Questions and Answers

Charlie decided to start boldly. "Do you not like to be touched, Adrienne?"

Eyes flashing wide for just a moment, the petite girl took a careful sip of her drink to make sure it wasn't too hot. Staring at the cup was a lot easier than trying to match Charlie's gaze. "Not really, no... b-but Brian is fine. He's never done anything but that shoulder pat. I... I don't really like guys trying to touch me. Or talk to me." Realizing her words might cut Charlie the wrong way, she quickly backpedaled. "Not that I'm opposed to this! You were very polite, and I appreciate that. I just get so scared, my first thought is always to try and hide away."

Taking a few more sips, Adrienne glanced up at Charlie, wondering if she'd put their conversation to rest before it even started. She'd been nothing but rude and mistrustful to him, and she had no right to contest if he wanted to walk away. To her surprise, it was him who broke eye contact first, his gaze shifting to the side.

"It sounds like it took a lot of courage from you to give us a chance to talk. Thank you for that, Adrienne. It's a big step to be brave for a stranger."

While he wasn't shaking her resolve with those sharp blue eyes, Adrienne took a moment to observe him more closely. Charlie clearly took effort in being clean shaven, with not a speck of stubble on his lean but firm jawline. His pale hair had a radiant shine to it, casually swept to one side on top and faded down the sides; a popular look those days. The definition of those hefty muscles was daunting, making his poor shirt look nearly painted on were it not for the slight gaps of tension on the buttons. Strange... the tightness of his clothes was uncannily uniform, as if the top was custom tailored for someone just a tad smaller than him. Perhaps some of that muscle gain was recent?

Charlie cut the silence abruptly, making Adrienne jump. "I'm the same, really. I don't like to be touched... intimately."

Adrienne could only parrot him. "...'Intimately?'"

He nodded. "Like, I don't have any problem with hugs or handshakes or buddy stuff with people I know, but I don't like getting any closer than that. I don't want anything to do with sexual advances, giving or receiving."

Just the word 'sexual' made Adrienne's face go pink, but it hooked her attention. "Really?"

"Yeah, I know that sounds weird. Lots of folks like to talk about how I'm some big, hunky guy, but... I didn't even want that, either. When I got work done with TTP, I was supposed to be a lot leaner. Androgynous, even. I wanted to be the equivalent of a Ken Doll; decent-looking from a distance, but with nothing anyone would seek out on a sexual level. Just thinking about sex used to make me queasy. " He grinned, trying to ease the tension a little. "Still don't like it, but I won't turn green or anything."

Adrienne couldn't believe it. It didn't add up. He spoke of androgyny and a strong repulsion to sex, and yet... he was the walking embodiment of some folks' wet dreams! "So what happened? What... went wrong for you?" A pause. "I mean, if you're okay with sharing..." Adrienne herself wasn't going to, so asking felt really selfish. Charlie remained warm and understanding, leaning back against his chair.