Coffee Date (for coffee_elf)

[ziggyplayedguitar]

Ziggy was in no state for visitors when the message came. After replying he sprang from the floor to get his make up done and picks out something to wear and just socks since they probably won't be going out. He feels like someone should give him an award for getting ready so fast before heading to the kitchen to put on coffee, the best he has, and warm some soup; an odd Anthean recipe that Thomas recited to him from a time when there was still water on Anthea enough to make this kind of dish. The snow outside made warm food and drink the best idea for others, even if Ziggy was unbothered by it.

Then he sat down to try and not appear as if he had been racing around like a maniac to get himself, food and the townhouse ready for company. Then he bounded back up remembering he would nee mugs and bowls. It felt so strange to be nervous but then, back home anyway, the topic Rando wanted to talk about was so taboo that even incredibly close friends didn't know. It was dangerous for them to know. Maybe the nerves were normal.


[from here the Townhouse]

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[coffee_elf]

Rondo hopes that Ziggy is aware that he doesn't mind him without makeup, though he's certainly used to that look by now. He definitely doesn't mind him in disarray, but it's fair to want to dress up for a date, even a casual one, so he takes his time putting himself together. Makeup isn't his thing, but he has his hair brushed and pinned up in a style humans would call 'space buns' when he arrives. His outfit is pretty simple, just a loose tunic and skirt in dark earth tones, but with a few bright pieces of jewelry here and there to match the usual earrings.

He knocks on the door before entering, but doesn't bother waiting for it to be opened for him, knowing he's expected. "Hello? I didn't bring the snakes today. Oshaan looked sleepy, anyway."

[ziggyplayedguitar]

Ziggy is in the kitchen when Rondo knocks and then comes in. The house smells of coffee and a sour vegetable soup, but the cats make it to Rondo before Ziggy does. He's cheery when he makes it out but uncharacteristically on edge.

However, he does come in and squat down to give Rondo a hug before laughing as his fingers find the open sides of the tunic. "Is this your way of teasing me, with little peeks at your skin?"

It's good natured and relaxes Ziggy visibly to flirt. "I made coffee and food, if you want something."

Ziggy really didn't entertain people at the house. He more or less let people fend for themselves but this was supposed to be a date.

[coffee_elf]

Rondo hugs back willingly and squeaks when Ziggy finds bare skin, giggling as if he's being tickled. Which he kind of is. Notably, he doesn't swat his hands away like the last time when he tugged at his underwear in public. They're in private, so it's okay, if still distracting!

"It's hot on my planet! A lot of my clothes are cut with open spots." He's grinning. "It's not my fault!"

"Definitely coffee. You didn't have to go to the trouble to make food. I should have brought bread or something...but since you did, I'd love to try it." He wasn't expecting a meal, but it would be rude to turn it down, and he's curious now anyway.

[ziggyplayedguitar]

Ziggy's expression turns mischievous when he realizes Rondo might be ticklish. These are things that are worth remembering.

"It's cold on my mother's planet and they wear sheer clothing." It was always strange to him how different his temperature needs were than most of the species around him. "You should take blame for it. It's sexy."

Ziggy stood back up and motioned for Rondo to join him in the living room, the couches where he had be stretched out sick with his mother months earlier. "Do you put anything in your coffee?"

He calls sort of over his shoulder as he grabs the bowls and mugs off the kitchen island. The food and coffee were already on the coffee table. Ziggy did have island seating, more comfortable for a people as tall as Antheans, but the stools seemed like they would be uncomfortably tall for the elf.

[coffee_elf]

"Well...fine, then, but I'm only responsible for my planet's fashion sense." He can't stop smiling. He gives Ziggy a kiss on the cheek before he straightens up and moves to the living room, at which point Rondo follows him willingly.

"I like milk in it, and cinnamon, but if you don't have those I don't mind it black. No sugar, though, please."

He's grateful to be able to stay in the living room. He could get to a tall stool, but it's more comfortable to sit in a place where his feet can touch the floor. He makes himself comfortable on the sofa, crossing one leg under the opposite knee in a crooked not-quite-lotus-position.

[ziggyplayedguitar]

"It's a little tease, especially always at the hips." That kiss gets a huge grin.

