Everybody learns from *somebody*

[lordmegatron]

Passing the doors into the library, Megatron was pleased he had gotten the schedule correct as he saw who was sitting at the desk. If it had been completely necessary due to his own schedule, he'd have come here when he could. But since he didn't have to...

Ignoring the faint itch interfacing hadn't properly gotten rid off, Megatron approached the librarian at a lazy, casual walk. It was a pity he hadn't seen any signs at all that the surprisingly fine-lined truck-alted mech had the inclination he was looking for. Things would have been a lot easier (and, really, pleasing) if he had.

As it was, since there was no one left in the current arena circuit that he trusted with what he had to hand over, perhaps he would have to avail himself of one of the clubs. It made an irritable twitch slither down the treads on his shoulders, the thought that he'd have to do that.

It was ages since he'd had to go to an open venue like that to simply get his needs properly taken care of.

And he really would have preferred the librarian. Orion Pax - it hadn't taken anything to find out the designation when to found the schedule - was witty, somehow diplomatically argumentative and didn't give in if he knew he was right or wanted to stand for his opinion, actually had some smarts to go with said use of words and Megatron wanted to know more.

More, and more personally (most of the earlier he'd simply learned over the few times he'd been in the library when the mech was, but hadn't actually approached him). So this time, he decided to actually use the librarian's assistance in what he was looking for... and perhaps get something more out of it.

"Excuse me?"

Comments

[ichooseboth]

"The lifestyle?" Orion repeated, voice dropping despite Megatron's claim. His gaze briefly flicked to the side, more closely examining the other diners despite his best efforts at remaining polite. He still didn't know what to expect...

Biting his lip, Orion turned his attention to the menu instead. At least that was normal fare, and remembering Megatron's recommendation he quickly decided on the energon goodies.

"What sort of, ah, situation would this...involve?"

[lordmegatron]

"There's also privacy barriers that'll make sure we aren't overheard, but I thought we'd wait with those until we have our orders," Megatron said, waving a hand towards the edge of their booth, where a set of small, unobtrusive devices were set into the metal.

It would, after all, be somewhat hard to get their orders if the privacy barrier was up.

Talking of orders, he actually had to decide on something. Annoyed, Megatron rubbed the side of his helm and, in a fit of exasperation at himself, chose one of the metal crunchies of a flavour he hadn't gotten at any point and a small, sweetened energon cube.

"You won't notice much of it in here, Orion." Megatron smiled, letting his amusement soothe his annoyance. The question was, did he actually want to explain... With a sigh, Megatron admitted that just avoiding Orion's question would be too obvious.

"Usually it would simply be the dominant getting a booth or table, if it's outside, and ordering for both."

[ichooseboth]

"Sounds reasonable-" Orion started, quickly jabbing in his final selections in on the menu; adding a small oil cake and flavored cube. Then Orion jerked his optics back toward the table and huffed a vent several degrees hotter than before, embarrassed to have been caught looking.

"R-right." He coughed awkwardly, slowly shunting his embarrassment aside to properly mull over what Megatron actually told him.

"Just...ordering their food for them? That doesn't sound like it really needs a special venue at all. So long as the, er, person involved knows their partner's tastes..." He trailed off, uncertain. That seemed far too easy for all the fuss involved.

[lordmegatron]

"That would usually be expected yes." Waving a hand in the air dismissively, Megatron pretended not to have noticed Orion's embarrassment. "And it's not necessarily needed, no, but the knowledge that no one will cause a scene if they see something they don't like, or if it does happen, that the managers will be on your side is worth quite a lot. The café is open to the public, after all."

Pausing, Megatron glanced up at the ceiling and smirked a little.

"Some do like to have their submissives kneel on the floor beside the table, sometimes, hand-feeding them. There was an incidence once when an unsuspecting... company had wandered in." He looked down again and eyed Orion before shrugging. "That's about as 'extreme' as you'd see in here, however."

[ichooseboth]

"...O-oh." Orion murmured, wide-opticed.

