For Athelstan

[onceaviking]

Eric has left the door ajar.

He is inside, seated in one of the low chairs, his bare feet resting on the wolf pelt in front of it.
Watching the door.

There's a carafe and one glass on the table.
The bed is turned down.

The light is dim.

Comments

[onceaviking]

And Eric tightens his hold on him, still hiding his face against hot, wet skin.
Trying to feel every sensation.

Remember it.

[athelstanthescribe]

He can't exactly turn at the moment, with Eric still inside him and holding him in place, but Athelstan does the next best thing, lifting Eric's hand to press his lips to what would be a pulse point in his wrist.

[onceaviking]

That earns him a gasp.
And then he is turned and slammed against the wall.
And kissed.

[athelstanthescribe]

...well, he'll remember that, if it gets that kind of reaction.

He gives himself over fully to the kiss, letting his mouth be ravished as his body has been.

[onceaviking]

Eric is trembling against him.

And then he is gone, leaving Athelstan alone in the shower.
The door to the room is wide open.

[athelstanthescribe]

It takes him a few minutes to adjust to what's happened, and pull his scattered wits together enough to react to it. Then, slowly, he walks out into the main room, where Eric surely must still be unless he's running around in the corridors naked.

"...Eric?"

[onceaviking]

Eric is seated on the bed.
Naked.
Damp.

He looks up at Athelstan and asks, "How are you feeling?"

Because apparently nothing just happened.
Nothing that's meant to be talked about at least.


he is loosing his grip on this! loosing it! and he cannot afford to

[athelstanthescribe]

"All right. Clean. The water cleared my head..." He may be lying, but he's at least walking unaided and without stumbling. He moves to the bed, almost but not quite in touching distance, and looks at him. "And you?"

[onceaviking]

"I'm fine," Eric says, looking away.

[athelstanthescribe]

"But you..." Ran away. "Left. So suddenly."

[onceaviking]

"Yes."

And nothing more.

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan eyes him, and he knows what came before Eric's sharp departure, but he doesn't know why.

Abruptly, "I'm sorry if I shouldn't have done that."

[onceaviking]

"What?"
He looks confused.

"No. No, it wasn't - no."

[athelstanthescribe]

"Tell me?" It's a straightforward request, and he sits on the edge of the bed. "Eric, if something's wrong, something more than I know about..."

[onceaviking]

He doesn't answer.
He just sits there, not looking at Athelstan form a long while.

And then he says, still without looking at him, "I don't want to die."

Some might consider him an animated corpse. But he does not.

[athelstanthescribe]

Neither does Athelstan.

"Then don't do it alone", he says quietly. "Not Pam, I know you would protect her at all costs, but - raise an army, if you have to. As many as it takes to bring him down. You can still be the one to finish him."

[onceaviking]

"There is no trust between vampires. It wouldn't work."

He gets up and begins to pace.

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan watches him, sitting on the bed.

"There must be a way you can defeat him. Is there record of younger vampires killing older in the past?"

[onceaviking]

"... Godric killed his own Maker."
An unlawful act. And impossible. Only not.

[athelstanthescribe]

His eyes sharpen at this, whether he's been told it before or not.

"Did he ever tell you how?"

[onceaviking]

He shakes his head.
"No."

And then he looks away again.
Clearly uncomfortable.

[athelstanthescribe]

"Eric", Athelstan says softly. "This is the only way I can help you. Let me."

[onceaviking]

He stiffens.

"I don't need help."
It's said without rancor though.

[athelstanthescribe]

"If you believed that", voice still soft, "you wouldn't be afraid you'll die."

[onceaviking]

He sits back down again.
And outs his hands in his face.

Not saying anything.