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]

Orion tried not to tense up. Leaning into Megatron's touch was second-nature at this point, but his own apprehension over their coming 'experiment' made the touch less welcome than he would have liked.

"Er. Right. I think I understand."

Deep vents, Orion.

"And anything sufficiently 'unusual' for the...safe word, then? I remember that much from the...ah, videos."

[lordmegatron]

Picking up on Orion's sudden tension wasn't too hard, and after another squeeze to the wheel, Megatron let go and rested both his hands on the back of the seat instead.

"Exactly. It needs to be, so that it can't be accidentally taken for something else, or, in the case of somebody behaving like they shouldn't, they can't claim they misunderstood the use of the safeword." He paused, fingers tapping against the back of the couch. "It's the reason gags should never cover the comm. suite as well. And if you ever see someone make that suggestion you'll know something is wrong, and there's absolutely nothing wrong in stepping up and asking if things are as they should be."

Megatron slowly shook his helm, trying to recall the various talks he'd had with the first ones he'd been involved in, but he was, he thought, hitting the important points.

"Mine's oxidane," he said with a faintly fond chuckle, having been able to keep it since the first time. "Since it's a chemical compound we don't really have here on Cybertron and neither I nor the ones I've been involved with so far have been scientists that have any reason to work with it."

[ichooseboth]

It helped somewhat, but given the coming event, Megatron's continued 'looming' didn't have the usual comforting connotations it usually had.

"That all sounds...reasonable," Orion agreed, thinking on the matter himself for a moment. At least it was a distraction.

"I suppose 'carbonate' works, if you don't mind my continuation of the theme. I'm hardly a chemist, and if something like that comes up during...something like this, some thing is clearly wrong as it is."

His smile was rather wry, but at least he made the attempt.

[lordmegatron]

Laughing quietly, Megatron shook his helm and then leaned down to press his lips against an audial finial.

"No, I don't mind. It works perfectly well." He straightened up then and, with a glance at the vid-screen still displaying the game, decided to let it be for the moment. It was a distraction - more for Orion than him - but it could be used as a non-threatening part of later.

So when he pushed away from where he'd been standing and rounded the couch and table to one of the two chairs opposite, he ignored the flickering vid-screen and just sat down. Looking Orion up and down, he met his optics with a lopsided, if soft, grin.

"Right. Turn off your optics, Orion, and no, we haven't started yet, I'm going to tell you when we do. Just turn them off and try to concentrate on your own frame for a few moments." He merely needed to remain in control, not just of the situation, but himself for maybe two breems.

It was, actually, harder than it sounded, because when he got into the mindset, it was easy to fall to the thoughts that it was all for him and that was how it should be, no matter what else.

It was dangerous but worksable elsewhere, but in a situation like this it made him a bad dom in the long run. But he would manage for two breems - or break it off before that, because he was determined to merely make sure Orion understood what he needed to and not mess it up.

[ichooseboth]

After giving a nod, Orion could only watch as Megatron moved across from him, tension and apprehension making the moment seem to drag on.

They had rules.

They had a 'safe word'.

His audials still twitched at the not-yet-a-command. Right. He could follow that suggestion.

"...Right then."

Giving Megatron a final, hesitant glance, Orion offlined his optics with a frown and attempted to focus on his own frame.

All he could really notice was how nervous he was.

[lordmegatron]

Megatron let the seconds stretch into a klik as he kept still, aware waiting too long wasn't a good idea, but starting immediately was probably not the best course of action either.

He thought, anyway, but Orion's nervousness would hardly abate. It was even understandable, because what they would be doing wasn't from the end Orion had (unconsciously mostly, so far) shown any, ah, interest in.

The first time this happened for Megatron, he'd obviously been nervous too, but it'd settled quickly. Perhaps they should start in the other end, but he had a distinct feeling that Orion might settle better if he found it wasn't terrible on that end.

He wouldn't like it, most likely, but finding out it did no harm might make him relax more later.

