riverviewlogs | monthly mingle: SAMPREMI

Entry tags:

monthly mingle: SAMPREMI

who: everyone in Riverview!
what: monthly mingle: sampremi
when: The month of March.
where: Anywhere around the city.
warnings: there will likely be nsfw content; please put any necessary warnings in the subject lines

sampremi

In the days leading up to March 1st, residents new and old will notice preparations beginning, a flurry of activity getting the city ready for the upcoming celebration: Sampremi. This is one of Riverview's four yearly celebrations of love, this one focused on sexual love and lust, and sexual relationships that might bloom into more (or not). Traditions associated with Sampremi are a roving street market, raves where residents can seek out some free love and get a little crazy, a massive week-long kink convention, and a tech expo with all-ages and adult options.

a celebration of sexual love and lust

Riverview has always been a place focused on love and building connections in order to foster community, and for a lot of people, sex is part of that, which makes it something worth celebrating! For people who use sex as a way to connect with others, even if only for a short time, or those who use it as a way to connect on a deeper level with the ones they already love, Sampremi is the perfect holiday to get their freak on in a host of new and exciting or comfortable and familiar ways. The holiday features a large kink convention, where various entities in the city can show off their toys, explain their niche kinks, and share their insights with anyone who might be interested, a series of raves that are both all-ages and adult where residents can find someone(s) to share a night (or a week, a few months, or even a life) with. This year, there is a large tech expo where cutting edge tech companies in the city are sharing their newest toys, like improved virtual reality, robotics advances, and many other types of toys - all for work, play, or, in the spirit of the holiday, pleasure. And for those who don't want to connect through sex or who aren't old enough to, there are dances, games, and an entire market full of street food that's meant for sharing, so they can connect in other ways.

● OOC NOTE: Please be sure to warn in subject lines for any threads involving sexual content, drug use or other content that fellow players may wish to avoid, and do not use the prompt mechanics to circumvent consent in your threads, as non-consensual sex is not permitted on the game communities. Items such as aphrodisiacs, VR, or party drugs mentioned in the prompts are intended to facilitate consensual sex, not to encourage sexual assault, or to 'trick' characters into having sex that they would not normally have. ICly, please remember that there is always security to intervene and make sure everyone is safe.

i. color raves

Advertised on flyers and digital screens around the city, made to pop as if they were under blacklight, is a series of what's called "color raves" that are happening in various large empty warehouse spaces around the city. They are called color raves for the bright colorful lights, the preponderance of glowsticks that attendees wave around, and for the brightly colored powder for attendees to play with, some of which is spiked with a mild party drug and some of which is just for fun (with the difference clearly marked, of course). There are three types of color rave - adult, all-ages, and youth raves.

(CW: DRUG USE) At each adult rave and all-ages rave there is one specific room where attendees can enter (after proving themselves 18+), and dance or play tag with brightly colored powder that contains small amounts of a legal party drug commonly available in Riverview, which is absorbed through the skin. Not much more intoxicating than having a few beers, the effects of the drug are a pleasant low-key buzzing euphoria, positive sensitivity to touch, a heightening of desires for intimacy, and a mild lowering of inhibitions. Once a character has been hit with the powder, the color lingers on the skin so other attendees can know who has partaken, but once the powder makes contact with a surface (whether it is skin, clothing, or structural) it deactivates, meaning that partakers can safely dance with non-partakers without sharing the intoxicating effects.

Adult raves will have bouncers at the door to ensure that anyone entering is 18+, and there is no limit to when and where the debauchery happens. Clothing is optional, showing skin is encouraged, and there are a lot of neatly tucked away spaces for attendees to get some time alone with one or more than one person, as well as spaces intended for orgies. The atmosphere is sex-positive and non-judgemental, open to any orientation or preference, with various forms of protection available for free, however, to ensure that everyone plays safe there are sober security teams out en masse at all premises to oversee the events.

