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

[lordmegatron]

He should probably have chosen a better time to confess about that, but he had, honestly, not thought about it, and the words had simply slid out. Something within flickered and twisted at the sudden bloom of Orion's field and the change in attitude.

Something very much wanted to kneel down and ask for forgiveness, but Megatron calmly and expertly put it aside. This wasn't a situation where that would be useful, or helpful.

Another time, another place, maybe, but not right now.

So instead he met Orion's steely glare with a slightly narrowed one of his own, and dipped his helm in a nod.

"I apologise, you're right." And Orion was right, as much as it ranked to admit it. Megatron's optics held Orion's for a few moments longer, and then dropped. "It's hardly an excuse of it, but I did want to share what I'd found, and you were reluctant. I got... overeager."

He lifted his optics again, which was embarrassingly enough harder than it should be after trying very hard to not listen to the parts that wanted to do this differently. His gaze dropped again, and Megatron felt annoyance at himself curls along his circuits.

"Sorry, Orion."

[ichooseboth]

For a long moment, Orion stared with narrow optics, as though testing Megatron's sincerity. His engine was reluctant to calm, but with another deep ventilation, the librarian regained control. Slowly, Orion nodded, field loosing some of the rough edges echoing through it.

"...You are forgiven."

Most of his remaining tension slipped away with the words.

"Just try to avoid it in the future? Really, the idea of the exploration coupled with your excitement would likely have been enough to sway me. Eventually."

[lordmegatron]

Megatron kept still as that moment drew out, quiet and without cajoling. Normally, of course, he might not take it this way; there'd hardly been any harm in his lie, and he was fully confident of his ability to keep them both out of the hands of any guards.

But, that was "normally". Orion was of course right that he should have been upfront, no matter what Megatron's own thoughts on the matter was, and more importantly, it could undermine trust.

Which would definitely be a very particular component in their relationship if things ended that way.

So he stayed still, and dipped his helm down and sideways at the proclamation, optics flickering dimmer for a moment. A silent acceptance of what was, this time, acceptance of his apology.

"I'll try to yes." Despite the possibility of sarcasm, there was none in the words. "And probably yes. I eagerness might have gotten the better of me." The smile was somewhat lopsided.

[ichooseboth]

He gained a strong since of satisfaction from Megatron's posture - submission - not that Orion realized it was anything more than pleasure for correction to an owed wrong.

His field gave a satisfied pulse, before resettling back down to pre-irritation levels.

"That's all I can ask. Thank you," Orion said, relaxing as relief broke the hard mask of his face.

[lordmegatron]

Orion might not have noticed, but Megatron did. Not before he picked up on the pulse from Orion's fiel, which was basically as much pleased reaction as a reward, but he did. Especially as his engine dropped into a pleased little purr and his shoulders relaxed.

"Indeed it is." Except it wasn't, because Orion could ask so much more, but Megatron kept that firmly inside and merely straightened a little again. "Feel up to continuing?" An arch glance was flickered from Orion's faceplate down to the airbrush in his hand.

[ichooseboth]

Orion nodded gladly, pleased that the little confrontation was over and so quickly resolved.

"Of course."

He gestured with the airbrush pointedly, leaning back over Megatron to continue where he left off.

"I wouldn't want to make you late for your match over a simple disagreement, after all."

[lordmegatron]

"Only a small part remains, so even if you'd wish to not finish, I would most probably be done in time." Since Orion was on the chest, and that area was smaller than the others and the symbol slightly more complicated, even with having to twist around for his lower legs, he'd have made it in time.

But, well...

"But I'm hardly going to say no to continued assistance, as it makes things far easier." A mischeveous little grin as Megatron let his optics go offline again, perfectly shameless in the enjoyment of Orion's hands on his frame and being able to put the care over doing this himself aside.

It was probably just as well the thing about the wandering guards around the edges of the forbidden zones had come up now and not when they were about to venture in and down. Despite the time-presure of his impending match, this was still a more low pressure situation than having an argument right before they were about to attempt to go underground.

