"Well, damn. I'll still have my omni-tool scanning for useful resources... I suppose we could make do with coal, not for the immediate problem but when it comes to getting this planet up to a decent standard of living... coal, though." He makes a face.

"What's wrong with coal? I know of a few coal mines along the way."

"Coal is - one of the worst things you can use for energy, on an industrial scale. It creates toxic waste, the smoke is horrible for people - if a global population uses coal for any significant length of time, the planet will be harmed irreparably. I don't know if this planet even has eezo, though, and in its absence there aren't a lot of great options. If we find plutonium, I'll be over the moon."

"Over the—that is such a strange expression and I understood it."

"This translation magic is endlessly delightful, yes. I wonder... this is a long shot, but do you know of any stones that cause sickness in people who are exposed to them for a long time? Not even eating or touching them, just being around them."

"There are places that exude corruption... but it affects you very quickly, you do not need to spend a long time around these places to start feeling the effects."

"Enough radioactive material could cause acute radiation sickness! You'll have to take me on a field trip sometime. I'll give you a suit like mine to resist the radiation, I'm sure you'd fill it out."

Was that too much. Tintin blushes just in case. 

"Fill it out...?"

"Um. You'd look good in it. Your muscles. And. Everything else."

this was a mistake

"Oh," says Taharqi, and Raziya bursts out laughing.

    "Do the two of you need some time for yourselves?"

"We are not stopping our walk for this, we'll have plenty of opportunity to spend time together at any planned stops for food or rest," says Taharqi firmly. He is eyeing Tintin with naked interest, though.

    "Oh, me and my, I think I hunger," says Raziya, putting a hand on her forehead. "Perhaps we should take a break now for food. And rest."

        Horan makes a very hyena-like laughing sound.

"Yes, yes, everyone get a good laugh," Tintin says, his cheeks and ears beet-red. "Because apparently I haven't gotten any better at flirting since college."

"Do you want to take a break for food and rest?" Taharqi asks, a half-smile forming on the corner of his mouth. "And then maybe you could learn a thing or two about our culture's understanding of clothes and the appropriate amount thereof."

Raziya seems torn between amused and slightly irritated. Amusement is winning out, though.

"Well - I could eat, certainly, I'm not exactly -"

The rest of Taharqi's statement catches up to him and he has a short but intense coughing fit. "I - um, here?"

"...well I suppose we could walk a little bit longer? I do not think the scenery is likely to change much, though, it is grass all along the way."

"I." He shakes himself slightly. "If we're going to - jump right into things - I'd prefer we do it... in private?"

It takes Taharqi a few seconds but then it clicks. "Oh, right, you said your, ah, people have something about sex and privacy?"

    "That's not that weird," says Raziya. "Many people prefer privacy."

"Hmm. Maybe I am ill-accustomed with Kush."

    "And the Exiled Lands, yes, where men live and mate like beasts," she sighs.

"You say that as if it was a bad thing."

    She raises an eyebrow at him. "You are going to need more than that to impress me."

"Oh, thank God, I thought I might have to explain the concept on my own. I'm not used to - performing for an audience."

His shoulders slump slightly. "Or, um, at all, really. So if you're looking for - someone who knows what he's doing..."

Now both of them are looking at him. "Wait, never? Not once?" And why, pray tell, does that excite Taharqi? He does not know, but he is honestly not complaining.

"...no. I haven't been - living under a rock - there've been opportunities - but. Nothing panned out."

Tintin does not notice that Taharqi is excited, because he is looking at his own feet. 

"I say we take our break now and get that sorted out," declares Taharqi.

    "Oh good my feet are actually killing me," says Raziya.

"You probably have something about inviting more people to join, too, right?" the Kushite asks of Tintin.

    "Who says I would want to?" she snaps.

"I said invite, you can refuse if you want. But I cannot say I would not enjoy the taste of you, too."

    "...hmpf."

"I... yes, I would rather not complicate matters, and besides that I'm not attracted to women so it'd definitely be for your sake more than mine."

"Oh, so you're like Sendhei."

    "I am pretty sure Sendhei is at least a little bit attracted to women."

"Well, to hear him tell it it was that or his own hand."

    "...not untrue," Raziya admits.

"Well, sure, I'm fine with that." He grins at Tintin. "And I am sure I have much to learn from you, nonetheless."

Tintin wonders if he should - kiss Taharqi, or take his suit off, or something. Instead of doing any of that, he stands there awkwardly and tries not to dissociate. 

Well since it seems that they are not walking anymore, and also it seems that Tintin is tying himself up in knots, Taharqi will step over to him to lift his chin up and kiss him.

...and his other hand is now getting firmly acquainted with Tintin's right buttock.

Oh! Oh, this is pleasant. 

Tintin kisses back, inexpertly but with good instincts and clear enthusiasm. The hand on his ass is unexpectedly pleasant. (Tintin has an ass that thoroughly belies his skinny frame. It's truly one of the wonders of nature.)

He doesn't return the favor; his hands end up somewhere around Taharqi's shoulderblades.