The kiss startles him, but it doesn't startle him enough not to immediately kiss back. He keeps it light and brief because he's still relatively new at this and he really doesn't want to mess it up. He's had one crush before, it took him ages to figure out it was a crush, and then even longer to do anything about it.
It's easier this time because he knows what he's feeling, and he knows what Alaric is feeling. But he still doesn't really know what he's doing, and it's hard to like someone else and not think of his boyfriend back home.
"I like you a lot."
It's redundant to say it when Alaric's a mind-reader. But there it is.
Being kissed back is a bigger clue than anything in Caleb's head. He's deliberately letting his warmth and affection out, knowing it's probably nice for Caleb, but it isn't his default--
and he has too many manners to dig too deep into Caleb's head or really read thoughts, anyway.
He laughs a bit at the declaration. "I'm glad, because I like you too - and if you haven't met another Caleb, yet, you should. He's also nice." They remind him of each other and he likes both a lot.
It makes sense that Alaric is alarmed, hell, Caleb was alarmed too at the time. But he was freaking out and running out of time, and he knew like two people in the city. He couldn't have just asked Alaric.
"I was careful?" He feels a little like a puppy caught with a toppled over potted plant. "And I'm fine." At least he thought he was. He's painfully embarrassed right now, though, and he's been trying not to think too hard about sex or the fact that he has to make it part of his life for the foreseeable future.
His emotions have gone from smooth and mostly pleasant to a tight tangled mess. There's guilt at making Alaric worry, but also at having done what he did, and worry that Alaric will be displeased with him. He's very, very tempted to put the bracelet back on, but if he does he won't know how badly he's messing up, and that'd probably be worse.
He folds his arms instead, looking down instead of at Alaric.
"I met people first? And uh, made sure they were fine. And not creepy." It's not technically a lie, he did meet them first. He just also jumped right into sex on that first meeting. It was fine, Caleb used his empathy to feel what they were feeling and he enjoyed it because they did. But afterwards he felt guilty and embarrassed, like he'd done something wrong. "I just... I'm really not that into sex on my own."
Using his empathy was the only way he could think of meeting quota without it being a bad experience.
Even with the defensive posture and clear guilt, Alaric simply listens through what Caleb has to say to explain himself - without assuming that the guilt means he actually did do something wrong.
Which is why he's able to flash a smile at the relief he feels.
"Given what this place is and your abilities, that's pretty good. Though in the future, perhaps you could ask people you know are friends first?"
The guilt gives way to relief, immediately followed by embarrassment.
"I didn't want to make you feel responsible for me." Alaric has done a lot already, and Caleb knows people get protective of him because he's young and inexperienced. He doesn't want to be a burden. "Plus, I like you a lot."
Which is counter-intuitive, maybe. Not wanting to ask someone he likes for help with quota, but Caleb knows he's bound to have some sort of meltdown sooner or later and he doesn't want Alaric to feel like it's on him to put him back together.
"Caleb," Alaric says, very, very gently. "We all have quota and much as I like you - you cannot make me do anything." Which could be insulting and he is aware, hence the gentler tone.
"That's not what I meant." He's trying to come up with a way to explain it without making it sound like he's a mess with self-esteem issues— it's complicated, mostly because he is a bit of a mess with self-esteem issues. "I just like you and I didn't wanna put it all on you."
That makes sense, doesn't it? He really hopes it does.
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Then he leans in and, yeah, impulsively and lightly, kisses Caleb.
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It's easier this time because he knows what he's feeling, and he knows what Alaric is feeling. But he still doesn't really know what he's doing, and it's hard to like someone else and not think of his boyfriend back home.
"I like you a lot."
It's redundant to say it when Alaric's a mind-reader. But there it is.
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and he has too many manners to dig too deep into Caleb's head or really read thoughts, anyway.
He laughs a bit at the declaration. "I'm glad, because I like you too - and if you haven't met another Caleb, yet, you should. He's also nice." They remind him of each other and he likes both a lot.
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He loves this, kind helpful people already knowing and liking each other.
"I had a bit of a freak out on the network the other day, made an anon post and he offered help right away."
It wasn't a bad idea, and things went much better than he could've hoped. But Caleb wonders if maybe his approach is a little rushed.
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Yes, yes cooler Caleb. He'd address that but he's currently very alarmed on a number of levels.
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"I was careful?" He feels a little like a puppy caught with a toppled over potted plant. "And I'm fine." At least he thought he was. He's painfully embarrassed right now, though, and he's been trying not to think too hard about sex or the fact that he has to make it part of his life for the foreseeable future.
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He's sorry for the embarrassment but yes, yes Caleb could have just asked him.
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He folds his arms instead, looking down instead of at Alaric.
"I met people first? And uh, made sure they were fine. And not creepy." It's not technically a lie, he did meet them first. He just also jumped right into sex on that first meeting. It was fine, Caleb used his empathy to feel what they were feeling and he enjoyed it because they did. But afterwards he felt guilty and embarrassed, like he'd done something wrong. "I just... I'm really not that into sex on my own."
Using his empathy was the only way he could think of meeting quota without it being a bad experience.
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Which is why he's able to flash a smile at the relief he feels.
"Given what this place is and your abilities, that's pretty good. Though in the future, perhaps you could ask people you know are friends first?"
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"I didn't want to make you feel responsible for me." Alaric has done a lot already, and Caleb knows people get protective of him because he's young and inexperienced. He doesn't want to be a burden. "Plus, I like you a lot."
Which is counter-intuitive, maybe. Not wanting to ask someone he likes for help with quota, but Caleb knows he's bound to have some sort of meltdown sooner or later and he doesn't want Alaric to feel like it's on him to put him back together.
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Caleb.
What?
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Which makes no sense either, but Caleb is young and he's still trying to deal with everything, and he doesn't want to be a nuisance.
"I just don't wanna make things harder for you."
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That makes sense, doesn't it? He really hopes it does.