For Athelstan

[onceaviking]

His room is neat.
The laptop is switched on, the decanter in the low table has been refilled with wine, the bed is made.

He turns on the light as they enter and turns to look at Athelstan.

Comments

[onceaviking]

There is less tension in the set of Eric's shoulders than the often is. When it comes to this.

He is stacking favors like a human might stack wood against the coming of winter. And he is not close to losing control.

Still, it's nice.

His lips part slightly.

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan picks up the pace, not afraid of hurting Eric as he might have been for a human man.

After a moment, seeing Eric's lips move, he leans in to kiss him.

[onceaviking]

It's a little unexpected, but Eric lets him.

It's nice in a way.
It shouldn't be.
But it is.

[athelstanthescribe]

It lasts a little while, before he pulls back, trying to determine if what he's doing is getting them anywhere.

[onceaviking]

Eric reaches down and moves his fingers a little.
"Like this is - He cuts himself off with a moan.

[athelstanthescribe]

Well, that's a good sign. He starts where Eric indicated, sliding gradually higher but keeping the movements going.

[onceaviking]

Eric is more responsive than he tends to be in situations like this. Moaning a little.
Twitching.

Gasping.

His eyes have closed. His lips are still parted.

[athelstanthescribe]

It's rather gratifying, getting a reaction like this out of him.

Athelstan keeps going, his free hand straying to run over Eric's skin.

[onceaviking]

Eric's moans grow a little more frequent. And then he stills Athelstan's hand by wrapping his own around it.

"Stop."

His thumb moves across the back of Athelstan's hand in a brief caress.

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan looks up at him, confused.

"Why?"

[onceaviking]

"It is -"

He hesitates, seemingly searching for words.
"It is no longer as it was when I was human. And as I told you, there is nothing in me than blood."

[athelstanthescribe]

"But you let me begin. Why, if not to finish?"

He hadn't forgotten, and he was willing all the same.

[onceaviking]

"Because the destination isn't the whole point of the journey?"

He looks away.

"Sometimes, it makes me miss things I cannot have. And - and it frightens people."
Not the blood as much as his reactions. But that may not be clear.

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan's hand shifts slightly under his, but not to begin again.

"I've seen blood before."

[onceaviking]

"It's not the blood that frightens people."
Very, very quietly.

[athelstanthescribe]

He pauses, taking that in.

"You mean... what you'd do? How you'd be?"

[onceaviking]

"... yes."

He is not looking at him.

[athelstanthescribe]

"Eric." He tries to put himself into Eric's eyeline. "You are who you are, and what you are. And that it doesn't please you to frighten people without meaning to..."

He leaves it at that..

[onceaviking]

Eric's eyes flicker back to him.

"Sometimes, it does."
It sounds like a protest.

But he starts moving his hand on top of Athelstan's, moving Athelstan's hand with him.
Gasping.

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan goes along with it, and murmurs for Eric's ears, "Give me your blood, as you said, and you can have more of mine."

[onceaviking]

Athelstan is a quick study.

At least when it comes to talking dirty to a vampire.

Eric tenses and pulls his lips back in a snarl. And keeps moving both his hand and Athelstan's.

[athelstanthescribe]

Talking dirty to humans will take more practice, but at least he's mastered this. His hand tightens around Eric, moving as fast as Eric wants him to.

"Will you?" he asks, still softly.

[onceaviking]

"Yes."

It's a gasp.

Words have power. Yes is a word the opens, loosens. Relaxes.

The next yes is closer to a sob and then to a snarl and then Eric growls and comes.

Even his blood is cold.

[athelstanthescribe]

It's a shock against his skin, but that alone doesn't disturb Athelstan much. He can wash it off later.

He doesn't bare his neck for Eric again, not yet.

[onceaviking]

Eric lets his head fall forward.
Not back, never back.

Breathing deeply.

There is tension in his shoulders. And his jaw is hurting.
He lifts his head slowly, to look at Athelstan.