got good ears

[temporal_affairs]

The neighbors don't complain. Much. (They do occasionally ask that things be kept down, but they don't complain about there being noise at all. They understand about mates.)

The room isn't designed for long-term human occupation. There is no bathroom, no food, no bed, no climate control - though this is Florida, so climate control is not such a concern - no plumbing.

But there's lots of magic. It's such fun to make, after all.

(Nathan had been worried he'd have to ask one of the succubi, or Joham, for lessons on what might whimsically be called "safe sex". He likes not having to bother with this better.)

Comments

[temporal_affairs]

The shirt is slid off. Nathan pauses to fold it, smirking.

[manofmyword]

As soon as the shirt is safely on the table, the Joker pounces.

They do not make it to the bed.

[temporal_affairs]

Some time later, Nathan says, "Scale of weeks, this is the best time to ask about the scars I don't know the stories of yet?"

[manofmyword]

The Joker curls up closer.

"This one, you mean?" he says, touching the long thin line slashed across his left hip.

[temporal_affairs]

Nathan traces that scar with one chilly finger, and the one on the Joker's neck, too.

[manofmyword]

"Yeah," he murmurs. "Those two. Well, I told you I usedta be a hooker, right?"

[temporal_affairs]

"Yeah?"

[manofmyword]

"So," he shrugs, "when I was sixteen or so, one guy made an offer he didn't want me to refuse. I told him to fuck off, he pulled a knife. I wasn't so scary in those days." He touches the scar on his neck. "Bad news for him, a knife to my throat doesn't mean shit." Then he sighs, and drops his hand. "Bad news for me, he got what he wanted anyway. I'm okay about it now, but for a while I wasn't."

[temporal_affairs]

Nathan hugs his mate very, very snugly. Not hard enough to break him, but just shy of that.

[manofmyword]

The Joker snuggles into Nathan's arms.

[temporal_affairs]

"You'd tell me if you ever didn't want - anything," says Nathan, "wouldn't you? I've gotten to the point where I start throwing you around without textbook verbal inquiries first - and - there are known cases of mate bonds being very confused when they're not reciprocated, although those were ones aimed at hybrids, we think the bond doesn't know what to do with a hybrid, a vampire will always have a symmetrical copy and a human it expects to be able to turn at least eventually but hybrids throw it off - but - you'd tell me. Wouldn't you?"

[manofmyword]

"I'd tell you," he says, pressing a gentle kiss to Nathan's cheek. "Promise."

[temporal_affairs]

"And if I ever do appear to be confused please feel perfectly free to wish me to Antarctica. I will eat penguins and be confused and I will not be able to hurt you. I couldn't stand it if I hurt you."

[manofmyword]

He laughs, and hugs him.

"I love you," he says with deep affection.

[temporal_affairs]

"I love you too."

[manofmyword]

The Joker curls up on top of Nathan, kisses his cheek again, and closes his eyes comfortably.

[temporal_affairs]

[manofmyword]

Mmm. Snuggly.