#after fane and i were chatting again | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

savinscripts · 5 years

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❝ Suspense is an excellent tool for keeping powerful people off balance. It gives you bargaining power. ❞

TW: USFW

It took a few hours of work and carefully crafted memory alterations for Fane to get what they needed, it was a matter of distraction and getting Kali to a point where she was receptive enough to let him do as he wished. Thankfully, fifteen years on the run ending up in all sorts of dives had left him with a fair few tricks up his sleeve ones that ultimately served to give him the opportunity he needed and when it presented itself he seized it altering Kali’s memory of the next few hours through a carefully woven tapestry of memories that Fane planted in her head. Enough to leave her with an enthralling pattern of events that unfolded after he’d followed her to the bedroom when in reality none of it was real. Not to mention some of the spells he’d had to use to give her a few marks to resemble what he’d put in her head. She’d slept then, only waking as Fane was shrugging his jacket back on. A short negotiation later, Fane was up three names, three wands and one box of Bliss which he tucked away on the inside of his jacket along with some of the other items that had been left in the lounge they’d been chatting in earlier.

“It was a pleasure, doing business with you Mister Savin,” Kali called as he promptly turned to leave not looking back once. Instead, as soon as Fane was outside and felt the wards tingle over his skin he disapparated to his shop moving to lift one of the floorboards in the back section where he stored the box of nefarious items he’d received magically save for one packet sealing with an undetectable charm before trudging up the stairs. He glanced at a mirror on the way up and grimaced at the sunken tiredness of his eyes, shrugged off his jacket onto the back of the sofa opting to bypass most of everything until he arrived up at the bedroom only to find one small auror passed out there instead. Sighing, Fane moved to perch on the side of the bed careful not to disturb her as he softly brushed a stray curl out of her face a ghost of a smile gracing his lips as he withdrew. She was probably mad, and so Fane carefully withdrew grabbing a pair of boxers from the drawer and a loose tee before heading to grab a shower wanting to scrub the night off under the scalding water.

Once he was clean and changed Fane cast a look at Faye on the bed, rubbing a hand through his wet hair before hanging his towel up on the door. He padded down to the lounge and settled down as best he could on the sofa. Which unfortunately for him was only a two-seater and resulted in an awkward contortion of his body to even try to fit on it by the time Fane drifted off his head had lolled to one side and an arm and leg hung awkwardly off the cushions.

Faye had debated going back to her cottage instead of to Fane’s. She was mad. Furious. But deep down in the rational part of her brain she knew it wasn’t at Fane. It was at the whole goddamn situation that had gone cold other than this one lead. This one, single, solitary lead. Since the Morsmordre had appeared above London all those weeks ago, nothing else had happened. No murders (thank Christ), no new evidence, not even a whisper of any suspicious activity that might correlate. Nothing.

This was all they had.

And it made Faye crazy.

Especially because Fane was all but being used as a means to an end. And he knew it. And that too, was her fault. So beneath the misplaced jealousy there was also guilt. And fear. Because while she trusted Fane, she didn’t trust the people she had left him with. Not one bit. Faye had been drugged with barely any effort earlier that night, and she had been doing this for a long time. Fane wasn’t incompetent by any means, but there was always someone who was better. Someone willing to go just one step further to get what they wanted. Not many, in Fane’s case, but to think he was infallible would be dangerous to the extreme. And that added just another layer to everything Faye was feeling.

So she apparated to Fane’s, standing for a moment in the deserted street outside the shopfront. Her dress reflected in the glass doors, the dim streetlights throwing sparks of light onto the cobblestones. Faye stared at her reflection for the space of a few seconds, and she should have felt beautiful with the way the dress hugged her curves and showed off her legs and cleavage; her hair now down and hanging wind-swept around her face; smokey eyes and painted lips. But she didn’t see any of that. She only saw the face she had had to put on. Her own means to an end. And the scars that she’d been forced to reveal. Marring anything about herself that she might find beautiful.

The outside reflects what on the inside, after all.

With an angry huff, Faye went inside, making sure to lock up again. She went upstairs to the bedroom and tore the dress off, leaving it in a pile with her shoes. Even the earrings and other jewelry she’d been wearing found themselves tossed to the floor and forgotten. Faye showered, turning the water just the other side of comfortable. She stood under the spray, scrubbing off the smell of smoke and sweat, and the sticky film of the smirking woman’s blood where it was smeared over her hand. But she couldn’t scrub off the way she felt. The way her thoughts kept drifting back to Fane (though honestly they had never left) and whether or not he was alright.

Whether or not he was in another woman’s bed…

No… no, he was fine. He would handle it, like he always did. And then he would come home.

Like he always did.

Faye turned the shower off eventually, feeling like she’d scrubbed her skin raw and bleeding. She dried herself, charming her hair to do the same, which left it in a mess of wavy curls down her back that she didn’t bother to brush out. Grabbing the first shirt she found, she pulled it on over her head as she padded down to the lounge to find a drink. There was a bottle already on the counter, so she snagged a glass and filled it full, not bothering with ice. She didn’t want to taste it anyway, she just wanted it to help her sleep. There were other ways, but none that wouldn’t knock her out for hours. And she wanted to be able to wake up when Fane got in.

Walking to the piano, she idly tapped a finger here and there over the keys. The notes echoed through the quiet room. Fane’s bird chirped irritably from his perch, cracking a shiny eye at Faye for disturbing him. “Piss off,” she muttered around the rim of the glass. But she closed the piano hood anyway and walked to the windows, looking out on the city below. Cato chirped again, ruffling his feathers, and Faye glanced at him briefly. They both fell quiet after that.

Eventually, Faye went to bed, falling into a restless sleep. She didn’t wake when Fane came in, or when he sat beside her and touched her gently. Though she did make a small, contented sound as his fingers brushed her face. Faye slept a while longer, until her restlessness finally forced her awake. She reached out towards the other side of the bed and found it empty. Which only made her frown, especially considering what time the clock showed.

Fuck...

There was no way she was going back to sleep now. She got up and went downstairs, rubbing her arms against the cold that had settled in during the night. She might have passed right by the sofa, and it’s occupant, had he not been so awkwardly smushed while trying to sleep. As it was, Faye did notice, and it stopped her in her tracks.

He had come home. And he was sleeping here, folded in half on this tiny half-sofa, instead of in his own bed. He must think her furious with him. Faye’s expression softened, turning from one of annoyance and worry, to one of weary gratefulness.

The stubborn bastard didn’t even have a blanket. And it was freezing. She sighed, and walked over, snagging a throw and laying it over him before casting a warming charm. Much as he had done her, she pushed his hair back off his forehead in a small gesture of affection. Then she settled down on the floor, a second blanket tucked around herself, and leaned against the arm of the sofa.

“I’m sorry,” she said after awhile. Her voice was quiet, and a bit hesitant. “I was… jealous.” I was so scared. “And I could’ve ruined everything.” I should never have put you in that position.

Fane knew well enough that this evening he was a bargaining chip, a means to an end, whatever or however you wanted to put it he was aware and consciously accepting the fact that he was being used. Another thing added to the bargain to get what everyone involved wanted; Faye her information to find some sort of break in this damn case so they could have a break, him the possibility of an in to fuelling some of his vices and Kali their silence (and him for the night). He went in knowing the possibilities, not that it changed the nausea he felt even thinking he had to even touch another person when the only one he wanted wasn’t present. But it was necessary, for the case and for Faye’s career he was willing to sacrifice himself in whatever means she required even if that meant letting another use him.

By now he was used to people doing that. What did one more time matter?

Not wanting to wake Faye, and also unsure how she was feeling about everything was why Fane chose to go downstairs. Not to mention he still felt a little off-kilter since leaving the estate. He didn’t want to disturb Faye if he slept fitfully, it wasn’t fair on her to wake her after the night she had been through between Boris and everything else though not once did he stop to consider that perhaps it was unfair to him too. That the only reason he’d been in this position was because of Faye’s damn obsession with this case regardless of how many people it helped, why did it cost so much? It had already practically taken over every waking moment of their lives that Fane didn’t opt to try and distract Faye away from it, the papers and case files littered all over the apartment evidence to this fact. It was a creature that only seemed to grow larger and more omnious the more and harder they dug into it and it was frustrating the fuck out of him. To say he was fed up with everything to do with this case would be the understatement of the century.

By now Fane’s hair had begun to curl wildly, still mostly damp from the shower but as the blanket and magic settled over him he stirred slightly mostly dozing considering the sheer awkwardness of the position he’d crashed in. So it didn’t take much to wake him, and Faye’s hand affectionately stroking his errant strands of hair out of his face where they had fallen (he needed a bit of a haircut honestly) caused him to turn a little though his eyes remained shut even as he slowly woke to the sound of Faye’s voice. For a few more moments he stayed silent, trying to think about what he could say but eventually a breath of air left him as a shallow sigh. “S’fine” he finally said, “got what you needed” his eyes blinked open a little sunken and tired as he gazed at her a familiar pang of guilt rolled in his stomach as he thought back to earlier in the night. He resumed his quiet retreat for a few more moments before he shifted a little knowing it wouldn’t get better but also feeling bad for keeping what had happened to himself. “I-- um,” his eyes dropped a little as he pushed himself to sit up pulling at the neck of his tee “I had to do some-- stuff to distract her-- before I could cast the spell-- but-- nothing else happened… So if you’re angry with me… Please, tell me now…” Fane wasn’t sure how he’d handle her anger if she had any, but in the spirit of attempting to be honest he felt it was the only way forwards to tell her more or less what had happened. While they hadn’t gone the full distance it didn’t mean he felt tainted and as though he’d broken her trust in him even with the things he’d brought her in return.

Better to get this over and done with if she was angry with him.

He started to stir, and when he spoke, Faye turned towards him. Christ he looked tired. “Yeah… you did,” she offered in return, curling a hand gently over his knee. She hadn’t seen what he’d brought back, but she wasn’t going to refute anything. Not now. “Thank you doesn’t seem… right. But still… thank you, Fane.” The words were said softly, though they were weighted with so much more than simply being grateful. Which seemed wrong in so many ways. “But it’s…” Faye chewed her lip. “It’s not fine. It’s not fine at all. I never should’ve… I never should’ve let it happen.” He shifted, and she did too, pulling herself up to sit beside him on the sofa.

She stayed quiet while he tried to explain what had happened, and when he ended by asking her if she was angry with him, Faye felt her heart break. Of course he would think that…

“No,” she said quickly and firmly. “I’m not angry with you. Not at all. How could I be? When it was my… my obsession with this case that… that put you in that position in the first place? I’m angry at myself, Fane.” Her voice wavered, but she pulled it back under control. “I should’ve found another way. Because there’s always another way… except… I couldn’t find it this time… and you got hurt. You got hurt…” Faye shook her head, looking away. “And nothing in this world, not even this case… is worth that. Not to me. I know you probably don’t believe me, but... in the end? You’re all that matters.”

Faye grew quiet then, unable to look at him for fear of what she would see. It was cowardly perhaps, but she wasn’t feeling particularly brave at the moment. “I’m sorry, love… for all of it…” For tonight. For the last year’s worth of nights spent obsessing over this case. For letting it take over their lives, when it wasn’t even his responsibility to begin with. For being jealous. For being short-sighted. For being impulsive.

“But I’m not sorry for breaking that bitch’s nose.” For saying what she had to Faye, but mostly for looking at Fane like he was something she wanted to devour. Her voice was a bit less cowed now, and she reached over for his hand, threading their fingers. “Or for hating it when someone thinks they can have what’s mine…”

He sniffed a bit, scratching his nose as he finally came to properly and he felt the pressure of her hand settling over his knee stretching out with a jaw-cracking yawn that only served to leave him half hanging even further off the sofa. “S’fine,” he said once more, calmly and with that same tone he always used when he didn’t want to make a big deal out of something because in his mind it was he’d get over what he felt, he had done before so why would this time be any different to the others? It was no big deal in his mind, why would it matter all that much really?

Why wouldn’t Fane think she was angry with him? He’d not only undermined her when she’d said a categorical no because he knew this was their only chance to get this thing moving again, but he’d broken her trust. Even partially Fane felt guilty regardless. But when she went on to say that he got hurt Fane just blinked tiredly at her, moving to brush her thigh softly. “Really, it’s fine.... I am fine, and I’m here and you have what you need.” Frankly he was puzzled she wasn’t more-- mad at him if he was being honest, he’d been expecting her to start slinging accusations because he figured he must’ve hurt her and Faye’s hurt almost always manifested as anger. So her not being angry was-- well, Fane was left a bit perplexed about what he was supposed to do next.

She looked away, and Fane grimaced not wanting to let her feel bad for this. “Don’t be,” he insisted again moving his hand to touch her knee more firmly while the other shifted to touch her chin. “It’s done,” and it was, just as Fane would get over what he felt he was sure that Faye would too. Once they figured out their next steps with this case then whatever had been done would mean something, and wouldn’t just all be for naught. Still, some of the heaviness that sat in his chest lightened as she mentioned breaking the woman’s nose and he did chuckle “that was a mighty impressive punch” he grinned feeling better for at least changing the topic. Though he felt his heart speed a little at what she said, not missing the way she took his hand as she said it. “Yours hm?” this was good, this was familiar and Fane liked treading familiar ground. He raised her hand to his mouth, kissing her knuckles softly but there was a typical salacious glint that lit his eyes as he gazed up at her “is that you or the jealousy wanting to claim me?” Fane was curious for the answer, “because I’m not about to complain if it was a bit of both.” And after tonight, Fane wanted her to do exactly that, he felt tainted and if he was being honest having Faye purge him clean and claim him entirely as her own would perhaps help him come to terms with forgiving himself for doing what he had done. “Plus,” his voice was lower when he spoke again, his thumb lightly brushing her chin tilting her head to look at her more directly “you promised me earlier that you would agree to however long I wanted off, and that I could pick where I wanted to take you… M’gonna hold you to that.”

Faye knew that saying her piece was one thing. But repeating it over and over and over was another matter. Fane wasn’t stupid. Nor was he forgetful, especially when it came to certain things. So Faye’s apology, her thoughts and feelings on what had happened, her own guilt and remorse, and yes, her jealousy too, wouldn’t be something Fane would let fade away. He would remember, and that was the only reason Faye didn’t keep insisting that she was at fault. Not because she didn’t think it was true - she did - but because repeating herself was unnecessary.

He tipped her chin, and Faye looked up without resistance. It was done, she knew. And there was no changing it, no matter how much Faye wanted to. So the most that could be done was for them to be honest, and for Faye to make sure that what he had done wasn’t done for nothing. That it mattered. That it helped. As she was certain it would. Priori Incantatum didn’t lie. And while there were ways of wiping a wand clean - aside from snapping it in two, and even then a good wand examiner could still pull evidence from it - it was more complicated than most cared to attempt. Find the spell, find the owner, find who stole it. Connections would come together, and they would be off again down another path that would hopefully lead to the end of all this. Before anyone else got hurt.

Before either of them got hurt again.

But the evidence could wait until the morning.

Faye managed a smile. “Think I hurt my hand.” Her knuckles were slightly bruised, but nothing she was worried about. She was more focused on the press of his mouth against them, and the grin that played over his face. It changed his whole demeanor. Made him look years younger. Not that either of them was old by any means, but the world had a way of sucking the life from you… and Fane had had more than his share of turmoil in his life.

“Mine…” Her lips parted slightly, and her eyes softened as they moved over his face. “Both…” was her agreement as he tilted her face up. His thumb was a bright point of heat as it moved over her skin, and Faye turned into the caress. He mentioned her promise, and Faye nodded, feeling a flash of possessiveness wash over her. They would settle this for the time being - it would take awhile to secure the evidence from the wands - and he would spirit her away somewhere. Somewhere warm and sunny. Where it would be nothing but them and what they wanted for days on end. No jobs, no responsibilities, no case files and crime scenes and sleepless nights. Just them.

The thought made her cheeks flush, and combined with the way he was looking at her, Faye couldn’t resist the urge the climb into his lap. She pulled the blanket away and slid across him, a leg on either side of his thighs. She didn’t move against him just yet, only sat there, warm and solid as her fingers stroked along the lines of his neck and up to his jaw. Tracing his features lightly, she soothed the frown lines in his brow, followed the arch of his eyebrows with the tips of her middle fingers, and worked her way down to buss the pad of her thumb over his bottom lip.

Only when she had traced every line of his face did she tip it towards her, finger under her chin as he had done to her. She kissed him then, gently at first, but with a slowly growing desperation that was partnered by the slight press of her hips into his, and in the way her hands slid to grip the hair at the base of his neck.

She took a small breath, but didn’t pull away. “You’re mine… you’ve always been mine… and I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth…” Her mouth found his again, and there was no hiding the possessive need she felt for him in that moment. Already she ached for him to touch her… to reaffirm that she was the only one he loved, and that the feeling was entirely mutual.

Faye knew him well enough to know that things would be acknowledged in due course, Fane took things like this on a one by one basis. For now he was inclined to deal with her jealousy, to reaffirm to her and consequently himself that he was only hers. He would forever and always only be hers, regardless of what else happened every inch of his body, mind and soul would belong in their entirety to her and her alone. So Fane held her chin to keep her paying attention to him and so he could be sure that nothing would distract her from his words, from the promise they held. Still, some of the sombreness lifted from his expression as she mentioned her knuckles were sore, “do I need to kiss it better?” he teased raising her bruised knuckles once more to his lips before allowing her to take her hands back so that she could trace his features.

“Both, hm, well I feel like we should do something about that--” typically Fane was the one out of them to take the reins of a situation to demand and stipulate his will over what he wanted from Faye. But after the events of tonight he still felt a lingering tiredness so he opted to sit back as she climbed into his lap settling there as though they were designed and crafted to perfectly mould and continued to caress the skin of his face tenderly. His eyes were softer than they typically were in a situation like this, and he found himself relaxing into her touch. When her thumb ghosted his lower lip they parted taking the digit into his mouth and sucking on it in a slow seductive fashion, not needing to say but making it clear that he had no interest in being in control tonight. This was about Faye, her feelings, her jealousy and helping her come to terms with her complete and utter possession of him. He let her take ahold of his chin, just as he had with her earlier and obligingly let her seal their lips together melting into the warm familiarity that slid over him as his latent magic recognised her own so near.

He moaned softly into her mouth as her hips slowly ground into his own, combined with her declaration it was more than enough for him to start feeling riled. “Show me love,” he requested under his breath when they broke apart for air wetting his lips “make me” please his eyes glimmered in the darkness wide and almost pleading for her to seize everything her was offering and bend it and him entirely to her will. Because he wanted it, needed it “you’re the only one who can.”