"That's..." Entirely too pleasant a mental image. Unlike the vast majority of the things he had seen on the holonet, that was something that seemed...nice. At least, it didn't make him immedatiely uncomfortable, aside from the whole 'in public' thing.

"...not something I would think to do in public. But it isn't...unpleasant sounding." A cough, and Orion's audial nubs twitched back at the admittance.

"It's good that the managers would be on their side."

[lordmegatron]

Well, that was... more of an admittance than what he'd expected at this stage, though even if Orion hadn't admitted to it, he'd picked up on his reactions. He shifted in his seat, folding his arms over his chestplates when he realised he ought to have locked the strength of the glow from the lughts - they were flickering a little.

Mostly because while Orion's admittance was certainly exciting, Megatron had, perhaps, some strange limits regarding what he felt comfortable with giving up and where he started to feel unfomfortable.

Being fed was one of those things, but that didn't mean it hadn't ever happened.

"Since they usually wouldn't be in other places, it simply allows people to relax in a way we couldn't otherwise," Megatron said with a shrug, waiting until their orders had come before reaching out and activating the privacy barrier and turning to actually address the rest.

"I suppose I should've expected you might find that attractive, if you would be interested at all in this sort of play." His voice was dry, but his expression was hardly unkind.

A bit amused, maybe.

"And considering that I ought to have given you some parameters to search for, I suspect you got quite an opticful if you're surprised there would be things that aren't 'unpleasant'." Megatron tilted his helm, giving Orion a bit of an arch look. Not that he had quite an idea what Orion would consider unpleasant, but he ought to have thought a little further given how Orion had been... introduced.

[ichooseboth]

Orion thanked the waiter when their food arrived, heat-venting when the thin mech gave him a knowing, yet still professional look. He privately supposed that they had seen it all before, including ignorant mechs like himself who simply stumbled in to this 'lifestyle'.

And he wasn't even in it. Yet?

"Oh?" He twitched as Megatron continued. Expected it?

"...Well, yes. Probably. Some of the things I found were nearly enough to make me stop looking entirely." Orion sighed from behind his flavored cube, which did little to hide the grimace on his face.

[lordmegatron]

They had, at that.

"Teaching isn't my strenght," Megatron said with an apologetic half-smile before he shook his helm. "But I ought to have done a better job." Picking up the metal flake cookie, Megatron turned it over in his hands for a moment, following the greenish-silver shifts in the metal as the light fell over it.

"Well." He then looked up, smirked a little and took a bite of the metal flake crunchie and waved his hand at Orion. "Merely your usual behaviour. I could be wrong, of course, but you don't seem the type to vastly change when in private, and you're a very... caring spark otherwise."

Respectful and careful of those around him, even those he'd only meet briefly... No, it didn't surprise Megatron that Orion would be the type to want to care for a partner.

[ichooseboth]

"It's hardly your fault that I chose to indulge my curiosity without worrying about search filters," Orion snorted. He ducked his helm behind his cube at the compliment to his innate character, but he didn't attempt to deny it.

"I certainly wouldn't do the vast majority of what I saw. And you are, thankfully, correct: I am hardly one to change my entire personality matrix the moment I get in the berth."

Even talking about berth behavior was usually enough to completely embarrass the smaller mech, but given their line of questioning, 'normal' berth behavior was suddenly far less troublesome to discuss than usual.

[lordmegatron]

"Perhaps not, but a warning might not have been misplaced." Another dryly amused smile and a shrug; at least Orion wasn't too upset.

He had to admit to being (amused and) impressed, however, that Orion had been able to say that without getting embarrassed again, considering how he'd reacted during this topic so far.

"As long as you think of yourself as well." He gave Orion a once-over, the setting briefly taking a back-seat to Megatron's more usual insistency of trying to push Orion to think of himself as well, and not being quite so accomodating as he was.

Of course, given the hints of steel he'd seen, at least he didn't need to start from nothing; it was more about teasing up what was there, just hidden.

