"...Actually now that I think about it school is really bad for Sasha so that's probably fine. But poetry makes Sasha really happy and it is sad that you don't get to have that. Unless you're about to tell me that you're an expert in Haladalusian sand-sculpture or something, then I will retract my sympathy."

"...I don't not have it, I'm just — not really an expert in anything. It happens when everything you know is self-taught and," he hesitates for a moment, debates whether to get into the actually tragic parts of his backstory, "you can't find holos." 

"I don't know what a holo is."

"You take a recording of something and you can play back the sound and visuals later?" 

"Oh, we call that video. Weird that the bar didn't translate that, but okay."

"Yeah. — the point I was trying to make is that there are a lot of very beautiful things and I haven't had the chance to learn about many of them but that doesn't mean I haven't had the chance to see them." 

"...I want to give you a hug."

Seku hugs him. 

He isn't so touch-starved anymore, he has Elvee. It's still something he's missed. It's still — different, when it's another warm body. 

"Your hair looks soft." 

"You can touch it."

"Oh," and Lev will recognize this smile; it makes Seku's eyes crinkle and his shoulders curl forward, "it is soft," and his lekku curl around Lev's back, push him closer. 

"You smile like him."

"And you smile like you." He has the same eyes as Sasha, if Lev looks. 

Lev is so going to cooperate with being pushed closer by head tentacle things attached to an AU version of his boyfriend.

This is the best day.

"Do we maybe want to be somewhere where it's easier to sit down — or lie down, I guess —" 

"Yes, please."

Good. 

Seku has stayed in bars before although never when he was the one handling logistics; does this bar have a room they can stay in? 

It does! 

Lev pays for a really nice room.

And then they can cuddle on a bed. 

They can!

For now he's just going to enjoy pressing up against his boyfriend, who is for some reason a purple alien with head tentacles. 

Yesgood. It's still kind of strange to be touched by someone who isn't pushing them further, especially since Lev unlike Elvee actually wants to go further, but it's — nice. Seku could get used to this. (He shouldn't, but he could.) 

"Can I touch your head tentacles?"

"They're called lekku. And yes." 

He runs his fingers along them softly and with great attention.

"You're beautiful."

He gasps and shudders and — his torso curls inward involuntarily, he presses up into Lev's touch the same way Sasha does when Lev touches his neck, his scalp, his thighs. 

Oh god that's so hot.

Lev keeps stroking them.