OOM - Russel Edginton's Mansion

[onceaviking]

He hovers in the hall, watching Edgington and Talbot argue.
The King is doing his best to placate his pissy Consort, but he seems to have miscalculated just how big a reaction the news of him leaving to go find the elusive and fugitive Miss Stackhouse would get.

Comments

[dobadthings]

Arms tightly crossed, Talbot stalks back and forth in front of Russell's desk before leaning against its edge.

"Go ahead -- leave!" Talbot sniffs with a spiteful shrug, as he tries to keep his voice from cracking with anger.

"Like you've been doing for centuries. Chasing after this or that while I sit here alone."

He has has far too much to deal with over the past few days. Babysitting Sophie-Ann and her fucking birds was the last straw, and Russell doesn't even seem to care how he feels anymore. Oh, he may say he does, but they're words, just words. And he's never even home!

[onceaviking]

"In a giant mansion with all the blood you can drink and all the vampire boys you could possibly want," Russel says, mockingly, ending the sentence with a small snarl.

Eric has stepped inside the door and is leaning on the frame now, watching them. His face impassive. He's dressed in a shirt with bold, graphic stripes. His hair slicked back.
He'd showered for almost an hour, but even the scalding hot water hadn't been able to make him feel clean.

Edginton is clearly irritable, annoyed with this show of put upon emotion. Rolling his shoulders with distaste as he continues, "Oh, poor Talbot.Are your diamond slippers chafing?"

[dobadthings]

How can Russell mock him so heartlessly like this? Having all these things is not the point!

Talbot notices Eric silently hovering behind Russell, but by now he doesn't give a fuck who knows about their domestic troubles.

"First a queen, now a telepath?" he spits, feeling the hysteria rise. He can't control the growing tremor in his voice.

"All you care about is your precious collection!"

[onceaviking]

Russel just look at him, arms crossed.
Unimpresed.

[dobadthings]

...!!!

Incensed, Talbot rushes around the desk and flings open Russell's fucking precious collections cabinet.

He grabs the first thing he can -- a priceless porcelain statue -- and throws it, smashing it to pieces.

And then another, a piece of pottery nearly a thousand years old -- hurled down on the desk and shattered.

Those delicate Japanese scrolls of vampire pornography -- ripped and flung aside.

That gold Viking crown--

[onceaviking]

Russel just stands there, looking bored.
Tut-tutting a little.

Eric is hanging back as well - and then Talbot takes the crown -

It is only with the greatest effort that Eric avoids doing any permanent damage to Talbot when he moves in front of Talbot in an instant, grabbing hold of his wrist. "Talbot," he says.
And then, "Your Majesty." Softening his tone.

[dobadthings]

Talbot gasps.

Eric's grip is strong.

Not enough to hurt, but it's very, very firm.

His large hand and long fingers wrap completely around his wrist and he couldn't pull free even if he wanted to. Still clutching the crown, but trying to calm himself, he looks up at Eric with wide eyes, and then to Russell.

[onceaviking]

Eric looks appealingly at Edginton and then he looks back at Talbot.

This is it.

This is his chance.

"Perhaps, I have a solution," he says, looking intently at Talbot.
"I know that I am a poor substitute, but I would be honored to keep you company."
Striving for earnest and letting a but of eager heat sneak right, right there at the end of the sentence.

[dobadthings]

Surprised by the offer, Talbot blinks his doe eyes at Eric, quieted and reluctantly placated. For a second, his gaze flicks from Eric's face to the center of his chest, exposed by the undone top buttons of his shirt.

It's a nice shirt. It's a nice chest.

"Hm," he muses softly, as he glances at Russell and then back at Eric.

"I don't know."

He looks at him intently, like a child being suddenly presented with a new plaything.

[onceaviking]

Eric holds his gaze.

"That sounds like fun," Russell drawls and as Eric looks over at him, he continues, "I am positively jealous."

And he sounds a little like he might not just be exaggerating for Talbot's benefit. Or maybe it's the way he purses his lips a little as his eyes flick down to that same undone button on Eric's shirt.

[dobadthings]

Well, now. Doesn't Russell look like he's getting a raw deal for once in his life. And that tickles Talbot to no end.

"Fine," he chirps, a pleased smile on his lips.

He turns and sits on the edge of the desk, his back to Russell -- all the better to admire Eric.

"Mr. Northman and I will try to find some way to amuse ourselves."

They'd spent time alone together before, but things never went further than flirtatiously heated glances. Talbot had thought Russell wanted Eric for himself. And it did make him jealous. But now? Eric was picking him over the King? Well. This is something to be taken advantage off.

Besides, he's bored with all the vampire boys and none of them are as hot as Eric.

[onceaviking]

Eric holds his eyes and then he casts a glance at Edgington.

Who mouths a silent 'thank you' at him.

His eyes return to Talbot and there is no disguising the heat in them.
He wants Talbot. Oh, but he wants him.

Dead.

[dobadthings]

Talbot's grin grows wide, his eyes dark and sly. Even a bit smug, as if he and Eric are sharing a private little joke that Russell has been left out of.

He can feel Eric's desire. It's in his glacier-blue eyes, the slant of his perfect smile.

Russell can take his sweet time retrieving the telepath.

[onceaviking]

As Edgington leaves, Eric plucks the crown from Talbot's fingers, still smiling at him.
A smile full of promises.

And as he turns his back on him and carefully - gently - replaces the crown on its stand, the smile melts away. And nothing remains but the knowledge that the time is now.
And his fingers rests briefly against the cold metal.
A tactile promise.