All-ages raves are open to anyone who wishes to attend, regardless of age. There are bouncers at the door who will check ID and stamp the hand of anyone who is 18+ with a special ink that shows up under blacklight for easy identification. At all-ages raves, 18+ and underage characters can mingle, but there are specific areas set aside for only 18+ characters where they can get down and dirty either in private or the open.

Adult and all-ages raves will have only spiked powder to avoid confusion.

Youth raves are intended only for younger characters under 18, so they can stay up all night and dance like crazy, and meet other young people in the city. The legal drinking age in Riverview Quarantine is 14, and so anyone over 14 can enter and indulge in a few drinks, dancing, and playing tag with a version of the colored powder featured at the adult raves that won't give you anything but a sugar high. There is copious amounts of security on site to ensure that everyone is safe, as well as nurses and off-duty police officers to offer advice or care for anyone who overindulges out of lack of experience. Youth raves will have only sugar powder, brightly colored and sweet to the taste, meant for fun and to play tag with rather than to cause intoxication.

ii. kink convention

For the week of March 4-10 there will be a massive kink convention on the top floor of one of the large exhibition centers downtown, limited to characters 18+. The exhibition is a sexy adult informational convention featuring various kinks and fetishes. Whether you're into leather, latex, lace, or anything else, you'll be able to find the clothes, toys, guides, books, erotica, fiction, and a wide variety of other interesting stuff to explore. While the atmosphere is sex-positive and there are private and public (for the voyeurs and exhibitionists in the room) venues for having sex, it's definitely focused on exploration and information about different stuff to try.

If someone has thought of it and figured it sounded sexy, it can be found here, and with Riverview's high level of tech advancement and widespread acceptance of magic, things can get pretty kinky. Whatever your kink is, there's probably a VR program, sex toy, potion, or spell that can make it happen, and someone who's got the downlow on how to make it great.

iii. tech expo

Riverview prides itself on its technological advancement, and so, running concurrently with the Kink Convention on March 4-10 and on the bottom floor of the same convention center, various cutting-edge tech companies in the city will be sponsoring a Tech Expo. The expo features demonstrations of all of the most advanced technology that's coming into use in the city, ranging from advancements in VR and holotech to robotics and gadgets, you can find the latest and greatest in almost any area of modern technology. Attendees will be able to come with a friend or a date or anything in between to play VR games, enjoy holoprojected escape rooms and puzzles, meet robot pets, try out the most recent music player or that new cell phone that can bend without breaking, and a wide variety of other gadgets.

While most of the tech expo is all-ages and non-sexual, there is a decently-sized adult area where characters must show ID proving they are 18+ in order to enter, where the technology is mostly related to sexual use. This area features advanced sex toys, VR systems intended to explore sex with other people in a virtual environment with no strings attached, sexy video games and holoprograms, and many other sensual technological.

iv. street market

One of the major draws of the festival is the special street food that can only be obtained this time of year. Almost everything you can buy at the Sampremi Festival is meant to be shared - whether it's one piece of meat on two or more sticks or desserts baked with a narrow part in the middle for convenient tearing, everything is built to be shared. The stalls sell everything from cups of soup, sandwiches, roasted or fried meat, deep-fried vegetables and cakes, dumplings, donuts, bagels, turnovers, and anything else you can think of.

Many of the savory dishes are based on the meat of a particular fowl native to the moon Riverview is situated on that has a taste and texture halfway between chicken and duck, cooked to be spicy (ranging from very mild to throat-burning). Many of the desserts are based around a fruit native to the moon that is spherical, red-orange, and has a light sweet taste that is similar to a combination of mango, pineapple, and strawberry. Both ingredients are considered to be aphrodisiacs. Of course, the foods aren't actually aphrodisiacs and any effect is purely placebo, though there are some booths (clearly marked and with someone to check ID) that sell actual aphrodisiac-laced foods and drinks to people who are 18+.

The festival features an entire row of fair games ranging from very high-tech games featuring virtual reality and neon holograms to extremely old-fashioned games with darts and balloons or balls and glasses. The games all have prizes in various shapes and sizes, with the standard stuffed animals, but also with goods and special items donated by any business in the city; ranging from tiny prizes to huge and expensive ones. Due to the nature of the holiday, many of the stalls are set up to cater to winning a prize for your partner(s), and due to the nature of the Quarantine, a lot of them involve aiming or other aspects of pretending to fight.

