Charming

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean took the opportunity to step around his partner and approach the stairs. Holding onto the railing, he started up at a typical pace, rather than racing up as he might do if he and Josh had started a different type of game. Once upstairs, he crossed through the bedroom area to wash his hands; he didn’t want to streak cheese or tomato over the jacket, considering that it wasn’t his and it was rather nice.

With clean and dry hands, he returned to the bedroom, pulled on the jacket and took the few seconds – as Josh was still counting (and he inwardly thanked his partner for counting so loudly for show) – to adjust the cuffs and the high collar.

Once finished, he settled on the side of the bed, leaning back to get comfortable. All he could do now was wait for his partner to join him.

Actually, he could take more initiative than that. The telepath had always prided himself on planning ahead and meeting partners halfway, if not going the distance, and Josh deserved nothing less than his A-game. As such, while he listened to Josh reach the twenties during his too-slow, too-loud count, Sean began to think of other, reasonable challenges he could request of Prince Charming.

[Joshua Bernstein]

Once he had finished counting to thirty Josh sang out, "And here I come!"

As if this were a game of tag. He hoped that his counting had given Sean plenty of time to get ready; if not, he was prepared to stay downstairs longer. But as he didn't hear anything to the contrary he made his way up the stairs (not quite bounding, as his breeches were a bit too constricting for easy agility) and knocked on the doorframe to the bedroom.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean appreciated the additional warning that Josh provided him, even if he didn’t require it. He dressed quickly enough, despite the unfamiliar costume and the fact that it didn’t quite fit as well as a jacket he bought for himself, and even if he had to take a bit of extra care not to rip it because it didn’t fit perfectly.

Upon hearing the other man’s knock, he flashed a smile in the direction of the door. Then, he made a “come hither” gesture with his fingers drawing his index and middle fingers towards him to beckon the other man. “You may enter, Prince Charming.”

Which might count for a double entendre if they had reached a different stage of this game.

He waited for Josh to cross the threshold, so that they could begin the next task or quest for his Prince Charming character to undertake. The telepath had thought of a few, and he thought that his partner might appreciate a couple of his ideas; not merely because Josh often appreciated his ideas, but because Sean had mentally reviewed what he remembered of Greco-Roman mythology to borrow a few.

If nothing else, he hoped that Josh would appreciate their origin sources.

[Joshua Bernstein]

Josh struck a pose in the doorway before crossing into the bedroom with an exaggerated swagger. "What are my next tasks, O Prince?" He intoned, doing his best to keep his expression serious.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean also schooled his expression, albeit not to the same extent. He could smile to show his approval or to convey his hope that Prince Charming would manage to win his hand through successful completion of his tasks. However, he still had to hold back; he couldn’t laugh or grin as he wanted to, and he couldn’t grab his partner and pull him to the bed to make love.

Not for a while, until they completed this role play by the end of the weekend, or until they took another break so that Sean could show his appreciation for the other man’s presence in his life.

“Since you’ve defeated five giants, I expect that this task won’t be the challenge it would be for a lesser hero,” he told the other man with mock seriousness. “There’s an enchanted creature that has been attacking villagers in a neighboring allied kingdom. Rumor has it that the creature grows larger as it eats, and it is already so large that the combined armies have been unable to stop him. If you can defeat him, my allies will be in your debt, and, in turn, I would be most grateful.”

He emphasized that with a suggestive look.

[Joshua Bernstein]

"An enchanted creature?" Josh mused, scratching his chin, and then stomping his way to the luggage. He grabbed a plastic sword and struck a pose. "Fear not, fair prince! I shall find a way to stop this creature!"

[Dr. Sean Neville]

“I’ll be counting on you, Prince Charming,” Sean informed the other man. Then he lifted his hands, holding them perpendicular to one another to form a “T” for the “time out” gesture. He needed to set up a prop for his partner, and he didn’t want Josh to have to run around too much while the telepath worked on that.

With a pause to their role play called, Sean climbed from the bed and went to his own luggage to pull out a prop of his own. It was a small toy, a gag gift, essentially, that he had purchased when putting together their romantic getaway basket. They had sold them at the front register, near the candy and other impulse items, and, since it had only cost a dollar, he thought to include it. In fact, he’d had a line worked out for how he would bring it up with his partner, but, given this situation, he thought it more fitting to pull it out.

The toy was a tiny, rubbery plastic man, about two and a half inches tall. The packaging proclaimed one could “Grow a Boyfriend” with it. The telepath disappeared into the bathroom to fill a glass with water, and then he dropped in the toy. It fizzed a bit but otherwise did nothing. That was fine; he was patient, and he thought that Josh could act out a journey a bit while they waited.

Bringing the glass back into the bedroom proper, he set it down on the nightstand. “That has to grow,” he warned his partner. For effect, just like the creature he described.

Then he returned to the bed and said, “Time in,” before effecting a more serious expression. “I should give you a token for good luck, Prince.”

[Joshua Bernstein]

Josh tugged around the waistline of his breeches while he waited for Sean to fetch whatever it was he needed. He couldn't tell what it was from his position, but when Sean said it needed to grow he raised an eyebrow.

"Did you already have this game planned?" He asked in confusion. He knew that Sean could read his mind, of course, so his partner probably hadn't been shocked by the fact that Josh wanted to roleplay out winning his hand but the attorney himself hadn't come up with many details ahead of time.

Then again, Sean was the planner of the two of them.

