A Proper Etiquette request based on this prompt from @scatter-mind001: (Reader is nervous about initiating intimacy but wants to work up the courage but doesn’t know how to express it properly, so, throughout the day, she tries to drop hints to snuggle times, but then butterflies take over and she runs away and Rygel’s sexual frustration just builds up and eventually explodes and reader is like, “I just wanted cuddles but this is better.”)
Cw: anxiety, dry humping, size difference, allusions to sexual content but it fades to black pretty fast
word count: 1k
Adjusting had been hard. Rygel had never pushed you, let you move entirely at your own pace, but it was still a slow, frustrating process.
You’d gotten used to everyone else pretty quickly. You didn’t judge, passively watched everyone else going about their lives.
It was the doing that was hard. The manners that had been drilled into you were not so easily dropped.
You were almost certain that half the reason it was so daunting was that everyone else was so used to it. They all just understood what they should be doing. You had to work for all of it, push yourself past boundaries you’d never imagined having to tear down.
Today, it was touch. You’d gotten better at initiating it in private, Rygel always quick to reciprocate, but in public it was a different story.
It’s not like you never touched in public. On the contrary, Rygel loved publicly showing his affections for you. It was initiating them that you were struggling with.
You could never shake the idea that you were doing it wrong. Rygel was patient and kind but in public there were too many people, watching, staring, inevitably judging you for doing it all wrong.
Your hand shifted over to his arm, trying to look casual but you dropped it in a second. You were certain you were being clumsy and obvious, that what everyone else could do so casually looked alien and childish on you.
When Rygel did it, there was confidence behind it. He knew he was doing it right and you were more than happy to hide behind that confidence and follow his lead.
But that wasn’t what today was supposed to be about.
So you tried again.
Your next attempt was on your way to dinner. You leaned against his side, doing your best to mimic the way he pulled you into him so often as you walked. He looked down at you curiously, with no judgment in his eyes, but even that felt like too much scrutiny and you drew away once more.
Dinner didn’t go any better.
You thought the shield of the table might be good, make everything feel a little less public despite the dozen people in the room with you, talking away, barely taking notice of your presence.
You started small, shifting your knee to the side to touch Rygel’s. The motion was entirely hidden, under the table, but you drew quickly away anyways, feeling far too exposed regardless.
You knew why this was going so poorly. Every failed attempt left you flustered and embarrassed and pushing forwards so persistently kept those emotions brewing, amplified every time you tried and failed again.
Rygel had decidedly noticed that something was going on with you because the second you pulled away, his arm shifted behind your back, a steady presence you happily leaned into as he pulled you closer to him.
The second you leaned into his touch you were being pulled even further, the feeling of the chair disappearing from under you as he shifted you effortlessly into his lap.
Your face warmed but you trusted his judgment. No one was staring and part of you wondered if they ever had been at all or if your brain was simply that determined to thwart you.
You settled against his firm chest, his hands roving up and down your arms in a gesture that you were sure was meant to be comforting but only served to fluster you even further.
When you were done with your meal he was pulling you off down the hallways
The second you were alone you let out a hushed, “I’m sorry about all that.”
He cocked his head to the side at the statement, looking bewildered at you. “Sorry for what? For teasing me?”
“For… no of course not, for adjusting to all this so slowly. I wasn’t trying to tease you, I was just trying to get more comfortable touching you. The goal was to initiate cuddles, maybe? Or just any sort of physical affection I suppose. I guess I didn’t really think too much on the end goal, I was more focused on just doing.”
He let out a hearty, deep laugh. “You’re too sweet. If you want to cuddle you only need to ask.”
You huffed. “But I don’t want to have to ask. I want to be like everyone else here, to just be able to do things.”
“You will. These things take time, you know that, it’s no more your fault than it is mine when I make a fool of myself in front of your people.”
“You don’t make a fool of yourself.”
“Felt like I did.”
“I promise it felt worse than it was.”
“Oh really?” he said, giving you a pointed look. “I wonder if there’s maybe someone else who is in a similar situation who could do to hear that bit of advice.”
You hated that he was right. “Wait, but you were saying something about me teasing you. Can we go back to that please?”
He cooed at you, hand sliding under your jaw to keep you looking up at him. “Aw have I put ideas in your head? Tell me what you want from me.”
“You’re being mean,” you said with a pout.
“I’m being mean? You’re the one who hasn’t stopped touching me all day.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. You know, if you want to work on showing affection in public, I’m sure I can help with that.”
“Now who’s teasing?”
He chucked. “Call it revenge.”
He didn’t make you wait long. You didn’t think he had it in him, to make you wait. If he did, you had yet to see it.
He pulled you against him, into a kiss, hunched over to be able to meet you where you stood. You melted against him, your body relaxing easily into the familiar shape.
You felt his bulge pressed against you as well. He was already hard and you realized that maybe you’d been affecting him more than you’d intended.
He pulled away altogether too soon for your taste, looking down at you with a glint in his eye.
“Oh,” he said. “But, you wanted to cuddle. Far be it from me to thwart your plans.”
“Don’t you dare.”
He chuckled and scooped you up effortlessly, dropping you when you were a few feet above the bed so you bounced a little when you landed.
“After this, I’m done. The next one’s on you,” he promised as he moved above you, pinning you to the mattress below him, his hips rolling gently down into you through irritating layers of clothing. “How’s that for helping you learn to initiate.”
“Gives me some good motivation.”
“I gotta give you a little more, just remind you what you’ll be missing,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows as you threw back your head with laughter. Everything was easier in here, with him. Everything made sense.
“Can’t hurt to have a reminder,” you agreed readily, a smile still plastered across your face.
“And then we’ll get to the cuddling,” he reassured you, doing his best to kiss you in between words while fighting back a smile. “You can never forget the cuddling.”
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