The Adventures of Older!Frederich and Older!Claude

"None of this mystic stuff is real," said Claude, frowning at the display window. "We came here for nothing, Frederich--this new store sucks. Guess we have to keep ordering stuff online."

Claude squeezed his lover's hand, sighing softly.

"I'm kind of hungry now, anyway--the food court's over there, wanna see if they have coffee?"

"I told you," Frederich insisted, shuffling towards the food court. There hadn't been a case in a while. Not a real case, anyway. People who suspected they were being haunted but weren't, other odds and ends. Demon cases, which Frederich gladly sent along to others.

"When we get home, I want to...nap," he said, though he didn't really want to sleep.

"Ah--I can sleep next to you, if you want?" he suggested, kissing Frederich on the cheek. It still felt kind of odd to have so much physical contact with someone, but he liked it nonetheless.

Frederich smiled slightly.

"No," he said, wondering the reaction he would get.

"Oh," he said, releasing Frederich's hand. "Sorry, I mean--that's fine, really, I just sometimes forget about your boundaries and, um...how about that coffee? Let's go find it. Gotta be a Starbucks in here, huh?"

"I meant 'no' as in there won't be much sleeping going on," Frederich replied, straight faced as always.

"...Oh," he said again, his eyes widening. "Oh, I, um..." He turned away from Frederich, suddenly very conscious of how dumb his expression must have looked.

"...We'd better get you that coffee then, huh?"

Frederich just smiled.

"If you want it to last," he replied, nodding slightly. "Then coffee is important."

"You like espresso, right?" he asked, fishing for his wallet. "We can get you a big one--I mean, if you want."

He casually glanced at the floor, silently berating himself for acting too eager. Scaring off Frederich wasn't an option.

"Shh," Frederich insisted, taking the wallet from him and staring down the sign at the store. After much longer than necessary, he decided on what to buy and paid, handing Claude his wallet back shortly after.

"You worry too much," he told him.

"Me? Worry?" he asked, smiling fakely. "What do you mean? I'm pretty collected, I'm told."

"And stop smiling when you don't mean it," he told him.

His smile faded.

"...Right. Let's get you home, then?" He smiled slightly, though this time it was sincere.

Frederich gently touched Claude's hand as he grabbed his coffee.

"What are you in the mood for?"

He gripped Frederich's hand tightly, thoroughly surprised by the gesture.

"I, um," he stammered, glancing around, "Well. Anything you have enough energy for. Anything." He tried to act cool, but there was a slight desperation that came through in his voice.

"Just tell me what you prefer and we can do it," Frederich replied. "Be blunt or nothing will get done. You know I have no idea what I'm doing."

"...Can we discuss it at home?" he asked.

"Why not here?" Frederich asked, in the middle of the elevator they were taking down the first floor.

"There are people here, and I'd rather not say what I want in public," he admitted quietly, awkwardly shoving his hands into the pockets of his hoodie.

"Is it really that weird?" he asked curiously.

"No, it's just not something I want to say aloud," he said, trying to find the proper words. "It's something meant for private, that is."

Frederich shrugged, heading down to the car.

"Don't you want anything specific?" he asked, scratching the back of his head. "You can always ask, you know--I'm more than willing."

"I don't know," he replied, shrugging slightly. "Just tell me."

"But some stuff has to feel better, right?" he asked, puzzled. "Don't you have things you prefer?"