InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "I'm imaging you as a turnip."

emily roland | temeraire (idealises) wrote in valloic,
@ 2023-09-30 18:29:00

Entry tags:

!: action/thread/log, ₴ inactive: emily roland, ₴ inactive: temeraire

Who: Temeraire & Emily Roland
What: Temeraire decides to question Emily on the purpose of kissing
Rating: Genera/Teen(?)
Status: Complete

“Emily,” Temeraire said, looking up from his book. “Have you ever kissed anyone?”

It was the weekend, and although he had a list of books a mile long he wanted to read on subjects which ranged all the way from eighteenth century politics to quantum physics, he was for once treating himself to a rare novel. Even in human form he found that his favourite position for reading was lying on his stomach with the book open on the floor in front of him, and he had piled quite a lot of cushions around to make it even more comfortable. All in all it was a very pleasant way to spend an afternoon. It was even nicer for the company, even though Roland was never as interested in discussing books as Laurence was.

Emily had found herself in the Pavillion, enjoying the company of her friend. That was perhaps one of the strangest parts of Vallo, being able to interact with Temeraire in a human form. Once she had managed to wrap her head around it, she found that it wasn’t actually that bad - far from it - and it was certainly not one of the stranger things she had encountered here in Vallo. He seemed to enjoy having the ability to appear as a human, from what she could tell.

She had found herself scrolling through her phone, looking at the various updates on the network when his question took her by surprise. “I have,” she told him. “Demane actually,” she admitted. “Why do you ask?”

Temeraire held up the book he was reading. “It is called Pride and Prejudice,” he explained. “It will be published very soon, back home, and it is very good. Only it does make me wonder why humans place so much importance on, what seems to me, only another kind of touch. It doesn’t help to make eggs, anyway.” He hesitated, and then added, after a moment’s consideration, “does it?”

Of course it was a question like that. Emily, really wasn’t surprised, Temeraire always was curious about new things he hadn’t experienced and even back home as a dragon. She never really understood it but she was willing to support her friend in his endeavours however she could. “What is it about?” she asked curiously. “We can kiss without producing eggs but according to my mother it can help get in the mood to produce eggs,” she explained cautiously, a blush spreading over her cheeks. “Did you and Iskierka have to do anything before….” she trailed off not sure how to ask the question. Plus she was sure her face was on the verge of being on fire she was that embarrassed.

“Well, it is different with dragons,” Temeraire said, drumming his fingers on the rug in a similar way to how he liked to tap his claws. “And Iskierka would make it difficult with all her spines, and so on. But perhaps kissing is similar to how I spent time with Mei, which was very pleasant. Only I am sure Mei would say it was not appropriate to do such things in front of other people, and humans do not mind kissing where others can see.”

Emily let out a small laugh. “If Iskierka wasn't making problems I would be worried,” she admitted. “I don’t actually know what you did with Mei,” she admitted. “At home I don’t imagine people would kiss beyond a friendly greeting or farewell in front of other people. The other type of kissing is most certainly done in private.”

Yes, her face was certainly on fire now.

“Oh, there are other types of kissing?” Temeraire’s curiosity was piqued. “You mean different methods? What is so much more shocking about the other kind that you have to do it in private?”

How does Emily even begin to explain it? “You have seen couples kiss on the lips before? There is that and then there is the kiss between chosen friends and family that is a lot quicker and can be on the cheek instead?”

“Well, yes,” Temeraire admitted, after some thought. He had after all seen Laurence kiss Lan Xichen, which now that he thought about it was quite different to how he kissed his mother, for example. But now he was preoccupied that there might be some secret third kind to which he had not yet been exposed. “I would like to try,” he said, sighing, “only to know what all the fuss is about, but I suppose it would be out of the question? One must be…” he considered his book again for a moment, idly flipping pages, “in love, to do the second kind of kissing?”

Emily wasn’t at all surprised that Temeraire wanted to experiment and experience it for himself. “You might want to talk to Abi or someone else from this time, I think things are more relaxed for some of them. I would not personally do it if I did not like the person very much and wanted to consider a relationship and marriage with them, but I have seen others kiss who do not think of these things,” she replied carefully. “I think, if as what you say, that book was published not to far into our future at home then the characters might believe the same way I do which might not reflect other people’s views here if that makes sense?”

“Well, Abi is in love with Nick, I think,” Temeraire said. He knew enough about humans that it was certainly not done to kiss someone who was already in a relationship, at the risk of offending the third party. And he liked Nick, even if he was not around just at the moment.

“Yes, but she could give you more information given she is from a similar time to this one?” Emily suggested. She made a note to apologise to Abi in advance if Temeraire actually did go through and ask her about this.

“It just seems very silly that it all has to be so complicated. I must say I did not appreciate how complex it all was until I could become human myself.”

“It is complicated, I still don’t have any real idea about anything of it. I’m not sure anyone has an idea, at least people around our age.”

Temeraire sighed, resigning himself to not being able to complete his experiment. “It is a good book though,” he said, cheering himself at least momentarily once more by invoking the joy of reading. “I think you would like it. Elizabeth is a lot like you, I think, even if she does wear skirts, and I do not think she knows how to use a sword at all.”

“You think so?” she asked surprised. Emily never had been a big reader but she did trust Temeraire. “If you really think so, I will give it a try but I do not make any promises about reading it in full.”

“I could read it aloud to you, if you prefer?” Temeraire suggested hopefully. “I do not mind starting over.”

"I think I should be the one asking if you don't mind starting again," Emily said with a smile. "If you want to, that could be very fun."