[ichooseboth]

"Hn. I should imagine not." Orion snorted, amused once more, and he continued on.

He rarely carried a grudge, after all. There was no reason to stay angry.

Gracefully ignoring Megatron's smirky enjoyment, Orion quickly wrapping up the chest paintjob, finishing off the decal in only a few minutes.

"There. That should look alright. Anywhere else, while it dries?"

[lordmegatron]

It didn't just make it easier; it felt far nicer too, to relax, and it took a moment for Orion's question to register.

"Lower legs, otherwise same place as my upper arms," Megatron said with a shrug, the motion indicating where the symbols had been painted to the sides of his shoulders, where the treads were. "Beyond that, merely the one I usually have on the front of my helm. I believe you've seen that."

Two simple, slightly oval and angled arches broken by the front edge of Megatron's helm, neatly imitating the distance the glyph had between its two parts. Unbroken. Whole. That glyph was both a challenge, a taunt and a goal, for his opponents and for himself.

It wasn't that Megatron had never been defeated, because he had, but that was all the more a reason to use it.

[ichooseboth]

Glancing over Megatron's frame - and noting the helm - he nodded.

"Right. Legs first, I think. Then the helm. I remember that one."

Remembered it, but didn't understand - or notice - the implications of the glyph. It probably didn't help that it was usually scratched or otherwise damaged from the matches, but that sort of taunt escaped even Orion's skills.

Stepping back, Orion tapped the berth, gesturing at Megatron's legs danging off the side.

"Here." He grabbed blindly behind himself and pulled himself up a chair, setting down beside the berth- before reaching for a thickly-armored ankle and pulling the entire thing up into his lap to get at the target painting area.

[lordmegatron]

He'd be lying if he claimed not to be... ah, affected by Orion's simple, natural manhandling when he lifted up his leg into his lap. Besides that, it was nice to see Orion feel no hesitation in doing that, too.

They might have gotten far enough to have interfaced, but really, that didn't necessarily mean one was relaxed enough to move their partner around as they wanted.

(Especially given their physical personality differences.)

"I was thinking..." Optics offline again as he let himself fall into the enjoyment of not having to do this himself, Orion nearby and the sure hands, Megatron spoke slowly but with strength thrumming underneath the quiet rumble. "That if you feel up to it, we could attempt a few tests later of how we'd fit together taking this further. Not immediately, of course."

[ichooseboth]

Giving Megatron's leg a teasing pat, Orion quickly resumed painting. They had delayed a great deal, and he truly didn't want to make him late.

He didn't stop painting at Megatron's words, but he did briefly side-eye the larger mech from his position, stooped over the gladiator's huge shin plates.

"...Oh? And what sort of 'tests' do you propose?"

[lordmegatron]

"Merely what I've mentioned before," Megatron said as he shifted his weight to lean back on one hand instead of two as he gestured with the other. "I'd say to skip the part where you'll be in my position, but it's probably far safer to do it properly than skipping steps, regardless of if you actually need it or not."

He didn't believe Orion needed it from a standpoint of seeing if he liked it or not, because he probably wouldn't, and Megatron was pretty sure it'd take more than just that to make Orion understand the responsibility. Considering his actual misgivings when they'd first discussed it, Megatron was tempted to skip it, but Orion might hopefully be able to use it later if not immediately, to compare and contrast and pick up what was needed from it.

"And then just to see how you feel about a scene being in the position you'd actually be in if we'd go further than that." He quirked a slight smile at that. Orion would probably like it perfectly well, but he'd probably need reassuring... Which might be more of an issue - Megatron wasn't used to reassuring, but he'd do his best.

And, hopefully Orion would be able to lend his care if - when - Megatron might need it after a scene or two. He didn't often need the after care, but sometimes...

[ichooseboth]

"That...might be workable."

Orion frowned slightly; he certainly hadn't been looking forward to the scenes involving himself in the position 'other' than what he was coming to realize he preferred, but 'skipping steps' didn't seem terribly wise.

But Megatron was the expert in all of this, after all.

"I can't exactly say I'll be any good either way, but sure? What sort of- ah - scene did you have in mind?"