Originally, the part of the street festival that involved an actual market, with stalls and booths set up with goods, was aimed primarily at romantic trinkets like flowers or jewelry, gifts intended to be purchased for a loved one. As time has gone by, however, this aspect of the market has increased, with many businesses participating, though the emphasis is still on small businesses and anything relating to local culture rather than booths for any of the larger more corporate businesses. There is still plenty of jewelry to be found, for sure, mostly handmade and artisan, but the scope of the Market has widened immeasurably. The Sampremi Market is an excellent place to find specialty foods, clothing, jewelry, art, or other goods that were originally native to cultures on other planets in this reality, or other realities altogether. Many residents in the city use the market to share their unique cultural goods and traditional dress with others.

v. roommates or wildcard

Feel free to use this prompt to meet new roommates, for the purpose of getting to know each other, or hit up the mod-posted prompt to create a Communal Housing floor mingle. Or, if you have an idea for a prompt that isn't in this list, set during Sampremi, feel free to write it up!

visual inspiration

click on thumbnails for larger view

Credit: image i: saber XU; image ii: Jose Borges; image iii: Nicolas Sitbon; image iv: Andreas Rocha

navigation

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Finn grew up practically on top of other inductees and cadets, from barracks to training to standing packed in formation for transport. Privacy and personal space weren't woven into day-to-day living past whatever measure of it you got behind a helmet, but there still wasn't-- a real intimacy to it. Familiarity without comfort.

Out in the full span of the galaxy, including the Quarantine, it's different. A person can find comfort. You touch people on the shoulder to pass them in the street, or doing something for work. There's the affection that Poe leans toward so readily it's all but a given. But it trades off in moments where Finn reflexively reaches out, grabs a hand or a shoulder or leans in to talk, and people lean away just as reflexively.

Being here right now makes for the best of both worlds. Being able to put a hand out or throw his arms open, unthinking, and catch a hand or a body and feel it. Everyone is always leaning in. With the powder, it's like touching something that's buzzing with a different energy. In a good way. He came out to do something different and to try to have fun without thinking about 90% of what the city made him think about all last month, and it's working out great. Case in point: this, that's happening right now.

Finn grins back with Full Wattage. ]

That's right! [ It's just nice that someone knows who he is okay. It's a nice situation. ] And you're Jim Kirk. Aerial Survey and Exploration.

[ Look. There's not an intoxication level on this world that could keep Finn from saying a unit name right. It might actually be in his DNA at this point. ]

[ It's always been different for Jim, that much is true. Not that he was ever prone to getting too emotionally intimate with anyone back at the Academy, but physical closeness and intimacy were something much more present in his day-to-day. It certainly helped that most people in general were very amenable to being close to him.

Some people are just different, though. The norm is that people don't like complete strangers in their personal space. It's called 'personal' for a reason, and generally it's reserved for a select few. Save, it seems, for situations like this. Most everyone at the party seems to be covered by the powder to different degrees, and touch and closeness isn't rejected so easily. In fact it seems to be especially welcome, even among strangers.

Well, it's one way of getting to know people. ]

Wow. Surprised you can manage all that right now. [ He grins brightly, absolutely taken by Finn's incandescent smile. ] Just Jim is fine, really— you wanna dance?

[ Personal space is dumb and the sci-fi characters are ahead of the game on that one. Maybe that's the perk to being in actual space from time to time.

Finn raises his eyebrows and tips his head to one side at the first comment, half entertained and half conspiratorial, as if to say "ah yes I am very good at surprising and managing, for sure." The question catches him off guard for all of half a second, but he finds his metaphorical feet. Doing stuff is the ideal at this party. ]

Do I wanna, yes. Do I know how? [ Don't mind him, just gonna get a hand up here to accentuate his point by... pointing. ] Depends on how you define dancing, Jim.

[ They already have enough of space as it is, let's be honest, so it's not like they need even more. Clearly.

