Welcome to Gaia! ::

It had been an.... interesting start to his day, that would be the best way to put it. Originally he had planned to set out early, grab a bite to eat and general enjoy some time to himself for quiet reflection before meeting up with Vasile for the remainder of the day's festivities. He showered, dressed in some of his finer clothes, put some effort into polishing up his appearance, then headed out the door. He didn't get far, as the moment the wheel of his chair passed over the threshold the crunch of flimsy cardboard sent a jolt through his heart. Oh dear god, let that not be from Vasile, he had thought. Fortune smiled on him... sorta. It was from the staff. A Dr. Sabin to be specific. He removed the paper, read the slogan printed across the shirt, closed the box, wheeled back into the house, undressed, got back into bed, and waited for Vasile to call.

The sun was just starting to sink into the sky when there was a knocking at Marlow's door. When the door opened, there was a certainly a sight to see. Vasile was standing on the other side, though it might take a moment to register. He was dressed in a sky blue Japanese kimono. In all technicalities, much to Vasile's initial distress, it was a woman's kimono. Not overly fancy, because despite the sudden influx of Japanese guests from what Vasile could only image was from Feral Lab's Tokyo branch, the fancy, silk kimono's were only reserved for the most special occasions. But a certain islander had been gracious enough to let Vasile borrow her more informal one, and even though he left out many of the bells and whistles, to any familiar with the culture, the sleeves, blue color, and elaborate obi was enough to give its true gender bias away.

At first Vasile simply refused to consider it, but after putting it on, he couldn't help but admit he looked rather... well, it hard to say but he hoped Marlow would like it. His hair was pilled up in a partial pun with a few chopsticks, but most of it was left down to frame his face. After much debate, Vasile figured if you're going to crossdress, you might as well do it right, he had added just a touch of eyeliner to define his green eyes. Indeed, to anyone who didn't know any better, Vasile had never looked more feminine.

Vasile pressed his palms together and gave a slight bow as the door opened, though as he looked up he had on a rather sly smirk. "Time to do sushi the right way. Care to go for a stroll with me?"

Marlow stared forward, lips parted in a gape of pleasant astonishment. "You look..." His eyes took in the sight before him, quite at a loss. He had never considered himself a romantic, and poetry had always to him seemed like a waste of time. Suddenly now he understood why men like Shakespeare and Byron spent hours composing their odes. But everything he wanted to say, each word and phrase that piped up in the back of his mind, he knew would come across as boyish, clumsy gushing no matter how he'd try to smooth it over. He was a painting from the hand of an artist obsessed with the ideal of beauty or a dream of a siren from ancient myth, neither human nor animal and with the power to enrapture at a glance. He had assumed before now that his attraction towards Vasile had grown from affection, a pleasant side effect of the long hours of companionship. Now, with this apparition before him, he seriously had to consider the possibility that he had been seduced. He released an airy breath, hazel eyes still transfixed. "You look... beautiful."

Vasile let out a breath as relief flooded over his features before letting a grateful smile came over his face. He almost asked 'really?' but recovered and figured a truly sincere “Thank you,” fit the mood of the evening better.

He smoothed his yukata down with his black pads, hoping he did indeed look as perfect as he tried to make himself. Unfortunately his digitgrade feet made it impossible to wear tabi or getta, but it wasn't for lack of trying He hoped Marlow didn't notice, or at least care. Some accuracy of the evening had to be sacrificed to make do with what he had. “Care for some dinner with me?”

Vasile had asked that earlier... Marlow had forgotten to answer. He fumbled cutely for the grips of his wheels, trying to recover. "Yes. Yes definitely. I'd love to."

Vasile's tail twitched happily around his feet (no way he could get away with cutting a hole in the back behind the obi) as he slid behind Marlow and took control of the handles. "It's a bit of walk unfortunately, hope that's okay? How has your day been so far?"

"It won't be trouble. I've been wanting a good reason to venture out." He assured him, leaning his head back and letting it brush against the slick fabric for a spell before straightening into a more proper stature. "The day has been... mostly uneventful."

Vasile started to push, walking carefully but at a comfortable pace. "That's a shame, you should have been out celebrating." Vasile couldn't help himself, he reached forward and let his claws trace lightly over his scalp and running her fingers through his hair. "Happy birthday, Marlow," he said with a scritch. He was wheeling Marlow towards one of the jungle pathways.

"I'm celebrating now" Marlow said with a smirk, folding his hands with his elbows on the armrests and they trundled forward. Journeying into the jungle this late at night usually would have been cause for concern, but at the moment he was feeling invincible and welcoming to a bit of danger. Vasile's suddenly feminine countenance was no doubt partially to blame for such a manly mood, even if he was being pushed along as the invalid he was.