[lordmegatron]

"For you, nothing complicated. I'm basically going to have you kneeling. We'll keep it short, because I'm pretty sure you'll get an idea either way." He didn't say he thought that Orion probably wouldn't get the right idea right off the bat. He also vaguely wondered how Orion would react to having a dom's attitude levied at him - Megatron was perfectly capable of it, just knew he shouldn't do it for an extended period of time... and relaxed far more in the submissive role.

He was okay with that.

"And as for your skill, I assure you, everybody starts somewhere and while some are natural talents and learn extremely quickly, they'll still need to be corrected every now and then. Others might take longer to learn and still be just as capable in the end as the first type," Megatron said with another dismissive wave of his hand.

Again, he was pretty sure that for some - or even most - things, Orion would be in the first category, and for others... in the latter.

"As for me..." He trailed off, grunting a little. "Probably start similar to yours, because it's a good place to start. After that... it depends a little on what time of day it is and what we have on hand, and what feels good for either of us." Depending on how it went, he might broach the thought of leading it into sexual territory immediately, but on the other hand, it might also be good to keep it apart at least for the first time.

He was used to letting go in private quarters, which only part of the time had anything to do with something regarding interface. He enjoyed the orders that basically had him fetching or caring for his dom as much as those that had his dom caring for him.

The only thing he never liked and which especially his first had used as punishment, was cleaning. He was not a cleaner, for Primus' sake.

[ichooseboth]

Other than a tense twitch of his audials, Orion didn't physically object; though his frown still deepened.

"...If you think it is necessary..."

His sigh wasn't very unenthusiastic, and with a final spurt of the airbrush, he finished up the first leg deco.

"...There. Next leg, please." He eased Megatron's huge foot out of his lap, stooping to reach the other.

[lordmegatron]

"If I actually thought it might do you harm and you'd learn nothing from it, I wouldn't suggest it. I'm pretty sure you could do reasonably well without it, but," Megatron paused momentarily and shifted sideways so that Orion could reach the side of the leg he needed to, "sometimes you end up realising a few things about yourself when put in situations you're unfamiliar with."

Megatron's smile was dry, and there was definitely a shade of 'I know because that happened to me'. Better they find out early if such a position would affect Orion or draw something in particular out than it building and being pulled out later.

[ichooseboth]

Placing Megatron's other foot up in his lap, Orion listened with half an audial; he really wasn't enthused with what Megatron was discussing. The main reason he wasn't objecting outright, beside Megatron's greater knowledge on the 'subject', was that it had a innate measure of...'fairness' that soothed some of his internal objections about the entire hypothetical side to their relationship.

If Megatron wanted to kneel at his feet, it was only fair that Orion do it at least once.

Right?

Even if it made his internal mechanisms squirm uncomfortably.

"...I can imagine so." Orion sighed and nodded, resuming his painting. He was getting faster with the decals and details, at least.

"You sound like you learned from experience?"

[lordmegatron]

"Indeed I did," Megatron said, dry enough to make paint shrivel up and flake off. He quirked a smile, but it was more sharp than dry or even guilty. "I was having... ah, difficulties accepting what actually gave me the most out of a relationship like that, and, after a few pointers I was given the chance to do what we're going to have you do... though in reverse."

Grunting quietly, Megatron paused and briefly looked away. He wasn't really feeling guilty over it, more annoyed and frustrated he had failed to be able to stand on both sides with equal skill.

"My dom at the time was going to do this sooner or later, of course, but either way, the point is that we'll keep it short not just for you, Orion." Optics darkening, Megatron looked back at the smaller mech that had one of Megatron's legs in his lap. "The longer a scene goes on, I tend to lose the correct focus of a proper dom. I can manage it in short bursts, but I'm not going to repeat the mistake of what I did to the third in my relationship of the time." He was not going to repeat that mistake, especially not with a mech as unfamiliar with this lifestyle as Orion was.

"It did not cause any damage or resentment then, and it mostly bruised my ego at my failure, but given your inexperience I don't want to chance anything. You... meant too much for that." Shrugging, Megatron's smile was lopsided and faint, but the glow of his optics was far more sincere.