“Do you?” Faye murmured. Usually, the roles were flipped, and she was the one giving up control. Fane was a dominating person, and Faye had no trouble or recourse with being the submissive one. Both roles varied in intensity - in how far they were willing to push each other, and in how much leeway they were willing to give - from day to day. Sometimes it was a mile, sometimes there was no wiggle room at all.

Though right now Faye wasn’t quite sure how it would end up, other than it was her that was taking charge of this. And he was just as she wanted him, pliant and willing beneath her. Asking her for what she was already intent on giving.

Their magic hummed together, and Faye’s skin tingled with the energy it created. With the force of how it pulled at her, beckoning her to come closer, to sink into him and never let go. All of which she had every intention of doing, among other things. His words sent heat flaring through her belly, and she kissed him again, harder this time, but still with a measure of control that she didn’t normally have. But it also wasn’t normal for her to feel jealousy rise up so fiercely inside her. Possessiveness, yes. Protectiveness, always. But jealousy?

It was rare. Perhaps it was partly because she’d felt so vulnerable with her scars on display. After having no choice but to reveal them. Perhaps it was the sheer amount of power and influence that she knew Kali held in her grasp, and how that influence could very well affect the both of them in the future if she so chose. And not just because of the case. Or perhaps it was just the fact - by itself - that others thought they had a right to him, to his body and his mind, when they already belonged to Faye. Just as hers did to him.

Her hips moved a bit more insistently against his own, against the arousal she could feel beneath her, and she pulled at his shirt, wanting it off so that she could feel his skin under her hands. But first… “Upstairs... now…” she breathed out against his mouth. The sofa just wouldn’t do, not at all. Not tonight.

Considering Faye’s job it made sense (at least it did to Fane) that she was happy enough to have control taken from her, to have choice taken and to be left to simply experience the pleasure that came with handing over control to someone you trusted like that. It wasn’t all too often he asked it of her, but there were instances where he sometimes felt inclined to ask. Often with situations like this neither of them went in knowing how it would come out or who would ultimately be on top (figuratively and literally) but for now Fane was malleable under Faye’s touch, her desire and control shaping him entirely to her will.

There always was a familiar resonance between them, just as it had been since they were young but Fane had noticed the almost symbiotic nature of their magic had only ever grown stronger with each day that passed when they spent time together. Even that one time their thoughts had melded when he’d rather forcibly smashed his way through her mental barriers to make her understand (more than a few years ago now) there had been a recognition there in their respective magic. Almost as if even being near one another was enough for their magic to go ‘oh, it’s you’. It was something he’d never experienced with anyone else, and if he was honest he didn’t want to experience it with another person. His magic was one of his most intimate and cherish values, something he had worked long and hard on crafting and Faye, only Faye would ever be able to tap into that.

His hands sank as she kissed him once more, a hungry open-mouthed invitation he seized, clutching at the supple flesh at the curve of her hips not caring for the heavily scarred skin that lay exposed by the shirt she’d opted to wear. By now Fane had seen her enough times that he accepted it, didn’t need to linger over it and draw attention to it instead he just took hold and pulled her down against him. Every movement was pulling at him, dragging him closer to giving in to the hint at breathtaking, mindless ecstasy that was growing with each roll of her hips. A single-minded intent in them both that had him melting entirely under her already, “use it” he murmured hoarsely his breathing already shallow as he spoke of her jealousy, her self-directed anger, the possessiveness and protectiveness she felt for him earlier. He wanted to feel it, wanted to get lost entirely in it “everything you felt earlier, use it.” Let me feel it. Because there was no better way to do that than by putting it to use, using it to fuel these particular moments when they did happen to occur.

Her demand caused his heart to speed up a little, “yes mi valkyrja” he urged her to rise with a small lift of his hips, and once she did he followed his trousers already more than a little tight due to his half-hard cock. He paused long enough to fish something from the inside of his discarded jacket from earlier tucking this into his pocket. He waited until she moved, because tonight she was in charge and that meant following her lead, her will at least for the time being. He trailed her up the stairs, though en route he did end up taking one of the pills from his pocket popping this onto his tongue and letting it dissolve feeling a rush of warm tingling magic slide through his body otherwise entirely obedient as they reached the bedroom. He stopped then looking to her, waiting for her next instruction.

The thin t-shirt and panties that Faye word did little to hide her own arousal. But she tamped it down, controlling it as she tugged at him, both literally and figuratively, and slowly began the process of building him up and taking him apart. Every breath he took, every tiny flutter of muscle and tightening of his hands, told her he wanted this as much as she did. That he needed it. Just as she did.

Doing her best to put his obvious state of arousal out of her mind for now - not forgetting, but not letting it make her lose control just yet - Faye headed upstairs as he willing followed. She didn’t see the little pill he swallowed, so was none the wiser as she instructed him to lie down on his belly across the bed after taking off his trousers.

When he had done as she asked, Faye pulled her shirt off and tossed it aside, leaving her panties on as she crawled onto the bed with him. She knelt beside him and stroked her hand down the long line of hs back and over the curve of his backside. She slid a hand between his thighs to caress his balls and then stroked back up, one finger dragging feather light over the slight dip between his cheeks. At the same time, she pressed her mouth to his shoulders, kissing a line over the sensitive skin.

“I’m not going to bind you while I do this… I think you have enough control to keep your hands where I put them. If you don’t, if you reach back, I’ll stop and make you wait.” Her hand stroked over him again, and Faye struggled to control her breathing at the thought of what was to come. “Can you do that for me? Can you let me fuck you, let me take what’s mine? And not touch?”

He waited, patiently until she was done with her instructions before he set about fulfilling them. His eyes locked onto her own as he slowly pulled his tee over his head discarding it somewhere in the room anticipation and excitement plain to see there in his eyes. Fane’s thumbs hooked into the waistband of his trousers and for a moment he paused the angle of his hands framing his hips before he eased them and his boxers down in one. There was nothing quite like seeing her eyes darken with her own arousal when she was looking at him. So he took a moment before he moved over the bed taking his time to crawl on before rather indolently laying himself down his cock trapped between the mattress. Once he was settled he stretched out lithely the pleasant hum and warmth of magic and arousal continuing to hum through him.

Considering his back was to her Fane felt more than saw when Faye joined him on the bed, feeling the mattress dip as she too got comfortable. His eyes were hidden where they pressed into the back of his forearm leaving himself entirely open to her mercy that is if she was willing to show any tonight. A short sharp inhale came the moment her fingers came into contact with his skin, warmth trailing a firey path down his spine tracking wherever she went and it took his focus to stop himself from arching up into her hands. Like this the brand marring the back of his shoulder blade was visible, the welts branded to form the skull and snake that theoretically marked all the fanatics who supported Voldemort. Unfortunately, Fane bore the mark due to his sheer resilience against the concept even now the latent magic that caused it left the area tender so the soft combined attention of her lips there and hand between his legs had him fighting back a keen especially as she took her time to tease him barely enough to satisfy anything. “Goddamnit Faye,” he gritted out trying to keep his voice level but struggling as she continued to lay out the rules.

No bindings. Fane gave a small nod, “yes-- yes I won’t disappoint you. I promise” he let out a slow breath shifting his hips a little as she dragged her finger over him again his body entirely sensitised to her touch. “Gods I promise mi valkyrja. Take everything you want. It’s yours. All yours.”

“That’s good, love… I know you won’t. And when you take me away… someplace warm and sunny… I’ll let you return the favor, hm?” Her hand dipped down again, pressing deeper between his warm flesh as she teased him. Her mouth lingered over the scar on his shoulder, taking the time to give it as much attention as the rest of his skin. He was burning hot to the touch, and as the cool air of the room blew over her, the contrast hardened her nipples to even more sensitive peaks. It was torture, not having him touch her yet, but drawing it out… watching him come undone beneath her would be worth it.

She whispered her own endearments to him, her hand dipping between her own legs to rub lightly over the soaked fabric of her panties. But she didn’t linger. Instead she got up and went to the closet, finding what she needed and coming back to the bed. He hadn’t moved, to which she smiled. “I’m gonna go slow… since it’s been awhile for us.” Kneeling between his knees, Faye took the time to just admire him in the dim, warm light. Long legs, lean and with just the right amount of muscle tone. Her hands stroked up the back of his thighs, dipping down as they had before to tease him. Only this time, she lingered, a simple charm slicking her fingers and she found the sensitive flesh and rubbed lightly. She leaned up on her knees, and kissed the slope of his back, nipping lightly with her teeth here and there.

“Gods, you’re so tight for me…” she said into his skin as she pushed a little further. The strap on she’d slipped into already was charmed like a real cock. Including what Faye could feel. Right now it was half hard against his thigh, and Faye rolled her hips, seeking friction and also seeking to make him squirm. The cock twitched, leaving a sticky trail of precum glistening on his skin. When it was ready, she eased into place, cursing under her breath as his slick flesh pressed against hers. She took herself in hand as she moved slowly, feeling him start to relax against her as she rocked her hips, and not wanting to rush this, no matter how tempting it was to bury herself inside him. “Fuck… that’s it, love… gods you feel like...ah fuck… like heaven…”

He was already letting himself get lost in the thoughts of their trip, of taking her away somewhere they could forget about the darkness that plagued their lives on a daily basis. “Yeah---” he uttered a tad breathlessly trying to take deeper lungfuls of air between what she was doing and trying to think on what he wanted to treat her to. There was so much, too much “take you somewhere hot, strip you down outta those clothes and gods we’ll have so much fun doll,” his words dripped with sincere promise “find a spot on a beach and I’ll fuck you while people watch how good you ride my cock, watch me fill you up with cum like the little cockwhore you are yeah?” Years of travelling to all sorts of exotic locations had led to an exclusive array of experiences he could draw from and he already had several plans about what and where he wanted to take her.

But for now none of that mattered, the slickness of her fingers as she spread him wide and worked him open making him groan, loud and unabashedly guttural. A part of him wished she’d let him be on his back, so that he might look up at her, admire the sight of her hair hanging in loose waves over her shoulders, the curve of her breasts and tight budding peaks of her nipples that he simply had to envision in his mind’s eye. The thought of getting a taste of her was almost enough to make him drool, but he was distracted as she began to push against him more firmly before all of a sudden the pressure was gone and a slightly needy whimper left his lips at the deprivation of her attention. He turned his head, watching as she took her time to get the things and his shoulders rolled but he knew better than to move especially if he wanted to get what he wanted tonight. A few moments later she was returning and Fane eyed the strap-on with a hungry glint in his eyes tempted to misbehave if only to be forced to make it up to her. She knew well enough his rather well-acclaimed skill when it came to working and pleasuring her with his mouth, and if he was honest on the few occasions the opportunity presented itself he was a damn cock-whore himself. But this was Faye’s show, he’d relented his control for the time being feeling the familiar weight of the toy resting against his thigh. His back arched slightly under the grazing nip of her teeth and the more Faye pushed her fingers against him, working him and stretching him open; the more Fane pushed back against her.

“Only for you,” he answered another groan slipping from his lips as his fingers dug into the mattress, his own cock heavy and trapped the combined weight and friction of her behind him making him tremble a little and his causing his breath to catch in his throat. As she moved to readjust then his body thrummed with anticipation, lifting his hips to slick against the blunt tip she was teasing him with enough to show his encouragement. She’d said that she wanted to go slow, and while the burning stretch made him grit his teeth wincing a little at the sharp flare of pain and pleasure that surged through him, face pressed into the mattress and fingers wind the sheets taut he turned his face aside. “Give it to me love, please” he rasped shallowly “give it to me, I can take it… Don’t hold back.” He could, would because he didn’t want slow needed to feel himself ache with sated and utterly debauched pleasure.

There were some parts of being what they were that Faye loved more than others. Magic could do almost anything, and when it came to pleasures of the flesh, to drugs, or alcohol, or any number of things that people took pleasure and found a way to lose themselves in, there was no contest. Faye had no drugs in her system like Fane did (though she didn’t know it), but still… every brush of skin, every sensation over and around the hardened flesh strapped between her legs felt as real as it if were her flesh, her blood, that was working it’s way inside of him.

“Patience, love…” she breathed against his back. The words came out slowly, slightly stuttered as Faye fought against the urge to just bury herself to the hilt. She wanted to take her time, at least for these first few moments. Tease him until he was trembling beneath her more than he already was.

Because Faye knew what he wanted. This wasn’t the first time they’d done this. It didn’t happen all that often, but enough that Faye knew every sound he made, every arch of his back, every flex of muscle and tightening of his hands in the sheets. And when he turned to look at her, she glanced up from where she was panting against his shoulder. Faye’s eyes were blown dark with arousal… by the sensation of slick, willing heat as she fucked into him long and slow.

“Is that what you want?” She bit a purple bruise into the corded muscle beneath his shoulder. Another to match on the opposite side. Pushing up, she let the cock slide out, and it sprang up hard and swollen and leaking against her belly. Her fingers stroked him again, teasing but not pressing into him yet. “Turn over…” she commanded. “On your back.” Her hand stroked the straining phallus slowly, every swirl of her thumb around the head she felt on her clit.

When Fane ad done as she asked, Faye took a moment to admire the swollen length of his own cock. She bent down, flicking her tongue over the head before moving up to kiss him once, long and slow. While she did, she worked the strap on down between them, finding the right spot and pressing gently once, twice… before she buried herself to the hips inside him. At the same time, she pulled his bottom lip through her teeth, releasing it with a pop as she started to move. Out slowly, and back in as forcefully as she could. “Is that what you want, love?” A grunt left her as she fucked into him again. “Is that what you like? Tell me… tell me what you want… and it’s yours…”

“Struggling there?” he laughed though the sound was rather muffled where his face was pillowed against the mattress the way her words and voice stuttered not being lost on him. It only served to make him feel warmer, to know that even without touching her or really doing anything beyond letting her have her way with his body could do that to him. “Maybe-- maybe you’re just not cut out for this ‘eh?” Fane’s words held a certain amount of challenge to them, he wanted to provoke her, and pride was a thing they both struggled with. She knew his body just as well as he did her own, knew how to read what he wanted and needed with barely a look or a touch and while this felt good, he needed more.

He bit the inside of his cheek as she sank her teeth into the tense muscles of his back, marking, claiming him as her own; one side followed up by the other the sensation making him groan and rut his hips back seeking more of the friction he so desperately wanted. Unfortunately, instead of getting what he wanted he was met with quite the opposite, she slid out leaving him feeling entirely too empty and bereft and he grunted rather unhappily. But before he could grumble too much she was ordering him to move again, and rather obediently if a little more stubbornly he shifted rolling over rumpling the sheets under his back as he settled in the new position his eyes drifting to gaze up at her where she knelt above him. She looked ravishing, like his own personal goddess and the thought of worshipping her made his mouth water hungrily. The thought of being entirely at her mercy sent a hot rush through his veins, and by now his cock by now bobbed heavy the swollen tip already glistening wetly a deep throb radiating a constant ache and drumming up a desperate need in him. Aching to be touched, to let her do whatever she damn well wanted if it meant just getting a fraction of what he was already practically gagging for.

The brief touch of her tongue flicking over his prick sent a little tremor through his body, his stomach clenching and breath huffing out in a short puff his cock twitching in anticipation. “Fucking tea-- mmph” his words were muffled by the press of her mouth, the brief salty taste of his own precome on her tongue as she invaded his mouth and overrode every good sense in his body distracting him until she had lined up and penetrated him in a single forceful plunge while biting down on his lip, the sweet burn caused his mouth to drop open against her own a deep cry emanating from the pit of his stomach to work up his throat. He barely had any time to think of answering before she was moving, needed something to ground him and ultimately ended up gripping her ass his nails digging in unable to think of her earlier threat of suffering for touching her. He couldn’t help any of it, the pain making him wince at the tight stretch but gods it felt so damn good and he pushed back as best he could wanting it all. He nodded mutely struggling to remember to breathe when every thrust made him feel as though his brain was short-wiring leaving him writhing and gasping so his assent to liking this came in the form of another low groan and the squeeze of his muscles around the unrelenting force. “Ah fuck--” he gasped as her next thrust hit a sweet spot that made him tremble, eyes threatening to roll back in his head ultimately causing his nails to rake red strips over her ass before digging in and dragging her closer. He felt hot, sweat already starting to slick his skin while his hips rocked back to meet her “ faster--” his own cock slapped wetly against his belly leaving glistening sticky smears behind as he urged her on “harder.”

Normally, Faye would have punished him for his transgression. Quickly and harshly for the deliberate and all too quick breaking of her one rule: don’t touch. Her punishments were - admittedly - not as long-lasting as Fane’s could be when the tables were turned. His will power was much stronger than hers when it came his turn to lead. Though Faye was a much more obedient submissive, usually. Her selfish desire to be satisfied winning out more often than not. Though there was no shortage of misbehavior on her part either. It all depending on a variety of factors.

Tonight, the factors were all too clear. Faye didn’t like others thinking they could touch what belonged to her. At least not without her permission, and Fane’s as well. That was an avenue they had yet to explore, and in the future it could be entertaining and pleasurable for them both. But the women from the syndicate… it made Faye’s skin crawl, and a protectiveness - and yes, a green-eyed monster - rose up inside her that she hadn’t felt in a long, long time. Not since they were kids.

That need to lay claim to him, to put her mark on his skin and make him cry out her name as he came undone beneath her, was at the forefront of Faye’s mind. So when he grabbed hold of her, hard enough to bruise her soft flesh, and begged her for more, the sight and sound of him was more than she had the will to overcome. Punishment was forgotten, and a hand raked through his hair, gripping it tightly as she did as he asked. The other hand braced against the bed, giving herself leverage as she rolled her hips back and then pushed forwards again. The movement was sharp and precise, the grip of his body around the charmed cock she wore felt like fucking heaven. The sight of his own, hard and heavy and eager for whatever she wanted to give or needed to take, made her cunt throb. Gods she wanted him.

Her hand loosened from his hair as she thrust faster, the wet sound of skin on skin filling the room around a miasma of arousal and sweat and the alway slightly lingering scent of opium. It found his cock, sliding down to squeeze his balls before wrapping tightly around the base. “Not yet…” she panted. “Not yet…” Needing both hands for leverage, she let go of him, leaving a ring of magic tight around the base of him. Around the heavy weight of his balls. She found his mouth again with hers, and kissed him again, desperately this time as she fucked him towards release, while at the same time trying to hold it off for as long as possible.

