She was ready to guide his hand to very nice places, but he pulled back instead. And looked away.

>>”Fer **** sakes.”

"What's wrong?"

>>”I-I’m probably gonna be beating meself up over this fer the rest of me life… but… Got a confession ta make, earlier when I said I was a musician so I’m popular with the ladies, that might have been a stretch…never been with a woman before like this… I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, what do I do with me hands and is the tail gonna get in the way?"

The words all came out like a flood. He looked embarrassed about all of it. The princess blinked, it was her turn to take a few moments before it all sank in.

"You're a virgin?"

Who would have thought? He was usually all charm and swagger, and all about how he was popular with the ladies. Did he really never...?

>>”And now the angry guy is mad at me. Keeps telling me to... Mate!”

The princess jumped a little at the rumbling voice. It was attractive, in a way, just like the purring was, but Carrick was clearly not happy about it.

>>”I like ya Princess, worried I’m gonna ruin it. Eejit.”

"Ruin what?" the making out was clearly done for now, so the princess shifted, wrapping the blanket over herself so she could turn and face him. "I mean... yes, it's kind of funny. I thought you've done a lot of this... being an entertainer and all" she smirked, poking his tail, trying to make him look at her. "But it's not like anyone does sex well right at the first time. Don't you people teach new partners what to do...? You wouldn't know, would you." she sighed. "Well, I can teach you. And you can teach me."

>>>"You're a virgin?"

The question he thought was obvious mainly because of how he was acting. The shifter chewed on the word for a moment then he nodded offering up a sly smile, ”Not the word I’d use, preferred inexperienced but yeah.” Carrick said hoping she wasn’t going to start laughing at him. With how she was willing to get naked so often so quickly and the way she talked about her body Carrick knew she was far more experienced and it was a little intimidating.

"Ruin what?"

She pulled the blanket over herself and it made it easier to look at her. The purring was done with for now and so was the deep voice of his beast form. Carrick sighed and then shrugged. ”Us.” while they didn’t have any sort of title attached to what they were other than friends Carrick found himself not wanting to ruin that either. He enjoyed bugging her.

"I mean... yes, it's kind of funny. I thought you've done a lot of this... being an entertainer and all"

”Well, I’m one of a kind then.” he laughed nervously.

>>>"But it's not like anyone does sex well right at the first time. Don't you people teach new partners what to do...? You wouldn't know, would you." "Well, I can teach you. And you can teach me."

She poked his tail, he looked up to her worry clearly on his face before confusion set in. ”Wouldn’t know, and ya seen me in class. I’m a slow study. Lot to take on.” he agreed before looking back at the bed. ”What now!?!”

So, Carrick was a virgin. Go figure. And he seemed very embarrassed about it, as if it was something that would ruin... whatever he thought it would ruin. The two of them? Amethyst was still confused, and she was trying hard to understand what kind of a misunderstanding made him think he did something wrong. She never really had to put in this much emotional work before.

>>”Wouldn’t know, and ya seen me in class. I’m a slow study. Lot to take on. What now!?!”

"What now...?" the princess sighed, tucking her legs in under the blanket. "Now you will have to explain to me what the matter is. Because I think it is... one of those cultural differences. So can you use your words, please?... Are you afraid you are bad at sex?"

"What now...?"

‘Mate!’ Carrick ignored the voice again and shrugged. He was going to suggest kissing again but he was pretty sure that was something that she wouldn’t have gone for now that they were talking. Her legs disappeared under the blanket making it more obvious to him that now was not the time.

"Now you will have to explain to me what the matter is. Because I think it is... one of those cultural differences. So can you use your words, please?... Are you afraid you are bad at sex?"

”Me bad? Nah.” he said shaking his head trying to play it off. ”How high are yer expectations?” he forced an awkward smile, ”Kinda one of those cultural differences? Maybe? If me mother found out I came to yer room this late at night… would have gotten tanned good.” Carrick said his mother was an old fashioned Irish-catholic which was surprising because of who his father was. Maybe that’s why she was so strict? ”Great at repressing and drinking.” he frowned trying not to think about his mother right now.

”I don’t really want ta disappoint ‘nd have ya lose interest ‘cause I’m shite in the sack. Flyin in unfamiliar airs.” he thought more on it knowing he was talking too much now, ”Not entirely sure how the other mes would react either. Now that I think bout it worried I’m gonna scare ya off…” he said with a sigh.

”Words.” he shrugged smirked.

>>”Me bad? Nah... How high are yer expectations?”

The princess sighed. She expected this to be fun. She liked Carrick, she liked the kissing and the purring and the wings, and she was not sure what kind of expectations he was talking about. With her powers, she had to teach any partner new things anyway. He did not seem to quite get that message.