It was, at least, Megatron's hope.

With a grunt, he let go of his EM field, pushing it out with nearly the same determination and aggression he would in the arena, a pratical demand for submission, to give up.

"All right, Orion. This will last for two breems after I stop talking. Keep your optics off and after I finish speaking, you count to five seconds, then stand up, hands behind your back, left wrist gripped by your right hand, turn on your optics and fix the gaze on the table. Unless I tell you to, don't raise your gaze. Unless I tell you to, or ask, you don't say anything unless you need to use your safe word. Understood?" There was no asking, no suggestion in Megatron's tone this time.

This was a demand that expected to be followed, pitch dropping into a rumbling slide that carried further than the tone would suggest - he used it for speeches a lot, though obviously with a different... inflection.

[ichooseboth]

Almost immediately, Orion had to temper down his own field's response, wavelengths going jagged with nerves and irritation against the sudden, aggressive flare of Megatron's.

It was the same sort of aggressive flare from larger, unscrupulous mechs that he had countered in the past with bursts of his own, even back when he was keeping his field suppressed the majority of the time. The reminder of old confrontations didn't do anything to help make the situation any more palatable.

He made a face at the commands, nasal ridge scrunching with distaste. He knew intellectually that the minute details in them were suppose to give him the 'feel' of being on this 'end' of things, but the micromanaging feel only made him want to balk in irritation. But he used those five seconds to huff out a grumbly vent and regain his calm and control. He was going to try this. He'd agreed, after all. Maybe it got better once you got used to it?

...Oh. Right. Five seconds, and Megatron actually seemed to want an answer.

"...Right. Yes."

He stood up, hands going behind his back as he reached for his left wrist with his right hand, optics onlining and falling into the table. He didn't even try looking at Megatron - not truly because of the commands, but because he wasn't sure he could keep his expression neutral if he looked him in the face.

Even if he was morbidly curious about what Megatron looked like right then.

[lordmegatron]

He would not give in and laugh at all the minute shifts of armour bristling or the telling aborted flare outwards of Orion's field. Or the scrunch to Orion's nasal ridge, either.

Properly, any one of these things would be grounds for some sort of punishment, but it was better not to. That was, frankly, deeper than they needed to go with Orion on this end of things.

He also wouldn't give in to the urge to actually go through with any punishment, or give in to the whispers that said the mech was willfully challenging him and needed to be put in his place.

Megatron straightened and shifted his shoulders, slowly shaking his helm. He was experienced, self-aware and... reluctantly self-critical enough to now not just be able to see where he very quickly went wrong in this position, but also accept it.

He would handle it for this short time.

Because, Megatron thought with a faint smile creeping over his faceplates, Orion did look very charming with his helm angled slightly down and hands behind his back, at least affecting a proper stance.

But he knew perfectly well what Orion would probably be capable of in the position he had currently taken, and that weighed more heavily than the current display or even the thought of making him liking it.

And that was over a klik gone to just staring, poor Orion was probably getting antsy... Megatron kept his chuckle firmly squashed.

"Good. I want you to go over to the vid screen and turn it off manually, then come over here and kneel." He paused briefly, eyeing the gleaming red armour for a moment. "Remember where to keep your hands, unless you're using them."

Megatron was, actually, not just pulling this out of a thought of creating a simple, mundane scenario of typical instructions to let Orion get a feel of things and probably be able to compare to some of the things he'd read and seen in his... ah, research, but he was, also, pulling from his own first experience of where Orion was now.

It was simple, limited and straightforward.

Orion would probably still not like it by the end, but hopefully it'd help crystallise not just that even if he didn't like it, others might, but that things didn't necessarily need to be more complicated than this.

It might also give him a better idea for questions after they were done.

[ichooseboth]

Antsy was right.