Vasile gave him a satisfied smirk behind him, continuing to let his finger wind in his hair as they continued the journey.

Marlow would probably catch on pretty quick they were heading towards the lake, but any doubt was blown as Vasile leaned forward at the approach and whispered very close to his ear “I searched all over the island for a hot springs... I hope this will do.”

Carefully as he could, Vasile took him off the trail and around the bend to the lake where in a little nook Vasile had done some preparations. There was a blanket over the ground like one would picnic at, but on top there was a small plywood table, lifted just high enough off the ground to be a makeshift Japanese table. Platters of food were covered by tinfoil to attempt to keep insects or scavengers away. Also set out were several small bottles of sake and small dishes for it to be served in. Around the clearing were five very crude paper lanterns. Two were flashlights and three were utility emergency glowsticks strung up by string, but that might not be apparent for each one had a hand painted paper rolled delicately around it. Vasile was no artist, but he did his best to mimic traditional Asian bamboo, koi, and mountain themes some the few art supplies he'd managed to gather around the town center and borrowed from other islanders.

“Sorry its kind of ghetto,” Vasile preempted as Marlow was brought closer. Even with the skim laterns it was getting fairly dark in the thick jungle, but Vasile didn't seem to have any problems navigating, if he even noticed at all. “But I did the best I could...” he rushed over to remove the foil and hide it away to reveal platters of sushi.

Marlow smiled, noting each quaint comfort with gratitude. Makeshift as they were, they were a welcome deviation from the sight of identical, institutional, same chair same bed same house that had become his way of life on the island. It was everything that wasn't the village, wasn't Moreau's play set or one of Lockheart's hypocritical diversions, and clearly all out of Vasile's... his thoughts trailed off as he looked up at his companion. "By far the most elegant sushi dinner I've ever experienced."

Vasile smiled again and held out his hands, offering to assist him out of his chair. "Come take a seat?" he invited, motioning towards the table.

Not wanting to be difficult, he took his hands and slid to the ground. Once settled he looked over his shoulder at the bulky contraption with a hint of distaste. "Could you..." His eyes darted from the chair to the shadows of the trees. Everything was too perfect to have such a grim reminder watching over them.

Vasile gave kind of a sad smile and nodded his head, tucking a loose strand of hair behind his hair. "No problem." He wheeled the chair a ways back towards the path and stashed it behind a tree, hoping it was out of sight.

Vasile hurried back and carefully kneels down beside Marlow at the table. As refined as he could, and mimicking every Japanese movie he could recall ever seeing, he poured out a dish of sake for Marlow and presented him with it.

"And..." he said, setting the sake bottle down, I know it doesn't exactly go with the theme of the evening, but.." he pulled the foil of a small personal sized round pastry, "but you can't have a birthday without cake." There weren't any candles, but hand written in frosting it proudly read "Happy Birthday, Ridley"

He wrinkled his nose with a fond chuckle at the petite puff of cake and its sentiment. "Some traditions have to be honored, it's true." He took his little dish and waited for Vasile to prepare his own. "Toasts, for example."

Vasile looked rather proud of himself as he served himself and held up his dish. "Have something in mind or do I get the honors?"

"How about... I go first." He scooted a bit closer, resting his wrist against Vasile's as he held his dish aloft. "To the most creative, considerate, and charming boyfriend any man, gay or straight, can hope to have."

Vasile visibly wibbled a bit, his hand shaking just slightly as he gently tapped his dish against his. He seemed to have something on his mind that almost made him hesitate before he recovered with a touched smile and tossed the drink back before thinking of anything else to say. Marlow seemed to have rendered him rather speechless.

He felt the tremor against his skin and worried that perhaps he had said too much, as Vasile looked a touch uncomfortable for a spell there. Sometimes he had to remind himself that while he was impressed with his own ability to bluff, Vasile was a professional. He gave a reassuring nod and served the next round.

Vasile tried to think quickly, though his mind kept wandering back to what he just said and he literally hold back a girlish giggle. "Marlow, I would give literally anything I could to send you home.. or erase what happened to you. But, I want you to know you have, given the circumstances as they are, actually made me thankful for my. . . situation. It was something that was killing me inside, and now I couldn't be happier for it."

Marlow brushed the back of his fingers over one of Vasile's cheeks, catching on of the long locks of hair and letting slide over his hand as he withdrew. "You're strong... I'm sure you would have adjusted in time. But I'm... glad that I've been a part of your happiness." He lowered his eyes, staring at his fingers as his voice softened to a whisper. "You've been every part of mine..."

