IC Contact - Duplicity

[understood]

username: Cst.B.Fraser

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[understood]

[ Fraser elbows him gently. ]

I'll talk about what I was thinking of you tell me what you're thinking.

[scarrystories]

[ Andy lets his head drop against Ben's shoulder. ]

Give me a minute to put my thoughts in order.

[understood]

[ That's fine with Fraser. He takes Andy's hand and threads their fingers together, being quiet. ]

[scarrystories]

[ He feels ridiculous. Which is a sign he should just talk about it. ]

It is a bigger deal for me than it is for you, that you can just— get me there.

[understood]

You mentioned that you don't have a lot of experience with it.

[scarrystories]

I don't trust easily.

[understood]

You did mention that it freaks you out.

[scarrystories]

I might be having some cognitive dissonance too. I think I should be more alarmed than I am, and it keeps not happening, so I end up feeling weird and confused.

[understood]

I can understand that. You trust me, but you don't entirely trust your trust in me.

[scarrystories]

[ He hadn't thought of it like that, but it makes sense. ]

... yeah, that sounds right.

[understood]

[ Fraser squeezes his hand. ]

It's alright that it feels weird. And I hope you know that I'm honoured by your trust in me.

[scarrystories]

Your turn.

[understood]

I think I'm just uncomfortable with... with, well, passion.

[scarrystories]

[ Andy deserves an award for managing to continue this conversation while the sentence 'I am falling for this man' runs on loop through his head. ]

With feeling it?

[understood]

No... well. Yes, but...

[ He gestures helplessly. ]

[scarrystories]

I think I'm gonna need you to finish that thought, but you can take your time.

[understood]

...

Sex scares me.

[scarrystories]

[ Andy meets his eyes and gives him a smile that's all mischief. ]

Well then, the obvious solution in this case is exposure therapy.

[understood]

Andy.

[scarrystories]

[ He takes Ben's hands to pull them away from his face. ]

Ben.

[understood]

It's not... that.

[scarrystories]

Then?

[understood]

I think it's... it's related to the reason I don't drink. I think, so often, people drink in order to escape their own lives, to... to lose themselves in something external. I've never felt the need to do that. I've always thought it was that simple—never feeling the need—but perhaps it goes deeper than that. Perhaps with alcohol, or sex, or anything else that involves a... a letting go of inhibitions... I actually fear that escape. Perhaps I fear that I really will lose myself, for more than the time being. That I won't be able to find myself again. And... I mean, to escape my life, really, even the language I'm using, it's—well, the French even refer to orgasm as "a little death," and so in a sense... I think some part of me feels that letting go will result in... some kind of death of the self, so to speak. I find physical intimacy... consuming, in that way. It's difficult.

It's easier when it's... a means to an end, I suppose. An expression of care for another person. But I... I do value my inhibitions. Generally speaking. And so... when I'm reminded that I've put them aside for a time... well, in a way... inhibitions, courtesy, a sense of being... civilized, it's all of a piece. There's this sense that I've lost who I choose to be. It's not that I'm without passion, but that giving myself over to passion feels like abandoning reason and principle, and doing that purely for pleasure and escape... terrifies me.

[scarrystories]

[ Andy doesn't interrupt at all throughout, he just listens attentively. When he's done, Andy leans in to give him a light peck on the lips. ]

That makes sense.

[understood]

It does?