The wait was almost as annoying for Orion as the bodily commands. He had to make a conscious decision to keep his feet from tapping; his antennae were already resetting their positions in impatience. In fact, the longer the wait went on, the more it made him want to bristle all over again. If Megatron thought he was going to play that sort of game, and just stand there-

Oh. Finally.

Safely hidden under his bowed helm, Orion's optics twitched when Megatron eventually spoke up.

Well. At least the command was simple enough.

Trying not to sigh, Orion did as Megatron commanded; hands still behind his back, he walked over to the vid screen and unclasped his hands long enough to manually turn it off. Hands re-clasped, he approached Megatron once again.

Perhaps it would be easier to tolerate, he wondered, if he focused on the 'mental game' aspect of it rather than the dominion. Keeping all the little aspects in place - head down, arms clasped, etc - could get tricky if he got distracted.

And he did agree to try. He wasn't going to 'fail' just because he forgot something or Megatron managed to trip him up somehow.

He wouldn't put it past him to try.

Still, the hardest part was to come. Jaw twitching with the urge to give Megatron some snappy remark, Orion simply bit his tongue and knelt, going down to his knees with a sigh.

[lordmegatron]

There was actually no game in trying to make Orion mess up. The fact that he was balking and digging his heels in and just not relaxing was just more proof that this was just not Orion's position.

It did, again, stir up some desire to make him like it, but Megatron, as he watched Orion cross the room, turn of the vid screen and then come up in front of him, squashed it.

Poor Orion. Megatron did his best not to let out the chuckle that wanted to escape as he watched the tension and struggle play out over Orion's frame before he knelt down. Really, there were a million little things so far he could have punished for, but that would, in this instance, just make things worse.

So, he didn't, and merely reached out, laying a hand on one of Orion's shoulder wheels and squeezed it - and then simply continued, a firm, slow kneading.

"Try to relax. Remember you don't have to do anything than what I tell you. Try to take that as liscense to let go." Eyeing Orion's bent helm, Megatron knew Orion wouldn't be able to follow that suggestion in the way he meant it. This time, he couldn't help the amused - but soft - smile. "Look at me, Orion."

[ichooseboth]

He twitched at the unexpected contact, but at the familiar kneading touch, Orion finally began to relax.

Just a hint though, and not nearly far enough to be truly comfortable. This really didn't seem to be his 'thing'.

Megatron's words didn't exactly help, and he was opening his mouth to say something waspish before he realized it. Jaw closing with an audible click, he had time to reflect silently that at least Megatron hadn't tried to make relaxing an 'order' - could he even try that? But it still made him realize he was relaxing and had to fight the urge to tense up all over again.

The true order was something he wanted to do, at least. Orion raised his helm almost immediately, successfully without uttering a word; instead settling for lifting a single optic ridge in impetuous, silent query.

[lordmegatron]

He shook his helm at the look, his smile widening into a grin as he settled his other hand on the empty wheel and started to massage it too. Oh, how he wanted... but no.

He had to keep his processor on what this hopefully would lead to, after they were done with this. As such, he just aimed an arch look at Orion in return and then leaned forward to press a kiss against his crest.

"You are lucky we're keeping this very, very basic, Orion," Megatron said with a chuckle, turning his helm to brush his lips over first one and then the other audial finial. "Perhaps both of us are, since having you kneeling isn't the actual aim of this, but either way..." Trailing off, Megatron straightened back up with a slightly lopsided smile, leaving one hand where it was on a wheel.

"Optics off, Orion."

Simple, and he'd either relax for the time remaining, or he'd start thinking even more about what was going on, what Megatron had just said, and what he'd seen during his research.

Either way, they'd talk more after this was done.

[ichooseboth]

He couldn't help but smile faintly when his crest was kissed, orders and unpleasant feelings or no. It was a calming reminder that 'his' Megatron was still there, and this exercise was just that.

Something temporary.

If still annoying as all pit.

