Tongue Tied

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Oriel sat next to Phoenix in the privacy of his dorm room, holding his hand over his mouth trying to suppress his quickly reddening face after having explained to Phoenix the reasons behind why Oriel needed his help with this particular task. There was very little in this world that flustered the shameless boy, but this....whenever the issue of his reading/writing abilities were brought up...there were just too many feelings, too much frustration there for Oriel to hold back easily.

Still hiding behind his hand, Oriel shifted his eyes to Phen, doing a terrible job of hiding his insecurities about this whole endeavor. After all, the last time he spoke to Noa, he had completely exploded at her without warning. He had no idea what to expect from her if he tried to contact her again. But here he was, asking for help so he could do just that. "Did you get all that?" he asked Phoenix, whom he had asked to type out his short message to Noa on his phone for him.

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Phen had been surprised but as understanding as possible as Oriel explained to him about his reading and writing challenges. In all honesty, it made him feel a little guilty for not trying harder himself - he didn't have any sort of disability, though he did get headaches if he read for too long (read - he needed glasses). But he was also a little... Happy that Oriel trusted him enough to tell him about what was obviously a touchy subject, and Phen assured him that he didn't think anything of it and hugged him tightly. And scritched his head a bit. And just did his best to make Oriel feel as comfortable as possible telling Phoenix about it.

Though, now there was the matter of what he was asking Phen to do. He had one arm looped over and around Oriel's neck as he typed into the device with both hands, his brow furrowed in concentration as he squinted his eyes at the words.

Thank you. I need more help.

It was simple and straightforward, and being sent to a girl named Noa that he didn't know. "Yup," he replied, resting his chin on Oriel's shoulder. Unlike usual, Oriel's expression was easy to read, and he gave his lover an comforting nuzzle. "You sure you want t' do this?" he murmured.

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Oriel nodded shakily. There were so many things he was not used to with this. The first being his admittance of his literacy issues, the second was asking for help. The third would have to be essentially making the first move in re-establishing a relationship that he had probably already ruined in the first place. What if she said no? What if she didn't want to have anything to do with him anymore? The fact was that Noa was really the only person he knew to go to about.....the special things he wanted to learn....so swallowing his pride was another thing.

And all any of this did was make him super uncomfortable and want to just want to run away again. Which was the other reason why he asked Phen to help. So he could give Oriel the push he needed to follow through.

"Send it," he said, uncertainty tainting his voice. Again, he didn't know what to expect, not even if she would answer right away. Sigh.....

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Phoenix watched Oriel for another moment before looking down at the phone again, trying to hide his own uncertainties about the situation. Oriel had told him everything that had happened, and what he wanted to get from the older girl. It was something Phen never would have expected in a relationship previous to this one, but considering Oriel's... Usual behavior during their shenanigans, he was also relieved they were going to get more of this out in the open and cleared up between them. Not that he didn't enjoy it, but... Well, he was starting to realize how important communication was.

At Oriel's command, Phen quickly pressed the send button before the boy could change his mind, and then flopped the phone down beside them on the bed as he laid back, trying to pull Oriel down with him. "It'll be fine," he murmured, hoping he was right. He didn't know Noa, so he had no idea how she would react to the text. "I know it's difficult, but... I'm proud of you for doin' it."

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Man, Oriel was glad he asked Phoenix for his help with this, because Oriel probably would never have been able to send that message even if he'd been able to compose it. Though now that it was over and done with, Oriel couldn't shake that nausea of uncertainty swirling around in the pit of his stomach. Oriel fell back with Phoenix, wrapping his arms around his torso and clinging to his shirt tightly like a scared child. "Mmmmm...." He closed his eyes. Oriel wasn't sure he could stand to do anything else at the moment. So...there was nothing to do but wait.

[Noa Reese]

Noa hadn't been expecting to hear from Oriel - they'd left on... odd terms - so she was surprised to get his text.