An eyebrow raises up Jim's forehead, both quizzical and amused. He can't really say what about the guy he likes so much, but there's something so honest in each of his expressions, the way he reacts to everything with no apparent filter. He's always been drawn to this kind of honesty. ]

There's plenty of styles to choose from. Ballroom dancing, for one, but I don't think we have the room for that here. [ The floor is packed, which doesn't leave a lot of space for them to move— or to move away from each other. Jim takes advantage of this and catches Finn's hands, placing them on his sides as he moves in even closer. His eyes flicker to meet Finn's, and he shoots him something of a crooked grin. ] Or... we could dance real slow— and real close.

[ This is what he likes about the powders. Enough to come to one of these parties more than once. Not just the strange comfort of being packed in close to a few dozen strangers, not just being able to relax and still think clearly, as long as he keeps it all in check (and relaxing is one of those things Finn just isn't a natural at). But that sort of buzz when he's touching somebody. Like everyone is charged, and he can feel them humming under the surface.

Finn is very amenable to keeping his hands where Jim places them. Closer, inevitably, is better here. It includes the luxury of not having to half-yell, which even Finn isn't too inexperienced to think would mesh. He watches Jim's face like he's strategizing something in real time. Working on puzzle pieces. ]

I mean, I've only done close and fast. But I like where your head's at.

[ He's not gonna lie about it. Even if this is just a tactile, joking-around type of guy, it's like. What's there to lose? He 100% likes this idea.

Those might actually be the bluest eyes he's ever seen? Which is a little bit distracting in an oddly unrelated way. They're just very There. ]

Not sure the music agrees with us, though.

[ Jim's a social type, so these sorts of settings always carry a special kind of energy to him. Granted, he hasn't hit a lot of raves since his Academy years, but he has to admit, it has been pretty easy to get used to them again. The powders help a good deal too, adding just a little more energy to each touch, which is something he already enjoys in itself.

With Finn's hands at his sides, his own palms trail up his arms, a slow and curious touch. He can practically feel the static, a low thrum of energy flowing back and forth, and he hums, more to himself than anything. ]

Close and fast, huh? [ He raises both eyebrows, smile stretching wider. That's quite the innuendo there, though he can't be entirely sure if Finn did that on purpose or not. He decides it doesn't really matter at the moment anyway. ]

I don't care. I've always liked following my own rhythm anyway. [ He shrugs, fingers flexing slightly on Finn's biceps, his hips swaying to some imaginary tune. ] Slow works... and I do have all night.

[ If he noticed an innuendo left his mouth, he did a stone-cold job not showing it. Which is more to say, Finn didn't notice. He let himself get distracted like a fool.

What crosses his face at "I do have all night" can only be called blatant pleasant surprise. It stays stuck there for half a second, like he's letting the old processor run over it to see how it checks out. Fine is how it checks out. ]

Oh, yeah? [ Finn belatedly clears his throat and schools his expression into what seems to be some sort of attempt at casualness. He's not really good at being casual. It's more of a normally intense and serious person doing an impression of a person being casual.

That's him. Finn "has so flirted and tried to be charming on purpose before, several times in fact" lastname. He's got this. ]

Kind of surprised to hear that. You seem like someone who'd have plans. You know, with a person. Probably a cute person.

[ That's theoretically anyone out of maybe 90% of the entire city population, which is disproportionately beautiful, of course. But still. ]

[ How cute is that, though. Innocent and clueless people might just be one of Jim's favorites, particularly in this context. And Finn's evidently not so clueless that he doesn't pick up on Jim's meaning either, which is pretty much ideal. Having to spell it all out for the guy would be something of a mood killer.

He nods at what's clearly a rhetorical question, eyes glinting in the dark of the rave. His hands move up to Finn's shoulders and neck, then back down his arms, still moving to a slow rhythm even as he waits for an actual answer.

The actual answer gets something of a laugh from him, light and a little airy. He shrugs it off, arms draping loosely around Finn's neck. ]

You're a cute person. [ He points out helpfully. It's important that he knows, okay. ] So maybe we should make some plans, you and I.