If this was 'basic', he resolved then and there that he didn't want try anything more 'advanced' than this. Especially if it involved more annoyingly specific orders. Orion simply blinked once, optics rolling visibly upwards before the blue obediently went dark.

[lordmegatron]

More annoying orders, like punishment for delayed obedience and cheekiness?

Megatron felt his fingers twitch at the roll of Orion's optics before they went dark and all he wanted to do was give a firm pinch to an audial finial in reprimand, but - no.

Even if they'd discussed what was acceptable and not when obeying the orders given, punishments at this stage would probably just make Orion even less inclined to go forward, whichever position he'd occupy later.

And either way, he'd completely forgotten to discuss what was acceptable... bending... of obedience and what wasn't. Annoyance crept along his circuits, briefly making him tighten his grip on Orion's wheels before he relaxed. It wasn't surprising he'd forgotten about it, even if it rankled as yet another failure.

Well, he'd just have to talk about it after they were done with this, so Orion would know what he could do...

Biting off a grin at that thought as well as containing the faint shudder of his EM field, Megatron sat back, keeping only one hand on Orion's frame and letting it wander from wheel to helm and back down in slow, even strokes.

He also kept his field insistently flared out in an open, easy display of dominance as he kept part of his attention on the time ticking down and part of it on Orion himself.

[ichooseboth]

A pinch to an audial at that stage would have probably broken Orion right out of any pretense of obedience, so it was the right decision.

The flared, obviously dominant field was rather off-putting, but the touches he was blind to were both relaxing and even slightly arousing. When he managed to tune out the press of the field, at least.

The surprise and suspense of not knowing where Megatron would touch next was definitely something Orion could get used to enjoying in a more usual setting between them, and his engine began to purr faintly.

[lordmegatron]

Optic ridge arching a little at Orion's reaction as he actually began to relax, Megatron smiled faintly. Whatever else happened, he could certainly enjoy having Orion blind to what he was doing and have the mech enjoy it, if the reaction he was feeling and hearing was any indication.

Sensory deprivation was something he himself had some issues with, actually, but he was well-used to obeying orders that contained them and trusting his dom to take care of him - it still wasn't something that, in itself, would do much for him.

The trust he had to lay in his dom's hands, yes, but not the sensory deprivation. It was nice to see Orion liked it better than he did.

With a chuckle and just to add an edge to the last half breem that was left, Megatron lifted a foot and stretched his leg out, putting his foot on Orion's thigh, not quite touching his interface panel.

Just. Close.

Just a few more moments left.

[ichooseboth]

Orion had no real concept of trusting 'his dom'.

But he did trust Megatron, and that was enough. He continued to relax and purr, a faint smile making his lips twitch. The larger mech's foot ending up on his leg was something of a surprise, and he jumped faintly, mouth opening to grumble before he cut himself off.

Hrmph. Tease.

At least he had stopped watching the clock with impatience, instead resisting the urge to tilt his hips to the left to get that foot properly on his interface panel.

[lordmegatron]

He had to resist laughing at the jump, since even if it was faint he could feel the tension and twitch under his foot... and the tension of Orion almost tilting his hips forward and resisting it.

Yes, he was absolutely a terrible tease, but it amused him... and distracted Orion further, though at least not enough that he didn't forget to keep quiet... or actually move into the touch.

As the kliks slid down to seconds, Megatron leaned forward again and, as the two breems were up, brushed his lips against Orion's crest while he slid his foot forward enough to actually press against the interface panel.

"There. We're done." Straightening back up, Megatron held out one hand for Orion, the other lingering on his shoulder. Despite the very... tame two breems, Megatron stayed alert for whatever reaction Orion might have.

[ichooseboth]

'Oh, thank goodness.' as his first, instinctive thought, confirming the time through his internal chronometer.

Despite his tentative enjoyment of the last few moments and teasing touches, Orion let out a vent of stifled air, tension flowing out of suddenly sore shoulders as he onlined his optics.