-Thank you. I need more help.-

Thank y-? Ah. Okay, so that was how he said sorry. ...This kid was strange. It made Noa a little nervous to work with him, to be honest. But when she thought about it, that was what she liked about the kink community - the acceptance. There was such a sense of tolerance and acceptance, and just looking out for everyone, she wanted to share that feeling. And she wanted to make sure he was being safe.

...She'd have to do some research, though. She needed to do some practice with ties and things, if she was going to be showing that. She had a little experience, but, to be honest, thanks to her little depressive episode, she hadn't been out in a while, so was a little out of practice. She lay in her bed, where she'd been for a number of hours since she woke up, just surfing the web, and rolled onto her back to stare at the ceiling while she considered her response.

She was eager to help, she really was, but she wasn't sure what his little blow up had been about, and she wasn't sure how to avoid it in the future. It had been about a month since they'd spoken. Apparently he was over whatever that had been, and had swallowed his pride enough to ask for help, so... yeah, she should help him.

I'd be happy to - when/where would you like to meet? Did you have anything in mind you wanted to talk about/learn?

It was a long text, but she had way more questions that could fit, so she figured it covered a bit.

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Phoenix just laid there with his eyes closed, rubbing his hand up and down Oriel's back as they waited to see if the girl would reply. As uncertain as Phen was about what would happen if she did, he really hoped she would, if nothing else than to ease Oriel's mind about the situation. Although, getting the information that Oriel said she could provide sounded... Well, it might just help out on some aspects of their... whatever-sort-of relationship this was that were lacking. Maybe. He hoped.

It didn't take too long - maybe a couple minutes - before the phone buzzed Phen's eyes shot open and he reached down for the device, pulling up the recent text and reading it out for Oriel to hear.

He allowed a small smile to cross his lips. "See? It's all fine, Oriel. You were worryin' about nothin'." He kissed the top of the boy's head before opening a reply screen. "What do you want me t' say?" He thought he might have an inkling, but he wanted Oriel to put it in his own words. Noa still didn't know he was actually the one typing the messages, after all.

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It felt like forever before Oriel heard the buzz from the phone go off finally, though it actually wasn't all that long, maybe 5 minutes at the most. He cringed until Phoenix read it off to him and he heaved a long, loud sigh of relief, feeling like a huge weight was just lifted off his shoulders.

Well, now that that was over.

"Well, guess I wanted to know more about tying ropes and shit. And there was also those sheets or whatever with the lists on them." Oriel lowered his head to think about it. "But...you know...fucking hell, glory to all that is holy, I admit it! I have no idea what the fuck I am doing!" He held his hands up like he should be proud to admit such a thing. He managed a weak smile. "So...I figure might be a good idea to look them over with her around, to ask questions or something, I don't know."

Oriel sighed again, feeling a lot like an idiot for doing this at all. "So how 'bout...'I wanna know more about rope. And I wanna go over those lists. And...'" He hesitated. "'My....sub...can be a dummy.' And finish with, 'Anywhere that's good for you. Weekend is best.' And that's it, should be good, right?"

He glanced up at Phen with a bit of a plea in his eye. "You're going to come, right?"

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Phen tapped his fingers against the back of the phone as Oriel explained what he wanted, nodding slowly in agreement. Though, at his admission, he chuckled and shook his head. "I ain't exactly experienced in this stuff either, so I think it'd be best t' ask someone who knows - apparently - what she's doin'." He had to wonder where exactly Noa had learned what she knew and why and how Oriel had decided to go to her specifically in the first place. He supposed he would find out.

He started clicking buttons as Oriel stated his message, wondering once again what he had gotten himself into. Especially with the last bit about the sub - or rather, himself. He rose a brow and his heart twinged slightly at the title, but he said nothing, just finished the message and nodded. "Sounds good t' me."

At the question, he smirked playfully at Oriel to hide his nerves and landed a kiss on his nose. "'Course I am. I wouldn't want you tyin' up anyone else if it can be me." He pressed the send button again, waiting for the little noise that signaled it had been sent before yawning and stretching his arms lazily above his head.