[ Finn mulls the suggestion over for a second, enjoying the leftover sensation in his arms. Like something thermochromatic took root in his nerve endings, changing under touch, slowly fading back when it's gone. He likes his own hands where they are, likes the warmth of it, but he takes to slowly stroking his thumbs along Jim's sides without giving it any particular thought.

And thank you, Jim, this is vital knowledge. Finn can cross cute off of the list of compliments he's never gotten before.

They really don't match the music, the adrenaline-fueled energy of the rest of the dance floor. He has to look up a little to keep eye contact. He's not sure if this actually counts as dancing. More like swaying.

Finn finds he doesn't mind. ]

I think I'd like that, Jim Kirk. [ Oh wait, he went over the name thing already. ] Jim. I mean. I don't get to make a lot of plans.

[ This seems like one of those nice, possibly lucky moments in life that he'd normally already be waiting for a second shoe to drop on.

Maybe this once, he can leave that out the window for future Finn to deal with if it happens. Embrace the good vibes of the rave. ]

I feel like this is where I should let you know I think you're a cute person. Just so I have it on the record.

[ Cute might be an understatement. It's definitely an understatement. But you know. Casual™. ]

[ The real mystery is how Finn never heard it before, honestly. Jim can't possibly be the only one noticing— or maybe he's just the one who's bothered commenting on it. Either way, it earns him the gentle brush of thumbs against his sides, the simple touch sending a shiver up his back, making the hairs at his nape stand on end. ]

Sounds like a real shame, if you ask me. [ He smiles, and lifts a shoulder in a half-shrug. ] But if it means you're free tonight, then I can hardly complain.

[ So, no plans sort of guy. Jim can roll with no plans, too. Going with the flow seems like a pretty great way to handle tonight. Jim's nothing if not spontaneous, anyway.

His grin is almost sheepish at that bit of flattery, head ducking slightly. ]

Not a lot of people have called me that. But that's sweet— you're sweet. Thank you. [ He presses himself closer to Finn because they're not really sticking to the pretense of wanting to keep their personal space intact anyway, and Jim's never been one for subtlety. It's close enough that he can plant a quick kiss to Finn's cheek, then speak closer to his ear. ] So how are you liking the party?

[ AKA how bad would it be if Jim just took his hand and dragged him off to some corner of the party right now. ]

[ Part of Finn soaks both the kiss and the closer proximity up like a sponge. There's no denying that the extra closeness only makes this better. And the kiss, however quick, it's... nice. Not just in terms of the contact and the feeling, which is obviously still going strong. He's a fan.

But it's one of those little things people do that they didn't have to do. Good things. All in their own little closeness category. He appreciates the little things sometimes. Cute is suddenly a very good and accurate way to describe Jim Kirk. It bundles right in with the other attractive qualities.

Finn offers a shrug of his own. ]

Wouldn't be here if I didn't like it. [ The poorly-feigned casualness he's been trying to project is rapidly dissolving. Focus has always been easier.

He's a smart person in his own right. And he thinks he gets what Jim's getting at. If he's reading it right (and wow, he really hopes he's reading it right). Which is a victory, sort of. It says that for all that he's out of his social depth on charming conversation, he at least hasn't put Jim off. ]

But you know, I don't think there's anything going on with it that I didn't already see yesterday.

[ AKA he's down with that. Otherwise this sort of turns into a man versus impulse time-bomb of really wanting to feel someone up on a dance floor. And Finn is historically not great in those battles. Even without inhibition-lowering powder at play. ]

[ Some of this nice warm feeling, Jim is well aware, is due to the powder. The thrill a simple touch gives him, how the warmth of Finn's body seems to emanate all the more intensely when they're this close. Some of it might also have to do with Jim just... hungering for that kind of attention.

He doesn't question it much. He could have plans, that's true. There's one specific person he could have very specific plans with, but it's not like they're seriously dating or anything. And Finn is cute, and willing. Whatever he lacks in casualness and coolness, he more than makes up for it with those traits.

