[Tate's fingertip had only just wiggled beneath the denim, grazing the warmth of Derek's skin on the other side - when he's speaking and Tate freezes to look up at him. There's a keen, rapt attention that Tate gives him now that he hasn't necessarily before. With no shield of a cold composure, no disinterest to mask the desperation in his eyes, Tate looks childish in just how expectant he is. How attentive he is to the words that sit in the air.
Derek's right in that the wrong word just now could've set Tate off like a match to dry bush, but Derek has a way to him that's - just scraping by that entirely. He curbs the situation in a net that catches Tate, pulling him along with a thoughtful screwing of his nose before he seems satisfied.]
Okay.
[And the wick is extinguished just like that, with Tate pulling back his hand and looking at his palm before closing his eyes. He stays where he is, tucked close to the front of Derek, but he just - rides the feeling of ascension in the elevator with his eyes shut. Pretends for a few seconds that he's flying before groggily blinking himself back into the elevator itself.]
Would've pegged you more of an exhibitionist though.
[A snort and a sudden smile, Tate's a little too amused but it's at least an expression that lights up his face in comparison to the bleak blankness he was just wearing only moments ago.]
no subject
Derek's right in that the wrong word just now could've set Tate off like a match to dry bush, but Derek has a way to him that's - just scraping by that entirely. He curbs the situation in a net that catches Tate, pulling him along with a thoughtful screwing of his nose before he seems satisfied.]
Okay.
[And the wick is extinguished just like that, with Tate pulling back his hand and looking at his palm before closing his eyes. He stays where he is, tucked close to the front of Derek, but he just - rides the feeling of ascension in the elevator with his eyes shut. Pretends for a few seconds that he's flying before groggily blinking himself back into the elevator itself.]
Would've pegged you more of an exhibitionist though.
[A snort and a sudden smile, Tate's a little too amused but it's at least an expression that lights up his face in comparison to the bleak blankness he was just wearing only moments ago.]
Weak.