Vasile's eyes searched his, his expression somber. He seemed to be debating something in his head. Something he had admitted to himself several days earlier, but had no real excuse to just blurt it out. It wasn't like he hadn't ever said it before... but it was a line Vasile had used to learn well to get something he wanted.

But now, everything was different. He broke eye contact to learn forward and nuzzle his neck affectionately. "I love you, Marlow," he breathed, then quickly pulled back to catch his lips with his own. This was a deliberate and purposeful action of course, because Vasile was far too insecure to actually try to judge his expression or wait for him to say something. And he didn't want to put Marlow in the awkward position of thinking Vasile was expecting the reciprocation. He wasn't going to make him say it if wasn't there. A punishment Vasile had suffered that he wouldn't dream of forcing on anyone else... Especially Marlow.

The kiss started out awkwardly as Marlow worked through what had just transpired. The suddenness of the kiss threw him off far more than the words, and after a moment of reflection he understood Vasile's behavior. Perhaps it was because he had abused words far too much over the years to trust them on their merit alone, or maybe it was because he had seen his mother and father exchange the same pleasantries on many occasions without ever having the feeling that, though they had a certain fondness for one another, they'd never truly meant it. So it was rather fortunate that Vasile had reacted to his own confession as he did, because as realization dawned on Marlow that when Vasile said 'I love you' it meant just that, his kiss deepened to provide his unspoken reply.

Vasile looped his arm around Marlow's shoulders pulling him a bit closer. He was quickly losing himself in the kiss, but he forced himself to slow down and not overkill the moment. He gently pulled away after several long moments, eyes darting over his face, a small smile crossing his lips. He gently cleared his throat and turned his attention to fixing a plate for him.

Marlow ran his fingers through his hair, mussing it up slightly as he watched Vasile busy himself at the table. He still did not say anything, similarly not wanting to ruin the moment, but the bewildered smile on his face spoke for him. That was a hell of a gift.
Vasile pushed forward a little plate of various sushi and a bowl of rice, the infectious smile spreading to him as his uncertain shy smile spread quickly into a happy grin. The back of his kimono wiggled something fierce as his tail yearned to be free and wagging in his graceful foxy fashion.

Marlow took up a pair of chopsticks. Though he hadn't had a lot of experiences with Japanese food, a few trips to Asia on "business" had given him a little practice with the utensil. He clasped a circular roll between the sticks and raised it, taking a bite as he leaned back and watched the lanterns swing in the evening breeze. "You certainly have a knack for making sushi even more thrilling."

Vasile busied himself with fixing his own plate. "Thank you," he said, daring to make eye contact again finally. "But I can't take all the credit. Something about it. Its elegant, simple...refined.." he took a good look at a piece laid delicately over the rice. "Ironic being its raw... I guess the beauty is in the simplicity." He took a bite, starting to relax. "As for thrilling, well, I know you like thrills. I tried to think of something a bit more... fast paced but came up blank. I even asked the labs to borrow the emergency jet skis and the switchboard operator laughed in my face." He chucked to himself at that. "But I was expecting much different."

He picked up another piece with his chopsticks. "Eating sushi off a naked body if supposed to be one of the most erotic experiences you can have... so I read once," he mused. "I might have told you that on our first date... its a good line." He frowned. "But maybe I'll get lucky enough to try it one day..." he smiled back to Marlow with a sly grin and popped it into his mouth.

"Or in a bottle or two" He teased, tapping one of the little flasks with his chopsticks. "You certainly deserve your own thrill." He was touched by Vasile's unseen efforts, and though a ride on a jet ski would have brought a joyous tear to his eye, he was a bit thankful it had fallen through given what had transpired thus far.

Vasile laughed softly. "If I'm lucky..." his eyes wandered over the lake and an excited chill ran up his spine. "I remember how much you enjoyed swimming," he said with a hint of a suggestive tone, nodding towards the water.

"You remember well." He agreed, finishing up another bite and shifting his gaze and attentions more directly on Vasile. "And I recall us having... unfinished business in the water."

"Oh that thought has crossed my mind once to twice..." he said with mock innocence. He gave a wink towards him and refilled his sake dish.

"Innocently, I'm sure." He rapped a nail on the edge of the dish, noting another innocent act that seemed to be in play. "Drunken, shameless, lakeside debauchery? I think that's a tradition I could embrace." He took a sip "Just incase you were worried you would have to do some convincing."