Also pretty great arms. Damn.

Jim's smile curls into something a little sharper, his hands cupping the back of Finn's nape, fingers curling and dragging down his neck, palms pressing to the curve leading to his shoulders. His skin is warm and smooth and each little bump and detail seems to capture his attention so wholly, he can't even focus on anything else for a moment or two.

Then his thumbs swipe across Finn's jaw, and his gaze drops to Finn's lips, lingering there. ]

Pretty sure we can find a corner around here where some very exciting things might happen. Definitely nothing you've seen yesterday.

[ His eyes flicker up to meet Finn's again, and he leans in real close, lips ghosting Finn's but hardly touching. Teasing him, yes, absolutely. ]

So? What do you say to that?

[ Jim Kirk is rude, heard it here first. He earns a sharp, subtle inhale. The tail end of a shiver that runs up Finn's spine.

Finn stares back at him, intense and unblinking and suddenly feeling a little short on breath, fingers twitching like he's debating the pros and cons of pushing forward the rest of the way himself.

He wants to do that, with a wave of sureness that's almost dizzying. Wants to push in closer. Feel skin. He sways forward just barely before making himself stop short, chasing the impulse.

Even the strange, floundering novelty of having someone so straightforwardly interested, offering, isn't enough to break his focus. Finn has to mentally shake himself, distracted, and his answer comes a little on the belated side as a result.

Sometimes in life, an attractive person is more in your personal space than even you're used to and your brain short-circuits a little, and the only option it can scramble together is bluntness. Finn's found that zone. ]

If I didn't like it, [ he says with no small measure of earnestness, rehashing what he said about the party itself, ] I wouldn't be here.

[ His hands drift lower, just far enough to rest on Jim's hips. Travel back up almost absentmindedly. ]

So I'm pretty sure I'd like to follow you off the dance floor now, Jim. If you're all right with that.

[ Finn's not the first person to call him rude for a number of reasons, this one including, and he won't be the last. It's not like it bothers Jim much at all anyway. He'd probably find some way to spin it into a compliment, if anything.

Part of him is simply enjoying the proximity for what it is, part of him is genuinely curious whether Finn will buckle and close the distance himself. For a moment, Jim thinks that's exactly what he'll do. The pause is just long enough, the look in Finn's gaze just the right amount of distracted. Jim's lips curl just faintly into a smile, anticipating it almost, a more present and pressing touch.

But then it doesn't come. He can't be too disappointed, though, not when he can taste Finn's breath against his mouth when he speaks. ]

Alright, then. No need to say it twice.

[ But it doesn't hurt to be sure, either. He rather likes that tone. Honest, blunt, a little on the impatient side. Almost makes him want to keep teasing just to see how far he could push until Finn pushed back. Possibly literally, against a wall.

That thought doesn't really help calm him down, especially when Finn's hands move on his sides. His body sways a little, and he bites back a gasp. ]

I'm very alright with that.

[ He pulls away with no small amount of certainty, reaching down to catch one of Finn's hands in his own, then tugging along as he leads the way to the quieter corners of the rave. Any dark nook or room will do, honestly, but Finn's more than free to pick a spot for them to take up. ]

[ It's good to have that out on the metaphorical table. There's plenty of "alright with that" to go around. That's ideal. Casing the layout for entry and exit points like a paranoid person early on finally pays off.

Finn keeps a firm grip and an eye out for a fitting spot. He hadn't given a lot of thought to the hodgepodge of corners and booths and little curtain partitioned rooms when he first arrived to one of these parties, aside from figuring it was probably a smart thing to plan ahead for. The appeal from a personal level is suddenly much easier to understand.

He's not looking for the grand palace of total privacy; if that was on the wishlist over just getting somewhere at all, they'd be out of the building already. So he sets his aim on "not blatantly public," squeezes Jim's hand, and gestures to an open room slotted into the curtain partitions with his chin. The sounds of neighbors are unmistakable, but mostly covered by the music. It's got a couch or chair or two that look comfortable enough, and it's got the majority of one of the tables of organized supplies left over. If Jim's not a fan, it won't break Finn's heart to keep looking for a little while longer. ]

[ Jim has always been big on honesty and straightforwardness, laying things out in the open. He's appreciating that a lot about Finn, right now. They've both established that they're very alright with the way things are headed, though he's hoping on making it more than just 'alright' in a little bit.