"And the range is quite wide, yes, and no one would expect anyone to actually be involved in all of it, but no matter what it looks like, if it's done correctly, everyone has agreed to it and is enjoying it." The rest of the cookie disappeared and Megatron picked up his small cube but didn't drink from it.

"If you were worried about that."

[ichooseboth]

Orion sighed in relief.

"That is certainly good to have confirmed, though I am aware enough now to realize that there seems to be an entire...range of various rules and habits involved in this. But yes, so long as everyone involved agrees to the...various additions, it's much more reassuring."

Think of himself? Orion snorted softly, assuming a mock-snooty air.

"Myself? While this entire situation is new to me, I normally try to make sure everyone involved is well 'cared for' in the berth, thank you very much. Myself included," he claimed with a chuckle. He even managed to keep the mildly embarrassed heat flush contained that time.

[lordmegatron]

Even if Megatron might have noticed the flush if Orion hadn't kept it conatined, he was a little busy trying to keep his own reaction contained. Normally someone claiming to be respecting of their partners (and themselves) in the berth wasn't something that would cause of much any reaction, but the situation and the location...

Megatron had to shift in his seat and exert some manual control to keep his vent cycle steady and normal as a little rush of charge snapped through him, because Orion's comment brought a few images to mind.

He really should have found a better place.

"Good to know." Finally, he managed a dry chuckle and a tilt of his helm. His optics might be a little paler than usual, though, but Megatron wouldn't be in the position to know. "And yes, there's quite a few variations... Sometimes it might take a while to find out what one likes and don't, and how far one's ready to go."

Megatron paused, considering... yes, he'd need to ask, at least before they left here. Soon, then.

[ichooseboth]

Orion blinked, resetting his optics in amused surprise at Megatron's unexpected and rather telling shift.

Well. The larger mech had been forgiving of his own embarrassment so far. Muffling a chuckle on the side of his cube, he dropped his gaze down to the food as he took a sip.

"I imagine so. I'd hate to think of how much guesswork is involved with figuring that out the first go-around, though." A brief pause as he raised a single energon goodie up to his lips.

"Well, you mentioned they were good," he said with a smile, before taking a bite. Optics lighting up at the pleasant taste, Orion's engine rumbled with pleasure.

"Very nice."

[lordmegatron]

Resolutely ignoring his own, ah... reaction and Orion noticing it, Megatron chuckled, pleased that Orion had found it to his liking. He hadn't really doubted that the smaller mech would, but tastes did vary, even in the face of well-made food.

"There's a reason this place is well-liked, besides the tolerant atmosphere." Optics flicking down over Orion, he didn't really pretend not to be interested in Orion's reaction as it played out over his faceplates and that engine rumble - whatever else happened, he was, after all, interested in Orion himself.

No reason not to show that.

"And yes, some guesswork, but mostly talking. A lot of talking, if you're doing things correctly. Communication is important." Megatron shrugged, taking a sip from his cube and thoughtfully letting the mouthful linger for a moment, then waited until he could catch Orion's optics.

"And talking of talking," Megatron said with a twist to his lips, not quite a smile. He had to work harder than he should to keep his optics on Orion's, but it wasn't too hard. "Would you be interested in getting... involved? Setting aside the question of how, beyond normal, for the moment."

This place or not, Megatron didn't wait around or work with careful tiptoeing; straightforward questions or demands were best in his opinion, and being used to talking about what he liked or didn't (even when it was hard and he would rather not) this was among the simplest thing to ask.

[ichooseboth]

"Communication is very important," Orion agreed readily enough, crunching into another snack as Megatron asked his question.

He nearly choked.

Though he had rather expected the conversation to veer in this direction, he had not anticipated it to be so soon. Orion used a mouth full of energon goodie to delay his reply, crunching thoughtfully; the librarian was not one to rush into things...not even things that had been floating around on the edge of his processor for since he had walked in on Megatron and Maul. Thankfully, Megatron wasn't asking him about that aspect, and Orion was able to shunt that idea to the side and think more objectively.