The tight grasp of her hand in his hair caused him to groan, the sharp pain of the tug in his scalp yanking his head back and baring his throat so it was entirely at her mercy if that was what she wanted. She could mark him however she wanted and he’d wear the marks proudly because he was hers and he’d damn well show whoever wanted to know with zero fucks given. The sharp roll of her hips as she started to put her weight behind each thrust while picking up the pace fucking him hard, forcing his tender body to stretch and yield with only the charm earlier to ease the way for the thick length and girth of the charmed cock. It made him cry out, a choked sob echoing over the obscene sound of skin slapping against skin. But he made no effort to push her away, instead it only served to stir that molten heat inside of him, making him tremble and shudder as he gripped her tight his fingers pressing divots into her skin with such a force there was no doubt she would be marked on the morrow. Encouraging, a silent show that he could take this, that he wanted to feel this and for it to last.

Somehow, Faye leveraged herself to start moving faster, deeper and he swore he felt each slide deep in his belly his eyes rolling shut as he struggled to keep them open from each spark of his brain and the sheer force of the assault on his body. It hurt, but it felt so good, too good, like everything he’d ever needed rolled into one and by now his cock was leaking over his belly as he tried to tamp down on the building heat in his body. The grip of her hand didn’t help matters and he keened as she squeezed his balls, stomach and muscles tightening as he tried his best to do as she said. Notyetnotyetnotyet. The words were a mantra in his head, another driven penetration hitting that sweet spot that made him clench down on the cock and he struggled to kiss her back, a shuddering gasp panted against her mouth as he surged up seeking her mouth in a frantic and needy fashion. Needing something, anything to try and distract him. To hold off. “Don’t stop-- Gods don’t stop, I need-- I need it sososososo much” he pleaded breathlessly wincing between the slide of their bodies though the occasional whimper from the pain of being fucked raw was mostly lost in the press of their lips not that it stopped him from pushing his legs wider. One hand slid up her spine nails leaving harsh red trails over her skin clutching for some sort of anchor to latch onto before he got swept away entirely.

She knew there was pain mixed with the pleasure she was giving him. There had to be, even though he had been ready and willing to accept her entrance into his body. Even though he fought against his own release, begging her for more as he drug lines in her skin, as raw and stark as the need that rolled off him in waves. And if Faye were honest, she needed it too. Fucking him like this was… it was mindblowing… but it still wasn’t the same as feeling him inside her. Feeling the stretch of her body as it remembered him every time. Though fucking hell this was a close second…

He shuddered, gasping and keening against her mouth, losing all ability to actually kiss her or verbalize with any sort of clarity. He clawed at her, and she felt the sting as her skin split beneath his nails. Her back arched into him, wanting more, wanting to feel that life-affirming pain that came with this utter and complete possession of one another. She was almost gone herself, her movements harsh and frantic but still slamming deep inside him every single time. Her knees scrambled for more purchase, her hips angling to hit even deeper, to drag the head of her cock out and back again at just the right angle. Her clit throbbed, and her thighs were slick from the soaked fabric of her panties.

She was so close… she could feel it building inside her… feel the cock swelling even larger as it got ready to fill him up. But she couldn’t… not before he did. Not before she watched him come undone. Her hand swept up, stroking the long line of his neck before closing her hand around it just so. “You’re gonna come when I let the magic loose…” she panted, her words shaking a bit as she kept up her pace. “And then so am I… and then… I’m gonna lick you clean… every last inch of skin… fucking hellAH….” Faye lost the ability to speak as he clenched tighter than ever around her, knowing she wasn’t going to last long now. Her hand tightened around his throat just so, just like he liked it, and she released the magical binding on his cock before fucking him as hard as she ever had. Frantically, desperately… wanting to feel his come across her chest, across her belly, and later inside her… and wanting to feel hers inside him. “ Comeon...comeon… fucklove comeon…”

It wasn’t uncommon for either one of them to come away with blood under their nails, having scraped and scratched each other raw and this was just further proof of that. Proof of his need imprinted into her spine from the clutch of his fingers. She changed her pace then, the rhythm and angle sending shockwaves of pleasure coursing through his body and each time she left him empty it wrenched another pitiful needy noise from his throat, pleading for her to grace him again even with the burn each short sharp thrust she took to bury the cock deep into him the precision and force striking his prostate hard and causing his vision to start to blur at the edges.

His throat worked against her hand as she stroked and gripped it, apple’s adam bobbing under the wrap of her fingers as he struggled to suck air in to fill his lungs. He could feel himself hanging on by a thread, he never did manage to last all that long when he was being so brutally fucked and he was so close, sosososososo close and practically beside himself with need and want. The magic pulsed causing him to whimper as he used it to try and fight back every urge to give in, he’d broken one of her rules, he didn’t want to break this one, wanted to do as she said and hold off not that it stopped his painfully neglected straining and swollen cock from smearing trails of precum across his abdomen. His balls were drawn up tight, heavy and Fane was sure he could feel the heavy thud of his heart pulsing in time with the throbbing ache of his prick. But he hadn’t yet been given permission, and so he scrunched up his eyes focussing on waiting and occasionally sucking little gasps of air into his lungs until he was shown mercy.

And finally, finally she was instructing him and nodding mutely was all he could accomplish between the continued rhythm she had never let up that had him practically wound as tight as a spring. In a moment the dam broke, the pressure helping him to fight off what he so desperately wanted combined with her grip choking the air from his lungs and finally the punishing and utterly demanding fuck caused him to fall apart completely and utterly in barely a moment. He could barely even try to take a breath before the force of his orgasm caused his back to arch and hips to buck sporadically a choked cry leaving him as his cock pulsed spattering thick white ropes of come over his chest and stomach a couple hitting her skin above him leaving him shaking, feeling rather faint and breathing shallowly clutching her tight and continuing to try and rock as his body jerked under her. “C’mon baby,” he managed to whisper pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth “c’mon, c’mon fill me up. I ah--- fucking hell” he grated out clutching her again as his body trembled and tensed “I wanna feel you.”

The thick, warm spurts of cum splattered his chest as he climaxed with a cry. Faye felt it across her chest, and sucked in a breath as his body tightened around and under her. He had been so tense, she could feel it in every muscle, ever joint, every clench of him around her as she fucked him. But he’d done as she asked, holding back until she gave him permission.

She held her hand to his throat until it was done, and then released him as he rose up to kiss her. Her chest was nearly pressed to his, her breasts slick and shiny with the proof of his pleasure reaching it’s inevitable precipice. Then he was clutching at her again as she still moved inside him. She had never stopped, fucking deep into him and milking everything he had into a sticky sheen that slicked across them both. He was slick as oil, and Faye’s legs trembled, her sopping cunt and swollen clit throbbing as she started to lose all control. Nails tightened against his chest, digging in as she raced to join him. Her breath was ragged and her mouth hung open, slick and pliant against his own. And when she felt her body tighten, and the molten heat shot from the base of her spine through her cunt, down the swollen slick length of the cock inside him, it was Faye’s turn to cry out. She cried out, and buried herself as far as she could inside him, body jerking as she filled him up with thick, hot cum that started to seep between their joined bodies and onto the sheets.

“Fuck… fucking.. Christ…” she swallowed, drawing ragged breath after ragged breath as she emptied inside him. “God you feel so good, love… you were so good… so fucking good…” Faye collapsed on top of him, the cock still inside, and panted against his neck. “Fucking hell I could fuck you for days…”

It was a battle to breathe, each hot, sticky slide of their bodies moving so harmoniously that even after he’d shot his load he was hungry for more. His body still responding, practically singing under her fierce attentions and clenching tight around the cock that he was loathe to let go, just as he was loathe to let go of her; his fingers digging hard enough to bruise as he pulled her against him trying as hard as he could to keep up, to match, to please her just as she’d pleased him. Finally, her movements started to grow more and more erratic and he whispered encouragement between little kisses and noises for her to let go.

And finally, after what felt like a blissful age of letting himself be driven, debauched and used he felt the last few forceful rocks before she came; emptying in an almost painful looking convulsion that made Fane tremble and shiver as he rode through it. His hands clutched her as she collapsed forwards onto his chest, shifting slightly to get comfortable with the cock still buried deep in his sore and sweetly stretched hole able to feel the heat and wetness that came with being filled up so thoroughly slowly oozing out as the cock softened inside him. Not wanting to lose a drop he tensed, laying there feeling weak and utterly sated. As the world slowly came back he stroked her back moving to tangle a hand in her hair and pull her head up so that he could kiss her slow and careful.

“I’d let you,” he murmured honestly “it’s been so long since I’ve been fucked like that baby-- you’re so good at it,” Fane’s praise was said between little stolen kisses and as the cock eased out of him he mewled a little feeling bereft after being so full. But unlike the charmed cock his own stuck wetly to his belly still hard and wanting the drugs he’d taken earlier doing their trick it seemed and he nudged her over a wave of his hand charming the strap-on away his thighs feeling slick as cum slowly leaked down them. His body settled over her own, face burying itself in her cleavage, kissing, licking and biting at the plump flesh “m’gonna eat you out now baby, then I’m gonna fuck that sweet cunt of yours over ‘n’ over, ‘n’ once I’m done I’m gonna skullfuck that pretty mouth of yours” he sucked a dark mark into her skin “and then, if you can take it then I’m going to split you open, hm? Pump you so full you won’t know what to do you’ll be leaking so hard.”

White noise rang in Faye’s ears as the tremors of her climax rolled through her body. She knew she’d drawn blood somewhere on Fane’s skin. She could smell it. Mixed with the scent of sex and sweat. As he lifted her head up, Faye tried to open her eyes, but couldn’t manage it before Fane was kissing her. Now that they both weren’t frantic in their need for one another, a small moment was taken to reassure. To allow tender touches and soft caresses before they pressed onto into the night. Into laying claim to one another again.

Her mouth was lax against his own, pliant and yielding, and as the cock slid free, Faye shuddered. Instantly, she missed the warmth of his body around her. But as bereft as she felt, Faye knew it wasn’t the end. Not when his own cock was still hard and straining, pressed as it was between them. She wondered idly if there was magic involved there too, as he usually required a bit of catchup time between bouts of debauchery. But as he flipped her over, burying his face in her breasts and promising to do utterly obscene things to her in every way possible.

“I can take whatever you got, baby,” Faye promised, running her hands through his hair and gripping it tightly as he sucked the mark onto her skin. “I want all of it… please... “

His hands roved her body smoothing and brushing her curves as his mouth worked against her skin finishing up only once a glistening wet mark was left imprinted on the side of her soft breasts; which he continued to tend with careful and absolute diligence. He could lay here forever just admiring her, the toned curve of her body and how she looked when lost entirely to the throes of her passion. What had he ever done to deserve her? To deserve such a goddess to grace him let alone grace his bed. His hand stroked beneath the curve of her breast, thumb catching a few of the spots of his own release that decorated her body and smearing it over of the straining nipples that had thus far been left untended before his index finger closed down and twisted pinching them into even firmer peaks always enjoying how her body writhed when he inflicted just the right amount of pain.

She could’ve dragged him up if she wanted to, kissed him breathless but despite her grip she did no such thing just clutching him close and he smiled at the thought of what she’d do once he was busy feasting. She clung to him eagerly, always so beautifully responsive; moaning and sighing with each deft motion or touch he made. His touch in this moment almost reverent just as his gaze was as much appreciative as it was lustful, because she deserved to bask in the glory of his divine worship. Fane rarely thought her more beautiful than in intimate moments such as these shared between them where they could both be their truest selves. Away from the expectation and personas they both put on to survive their day’s work. He didn’t have to say, she could feel the silent praise practically radiate off of him.

His hand snaked down, first stroking the apex of her inner thighs which by now were already wet and glistening with her arousal where it spilled from beneath the simple panties she wore. Then his fingers skimmed higher, pressing just so against her panties as his thumb caught the sensitive nub of her clit through the fabric a soft hum of contentment leaving him as he let his palm flatten over her gripping her pelvis tight and grinding his palm over her clit “who knew letting you fuck me turned you on so much?” He grinned against her stomach delighting in the honeyed taste of her skin sure that he’d never tire of any aspect of this as he slipped lower to his knees. After all, how could you truly worship that which you loved without kneeling? Hooking his fingers into he sodden underwear he eased them down, a deliberate slowness as he peeled them off leaving her entirely exposed. He nipped at the arch of her hip playfully the skin rougher here than it was above not that he minded her scars at all now or then it changed nothing about how he saw her “gorgeous, you’re so divine hm? My own personal asynja to worship,” and god he’d worship her, he nosed the soft curls between her legs affectionately as if scenting her, claiming her as his own but a slight tug of encouragement proved just where she really wanted him to be.

Faye pressed into his hand as a bright spot of pain flared up when he twisted her sensitive nipple. Gods but she loved having her breasts touched. Licked, sucked, bitten, pinched, clamped… even given the occasional sharp slap across their sensitive peaks. She could probably come just from the stimulation alone. Already, even as she recovered from what they had just done, she knew he would bring her back to a writhing, gasping mess soon enough.

And Faye would let him. She would let him do anything he wanted. Because here there were no reservations. No walls. No facades to keep up. No pretending to be something they weren’t to each other. Here they were inseparable. Here they were as they truly wanted to be. Completely open and free of anything that hindered them other than their own limitations, of which there were few.

He made his way down her body, and as self-conscious as she had been the night before, with her scars so blatantly on display, now she wanted him to see them. Because Faye knew they weren’t a hindrance to him. They were part of her. And he wouldn’t refrain from touching them. And when he did, she shivered. The skin was so sensitive, and Fane knew exactly where to draw his fingers or press his mouth to get a certain reaction.

Faye could feel his eyes on her, and opened her own to watch as he dipped lower. His hand stroked the slickness along her thighs, and she opened for him, eyes blown dark as she watched him. Her mouth slipped open, and a low moan rolled up from her throat as he teased her clit. So swollen and sensitive, a slick bundle of nerves tucked between warm flesh; it ached to be touched. “Gods why wouldn’t it…” she murmured, a bit breathless as he finally pulled her panties down over her hips. The cool air hit her skin, and Faye arched towards him, begging him to worship as he said he would. “Let’s go away and stay in bed for a month… get room service… and just… stay naked and drunk and properly fucked…”

He was glad to hear that she was finally coming around to his idea of going away, of escaping this dreadful place and finding somewhere warm to bask and simply enjoy themselves and their lives if only for a while. He needed it, and so did she nothing she could say would convince him otherwise and if he was given the chance he planned to prove that to her over and over until she couldn’t help but drag him away. Even if she was agreeing to this in the middle of what not only had been an attempt to reassure her than what had happened earlier meant nothing at all, he was entirely willing to hold her to it. So as her hips lifted, silently pleading for him to give her what she wanted he considered. “A whole month?” he mused against her skin shifting to pin her hips down deliberately pressing the advantage his head tilted up chin resting on her pelvis as he gazed up at her from his perch. “Promise? And I’m allowed to book whatever I want without a single complaint at all?”

Fane knew it was unfair, holding her almost essentially to ransom over this. Not that she wouldn’t still get what she wanted if she didn’t agree but since she’d brought it up-- well, it just seemed like a shame to waste it. So Fane seized the opportunity “say it and it’s yours” he ducked his head flicking the tip of his tongue against her careful to not give too much a devious smile playing at his lips. “I’ll book it straight away,” because he really was desperate to get away that he was more than willing to do that for the both of them not that it took all that much convincing because a few more deliberately timed and placed attentions of his mouth had her agreeing to anything he wanted and in return he gave her everything he had promised earlier.

#scene #hp au #usfw

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mayaparker · 6 years

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Something Stronger Than Blood;

“And not by something as accidental as blood… by something much stronger. By choice” - Wolfgang Bogdanow, Sense 8

@fanesavin & @faye-andrews ask Maya if she wants to make their family official.

Faye put the last of the dishes in the dishwasher and closed it up, hitting the Start button before drying her hands on the dish towel hanging by the sink. The sun was almost fully set out over the water, filling the kitchen with warm, muted light. The view from the windows was always a grand one, even on dreary days. But it was especially lovely today. Faye turned to lean against the counter, picking up her glass of wine as she watched Fane finish putting away the leftovers. It was Sunday, and they’d had Maya over for dinner per the usual. She was upstairs right now, reading a bedtime story to Eowyn at the little girl’s insistence.

Faye took a sip of her wine, feeling warm and content as she watched her fiance (she still felt slightly giddy every time she called him that) continue to fuss over how the fridge was arranged. “You’re cute when you’re nervous,” she commented after a moment. Though Faye was nervous too. They had something planned for tonight. Something important. Something that would potentially change their lives and Maya’s life forever, depending on how things went.

“We can postpone a bit, if you’re not ready.” Faye knew Fane was more than ready, and so was she, but giving him the option of waiting a few more days never hurt.

Fane had a specific method to organising the fridge, certain things going together both for the sake of convenience in how often they were used and also simply making it easier to find things. Little things like keeping the milk, eggs and cheese together or any meat set out for defrosting or open packets on the same shelf and so on and so forth. The ordering made sense to him and Fane liked that it made sense. The same meticulous nature showed through the rest of the house also. Little ways things were ordered or placed either for the sake of aesthetic or general tidiness.

Right now he was fussing mostly for the sake of keeping himself occupied while Maya was elsewhere. They’d both agreed on this and Fane was of course excited, but there were some nerves there too he wouldn’t lie and say there weren’t. They had agreed that even if Maya said no it wouldn’t change things, but Fane wasn’t sure a part of him wouldn’t feel a little bit disappointed. “Someone put the juice in the normal spot of the milk,” Fane murmured while rearranging said items as if were some sort of denial to the fact Faye knew very clearly. It really wasn’t a big deal and normally he wouldn’t fuss quite so much but little things mattered especially tonight.

“What?” he asked shutting the door finally and going to help himself to another glass of blood wine from the pantry. “No, no, I want to do this…” he reappeared holding the glass by its stem until he came to a stop near where Faye was leaning. “I just want it to go well, you know? I know it doesn’t really… change anything, but you know…” he trailed off knowing she’d get where he was coming from.

“I’d say it wasn’t me, but it was me.” Faye was used to Fane’s fussing. Her own fridge back at the cottage, before they’d moved here, had been a hodge-podge of items shoved wherever they would go. No rhyme or reason to it. Like her disorganized cabinets, it had quickly fallen victim to Fane’s organization skills. Some people might find it irksome, or strange, but not Faye. It was just another facet of who Fane was, and he had his reasons for it.

Though his current reasons were more about distraction than anything. They had agreed that tonight was as good as any for what they had planned, and Faye agreed that it wouldn’t change anything between the two of them and the young woman they already thought of as their daughter. That being said, she also knew that Fane would be slightly disappointed if Maya declined their offer. Honestly, she would as well, but Fane would perhaps have a bit harder time with it in the end. But Faye was confident it would go well. Fane would never have suggested it if he hadn’t thought long and hard about it, taking into account everything he knew about Maya and her past. And about who she was now.

“I know,” Faye said gently, looking up at him as he came to stand nearby. “You don’t have to explain anythin’ to me, love.” She reached out to rub his arm. “Just… be you. The rest will work itself out.”