"Sounds like my kind of tradition," Vasile agreed, taking his own dish to his lips. "But for the first time in a while, getting there is half the fun." Vasile let himself take comfort in the certainty of it. He could sit here and enjoy his time with Marlow without feeling like there was some kind of goal or game in play. It was nice.

Marlow tapped the blunt end of his chopsticks on the table, straightening his grasp before plucking up a bit of sushi with the tapered points. "It's certainly a good night for it. No rain just yet" Though, strangely and inexplicably enough, he didn't feel he would mind the rain.

Vasile shifted and placed another piece of sushi in his mouth. Chewing thoughtfully, his eyes darted to the sky before settling back on Marlow. "Not that rain would stop me," he smiled. He sipped his sake and seemed rather content just watching Marlow. His eyes were heavy lidded and a happy, lazy smile curled over his lips.

"I don't think there is much on earth that could stop you... and I mean that as a compliment. Have you always been the sort to get whatever he wants?"

Vasile's ears dropped down against his head sheepishly. "With one very notable exception..." he said, motioning vaguely to the island around him. "... yes."

He twirled a claw tipped finger over his knee, tracing loosely the pattern on his yukata. "Is that bad?"

"Considering us? No. It's a good thing." He laced his fingers under his chopsticks so he could pick up his sake cup as well. "Especially when up against people who don't know what they want."

Vasile rolled his shoulders with a smile. "I never really considered myself up 'against' anybody I guess."

Marlow feigned offense "Oh, I was that easy, was I?"

Vasile chuckled. "I meant currently." He scooted closer to his lover, setting a paw all on his knee. "I've never worked so hard in my life than trying to impress you."

"It worked." He leaned in and gave his neck a kiss. "And still working, I should add. I think I'll have to save some of these things..." He tapped one of the little lanterns that happened to hang close to the table. "Give my place some of your touch."

The inside of Vasile's ears turned pink and a shy smile spread over his face. "Really?" he asked, craning his neck to Marlow's attentions.

"Well... you aren't there all the time." He mused as he continued to nuzzle and peck. "Much to my regret." There was certainly an air of suggestion to his voice.

Vasile made a purring sound in his throat, hands coming up to run through Marlow's hair. He closed his eyes for a moment before they shot open in a moment of surprise at what Marlow had to say. He let himself revel in the feel of Marlow's lips against his neck before his eyes fluttered closed again, nails scritching over Marlow's scalp lovingly. "I... could fix that..." one eye peeked half open to watch his reaction.

Marlow let himself break into a grin for a spell before turning to a more business-like air, though as he let his thumb trace along Vasile's jaw in a teasing caress it seemed he had learned a thing or two about negotiating from his lover. "You bring your own dresser, one hour limit in the bathroom, and the dog sleeps in its own bed."

Vasile did his best to gawk, but the sparkle in his eyes and the twitching of his tail totally revealed how excited he was. "You drive a hard bargain, Mr. Marlow. I don't know if Sir Brutus would approve...and you really think I can pull off this," Vasile motioned to himself with a flair of his hands, "in one hour?"

"Hmmm. Good point. I apologize. It was a terrible idea." His tone and his face were jovial, but in the back of his mind he had to agree. It was one thing to discuss his hopes for his relationship with Aubrey, but quite another to flaunt so obviously within Moreau's view. It was dangerous to act so comfortable... and the fact that a change was looming on the horizon for him only drove the point home.

Vasile shook his head quickly. "I didn't say that!" he said a little too quickly. He recovered and twined his fingers in Marlow's locks. He took a breath and smiled sincerely, "Just want to make sure I can stay beautiful for you is all." He poked the tip on his nose cutely with a claw.

"Ah, fine. One of those compromises is in order. As long as you like, but the door only says closed for half an hour at a time. It would be absolutely infuriating for me to be so close to you for so long and not be able to see you."

Vasile's face broke into an infectious grin, finding himself giddy at the prospect. He threw his arms around Marlow in a huge hug, throwing him a bit off balance. "Deal!"

He staggered for a moment, but quickly steadied himself enough to fold Vasile into his arms. He hadn't actually planned on asking Vasile tonight, or any time soon for that matter. It was actually quite exhilarating to share in Vasile's surprise and delight. "Glad we could reach an agreement."

Vasile pulled him into an enthusiastic kiss, cupping his face with his hands. "Thank you," he said with a sincere smile as he pulled back. "This is turning out to be a nearly perfect evening."

He plucked up a bit of the cake with his bare fingers and held it before Vasile's lips. "We still have a few hours left in the day to prefect it"