Incubus Dreams - October 22nd

[anita_blake]

Anita is sitting on the bed, legs folded indian-style, and she stares at the pair sitting on the couch. Both Asher and Jean-Claude look utterly at ease, faces blank, bodies relaxed. If she didn't know them better, she'd say they were casually waiting to have an everyday discussion about the weather.

But their careful expressions and relaxed positions speak volumes for their worry and discomfort.

"You can both stop looking like I'm about to execute one of you," she says, trying for a smile. "I promise, it's not that bad."

Comments

[masterofstlouis]

"I would expect you to be slightly more well-armed were that the case, ma petite," Jean-Claude says with a slight smirk.

[ash-imperfect.livejournal.com]

Asher smiles too, stretching his arm along the back of the couch, his fingertips brushing Jean-Claude's shoulder.

"I think she would be pacing more, too," he adds, in an undertone.

[anita_blake]

Anita tries her best to glare at the pair.

"You both think you're amusing, don't you?"

And, in a way, they are, which annoys her all the more because she wants to laugh.

She huffs a little.

"I saw Asher kiss Nathaniel," she blurts out, having not shared that with Jean-Claude yet. She's needed to digest it, deal with it, accept it. "It was... quite something."

[masterofstlouis]

Jean-Claude hasn't seen that particular pair together, but having seen Asher in action with others over the years, he can imagine.

"It can be somewhat intoxicating to see those you love loving each other. I felt much the same way watching you kissing Asher."

[ash-imperfect.livejournal.com]

See Asher. See Asher smirk.

"I am flattered. Thank you, both of you. It's nice to see I haven't lost my touch." He shares a look with Jean-Claude, his smirk turning a little more wicked.

[anita_blake]

Anita rolls her eyes.

"Smug bastard," she says, a slight smile on her lips. "But, it left me wondering about myself and what I've always said and whether or not I was right." She looks down for a moment, and then meets Jean-Claude's eyes. "I don't think I was right."

[masterofstlouis]

Jean-Claude has had several lifetimes worth of practice in schooling his expression, so he doesn't look as surprised as perhaps he might. Only the raising of his eyebrows belies his feelings at this revelation.

"Indeed?" he asks gently. "And have you come to any conclusions in light of this introspection?" He doesn't want to put words in her mouth -- no, that's not true, he very much does want to, but he's working very carefully not to ask leading questions all the same.

[ash-imperfect.livejournal.com]

Asher has a similar expression on his face, but he is far less diplomatic in his words.

"Does this mean you have...reconsidered the restrictions you placed on Jean-Claude and myself when you took us both to bed?"

[anita_blake]

Anita feels her cheeks tint pink.

"We need to take this slowly, all right? I don't think I can handle watching the two of you... go full out with each other just yet, but yes, Asher, I have been reconsidering."

She looks down at her hands folded in her lap.

"I know I'm definitely not ready to say the two of you can be together in bed, just the two of you, but I think some of what I asked of you in the beginning was me just being me. Afraid of what it would mean if I said yes. Afraid of being deemed meaningless once you both had each other. Afraid of liking it. Afraid of hating it. Just... afraid."

It takes quite a lot for her to admit that so plainly, but she does it because they deserve it. They can hardly have any sort of relationship together if she keeps running from them -- and herself.

[masterofstlouis]

Jean-Claude nods. "I have always told you that I am willing to move as slowly as you wish, and take rests along the way as well. It is only the negative progress I fear -- to be given something only to have it taken away. I would prefer moving slowly to rushing in and being forced to retreat."

[ash-imperfect.livejournal.com]

Asher nods.

"I agree. Do not push yourself because you feel you should, cher." He smiles gently. "We have been patient for a very long time. I am happy not to rush." Even the possibility, the chance to be with Jean-Claude, is enough for him.

[anita_blake]

Anita looks up at them, sort of surprised, and yet not.

"What do the two of you want?" she asks. "I need to know what you would like when we're in bed together to start off with. It will... it'll make things easier for me than me trying to pull some sort of limit out of thin air. I don't know what can go on when three people fuck openly and willingly together, so I'm struggling in the dark here. At least one of you needs to turn on a light for me."

[masterofstlouis]

Most people would probably balk at the idea of having to negotiate their lovemaking. But Jean-Claude is of Belle Morte's line, after all, and such things were status quo in her court.

