Let the soft animal of your body love what it loves

And oh, what can WWX say to that, should he be regretful, should he apologise, but he doesnt find it in himself to be sincere about such things, not when he didn't know and not when it was either kill them or let them kill his peers, his shidimei, Jiang Yanli, or Jiang Cheng who was on the frontlines with him.

Jiang Cheng who he gave up his golden core for, Jiang Cheng JiangCheng JiangCheng Jian-

Then uncle Four tells him, I have killed for my clan as well, some of your shidimei, perhaps.

WWX has nothing to say to that, but WQ's cousin goes rigid with fear as his eyes pass between WWX and Unclr Four. They are in a room with people who have done bad things, killed each other's families. Uncle Four is pouring WWX his homemade fruit wine, and WQ's cousin is peeling the radishes he grew - ones that they are surviving off - and WWX is tinkering with another talisman for the wards for their home. They can't look at each other in the eyes when clink their mugs of wine and drink, every gulp equal parts sweet and bitter on their tongue.

Aventurine, so certain that no one would be willing to stay for him, doesn't take these changes to mean anything. He doesn't know his mask falls slightly. He has no idea that Veritas can read him so clearly.

So on the first night they're intimate, Aventurine is confused as to why Veritas stops. His immediate thought is 'Ah, so he's gotten tired of me.' But those aren't the words that he hears from Veritas, in fact Veritas is quiet for a bit.

He grabs Aventurine a glass of water and wraps him gently in the blanket. He doesn't mention the way Aventurine is shaking. He knows well that if he knew he was shaking he'd watch for it and stop it. He doesn't want to stifle the little bit of honesty that his mind seems to allow in this space. He takes a moment, and begins to speak.

"I'm not upset with you. I'm not annoyed, or otherwise dissatisfied with you." He pauses and looks at Aventurine.

"Aw, too overstimulating for you doctor~ I know I'm drop dead gorgeous but, you really don't have to stop because you're all nervous~" Aventurine hums smugly, crossing his legs and leaning towards Veritas on the bed.

"Haah. Do you want this?" Veritas asks bluntly.

"Do I want this? Oh doctor, you know I wouldn't be here otherwise~ I am a man who gets what he desires.~" Aventurine hums, the subtle shaking has been replaced at this point with an air of false confidence. Veritas observes him and the untouched glass of water.

"Then describe it to me, what do you desire now with me under your thumb?" Veritas asks, shifting slightly on the bed, allowing Aventurine's eyes to wander.

Aventurine is taken aback, he pauses, looking at the man he fully expected to dominate him and leave him senseless just lounging there like a masterpiece. The calm tone, the careful kind gaze, and his relaxed posture giving Aventurine a sense of calm. This felt new. Veritas may desire him, but he wasn't taking as he pleased. He thinks for a moment that maybe Veritas saw his apprehension around the act, but he quickly dismisses the thought. Veritas is, after all, a man who cares deeply about others. This was simply a kindness, nothing more.

To sustain his demeanor Aventurine begins teasingly. Sliding his hand carefully over the sculpture of Veritas's body, building images with pretty words and pushing Veritas against the sheets. He quickly finds himself too enamored with the image of Veritas to continue as strong. He studies every detail, letting his fingers and eyes feast over a form he didn't realize could be so wonderful. For the first time it felt beautiful to be bared equally before someone else, and to view someone else this intimately.

Veritas would notice the shift and quietly lean into guiding Aventurine slowly.

"I didn't expect your desires to be so soft. How cute of you to study me so closely. Go on, observe more of me, devour me with those eyes." He encourages Aventurine, sliding his own hands gently over Aventurine's figure, softly praising and encouraging Aventurine. He let's him take his time. By the time he's done memorizing the detail's of Veritas's body he's the most excited he's even been, aching and sweating, flushed with need.

Aventurine's pretty words crumble but he's still reluctant to kiss or do more with Veritas. It takes everything in him to mutter a quiet plea. Veritas accepts it quickly, but the deepening of their touch is slow too. Achingly slow, deliciously agonizingly slow. It dawns on him that maybe this is what love is supposed to feel like. He becomes wrapped in a haze of warmth and desire, pleading and melting into Veritas as he learns slowly the depths of his lover's sensuality.

An eternity seems to pass before they're wrapped in the afterglow. For the first time in a while Aventurine falls asleep first. He's never felt that comfortable or desired before, and that feeling is intoxicating. Veritas brushes Aventurine's hair out of his face.

By definition you can't accidentally queerbait. Queerbaiting is specifically using a same sex pair from the show to market the show to queer audiences with no intention of ever following through on a romantic relationship.

There is officially licensed Destiel merch signed off on by Kripke. Teen Wolf had a commercial with the actors for Derek and Stiles draped over each other talking about being "on a ship." Both shows actively used scenes between them as marketing while actively mocking fans for wanting them together. Sherlock has multiple characters refer to Johnlock as a couple, including characters we're supposed to believe are never wrong about human behavior and pushed those scenes in marketing. Then they acted insulted when fans saw them as a couple.

That's queerbaiting.

Done on accident it would just be queer subtext. Done because they had no other choice due to censorship is queer coding.

The specific meaning of the word is really starting to get lost and it's a pretty important one to keep accurate. It describes a very specific phenomenon that was done repeatedly and maliciously for decades and is meant to examine that specifically.