He gives up and stacks everything on the cutting board as a tray when he hears that he needs more stuff. "I don't have sugar. It's mildly toxic to me."

There is a small tureen on the table, round and a riot of colors as it looks almost mosaic for the style. It is a traditional Anthean piece. The large teapot though, which has the coffee in it, is very Japanese as are the mugs and bowls he brings out with the milk and cinnamon.

Ziggy sets them on the table before sliding it toward the couch a little more. "There are quite a few human foods I have to watch out for. I can't eat all of them. Normally, I put whiskey in my coffee but, for now, sober is better."

He sits down beside Rondo to pour coffee for them, Ziggy taking his black for the moment. The soup would stay hot and was more for, if they were hungry. It wasn't the point of the date like the coffee was. It is probably a little comical to see Ziggy's long legs on the short human couch but he's used to human sized things.

[coffee_elf]

"It's not toxic to us," he says thoughtfully "But Arraka'arans tend not to like it as much as a lot of other species in our universe do. Humans have a sweet tooth. Thraxiuz are even worse."

He breathes in the scent of the coffee with a contented look and smiles when Ziggy pours for him. He sprinkles cinnamon on his, then adds enough milk to lighten the color to something closer to the look of milk chocolate.

"Thank you," he says, and takes a delicate sip of the drink. "Whiskey's all right, but it's a little early in the day for it, for me."

He quiets for a minute then, just to savor the taste of the coffee and the presence of his host, but at length he sets the cup down again and reaches out with a small hand. "What d'you want to talk about? Or need to talk about."

[ziggyplayedguitar]

"My dad has a sweet tooth. It's worse since he stopped drinking." Ziggy adds but then shrugs. "I can have fruit sugars but not refined sugar, still too much fruit will make me sick."

Ziggy settles into the couch, legs folded up under him and sitting sideways so he can lean an elbow on the back of the couch and face the elf beside him. He isn't drinking the coffee yet, leaving the coffee sit on the table. Then laughs. "I can't drink things too hot either. My body is so much colder that I get scalded at temperatures warm species find comfortable."

He has his hand in his hair, leaning on his elbow while he watches Rondo. It's oddly nerve-wracking to open up even if intellectually he knows this is safe. The question gave him a long pause before the faintest pink hints his cheeks as the sudden flare of embarrassment hits over his nervousness.

"All of this?" Ziggy takes a deep breath. "We're very different species. It's not like humans where both of us have some idea of what's happening. Especially if we're going to be intimate, but friends too. I don't want to be accidentally poisoned." The last part is an obvious joke to decompress himself, though there is truth to it.

[coffee_elf]

"I like fruit a lot. Pineapple, especially. We only get it canned from other planets; it doesn't grow well on Arraka'ar."

From the way steam is still rising from his cup, it looks like Rondo has a much higher heat tolerance than Ziggy, and probably a bit higher than a human. "Well, I've been known to burn my tongue a little, but this is perfect." He sticks his tongue out playfully at his companion.

He quiets when Ziggy hesitates, wanting to be as receptive as possible. He is, to be fair, only expecting conversation about aging scales and species development, but when the other takes a breath and starts to speak, he realizes this is going to be more in-depth. That makes him start to blush, too, and get a little flutter of nerves in his stomach.

"Y-yeah," he says slowly. "That had occurred to me. I don't really understand humans, not completely, but I'm way more familiar with their culture and biology than Antheans. If Anthea exists in my universe, they've never made contact with my part of the galaxy. I've checked."

"How serious do you want this to be? That's probably the first thing. Because I don't want to hurt you by accident or get too intense and freak you out."

[ziggyplayedguitar]

"I prefer sour fruits, citrus, sour cherries, and cranberries."

Ziggy giggles at the stuck out tongue. "Are you offer something?"

He can't help but tease the elf, his playfulness exaggerating with the increased affection. Ziggy looks down when he mentions an Anthea in his universe. "Thomas thinks our species might already be extinct in a lot of other universes because they're farther ahead in time."

Ziggy laughs to dissipate the nervousness. "I'm probably the one that would be too intense. It's happened before." Ziggy shrugs. "I'm fine with anything from friends with benefits to something more. I'm attracted to you but I also want to be friends."

Ziggy pauses and starts randomly picking at the couch. "It's still uncomfortable to talk about the alien parts because my dad's drilled into me the legitimate fear of people knowing. I'll have to learn to be more open if we're going to be physically involved."

