mayfairmonster | IC Inbox

[Dorian thinks about that for a long, drawn-out moment. There's only one thing that feels obvious, especially considering the dangers he just plucked the other man from.

It's mad, of course. But this city that he's been dropped into against his will is a mad place. If anything, this makes more sense than anything else has since he started trying to make a life for himself here. He craves the young vampire's company and has already gone this far to protect him.

This is the necessary next step.]

Your assent. [Hands on Larus' body smooth over his chest and up, to cup the sides of his neck.]

Contract with me.

[ it's certainly not what he'd expected, clearly surprised as he takes the slightest step backwards to look at him. there's water trickling down his face, nearly getting into his eyes, and larus brushes at it, making an attempt at accessing what he's supposed to do with such a comment. nothing comes to him, of course. his confusion is almost palpable as he continues to stare at him. ]

You said not to ask you about a contract. How is this any different?

[ it's not a denial or an acceptance quite yet.

his hands move to catch dorian's too, curling lightly around his wrists and resting his thumbs against the pulse there. just to listen, to feel. to touch him and know that none of this is some elaborate illusion. he's so focused that dorian could probably see the intensity of it simply by looking at him in return. ]

[He's not particularly concerned that the other man seems surprised. He's confident that this is a compelling offer, and he's going to push it while the moment is right.]

It's different.

When I said that, I thought differently of you. What you were telling me-- [he sighs] I thought that you were another young immortal, receptive to influence and that... I'd be to you, what others were to me, once. The people who ended my innocence. I thought that I'd break you.

[He levels a look at Larus, tipping the vampire's head slightly, his fingers pressing into the flesh of his neck.]

But you killed tonight, didn't you? You've killed many times before tonight, too. And the way you fucked me, and latched onto my arm in that storeroom...

[Dorian smiles, the expression pulling in the intensity of unusually bright, and beautiful blue eyes.]

I think we'd be good for each other.

[ it's almost sweet, these kinds of words. things that larus wants to hear and sometimes desires when he remembers he's not entirely a monster. dorian must understand that too, recognizes it sometimes in the things he says or the way he acts. but with it comes a pain he hasn't had to live through in quite some time—at least since he'd arrived there. what he wants and needs versus what he has is so utterly different than this.

being selfish in that way is difficult for him. ]

There's still more you don't know, but you never would have been the one to do that to me. [ he hesitates, distracted by dorian's eyes and the fingers pushing into his skin. despite the shower, he suddenly feels unusually cold. ] I'm not sure.

[ it's not a rejection because he doesn't want it to be, some sharp feeling welling in his chest as he stares at him, unblinking. ]

Maybe we could be good for each other. Or maybe we'd end up tearing each other apart. I've never – [ larus swallows, dropping his hands to let them clutch at dorian's hips. he's so close to saying yes. ] I'm drawn to you, and I can't make sense of it. What if it's not the right choice?

It's the right choice. [Dorian feels sure of that. He suspects, too, that Larus may need someone between them to be certain of it in this way.]

Tell me. [Dorian's posture relaxes, some of the intensity draining from his face and the way he's holding himself. Another breath, and one of the hands at Larus' neck drifts to peruse the other man's water-matted hair, smoothing appreciatively through the thick and heavy strands.] What don't I know?

[ he should be used to the certainty, a trait that only comes to him in other ways. ]

Everything. [ it's soft, wishing he could turn and leave all of this behind. but tonight's proved that he isn't going to survive without some sort of help. ] I died for putting too much trust in the wrong person. In some ways, I would be giving you more than that.

[ more than his life, a responsibility that they'd discussed a few times before. ] If I said yes, what would you want from me?

For starters? Your company. [Dorian's thumb brushes gently at the edge of the bruise on the other man's cheek. There's a beautiful fragility here between his hands, and for once, he doesn't feel the urge to consume or corrupt it.

He wants to protect it.]

But in all honesty, I don't want you in the Down anymore. If you contracted with me, you could live here, and there wouldn't be any chance that what happened today would occur again. [Dorian lets out a soft breath.]

If you became mine, I'd ensure you had what you needed to live as normally as you wanted. [Something the other man's words and actions have stressed to him as being important beyond most all else. He wants Larus to have that.]

[ if you became mine.

it's mortifying how easily he wants to give in because of that, because of something so basic. something that's been nipping at his heels for the past year or so since he'd met casimir. but this isn't the same as that, and there's a sort of mutual understanding between them that has nothing to do with any kind of romantic gestures. affection, maybe. attraction, certainly. larus smooths his hands out, easing a step closer to him so they're pressed flush together. ]

Alright. [ if this is something that would make dorian happy, he could manage it. being here with him in this place isn't the worst decision he could make. ] But I won't be a burden to you. I want it to be equal between us.