“I’d ask who it was if you said it wasn’t you,” despite how Fane was feeling a smiled cracked across his features until he eventually let them be to come and join Faye. His eyes drifted to the large floor to ceiling window panes that let the light from the evening sunset flood in softening everything it touched.

“I know I don’t,” his head turned to her as she rubbed his arm moving his hand to cover her own and smile though this one was a little smaller. “I guess I’m just worrying myself for nothing.” It happened from time to time, when important things were going on in their lives like this. “I’ve got everything sorted, it’s in my office so I’ll go grab that in a bit…. I don’t want to overwhelm her with it all.”

“Just tryin’ to keep you on your toes,” she said around the rim of her glass. “And it’s not nothin’. It’s important. I’d wonder if something was wrong if you didn’t worry.” It wasn’t a far stretch to say that sometimes Fane could overthink things. And that could make him anxious at times. Nervous about the outcome. But it was nothing that couldn’t be overcome.

Faye smiled again, a bit softer as well. “Fair enough. Though I think on the list of things that have tried to overwhelm her in her lifetime, this��ll hopefully fall on the good end of the spectrum.” Faye knew what he meant though. Asking was one thing. Having the documents there and present, ready for Maya to sign if she wanted was another. It wasn’t just a nice idea at that point. It was real. And real could be frightening.

Maya finished reading to Eowyn and set the book down on the young girl’s nightstand. She smiled softly, unable not to feel nervous. There was stress, nervousness in the air; there had been all evening. Her mind didn’t even question the path it went down. To her, it made perfect sense that Fane and Faye would be telling that she was no longer in the family. It had happened too many times before. And a little over a year was a long time to be in a family. It would mark the second longest she’d ever been kept around. Plus the proximity to the anniversary of the worst day of her life wasn’t helping. She didn’t know what she would do. Maybe ask Ryden if he’d let her hitch a ride when he left. Maya couldn’t stay, she knew. Ten years of watching happy families that hadn’t wanted her around town was more than enough.

At the top of the stairs, she took a deep breath. She then walked down the stairs, a little louder than usual in an attempt to let Fane and Faye know she was coming. In the kitchen doorway, she paused, “I’ll just head home then, yeah?” As if she could delay it long enough to keep it from happening. She smiled, the expression almost real.

“Well if four hundred years can give you something it’s certainly the ability to doubt things for what they are and the capacity to worry about the well-being of your loved ones,” his tone though humorous belied the unfortunate truth of that fact. Some grew confident with time, Fane had simply grown a little less unsure though he could fake confidence rather well. People could surprise you but they could also severely disappoint you and more often than not Fane found himself questioning the sincerity behind people’s actions because while he wanted ever so much to believe the best it was often far harder to simply let himself do so until they showed their worth.

Hearing Maya stomp down the stairs Fane’s head tilted in that direction and as the young woman herself appeared Fane smiled about to say something when Maya announced that she’d be off. “What?” there was a genuinely confused note to the question standing up straighter considering Maya often stuck around for a little while normally, “We…” he glanced at Faye suddenly feeling rather off kilter. “Uh, we were hoping we could chat to you about an idea we had. I mean, that is, if you have time…”

“I can’t argue with that. But… it can also give you a very good sense about some people. The ones that matter.” This house was literal proof of that. Fane had done everything but sign the final papers before he’d asked her if she thought moving in together might be a nice idea. And if she thought the house might be a good place for that. That was the short version, of course. But point being, Fane had to have known Faye well enough by then to be fairly certain she’d say yes.

As Maya came down the stairs, announcing that she was going, Faye made a sound of surprise as well. She glanced at Fane, seeing that he was as confused as she was, but when he rolled into things fairly quickly, she relaxed a bit. “It’s something we can’t possibly decide without you,” Faye added, already taking Fane by the arm and herding them all towards the other room before anything could unravel. “Won’t take but a second, hm?”

Well, there went that plan. Still wearing her porcelain smile, Maya forced herself to nod. “Uh, yeah, sure,” she replied. When they turned to head into the other room she took the moment to swallow and briefly shut her eyes tight. She was going to be okay she had to tell herself. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t survived this before. Of course, it was horrible every time. And she was losing more than just family this time. She was losing the closest thing to home she’d known in a long time. She was losing the chance to have a bakery of her own with Tuah. She was losing the freedom of using her magic in a place where everyone knew it existed. She was going to lose almost everything.

Maya followed Fane and Faye into the other room. As she sat across from them she forced herself to keep her hands still. It was never easy for the person doing the letting go either. She wasn’t so self-centered as not to realize that. She would make it as easy as possible: wouldn’t scream or cry, wouldn’t demand to know why they had made promises only to break them, why they had made plans only to break them. It would be easy and quiet for them.

She sat, waiting for the other shoe to finally drop.

There were certain things that a smile could hide, unfortunately Maya seemed to forget that Fane could notice things like the abnormal rhythm a heart might adopt or spike in adrenaline that came in the face of uncertainty and unknown situations. “It’s nothing bad,” he told her quietly wanting to try and reassure her of this fact as they headed for the lounge.

Once in there Fane momentarily sat, though he found he couldn’t do so comfortably or without feeling somewhat awkward and distant. He was overthinking it of course, and eventually he chose to abandon sitting for moving over and kneeling in front of Maya so that while he might not be quite level with her he could see her properly. “Here’s the thing,” he started hoping things would make more sense soon enough “over the last year you’ve made so much progress, in your confidence, in discovering who you are and your magical capacity… You’ve found new friends and– I hope I’m not overstating but, I hope you’ve found a home here in Springs.”

He glanced over at Faye for a moment before turning back to Maya, moving to take her far warmer hands in his cool ones and grip them with a gentle firmness. “But we know that you worry about these situations and relationships being temporary… That while all these things are amazing for you a part of you will always worry when they’re going to be taken away… So, Faye and I were discussing uh- methods of making things more permanent and secure for you… One specifically came to mind and we were hoping to get your opinion on it.”

Faye could feel the tension in Maya as she herded them all forwards. So when Fane spoke up, Faye heaved her own internal sigh of relief. Though whether it would help Maya or not would remain to be seen.

Faye sat on the edge of the sofa next to Fane, but unlike him, she remained seated when he rose to kneel in front of Maya. She couldn’t imagine what sort of thoughts were rolling through the young woman’s head right now, but Faye knew there was a high chance that not all of them were good ones. As Fane spoke, Faye sat and waited patiently, though her own heart was racing a bit faster than normal. When Fane glanced at her, she smiled softly and gave him a nod, telling him he was doing well. And she was right there with him.

“Like I said, we can’t decide without you,” Faye added. “It’s… actually it’s completely up to you.”

Maya watched, with wide eyes, as Fane sat for a moment before standing and walking over to kneel in front of her. She couldn’t quite comprehend what he was saying. Her mind had been so ensconced on its one track that switching as she took in this new information caused her train of thought simply to crash completely. She couldn’t believe it. What it sounded like Fane, and Faye,were saying was so outside the realm of possibility that she couldn’t fathom the meaning. She had written it off as a possibility almost a decade ago.

For a long moment she didn’t say anything. Instead she blinked a few times, expression blank. “I’m sorry,” Maya said finally, her shoulders dropping as she looked between the two of them, “What? More permanent? What are you talking about?”

In situations like this Fane couldn’t sit still, he could do calm and collected when the need arose but when it was truly personal? When he was very much invested in the topic there was no curbing his restlessness, he ended up fidgeting with things or fidgeting on the spot. Too much energy to simply sit distant and tell Maya their intentions, hence why he ended up kneeling by her chair and lightly taking her hand in his own. With people he cared for Fane was tactile, he would hug and show them affections through physical gestures if he felt comfortable enough to do so with them.

Maya didn’t seem to catch the gist of what he was suggesting, and a part of him worried what she must’ve been thinking up until now. So he gave her hand a squeeze, his other coming to cup it in his own as he sat back on his haunches. “Well,” Fane said patiently taking a moment before elaborating “if you’d like… Faye and I were discussing the idea of filing to officially adopt you into our family. I know it’s not something we need to do, you’re a part of the family regardless and you are an adult after all.” He gave her a warm smile “I know that neither of us want to replace the memory of your parents but well, we both love you and want to support you in everything you do so between us we decided that we would the choice… Not that we expect you to decide here and now, but um, we wanted to give you the choice regardless.”

Faye did her best not to tear up as Fane finally got to the point of everything. She had her own issues with family, mothers especially, and in same fashion always doubted her ability to be a proper one. Even though Eowyn was clearly a thriving, entirely too smart child. There was still that fear of messing up. Of ending up like her own mother. Out of her mind and hurting the ones she professed to care for.

She nodded in agreement with everything Fane said. “There’s no… time limit on it,” she added. “You can decide whenever you want. A month from now… a year. Whatever’s best for you.”

Maya started to laugh. She couldn’t help it. It spilled out of her as her mind tried to reconcile the words she was hearing and the life she had resigned herself to. This, being properly adopted, was something she’d long since given up hope on. She wasn’t even sad about it anymore. In the last year she’d had started learning how to be part of a family again. But being officially and legally so had never crossed her mind. It didn’t help her process the information that she had walked into this room thinking that she was going to be tossed out again.

“You don’t want to adopt me,” she said between almost hysterical laughs, “No one does. You don’t…I don’t…That doesn’t make any sense.”

It took several minutes for the disconnect between her expectation and the situation actually in front of her to adjust and make sense. Because everything Fane and Faye had done and said indicated that they did want her to be in their family. It was as logical a step as anything, but Maya couldn’t understand. She had spent too long being told that she wasn’t worth it, that she was too loud, too troublesome, too much to ever be someone’s daughter again. She managed to stop laughing and asked, “Why would you want to do that?” Her tone was genuinely confused. She was too loud, too troublesome, too much. She knew that. She had lived with that for a long time.

Laughter, well, wasn’t what Fane had anticipated to be greeted with upon giving Maya the option to consider whether she wanted to be adopted into the family or not. But the fact it was her response, that she thought this some kind of joke made his heart ache and left him with an acute sadness for the things she had endured that had left her this way. She was strong for everything she had endured, but it didn’t mean she should have endured it in the first place. She deserved to have the world at her feet and every opportunity life might afford her, not to be turned our time and time again just because people weren’t willing to stick through the rough patches.

So hearing her state rather plainly what they didn’t want to adopt her only served to deepen that schism of sadness. “We do love,” he affirmed with a quiet certainty bringing Maya’s hands to his mouth and kissing them softly before lowering them back down. “We want you, if you want to stay.” He didn’t mind saying it again, no matter how many times she might need to hear it Fane would repeat it just as quietly certain as he had already.

When she stopped laughing to ask her next question Fane glanced back at Faye and then Maya. “Because we all love you very much, and we want to give you the home you always deserved to have but were never given.” Fane hesitantly raised a hand, pushing a few loose strands back out of her face so that he could lightly touch her chin and get her to look at him. “You’re our daughter, you have been for the last year and we want to continue that unconditionally… No clauses or… traps that force you to stay against your will. The only thing that matters to us is what will make you happiest, what you choose and want for yourself.” His thumb lightly brushed the line of her jaw cradling her cheek with a soft paternal sort of affection. “And like Faye says… If you don’t want to make the decision, or if you don’t want to… None of that changes anything. You’ll always have a place in our family, our lives and our home.”

Hysterical laughter. That was… well, better than some things. Worse than others. But Maya was still sitting there, still taking it all in. She hadn’t bolted for the door. She wasn’t saying no. But what she was saying broke Faye’s heart. How anyone could be so heartless and cruel as to turn away a child that only wanted a place to belong. A home. A family. Children needed love. They needed to know that no matter what they did, no matter how badly they thought they’d messed up, no matter how terrible they thought they’d been, that their parents would always be there for them. Love them no matter what.

There was little that Faye could say that Fane hadn’t already put out there. She agreed with everything, and nodded encouragingly as he glanced back at her again. The tears were there, and it was only a matter of time before Faye wasn’t able to hold them back any longer. “Everything he says is true, Maya. If you’ll have us.”

It still didn’t make sense to Maya. She tried to work through it, brow furrowed in deep concentration. She shook her head and opened her mouth to speak. After a moment she closed it again. If there was one thing to be said for everything that Faye and Fane had done to make her believe that they wanted her around it was that she spoke honestly now. Of course what she had to say spoke volumes about what she had been through before. “That doesn’t make any sense,” she repeated first.

She then asked, “Why would you want me? I’m not a better person than when I was twelve. I’m actually a worse person than when I was twelve. I’m a huge slut, I drink too much, I’m too loud, can’t follow a rule to save my life. I’m pretty sure the only reason I graduate high school is because they didn’t want to have to deal with me anymore. I mean I…I killed someone. I emptied a fucking gun into him. I’m more trouble than I’m worth. You have to know that by now.

“Don’t you know that by now?”

Maya was definitely not laughing anymore. She could see the sincerity in both of their faces. Which said they thought that they meant it. But they couldn’t mean it. No one ever meant it. Or if they did –

No, she wouldn’t think about when they did want her around.

Instead, Maya just stared at the two adults in front of her who were they saying that they did want her and that even if she left there would be a home to come back to. It didn’t make sense. She couldn’t make it make sense in her head. They had seen her bad, seen her in the depths of her own darkness, which should mean they wanted nothing to do with her. Historically that would mean they wanted nothing to do with her, much less let her around their young daughter.

And part of her told her to run. If her limbs didn’t feel so leadened by surprise, she might’ve done it. It told her to run before they agreed with her, before they echoed back to her the words she’d heard so many times before. That made sense. She could understand that.

This didn’t. Wanting her, properly and legally and officially, didn’t make any sense.

It seemed to Fane that saying it wasn’t really working in conveying the sincerity of the request. The fact that Faye and himself very much wanted Maya to be another part in their jigsaw of a family. Maybe there were bits missing, but it didn’t matter the image was still clear as day. They were a family, each one of them. Nothing Maya could say or do would change any of that. “Love if those are the qualities of bad people then I’d say Faye and I are in far worse positions than you are, me especially if we’re going to tally up the number of people we’ve slept with or how much we drink hm?” There was a small note of humour to his words as he tried to lighten what she was saying though he quietened as she mentioned Shaw.

His hold on her hands grew a little tighter, more reassuring and deliberately focussed. “No one present in this room is innocent of any of those same crimes Maya, but that day you were willfully defending not only yourself but Faye and me too. If you think we don’t know who you are by now then I think you’d be surprised and I can certainly say you’re worth all the trouble and then some.”

Knowing that he would need to give her something more solid, tangible proof of what they were asking he patted her hands “wait here.” He took a moment to get up, circling behind the sofa and squeezing Faye’s shoulder as he vanished to his office down the hallway. A few minutes passed before he returned with a leather presentation book that once he was back in front of Maya he offered out for her to take inside being all the necessary documentation not entirely filled in but Faye and Fane’s names were scripted inside pending Maya’s decision. “I even got that pesky birth certificate you were so worried about.”

When Fane got up to go retrieve the papers from his office, Faye took the chance to move over next to Maya. Everything Fane said was true. And Faye agreed with all of it. Her ledger was filled with more red than black. She’d killed men with magic. Killed them with her bare hands. Both quickly and not so quickly. She’d drank enough whiskey in her lifetime to float a battleship. Done things to forget all of it. Things that sometimes worked, but mostly not.

She’d been unloved, unwanted, unsaveable, and unworthy for most of her life. Or so she’d been made to feel. So in part, she knew were Maya was coming from. But she also knew that while telling someone ‘you’re a mess but I love you anyway’ was great, and every word she and Fane had said was genuine, sometimes that wasn’t what was really needed.

Faye took Maya’s hand in hers, but didn’t grip it as Fane had. Instead she turned it over, running a finger over the lines on Maya’s palm. “I know… that you’re a good person. You care deeply about the people around you, even if it scares you. You’re soft in all the ways that matter, but you’re a hard ass too,” Faye smiled. “In a good way. In a way that means you stand up for what’s right. For what’s good. You don’t take anybody’s shit, but you’re kind and generous and trustworthy. You’re braver than I ever was. You’re smarter than I’ll ever be.” Faye looked down at Maya’s hand again, watching as the places she’d touched glowed faintly. “You deserve the world, Maya. You deserve all the things you’ve always wanted. Love, family, a home… freedom… choice… whatever it is… you deserve it. And Fane and I… we just want you to know that.”

Faye looked back up as Fane came back in. She let go of Maya’s hand as Fane held out the documents he’d been working on. “Your decision,” Faye smiled. “When you’re ready to make it. Nothing changes either way.”

Worth all the trouble and then some. Maya could start to make sense of that. Her brain was slowly working through its confusion. Reconciling what she expected and what she was hearing. She watched Fane go, brow furrowing again in confusion. A bubble of hope started to expand in her chest. They wanted her. Perhaps simply despite logic and history they wanted her. Maybe that made sense. She’d wanted all sorts of things despite logic and history.

As Fane left to get something, although what Maya couldn’t yet imagine what, Faye came to sit next to her. Maya couldn’t watch the older woman’s face and focused instead on the places where their hands touched. But she had to look up and blink as Faye said that not only was Maya forgiven for her sins, but that she had virtues as well. Not yet knowing what to say she said nothing.

Tears filled her eyes. It was real. This was real. Not a fantasy. Not a daydream.

They wanted her.

Properly.

Officially.

Legally.

For the first time since she was eight years old, Maya was going to be part of a family and one that wouldn’t give her back when she got difficult. She was crying before she even realized it. But by the time Fane returned, she was grinning. As the truth clicked into place she felt light like whipped cream. Still a little in awe she picked up the heavy leather book. And there it was in black and white. The most tangible version of a promise they could give her. It still took her a moment to process it. She traced the words with a finger, confirming for herself that it was real. “You really want me,” she whispered in the same awed tone children used when they saw their favorite animal in real life or watched a movie in the theater for the first time. She wiped a few stray tears from her cheek, “I’m sorry, I just…”

She laughed, this time relieved, some of the weight she carried for so long slipping off her shoulders. “I’d given up on this you know? After I ran away to Boston, I just accepted that this wasn’t going to happen for me.

“But yes, of course, yes,” Maya was crying harder. She didn’t remember the last time she’d been this happy. “Obviously I want to be part of this family.” She threw her arms around Faye, just because she was closer. “Thank you. Thank you.”

With the leather book handed over along with all the documentation required to process the request Fane lingered but didn’t hover over Maya. He was acutely conscious of not wanting to crowd her especially considering how by the time he had returned to the room tears were already beginning to track down her face even if there was a rather contrasting grin plastered across her mouth. So he watched with a quiet contentment as she touched the documents seemingly awe-struck and as she admitted a moment later apparently still in disbelief that she was being presented with such a thing.