[coffee_elf]

Rondo blushes at the tease, but only laughs a little. "I mean...maybe, yeah?"

Not that he has any clue what he's doing, but he's comfortable enough with Ziggy to push his luck. In any case, they're definitely going to need to talk first.

When Ziggy starts picking at the couch, Rondo offers out his hand. If he needs to fidget he won't interfere, but if contact helps with anxiety, he's all for it. "I worry a little because...I guess the hallmarks of a serious relationship to me, things like meeting my family and visiting my home, I'm not sure I can give you most of those. Or anyone I meet here in the Nexus. I might bring my sister here some time, if I can catch her when she's in town, but--"

Sigh. "Honestly, I'm not sure it would be worth meeting my parents anyway, so maybe that's moot."

"But I have pretty strong feelings for you, so the risk is worth it for me, if it is for you."

He's quiet a moment, mildly surprised to hear that alien parts really are the main thing on Ziggy's mind. He supposes that's reasonable, though. Neither of them has a complete picture of the other's species biology. "Um...well, Arraka'aran anatomy is almost identical to human anatomy, where secondary sexual characteristics are concerned. I think there are some differences in chromosomes but I'm not a biologist. Gender is a more flexible concept to us than it is to humans, from what I've read. There are lingering cultural biases from the slave years, but we're moving past those now. Again."

"So, my body looks pretty human, on a smaller scale, but it isn't, and the culture I come from doesn't have the same biases a human's would. I am definitely not going to make fun of you or try to hurt you because of the way you're made. That would be wrong, and I like you too much to want to do that anyway."

"But, like...I don't want to rush you, either, so I hope you can trust me, but take whatever time you need."

[ziggyplayedguitar]

"Usually I prefer to be the one using my tongue." Ziggy winked because he might be nervous but he also has no shame about sex and sometimes those come out in an odd mix of emotional states. He does take Rondo's hand because his nervousness in't related to the person he's with but past experiences.

"That's something I would share with anyone from my own Earth too. Aliens aren't exactly accepted neither are people gendered like I am or who dress like me." Ziggy sighs heavily and looks at the stuff on the table. "I've been attacked back home for how I look and who I am without anyone even knowing I'm not human, so I get it."

He leans in and kisses Rondo's forehead right between the brows. "At least I don't have to worry. My dad can't say a damned thing about me dating aliens." His humor and smile comes out through the nervousness. It was true though, one thing in his favor was his dad's proclivities when it came to bringing anyone home. "I'm a pacifist but I'm not defenseless if it would come to that in the future."

Ziggy's smile doesn't fade but his tone has taken on a cold emptiness that isn't usually there. Enacting violence induced illness but it hasn't stopped him when it mattered. Ziggy is interested in how Rondo's culture works, especially it's view on genders. He shakes his head a little when Rondo is finished speaking.

"It isn't you but the human culture I come from has very strict gender norms and sexual norms, though it's starting to open slowly. There are still plenty of places where not appearing male or female, or having sex with a person of the same physical sex is a crime."

That was the source of his nervousness because, until coming to the Nexus, that was the standards he was living under as a very sexual and physically needy person. It was reliably dangerous and uncertain in many places. "Antheans don't have gender in the same way other species do. They have a standard of marriages being able to produce children because they're needed but roles, jobs and appearance aren't gendered. In a lot of ways a full Anthean male and female might look identical to someone from a different species since there aren't breasts or external genitals or sex characteristics really."

Trying to navigate some odd mix of those two very divergent perspectives didn't help Ziggy's nerves at all. He was uncertain sometimes about what to do with himself but it was stabilizing over time. That was part of what he perceived as starting to mature into an adult.

"My genetics are messy." Ziggy admits as he squeezes the smaller hand in his. As he goes on his eyes focus on their hands together just to get past the ingrained fear that talking this way is dangerous. "Most of my body looks like a human male, but I also have Anthean female parts and some Anthean sex characteristics that can be.... weird for some people, well everyone who isn't Anthean or had one as a lover." Ziggy laughs and his cheeks color a little. "I am probably too big to penetrate you, humans have problems sometimes, but it shouldn't cause any problems since I prefer a more feminine role in sexual intimacy."