[ he doesn't need someone to take care of him. ]

[As tired as he is, part of him still starts to wake up as Larus pressing himself against him. Dorian gives himself the indulgence of slipping a hand down the length of the vampire's spine. Holding him close.

When Larus gives his consent, his fingers press into the small of the vampire's back. He doesn't smile, exactly, but it is satisfying.]

We can figure something out, I'm sure.

[Equality seems like a pipe dream that the city itself won't allow, but somehow managing it in private feels more likely. Dorian doesn't particularly care about that aspect when he's planning on being in a position where he's rolling in money soon enough, but it's clear that it's important to Larus.

To his submissive.

It's still a bizarre thought, and one he doesn't see feeling more customary for a while-- bizarre, but not unpleasant.]

Let's talk terms once we've both rested and we're in a good place for it. [At that thought, Dorian picks up a rose-scented bar of soap from its perch and begins scrubbing his wrist of the dried blood still stubbornly clinging to it.] Neither of us is in a rush to stay out of city's clutches, so we have time to make sure our contract is structured exactly as each of us wants.

Edited 2022-04-10 07:02 (UTC)

[ he knows it isn't going to be entirely equal when the city demands otherwise, but between them, that's how he wants it. there are certain things he will allow and others he won't, regardless of what this place pressures them into; there's just going to be a lot more give on his part because of his position and the mark that permanently stains his skin.

there's a sigh as the smell of the soap rises up stronger than anything else now, most of the grime having been washed away. this is no time to think about home or the person he craves to see, not when he's with someone else. so, he reaches out to take the soap from him to set it aside and gently massages at the skin, only using the slightest scrape of his fingers to remove the rest of the blood still there. something about this exchange would have been even more intimate had larus the capacity to think about it, but he's exhausted. ]

We'll have a lot to talk about later then. [ not just terms but everything else. and shifting gears slightly: ] I can stay in the other room. I'll just need to borrow something to wear.

[ not that the people here would seem fussed about a naked person wandering around, but he'd rather not if he can help it. once he leaves, of course. ]

I know. [There’s what Larus seemed on the edge of telling him earlier, his own secret, and now the contract.

It’s almost exhausting to think about getting through all of it, but that’s only because of everything they both went through this evening. He knows it’ll be much more doable once he’s rested for at least a few hours.]

Tonight I’ll draw the curtains [And probably throw towels over the cracks, for good measure.] and then we can spend as much time as needed tomorrow to work everything out.

[The light scratching of nails at his arm brings the smallest smile to his face. At the request for clothes, Dorian nods. He’s about half-listening at this moment, as his eyes fall upon the fully-revealed mark on Larus’ chest that was once the site of where he’d been gouged straight through. It’s incredible to him, suddenly, that the man hadn’t died.]

They missed the heart. [Dorian’s voice is a murmur, as he reaches out to touch the skin beside the mark. A deep frown settles over his features.] But barely.

[They’re both tired and they’ve already pushed off this conversation, but the small surge of anger at knowing how much worse this almost was is compelling.]

Did you see any of their faces or was it too dark?

[ maybe it's the exhaustion, maybe something else, but there's an odd sensation in his chest at the mention of his heart, the pressure and warmth of dorian's hand there above it. that had been the least of the pain he'd experienced, surprisingly, and he rests his palm atop the other man's, slipping his fingers underneath to give it a squeeze. he can almost sense the feelings running through him with those few words. why it doesn't bother him as much might be strange, but he's had so many threats against his life in the past that this feels like nothing. ]

I'm fine, Dorian. [ then, slowly, he shakes his head. ] They got me from behind, but I think I know who did it. I —

[ a frown settles over his features. ]

It shouldn't matter. If I'm going to be here with you, they might forget about me. Especially since they probably believe I died in that alley where they left me. [ he isn't going to hold a grudge against them for that, not when it had been retaliation for the things he'd done while he'd been down there. as much in self-defense as it had been.

releasing dorian's hand, he steps aside to leave the shower. ] Don't think about it right now. We both need rest.

After encountering them more than once, I think they're well aware you aren't human. [But Larus has a point. If he's going to stay in his suite, which is certainly Dorian's preference, then he should be safe enough. He hasn't heard of there being any obvious gang activity in the Up that hasn't, or can't be managed by the police presence.

Exhaling, Dorian lets the matter go and reaches for a pair of towels for them both.]

Let's get you some clothes for you and then we can collapse for the evening. [Larus' build is a tad closer to the average end than his own lithe grace, but the difference isn't enough that it'll be a present a problem, fit-wise.

