that. Thinking it over, really.]

We've never exactly been normal, you and I. I think we're both aware of that; when we first discussed this, you acknowledged that I was "different" - that things wouldn't be the same with me as they are with most.

We're similar, in that regard. It doesn't bother me, Isaac.

[glaciates]

[Isaac is silent for a moment; he's not sure what to do with that. He's never had anyone understand him as easily as Kimblee does. It's a relief to find someone who gets him.]

Yeah. I... Thanks. I really appreciate it.

[explosivecombat]

Of course, Isaac.

[There's another hesitation after that, however; it's hitting him again, that this is where touch would probably be appropriate at best, expected at most, but...

Ugh. Awkwardawkwardawkward, why is this so awkward...]

[glaciates]

[Because no one knows what to do or what's acceptable or anything? It also doesn't help that Isaac tends to take things very slowly in relationships. And then the woman gets irritated and makes the first move.]

[...Not that you're a woman, Kimblee!!]

[But anyway, he has no idea what to do here. He's just going to awkward at you forever!]

[explosivecombat]

[Sensible and Inoffensive Discussions Of Sexual Orientation: The Log.]

Well. What do you...usually do on outings like this?

[...well. Hang on.]

...please tell me you've dated before.

[glaciates]

[Oh come on! Isaac will look mildly offended at that, if you don't mind!]

Yeah, of course I've dated before!

[......]

But I'm uh... not very forward, I guess?

[...You totally got that he doesn't do jackshit out of that, right?]

[explosivecombat]

Ah. Accustomed to letting the -

[...woman? Man? What are you interested in, he just realized that he has no idea]

...other person take initiative, then?

[oh god oh man and jfc that was clumsy, good going self]

[glaciates]

[...Wait, wait, you think he's actually interested in men?]

Woman.

[He comes down a little too hard and a little too fast on that answer. He's just a bit uncomfortable with the idea of actually doing anything with a man. Things are admittedly different with Kimblee - but that's probably because of their long history together--]

[...Oh who is he kidding? He's willing to ignore the mild homophobia there for Kimblee.]

[explosivecombat]

...ah. Yes. Of course.

[Judging by his tone, it's not exactly an "Of course" situation at all, but. Um. Right.]

[glaciates]

Yeah.

[He probably shouldn't be getting defensive in response to that, um.]

[explosivecombat]

Well, you can hardly fault me for wondering, can you? Given that you developed this attraction in the first place and seemed interested in pursuing it, I've no idea what you expected me to think?

[glaciates]

Well it's the first time it's happened! I wasn't expecting this. Why do you think it took me so long to figure it out, or why I was going to ask Hughes in the first place?

[...so long... You know what, just ignore that part okay.]

[explosivecombat]

"So long"...?

[Kimblee actually doesn't freeze at that; he's suspected it for a while, since they discussed this the first time. He hasn't said anything directly about it; at the same time, if it's bothering Isaac like this - which it seems to be, as this isn't the first time it's come up when Isaac was particularly flustered - then perhaps it's best to just confront it. After all, what Kimblee is suspecting is literally the only logical conclusion; Isaac's wording has been indicating that it's been longer than the few weeks they've been in Johto together, and the last time they spoke in Amestris was definitely not enough to encourage any sort of affection, much less inspire it.

As such, when he speaks, it isn't exactly a question.]

...it's been years, hasn't it.

[glaciates]

[Kimblee's smart enough to pick up on that. Of course he knows that, so maybe he wanted to discuss it--]

[OKAY NO NEVER MIND, he's freezing up badly and can't even find words to express just how horrible this topic of conversation is.]

I--!

[Isaac folds his arms and glances at the... river-thing. He'd prefer to avoid the issue, but that won't get them anywhere. Kimblee wants to know and hell, now that they're actually dating, doesn't he deserve to know? Isaac's not one to keep secrets from the person he's in a relationship with. Relationships are built on trust, right? Trust is still something he's not very comfortable with.]

...Yeah. It's been... several years.

[He falls silent after that. He hadn't realized it until he showed up here, but that doesn't make it any less true.]

[explosivecombat]

[Trust is something neither of them are terribly comfortable with, really. Kimblee has Archer, of course, but that's a matter of loyalty, which is something else entirely. Really, loyalty and trust have never been things that Kimblee really associates with relationships at all; as far as he's concerned, relationships are based on a cycle of using one another - for sex, or money, or possibly companionship if one was particularly prone to loneliness - and it's just a matter of time, really, until it turns parasitic and one party decides it isn't worth it anymore.

This is why Isaac confuses him, with his claims that he wants nothing - Kimblee doesn't doubt that he believes that in some way, but he also doesn't doubt that Isaac simply hasn't realized what it is he's trying to get out of this. There must be something; he just hasn't seen it yet.

But for now, he pushes that aside - he closes some of the distance between them, and his touch is gentle when he reaches out, his hand resting lightly on Isaac's arm.]

I see...it's fine, you know.

[He's smiling a bit when he says it, the expression as gentle as his touch, and there's a quiet lightness to his tone - he's capable of acting convincingly sympathetic when he wants to, and honestly, if he doesn't this is just going to dissolve into that hideous awkwardness again.

Not that he doesn't expect this to likewise be awkward, but at the very least it'll hopefully be awkward in a different direction.]

[glaciates]

[Thankfully he's not a mind reader, nor is he very good at picking up on social cues. Kimblee's acting is flawless as far as Isaac is concerned - and he assumes it's genuine. He doesn't know Kimblee nearly as well as he thinks he does.]

[The touch on his arm is unexpected, but Isaac doesn't pull away. He stares at Kimblee's hand for a moment; he's a bit confused by the sudden sympathy. It's nice, but he's not sure what to do with it. So he doesn't do anything.]

Y-yeah? Well. Thanks. I guess.

[That will get Isaac to look away though. ...He also might be blushing. Just a little bit. It's totally not noticeable or anything.]

[Yeah, okay, he's bright red. So what?]

[explosivecombat]

[Oh, that just gets a light laugh out of him; it's not cruel, just teasing, and he doesn't pull his hand away.]

You're still so shy, Isaac! It's almost endearing.

[glaciates]

I--!

[ALKEMRKNL HOW DID YOU FIND THE TSUN.]

[Seriously, he never tsuns. What is this feeling.]

No it isn't. Knock it off.

[explosivecombat]

[That...well, kittyfacing still hasn't left, but he does pull his hand away, okay.]

If you insist.

[glaciates]

[H-hey, that's...! Not what he wanted at all, huh. This tsuning thing doesn't work at all. Why would anyone bother with it?]

[Though that just leaves the issue of "what do" now. Seriously, what does he do with this? Other than herp really hard. Because he's doing a lot of that.]

[The kittyfacing implies that Kimblee's at least not bothered by it, but... He's still not overly comfortable initiating anything.]

[So he'll just awkward around the issue for a bit by unfolding his arms, shifting from one foot to the other a few times, and finally reaching out (very hesitantly, of course) to brush his hand against Kimblee's.]

I'm not that bothered by it, alright?

[explosivecombat]

[Kimblee's gaze shoots down to Isaac's hand when he reaches out, though he isn't exactly startled by it; just seeing what he's doing, really. Isaac never initiates contact; the fact that he's attempting is...well, mildly confusing, if he's going to be honest, but not unwelcome.

Kimblee has his gloves on, as he always does in Johto; he can still feel the contact through the fabric, however, and he responds to it easily, turning his hand a bit to grip Isaac's lightly with his own. Again, it's something he does because he suspects he's expected to do it, but the motion is fluid and the contact is...pleasant to him, despite the indirectness of it.]

That's good to hear, then.