#VERSE

[laughingmagi]

The heat sucked at his skin as they stepped out the sliding doors. It had been years since the last time he'd been to California, probably not since he and Rip had gone on an extremely extended holiday after he'd been kicked from Ravenscar. Though Rip would likely disagree, he was glad they'd be taking a cab to the hotel they would be staying at in L.A. The plan was to rent a car in the morning, be in Sunnydale by the evening, and hopefully run into the Slayer.

"Bugger me, I'm glad I let you convince me to pack me coat instead of wearin' it on the flight," John groused, dragging his rolling suitcase behind him as he headed toward the smoking section. Usually he didn't care but American airports made him nervous, swarming as they were with security and gross consumerism. "Y'reckon we should drop in on Zee while we're at it? I don't think her residency in Vegas starts for another month or two."

@gilesian (just a wee starter to warm some Ripperverse back up)

[laughingmagi]

@gilesian​ said: “Sweetheart, I’ll slay a dragon for you.” 

      John grinned as he bore the weight of Rip’s body pressed against his side. He ruffled his dark hair as the taxi lurched forward through the weekend traffic. Some hot new blonde pop star was playing one of the trendier live venues that often hosted those sorts. John felt old because he wanted to say it was Britney Spears, but she was hardly new on the scene. His brain couldn’t conjure any other name, though. Maybe he’d ask Gemma later.

     They would have waited for Chas to get back to them or just waited for things to die down, but the bartender had been a little too heavy handed with the liquor in Rip’s drinks. She’d been a fresh face, flirty, and chasing a tip. Of course they tipped generously regardless, but John really had wished she hadn’t felt the need to get Rip rat-arsed in the process.

     “Too bad the last one died out round the first World War,” John replied in that way where it could never be certain how honest he was being.

[laughingmagi]

@gilesian

Rip continued with his last set for the day, a quiet excitement bubbling inside him as he waited for John’s reply—his man couldn’t have resisted such a tantalising display on offer. His phone buzzed and Rip got up from the mat with a skip.

Well. His smile faltered a bit into a thoughtful line. Rip shot a text back confirming his location, hit the shower and then the road.

While it isn’t unusual for John to ask to be picked up, something about his curt responses made Ripper plant his foot down on the pedal. He’d expected the pub, but the place he’d pinpointed was a warehouse complex by the Thames, the sort rich people would own to store whatever sins or inheritance they had. Rip’s frown relaxed once he arrived to see John smoking nonchalantly by the entrance gate. He stopped the car near him and lowered the window.

                  “Need a lift, handsome?”

John smiled faintly as the familiar car approached the warehouse. He wondered if he should tell him what had happened. Frankly, he still wasn't sure, and there was a very large part of him that wanted to just forget about it, go home, have a proper shag, but he knew he wouldn't really be able to leave it alone.

His smile became a wide grin as he went to the car and slid into the passenger's side. The smoky-sweet smell of clove smoke that had long since permeated the upholstery was a comforting scent. He kissed him long and deeply, apologetic for the icy demeanor of his text.

"I'm sorry, darlin'," John sighed against his mouth before pulling back to settle comfortably in the seat. "Ah, I may've gotten meself kidnapped." He made a slightly dismissive gesture. "Don't ask me why. I've not the foggiest idea. S'ppose it could be 'bout the grimoire, but it's one of my bloody ancestors. Do y'reckon journals by a Constantine are that valuable?"

[laughingmagi]

@gilesian​ said: ‘  i  did  nothing  wrong,  but  i  got  on  the  blacklist.  ’ 

     “Sweetheart, y’started a bloody bar brawl cos some cunt told y’that no matter how hard y’were ye’d always a worthless fairy. Which, honestly darlin’, I support that decision, but you can’t jus’ expect they’d let y’back.”

[laughingmagi]

@gilesian​ asked: Hands circling his wrists, Rip pulls him close. "One for the road?" ( before John leaves ) 

     John huffed softly, smirking as he was drawn into a possessive embrace. Cheeky, he thought as he kissed him, though he suppose if it hadn’t been Rip, John would have had the same idea. It was often this way when they couldn’t handle a matter together. A surge of passion, and perhaps something a bit more pragmatic. Sex and magic were deftly intertwined with both of them at this point. Sometimes, it was just a way of carrying Rip with him in a much more intimate way.