A minute or two passes as Dorian vanishes into his still very empty walk-in closet. When he comes back, he has what, in his eyes, will probably be more to Larus' comfort than some of the brighter and more flamboyant offerings he's already magpied his way into. He holds out a shirt ~~minus tie~~ and a pair of dark slacks.]

Thankfully there isn't much of a difference between us in size. These should be comfortable, but if they aren't we'll work something else out.

[ he's not in any position to really argue over clothes, and most of the time, he doesn't particular care either way what they look like. when dorian returns, it's easy to tell it's certainly something he would never choose for himself but enough to match the darker colors he usually prefers—if only to blend in better with the shadows and hide any serious damage that might occur when he's out. larus takes them regardless, pulling those pants on and slipping his arms through the shirt without bothering to button it after he's reasonably dry. if the circumstances had been different, he might have found it odd to be dressed in dorian's clothes, but it's qkind of nice. ]

Thank you. [ there's a pause, taking dorian in and moving close to push damp hair out of his face. ] You've done more for me than anyone else has in a long time.

[ keeping him alive, taking him in. he still needs to process what being dorian's submissive will be like, but they can figure that out hours from now after things have settled. larus brushes his thumb over his cheek. ]

Let me take you to bed.

[ so he can actually rest. ]

[The clothes are a good look on the other man in Dorian's estimation, but do feel a little wrong, somehow. Maybe it's that being exhausted is making everything feel a touch wrong, and out of place.]

You're welcome.

[But it feels good to be touched like this when he's freshly-showered and in a vulnerable state of partial undress. Dorian will reach for a robe to sleep in after a moment, but for now he's going to take in the contact as it lingers, focusing his senses on it.]

I'll be all right. [Dorian fingers one of the fine, open panels of Larus' shirt, keeping this last point of contact between them before they part.] You go ahead of me; I still need to vampire-proof the sitting area, and between the two of us, I wasn't the one who suffered multiple stab wounds.

[ larus doesn't want to leave like this, not when there's so much to discuss, but he gives dorian the slightest nod in response, another touch of his fingers gliding over shower-warm skin. then, he turns and disappears out of the main bedroom, not wanting to push their boundaries further than they've been already. it's the exhaustion, too, that drives him into that spare room, glancing around the inside of it once he's through the threshold and not really caring about the decor as much as he does the bed waiting there for him.

he leaves the door ajar in case dorian wants to join him, an open invitation despite not having said or discussed otherwise.

and the entire time he lays there on that mattress, above the blankets and on his back to stare at the ceiling, he can't get his mind to relax. tired as he is, there's too much to think about, and all he does is listen to dorian's heartbeat in the next room, the sounds he makes as he adjusts the curtains to make it darker for him to block out the sun once it rises. when the noises die down, larus continues to track where he is inside the suite until he eventually forces his eyes closed to rest. ]

[It's around 10:30 the next day when Dorian's eyes finally drift open. There's a strange feeling of unreality as he lays on his back in bed, organizing his thoughts. What brings everything back all at once are the faintest cracks of sunlight peeking in through the thorough job he'd done on the windows in even the master bedroom. Precautions like these are familiar to him in an achingly painful sort of way, but waking up to it now isn't the same as it has been in the past.

This is something new. That, and a sudden jumping forward in intimacy and trust with someone he met not that long ago. To his absolute surprise as he reflects on it, it's pleasing. An easy sort of trust that he doesn't fully understand, but that feels natural. His thoughts flash back to the memories of Larus tonguing up the blood on his arm, and then the soft displeasure of the other man's expression as he'd shrugged off the existence of the attackers that had almost killed him. Of the gentle way the vampire tended to him and reached out to peel bloodstained clothes from his body.

It all reinforces to him that this is the right decision. There's something here between them: quieter than he's accustomed to, and compelling.

Another moment spent on his back, and then Dorian rolls himself up to a sitting position. He stretches, and prepares to go start his morning routine as he waits for the inevitability of the intense discussion that awaits him in the hours to follow.

Ten minutes later, and he's perching himself on the loveseat in the main sitting room, sipping at a frothy coffee and nibbling at a fruit tart as he idly browses the network on his phone. It's simpler than trying to think ahead to how, exactly, to start the conversation that needs to happen with Larus.]

[ larus is already up with the sun.

he'd never really understood that part of himself, how he just knows it's out there, but he can sense it the very moment he opens his eyes, quickly moving from the bed to tug the curtains tightly over the window before retreating to a corner of the room to sit in a chair that had been placed there. having never stayed at dorian's before, he listens to the sounds of the people in the building waking up and then dorian himself, lingering only a little longer than his obvious entrance into the kitchen before emerging.

larus' hair is still a mess, having dried so that some of the wave in his hair falls chaotically, and he'd carefully buttoned the shirt to cover himself while also rolling up the cuffs to free his wrists and hands. but whatever he might look like doesn't matter, feeling much more energized and having healed while he'd slept. if anything remains, it'll be gone by the time the sun goes down. and rather than rush into the main room, he stands in the hallway to watch dorian for a few seconds longer.

he doesn't think he's ready for this conversation, but it needs to be done. ]

How are you feeling? [ it's asked as he crosses the space between them to join him on the loveseat, a bit more at ease than he has been the last few times they've spent time together there. ]

[Dorian puts down his phone and takes another sip of coffee as the vampire joins him on the couch.]