They pass a number of nooks and corners as they look for a place. A lot of couches are taken up by couples or groups making out and feeling each other up, curtains drawn and only letting vague noises slip out past the fabric. Everyone seems to be getting into the mood of the rave, and Jim can hardly blame them. He follows Finn's nod towards the empty room, a smile curling his lips.

Promptly, he tugs on Finn's hand and drags him inside. It's perfect, actually, and the best option short of actually leaving the party. The couch is big enough for the two of them, and once Jim draws the curtains closed behind them, the music doesn't ring so loudly in his ears.

Much better like this, he thinks. At least they'll get to hear each other better. Probably not talking, but still.

This time, when he steps closer, he doesn't stop halfway through just to tease Finn. Jim cups his face in his hands, then presses their mouths together in a kiss, eager but shallow at first, wanting to see how Finn will respond. ]

[ Shoutout to the rave planners for making it easy to get back to the good stuff.

The touch of impatience Jim picked up on before makes its return even without the teasing. Finn doesn't waste time before pressing closer, planting a hand between Jim's shoulder blades almost like he's bracing him. He kisses back more firmly, open-mouthed -- not insistent, exactly, as much as he is trying the action on for size. Getting a feel for it.

Inexperienced but enthusiastic is the name of the game, at this juncture. Finn would rather err on the side of simplicity and work from there than have to scale back. ]

[ It's too bad (or maybe not that bad) that Jim just takes all that as a very open invitation. He hums first and arches closer in response to the hand on his back, but it's when Finn parts his lips that he pushes further, canting his head to slot their mouths together.

He wastes no time pushing his tongue past Finn's lips, taking that move as a sign that he's ready to deepen the contact and speed things up a little. It's always a thrill to get that first taste, to feel the texture of Finn's tongue against his own, and he all but shivers against him, a soft little mewl spilling into the kiss.

One of his hands cups the back of Finn's neck, cradling him close, fingers of the other hand curling into his shirt and fisting the fabric. ]

[ As it turns out, not that bad at all. Finn was half-anticipating it as a next move, not trying to put too much brainpower into figuring out exactly when, and saving on the trouble of that doesn't hurt.

It's close and wet, a little messy on principle. He takes to the new sensation with fervor. Jim shivers, makes that sound, and Finn can all but feel it wrap around something in his lower stomach and pull, white-hot.

His hand moves to Jim's lower back, rucking the hem of his shirt up a little, and he brings the other hand up to the side of Jim's face, unable to stop a shudder of his own-- freshly aware of how closely they're pressed together, the warmth of every point of contact, the way he can feel himself slowly getting hard.

Don't mind Finn, he's just gonna approach making out with his personal 0-100 intensity brand until they theoretically have to "breathe" or something dumb like that. Sounds fake. ]

[ Luckily Jim is all too used to handling neck-breaking speeds, so the fact that Finn gets so swept up in the moment doesn't catch him by surprise much, nor does it bother him in the least. There's a gasp choked out somewhere at the back of his throat, Finn's hand at the small of his back urging him to press closer still.

Which he does, promptly, hips rolling just faintly. He's acutely aware of every point of contact between them, and even just the dancing and touching before had been enough to get him a little warmer under the skin. His body's already aching for more friction and contact, and Jim's not at all shy about seeking it out.

He does, however, find himself forced to break the kiss. Because he needs to breathe, yes —and after a few seconds of their lips locked and tongues pressing eagerly into each other's mouth his head is already spinning wildly—, but also because he really wants to get Finn's shirt off of him. He gets to that immediately, hands both reaching down to the hem, tugging the fabric up Finn's torso and hoping he'll get the hint and lift his arms up. ]

[ Hip rolling: a revolutionary idea. It gets a small sound of approval out of Finn. Shirt removal: arguably an even better idea, from the practicality viewpoint. Finn's more than happy to help get this particular obstacle out of the way as quickly as possible.