“Don’t be sorry love, and yes, yes we do,” he reassured his smile growing as he watched Maya all but throw her arms around Faye. A swell of warmth and fondness filled his heart upon seeing the sight and after a moment he crossed over wrapping his arms around both women affectionately before kissing each on the forehead. With Maya’s confirmation only strengthening things he pulled them both in tightly to his chest especially with how much Maya was crying figuring she would need all the comfort she needed right now. “Well then, it’s official. Maya Parker is now to be an official member of the Savin family. She also doesn’t have to worry about a pesky birth certificate now does she?”

“We really want you, stubborn girl,” Faye grinned, barely holding back her own tears. To see Maya finally, finally realize that she and Fane were absolutely serious in this - and so many other things - was one of the best feelings she’d ever had. Faye shook her head to tell Maya she shouldn’t be sorry, but the words didn’t make it out of her mouth before the younger witch’s arms were around Faye’s neck, holding her tightly. Taken only slightly by surprise, Faye hugged Maya in return, glancing up as Fane walked back in.

“Thank you for wantin’ to be a part of it.” Faye said quietly into Maya’s hair. When Fane knelt down to hug them both, Faye slipped an arm around him too, holding him tightly as he pulled her and Maya in. The moment was only made better by a peal of high-pitched laughter and the sudden cramble of a four-year old body over the back of the couch.

“Mie’s’tayin’!” she giggled breathlessly in her odd little voice. Eowyn joined in the group hug, throwing her short arms around the heads of her parents and her new sister, blonde curls flying as she bounced up and down.

#fane savin #faye andrews #something stronger than blood

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gracevilliers · 7 years

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Housewarming Party || Grace & Various (Chatzy)

Grace was accustomed to parties, although this one was more casual than the affairs she had grown up around. Those were all pomp and circumstance, and though she could always fit in with those circles, she had settled on something low key for this event, thinking it might make people more likely to attend. Besides, there was something charming about watching a handsome, muscular man flip meet on a BBQ in a tank top.

This was her first real house party in so long, and Elena had been frantic trying to research what exactly happened at house parties, in particular house warming parties. Everything she found online showed lots of people dancing, drinking from red solo cups, and eating copious amounts of small foods. Also, she read that it was customary to bring a gift to a house warming party, and though she didn't actually know whose house she was going to be warming, she brought something she felt was appropriate, a candle. She intended to bring a fire starter log, but it was too bulky and strange to carry, so she opted for a small scented candle instead. Now she just needed to try and find who this house actually belonged to.

Alia had never tidied her own place up enough to ever entertain the idea of a house party, so to see Grace’s place in all its immaculate glory was… quite something, to say the least. And as a housewarming gift, she had put dashes of different fae blood to create a special mix, and had poured it into a tiny bottle - the contents of which were enough to last maybe three shots or so. Now, all she had to do was to find the host, but that was proving difficult in the crowded house. And so instead of going on a wild goose hunt for Grace, she instead approached the closest person to her: a woman of the sea, if her senses weren’t misleading her. “Hi,” she said with a grin. “You wouldn’t happen to know where I can find Grace, do you?”

Elena greeted the woman who spoke to her with a wide smile, "Oh hi! Grace?" She pressed her lips together and shrugged, holding onto the candle with both hands, "No, I don't." Elena let out a laugh, "It's funny that you're trying to find someone, cause so am I. Except I'm trying to find whoever owns this house, unless that is Grace, cause then I guess we're looking for the same person."

Grace was doing her best to mingle with everyone. She only recognized a few people here, but she figured that was the idea. She extended her hand to greet the woman, recognizing her scent as merm without much of an effort. "I'm Grace. I don't believe we've met." She couldn't help but give Alia a small smirk as she approached. She was sure they'd spend some time together before the evening was done. "Darling, it's a pleasure to meet you. Please make yourself at home. I set aside some room for gifts on that table." She lifted her eyes to Alia, greeting her with a kiss on the cheek, since they had already become plenty familiar with one another already. "And Alia, a pleasure to see you again." In more ways than one.

Alia was just about to respond to the other woman when a familiar voice interrupted, and her grin only widened. She waited for the introduction round to make its way to her, and offering her hand to the mermaid, added, “I’m Alia.” She made a mental note to drop the gift off on the table. Accepting the kiss on the cheek and returning it with one of her own, she smiled. “Thanks for the invitation. You have… a really big home. Were those really hot springs I saw in the backyard?”

Elena followed suit, leaving the candle she had brought onto the table full of gifts. There were so many there, and so much room in this giant house, she was certain that even all of the gifts situated in one room wouldn't fill it up. "I'm Elena. Grace you have a lovely and very big house. It's probably the biggest I've ever seen, and you have hot springs in the back?" Elena was absolutely astonished, and it was clear on the excitement and surprise on her face.

"Well," Grace chuckled with a knowing look in Alia's direction, but looking back at Elena to keep her in the conversation as well. "It's not all about size. If Roisin had her way it would be the neighborhood's biggest 1950s roller-skating diner. That woman's taste leaves much to be desired. The springs are lovely though. There's a natural pool under the property that you'll have to experience for yourself some time."

Alia raised an eyebrow. “It’s not?” Her tone was intentionally skeptical, though she brightened at the idea of a roller-skating rink. “I like this Roisin already.” There was no doubt that Grace’s home left very little to be desired: if there was one thing Alia absolutely loved, it was hot springs. Perhaps because of the way they reminded her of home. “What do you think, Elena? Shall we take a dip in the springs later on?”

At the suggestion that they go for a swim the hot springs, Elena was at first, thrilled to be invited and lit up at the idea of relaxing in the steaming waters, but after the excitement wore off reality slowly kicked in. "Oh, I would love to, but I don't think I can. Hot springs are usually fresh water, aren't they? I can't really handle fresh water for long periods of time, but I would love to join and just chat, if that's okay?"

It was hard to miss Alia's flirtation. Grace was doing everything she could to metaphorically keep it in her pants in front of her guests, but her little chuckle at Alia's words promised more to come later, if they had the opportunity. "Roisin will be here somewhere. Just look for the beautiful woman with the ugly outfit. I think she was threatening bell bottoms." Grace gave an eyeroll. "Oh? I'm sorry, they are fresh, yes. But I suppose every species comes with its ups and downs. You're welcome to join us regardless."

Alia sent Grace an amused glance. “You seem to hold her in high regard,” she remarked dryly. Her mood dampened slightly as Elena informed them she couldn’t join them in the fresh water. “We don’t have to go to the hot springs now - how about we do something we can all enjoy? Like… a house tour, before our host gets too busy to entertain us?”

Elena never met nor heard of this Roisin person, but from the descriptions she was hearing, the woman sounded like quite the eccentric character. "A house tour!" Elena clapped her hands together, "That sounds nice! I bet a house like this has so many interesting stories as well. Is it haunted?"

Grace wasn't sure whether that was sarcasm in Alia's voice or not, but she chose to clarify. "Oh, she's my most dear friend. Just one with poor aesthetic tastes. And I think the party can spare me for just a few moments." She placed her wine glass on the counter and led her guests inside. "I certainly hope it isn't haunted given the amount I paid for it, but there was a nest of blood dolls in the basement when I first came to view it. Gave Iann and I quite the surprise."

Alia followed Grace as she led them into the house. “Blood dolls? What happened to them?” The way Grace talked about them made it seem like they weren’t there anymore. “Wait—Iann, as in, adorable Iann?” she asked, not caring that Grace most likely would have no idea about the moniker. “Did he help you move the blood dolls?” Iann had saved her life - she wouldn’t put it past him to help out with resettling other individuals as well.

"What exactly is a blood doll?" Elena asked curiously as they crossed over the threshold into the building. "I know Iann too, he seems to get around. He helped me kill a giant crab monster. Well, actually he just sat on it and it got squashed," she explained matter-of-factly.

Fane really wasn't sure whether coming was a good idea or a bad one, they had been sat in the Louis Armstrong airport back in New Orleans where he and Faye had been for the last week together when the invite had been forwarded by his progeny. A part of him had been sorely tempted to just say no, but aware his absence would likely be noted considering parties were... well, they were sort of his domain around Jamara he figured at least showing his face for a little time wouldn't be too bad. Explaining why his corvette sleekly pulled up outside and Fane climbed out getting Faye's door for her. With his gift tucked under his arm he headed toward the gate idly taking note of the decor through the shade of his glasses a small tilt to his head not allowing his uncertainty about being here to bleed through and projecting his typical air of confident nonchalance as he approached the gathering.

"The blood dolls? Oh, I had them all killed of course," Grace said with a casual wave of her hand, then immediately chuckled. "I'm joking, of course. They went with their new mistress to her new house in... Boston? Somewhere in New England? They were very pampered." Explaining what a blood doll actually was was a less casual task. Many people found themselves uncomfortable at the thought. "They're humans who enjoy being fed on, by vampires. Our kind sometimes take them in as live-in companions, but it's never been my thing." She changed the subject as quickly as she could. "Iann is... quite a character." She would have said more, but Fane's entry had stolen her full attention. She cleared her throat, waving him over. Bloody damn that tall handsome man and his ability to make any outfit look good. "Fane, dearest. I was just about to give a tour. Come and join us."

Fane tilted his head as the crisp English of Grace's voice cut through the garden, commanding the attention of all in the immediate vicinity and took a moment to edge his aviators down the bridge of his nose peering a little over the rim at her. A single dark brow arching at her greeting, but opting to keep things civil... for now. "Grace darlin'" he greeted smoothly a slight slant coming to his lips as his own English accent grew a little more pronounced as he drew nearer "pleasure... like always. You know, I'm almost surprised that I even got an invite." Especially considering how things went between them the last time they ran into one another but that was between them and likely none of the other guests needed to know those details. "A tour and no offer of drinks first? Tsk tsk Grace, what sort of host doesn't offer drinks to the newcomer?" it was said as a light needle nothing truly meant by it. That was simply Fane's humour at the end of the day, mildly sarcastic with a touch of mocking thrown in for good measure. He looked over at Alia and Elena with a wider smile taking the time to go over to each woman and press a kiss of greeting to their cheek "you're all looking lovely today ladies."

Alia paused, brow furrowing - and then rolling her eyes at Grace’s joke. “He squashed a crab?” she repeated, remembering the sea spirits well - though she couldn’t say she had squashed any that day down at the beach. When the newcomer arrived, she grinned at him. “Fane!” she greeted cheerfully, accepting the kiss to the cheek easily. “How have you been?” Turning to Grace, she added, “He does have a point. I haven’t managed to find my drinks, either.” Not that she really minded; she was more interested in looking around the house.

It was unwise to forget about Fane's charms. They came in multitudes. Certainly, Grace had changed over the years, and perhaps Fane had done the same, but that part of him still remained, it seemed, and that haircut was very flattering on him. She gave a quick glance to the woman at his side. They had met before too. Apparently, this was a small town. "Oh, how silly of me," she said, dragging her gaze back to Fane with an exaggerated eye roll and a vague smile. "What will everyone have?"

Elena turned when Grace began speaking to someone coming up the walkway. Her eyes landed on the familiar face of Fane, and while she was still new to the nuances of surface life, she picked up that there was some history between Fane and Grace. She smiled pleasantly when Fane pressed a kiss to her cheek in greeting, "You never sent me a message. I waited and waited," she feigned a frown, and then turned her attention to Grace when she asked about drinks, "Salt water for me! Unless you have margaritas. I had one recently and they're so good, especially with the salt around the rim."

Plucking his glasses off his face, Fane tucked them into the neck of his t-shirt giving a winning smile at Alia "oh me? Always getting up to some sort of trouble. Been in New Orleans the last week-- obvious from my tan" he deadpanned considering he couldn't tan anymore but grinned nevertheless. "Happened to deal with an alligator the size of a school-bus," his eyes widened utterly serious "no jokes, huge thing that creature, almost got shot in the process... But I'm in one piece, more or less, fun times all around I'd say." Fane pointed a little at her as she agreed to his point about drinks, "I'll never say no to a whiskey if you wouldn't mind darling?" He offered an apologetic smile at Elena then, "I know... I meant to, I never forgot but all this community town shenanigans the mayor loaded on us had me absolutely run off my feet and then this trip sort of snuck up on me entirely, I do hope you can forgive me? I'll make it up to you, promise."

That was twice he had called Grace darling now, and the word still stirred something uncomfortable in her, that strange feeling that came with a mixture of nostalgia and annoyance, conflicting unpleasantly. She had invited him though. She had meant what she said all those weeks ago about trying to move on, trying to make a new life. "You always did like whiskey, and I'm sure the bartender can make a mean Margarita. Alia?"

It seemed like Alia was surrounded by charmers today. “How did you manage to almost get shot when dealing with an alligator?” she mused aloud. “Was this another adventure for the museum?” And when Grace asked for their drinks, she added, “A margarita too, please.”

Elena perked up when Fane described his adventure, "Oh! That's a reference!" She gasped excitedly, practically bouncing in her sandaled feet, hair flipping, "I know that reference! It's from Harry Potter!" She was positively beaming, pleased with herself for understanding and being able to fit in so casually.

Grace gave a nod, excusing herself to disappear for a few moments only to return with a tray of drinks. Two whiskeys and two margaritas. When the tray was empty, she set it aside. "You must have so many stories I haven't heard," she said when she returned, giving Fane a long gaze. "Since you've been alive for several hundred more years than I was originally led to believe," she said with a shrug, keeping her tone pleasant, but him to read into it what he wished. "We'll have to make up for lost time some day. But first the tour, yes? Alia, you must be keen to see the bedroom," Grace said, placing a hand on the small of the naga's back.

Fane recalled his first attempt of trying to explain Harry Potter to Elena so her understanding had him snapping his fingers and pointing at her "that's the one! I'm guessing you've started to read the books at my suggestion? You should totally ask Faye about defence against the dark arts when you get the chance, and be sure to call it exactly that because that's what she teaches at the academy" Fane couldn't help but enjoy irking Faye with his Harry Potter references when it came to her magical capabilities. No matter how profound she was, there was no escape. As Grace returned his eyes slid over to her, taking the drink and keeping his own gift tucked under his arm for now. "I told you plenty of them, though circumstances were hardly ideal let's be honest" he answered with a slightly pointed glance in her direction but left it at that as she took on her role of hostess. Now wasn't the time for causing hassle or for spilling unsavoury truths to the populus. They could blame one another for eternity for all he cared, so long as he had alcohol he wasn't going to kick up a fuss.

“Pleasure trip?” Even to Alia’s ears, the words sounded illicit. “But that sounds exciting! Certainly an adventure, and even better that it wasn’t for work.” She grinned at Elena’s response, finding her enthusiasm catching. Taking one of the margaritas from Grace with a “Thanks,” she took a sip of it. The hand on the small of her back brought the tiniest of smiles to her face - she was a tactile person - though the tension between Grace and Fane soured it slightly. Flirtation was all well and good, but being used made her feel… well. It wasn’t a nice feeling. “I’m keen to see everything,” she said, if a little stiffly.

Despite enjoying the company of others, Iann wasn't particularly good at party settings, not when he didn't have some sort of purpose - like finding a certain person to ingratiate himself for favours or scoping the place out in the hopes of stealing something. Merely socializing in crowds, however, was just not something Iann ever got used to. Still Grace Villiers was essentially his first big 'commission', so to speak; and she did seem to have a sort of open-door housewarming, so he felt he should show up. Who knew - maybe ol' Gracie had more vampire friends looking to buy big property in Soapberry. He'd been drifting for a while, when he thought he saw Adorable Alia with the tall blond woman herself - and Villiers' hand hovering at the small of Alia's back. He pitched an eyebrow, and smirked slightly, watching with a slight curiousity at the gathered - and rather eclectic - group of people he knew.

Elena took one of the offered drinks, licking at the salt on the rim as it was her favorite part before sipping the drink. She saw that Grace put her hand on the small of Alia's back, and wondered if that was something necessary for a house tour. She wasn't sure, as this would be her first official one, and so she simply mimicked the action, putting her hand on the small of Grace's back.

Iann nearly spit out his mouthful of club soda when Elena gracefully rested her hand on the curve of Grace Villier's backside. Oh my god, if only Iann had a camera (he forgot his phone had one).

Grace could tell Fane was doing his best to be pleasant too. She wondered if inviting his partner to join them would ease things at all, but she seemed to have vanished in the crowd for a moment, probably having found a mutual friend to speak with. Never mind. At the touch of the merm's skin on hers, Grace stiffened slightly, but only momentarily, thanks to her lack of expectation. "Well, the more the merrier, I suppose," she chuckled, an arm around Elena's shoulder and the other around Alia. "Everyone here is so friendly. And we didn't even get to taking a dip in the springs yet."

At Grace's proclamation that everyone was so friendly, Iann hustled over, seeing it as a good opportunity to interject. "Ms Villiers! Geez, look what you did to the house, it looks completely different," Iann said, then grinned and gave Alia a friendly nudge. "Nice seeing you here, Alia. And you Elena." Iann winked at Fane. "You too I guess, Savin," he teased.

Alia brightened as Iann approached, almost wishing she wasn’t in her human feet just so she could nudge him back with her tail. “You’re right on time, Iann. Grace was just about to give us a tour.”

Iann couldn't help but ask, "Us? Or just you?"

Cassie saw the flyers here and there, but didn’t make much of it. After all, the name Grace Villiers, didn’t ring any bells. She was only further intrigued when she heard the name and mention of a house warming party multiple times through her errands or work day. Cassie eventually acquired the address, and made her way to the home, certain that even if she didn’t know the hostess she’d see someone familiar. She brought along a bottle of red wine and left it on a table near the entry way, feeling a little bit better about the random appearance. Weaving through the small clusters of people she picked up a few veggies from a tray to munch on. An eyebrow raised when she heard the hostesses name, Cassie approached closer.

Alia fixed Iann with a playful look. “Why, Adorable Iann? Are you jealous?”

"Maybe a little," Iann said, taking Alia's hand and putting it around his back and grinning a bit more.

Grace welcomed Iann with a smirk. "Everyone is welcome to join. It seems you are quite the little social butterfly, darling." Adorable Iann was a rather interesting nickname, although not entirely inaccurate. Flirtation seemed to be in the air in more ways than one. "A very quick tour. I can't leave my other guests for too long, you know."

Faye had made her way to the nearest bathroom as they'd arrived, making sure she didn't look too windswept after the ride over in the convertible. She checked herself in the mirror, turning her neck this way and that and checking her glamour. The long marks of Fane's fingers were hidden, as were the purple-black bruises that still lingered on her skin. She'd only glamoured them because well... she looked like someone had hurt her. So for sake of having to explain herself a thousand times, Faye had glamoured them over. For now. She quickly picked Fane's tall form out of the crowd and made her way over. "Miss anything?" she said sotto voice, unsure what the current going on were as her hand touched his back.