     “Chas said he’d pick me up up his last fare o’ the evenin’,” John grinned, his hands gripping Rip’s belt. “Reckon we got either twenty minutes or a couple hours. Sundays are such a crap shoot, y’know?”

[laughingmagi]

@gilesian​ prompted: John's phone pings, alerting him of a text from Rip. It's a photo of him, shirtless and grinning to the mirror, skin shiny with what had to be post-workout sweat. The message attached to the photo is short. It reads, Come home? It's less of a question and more an invitation. ( sinday with area himbo ) 

     John’s head was pounding. It had been a struggle to get his hands freed from the shoddiest set of knots he’d ever experienced. As he rubbed his sore wrists, John looked around. He was in some old warehouse, possibly near the Thames judging from the smell.

     “Bugger me,” he growled. Last John recalled, he’d been at a pub, not far from his flat, waiting on a man about a book. Must have been wrong place, wrong time, unless he wasn’t the only person wanting to lay hands on the grimoire in question. Frankly, he wouldn’t be surprised but he really wished just this one time things would go his way with ease.

     The sound of a text message coming through was loud in the silence. John froze, feeling it vibrate in his inner breast pocket. Now that was weird. If anything he would have imagined they’d have taken or broken it. John pulled out the mobile and swiped at the screen, plugged in his pass code, and checked his recent notifications.

     It had been a text from Rip, thank fuck, he must be worried sick — or asking after dinner, depending on how long he’d been missing. He flushed when he looked at the message. Of all the times for him to snap and send a sexy picture. John lingered for a bit, admiring his very handsome husband, and then quickly shot back a text.

                       ‘How bout you just come pick us up?’

[laughingmagi]

     “All the delivery times are out o’ control.” John frowned as he ended the call. “Even from the places that are pure takeaway. Weird for a weekday, innit?”

@gilesian​ // rando Valentine’s Day starter

[laughingmagi]

@gilesian​ prompted: 6)  receiver is getting dressed and,  unprompted,  sender helps them zip up, attach a necklace, tie a tie, etc. 

     Rip stepped into his space, causing John to smirk. This was his favourite part, wasn’t it? John grinned as Rip fussed with his tie. It had still been somewhat loose as he’d put his suit together. He hadn’t been neglecting it, though maybe he had been baiting Ripper just a little bit. Subconsciously.

     “Pervert,” John teased, not so subtly referring to his husband’s near fetishistic fondness in seeing him in a good suit. Not even a good one. Who knew menswear would become his hottest button? “So where’re y’takin’ me tonight?”

     It was his turn to eye him. Ripper rarely dressed formally, so when he did it was always a treat to see. John wasn’t really the type to care about his birthday, but Rip liked to spoil him on holidays and other special days. He just hoped Rip remembered the bubbly so their date could end on a bang.

[laughingmagi]

@youhavemyrespect​ prompted: 💅  :    your  muse  paints  my  muse’s  nails. 

(from some meme list I have no memory of and am too lazy to look for)

     John looked at the two bottles of nail polish on the table. Rip was gently spreading apart his fingers and examining his nails. They were clean and recently filed. He didn’t keep them as frequently polished at Ripper did. His chipped. Ripper’s did not. The bottles were two different colours, black and silver. John arched an eyebrow as he looked at him fondly, wondering what he was planning. They’d just seen Bowie at a small venue, and he had the feeling Ripper had been inspired.

      “Gettin’ pampered tonight, am I?” John teased lightly.

[laughingmagi]

@youhavemyrespect​​ prompted: *knock knock* ( ripperverse? )

Send me *knock knock* for my muse’s reaction to yours showing up at their door after being missing for two weeks.

     While it was common for John to disappear for weeks, it was a bit less common for Ripper to stay away for too long. Not to say he didn’t have his own life and ambitions, but when it came to trouble, they usually got in it together rather than apart. When Rip fucked off suddenly, he rarely said much about what he was doing, though he tried to stay in touch. John had a feeling he was still trying to undermine The Council, despite having cut ties ages ago. 