[coffee_elf]

Rondo's blush only intensifies. "Far be it from me to argue. To be honest, I'm really not very experienced anyway so I'd probably need, um, guidance, no matter what."

Except for kissing. Kissing is pretty intuitive, and also involves use of the tongue.

He closes his eyes at the kiss on the forehead with a little sigh. It feels like a bloom of warmth there, even though Ziggy's body temperature is a little lower than his own. "At least that's something that's less of an issue on Arraka'ar."

He blinks a little at the shift in Ziggy's emotions, the cold, determined set to him that creeps in. Is that...on Rondo's behalf somehow? "Well...Van would probably think you're fascinating and be annoying with questions, but she wouldn't cause any trouble. She's sweet, really. Once I'm out of the house for good, it doesn't matter what my parents think one way or another."

He listens to the explanation, thumb stroking gently along the backs of Ziggy's knuckles. After a moment, he lets some of his mental shields shift so he can simply radiate quiet calm and reassurance--which is probably disrupted slightly by the reality that Rondo himself is a bit flustered by sex-related conversation, but at least it's a completely innocent and affectionate kind of fluster. There is no repulsion or anger forthcoming.

"I think," he says softly after a moment, "there was bound to be a learning curve no matter what. And we should just try to remember that and be gentle with each other. And like I said I'm not real experienced, so it was always going to be a thing where you'd have to show me what feels good to you. So, for whatever happens in private between us, it shouldn't make a big difference what parts you have as long as you can tell me what you want me to do with them?"

"--that sounded better in my head than it did when it came out of my mouth, sorry. Uh...and we should probably be careful I can't get you pregnant, too, because I know elves are genetically compatible with humans but I'm not sure beyond that. But that's not hard to work out."

"I really want to be with you, either way. And I'm completely willing to learn as long as you don't mind being patient with me. I think you're a really beautiful person. Not just good-looking, I mean, although that too, but...I've never known anyone like you, and that makes me want to protect you and be good to you."

[ziggyplayedguitar]

Ziggy shrugs. "I've always been one to just try things. As long as you're gentle with people nothing should hurt."

He's very experimental and open-minded on all forms of intimacy; physical and emotional. This was why he could easily have very sexual partners and asexual ones as well, despite the bumps in the road to working out how to navigate some thing. Relief comes through clearly with the revelation about Rondo's home. "One less thing for me to worry about then. I'd probably have more problems with both of us appearing male than your size at home. Well... and these."

He playfully touches the edge of the elf's ears which brought a bright smile to his expression. Ziggy's emotions were in flux when he talked about difficult subjects but he has just as many moments of focused or even calm emotions. It easily turns from a smile to a laugh. "I am used to questions. Being famous puts you under scrutiny constantly. I'll just have to remember not to be as confrontational if I meet her. Is moving out, age related, like it is for humans?"

Antheans lived in communal groups usually, and though Ziggy lived on his own that was more due to career and lifestyle than family demands. The shift in Rondo's emotions is trailed by one in Ziggys, it's relatively mischievous though lovingly so. His more rambunctious self calmer and more centered than the thoughtful process where he can drown in worry and doubt.

"It's more that parts are in anatomically unexpected places and sexual parts aren't limited to my crotch like most species." The worry is more about unnerving someone new to sexuality than feeling that Rondo might do something wrong. "I'm of the mind set that you touch everything and if someone likes it you keep doing it. What might feel good with one lover might feel different with another. It's always about the connection between the people."

Spirituality is very wrapped up in his views on sex, especially in anything more serious than a fling or random fun. The longer they talk the more he is seeing that this is a discussion about something long term, not that he minds or finds that unsettling. If asked, Ziggy prefers a few close people, and maybe an occasional fling, to the revolving door he has had to live in on Earth to stay safe.

"I'm not sexually mature." Ziggy says flatly. "I'm not old enough to conceive yet and being a hybrid I might be sterile anyway." The flash of sorrow in his emotions isn't something that he can hide. Ziggy has always been bothered by the idea that he might not be able to mother or father children. While he hasn't pinned down all the reasons for the feelings he knows the rarity of his mother's species is part of it.