Without the concerns of this...strange new lifestyle holding him back, would he want a relationship with Megatron?

After a long moment, he swallowed the goodie and smiled. "Yes."

Given the joy Orion had long-taken in their friendship - and long-hidden admiration of the large mech's processor and frame both, the answer was fairly clear.

"No matter what else may happen, I would want to preserve our friendship over all else. But yes, Megatron. I am interested."

Feeling suddenly emboldened by the declaration, he carefully reached across the table to lay a hand on Megatron's massive forearm.

[lordmegatron]

The wait was frustrating, but it wasn't as if Megatron wasn't used to waiting, and so he actually let the sense of the place and his usual place in it, settle around him.

He could've drawn on another method of being patient for waiting, but even he could admit that he might have trouble doing that here, as the precense of mind needed was one of battle-readiness, waiting for the moment to strike - and here he was too far from that.

And a café in the middle of the city wasn't the right place to drag up that, anyway.

So Megatron sat, optics softening and the stiff position of his shoulders relaxing as the moment went on and Orion's response suddenly seemed very sudden, and he lifted his helm up again.

"I don't think that will be an issue. You're too amusing to argue with over various topics." Smirking, Megatron leaned forward slightly, more pleased than he would admit.

Especially when Orion reached out first, and after a moment he carefully turned his arm to be able to grasp the underside of Orion's forearm himself.

Some small part twisted in frustration over having to wait, probably indefinitely or uselessly for that particular itch to be scratched, but he closed it away firmly.

Orion had, after all, expressed some interest, even if he was hesitant.

[ichooseboth]

"Good to know." Orion beamed, relaxing enough for his engine purring to become audible - and for his field to flicker pleasantly, expanding loosely from his usual, tightly held control.

"You're just not used to people arguing back," Orion laughed, teasing. He gave Megatron's arm a squeeze, casually leaving his hand on his arm while returning to his food with the other. He took a bite of his oil cake, optics flickering in pleasure at the taste, before he shrugged.

"I don't yet know where else I might be entirely comfortable taking this, but I am certainly willing to communicate about it." He smiled, pointedly mirroring the previous conversation.

[lordmegatron]

Megatron's smile wasn't just out of pleasure at having had his question answered positively, but also for the hints of Orion relaxing, especially his field. It wasn't just that Megatron thought it crude he'd been metaphorically smacked into keeping such a tight control on it, as others had similar strengths and didn't quite hold theirs as tight as Orion.

No, it was also that he genuinely enjoyed the feel of it... Which was why he'd sometimes ended up eschewing polite personal space distance in his library visits and he had been able to get Orion's company, before and after they became closer friends.

"Plenty of people argue with me, Orion. I'm just right most of the time." Megatron chuckled, easily self-assured about said rightness... and a little bit teasing right back.

His fingers curling slightly against the metal of Orion's arm, Megatron kept careful control of the strength of his optics' glow, as a pathetically extatic flare wanted to escape.

Orion could, after all, have ignored that. Put it aside and denied that some parts might... affect him. Megatron would even have understood.

"I can hardly ask for more than that." He tilted his helm, optics sliding to focus somewhere around Orion's nose, reflexivelly. He let his gaze stay there. "A suggestion would to try something short and simple... at some later point."

[ichooseboth]

Orion would never have thought of his own field-restraint in the same terms, but it was essentially the truth. Being shamed and pressured into keeping his strong field close rather than naturally extended and unfettered had made the smaller mech seem cold and aloof to those that did not know him, and did not help with socialization at all.

It was a testament to how easygoing and friendly the mech really was that anyone bothered making acquaintances with him at all.

The librarian chuckled teasingly. "Well, maybe you need to argue with more people with the wits to prove you wrong once in a while."

Fingers curling gently over Megatron's arm plating as he finished off his oil cake, Orion nodded.

