Baltimore, Rawlings Conservatory, Saturday Afternoon

[myownface]

Oh, Sparkle was in a good mood. He'd had a place in mind in case of one of Leto's surprise visits for a while now, and it just so happened that said visit was going to coincide with his return from the ski trip (and surprise Christmas, damn him!) that he'd gone on with Atton. So Sparkle had called ahead to make certain they were even open to the public, and then had specifically asked about which areas of the conservatory had the most moisture in them, "because we've got someone here with respiratory issues."

Hey, a little white lie for the sake of Leto's comfort never hurt anyone, did it?

"Okay, so," he said, grinning as he practically skipped through the portal, "we want to avoid the Mediterranean house this time of year. They keep it wet and foggy for the benefit of the plants inside. And the tropical house is humid to the point of being misty in there. But there's a desert house which might have some plants you haven't seen, if you like, or an orchid room, which is, like, super colourful, and they make sure that everything that's on display is in bloom, or else they'll swap it out for another one. The palm house should be pretty okay, too, with big tall trees and flowers and things, but if you're not sure about it, we can skip that one."

And the outdoor public gardens, eh. They had trees in 'em, but they probably weren't quite the sight to behold in late December as they were in, like, mid-July.

[OOC: For that guy! NFB for off-islandness!]

Comments

[future_sandworm]

The comment made Leto laugh, and he remembered that he really liked Sparkle's shameless grins. He had seen it before, after all. "A good adventure by the sound of it." Perhaps good rather than adventurous, but that was beside the point. "And not too hot for you, I hope," he teased back.

[myownface]

"I can handle a little hot," Sparkle laughed right back, and that shamelessness was going absolutely nowhere for the time being. "It'll keep things interesting, right? That's what we're going for, isn't it?"

[future_sandworm]

"Interesting? Yes, so I hope." Leto was fairly good at looking serious when he made an effort to, and he did, because he had to match the shamelessness somehow. "And what else do you find interesting, apart from hot... food?"

A good change of topic from the climate situation on Arrakis, Leto thought.

[myownface]

"Oh, you know. The usual. Hot weather. Hot clothing if the weather is cold. Hot people..."

Somehow, the shamelessness was just getting more and more shameful. It was a rare talent, really.

[future_sandworm]

Leto leaned closer and lowered his voice: "The usual? Is that all?"

Talents shouldn't be wasted, should they?

[myownface]

"Oh, of course it isn't all," Sparkle replied, leaning in a little himself and whispering just loudly enough for Leto to hear. "I'm also a pretty big fan of hot kisses with those hot people. I mean, can anybody blame me?"

[future_sandworm]

"I'm certainly not blaming you," Leto whispered back, with an expression on his face that gave away nothing about the conversations content to passers by. "I merely think you're not aiming high enough."

[myownface]

"Should I be aiming for hotter, then?" Well, what Leto was managing with that expression that was giving nothing away, Sparkle was probably more than making up for with his own, all trouble and amusement and maybe just a touch of curiosity. "I'd have no complaints at all if we were going for hotter, here."

[future_sandworm]

Someone had to pretend that this was a completely innocent conversation after all, albeit one that needed to be whispered.

"I'd be sad if there were any complaints," he replied. "Which is why I ask, you see."

[myownface]

"No complaints whatsoever," Sparkle promised, licking his lips and leaning in just that tiny bit more. "I'm still perfectly happy to let things get every bit as hot as you want them to be."

[future_sandworm]

"It's good to know that we agree," Leto whispered back. He turned his head slightly, letting his lips brush against Sparkle's cheek and then kissed him. It was a light kiss only, as there were people walking past them, but Leto hoped Sparkle's imagination could compensate. Pulling back a little, he said: "You mentioned a palm house."

[And I really should sleep now]

[myownface]

Oh, Sparkle's imagination was quite happy to compensate. And then Sparkle was going to be quite thrilled to remind himself that they were spending the night together, and...

And come baaaack, Leto!

He only pouted a little when Leto pulled away, at least, giving him a look that said that he fully intended to pick up from there again later.

"I did," he agreed. "It's back the way we came, on the other side of the orchid room. Interested?"

[OOC: Sleep well!]

[future_sandworm]

Leto might not go for Sparkle's level of shameless look - not that he didn't like those - but the curve of the corner of his mouth and the raised eyebrow was meant to say that yes, he was deliberately teasing him.

"We're not in a hurry, are we?" he said. "I'll offer you a lot more than kisses tonight if you like, after all."

[myownface]

And just like that, Sparkle's pout gave way into another grin.

"No hurry, nah," he agreed. "I'm totally up for a casual stroll through the palm house, with a whole lot more than kisses to look forward to for later."

That actually sounded pretty awesome, right there. Sparkle was quite happy to be teased, just so long as it wasn't going to just end in frustration later on.

[future_sandworm]

What would be the point in that kind of teasing?

"Isn't there a saying in this time that good things come to those who wait?" Leto said with a laugh. At least it gave time for imagination, and that was usually a good thing.

He slowly began to walk towards the door, while offering Sparkle a rather mischievous look.

[myownface]

... You know, watching Leto walk away with that look on his face was possibly one of Sparkle's favourite things in the world? It took him a moment to kick his legs into gear to follow after Leto, mostly because he needed to take a few seconds to appreciate the view.

"Somebody says that somewhere, I'm sure. I'm a bigger fan of the whole carpe diem, seize the day thing, personally."

[future_sandworm]

"If I'm honest I'm not going to contradict you there," Leto admitted, and if Sparkle was going to look at him like that, Leto wasn't going to give him reason to stop.

While he certainly had opportunities to meet with attractive people at home, his position almost always meant that whoever it was saw the emperor and not the man behind the myth he was playing. That no longer held much interest, unlike this.

He stopped for a moment to let Sparkle catch up with him, then added: "I think the last time I saw palm trees was one of the trips the school arranged." Such a long time ago, it seemed.