Re: [Outside Vade: Atticus/Steve]
The kiss to his knuckles was new. Atticus didn't draw back. Quirked a brow. Was better at simple affection than he had been at the offset. Blame a solitary life with very little human contact in a physical sense. The haunts, the woman in particular, had always been very possessive. Atticus had, as a child, shied away from even his mother's attention. Belatedly wished he could talk to his parents, explain, even if they thought he was crazy. Had started to wonder recently if they'd moved to Repose, with all its oddity, because it was strange. Would never know.
Didn't bristle at Steve's tone of correction. "They. If Janus can articulate that desire, then I'll do that. Have tried to get that answer for years, Steve. Won't give me anything. Not going to guess. Tired of the game. Janus makes me feel like I'm forcing maleness on him. Tired of that too. Can be whatever he, she wants to be. Have told both versions of him that. Insists I want a male. It's true that, in a relationship sense, I'm not attracted to women. Doesn't mean that hiding when he's a woman is the solution." Atticus was much too old for that solution. But, the smaller elephant in the room caused Atticus to chuckle, even though there wasn't any mirth to it. "Dating them? Went on one date with Janus. Over a year ago. Nothing physical with us. Don't sleep together. Don't go out. Can't even talk. Don't think I'm dating Janus now. Do you?" Shook his head. Glanced over. "Glad you want me. Want you too," he said plainly. "Would like Janus to be part of that, but Janus is scared of me. Without you as mediator nothing is ever going to work with us." Acknowledged: "Know being a mediator must suck."