"Yes you can, Ms Villiers," Iann snorted as he looked around at the other guests. "We're obviously the most interesting group here. Oh, housewarming present --" Iann reached into his pocket and pulled out two matching magnets - one a rooster and one a cat, both beautifully carved and obviously craft-made. "Here you go. It's a cock and a pussy - traditional housewarming gifts."

Cassie still within earshot of Iann and Grace and a few of the others snorted when she side glanced to see Iann pull out the magnets. “Nice, really nice.” She murmured.

Iann heard Cassie's unmistakable voice (how could he mistake that persnickety mutter as anyone else) and looked over at her, only to find her eating vegetables of all things. "What the hell is that?" Iann asked, pointing at Cassie's carrot stick. "Did you - shit, are you trying to be like...vegan or something?" A vegan werewolf? Would Cassie go that far to avoid her wolfishness??

Fane had ended up losing interest in the tour with the level of flirtation that existed between his ex and the other women lingering around. The house itself was beautiful and thus for most of it his interest was taken by that he'd stopped by one particular painting when he felt a familiar hand at his back and his body swayed back into the touch relaxing as the familiar voice reached his ear. "Nothin' much," he answered honestly his voice low turning away to face Faye more directly "just social niceties I s'pose and Grace being... well, she's Grace."

Cassie turned and stepped closer when iann noticed her, glancing down at the last baby carrot in her hand. She wrinkled her nose at Iann and opened her mouth to stick out her tongue with mashed up orange carrot. “No, not really. It was the only thing I could find on quick walk through.” Cassie offered the carrot out ot her, “You want it? It’s rabbit food, truly. Trust me, i’m not ditching meat anytime soon."

Grace snorted at the gift, rolling her eyes and immediately affixing them to the fridge. "Well, since I like a little bit of everything, I'll display them with pride." She led her guests on a small tour, thankful that Fane seemed to have been distracted when his partner Faye rejoined him. She wasn't gone too long though. It would have been unseemly.

Iann mostly tagged along with the tour to watch Alia and Grace, since he'd originally given Grace the tour of the house in the first place. And there was only so much decor of rich fancy places that Iann was interested in - no, the two women were far more curious. His tagging along was probably a huge crimp in Grace's game, but he didn't care since he had Elena and Cassie to keep him company and he thoroughly harassed them both. "Do you two know each other? Elena, this is Pe - I mean, Cassie. Cassie, this is Elena."

Alia smiled at the not-vegan werewolf. "And I'm Alia," she added.

Elena she looked over at the brunette woman named Cassie and smiled, "Hi! It's so very nice to meet you," she bounced forward to give the other woman a hug.

"Oh right! This is Alia..." Iann said, looking abashed. "And this is the lady of the house, the Honorable, Esteemed Lady Grace Villiers."

“Hmm?” Cassie turned to the other woman, suddenly embarrassed and finishing the carrot in her mouth before offering her hand to Elena and pulling back when the woman was clearly bounding forward to hug her. “Oh-oh-“ She stuttered, looking unsurely at Iann and then nodding a quick hello to Alia as well.

Grace was beginning to think the merm hadn't been on land long. It made for an awkward but entertaining number of encounters. And Grace didn't even have to be drunk to enjoy them. "Oh, I could never go vegan either. There's plenty of BBQ food, for that exact reason."

Elena had finished off her margarita while on the tour, and her face had a nice flush to it now as her body wasn't used to alcohol. "You smell lovely," Elena complimented Cassie as she pulled back from the hug, "Like... vegetation," she smiled brightly and then clung onto Iann's arm, as he was so far the only person she knew most at the party.

Faye glanced around as Fane commented, giving a low hum in response. "Oh? You mean she's bein' a traitorous, murdering bitch?" Faye said so that only Fane could hear. "Not a great way to treat your guests..."

Alia watched, amused, as Elena wrapped her arms around Cassie, before turning to Grace. "I didn't know you had that many titles attached to your name."

Cassie lips curled into amusement at the compliment from Elena, and getting a closer smell of the girl herself, confirming she was a mermaid, some of the strangeness settled into place. “Thank you.” She said kindly, “That’s a new one, I assure you.” She looked over at Grace and smiled brighter, “Barbeque, that’s amazing. And great to meet you. I uh, left some wine by the front. I didn’t know what else to bring…"

Grace waved her hand. "Just Iann being dramatic as usual. Just Lady will suffice. I believe you need to be a judge to be 'the honourable'.” She chuckled, lightly touching Alia's arm and whispering that she would be back soon before disappearing to mingle with some more of the guests. She hadn't spoken to Faye since she had arrived and decided to take the opportunity, walking over with a blissfully ignorant confidence. "Faye, I'm glad you could make it. I had no idea you and Fane knew one another. I'm glad he still has excellent taste."

Iann looked down at Elena and jostled the merm gently, "Hey you. Having fun?" He looked up when Grace mentioned his name. "I'm not dramatic! I'm sure those are all her titles...impressed?" he grinned at Alia, as Grace drifted off to greet Faye and Fane chatting a few paces away. "What do you all think of her new home? I helped her find it."

Fane raised a hand to stifle a snicker at Faye's salty attitude. Struggling to help the smile that did appear on his lips as he responded softly "well... I mean, there's been no backstabbing yet but that doesn't mean there isn't time to end up like the Caesar salad being offered up outside with the barbecue... Watch out for friends wielding knives" he grinned at his history joke but when he noticed Grace approaching out of his peripheral and took a sip of his drink thankful he spoke before she was near enough to hear their conversation. Though her remark did earn a slight arch of his brow as he regarded her and then Faye with a marginal smile. "Oh we know each other," he agreed looking at Faye then "very well."

Faye saw Grace coming, and while she'd only met the woman once - and truly liked her goddammit - there were some things that Faye just couldn't look past. Though she wouldn't make a scene. She did have a tiny bit of tact about her. "Grace," Faye greeted in return, a smile on her face. "I was wonderin' when I'd run into you. I was startin' to think I was gonna have to hunt you down to say hello."

Otto stepped into the house, still tentative. He received an invitation and wasn't so gauche as to turn it down, but he didn't know Grace Villiers very well. Vampire social circles were tight-lipped when the wanted to be, years of having to keep themselves hidden. He aired on the side of caution with a bespoke suit Teddy had picked out for him long ago. His gift was a bottle of expensive wine and a wine-opener with a golden-lined agate handle. He'd grabbed both from a local shop before making his tentative way to the party.

Elena nodded emphatically, hair falling into her face so she pushed it back, "So much fun," she responded to Iann with a smile. "I drank a whole margarita all by myself," she boasted. "You found this house? That mustn't have been very hard. It's so big."

Alia grinned. "Somehow I doubt that. And maybe," she narrowed her eyes at him teasingly, nodding as Grace excused herself before turning her attention back on the group. "You did? It's a nice place, seems to suit her well. And the hot springs out back!"

Fane was forced to bite his lip a little to try and keep his smile from blooming and instead dipped his head reaching out and immediately placing a hand to touch the small of Faye's back in a soothing fashion "Faye" he admonished lowly "that's not how we treat our hosts..." even if her choice of words was amusing to say the least.

Grace couldn't really miss the intonation. It seemed Fane hadn't kept his new woman in the dark. Good for them, she supposed. She was more upset at Faye having turned out to be taken than she was by Fane having a new lover. It was funny how time changed things. "No hunting necessary, thankfully." She waved a hand at Fane's interjection. "Oh, not to worry. I don't mind a little banter. She's wonderful, Fane. You should be proud."

Cassie eyebrows furrowed as she listened to Faye and Grace’s exchange. She had no idea of the background the two women had, but she could easily tell through their body language, or perhaps more Faye’s that something was tense. She was going to keep out of it, and turned her attention to Elena talking about a whole margarita. “You found this Iann? I’m not surprised.” A teasing grin grew, “You should become a realtor."

"Wanna go look at the hot springs? They're - well. They're hot. Probably way more enjoyable in the winter, but then again you must enjoy basking in the sun, Alia. And merms like water. And werewolves..." Iann squinted at Cassie. "Well you should come along anyway." At Elena's comment, Iann grinned. "What kind of margarita? Please tell me it was lime." What was the alcohol tolerance for a merm, Iann wondered. He also wondered if tonight was the night to find out. "No - I - well I helped her shop for it. Grace wanted to buy a home, and I'm the guy who helps people find their right home, you see. Want another margarita?"

Faye smiled. "We do yeah. Quite well. And they say taste improves with age. Or so I'm told." The words were said lightly, and with no malice. And honestly, Faye felt only a slight irritation and rumble of ire in her chest. People could change. She knew this for a fact. But it was still a shock for Faye to have learned about Grace. But for the sake of propriety she really was doing her best.

Otto tried to grab Grace's attention so he could drop off the alcohol and free his hands. He took the opportunity to look around and see mostly strangers, acquaintances, or people he hadn't spoken to lately.

Iann laughed, "Pegs, I AM a realtor! Kind of. I mean, I show people houses and then I take a commission...so." He pointed at Cassie. "It's your fault, you got me all invested in houses, thanks to the Germaine house." He looked at Alia. "Where are you living again? Near Vinegar Tom?"

Cassie cringed at the mention of the hot springs. “Oh I don’t know. I’m not a very good swimmer.” But she was happy when Iann picked up on her realtor comment. “I’ll take that fault.”

Alia nodded. "In Vinegar Tom. Are you looking to rent a place there?"

Elena "What does a lime taste like?" She mused, "I don't remember. Is it green or is it yellow?" She mumbled, not meaning to say those words out loud. "I do want another margarita, but you should have found a hot springs made of sea water. I'm thinking of renting somewhere. Is Vinegar Tom a nice place?"

Otto approached Grace first, before disappearing from the room completely. "Ah, forgive me- I, well I don't mean to interrupt, um, your conversations. But I've brought you a gift and was wondering where I should place it?"

Iann "I'm looking to upgrade you, Alia. Unless you're in the market for a sugarmama instead..." he was being a jerk and he knew it, but it was Alia and she was adorable, like always. "Vinegar Tom is a dump, don't go there. Let me make you a good margarita instead," he nodded over to where the bar setup was, motioning to Elena and others to follow if they wanted. "Alia, what do you want to drink? Pegs, you too, if you're drinking. You leave the baby with Lopez?" Iann shooed the paid bartender away and picked up a small lime, showing it to Elena. "Lime. It's sour and tangy and goes well with salt."

"Oh I'm more than proud of her," Fane answered smoothly with the self-assured confidence of an individual that knew where he stood in terms of his relationships but for the sake of propriety he adjusted the box he had kept cradled under his arm for the time being having been about to hand it over. "But, considering this is your party..." Fane paused as Otto stepped in then his words falling to the wayside as he brought the box he'd been carrying back down to his side deciding to wait before he offered the item. Perhaps at a more quiet point of the evening.

Grace was impressed with Faye's wit. Her beauty spoke for itself. It had made itself abundantly clear the first time they had met. The number of women in this town who were considered eligible to her charms seemed to dwindle down every time she turned her head, and she had yet to find a man worth her time. "Well, it was nice to see you again. Hopefully you can also attend the gallery opening when it's ready." At the sight of someone trying to grab her attention, Grace excused herself again, greeting Otto with a light touch to the shoulder. "Ah, hello. This is lovely. I'll have enough alcohol to last me at least a week at this rate," she teased, taking the bottle gratefully. "Are you a friend of Roisin's? You're...Otto, yes? She mentioned you."

Elena leaned her elbows on the bar and looked at the small green fruit Iann held up before her, "It's cute."

"Lime's a little sour," Alia answered. "It's green. Lemon's the yellow one. There are some hot springs in the sea, but I don't know if there are any in Soapberry." She paused, and then laughed. "A sugar mama? What are you implying, Iann?" At the talk of Vinegar Tom, she added mildly "I like it just fine. --And I'll have another margarita, please."

"Margaritas for all," Iann said, because he really did enjoy making margaritas for obvious (and totally not stereotypical) reasons. There was just a succinct joy in salting a rim.

Otto "Roisin? I-" Otto swallowed and blanched at the name. He'd spoken to her, at some other mostly vampire gathering and it hadn't gone well. He was never the most, erudite, with his words but he certainly didn't expect so much vitriol. It left a bad taste in his mouth. "Uh, well I do know her, of her- I mean to say we met before, but ah- Yes, alcohol is the sort of standard house warming nowadays. Forgive me, had I known you better I would have gotten something more thoughtful. A book perhaps, I was thinking about bringing one of poetry but uh-" He had thought better of it an left it in the car while he went to the shops.

“Ugh, definitely don’t go to Vinegar Tom.” Cassie agreed with the rest. She scratched her nose before responding to Iann. “I guess I’ll drink, do they have mango margarita? And yeah, Lilo is home with Addie. This wasn’t super planned so, yeah-“ She let out a breath, “No babysitter."

Elena gasped at Cassie, "Do you have a baby? I haven't seen a baby in years!" She moved closer to Cassie, "Can I meet your baby?"

Grace exhaled. She must have misunderstood the context in which Roisin had mentioned him, but she was glad Otto had come. She needed more vampire friends in town. "There is nothing to forgive. I love wine, and the tall, dark and handsome strangers who deliver it to me. What do you do for a living, dear?" She wanted to keep him talking, anything to keep Roisin from coming up again after the initial stiffness her name had summoned in him.

Cassie was slightly taken off guard by Elena’s sudden and enthusastic response over the mention of Adeline. She blinked, “Yeah, I have a daughter. She’s home with her daddy right now though-“ She smiled weakly, “I’m sorry.” Cassie did feel a little bad, considering how excited the merm seemed. “I bring her out and about a lot, so I’m sure she’ll meet her eventually."

Faye nodded her goodbyes at Grace, her stomach rolling with mixed feelings. She hadn't sensed anything bad from the woman when they'd met. But... God, she needed a drink. "Do you want a drink?" she asked Fane. "I could sure use one."

"All I'm saying, Alia," Iann said, as he shook the mixer because fuck that blended nonsense, on the rocks was the best. "My pal Dani Savin - child of that Savin over there -" he nodded over to where Fane was, (dressed, honestly, like he was going to a gay fetish night afterparty after this party) "- has a loft with an empty bedroom. And if you haven't met Dani yet, that's fine. I know she'd love another roomie. I live there too, hm? Three's company, only you know. More...ah..." He tried to think of something. "Less...Mr Roper? I guess?"

"He is a professor at the University, as am I." Teddy stepped up next to Otto, offering a slight bow to Grace and mentioning, "I brought a token as well, but left it in the front hall. You must be laden with them by now. I'm Teddy Aynesworth, by the by."

Fane raised his glass already filled with liqueur that Grace had already happened to get him. "I've got one but I'll come with you to get another then maybe we can find a little more... acceptable company" Fane paused before adding "for once I don't want to actively cause a scene... Not yet at least." There was still time.

Grace didn't need to be greeted with a boy, but it was endearing, she had to admit. She wondered if her mild flirtations had summoned him. Her flirtation was harmless, merely how she tended to converse most days. "Nice to meet you, Teddy. I do enjoy a bit of academia. A noble profession."

Alia was glad to be in front of the bar instead of behind one for once, and was quite impressed as she watched Iann fix their drinks. “You’re a pro at this,” she remarked, and then glanced in the direction he had indicated. “I don’t know,” she said, frowning slightly. “I’m quite comfortable where I am.” Except in the winter, when her shitty heater hadn’t worked…And she had really liked Iann’s workshop, that time he’d fixed her up. “Maybe I can come visit you guys again sometime.”

Otto nearly choked at the last part as he handed over the wine. "I well, I- um," he swallowed, blinking as he persevered. Perhaps she was just being polite. Moreover, it was very dark in the room and she certainly couldn't make out much of his 5'8" frame self to conclude 'tall dark handsome' was in anyway applicable to the scrawny peevish thing he knew himself to be. "I- he's right, professor of vampire studies actually. I work mostly teaching fledglings."

"Probably not as good as you, I still need to see you at the Fainting Goat," Iann said with a grin, as he poured them all margaritas. He looked at Cassie. "No mango anything, but I'll add some mango liquer to it, should make it more sweet, hm?"

Elena maintained a bright smile as Cassie explained that her daughter was at home with her father. What an adorable landfolk image. "That's okay, besides, I don't think babies can have margaritas." There was some kind of age limit on drinking here, she wasn't sure how old the person needed to be to drink, but apparently it was old. "Maybe I should meet this Dani Savin," Elena started, picking up her margarita and licking the rim before sipping it, "I think I could live in a loft."

Teddy hummed in agreement with both Grace and Otto, continuing, "What made you want to open your lovely home to the town, if I might ask? You never know who might come traipsing through."

Faye nodded and they made their way to the where the drinks were being served. "Tequila on the rocks." She raised a hand in greeting to the people she knew, seeing Iann and Cassie, and then Teddy and Prof. Leitner speaking with Grace.

Grace 's eyes widened with interest. She had made the boy flustered. Perhaps he wasn't used to being openly complimented. Some people didn't know how to react. From Grace, it wasn't exactly 'false', she never outright lied, but it was all superficial. It was just how people in her circles had spoken to one another. "Vampire studies. Fascinating. It's very refreshing to live somewhere we can discuss these things openly." She had once contributed to a world that had wanted to destroy vampires. "Well," she shrugged, answering Teddy's question. "I'm new to town and I haven't made very many new friends yet. I wanted to change that."

Iann found the divide of the bar counter between himself and others comforting, it gave him a purpose and a design, so when Faye came over, he was happy to make the drink as the poor bartender stood there and fumed. Whatever; Iann would make sure buddy got his tips. "You should meet Dani Savin," Iann agreed with Elena. "And I thought you were happy living in the sea?" He nodded in greeting at Faye. "Having fun? Do - ah - do those two vamps know each other?" Iann asked of Grace and Fane.

“No mango?” Cassie repeated sticking out her tongue again, “Blasphemy.” She chuckled at Elena’s deduction that babies could not have margarita’s. “No, definetly not.” She followed Iann giving a small wave to Faye as well.

Otto waved to Faye with a slight nod and smile. It was always a pleasant thing to see his colleagues about. His gaze swept around the room when he saw Iann and cringed, remembering how he'd disappeared so abruptly. The fallout with Teddy about that wasn't the most pleasant and he wondered what Iann was feeling about it. So caught up he was he almost missed Grace's next comment, and still hadn't managed the hand off of the wine before it slipped from his grasp and crashed to the floor.

