Sex with Ashley is not going to be difficult. He can do this. 

Lindsay beams up at him until they're definitely alone and then lets his face show — he's still smiling, but not quite so radiant as he was. 

"You're still very beautiful."

He lets his eyes rake over Ashley. "So are you." 

"I think-- I don't know you very well at all, but perhaps someday I could love you."

"I hope you can," he says honestly. "...I hope we can." 

"I do as well." He sits next to Lindsay on the bed, kisses his forehead, and tucks a lock of hair behind his ear. "I do not intend to be faithful to you, and I do intend to often be a long time at sea. I do not object if you take lovers, as long as you are as discreet with your lovers as you were with the lovers you had before me, and not as discreet as you were with me."

He looks down at his knees and nods. 

(Leo, Leo, he can see Leo, he won't even have to be more careful than usual with his bruises —) 

"I'm moderately impressed."

"What with?" 

"When I slept with you, you were clearly not a virgin, yet when I asked around there wasn't a hint of scandal attached to your name. As far as the gossips were aware you spend all your time writing poetry."

"— ah." 

One can get away with nearly anything if it's with another submissive, he doesn't say. 

Ashley kisses him sweetly. "Keep your secrets, then."

Kissing Ashley is still wonderful. Lindsay puts his hands on Ashley's sides, moves closer to him. 

Ashley takes off the scarf modestly wrapped around Lindsay's neck and presses his fingers into the bruises. 

"I like that they're still there."

A soft pleased sound. "I do too." 

He bites one of the larger bruises.

"You're mine now. I can mark you up as much as I like."

"Please —" and Lindsay presses closer into him, "mark me up, show me off —" 

"I want to, you're beautiful, I want everyone to know that you're mine--"

Some of those bruises are fading. Ashley disapproves of that.

"Yours," he agrees, "yours, your Lindsay —" and he was going to say more but he breaks off into moaning when Ashley bites him. 

They've been talking a lot! Ashley will have to get him to moan a lot if he wants them to continue to have exchanged more moans that words!

He is very determined to try.

It isn't a surprise to anyone, least of all Lindsay, that Ashley is very, very good at making Lindsay moan. 

He bites up Lindsay's neck and jaw and ear and whispers in his ear, "I want you inside me."

He nods and presses into Ashley, not looking for friction so much as contact, and reaches up to undo Ashley's cravat. 

He helps Lindsay take off his cravat, then pulls off his shirt.

He is very, very good-looking.

...Lindsay might have to spend some time kissing Ashley's chest and shoulders.