"You're a very complicated little man," Ari muses. "You couldn't speak when I asked which room you wanted to fuck in, but when I tease, you bite back... except when I hit a nerve. You didn't hit it off with anyone, and I overheard you say to Stephen that you couldn't stand the time limit because you can't say anything meaningful, and yet you seemed to imprint on me after fifteen seconds. You could just be shallow, I suppose, going after me because I'm attractive and a foot taller than you... but I don't get that impression, and I'm good at reading people. I think perhaps you just know what you want, and that I can give it to you."

"You seem to have put a great deal of thought into this," Tintin mutters. "I can't say I've done the same."

"And the kitten shows his claws again," Ari notes. He turns a corner, pulling Tintin behind him.

They walk through the halls, passing a number of people on the way. Most of the people are entirely unfazed by the sight of Ari dragging along a man half his size by his soaked-through pants. Some grin. One stops Ari for a short conversation, treating Tintin as if he weren't there, until Ari begs off with a nod towards his captive.

Eventually, they reach Ari's room. He presses his thumb to a keypad, and the door opens. He pulls Tintin through and, once the door has closed again, releases his thumb from the belt-loop.

"Alright," Ari says cheerfully. "Now we're going to negotiate."

"Negotiate... what?"

"Everything. First of all, what are you comfortable with?"

"I have no idea what you mean."

"...like, sexually. Do you want to suck my cock? Do you want me to fuck you? Are you comfortable being on the bottom at all, should I be riding you - that sort of thing."

"I had kind of assumed you were dragging me to your room to have your way with me."

"I was! And I will have my way with you as soon as I know what you'll enjoy. Really, I just want to know what you're looking to get out of this and anything you don't want to do."

Tintin feels - small, and lost. "I... I don't know what I'm looking for. That's why I'm here. Can't you just..."

He doesn't know how to complete the sentence.

Ari hugs him.

Tintin stiffens in his arms, then slumps, tears welling in his eyes. "I. I don't want to just... I want to get it over with, I don't want - hugs and understanding and - therapy."

"Hugs are nice. And therapy's nice too, if you get the right kind. And 'getting it over with' sounds kind of a terrible way to think about sex."

Ari's rubbing his back. "...you haven't had sex before, right? It's a different problem if you have, I think."

"...no," he says sullenly. "I was hoping to change that."

"I can understand that. If you can demonstrate a preference, I'll even help with it."

He grits his teeth and speaks very carefully. "Please fuck me. I want you to fuck me. I want your cock inside my body."

"...okay, I'm not feeling super comfortable with this. You sound miserable. It's not hot. Can I dom you into seeing one of the therapists? Is that a thing I can do?"

"You promised," Tintin says petulantly, like a little kid who just got told he can't have dessert.

"Consent can be revoked. Seriously, I want you to see one of the therapists before you get hurt. Then we can renegotiate. Okay? We can keep hugging if you want, but I'm not fucking you right now."

"...okay. I want to keep hugging."

Ari keeps hugging. "I'm sorry. I know you were excited. But - I'm not comfortable domming you if you're this fucked up about it. I don't want to hurt anybody, especially not like this."

"...and I don't get to decide that I can take it."

"You don't get to decide that I can take it if you're wrong."

"I guess that's fair."

Tintin sighs heavily. "Could... could you bring me to wherever the therapy happens? So I'm not- alone?"

"Absolutely. Do you want to hold hands along the way?"