"I don't mind." He assures the elf. "I like your presence and being in contact with you. You feel good close to me physically and emotionally. I think that's part of why I'm so sexually attracted to you." Ziggy sighs heavily and scoots closer while picking up his coffee which might be cool enough to sip now. "I was mostly ignored among the Antheans and relationships are dangerous on Earth for me. I have all the sexual experience you want but I'm still learning how to make anything more serious than a one night stand work."

That was a truth he rarely spoke but it needed to be said here for both of their sakes. Ziggy had almost blown up more than one relationship recently with his behavior. It was worth the warning in case he did something terribly stupid or impulsive in this one too.

[coffee_elf]

"Oh, the older generation can be a little stuffy back home, but the worst you get for a same-sex relationship is 'how are you going to have babies'," Rondo tells him gently. "And I don't think my parents care. I guess my biological mother might be curious but I see her once every few years at most anyway."

"...my brother never has anything nice to say about anyone, really, but he can fuck right off." Shrug. Rondo's painting a weird picture of his home life, perhaps, but the point that he's in no physical danger stands.

"I think Van wants to be famous," he tells him with a soft laugh, and then a gasp and shiver of pleasure as he strokes his ears. "Maybe you can...warn her...Umn...ohh. That's a real sensitive spot. You can touch me there, but it's not gonna be conducive to conversation..."

Speaking of touching everything and finding out what feels good. Ears, especially the tips, are erogenous zones to Arraka'arans, though they're certainly not directly involved in reproduction. Rondo snuggles a little closer to Ziggy in response to the contact, but manages to maintain some sense of decorum, giving him a little smile. "Yeah, I agree. Some people are all about the, uh, body parts smooshing together, and that's okay, but the emotions seem more important to me."

He squeezes Ziggy's hand gently, sensing the sorrow, but isn't sure what to say. The warning had to be made, but now it has been. And Rondo has no idea at this point in his life whether he wants children or not, so he can't entirely relate, but he doesn't have to, to feel compassion.

It's also not something that needs to be discussed in detail right now either, though. He puts an arm around Ziggy easily when he scoots closer and nods a little. "I haven't even dated that much. Everything's a work in progress, I guess. Especially since we're both apparently real young for our species."

But they're old enough to understand that these things do need to be talked about, and that's a point in their favor.

[ziggyplayedguitar]

"I have never fit anywhere. I have my parents, Thomas and his wife, but not much else." Ziggy shrugs a little. "My dad's parents are ok, I've only seen them once because they don't get along well. My mother's species mostly ignores that I exist."

Strange family relations were something that they both had in common, though it felt like Rondo's might be more stressful since he apparently saw them more often. He's easing into the close, open conversation. The first moments when he opens up to someone always put him on edge but that is quickly fading, even more quickly with that reaction.

"Is that why you pierce your ears?" Ziggy's mind has instantly gone to humans piercing their genitals, not something he wants done but it apparently felt better to them. The sound Rondo makes tosses his mind right into this very divergent subject. "This might be a problem since I do have a constant desire to whisper in ears and kiss them."

He did it with humans, constantly, quiet whispers up close to their ears and they weren't sensitive. Ziggy can only smile at the mischief he could cause with someone that had erogenous ears and blushed so easily with scandalous words. He'll welcome any sort of contact and is happy to let Rondo come into it on his own. Brief amusement flutters through his presence when he realizes that Rondo is probably light enough to sit on his lap without worrying about his legs falling asleep, or worse being injured from too much weight. The giggle that comes with Rondo's admission is high and girly.

"Don't read me wrong. I love smooshing bodies together but I prefer deeper connections to come along with them." His free arm slips around Rondo. "One of the most stressful things back home is that I can't get close to anyone, or let them get closer than random physical contact."

Ziggy sighs, and now with the coffee in hand and Rondo cuddling in closer, there's a conundrum. Glancing between the elf and the coffee he decides to just chug it, so that he can set the empty cup aside on the arm of the couch, or somewhere without needing to move. It's on the verge of too hot though and he winces before setting the mug out of the way. Now he can settle both arms comfortably around the elf.

"Maturity is confusing for me. I usually just ignore all the standards and do what feels right." The Anthean shrugs helplessly. "I've fucked up a lot but jumping into things has gotten me to a place where I'm better off than I was last year."

Ziggy has some realism about the situation, especially about mistakes. He has no regrets really but acknowledges that there have been some glorious disasters while on the path to making a few more back home.