"I would prefer to start slowly no matter what, even without the additional...stipulations."

Another pause, and Orion seemed to consider if he truly wished to continue speaking. Eventually, his courage won out.

"Perhaps, you can make some recommendations at some point? Based on what you...prefer. And I can see if any. Ah, ping my processor, so to speak."

He couldn't meet Megatron's optics and his engine hot, but he said it nonetheless.

[lordmegatron]

"Oh, you're saying all the mechs I've argued with so far hasn't been as clever as you? For shame, Orion..." Laughing, Megatron felt an intense flare of pride and pleasure at what Orion had said, and he'd mostly teased him to lighten the probable embarrassment that kept Orion's optics locked on the table.

"And I don't think that would be difficult to accomplish, either. And as for you... Well, we have some time to figure that out, don't we?" And while he wasn't a teacher, or rather, probably not a good one, Megatron couldn't say he wasn't looking forward to bringing Orion in.

See how he grew, and helping him get there - the idea was, in fact, surprisingly attractive, but maybe that was just because Megatron could be a very possessive mech who had particular ideas of things.

"But that can wait, I believe... your engine might thank me, either way." The little grin he gave Orion was teasing, yes, but not cruel.

[ichooseboth]

"No. Not all of them, I'm sure," Orion objected, chuckling ruefully as he finally raised his optics to meet Megatron's own. His engine rumbled as he attempted to cool his circuits with jokes, but his core temperature was still tellingly high.

"Perhaps they just didn't know the right argument."

He was well aware that his statement could be taken in multiple directions, but if he was...going to be involved with Megatron, his sense of humor wasn't going to be hidden away.

"But yes. My engine will appreciate the break." He gave Megatron's arm another squeeze, subsiding in his teasing to finish off the last of his energon goodies.

[lordmegatron]

"Mmm, that might be true. You do have a way with words, sometimes." If Orion had actually decided to curtail his humour, Megatron wouldn't have been pleased. As it was, he was amused - and certainly didn't mind the potential double entendre, mere words or not.

Lifting up his cube as Orion finished off his energon goodies, Megatron turned his thoughts to the possibility of showing Orion further into this, ah, lifestyle. It was what he wanted, and now, but patience would have to be the key here.

No matter how much he wanted, needed, an outlet. That wasn't Orion's problem. It was just the little thing of Orion's hand on his arm, bringing other thoughts with it. Orion's hands were surprisingly large and his grip firm...

Helm tilting, Megatron smiled faintly.

"Anything else you can think of to ask?"

[ichooseboth]

"I do try," Orion agreed with a grin, finishing off the last of his meal. His engine may have still been overtly hot, but his fuel tanks were well sated.

"No other questions for while we're here, at least." He tilted his head, expression wry. Accepting setting or not, Orion didn't think it was the best places for either hashing out the 'rules' they might come up with...or for experimenting with the start of their fledgling relationship.

Namely, Orion had no intentions of attempting to get closer to Megatron in a restaurant.

[lordmegatron]

"Might be for the best," Megatron agreed with a tilt of his helm and knew he'd had to put Maul in his place soon, outside of a situation that made him easier to affect.

Make sure he got what was coming to him, perhaps, considering the way he flouted rules they were all supposed to hold inviolable.

He snorted softly into his energon and finished it off, optics briefly dimming slightly as the sweetness hit him before he straightened and put the empty cube down. He had a little weakness for sweet things, but that wasn't something he indulged in often.

"You're done then?" Not we. Oh well, that was one of his smaller slips, and he should probably apologise at some point for the way he'd put Orion in a spot he hadn't completely agreed on to take yet during their stay here.

[ichooseboth]

"I am, and ready to go when you are." Orion set his plates aside, already reaching for his credit voucher to pay for his meal. He wasn't sure if Megatron had already paid, but he wasn't going to assume.

"Would you like to go to my apartment? I believe we could continue the conversation there," he asked quietly, finally brave enough to hazard the potentially loaded question.