London, Wednesday Afternoon

[bitten_notshy]

Feeling a certain twitch just under his skin that his usual methods hadn't done much for, Jack had taken himself on a long walk through the city. He was surprised when he got home to see Sebastien waiting on the stoop in the shade of a spreading tree; usually he didn't chance even this much daylight.

He was more surprised when he noticed how pale his guardian was. Since Jack's return from Kaeleer, he had been bound up in his own thoughts and his own stresses. Sebastien had stepped back when his questions received only monosyllabic answers. Jack, he knew, would tell him when he was ready, if ever.

Though that had made it easier for Sebastien to neglect his own needs -- he feared both Jack's reaction if he took care of himself elsewhere, and rejection (or, worse, a grudging offer) if he asked Jack. He could wait.

"I've been neglecting you horribly," Jack clucked as he bounded up the stairs. "Let's get you inside, and -- forgive me."

"I'm not quite as weak as you like to think I am, Mr. Priest," Sebastien said, but let himself be bundled into the house and up to his bedroom. But there was a queer hesitation in Jack as he began his preparations for the act.

"Can you take my wrist?" he offered, shy for the first time in, well -- ever. "I'm not quite in the mood for the other, and the marks will be under my cuffs anyhow."

"Of course," Sebastien said, with some concern. Usually Jack all but demanded the more intimate location. "Your tastes are changing."

"It's not that," Jack answered, sounding tired as he folded up his shirtsleeve and braced himself on the bed. "I still love you, and God knows I want you, I just -- I've been thinking, the last year, and I don't know if I want the same person to be my father and my lover. It ties me to you and it's what you've been telling me for years, I need a life that's bigger than you can give me." He looked ashamed as he continued, "I can get sex anywhere -- you're the only family I'll ever really know. I'd give my life for you -- but I don't think we should share a bed."

Sebastien hesitated. He could claim surprise at the speech, but really some part of him was only surprised it had taken Jack this long. "That sounded as if it had been building for a while. Of course I'd never ask you for more than you could give..." He fumbled, wondering if he should leave the bedroom entirely and let Jack be.

Jack extended his arm more urgently. "No, drink, I need the relief and so do you. But it's just drinking. Like that doxie you don't think I know about." He reddened. "Forgive me. I'm blurting out everything I think for some reason."

"It's all right," Sebastien said idly. His thumbnail traced the blue of Jack's vein above the bones in his wrist. "I have my doxie -- who is, incidentally, rather a respected poet -- and you have ... who was it who kept you out so late a few nights ago?"

He was pressing to see if Jack really was blurting out everything.

"James from university," Jack answered. "But it's nothing, he's stupid. He gets good marks on exams, but that seems to be the only time he thinks. We spent the whole night discussing his preferences among seasons of Survivor until I kissed him just to shut him up." Mulishly, he added, "He wasn't bad at the kissing, though."

And he certainly hadn't meant to share that. Jack reddened but continued.

"But between you and Emma, I'm a terrible lover for anyone else right now. That's part of why I'm breaking off -- well, some of this. I may not be cut for monogamy, but I'd like to at least be able to give it a chance." After which Jack sighed and flopped backward, burying his head under a pillow.

Amused by the torrent of words now, Sebastien fought the urge to laugh even as his fangs pricked out. "Is there anything else you'd like to share?"

Jack flopped his wrist about impatiently. "Please do it before I either die of embarrassment or lose my resolve and pounce on you."

A few minutes later, Sebastien refreshed and off for the evening and Jack's arm neatly bandaged, Jack leaned back against his pillows and pulled out his phone to make a few calls. Surely he wasn't the only one in Fandom to be behaving so oddly...

At the least, he hoped not.

[OOC: NFB. If you think he called you, he did. Warning for reference to sexual situations.]

Comments

[icecoldfrost]

Her phone was ringing with the particular tone that signaled a particular someone, so Emma debated for a moment before picking it up.

"If you've been abducted, Mr. Priest, I'm afraid I must inform you this is my week off, and I refuse to undertake any more rescue missions until Monday."

[bitten_notshy]

"I'm safe and sound," Jack promised. "Even if I have lost my mind. Is the island amusing itself again? Have you said anything you wouldn't normally say?"

[icecoldfrost]

"The island has been amusing itself, yes," she agreed. "I haven't been around people yet today, so I haven't been talking to see if I'm saying strange things, although I usually say what's on my mind, but everyone seems a bit more preoccupied with sex than usual, and that's saying a lot for teenagers."

[bitten_notshy]

"The sex part isn't bothering me, I can take care of that," Jack said, a bit dismissively. (He ... would feel worse about James if he wasn't certain it had been mutual using.)

A glint went into his eyes as he ran a thumb lightly over his bandage. "All right. I'll test the other part. What color are your underpants, and where did you buy them?"