Freeing himself of the orders was an honest relief. He hadn't realized how tense Megatron's field and orders had made him, and he leaned back to regain his footing almost immediately.

"...Well then. That was..." Standing up once more, Orion frowned, unsure of how to describe it.

[lordmegatron]

"Rather not do it again?" Megatron asked, voice dry and a slight arch to an upper optic ridge as he shifted back on the couch and then waved a hand at the opposite end of it, wordlessly offering Orion a seat.

Though, if he preferred to sit down elsewhere, that was all right too, but sitting down in general was probably a good idea for the discussion they needed and were going to have now.

Orion standing up also reminded him of tucking back his field to a more regular, social space instead of the widely flared width of a dominant's... or a gladiator in the ring.

It wasn't hard to see Orion had been tense the whole two breems, and Megatron could guess that no matter if they kept trying it this way or not, Orion would probably never relax.

It was a good thing they weren't necessarily going to keep trying this way, then.

[ichooseboth]

"...really rather not, no," Orion agreed with a huff. As Megatron's field retreated, his own flared out briefly, unconsciously reasserting, before both it and he relaxed a degree further.

Weight shifting from foot to foot as he shook the tension out of his limbs, the librarian couldn't help but feel restless and unsettled in the aftermath of their 'experiment'. He eyed the offered seat for a moment, before slowly shaking his head.

"...I'll stand, thanks."

Even if it was just a polite suggestion, he was suddenly quite determined to do as he wished, the point of being contrary if need be.

[lordmegatron]

Optics flickering, Megatron stared for a moment and then shook his helm. He wouldn't laugh. That would be rather terrible to do. But, it raised a question...

"Preferring to remain standing because you'd rather not be close to me currently, because I suggested you sit down, or because you're feeling restless... from what just went down?" Cocking his helm, there was no accusation in Megatron's voice, merely curiosity and maybe faint amusement.

And he hadn't missed the little flare of Orion's field either and he wouldn't be too amused over that either. He would be... well, all right, as patient and understanding as he could be and not laugh at the poor mech, at least.

But the brief little flare had him shifting in his seat slightly.

[ichooseboth]

"...the second two." Orion said hesitantly, as he slowly worked it out for himself.

He certainly wasn't following any more 'orders' or even suggestions today. Not to mention that standing allowed him to start to pace in front of the couch, burning off some of the tension and restless energy that had left him feeling itchy and unsettled.

Arms crossed over his chest and unaware of how much his audials were flicking back and forth, Orion eventually settled on circling the couch, field flaring occasionally.

[lordmegatron]

"That's---" He cut himself off and scrubbed a hand over his faceplate, having to mentally rearrange what he'd been about to say, while Orion started to pace. "Even if it had been the first that would have been understandable and... really, nothing wrong with that. I'm rather relieved it's the latter two, however," Megatron said with a grunt, unable to completely hide the disgrunt at the thought of it being the first.

What he wanted to do was stand up and... perhaps embrace the mech, but he wasn't sure that was the right action. He felt rather annoyed at not knowing how to properly do this part.

Following Orion's pacing, Megatron decided that remaining sitting might just be the best course of action - at least to start with.

"Orion, decide what to do with the field, please." He wouldn't usually use 'please' but perhaps it was just as well to do that now. The flaring was doing... itchy things with his plating and frame of mind, especially so close to having put himself into the dominant role. The constant back and forth challenged as much as made him want to kneel. "You're going to have to talk to me. I am not actually a mind reader."

[ichooseboth]

Orion glanced back at Megatron from behind the couch, frowning faintly. When he thought about it, the source of Megatron's worry was understandable.

He'd probably be worried in his place. Especially given the gladiator's already stated preferences.

He paused outright at the request, however, trying not to bristle. Again, it was reasonable, and at least he said please.

"...Fine."

But the fact that he asked for something at all immediately made him decide to leave his field flared out, letting it settle with a snort.

"Talk about what, exactly? Not sure what to say yet."