"For myself, the freedom to kiss Asher and touch him intimately would be a satisfying start to such things. As an example, I suspect you would be uncomfortable with seeing me pleasure Asher orally, but perhaps I could steady his length with my hand and kiss him while you perform that service for him?"

(He may have added that last part just to see if he could deepen that blush.)

[ash-imperfect.livejournal.com]

Asher shudders a little, able to picture what Jean-Claude is suggesting all too easily.

"Truthfully I would be happy with anything," he murmurs, "but to touch Jean-Claude, to kiss him, would be wonderful."

[anita_blake]

Anita does blush.

Deeply.

And looks away from them.

"Touch and kiss."

Those were very broad terms, but she realizes she has to trust them. She will trust them. Anita gives a small nod, bringing her eyes back to the pair.

"All right. I think that's a reasonable move forward," she says, her voice sounding far more sure she feels.

[masterofstlouis]

Jean-Claude nods in acceptance of the terms. "And did you also perhaps have any ideas for when this new agreement between us might be put to the test? It is easy enough to agree to a thing in theory; the reality is often quite different, after all."

[ash-imperfect.livejournal.com]

Asher would suggest now, if he did not think they all needed time to think on what has been discussed. But he can't help the way his fingers curl into Jean-Claude's hair, just at the nape of his neck, barely touching skin. He keeps his eyes on Anita, though, love and lust and need and hope swirling in cool blue depths.

[anita_blake]

Anita can feel their quiet impatience. Not through some metaphysical power, but because she's a woman and can simply sense it. They want her. They want each other. And she wants them.

And they are willing to wait for her okay before anything went down.

"Do either of you have plans for the rest of the night?" she asks, that flush creeping over her features and down her neck again.

[masterofstlouis]

Jean-Claude leans his head back into that light touch, carefully not letting his soft, reassuring smile for Anita bleed into anything more.

"Nothing that cannot be canceled," he replies honestly. "You have no raisings tonight?"

[ash-imperfect.livejournal.com]

Asher smiles, encouraging and just a little flirty, hope shining brighter in his eyes.

"I have no plans," he admits. "Nathaniel is working tonight."

[anita_blake]

"I made sure my night was free tonight."

She'd figured something would happen tonight.

Anita licks her lips, staring at the two of them.

"So, I guess we've got the whole night ahead of us to see... what we're like as more of a real ménage à trois, if you'd both like that."

Though she'd smack either one of them if they said it aloud, Anita is rather cutely nervous. No ardeur, no ultimatum, no pressing issues forcing her hand. Just her and them and nothing else.

[masterofstlouis]

She does look a little like a virgin on prom night, Jean-Claude thinks amusingly to himself, careful to shield the thought from Anita.

"Then might I suggest a small step first, to get your feet wet, as it were?" At her permissive nod, Jean-Claude turns to Asher, steering the other vampire's face toward his with gentle fingertips against cheek, and draws him into a kiss. Sweet and gentle at first, but deepening quickly into loving and passionate. He leaves the marks open as he does so, ready to pull back at the first sense of Anita's discomfort at the display.

[ash-imperfect.livejournal.com]

Asher sighs into the soft kiss, pressing closer eagerly when Jean-Claude coaxes him, drawing him in with just the gentlest press of fingertips to his cheek.

He cups Jean-Claude's face in his hands, sliding closer on the couch, very, very aware of their audience. He slows the kiss, gentles it bit by bit until he's just brushing his lips lightly against Jean-Claude's, golden lashes a fan across his cheeks before he slowly opens them, smiling softly at Jean-Claude. The kiss is all the sweeter for its rarity, for the knowledge that Anita will not come between them, now.

[anita_blake]

And Anita sits there, stunned and silent, watching them.

Her heart races, and there would be no hiding the scent of her arousal. They were so beautiful together, and Anita can see why Belle Morte liked watching them, liked the pair and hated when that pair left her. It is an amazingly erotic visual, but she knows they don't perform for her.

Which might be the biggest difference between her and Belle Morte. She will never ask them to fuck just so she can watch.

Anita licks her lips, eyes trained on them, never looking away, her breath quick and quiet. If this is getting her... feet... wet, then she's almost terrified of what more than a kiss will do.

[masterofstlouis]

Jean-Claude turns to Anita then, and the satisfied smile on his face is unmistakable. "Shall we join you on the bed, ma petite?" he purrs.