[icecoldfrost]

Emma opened her mouth in shock to snarl at him for asking such a thing. Really.

"Black lace that I got from Agent Provocateur."

Beat.

"I did not just say that out loud."

[bitten_notshy]

"No, you did," Jack said airily. "They sound quite fetching. But now we know it's not just me."

[icecoldfrost]

"That was unnecessary and rather mean," Emma sulked. "How would you like it if I asked what undergarments you were wearing?"

[bitten_notshy]

"You've seen them, why would I care?" Came Jack's unromantic answer. "They're boring, anyhow. White boxers and I don't remember where they're from. Why are you being so sensitive about it?"

[icecoldfrost]

"Maybe you hadn't seen them, and I wanted it to be a surprise sometime," she replied, and it was a good thing Jack couldn't see her, because Emma was covering her eyes with her free hand out of sheer embarrassment that she couldn't control what was coming out of her mouth. "Or, you know, maybe you could have said, 'Ems, darling, I seem to be having a rash of uncomfortable honesty, can I ask you a few questions?' before springing it on me."

[bitten_notshy]

"Ems, darling," Jack said, aping her accent a bit, "I seem to be having a rash of uncomfortable honesty, and I think I broke things off with Sebastien in a way, which is entirely bizarre. But I won't spring any more questions on you -- at least not bald ones."

[icecoldfrost]

"That is a horrible imitation of me," she laughed. "But what do you mean, you broke things off?"

...

"I didn't mean to ask that. Ignore it." Except that she did want to know.

[bitten_notshy]

"I have a block about doing American accents," Jack mused. "I mean I told him he could be my father or my lover, and I needed a father more. I've been thinking about it a bit lately. I wouldn't have called you if I didn't want to tell you."

[icecoldfrost]

"Jack, are you sure about that? I know how much Sebastien means to you, even if I don't understand it." Or, you know, approve of it, but somehow she'd thankfully managed to stop herself before blurting that part out.

[glacial_queen]

"Now that you're calling, I'm thinking about packing my bags and coming to visit," Karla said immediately upon picking up. "Except I'm worried you won't want me there after Kaeleer and I'd miss Warren way too much. Specifically that thing he's started doing with his mouth and dammit, Jack! A good friend would have interrupted me by now to make me stop talking!"

And that answered your questions quite handily, didn't it?

[bitten_notshy]

"But I want to hear more about Warren and his mouth!" Jack protested. "Did someone teach him the alphabet trick?"

Dear god.

"And I'm so sorry, I am perfectly aware that is none of my business but I'm having your same problem. I'm fine otherwise, by the way."

[glacial_queen]

"What's the alphabet trick?" Karla asked, always curious even the face of humiliation. "I'm...getting better? I'm still way too skinny and easily tired."

[bitten_notshy]

"It's spelling the alphabet with your tongue during cunnilingus," Jack said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Very effective if you just need something to do, and please don't tell me if that's it, I don't want to be scarred."

He added, "You're almost always too thin. Do you still look like a scarecrow? If the answer is no, I'm satisfied you're getting better."

[glacial_queen]

"Ooooh," Karla said, eyes wide. "Noooo...we haven't gotten there yet. Pants had still remained on. Dammit."

Hmm. At least that last word was supposed to remain internal.

"I look less scarecrow like, yeah," she added with a wry smile. "I haven't scared any of the students. Though I did spend all last weekend as a kitten, which helped me spend a lot of time eating and sleeping."

[bitten_notshy]

Jack cleared his throat. "It's good to see someone has self-control, then," he decided. "And I'm certain you were absurdly adorable as a kitten. It was likely therapeutic, too -- I don't think cats worry much."

[glacial_queen]

"I spent most of my time pouncing on Warren, which means that very little's changed except at least I didn't have to wear clothing as a cat." It was like overshare central. "Though I was more interested in his wings than the rest of him."

[bitten_notshy]

"I hope that's changed, at least," Jack said. "I'm glad to hear you sounding happy. I was terrified for you. For all of us, but you're the one who calls that place home."

[glacial_queen]

"It is home," Karla said, stung a little by 'that place.' "Those moments of horror and terror just underscore how important it is for me to go home and set things right."

[bitten_notshy]

"I wasn't trying to be insulting," Jack said quickly. "It affected me, but I understand why you want to do what you want to do. I admire it -- I don't know if I'd be that strong, though I suppose having Jaenelle on your side helps."

[glacial_queen]

"It's what I was raised to do," Karla said. "Take care of my people. Whether I want to or not, sometimes."

She clapped her hand over her mouth. "I didn't mean to say that."

[bitten_notshy]

"It wasn't so bad," Jack reassured her. "And I'll ask you what Emma asked me -- what did you mean to say?"