There's a scar burned into the front of his right shoulder, not more than a couple of inches long. It's partner to the bigger one more easily mapped out across Finn's back without anything in the way, which the narration mostly mentions here because otherwise it would forget later and that would probably be a weird thing to suddenly remember exists halfway down the line.

Now is the time for Finn to enact his one-step plan. The one step in the plan is to try to make sure that Jim's shirt also gets thrown out of this equation and onto the floor. More skin can only improve the situation across all fronts. ]

[ It's indeed a very important thing to mention, because Jim's particularly into any and all sorts of marks and scars left behind on skin. Coming from a place where medicine is especially advanced, Jim doesn't have a single mark on his body, all the wounds healed to perfection, skin regenerated to leave no trace that it ever was injured to begin with.

It's always a source of fascination to him. The more pronounced, the more they get his attention too, and just seeing the start of the scar peeking across Finn's shoulder is enough for him to forget for a moment that he's still wearing his shirt. He's drawn back to the moment when Finn tugs at his shirt, though, and he pulls away for just long enough to get the piece of clothing off and toss it out of the way.

Immediately his hand moves to Finn's shoulder, fingertips tracing along the scar, following the path it takes down his back. His lips follow suit, kissing the marked skin, head tipping forward enough that he can catch a glimpse of it drawn across Finn's back. ]

[ The plan was a success. Jim looks great without a shirt. Finn lets his hands smooth cautiously over Jim's shoulders, his chest, his sides. When Jim presses a kiss to his shoulder, his breath catches, turns ragged around the edges of an inhale. An involuntary shift of his hips goes right along with it. ]

Sorry if that's, [ he starts, breathless, once he notices Jim lingering a little to look over. His shoulder is one thing, and he's never exactly gotten a good look at his back, but he knows it's a bit of an entity all its own. ] I mean, I know not everyone likes-- I get if it's a problem. Back there.

[ Thinking is hard with a mouth on your shoulder, so warm it's almost like a brand. Finn half-shrugs his other shoulder instead of trying to piece together something more nicely worded. Keeps reveling in the heady buzz of contact. ]

Really hoping it's not one. But I'd get it.

[ This far to the point of obvious and evident interest, it only seems fair to keep things above the table. He's not looking to leave anyone beholden to a potential sense of obligation. ]

[ He's distracted— almost too distracted, really, but to say that the scar fascinates him is putting it mildly. He's in awe, like he hasn't quite seen anything like it before. He's seen scars before, different sorts of branding and marking, but there's still something new and unique about this path drawn across Finn's back.

His focus shifts again when Finn speaks up, though, and his lips pull from the skin so he can look at him. ]

No. No, it's not— not a problem. At all. I love it.

[ He smiles, then grins a little lopsidedly, leaning in to kiss Finn again. His arms curled around Finn's waist, he keeps tracing up and down his back with his fingertips. ]

I wanna kiss it. [ He says finally when he pulls away, biting at his lower lip. ] Is that okay?

[ He's not sure if he's stepping on some kind of limit, here. Some people like that kind of attention, but Finn might be bothered by it, hell if he knows. ]

[ This is much better than "yeah, sorry, I think I should go," which is good since he tends to hope for the best and expect the worst.

Finn's forehead creases and then smooths back out in rapid succession. His expression softens.

Not entirely for the statement, as much as that's definitely part of it. Definitely the first time he's heard that one. But for the question, too. It's just nice when people ask if something's okay, or if they can do something. He's a few months out of the First Order, here, he's had time to get used to the little everyday choices, but it hasn't worn thin yet. ]

Yeah. I think so. [ It sure didn't turn out to bother him when it was his shoulder, and that was rooted in the same source. He gets the feeling he won't have a problem. But for the sake of courtesy: ] I'll let you know if it's not.

late isnt in my dictionary

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slaps a preemptive sexual content warning on this thread tbh

yes huffs... i always forget thank you

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