>>”Kinda one of those cultural differences? Maybe? If me mother found out I came to yer room this late at night… would have gotten tanned good... Great at repressing and drinking.”

"I'm not sure I follow." Was it not alright to be in someone's room? She knew Americans were more prudish about intimacy than Atlantis... but he was already in here, and from the kissing it seemed like he wanted to be.

>>”I don’t really want ta disappoint ‘nd have ya lose interest ‘cause I’m shite in the sack. Flyin in unfamiliar airs... Not entirely sure how the other mes would react either. Now that I think bout it worried I’m gonna scare ya off…”

He looked miserable about the whole thing. Amethyst did not often deal with people feeling miserable, and she was spectacularly ill-equipped to cheer someone up. In this present situation, her go-to method would have been making out with him until he felt better... but that was exactly the problem. She sighed again.

"Carrick, I don't expect to be some kind of a god in bed. Because of my powers... anyone I go to bed with, I have to teach them how to do things anyway. And I don't think it's that hard to learn." she reached out, running a hand along his wing. He usually liked that. "And if you scared me off, I would not have let you kiss me. I like kissing you. This is new for me too, I've never been with a..." pause "... someone with a physical mutation." Lame. Sounded lame. "But I do want to try, with you. Not... right now, if you don't want to. But I don't think you should be embarrassed about it."

>>>"I'm not sure I follow."

Carrick wasn’t sure he followed either this was a lot for him to think about. He didn’t like looking inward, it was loud there and he was afraid what he’d find. Usually he’d make a joke and deal with it another time, it worked so well so far right?

>>>"Carrick, I don't expect to be some kind of a god in bed. Because of my powers... anyone I go to bed with, I have to teach them how to do things anyway. And I don't think it's that hard to learn."

That was a comfort to hear. His tail flicked between them on the bed as he chewed over her words. At least this wasn’t the first time she had to walk someone through sex with her. Wait how many times had she done this before? Should he ask? ‘Mate!’ Carrick shook his head slightly trying to shake the voice of his instincts out from his head. He failed. The hand on his wing was unexpected and he felt the good chills all over. His other form silenced at her touch.

>>>“And if you scared me off, I would not have let you kiss me. I like kissing you. This is new for me too, I've never been with a..."

‘Gorgon’ he thought. Was that an issue for him? He looked to her knowing she was naked under the blanket. If it was he’d get over it.

>>>"... someone with a physical mutation. But I do want to try, with you. Not... right now, if you don't want to. But I don't think you should be embarrassed about it."

He’d be her first with a physical mutation? He looked at his wings and then started to purr again with a small smirk. His heart still racing from the situation. ”Ya like kissing me.” it wasn’t a question. While he was nervous about everything he still managed a sly toothy grin.

”Well, I’d hate ta disappoint ya futher.” he nodded and stood up with a sense of purpose. ”I’ll do it, on one condition. If something happens and I do start ta scare ya you gotta let me know.” he said puffing out his chest. ”M-Maybe not just tonight?” he smirked sheepishly.

”Kissing off the table now or” he pointed to the window. ”Did the moment pass? Not sure the situation…” his tail flicked behind him.

>>”Ya like kissing me.”

That seemed to work. He grinned. Knowing he did at least one thing well was probably a good start. Amethyst doubted that he would be as bad as the thought he would.

>>”Well, I’d hate ta disappoint ya futher. I’ll do it, on one condition. If something happens and I do start ta scare ya you gotta let me know.”

"I will" she nodded. She would have, anyway. She was not required to put up with anything she didn't want to. She was royalty, after all. Was that even a question?... He seemed to want to hear it anyway.

>>”M-Maybe not just tonight?... Kissing off the table now or... Did the moment pass? Not sure the situation…”

"Sure" the princess slid off the bed too, picking her dress up and slipping it over her head. There, she was dressed. A unique situation, but oh well. "You can turn around now. And you can stay if you want to."

>>>"I will"

There was an visual sigh of relief with his wings and shoulders dropping. He had a hard enough time ignoring his beast form with his constant yelling in the back of his mind. If the shifter was distracted… he didn’t want to think about it.

The shifter turned around when instructed and was told he could stay if he wanted to, ”A royal invite? Man, must be me lucky day.” he purred while he pulled his shirt tight to his body so he could button it some. His tail swayed behind him.

”Thank you… sorry again.” he scratched the back of his head. ”I can at least keep ya company till yer ready to sleep.” he started to purr it was a long day, however he doubted he’d be able to sleep after just what happened.