Perhaps...shirtless Grian, in a twist of events. Do what you will with this. It could be anything from a beach day to showing his scars to domestic cuddling fluff.
interesting interesting thank u for the prompt
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"Put some clothes on, Scar."
"Where's the fun in that?" Scar asked, flexing with his unfortunately impressive biceps, and rather distracting pecs. "Instead of getting me to put a shirt on, you could join me. It's freeing!"
Grian fought to keep his face neutral, even as his stomach plummeted to his toes. He turned that chill in his bones at the idea into a glare, elbowing Scar in the ribs and insisting, "Clothes, Scar."
Scar oofed and leaned over, rubbing his side with an obliging smile. "Alright, alright. You'll join me one day."
"Hm." Grian didn't acknowledge that, terrified at the idea, waiting until his partner was fully clothed again to continue their trek across the desert.
Later, when the chill across his skin was from the desert night instead, and Grian had a much more private show to the admittedly spectacular sight that was shirtless Scar, he kept his own shirt on. Unbuttoned just once at the collar, Scar sneaking his fingers up the hem and playing with his waistband. Grian was covered in goosebumps.
"Can I see?" Scar asked, smiling on his throat, nuzzling where the skin met his shirt.
Grian froze. There was a spike of pain, like it was happening right then, and his slightly sharper inhale was felt by his partner.
Scar pulled back far enough to let his frown be seen. "Or not. That's fine too."
"You've got enough skin for both of us." Grian said, throat dry, letting his hands roam the canvas in front of him. Thumbs tracing the map of scars, playing with the thick ribbon cut through one of Scar's nipples.
"Hm." Scar didn't agree, leaning back down to kiss the tiny piece of exposed skin between Grian's collar and his ear. He breathed, "I'll take whatever I can get."
Grian planted his knees on either sides of Scar's hips and tried to tell himself that was okay, that he didn't feel awful for only giving Scar scraps when the man bared his whole bloody heart directly from his chest, offering it out still beating in his palm. When Grian kissed him, Scar's fingers abandoned exploring the hem of his shirt to wind tight around his waist, surging into the kiss like he was trying to steal all the air from Grian's lungs. He succeeded.
Later. It was dim, dusky. Scar was running his fingertips over the hem of his shirt, over and over, and said wonderingly, "It's not like I'd care about scars, you know. It's kinda in my name."
"It's not like that." Grian said, the terror jolting him from the wonderfully numb mindscape he'd been lounging in, enjoying that Scar had chased every other possible thought from his chaotic mind.
"What's it like?" Scar pushed, gently, their legs tangled together. Grian had the bone of his ankle digging into the thick muscle of Scar's hairy calf. He focused on that, the criss-crossing intersection of their physical forms.
"It's different." Grian replied, trying to sound uncaring, undisturbed. Cavalier.
"Are you shy?" Scar held Grian's hips firmly, even as his thumbs rubbed gentle circles. "You've got nothing to be worried about, pretty."
Grian rolled his eyes and swatted one of the lovely pecs before him.
"I didn't think so. What then? Is it being vulnerable? We can handle any threats that appear, shirts or no." Scar promised him, earnest.
"Wrong again." Grian wanted him to drop it. He didn't want to cave, like he knew he would, as long as Scar kept sweet-talking him. "You're not going to guess."
"Embarrassing tattoo?" Scar tried, a light smile.
Except... Grian froze. Heart thudding harder, terror taking residence in his mouth, pressing against his teeth.
"Or a painful one." Scar said, quieter.
"I suppose you can guess." Grian muttered. Whatever. He leaned back, watching the flash of regret on Scar's face when he did.
"I'm s--" Scar said, then cut himself off when Grian moved to swiftly unbutton his shirt. "Hold on, G, you don't have to."
"I don't have to." Grian agreed, turning away completely, shedding his shirt. Then he faced his partner again, covering his heart with his fingers.
Scar reached out and added his own two hands, covering it four times. "I shouldn't have pushed. I just couldn't think of what the great Grian would possibly be afraid to show me. I've already seen you every other way."
Grian's shin had Scar's knee dug into it. They could not get closer if they tried. Grian inverted his hands, grabbing Scar's. Then tugged all four hands away, revealing the dark mark over his heart. A long rectangle, broken up, cut directly into his skin. One last gift from the Watchers.
Grian had thought of it as a tattoo for a long time before he learned what a 'brand' was.
Scar's eyes scanned the mark, understanding flickering into sorrow, and he said, "Not by choice, I'm assuming."
"No." Grian agreed, curtly. "So you can imagine why I don't really like having my shirt off. I don't like looking at it."
"I understand." Scar leaned over to kiss his collarbone. "I like looking at you, however, so I don't mind. Why don't you look at me, and I'll look at you, and we won't have to worry about it."
Grian couldn't stop the incredulous feeling bubbling up his throat from being a weird laugh. "Is that really your solution?"
Scar was too busy kissing marks down his exposed chest to answer. Grian gripped both his elbows and felt the prickle of sensation. Maybe it wasn't the worst thing ever.
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