𝙿𝙴𝙽𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴 𝙸𝙽𝙱𝙾𝚇 ;

[dadyl]

𝚃𝙴𝚇𝚃. / 𝚅𝙾𝙸𝙲𝙴. / 𝚅𝙸𝙳𝙴𝙾. / 𝙰𝙲𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽.

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[minuteofangle]

[ It's the first time he's ever been kissed underwater. To Gabe's faint surprise, it isn't that different. It's just a moment, with this man, this person he trusts, and that lets it settle warm in his chest. All easy physicality as their noses brush and then his tech suddenly picks something up. There's -

Gabe cocks his head, running scans. He reaches out to run his fingers along Daryl's collarbone, trying to zero in on it. ]

Something's different. Did you do that?

[dadyl]

[ This is familiar, at least. Living suspended in the water isn't, his existence in his body isn't, but kissing Gabe somehow is. Despite how his skin responds with a little light show, Daryl lets himself relax into the moment - and perhaps one thing is feeding the other, and vice versa.

But oh, he likes how they can talk now without having to break their kiss. He's going to keep that, that is, if he ever gets put back right again. ]

Not on purpose.

[ Daryl deepens the kiss, even strokes his tail's strong grip down Gabe's legs, and the colours along his spine develop and shiver. ]

When you touch me... parts of me light up.

[ He doesn't know how else to describe it and when Gabe's fingers trail over his collarbone, his scales respond in kind. ]

[minuteofangle]

[ With anyone else, Gabe thinks he'd be tensed up and twitchy from being held like this. Contained like this. Here, it almost settles him. He knows Daryl and he knows what it means to be held by him. This is just a continuation. A thing they're doing.

He bumps their foreheads together, smiling a little. ]

Yeah? I can pick it up, a little. What's it look like?

[dadyl]

It...

[ He hesitates, trying to find the words. He isn't usually a very descriptive or talkative person. ]

It's this blue light, coming through my... scales.

[ The last word is signed a little differently, like Daryl is both hesitatant to say it and angry that he has to. ]

Wherever they added them. My spines, my shoulders.

[ Not his tail yet, but if they'd kept kissing... Daryl isn't totally sure what might have happened. ]

Like instead of goosebumps. But stronger.

[minuteofangle]

[ Gabe knows the strangeness of the moment will catch him if he lets it. The questions of what comes next, what the demons will do given the chance — worse, and stranger, than what’s already been done. But he pushes past that. What does it get them to dwell?

First, survive. They’re still human.

Gabe leans forward, nuzzling against Daryl. Centering himself. Maybe offering some small comfort. ]

I can pick it up through my tech. Like a ripple.

[ A shift in the atmosphere. ]

I like it.

[dadyl]

[ He isn't sure how Gabe will react to what he's telling him. He knows Gabe can't see the worst of it, not the way someone like Carol would be able to, and that takes some of the bizarre shame off of his shoulders.

But he can touch, he can feel the changes firsthand, and then Gabe nuzzles against him anyway like it doesn't matter and another burst of colour shivers through Daryl. He wraps both his arms around him and instead of signing on his chest, he traces the necessarily lines on his back in slow strokes.

Like the words themselves don't matter. ]

Only you could make me feel like less of a freak right now.

[minuteofangle]

[ Part of him wonders what color it shines in the water and almost asks, but Daryl's pulling him close and that's just easier. A comfort now, especially in this place, and Gabe just lets himself press into it. A little more of the tension just draining out.

They're okay. Right here, right now, they're okay.

Gabe rests his head against Daryl's shoulder, cycling his tech absently. They can't speak to each other like this, not out loud, but that's okay. They know each other. He just presses his mouth to Daryl's skin in a quiet kiss and hopes that covers everything. You've got me, and I've got you.

We're okay. ]