Courting Between Catastrophies

After awhile Aaron exscused himself from the conversation and went to lie down. He fell asleep briefly, and woke up to Phillipus entering. He seemed a little frazzled, but content. Aaron smiled and sat up with a yawn, "I think we could use him to fuel a hot air baloon," he teased, "I've had the same said about me though, so I'm not judging..."

He laughed. "Sometimes he's got nothing on me in my heyday, but it's certainly a feat. Something on your mind?"

"Nope! Just tired. How are you holding up?" as he spoke, he held out the arm the vine had shot out of to try and save Olga. He had healed it a little, but it wasn't his specialty and it was clear from body language assistance from Phillipus would be appreciated.

Phillipus sat on the bed. "No worse for wear. I always wish I could've done more, though." He ran his fingers over the wound, stitching the skin together in no time.

"Ah, thank you," Aaron sighed, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Those fuckers sting like you wouldn't believe." he got up and poured them some tea he had warming before continuing, "and by the way, I haven't seen you not do everything within your power when it comes to those situations, so don't sweat it."

He tutted. "A doctor always wants to do more, but part of the job is recognizing one's limits, unfortunately. At least they're less bound than they used to be."

He sipped the tea after plopping in one modest cube of sugar and swung his legs up to lie on the bed, leaning against Aaron.

Aaron happily set down his tea and wrapped his arms around Phillipus' shoulders, giving him another smooch on the top of the head. His hands wandered up to the spirit's neck, massaging the back of it firmly but gently with his thumbs. "I see you hunching when you get really absorbed so this will have to feel good," he chuckled.

"Don't worry about mmmmmnh..." His lids immediately dropped and he was putty in Aaron's hands.

"On second thought, perhaps, continue."

"Ha! That's what I thought." he kept the massage up, being affectionate but not sensual. Though he did have to remove his robes as he worked his way down. When he had worked his way down to his mid-back, he asked, "Hey, can I ask you some personal things? It's nothing bad, but I don't wanna ruin our few moments of peace."

"Go ahead, please." Under his robe Phillipus wore a soft turtleneck in a rich, lovely shade of purple with bare cut shoulders. He hitched it up as Aaron needed, relaxed.

"Okay, well the first question is, how are you this cute? but I know that's impossible to answer, so I'll move on. I was curious about how like...well you've been here for awhile, but we are from waaaaaay different times. How do you sort of...expect relationships to progress? Cause I don't wanna offend you, and also I'm just curious to get a first hand account."

"What can I say," he flipped his hair coyly, "the Grail made me this way. As for relationships and, I assume, courtship..." He thought for a moment.

"Amongst high-born men and women, naturally there are certain protocols, but regardless of class, gender, or orientation, they weren't always adhered to. My own parents had significant peerage, but were neither arranged nor reticent in their union. Besides, in my life I was much like Lazarus and more focused on my research than romance. It's safe to say I have no particular expectations whatsoever, aside from being happy and hoping to share the same in return."

"Psh. Nerd," he pressed a bend in Phillipus' back while he held onto his collarbone, causing his back to pop loudly, "........have you ever boned anyone?" there was laughter in Aaron's voice. I mean, he had to have...right?

"I - nyah!!" It was a happy noise.

"Boned? As in intercourse? Certainly not in this body, and not in my mortal form either. I had no children, and no casual dalliances, even as a student. I thought about it, naturally, but my focus was always on the progression of my research."

"What?! the fuck how do you live?" he laughed but kept massaging. There was a particularly troublesome knot he'd found.

Phillipus was almost on his stomach. "To be honest, I'm not sure how I lived without you doing that all the time, so that's not a valid question."

"It is definitely a valid question. Like, if you were ace that would be one thing. And I'm sorry if I sound judgy because I'm not and I don't think it reflects amything on a person how often they've done that but...how? How. How? I can't...how?!" he found a similar knot on the other side of his back. Even magic people needed back rubs! He focused on that as well as he pondered how a life without boning could be...

"I told you it just never crossed my mind as a thing to do! Besides, I was... Not quite my generation's definition of handsome," he muttered with a sigh.

"When the metaphorical ball truly got to rolling, my schedule was too full of healing, teaching, yelling, and drinking to do anything else."

He laughed, "Well those are noble and time consuming pursuits, that's for sure." he rested his forehead on Phillipus' back as he tackled the forest of boulders that was his lower back. "Also I'm gonna go out on a limb and say most people weren't considered horribly pretty or handsome back then? Like, hygiene alone. I would have boned you. Er, sorry, had intercourse with you. Assuming I wasn't suffering from one of you 'cures' at the time." he chuckled darkly and gave him a kiss on the nape of his neck.

A blush was finally starting to creep around. "Oh, you!!" He couldn't stop a snicker anyways.

"Your arm seems to be doing well from my restoration, thank you. And don't let the portraits fool you, there were plenty of handsome men and beautiful ladies, just as many as there are today. We had bath houses and dentifrice powders, and washed hands before meals. The Church and cultures of the Holy Roman Empire were the biggest wall in the way of a hygienic standard."

"What's dentifrice powder? Also its good you landed in Japan. We don't really have bath houses in America which kinda sucks cause they seem really nice. And would probably be an awesome resource for the homeless if you could make them cheap..." Aaron's cheeks were pleasantly warm, but he had done about as many people as Phillipus had done research, so his bar was relatively high.

"Abrasive powders used for cleaning teeth. A lot less pleasant than today's toothpastes, if I'm being honest. It was usually ground talc, chalk, or charcoal mixed with oils with boars-hair brushes, but it did the job."

"Unfortunately, bath houses were more for the upper and middle classes, as they likely are today." He paused, lifting one foot in the air and stretching his toes in thought.

"Once we've saved the world, we should go to an onsen. Then we can learn how much the fare is and have an authentic Japanese bath experience!"

"I am absolutely on board with that!" he wrapped his arms around Phillipus' torso and leaned back onto the pillows, though he still mostly remained sitting, letting the mage rest his head against his chest. He watched the flexing foot, "Have you tried teaching yourself to write with your feet yet? Cause I would if I were you."

Phillipus laughed. "That's more Leo's thing. She can write with both hands, one backwards and one forwards. Feet would hardly be out of the realm of possibility. I can just do enough to pick up things like small tubes, quills, leafs of parchment, that sort of thing. Gems and rocks, but I usually use tongs, of course."

"Oh yes! I remember hearing that about her. I tried painting watercolors when I was young and very high but when I woke up the morning after it was...a laughable attempt, so say the least. I think I ended up just getting frustrated and trying to write 'fuck you' on the canvas..."