     It had been a couple weeks since his last call, and John had barely slept since then. Instead he stayed up worrying, and chain-smoking like he hadn’t since he’d blackmailed The First into curing his cancer. He’d tried ringing him a few days ago and it gone straight to voice mail. John had tried several times that day and gotten the same with each contact. He’d either lost it, the charger, or had his mobile off for some reason -- Or something more sinister, that he was trying not to think about. His only saving grace was the concept that if someone had kidnapped or was hurting him, there was a good chance he’d have gotten a gloating call about it by it by now. After all, they were very much associated with one another. They shared a flat, a bed, their day to day lives, but also shared enemies and a dangerous reputation.

     Near the end of his rope, John had started to prepare for an astral walk in order to find him when he heard a couple sharp raps on the door. Though he doubted it was Ripper, he had his own keys after all, John ran to answer it. His eyes widen with surprised when it was indeed his bloke, looking a bit worse for wear but thankfully whole. Before John could say a word, he was wrapped up in strong arms and the man’s face buried in the side of his neck. He mumbled something, but Rip sounded tired and the words were indistinct. John stroked his hair while managing to walk him back deeper into their home. Ever in tandem, Ripper kicked the door closed.

     “S’pose we’ll be buyin’ y’a new mobile tomorrow, ey?” John teased him gently.

[laughingmagi]

@youhavemyrespect​​ said: "Sometimes I feel as though I've met you a thousand times over."

     They’d just moved into their third flat, and they were surrounded by boxes, though truly not that many. Two of them alone were devoted to their records. No telly, their phone still packed up, they didn’t even have the power turned on yet. There was a breeze coming off the Thames, cooling their flat, and the faint sheen of sweat on their bodies.

     Lounging on a clean but bare mattress, nude and passing a joint between them, the skunky reek of cheap but potent weed warded away the less desirable miasma of the city sprawl. The hadn’t had sex, but John’s tendency toward casual nudity tended to be infectious. Though the flat was still rather warm, they remained close, with John’s head rested against one of Rip’s shoulders and one of his legs draped along his thigh.

     “Wotchu mean?” John asked, brow furrowing thoughtfully. “Like past lives?”

[laughingmagi]

@youhavemyrespect​ prompted: 💔

A  FUCKED  UP  KISSING  MEME // accepting

17. ...a  kiss  to  give  up  control.

     Trust was a hard won thing from John. He may love easily, but he didn’t trust so readily. John believed that of the two emotions, love was slightly more arbitrary. After all, the l-word was applied to many variants of affection, but no one dared to use the word trust with such idle recklessness.

     John thought of these things as Ripper tied his wrists to the bedpost with nylon stockings he’d bought earlier that day. They weren’t worried about security and Ripper hadn’t been terribly interested in rope or handcuffs. He liked to leave marks, but he preferred more visceral methods.

     He leaned in as much as he could, lips parting, wanting a kiss, and sighing when Ripper granted the affection. John groaned softly, feeling Ripper’s body cover his own, press it down into the mattress. It made him feel secure and deliciously possessed.

[laughingmagi]

@youhavemyrespect​ said: ❝ you're unusually quiet. what's up your bum? ❞

     “Hm?” John blinked and looked up from his drink. He’d been lost in thought, contemplating like he often did in the wake of a particularly intense event. John supposed he’d been brooding a bit longer than usual. “Nothin’. Sometimes I jus’ wonder if it’s all worth it. Not like, maybe we should stop, jus’ that -- I dunno. Guess I’m jus’ tired. Prolly why I’m keen f’the strong bevvy tonight.”

[laughingmagi]

@youhavemyrespect​ said: "I love you because you gave me a chance." A shrug, a smallish grin. "And you're not so hard on the eyes yourself."

Tell my muse why you love them // accepting

     “Y’make so much o’ a selfish twat that wanted t’keep ye all t’himself,” John grinned, modest as always, cheeks faintly pinked from the expression. It was rare that Ripper was so generous with his emotions. He was more of a show, less than a tell sort of bloke. John supposed it made his words all the more meaningful.