[Noa Reese]

-I wanna know more about rope. And I wanna go over those lists. My sub can be a dummy. Anywhere that's good for you. Weekend is best.-

Of course it would be rope. Yeah, she'd need to do a little review on that, maybe find her copies of the Two Knotty Boys' books. The lists she still had from their last time, but she'd go over them to make sure she could explain it all. Regarding his apparent sub... Noa was a little confused. So was that it, then? He'd gotten back together with his boyfriend? Oh, wait, or was it a different guy?

...She'd just avoid mentioning it. That seemed to be the safest option with Oriel. Avoid confrontation.

I'm working on this Rocky Horror thing, but if you give me a time I can work with that. I have no idea for the where - tying someone up isn't something that works well in public

She considered offering her place, but she'd really prefer not to. She put her roommates through enough, she wasn't sure if they could handle her hosting classes. Besides, her place was kind of a mess with all the Rocky shit laying around.

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Phen picked up the phone as it buzzed again, reading out the message once more. "Rocky Horror?" he wondered vaguely, shrugging before looking over at Oriel. "We could always do it in my room, if nowhere else," he offered, scratching his head. "I mean... It's not like my roommates aren't used t' a little rompin' around," he smirked. He was fortunate, really - at least he didn't have nosy roomies like Oriel. "Otherwise... I dunno, I'm sure we could figure out somethin'." He shifted himself up on his elbows to prepare to type again. "Think she would go for that?" She didn't know the chick, or how she would feel about doing this in a Hammel dorm.

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Oriel pondered again over the message and how to answer. It was true, Phen's roommates were used to them making a racket on a nightly basis, but he had no idea if that would fly with this chick. Though, Oriel wanted her to feel comfortable enough to give the "lessons" without worrying about distractions or whether they'd be bothering people. Ideally, Oriel would want to go to her place and do things there, but that probably wasn't in her best interest, bringing two teenage boys home she barely knew. Oriel shook his head as he came to a decision. "Yeah, that's probably best. We'll just ask, pose your room to her and see if it's Ok, before racking our brains for a better place."

As as afterthought, Oriel included, "Ask her about that Rocky Horror thing too."

[Deleted]

Phoenix nodded and tapped away at the phone again: We can meet in Phoenix - my sub's - dorm room, if that works for you. His roommates never bother us.

He quirked an eyebrow at the addition, before writing,Also, Rocky Horror?

[Noa Reese]

-We can meet in Phoenix - my sub's - dorm room, if that works for you. His roommates never bother us. Also, Rocky Horror?-

Noa laughed at the little tag at the end. Lol, I can't believe you don't know the Rocky Horror Picture Show, you totally got the musical references when we met! You should come, it's like an excuse for everyone to shout at a movie screen and be blatantly sexual. Good times.

Oh, right, she was supposed to be talking about their meeting. Dorm at Hammel? she asked for clarification. The Hammel dorms, while not the most private of places, at least offered her real safety if something were to go wrong. She was a hell of a lot more comfortable going to Hammel, where there were dorm monitors who could hear her if she needed help, and who could actually do something about it. If they'd come here, she might have been worried about this mysterious Phoenix character - not the same person Oriel had mentioned before, she noticed.

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Oriel rolled his eyes and told Phoenix what to write next.

Of course I know what Rocky Horror is. I was asking for specifics! Never seen the show, just the movie.

Yes, at Hammel. You good?

Of course, Oriel had no idea that Phoenix had named himself in the previous message, so he didn't even wonder if she was going to ask about this new partner of his. It didn't matter to him anyway, Noa never got to meet Madison(not that Madison was one for meeting people anyway). Though, Oriel did and had quickly realized how much happier, healthier his relationship(whatever it was) was with Phoenix than it had ever been with Madison. And he was glad that Phoenix was on board to learn how to do things the right way instead of guessing all the time...and fighting with him just to make sure it was done right.....