Fane set the parcel down on the side for the time being and necked his whiskey. If that wasn't an immediate answer to Iann's question there was no telling what was. "You could say that," understatement of the century but he didn't elaborate now was hardly the place much as he was tempted. Instead he got the bartender to order another though just as he did that there was a sudden smash and Fane peered over his shoulder "well, this party is certainly off to a smashin' start isn't it?"

Elena "I do love living in the sea, but sometimes I get so tired and apparently it's not good to fall asleep on a bench in the park"

Otto was mortified. "Oh dear god, no I am so- I didn't- shiesse- What I mean is-" He cringed at the mess, shards of glass and deep red liquid spilt all at his feet. "My apologies, I can, I'll clean this up. No need to worry, um, point me in the direction of the towels and dust pin and I will, uh, sort the mess."

Grace shot Iann a warning glare at his question, able to pick up his voice from across the room. "We're--" She was saved from explaining, but not quite by the bell. Otto, also caught up in the awkwardness of either this situation or one of his own, sent his wine shattering on the ground. Grace took a step back, only just managing to keep herself from cursing under her breath. "No harm done," she muttered, waving over one of the housekeepers to clean it up. "Perhaps we should take this back outside onto the veranda."

Iann heard the crash (who wouldn't? The ceiling was vaulted, the acoustics were great) and looked up to see - "What the fuck?" he muttered, then handed Faye her drink and stepped out from behind the bar, squinting at the stooped-shouldered man with Grace and Aynesworth. "Leets?? I thought you were in -" he stopped himself suddenly thank god, glancing at the others before glaring at Otto. "Well at least you're not dead. Again."

Teddy raised an eyebrow at the red wine that was soaking into his trouser legs, the hostess's shoes, the floor around them. "Jolly good party," he remarked. "I always say it's not a proper do unless at least one thing or body part gets broken."

Faye just looked at Fane and shook her head with a little smile. Though she frowned at the smashed wine, looking to see if anyone was going to help the Professor. Iann moved in that direction though after handing Faye her drink, to which she nodded her thanks.

Otto looked up, "Ah yes, of course. The help..." He nodded thin lipped and mortified. The situation only compounded by Iann's glare. "Uh- I'm- Well no, not dead again." He looked apologetically again at Grace and Iann. "The veranda sounds lovely at least."

"How's Addie?" Faye said across Fane to Cassie.

"No, you're just here," Iann snapped, then looked at Aynesworth for a moment, because obviously HE knew Leitner was back, obviously. But Iann didn't know until a fucking party. "I see how it is," he muttered, feeling that same slight swell of jealousy he felt at another party months ago - the bonfire night with Cassie, regarding her and Lilo Lopez. He looked at the mess, not really caring who cleaned it up; Grace Villiers probably had minions for all that. "Welcome back," he said brusquely, and then stepped away from the group and their discussion about curricula, extricating himself away from Otto in particular.

"Not to worry, darling. They're very well paid." Grace led Otto and his... friend? Partner? They hadn't made that exactly clear, out onto the veranda again, away from whatever drama was lurking with Iann. The BBQ was still going, and though Grace had no need to consume food, she quite enjoyed the normalcy of having it around. "You must tell me more about your vampire studies. I hear Faye teaches Defense Against The Dark Arts. I've never known a school with such a fascinating curriculum."

Cassie jumped at the sound of the glass shattering on the floor, but it looked like others had it covered, so she didn’t move from her spot, turning and smiling to Faye when the witch addressed her. “She’s good. Having some quality time with her Papa.” She finally smelled some of the BBQ on the air from the vernanda and asked, “Have you eaten yet?” It was mostly a question if Faye would join her. She didn’t really want to go out alone now that she knew other people at the party.

Teddy interrupted before Otto had a chance to start stammering and mumbling about his fledgling vampires and their nonsensical individual dogmas. "Indeed, I myself lecture in Philosophy. Particularly on Ethics and Morals among Supernaturals. It's an enormous and unfathomably wide topic, utterly brilliant." This of course gave the insinuation that Teddy himself, as the teacher, must be brilliant as well. Teddy had not even acknowledged Iann Cardero, since the man was ridiculous and best let severely alone. He internally congratulated himself on this decision and subsequently assumed that was why Iann stormed off.

"I- uh-" Again Otto’s attention was torn between the lovely anodyne conversation Teddy, Grace and he were meant to be having, and the aggrieved young Iann. "Do forgive me, yes it is wonderfully fascinating Ms. Villiers but I should talk to you about this later. But I really must go get something else, uh, sorted. If I am so rude not to come back today I should like to call upon you in the future?" Otto smiled, posing it as a wonderfully polite question. The most composed he'd been since coming, then he did the unthinkable for him. He left trailing Iann before he could storm off completely out of sight.

Grace thought perhaps it best not to ask any questions about what the situation was between Otto, Iann and Teddy. They could sort that out in their own time, and she had no intention of causing any more damage to her brand new house. She exhaled, taking in the fresh air when they made their way outside. Otto, it seemed, had other plans. "You must do as you see fit. I do hope to talk to you another time," she said with a nod.

"Iann,” Otto said. “Please, Iann do stop I'd like to- I need to talk to you will you please... Just."

"I really need to come and see her. Bring Wyn now that Addie's a bit older. Not that they could really play yet but..." Faye shrugged, shaking her head in the way of mothers talking about their children. "I haven't," she said to the eating part, and as everyone seemed to be moving outside, Faye touched Fane's arm and indicated where she was going if he wanted to accompany them.

Iann went to sulk not unlike a teenager in one of the quiet hallways, which had some very lovely paintings and other things to keep his interest as he fumed. But with his arms folded, glaring at nothing (because even he wasn't sure why he was so angry...he just was), he looked over to see Otto's figure silhouetted in the hallway entrance. "What? What is this?" he demanded aggressively. "You just fuck off and then you're back and - and - " And what? It wasn't like they were close. Iann wouldn't even consider Otto his friend. He was just like...a something. Iann didn't even know what, and right now he was feeling hard-pressed to remember. "Did you have a good time?"

Teddy smiled at Grace. "Professor Leitner tends to be somewhat ... scrambled, even at the best of times." He got a cider for himself, offering one to Grace, and continued, "I'm very fond of him, and it's true he needs more vampire friends, but he requires patience. Reams of it."

Grace accepted Teddy's offering with a grateful nod. "Indeed." It was quite a formal term of address, a curious one, and really there was no way getting around this without just asking, indecent as it may have seemed. "If there's one thing vampirism teaches, it's patience. Is he your partner?"

“Yeah! Anytime really. Addie is playing with toys more and she can lift her upper body up when she’s on her stomach so-“ Cassie chuckled, “She might be a little more interesting to Eowyn now.” She glanced back at Fane before walking out to the veranda with Faye and collecting a plate that she could get food on, “How’s Eowyn been doing?” She asked, “You’ve had a bit of change recently, yeah?"

Otto came upon the skulking Iann at once, and at once he had a sudden surge of irritation. Her was this man who'd put him through so much, needlessly, and here he was worried he'd hurt Iann's feelings. "No I did not have fun as a matter of fact. It was horrible, horrifying, I wish I hadn't gone but then I needed to go and well, when I- when I came back..." Otto sighed and most irritation melted away. "My phone was melted. There was, uh, fire of sorts. Then when I come back I discover Mal Ojo's phone is disconnected, and it's gone. I have no idea where to reach you and, well, I had my hands full of, other things... Concerning things... in the midst of trying to track you down and remembering your blasted phone number. It's that horrible e-phone you got me. I was too reliant on it."

Fane looked down as Faye touched his arm and with a final glance at the scene unfolding inside figured it best to leave it as is. It wasn't his business and frankly he wasn't here to get embroiled in any more commotion than necessary. Still, considering Cassie and Faye were occupied with their conversation he pressed a light kiss to Faye's cheek affectionate before slipping away towards Grace figuring he could speak to her a little whilst she was free. "Seems like old times hm? Never a dull party whenever we went to one... or hosted one for that."

Teddy was delighted by Grace's question and the way she'd delivered it. There were so few people in Soapberry who understood the art of chatting at a party whilst not being dull as a doorknob! "He is, yes," Teddy said, his voice brimming with excitement. "Yes, Otto is my partner." From the way Teddy's heart was going staccato, he realized with a shock that he didn't really talk about their relationship with anybody, finding most other people either too witless, aggravating, or inappropriate to bring Otto up with. Grace, though, seemed the perfect mix of parlour manners and barely knowing each other. "I fell in love with him when I first saw him, in fact, but I'm not the sort who has partners and it took a while to sort out."

Iann listened, trying his hardest to frown as heavily as possible, his face a mass of lines and wrinkles as he glowered at Otto. But the more the vampire talked - and he was surprisingly eloquent, without all that goddamned stuttering and stammering - the more Iann's frown unwound itself. "Your phone melted? What - did it get swallowed by a fire salamander or something? Why was it horrible?" He waved a hand, trying to dismiss something that was ultimately one of the most recent painful moments in his own life. "Mal Ojo's gone. It blew up...or imploded. It crumbled, it's gone. But...yes. E-phones are terrible for that, aren't they. Why carry a little black book around when all your contacts are e-recorded in your e-contacts list?"

Grace couldn't help but notice the quickening of Teddy's heart as he spoke about Otto. An enviable feeling, and not just because her own heart could no longer beat. It had been decades since she had felt anything resembling love, except for Roisin, and that wasn't romantic love. "I can't claim to have such a thing. I'm a bit of a free spirit, I suppose, but it must be nice. Have you known each other a long time?"

"She's getting so big already," Faye said wistfully, thinking of when Wyn was that age. She gave Fane a smile that said they would meet up in a bit and moved off with Cassie, collecting her own plate and putting bits of food on it. She had to admit, Grace had outdone herself. "She's good. She um... stopped talking awhile back. Last time I heard her say anything was when we went shopping right before you had Addie."

"My great-grandson." Otto sighed and ran his tongue over his lips. "Which is sadly the answer to both those questions. He is the reason it's so horrible, and melted my phone. He says it wasn't purposeful but I, well, I certainly have my doubts about that." As he spoke his hand worked through his hair, growing more concerned as Iann talked. "It's gone? My god. Iann are you alright? Is everything- well of course everything not alright but- Well, are you alright? that's important."

"Oh, believe me, I had no intention of being anything other than a free spirit. I certainly didn't expect to be entranced by a skeletal vampire dressed in leftover haunted house costume." Teddy sipped his drink thoughtfully. "We've only known each other a few years, five or so, I'd imagine. It gets hard to keep time when you've lived as long as we have, eh?" He tucked some hair back into place when the breeze lifted it, saying, "Which reminds me -- I can't quite place the era of your sense of style, my dear, and it's a dreadful blow to my ego. Tell me, what era is your decor based in?"

"Don't talk to me about me," Iann sniped, because for Iann, his news was old news - and to recount it here, standing in a hallway awkwardly with Otto Leitner so long after it happened, just seemed tedious and redundant. Especially in light of this whole 'great-grandson' thing. "Is this..." Iann tried to do the math, but generational things were difficult to grasp when he was all emotionally compromised (stupid emotions). "Anna's child? How old is he? Why the fuck did he burn your e-phone?" Because of course Iann couldn't stand to talk about his own travails in this environment, but he fully expected Otto to answer all of his intensely personal questions.

Cassie nodded as Faye mused about Addie growing quickly. It was exciting right now, but she imagined she would miss the infant days soon enough. But at the news of Eowyn she frowned, “What, really?” She chewed her lip, moving forward in a small line that had formed, “Do you have any idea why? I mean, is it still cause of…Chris?” She felt bad about bringing it up but it was the only thing she could think of. “You’re with Fane now though, so that has to be going well?” She scratched her chin, “Either way, I’m sorry to hear it.” It was just so unlike the toddler she remembered, “Maybe some time with Addie will help."

Grace already liked this town, and this conversation was proof the house warming party had been a good idea. She'd finally met some decent men, and they were in a relationship with each other. It was ironic, but amusing. They'd make good friends, she hoped. They seemed academic and thoughtful, and not without their own interesting stories. "I suppose you can't control love," she mused, watching the smoke from the BBQ weave tendrils in the air. "How sweet of you to ask. I was turned in the Victorian era. I try to keep the aesthetics, but a bit of 1920s doesn't hurt either."

"Yeah," Faye said quietly, a small frown on her face. "And that's really all I can think of. His leaving. I mean... it's been months now. Almost a year. And she had started talking less and less right after, just a word here and there, like that day we went out. But now..." Faye shook her head. "Nothin'. Though... Fane is teaching her sign language. And how to communicate with pictures. Other wise she's still the same though." Faye sighed, though a smile touched her face as Cassie mentioned Fane. "Yeah. It is. Really well. We um... we went to New Orleans for a week just a few days back. Spur of the moment kinda thing. It was..." Faye flushed a little bit before moving back to the topic of Addie. "I hope so yeah."

Teddy bounced on his toes. "I knew it! Or rather, I'd hoped but didn't want to disappoint myself." He tipped two fingers to his forehead as a gentleman would touch his hat to a lady, and said, "It was 1850 when I became the embodied nymph of the River Thames, well within Her Majesty's reign. You wouldn't believe how rare it is to find somebody else from that era! This is tremendous." Grace was growing more and more astonishing by the second, it seemed; Teddy could probably use some more friends himself, and this seemed very promising.

Otto was taken aback by Iann's abrupt-ness. Of course he wanted to hear about him, who was he to tell Otto what to talk about. Otto did well enough to swallow his pride. "I'm just concerned and- well-" He sighed again, well acquainted with Iann's style of third degree questioning. "He's Anna's little brother, not uh, my Anna, the Anna that was named after her great grandmother. Or- ugh- I know it all gets very confusing but I do often call them grandchildren to not, well, draw attention. He's too old to be acting the way he is I can say that certainly and he was able to burn it because- because-" Otto nearly stopped himself and closed his eyes. "Because he's an atronach. They all are, Anna, my ex-fiance Anna was one and lied to me for years about it..." He raised his eyes at Iann in an implicit 'are you happy now' gesture.

Grace beamed at Teddy's enthusiasm. "Well, I knew you were a London boy thanks to the accent, but the embodied spirit of the River Thames?" Grace turned toward the man, extending a hand to touch his shoulder. "I think I'm going to like having you here, darling. It's like..." She chuckled, shaking her head at her own sentimentality. "It's like having a little piece of home." She touched her glass to his. "To new friends."

Concerned? That mystified Iann, because he knew Otto wouldn't just say something like that and not mean it. But he wasn't going to try and address that right now. Instead, he tried to wrap his head around what Otto was saying, decipher the words spilled out in that particular and slightly infuriating 19th century Austrian way. "One day you're going to have to draw me a tree," Iann finally said, because it was really the only way he was able to understand the Germaine family lineage. These people and their immense families, Jesus. (As if it was such a crime to have families). "So this is all just some brat throwing a fit and burning your phone. Family drama, great," Iann said sarcastically, but then he sighed. "I guess I have no reason to be pissed off." He paused, aching to say 'but Aynesworth knew you were back', but he didn't. Instead he asked, "When'd you get back to Soapberry then?"

"To new friends, from old places." Clinking lightly, Teddy drank, finding the touch to his shoulder quite pleasant. He'd been rather sentimental all evening, so Grace's comment seemed to fit right into place with the mood of the conversation. "It could be so dreadful back then, really, but as the years have gone by I've realized that all eras are dreadful and glorious in their own ways. Tell me, Grace--" first names seemed the right thing, at this point, "--when did you come here, to Soapberry? Were you longing to see the New World?"

“Sign language, oh that’s great!” Cassie smiled, “I wanted to teach Addie when she gets a little bit older. It’s better than having to consistently decode screeches and cries.” She shrugged and then offered a reassuring smiile, “I’m sure she’ll come back around. It’s just a little blip.” Her brows rose at the mention of a vacation, “Wow New Orleans. I’m jealous. I’m really happy for you though. You two seem really content together.” And Cassie knew Faye deserved it, after so much. “We’ll have to make it happen.” Cassie nodded, making a mental note to keep her calendar open.

“Yes, dreadful family things I've been roped into. Apparently he'd gotten himself in a bit of trouble so I was dispatched to set him straight." Otto sighed again, not used to having so many people enter his life all at once. "I got back a few days ago, Teddy was the first person I visited and well. I arrived in such a state, and that business of uh, not finding you. Well-" He hadn't had to care about more that one other person's feelings for so long. It made him uncomfortable. "A night out seemed, acceptable. I didn't want to turn down an invitation..."

He was correct, of course. All eras had their beauty and their cruelty. At least Otto and Teddy could live openly in this one. "Very wise," Grace agreed with a nod. "I've only been here a few weeks. I came to visit my friend Roisin." There was that name again. She hoped Teddy wasn't somehow involved with whatever had made Otto blanche at her name. "Then I ran into Fane. A piece of my past that I... wasn't expecting. Curiosity made me stay, but I've been living between the UK and the US for some decades now."

"Only a few weeks! And yet you contrived to have your home so well-appointed in that time, impressive." Teddy nodded in satisfaction. That sort of precise, exacting knowledge of what one wanted and what one preferred was already commendable; added to efficiency, it was basically like manna to the nymph. He himself never moved into any sort of rooms or flat or other living arrangement without having it furnished and arranged to his specifications beforehand. "I'm afraid I haven't met Roisin. Does she work in the town?" Teddy was curious about what this elegant vampire could have shared in the past with Fane (who was harmless but, in Teddy's toffee-nosed opinion, something of a buffoon), but he would bide his time on asking further questions regarding that time in Grace's life.

So wait. Iann (still allowing himself to think selfishly) rolled Otto's last words over in his mind. The vampire had come home to seek out Aynesworth (understandable) and...him? Well shit; now Iann felt a little bad. Iann was pretty sure that if he returned to Soapberry after a long trip, that Otto wouldn't be first on his list to find. Okay so...okay. Iann pushed off the wall, sauntering over towards Otto. "Yeah, yeah yeah, okay. You needed to relax, I get it. Grace Villiers is really...ah. Well she's an exceptional person," Iann settled on saying. She wasn't exactly 'nice' or 'lovely' or any of those banal complimentary words, not in Iann's opinion anyway. He hooked and arm into Otto's and led him back out to where the bbq was. "I'll come over tomorrow or something and you can tell me everything, hm? I want to know what happened to you and Anna and this - this great-grandson and...atronachs! Jesus..." He looked over at Teddy and Grace, who were still chatting. "I'm staying with Dani Savin now, in their loft."

Bartender waggles eyebrows at Elena. "Hey gorgeous, want me to freshen your drink up? You look...thirsty." He jiggles his man-breasts to impress her.