[coffee_elf]

"Yeah, I...can kind of relate to that. Not fitting. Or maybe I fit too well and that's why I get overlooked." Maybe it's a little of both.

His blush heightens at the question, and he giggles softly. "Mostly it's for ornamentation. To highlight our best features, you know? But it can be pretty intense, especially around the cartilage at the points. Not everyone goes that high." The loops he has there are small and delicate compared to the ones on the lobes of his ears.

His head tilts a little, unconsciously, as if the very idea of Ziggy whispering in his ears makes him feel ticklish. "Just don't make me get a hard-on in front of a crowd, okay? I don't need that kind of embarrassment in my life."

The girly giggle from Ziggy is nothing short of charming, though, and Rondo reaches up to run gentle fingers through his hair, grinning. "I don't know much about maturity. I feel like I have an idea what people expect of me, but whenever I try to live up to it, it's never enough. I guess that's why I keep coming here. Even when I fuck up here, it's enough."

[ziggyplayedguitar]

"I won't ignore you." Ziggy declares with a bright smile that fills up his emotional presence. He might have a thing for shy misfits being a loud and gregarious misfit himself.

"I like your eyes and personality, but these will do since neither of those can be pierced." Ziggy can't help being a bit playful and charming as his fingers touch the rings on Rondo's nearest ear, but not the ear itself.

The stage comment gets him giggling again. "I've been on stage with a hard-on. It isn't that embarrassing unless you're shy about all the people having a look." he does stifle the giggles to say something important though, just barely. "It's happened though. When my emotions get too high, we've had people strip and have sex in the crowd."

It was an issue sometimes, especially when he got to flirting with the people on stage with him. The empathy radiating in the crowd caused madness sometimes. He leans into the fingers in his hair. the touch welcome and calming.

"I figure the only one I have to live up to is myself. I have to live up to who I want to be tomorrow. That's enough for anyone to do." Ziggy says flatly but there's passion behind those words. He believes them down to the depths of his heart. "Everyone else always wants something from everyone else, or most people do. You have to choose who's worth listening to or it gets conflicted and complicated. Then you can't live at all."

These very Anthean thoughts were what lead to shocking a lot of humans and pushing boundaries in ways that others balked at. It was who Ziggy was though, free of everything that he didn't want.

[coffee_elf]

"Promise?" Rondo returns his smile wholeheartedly. "Even when you're surrounded by other people that adore you?"

He's never going to be one to demand exclusivity, or even any particular measure of time and affection, as long as he ranks somewhere on the list of People Ziggy Loves. That's not to say he might not get insecure and need attention some time, though.

He giggles at the touch to his earrings, and huffs out a shaky breath. The light touch is tickly and teasing but the sheer novelty of it is likely to get him worked up fast at this rate. He slides the hand around Ziggy's shoulder down to stroke along his cheek, dreamy-eyed even when the conversation turns serious again.

"How do you choose who's worth listening to, though?" he asks, and his tone is mild, but it's a real question. His has been a childhood almost completely devoid of emotional guidance. The greatest and most solid touchstones he has are the long-dead E'tha and Veth he loves the stories of, and the ghosts of his ancestors.

[ziggyplayedguitar]

"Fame teaches you that just because someone adores you it doesn't mean they care or want you as a person." Ziggy sighs because all he can think about is his hand. "There are only a few people who get the kind of affection from me that you do."

Ziggy doesn't mind requests of his time. Everyone has needs and they are variable but he also knows Rondo has school and that takes precedence much of the time. The giggles though certainly aren't going to deter him from touching. Leaning in he kisses right in front of his ear with a big smile. The conversation doesn't dampen his happiness.

"No one can tell you who is worth it. It's like asking who is worth loving or caring for." Ziggy wants to be more helpful but it isn't easy to define. "I guess the most important thing is the people should make you feel more capable, fuller, stronger, more love and confidence. The people who make you a better person, even if it is a hard to get to better, those are the ones worth something. You just know when you listen to someone. It's in how they make you feel about yourself when they are done."

Ziggy laughs a little and shakes his head. "It doesn't mean arguing is bad. Hiroki and I had a couple terrible arguments where he almost walked out. The thing was that when it was over we were closer and understood more of each other."