When their game resumed he raised an eyebrow and tucked his sword beneath his armpit. "A token?"

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean was the resident planner in their family, but even he hadn’t planned this far in ahead. Rather, it was happy coincidence that he had the toy with him for another reason, and that he could use it for this game instead. Not that he couldn’t survive entirely on his imagination if necessary, but why not use a prop or two if they had them at their disposal.

“No,” he explained as he set the jar down. “I repurposed the prop.” That was the honest reply, and the telepath strove for honesty in areas where he needn’t hold back the truth on someone else’s behalf, or because to play his hand would cause more harm than a lie of omission. As flattering as Josh’s thoughts could be given how awed he often became from watching the telepath go about his day, he didn’t need to inflate his ego or already healthy self-esteem by pretending to be more aware or competent than he was. Certainly not at the expense of his partner’s trust or expectations.

With the game back in play, Sean nodded soberly, and then he grabbed a handkerchief from the bedside. That had always been a common token, and so many poems and works of literature involved a knight holding on to his beloved kerchief. The telepath handed this to his partner. “Keep it close to you for luck, Prince Charming.”

[Joshua Bernstein]

Josh surveyed the handkerchief. He had no back pockets to stick it in or he would have done so as a call back to an earlier time in their lives. Instead he kissed it and tied it about his right wrist.

"I shall treasure it, my prince," He replied solemnly. "Farewell! I will return once I have defeated the creature!"

However, the creature was still growing, and so he stuck his sword between his legs and pretended to gallop about the room with it.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean appreciated the train of his partner’s thoughts, even if wearing one in the back pocket didn’t fit with the theme of their current role play. If Josh had pockets, wearing a handkerchief alone with the telepath would be less embarrassing and socially fraught than Josh’s brief experiment in gay male fashion during the late 1970s. Nobody could judge Josh for his fashion choice; nobody could accuse them of unfairly teasing with their unwitting advertisement. Neither of them need feel humiliation for giving off the wrong impression to strangers at a bar.

Besides, for the purpose of their role play, if Josh chose to delve deeply into the potential situation, then perhaps wearing the handkerchief on his dominant wrist, and thus potentially touching his sword in battle, could grant him some form of force field or durability. Whatever the other man chose to do with it.

For now, however, they had to bide their time until the boy finished growing. Not that it would grow huge but it would become large enough that it would be less ridiculous to use it as a villain prop.

The attorney didn’t disappoint, as he pretended to ride a horse around the room. Sean smiled, shamelessly enjoying the view of his partner’s backside, and so he requested, “Turn your back to me when you ride, please.”

Please, because it wasn’t his prince role making the request.

[Joshua Bernstein]

Given that this game was intended to be fun and engaging Josh had no problem with turning away from Sean while he galloped.

"Ah! A giant garden of thorns is blocking the path!" Josh exclaimed, and he pretended to slice his way through. "Argh! Grrr! Out of my way, thorns, I have an enchanted creature to defeat!"

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean smiled to himself when Josh turned his back to him, just as he’d asked. He appreciated his partner’s accommodating attitude as much as he did the other man’s physique generally and in this particular outfit right now. The breeches would make for an embarrassing public appearance, but alone together in this room, they needn’t worry about dignity or its lack. The breeches fit well, albeit tightly.

Moreover, the breeches fit well but tightly, and the telepath intended to enjoy every moment of his partner’s cavorting around the room with his sword in hand or between his legs.

Sean rolled onto his stomach, resting his head on his hands so that he could watch Josh’s performance.

Since the other man was engaged in somewhat solo play-acting as part of his quest, the telepath wanted to contribute while they waited for the prop to absorb the water and grow to a more appropriate size. As such, he chose to help narrate, since he and Josh worked so well when playing off one another for banter.

“Be careful with the thorns, Prince Charming! If one pierces your clothing and pricks your skin, you’ll fall into an enchanted sleep.”

Which would put a damper on their role play, not only for the immediate scenario, but because then Prince Charming would fail in his quest to win the other prince’s hand and heart.

[Joshua Bernstein]

"An enchanted sleep?" Josh gasped, taking a step back. "That won't do at all! That means I need...hmmm....hold on a moment!"

He galloped his way into the bathroom, peeking into the cabinets beneath the sink. "A-ha!"

He grabbed a spray bottle and returned to the "thorns", waving the spray bottle valiantly.

"Weed killer!" He announced, pretending to use the bottle of toilet bowl cleanser on the thorns.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean craned his head towards the bathroom as his partner disappeared. He couldn’t see from this angle, not even trying to use the reflection of the bathroom mirror. However, he heard the sounds of doors opening and closing, and of small objects being disturbed. He could probe the other man’s mind to find what Josh was looking for, but the telepath opted to wait and be surprised instead.

Choosing the element of surprise had worked out so well for him so far. Surprising a telepath was a nearly impossible task, and, often, Sean chose to play along in order to facilitate some semblance – often a watered-down version if not a complete game of make-believe – of that. Here, now, he was enjoying it.

And Josh didn’t disappoint. The attorney had such a vivid imagination when he put his mind to it, and the telepath loved that about his partner.

With the cleaning spray used as weed killer, Sean chuckled, delighted by the other man’s ingenuity.

Through the chuckles, he found his voice to continue narrating for Prince Charming’s adventure. “The weed killer is doing the job, and the thorns are turning black and shriveled as they die, thus losing their potency.”

Which meant that Prince Charming could easily hack away at them to clear the path without risk of falling into magical slumber.