Grace gave a small smirk, rolling the ice around in her glass absent-mindedly. "Well, I suppose I am a woman who knows what she wants." And the wealth to be able to afford it. It was a luxury she was accustomed to. It was to her relief that Teddy wasn't familiar with Roisin. It let her paint her own picture. She smiled with affection as she spoke of her, not unlike Teddy had as he spoke of Otto. "She is my dearest friend. We met in the 1960s and sadly her sense of style hasn't much progressed since then," she chuckled. "She works at the Museum. I suppose I have a way of attracting academic sorts."

"Dani?" Otto’s eyebrows flew up to his hairline, then he collected himself. "Ah yes- they're uh- well a good professor by all rights. An excellent roommate I hope?" His eyebrow raised again, more controlled as he posed the question. "As for a visit, I should like that. I do worry you though. The curmudgeon will be staying for a time."

"Beyond excellent. I'm hard-pressed to find out what Dani Savin isn't good at - but then maybe that's just part and parcel of Savinism," Iann mused, but then he came to a full stop, tugging Otto closer. "Wait what? What?? Your great - that great grandson is here? In Soapberry? With you???"

Elena had been practically licking at the edges of her glass, trying to get every last bit of salt off it when the bartender asked if she'd like another. His man-breast jiggling went completely unnoticed to her though, "I would love another," she set her glass down and smiled lazily at him.

"You have the sexiest mouth, I just want to suck it off your face," The Bartender said lasciviously, because he really really badly wanted her to get the message as he begane mixing her a new drink and showing off his guns.

Ephram was trying, these days, to make himself go to situations that were on the formal side. Not that this was technically formal, it said so on the invite, but in Ephram's mind anything held in a 'manor' or 'estate' or the like meant it was more swank than he was used to. Thankfully, there was a bar in a quietish corner with a pretty girl propping it up, so he made his way over and straddled the seat next to her. "Hey," Ephram said, reaching out a fingertip to draw lightly down her nose. "You doin' okay in there? You keepin' hydrated?" Touching her had let him know she was a mermaid, which meant that she could be in serious trouble with the amount of booze it seemed like she'd been socking away. Then the bartender slid up, doing some kind of boob-dance meant to entice the mermaid girl and Ephram stared at him flatly. "Look, buddy," he said, "unless you wanna get slapped with sousing a girl who ain't used to liquor, buzz the fuck off."

"Yes..." Otto answered tentatively, and with a little guilt. He had left the child, that was too old to be thought of a child, alone with a charm of deep sleep. "Well, not with me and..." Otto frowned, his sharp vampire ears picking up on some truly offensive nonsense. "Dear god," he turned to look out at the opening to the hallway. "I hope Ms. Villiers isn't being overcharged for that buffoon to insult her guests."

"Stop being distracted with your exceptional vampire hearing!" Iann shook Otto by his bony shoulders. "Not with you and what??"

Elena was taken aback when the man who suddenly sat beside her touched her nose. It was such a strange interaction that she had never experienced before on her time above the surface, and for a moment she just stared at him, then she touched her own nose. Maybe there had been something there and he had wiped it off, or maybe it was a new way of greeting people. There were so many ways of greeting people on the surface it seemed, so after the man told off the bartender, who had just slid her another drink, she did the same to him. Sliding her finger down his nose and saying, "Hi." She picked up her margarita and sipped it.

Teddy picked up easily on the wave of fondness in Grace's voice and smiled. "How lucky for me that you do, my dear," he murmured. "I am very much looking forward to seeing you again in the future, but for now, I shall stop being so greedy and let you attend your other guests."

Otto gritted his teeth as the molasses thick accent replied back. Emphram, the snobbish vampire sniffed to himself. He thought this was supposed to be a classy event. "Wha-" Otto turned back to Iann. "Oh no, so sorry. It's just. He's home now, I haven't left him in the car with the windows cracked or something like that."

Bartender was no match for the town Sheriff and he backed off immediately, saying. "Hey no harm no foul, no goose, no fowl."

Iann would slap Otto to get his attention back, because the vampire currently seemed utterly distracted, but Iann just let him go. "Well whatever, I'll still come over tomorrow and I can meet him and everything, it'll be great."

Ephram blinked instinctively at the path of Elena's finger, but didn't stop her. Christ but she was lovely, even clearly six sheets to the wind. He ignored the weirdo bartender and said to the merm, "I'm Ephram. You been here long? You had a lot of those?" He tapped the rim of her margarita glass, idly licking off the crumbs of sugar (sugar? really?) that the bartender had fixed it with. It seemed the bartender had duly fucked off as ordered, so Ephram leaned his tall self over the bar to squirt a glass of fizzy water for Elena, swapping it for her second margarita. "Try that," he encouraged. "It'll tickle that cute lil nose of yours."

"You'll love him I'm sure. He's unflinchingly rude and holds no affection for social mores or good manners." Otto felt as if he very much needed a drink after all this talk. Of course he had none, save for the ounce of wine drying on his pant leg. He wet his lips and sighed. "Or you'll hate him utterly."

"I'm Elena," she greeted, "I've been here since the start," she wasn't sure when that was to be honest, but she'd been there a while, "This is my third," or maybe it was her fourth. She hadn't been keeping track, and didn't know she was supposed to. "Oh," she took the fizzy water from him when he swapped it for her drink and took a small sip. "It tickles!" She exclaimed with a giggle, but the taste was awful compared to the margarita she had been drinking before. "Who are you, Ephram?" She asked, looking at him over the rim of her glass she took another drink.

Grace smiled, giving Teddy an affectionate smile. "It was lovely to meet you, dear. I hope this isn't the last time we talk." And yes, she really should get around to speaking to her other guests, although part of her had to admit that what she wanted most of all was to see where Alia had got to. All in good time, she told herself, returning to the party.

#chatzy #with: group #house warming #sbsevent

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ziharku · 8 years

Text

Log R52: Worries in the Ward

A dimmed light looms through groggy eyes as Sepira awakens in a familiar room. Having spent time healing with the Conjurer’s guild, she’d spent more than enough time in the rooms reserved for patients designated to stay for at least a few days. Aches and pains shoot through her arms as she leans forward and scoots back to lean against the wall behind her. Sensing the movement, her sister turns her attention from the broken blade that held her attention and sheaths it.

A flashing image runs through her mind as Bianchi, blade in hand, attempts to break her wind wall and assail her. A moment’s panic draws her mind to reach for aether, but finds none. Bianchi’s gaze fixes on her, in question at the clearly confused look on her face. Again she reaches, but still to no avail, to grasp aether from within herself. Sepira’s eyes close as she breathes in, attempting to allow aether to flow back in unchecked, but immediately recoils as the fresh stream of aether runs like boiled water over her channels. Her body convulses at the sensation, the aether dissipating.

Bia opens her mouth to protest, seeing her sister’s composure change for the aetherflow, but too late. She sighs as Sep shudders at the action. “The Conjurers said you’re not allowed to use magic.”

We shall see about that. Again, she opens herself to aether, but in smaller quantities. A small trickle of aether runs through her fingertips, just enough to grasp, to warm them.

A swift knock comes from the doorway, followed by footsteps that for some reason don’t particularly care for a response before entering. Bia’s hand moves quickly to her intact dagger, but slides away as the familiar pair enters. Lacking his usual chain mail in favor of a patient’s gown, the Au ra grins down at the pair. A bandage runs up one arm and over his neck. “Glad to see you’re up! We’re just popping over from Zi’s room, apparently he always takes a few days to get through.” He laughs as Kankri trails into the room as well, several small bandages up and down his neck and cheeks. His face shows both embarrassment and a lack of amusement.

Another image runs through Sepira’s mind, of Ziharku pressed to her wind wall and the spray or red that filled her vision after. News that he’s still alive, at least, eases her conscience. Though how, she can only wonder.

The elementals wanted him dead just as much as moogle mog

“So uh...what’s with all the...bandages?” Bianchi stares blankly at Kankri. “Late costume for All Saint’s Wake?”

“They aren’t even covering anything…” the midlander grumbles, robes shifting as his foot kicks idly at the floor. “Cro just kept asking for them to put on me-

“I gasp. My love does not desire the healing and affection of his beloved. It wounds me. I need another band-aid. Put it on my chest for me Kanni.”

“You’re garbage.”

Cronus feigns pain again. “Ugh! Now I need two. Please...my...love...urk…” He clutches a hand to his stomach as he leans forward, taking a knee and grabbing at Kankri’s robe.

“Geez, I’ll put one on your face or something just stoopppp.” His gaze shifts from the clearly okay Au ra kneeling before him and the sisters as his hands try to push Cronus away and make him stand up. “More importantly, we’re supposed to be catching these two up. Or you are. You remember better than me.”

Cronus freezes before rising quickly. “Oh yeah. Your memory is uhh bad. Cause you got bonked. On the head. Totally. Right.” He seems nervous as he turns about hurriedly. “So, first things first, Moogle primal whatever guy is dead, and that’s good news. More good news is, the moogles that summoned him are also ok. All back to normal. Just like you.” Cronus’s eyes are directed at Bia.

Bianchi raises an eye. “Okay like me?”

“Oh. Uh. Bianchi totally got brainwashed. Seemed like it was tempering buuuut since she and the moogles went back to normal as soon as he was gone, we figure it was just something while he was here and not like, legit tempering? I’m really not good at this stuff. You’ll have to talk to Zi about that junk, he knows what he’s talking about.”

“No fucking way.” Bianchi shakes her head. “I wasn’t tempered. I’m not tempered. I’m not trying to summon a giant fluff again what the actual fuck.”

Sepira’s eyes wander for a moment before she nods. “You were… Clearly not yourself.”

Kankri glares. “She aLMOST STABBED ME.”

Cronus purses his lips. “I meeean. Almost. He’s got a new hole in his fancy robes now that I’m hoping you can stitch up later. But seriously. Tried to stab my boyfriend.” Cronus eyes Bianchi. “I know it wasn’t like, you you, but not cool bruh. Not cooool.”

Bianchi shakes her head. “People don’t just get untempered!”

The volume leaves Cronus and Kankri taken aback for a moment. They exchange a glance. “Uhh, Miri got tempered before. And she’s fine.” Cronus gives a small shrug.

“The hell-

Bianchi is cut off as a Lalafell stomps her tiny feet into the room. “I heard my name. You’d better not want another Twelve’sdamned band-aid.”

Cronus motions grandly at the tiny lady. “Thissssss is Miri! Not tempered. Normal girl. Used to be a Garuda thrall but Zi fixed it with some bullshit he won’t explain. So yeah. Untempered. Said you were too. Okay?” His hands raise again as he continues his prior shrug.

Sepira’s brow furrows as she glares. “Make sense or get out.”

“If you can walk you can ask him, he’s down the hall. Stuck in a bed. Damn.” Kankri folds his arms, still eyeing Bianchi.

Sepira waves a hand impatiently. “The giraffe can wait, my chart?” She stares expectantly at her sister, hand extended in wait.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Bianchi turns back toward her. “Uh, E-Sumi-Yan has it. He’d said he wanted to take care of it personally, but when he couldn’t do more than stabilize you he wanted to go check on something in the library and call on the Elder Seedseer for a second opinion.”

Of course he did.

Miri shrugs. “I haven’t really done much here so they didn’t trust me with more than bandages.”

Kankri looks down at the Lalafell. “Guessing you don’t have any ideas what’s wrong then?”

Her head shakes. “Another thing Mister bed-ridden talked about but did his usual nonsense in explaining. If he could put it into actual magic terms I could probably give it a whirl.”

A clamour from down the hall catches Miri’s attention. “Altana’s sake, Zi! Stop giving the guys a hard time and stay in the bed!” The little one stomps angrily from the room back down the hall.

Cronus lets out a sigh. “He’s been on about ‘getting a decent meal’ since he woke up earlier. Apparently doesn’t like Gridanian food. Or sickbay food. Or both. Meh. Just would rather hop on the airship than get some rest.”

Miriel’s voice echoes down the hall as she begins to chide me for trying to escape, and Sepira’s eye twitches. She grumbles and turns about, rising to her feet as best she can. Doing her damndest to keep upright, she makes her way out of the room down the hall to where she spies Miriel glaring into a room. Her legs brush past the Lalafell as she comes into the doorway, grabbing an empty vase from atop a set of drawers near the door before hurling it at my head with surprising accuracy as Silver and Major keep me held to the bed.

The porcelain breaks against my forehead, leaving a long cut that bleeds down the center of my face and showers the pair with small pieces. The impact leaves me speechless for a few moments, the four of us present locking eyes with the shivering mage. “Sleep first, then dream.”

I stare confused. “The fuck?”

She takes a breath, exasperated. “This is the most secure ward in the Stillglade Fane. The chances of you making it out are the same as you finding a decent girlfriend.”

Silver and Major go wide eyed. “OHHHH SHIT SON.”

A glare from Sepira silences the pair, their mouths still wide from the ‘oh’. ”This is a hospital, there are people here trying to recover and I can hear your stupidity clear down the hall.”

Before she could lay down another sick DISS THO (are you actually-YES I AM IT’S WRITTEN) the sound of double doors opening at the end of the hall catches her attention. Behind her, Bianchi utters an “uh oh” as a diminutive woman comes barreling down the hall.

Miriel hops into the room and out of the line of fire, hurrying over to Silver’s side. “She just charged down the hall in high heels!” She whispers up. “I want her to teach me how to do that.”

Silver stares down at the Lalafell. “But you don’t wear heels.”

“I can dream!”

Muffled conversation comes from outside of the room, the trio of voices either talking at once or in responses too close to discern from one another from where I lay.

“Maman please-”

“No, no one lost an arm-

“Always so reckless maman got three grey hairs!

The figure spinning and chatting and squeezing the pair of sisters catches my eye, striking features, porcelain skin, and a brightly colored dress fill my vision as the scent of flowers floats into the room. I lean up toward Major. “Soo who’s the uh. Lovely lady?”

Major shakes his head. “Just a guess here, prooobably their mom.”

Silver grins. “Zi likes someone’s mooom~”

“Dude shut the hell up.” I go to elbow the Roegadyn but he scoots out of reach.

I grumble and cross my arms as the pair snickers. Cronus and Kankri sneak their way past the rabble and back into the room, grabbing a pair of chairs opposite the door.

“So what’s with the chick dragging those two up and down the hall?” Kankri watches as they glide back and forth outside the door.

“Their mom.” Major grins at me, accentuating the word. “Well, probably. I think. I heard Maman stuck in their somewhere so I’m just guessing it’s another word for mom and not a name.” Cronus nods in affirmation.

An older voice catches their attention, bringing the hustle and bustle to a stop. “Marguerite, you’re causing a scene. Clearly if they’re well enough to be walking about, they’re fine.” The clack of wood against stone floor is audible between steps as the older man approaches the trio out of view.

A more hurried set of feet rush over, hugging the girls as Marguerite takes a step toward her father in law, straightening her back as she composes herself, staring him down. “Wiz respect, Père, you and I have very different ideas on what constitutes as ‘fine’.”

“Heeeeyyyyy,” I call from my room. “I feel left out, what’s going on Sep? Bia?”

Shuffling feet hurry to the door, and a rather mousy looking Hyuran stands in the doorway. He seems rather uncomfortable as he notices the number of people in the room staring at him. “Er, my apologies. I, um, my name is Leon- that is, Lord Faremis. Their, their father, yes. Um.” He stands there and gives a hard sniffle, eyes watering slightly. Those of us in the room exchange a glance as the man seems nearly on the verge of tears, though at relief of his daughters’ state or having to speak before us, we aren’t sure. He seems to be specifically avoiding eye contact with me, probably because my forehead is still bleeding. I won’t accept this.

I raise a hand in greeting. “Ziharku Mecru, pleased to meet you Lord Faremis. Perchance, could you toss me some gauze from the drawer by the door for my fountain of a forehead?”

He seems to tremble before he moves to the drawers, pulling it open and nearly dropping the roll back into the drawer several times before offering it over, clearly still too far for me to try and reach. Silver extends a thick arm and takes it gingerly, as though worried the man would shatter for approaching too quickly, then tossed it over. It smacks my cheek.

“Aimed a little lower than she did, buddy.” I pick it up and run some aether over it before pressing a strip to my forehead. I take the rest and run it down my face, smearing blood over it without realizing. With a sigh, Major takes the gauze and keeps wiping until my face is clear. The drops of blood on my sheet and shirt, however, will not be removed so easily.

I take another moment to eye Lord Faremis before he lets out another loud sniffle and decide I’ve had enough of the poor fellow trying to be brave in front of us. “Perhaps, good sir, you could introduce us to the rest of your party? We are...well, I am I guess, a friend of theirs. Though I suppose with the noise I was causing prior to your arrival, Sepira wouldn’t be so quick to admit it.”

The fellow in the doorway snivels and stares at us for a moment longer before the clicking of heels nearly commands the room, his wife gliding in with a whirlwind of color. Her hands come to rest on his arm as sharp blue eyes peer over us. “You are the ones zat brought my Bébés home?”

Surprised at the accent, Major takes a moment to answer. “I. Yes?” His eyes shift before he nods again. Almost to convince himself that he answered correctly.

A manicured eyebrow raises at the odd statement. Then a bit higher as the odd Hyuran simply nods to himself. “I am the Lady Marguerite Faremis, if you would allow me to introduce my father-in-law, his lordship Arcturus Faremis.”

The older fellow follows in her wake, sparing the barest amount of expression as he nods. “Rest assured, your service to house Faremis will be...duly rewarded.”

Major rises from his seat, giving a slight bow. “It would be most welcomed, your lordship.”

I can almost sense the silent groan as Silver rolls his eyes. I clear my throat. “If I could uhh, borrow your ears for a sec.”

Major grimaces in his bow. “Ah, right. That.” He straightens his back again, arms crossing in front of his chest. “While our crystal warrior was...able to keep things from worsening, we found one of your girls in an...interesting state. Has uhh..Sepira’s the shorter one right? Has she been prone to...say...elemental stuff?”

Marguerite’s smile draws thinner as it grows more forced. “Sepira, she has always been… close to the elementals, what the conjurer’s call, a ‘hearer’.”

My cheeks scrunch as my lips purse. “Are hearers usually uhh...angry and floating and filled with elemental energy trying to kill primals with vines?”

A light rap at the door surprises us as guildmaster E-Sumi-Yan eases into the room. “No mister Mecru, no they aren’t. Hearers are simply far more attuned with the elementals in both understanding and ability to communicate with them. They help us keep the elementals at peace, and don’t generally levitate.”

Silver gives a wide grin. “Miiight wanna check on that then. We’ll keep pink-tum here while you make sure the little lady’s still on the ground. Guessing you didn’t see her in the hall then?”

He freezes for a moment before dashing out of the room. “That Girl-”

#Zi's Writing #Kevin makes a fanfic

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