A medical emergency

[fadingworld]

A deep navy cloak hides his features and the more ornate tunic the courtesan usually wears to greet his clients. Mal hunches his shoulders and slides through the crowds hoping to avoid notice. He keeps his head down until he reaches the home of the doctor and wraps smartly on the door. "Open up," he calls in a voice that expects to be listened to.

How much time did he have? He could not have a client bleeding out. Not this one. Not one who had come to him for help, to be treated privately.

Comments

[mandragoraspiritus]

"I never had the slightest shred of doubt," Regis says, smiling and returning Malo's sweet kisses. Indeed he hadn't, not when they did veer onto this path together, not even after their first attempt in bed. He knew all that was really needed was patience.

[fadingworld]

"You have a great deal of faith," Mal says and vows, "It will never, ever be betrayed by me."

[mandragoraspiritus]

He does have faith but only in the select few that have earned it.

Another kiss, then, lingering but light now, as Regis still cradles Mal in his arms, rocking them slowly.

[fadingworld]

Mal does not want to leave this protective, loving bubble for awhile yet. He grows calm and relaxed. He smiles up, "My mind feels wonderfully fuzzy with pleasure still. Please, tomorrow let me return the favour. I would really enjoy it."

[mandragoraspiritus]

Regis chuckles, grinning a wide and toothy and wholly relaxed smile down at Mal. "Let me assure you, my dear, that as long as your heart is in it, as long as you would find your own enjoyment in it, I would not refuse you. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever."

[fadingworld]

Mal grins back. Tomorrow it would be. He wants to separate the two events entirely and do as Regis wishes - to remember this being about his pleasure.

"Good," he says softly. "I want to find what makes you gasp, what stimulates and brings you pleasure. I want to do it because I am with you and choose to be with you." The only concern he has is falling into what he has trained to do and disconnecting.

He voices this softly to Regis. "This, this worked because I've never....ever had it like that. But I will work it out because I want to do it, I want to give you pleasure."

[mandragoraspiritus]

"Take your time with it, Mal," Regis gently advices. "I am nothing but patient. And remember, that no matter what we are doing, that there is never any point too late for us to stop. If it doesn't feel as it should, then tell me so. I promise that I shall do the same."

[fadingworld]

"I know," he says softly, "I have no doubt you would stop." He puts a hand on Regis' chest and touches his nose to Regis' before rubbing their noses together in a brief nuzzle.

"But I have to confess, I am slightly impatient to see what noises I can draw from you."

[mandragoraspiritus]

Regis has to laugh then, his hand fondly squeezing the back of Mal's neck just briefly. "Now that is a lack of patience I can get behind."

He leans in, claiming a kiss, then further to again murmur in Mal's ear. "As I said, you would not be refused."

[fadingworld]

Mal smiles, and promises, "Tomorrow. Tomorrow when you are absorbed in a book. When you are thoughts are farthest from me."

[mandragoraspiritus]

Another toothy grin and warm chuckle. "So we are keeping in line with the distractions, then?"

[fadingworld]

Mal smiles, “It is working well for us so far.” And it does give him time to prepar and think things through. He rubs a finger absent-mindedly at the base of Regis’ neck.

“How long is it since you’ve been with a man?”

[mandragoraspiritus]

A moment where Regis draws his memories to mind, going through the years. "A hundred and fifty years ago, or thereabout. It would happen more often in the rebel-rousing days of my youth, but relationships and even briefer affairs have been few and far between since I entered into - ah - sobriety, as it were."

[fadingworld]

“Then, I have even more reason to feel honoured that you would accept me as your companion,” Mal says softly before he kisses Regis neck.

[mandragoraspiritus]

Regis gives a sift, pleased hum at the show of affection. "No, Mal, it is I who is honored. Despite knowing what I am I haven't seen you shy away even once."

[fadingworld]

“I still do not see why I should,” Mal says softly. “I see the person you are and what you try to accomplish.” His eyes dance, “I don’t think I have a thing for vampires but I do have a thing for a man called Regis.”

[mandragoraspiritus]

A warm chuckle from the vampire, who steals a kiss before tucking Mal's head in under his chin. He wishes to show Mal something, but he doesn't want him to see his face when he does.

He holds up a hand, palm facing them. There are callouses from work, long fingers, and those pointed fingernail. Only, those fingernails grows to truly become claws, growing more and more until they are well over a foot long, sharp and hard, when Regis clacks them together just once they ring out almost like metal. Identical claw have also sprouted from the hand that lays on Mal's shoulder that keeps him cradled in close.

"As I said, it is I who is honored." There's a different rasp to Regis' voice, but in most ways it sounds just the same.

[fadingworld]

“Different,” Mal says. There is no fear in his voice, no change in his heart rate. He has accepted Regis for who he is and changes in appearance are going to make no difference to him.

Carefully he reaches out to touch them. “I presume these must be used in a fight? They are too long to be practical elsewhere.”

[mandragoraspiritus]

"They are, yes," he answers. "They are the main weapons of any higher vampire." He turns the hand over, showing a speckling of large freckles that mottles the back of it. The same run down his throat to disappear own the neckline of his tunic. And his face... He will still keep Mal's eyes off his face. It isn't that he doubts Mal's intentions or his heart, but knowing and imagining something is different than being put face to face with it.

[fadingworld]

Mal lifts his head to press kisses to the freckles and to each of the bale like tips. He’s flirting with danger, he can imagine the potential damage that could be done. And yet he knows he’s safe.

He lifts his head, turning with an idea to look up into Regis face and kiss his lips to give him the final reassurance that he is at home with this.

[mandragoraspiritus]

Regis' hand on Mal's shoulder restrains him for a moment. The claws retract back to just pointed fingernails, the freckles fade. "Not yet," Regis says when he turns his face - an ordinary, human face - down to Mal's. The rasp is gone from his voice. "Not today." He kisses him, lingering and sweet.

[fadingworld]

Acceptance. Mal joins in with the kiss without protest. Like Regis he has patience and will wait for the vampire to show him things in his own time.

As the kiss ends, Mal is a little breathless as he puts a hand to Regis; cheek. “When you are ready,” he says softly, “I promise I will not recoil from you.”

[mandragoraspiritus]

"I do not at all doubt your heart, Mal," Regis says, echoing his thought from earlier. "But I dare say most would find me to look more than monstrous. There might be times when I find it difficult to withhold physical changes to my form and I do not wish to startle you if it happens." This; talking about it, showing Mal that book earlier, showing him this now, it is Regis' way to let Mal get gradually used to the idea.

[fadingworld]

“But it will still be you,” Mal says softly. “And I will not forget that.” He fear the temperament of people not their looks. “I willl find my own beauty in that.”

[mandragoraspiritus]

Regis smiles softly and with a hand behind Mal's neck he bows their heads together, forehead resting against forehead. "Thank you, dear heart."