[PRP] The Stars Seem Very Different (Jordan & Horace)

[prolixity]

"Did you bring the kitchen sink?" Jordan teased gently. He offered, "I can give you a backrub, if you want."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Horace snorted. "It didn't fit in my backpack, sadly. I haven't upgraded it to a bag of holding, yet." At the offer of a backrub, he twitched. His face was probably seventeen sudden colors, but the cover of night helped.

"Oh, are you good at them? My muscles are pretty tight." He could do this. He could not shock Jordan, he thought. Unless it was a joke offer, then... Then he'd call the bluff. Horace craned his head around to look at Jordan.

prolixity

 

[prolixity]

"Well, I guess it's just as well. No hookups for sinks out here, anyway." Jordan grinned. "I like to think I'm good at backrubs. Nobody's complained, anyway."

He sat down on a clear space on the sleeping bag and patted the spot in front of him. "If you'd like."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"I wouldn't put it past this place to have random hookups in the woods." And that sounded strange. After a moment's reflection, Horace scooted over and plopped down in front of Jordan, shrugging off his coat. The cool air ghosted over his skin, bringing up goosebumps, but the coat would have simply gotten in the way.

He scooted back even further, closer to Jordan. "Okay, work your magic, wizard."

prolixity

 

[prolixity]

"I take payment in coffee," Jordan said, and then, "Okay, about to touch you, okay?" His hands settled gently on Horace's shoulders, and he jumped as a static shock stung him, but didn't jerk away. He held his hands still on Horace's shoulders for just a moment, then began rubbing the sore muscles. "Tell me if that's too tight," he said.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Duly noted." He took a deep breath. Horace couldn't help it; he shocked Jordan. "s**t, sorry!" But Jordan didn't pull away. He felt tense, panicky; he couldn't see Jordan, he didn't know... what if... But the hands weren't familiar or anything, he told himself.

"I... I'm sorry," he said after a moment. "Can I, uh, face you? Would that be too weird." Horace needed to see who was touching him. He could already feel the static crackling. "Or sit off to one side or something..."

prolixity

 

[prolixity]

"It's okay." Jordan kept up the slow massage until Horace spoke up again. "Uh - off to the side would probably work better, so I can get the back muscles easier?" His hands stilled, only the lightest of touches. "If you gotta back out I won't be offended or anything."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"No, no, I don't need to back out." That'd be stupid and weak. "I just... it's easier if I see you, you know?" Horace turned so that his side faced Jordan instead of his back, feeling instantly a bit better.

"I can give you a back rub, if you want, too?" Initiating the touch was also easier for him.

prolixity

 

[prolixity]

"Okay," Jordan said easily, and shifted his position as Horace moved so that he could rub the shoulder presented to him. "Better? You're the one who was carrying the pack but I'm totally not going to say no to that."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Better." He sighed, tried to relax, and did not shock Jordan this time. The angle was a bit odd, but now that he wasn't freaking out about it as much, it kind of felt good. Maybe. Horace wasn't sure.

"Sorry I'm so weird," he said lightly, then briefly broke the contact by reaching over to drag the beer closer. "Want one?"

prolixity

 

[prolixity]

Jordan nodded and worked on the tight muscle with gentle fingers. "Nah, you're fine," he said. "I've met plenty weirder. Beer sounds great," he agreed, and let his hands drop; unless Horace moved back into place for the massage, he would take this as a hint that his friend was done.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

He was sad to admit, and didn't feel like saying it out loud, but maybe a massage wasn't the greatest thing yet. Horace passed a beer to Jordan and circled his index finger.

"Your turn. Turn around, bright eyes." He smiled. "Also, can you recognize any stars and stuff?"

prolixity

 

[prolixity]

Jordan accepted the beer and turned around obediently. "No falling apart,. promise," he said lightly.

He looked up at the stars overhead. "Man, look how many there are. Less light pollution over here, I guess." The sky was clear, bright, luminous with swaths of stars. "Are the stars the same? It's be weird if they were different. Cool, but weird. Let's see ... if we find the Big Dipper we can find the North Star."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Nope, falling apart is my job." Horace began to knead Jordan's shoulders, pressing his thumbs is small, circular motions. This was much easier - he didn't even shock him! He still felt kind of stupid, but eh.

He tipped his head back, looking up. "I don't know if they are the same.. I don't see anything I know yet, but we can always make up our own constellations." Horace grinned and pointed past Jordan's head. "What about that one? It's super bright."

prolixity

i asked and the stars are different!

 

[prolixity]

"That's nice," Jordan commented, relaxing into it. He didn't comment on not being shocked, but it was nice.

"I don't see any of the constellations I know either, but that might just mean I'm unobservant tonight. Hmmm." He followed Horace's gesture, and pointed up to another nearby star. "Let's see. This one's a bird. That's the beak, and that other bright one over there is the wing, and that one's the tail. Can we make up our own myths?" he laughed. "Let's go with a standard mythology template, it's a crow and it stole fire from the sun for early humans to stay warm with, and that's why crows are all black, because the feathers got all burned while the first crow carried the fire down to Earth."

The Semblance of Unity