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]

"In all the subsequent time we get to spend, not being arrested, in a hotel room," purrs Nathan. "That's where."

[manofmyword]

"Oh, honey, I lllike the way you think."

[temporal_affairs]

"Good," purrs Nathan.

Here is the door to the hotel. Nathan opens it with a shove of his hip, not intending to set his mate down until he is required to do so.

The receptionist asks if he needs to borrow a wheelchair.

"Nope," says Nathan cheerfully. "As you can see, we are jointly ambulatory."

[manofmyword]

The Joker smiles beatifically.

[temporal_affairs]

Nathan rents them a room, sending the Joker (whose hands are free) rooting around in his pockets for his shiny gold credit card when it's necessary for the transaction, and then he saunters to the elevator.

"I'm pretty sure we won't actually get arrested as long as we're technically dressed," he purrs in his mate's ear as the elevator pulls them up.

[manofmyword]

"Ooh," says the Joker.

His hands are free. And, as they have just demonstrated, he can reach Nathan's pants from here.

[temporal_affairs]

By the time they get to the hotel room, he has managed to reduce Nathan to a growly puddle of want. The key card gets them in and then there is pouncing.

[manofmyword]

He loves Nathan's pouncing, he really really does. He also loves the way it feels when his bones unbreak themselves.

[temporal_affairs]

Nathan loves him. Loves that he can be careless, loves the way he can make him make all those noises, loves him like burning.

[manofmyword]

No one in the vicinity has requested that they tone down said noises.

So the Joker doesn't.

They can't be arrested just for having really loud sex, right? Even if there's screaming?

[temporal_affairs]

Well, there's disturbance of the peace, but they'd get a warning first, and they'd find all the participants uninjured if they insisted on having a closer look, so that's all right. How many screams does it take to get to the center of the Jacksonville Police Department? (Doesn't matter, the results will be invalid; Nathan got impatient and bit.)

[manofmyword]

Now is a good time to try out his magical flavour-tuning, right?

[temporal_affairs]

Nathan was play-biting before. Mate who likes pain, it's the obvious thing, it's not like the odd taste of a droplet of human blood will screw with his head much as though he's some pure untainted-by-human-blood specimen like Her Majesty or her father-in-law and besides he has the air filter and isn't going to go ravenous on the people of Jacksonville.

And then the taste changes.

And his purr becomes a snarl and without thought he bites and tears and thirsts and it's so delicious, there is no flavor but this in the world, the ever-present pain of thirst has gone and he's drinking and drinking and drinking and there's nothing in the universe but the flow of singing blood.

[manofmyword]

Ooh.

Success.

He lets himself heal; with Nathan's teeth in him this deep even his overactive healing power isn't going to force them out again by itself, and it means he doesn't have to worry about blood loss.

Nathan was talking like he could do this forever. The Joker wonders if that's true.

[temporal_affairs]

He can't literally do it forever. He's only got so much room. But he keeps drinking for many minutes, until unregenerating prey would have been exsanguinated a dozen times over, until it hurts to swallow more and then some, until even hyperefficient vampire metabolism can process nothing more and is reduced to storage, distending his stomach.

Finally he is as sated as he physically can be, and he's just licking venom into the wounds, making small sounds in the back of his throat. When he looks up, his eyes are brilliantly burgundy.

"You're a marvel," he gasps, having neglected to play at breathing throughout his meal.

[manofmyword]

"Love you too, baby," he says, snuggling up.

[temporal_affairs]

"God. I love you." Hugs, crushing hugs, he cannot contain all the emotions at this moment.

"Did my eyes go?" he murmurs after a moment. "I bet they did. Better phone Maggie, let her know it's nothing to worry about before Alice eye-checks me and thinks I've been devouring the population of Florida."

[manofmyword]

"It's a gorgeous colour," he says, and leans up to kiss Nathan's forehead. "I should make you a shirt that colour."

[temporal_affairs]

"I'd wear it," Nathan says, rubbing his aching stomach absently, and then he pulls out his cellphone from the pocket of his abandoned pants and dials the lie detector.

"Hallo, Maggie!" he says. "Calling to say that I have not killed anyone, my eyes are red for entirely innocuous reasons and Alice should not advise Her Majesty to have me punished upon seeing them. Well now, must you know? All right. I've gone and gotten mated, if you hadn't heard, and - yes, thank you - and he's got a bit of offworld magic, and if he likes being bit and he's fine afterwards, I ask you, have I any reason to complain? I have not. That is the story. Say hi to your lovely wife and daughter for me, will you? Bye, Maggie."

[manofmyword]

The Joker giggles softly, waits for Nathan to hang up, and then kisses him.

[temporal_affairs]

Mmm kisses.

[manofmyword]

"Did I give you a tummyache?" he inquires between kisses.

[temporal_affairs]

"Worth it," Nathan asserts.

[manofmyword]

"Mmm. Good."

Although he does take a moment to kiss said tummy, bestowing on it the entirely imaginary restorative powers of his affection.

[temporal_affairs]

Awww.




They hang out in the hotel room for a few days, fixing Nathan's eyes to be less conspicuous before leaving, and then they wander Jacksonville looking at tourist attractions and occasionally making out fiercely on street corners, and they begin walking north. They have all the time in the world. Why hurry?