He was... a shade... nervous, but he wouldn't let that show. Hopefully that knowledge wouldn't chase Orion off. He could understand if Orion would prefer to simply refuse to have anything to do with that, but he would at least hope he wouldn't leave.

[ichooseboth]

At least it would speed up the drying time. Orion merely paused in his work yet again, lifting an optic ridge in question.

"...I'm sure this might be a stupid question, but I'm afraid I have to ask anyway since I really don't grasp your meaning. How does one...'lose focus' in such a- ah, situation?"

Orion frowned, obviously perplexed as the darker implications flew right over his helm.

[lordmegatron]

The smile that slid over Megatron's faceplate at that wasn't mocking, merely sharp, and he reached out to briefly squeeze Orion's shoulder. In some things, the mech was very... ah, innocent. And not just because he was unfamiliar with the ins and outs of this particular topic.

"I don't meant losing focus as in letting your thoughts wander. Domming, Orion, requires you keep the submissive's comfort and limits in mind at all times. If you at any point forget to put that and their needs before your wants..." He shrugged, optics darkening.

He knew he could lead perfectly well, and he was a passable dominant... as long as he didn't forget what he wasn't supposed to forget, which perhaps meant he'd need somebody to check him. But listening to something like that...

Megatron shook his helm and met Orion's optics.

[ichooseboth]

He nodded at the touch, suddenly awkward and somewhat embarrassed.

"Ah."

Orion went silent for a long moment, audials twitching in thought as he dropped his optics to stare at his ongoing artwork rather than to hold Megatron's stare; silently debating continuing the line of questioning.

In the end, his innate curiosity and stubborn desire to actually learn more about all this madness won out.

"...I assume, since you mentioned damage, it ended badly? Or could have?"

The risk of accidentally harming a partner had not occurred to him since the very beginning, when Orion had first learned of the strange sort of concent rules underwritten in the entire style of relationship.

[lordmegatron]

Megatron stayed quiet, and when Orion's gaze dropped, let his own wander up towards the ceiling, optics dimming. The question was expected, but at least it seemed... open enough.

"Could have, yes. Besides the fact that there was a third party present that cut things short because he knew what to look for, I am not the type of individual to ignore a safe word, which would've ended up being used," Megatron said with a grunt and shook his helm.

"Not because I was actively inflicting harm with my loss of proper focus yet, but because Shadowplunge was experienced and knew both his own limits, and what was happening, and knew to put a stop to it before it could go that far."

It was still a sore point, but he'd learned from it - knew not to put himself in the position, or if he did, only with experienced submissives who could and would use their safeword with confidence.

He was no Maul, but he wasn't exactly proper dominant material either.

[ichooseboth]

"The fact that you could - and were willing to - call a halt in the middle of things says a lot about your personal restraint, at least."

Orion's lips twitched, and he glanced up, a hint of teasing returning to his tone and expression as he met Megatron's optics.

"I er. Still can't exactly yet imagine how such a seemingly small thing would make such an obvious difference 'in the act', when Some of the stuff I watched..."

His uneasiness was thankfully slipping away as fast as it had arrived, even as he made faces at the memory of some of his 'research file browsing."

[lordmegatron]

Smiling at Orion, Megatron chuckled and didn't bother to reply to that. He did have some restraint, yes, and no wis´h to hurt people who were important to him.

Orion's question brought another, more lopsided, grin to Megatron's faceplate as he reached out and tapped Orion's crest.

"Consent, Orion. It's all about consent and what has been agreed upon. Unless you stumbled into... less savory parts and found such things that ignore that, in which case it's not the same thing as what we're talking about now any longer." Optics darkening, Megatron hoped that Orion hadn't managed to trip into the truly dark parts of certain sparks' imagination and proclivities, and it was merely his... hm, proper nature and lack of knowledge that made it look worse than it was.

"As long as everybody has agreed to what's going on, while it might look terrible, no one's getting truly hurt."

... After a fashion, considering some practises did involve actual injury.