Fresh from sleeping the sleep of the young. No nightmares, surprisingly. [Probably because his brain and body were simply too exhausted to conjure up anything. The portrait can remove physical maladies that alter him, but bone-tired exhaustion has never fallen under its purview, unfortunately.

He searches Larus' face. The bruise on the other man's cheek is almost completely gone.]

You look a lot better. [In every conceivable way, really. All that's missing is color in the cheeks.]

[ he meets his eyes without shying away, offering him some semblance of a smile. ]

Because of you. [ which isn't a reminder he wants to get into, though larus just decides to move right into what's been on his mind since the early hours of the morning. ] And I won't hold anything you said against you if it's not something you really wanted to offer.

[ the contract, he means. living there with him. exhaustion can do a number of things, and if both of them had been tired enough to simply sleep, it's telling as to what could have been brought up in the heat of the moment. ]

[That sleep-disarranged hair has been itching at him since Larus sat down, and as the young man starts to backtrack on last night's discussion emotionally, Dorian reaches out to touch thick, chaotic waves with slow, gentle fingers.

Another beat, and he settles the teacup in his hands down onto the coffee table. ]

I meant every word. [The decision had bubbled up on a whim, but now he's seized on it.] I wouldn't have offered it if I didn't.

[ larus automatically reaches up to take hold of dorian's hand, abruptly caught in a memory of casimir doing the exact same thing after pulling his hair free from the tie he usually keeps it in. that isn't what he wants to think about, so he brings his knuckles to his mouth for a soft kiss. ]

I just want to be sure since I know how you feel about it. [ he sweeps his thumb over the spot he's kissed. ] What is it that you want from all of this?

[He's not sure how to interpret his hand being taken away, but Dorian watches the other man's face as Larus presses lips against his hand. One step back, two steps forward. It's confusingly and unintentionally provocative to him, in the way that he's realizing many of the things that Larus does are.

And, miraculously, he's thought about the answer to the question posed to him. It's probably why, when the moment comes, his reply comes out as smoothly as it does.]

The simplest answer to that question is that I want to make my time in the city to my taste as possible. You mentioned before that you don't consider yourself high maintenance, and I believe you. That's what I want for myself: if I have to follow the rules, it will be on my terms, and with little interruption to my lifestyle.

[Dorian pauses, punctuating his words by reaching to take a short sip of his coffee.]

But I also want to keep you here with me, and for you to be mine. To talk with you and become used to your company. To see your face most days and hear you talk without any flourishes. To have sex with you.

I'm not planning on tying you up and bending you over a couch arm, if that's of any concern, but I won't take it off the table if you'd give me your consent. [Because it would be stirring, not to mention fun.]

That being said, I'm glad to talk about this at whatever length, and to hear out any terms you have.

[ larus has considered it too, in case dorian were to ask, and maybe that's what has him pausing, wondering if his own terms are too simple. because he isn't high-maintenance and wouldn't interrupt anything that dorian was doing – unless it turned out to be stupid or dangerous – without good reason to do so. the rest of it, however, pulls at some other part of him, thoughts drawn back to the night before and the taste of dorian's blood in his mouth.

his lips press thin, briefly staring across the room at the curtains pulled shut and the obvious peak of sunlight through the slightest opening. ]

The only one I have is not having some requirement to bite you. If I ever do, [ he clearly looks as if that will never happen as he says it ] then it will be my choice first. I won't take anything from you unless you give it to me willingly.

[ as for the rest of it, well. ] Whatever else there is, we can discuss it as it happens – even sex. Just – [ the pause is seconds long, his voice softer. ] Be patient with me. I haven't lived with anyone else in years. I'm not used to a lot of things.

[ having someone interested and concerned for him among them. ]

[Dorian shifts, leaning against the arm of the couch as he takes in Larus' terms. They're minimal, and as far as he's concerned, not difficult to follow.]

Done. [He doesn't want to be bitten either (or doesn't anytime soon, at least) so it works.] If it comes up, even in the context of something like what happened last night, we'll find a way around it.

[His brows hike curiously at Larus pushing on to their living situation. There are some things that the other man accepts easily that other people might not, and it's very interesting to him.]

Neither have I, so it's going to be a learning experience for each of us all over again.

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