![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
"When we met," he begins, thinking through his words as he says them, "You were...a lot to take in. And I was so afraid at the ball, when all of you were...were laughing at me."
That one still stings a bit. He had tried to be brave, and...well. Anyway.
"But then when I came back - you were nothing but giving. Sweet. Sensitive. And...and I've gotten to know you a little more, and you're...you're funny, and smart, patient, and strong, and - and-"
He reddens, going a bit tongue-tied and shrinking into himself a little.
That one still stings a bit. He had tried to be brave, and...well. Anyway.
"But then when I came back - you were nothing but giving. Sweet. Sensitive. And...and I've gotten to know you a little more, and you're...you're funny, and smart, patient, and strong, and - and-"
He reddens, going a bit tongue-tied and shrinking into himself a little.
"I apologize for the ball. I was wounded. You'd quite broken my heart. And then to see you rushing at Father with a candle stick -- well, fire can't hurt us, not really. I was less laughing at you and more at Father's reaction. He was trying to get a rise out of us, and it worked.
But then -- " It's his turn to comfort Alfred now, taking his hands and kissing his knuckles. "Then you were at my door again, and all that heartache melted away. Because you came back."
But then -- " It's his turn to comfort Alfred now, taking his hands and kissing his knuckles. "Then you were at my door again, and all that heartache melted away. Because you came back."
"A star..." He remembers -- but no, he doesn't want to remember, not now. Not when he has Alfred, here and whole and alive before him. Or, well. Not --
It doesn't matter. Alfred is here, and that's all that does matter.
He presses a kiss to the mark and concentrates his efforts on Alfred's inner thigh rather than lingering on those thoughts.
It doesn't matter. Alfred is here, and that's all that does matter.
He presses a kiss to the mark and concentrates his efforts on Alfred's inner thigh rather than lingering on those thoughts.
That's a revelation that momentarily stuns Alfred.
He had broken Herbert's heart.
His eyes go wide, and they stay wide as he watches Herbert kiss at his hands, being sweet and comforting. He swallows hard, and then....
"Herbert, I'm so sorry for hurting you. I...I didn't know. If I knew then what I know now, I...I might have...." He hesitates for a beat, but he needs to finish the thought.
"I was being so selfish, and I couldn't see that...you and your father both, you were trying to...to show me something. I just wasn't ready to understand it. But I do now."
He had broken Herbert's heart.
His eyes go wide, and they stay wide as he watches Herbert kiss at his hands, being sweet and comforting. He swallows hard, and then....
"Herbert, I'm so sorry for hurting you. I...I didn't know. If I knew then what I know now, I...I might have...." He hesitates for a beat, but he needs to finish the thought.
"I was being so selfish, and I couldn't see that...you and your father both, you were trying to...to show me something. I just wasn't ready to understand it. But I do now."
"Mmhmm," he confirms softly - but he feels...something, there, in Herbert's voice, in his heart. A stirring, another ghost of something far from his time.
But his lover presses on quickly, and so he dismisses the matter for now, softly groaning at the attention to his inner thigh. Best to let the thoughts travel a bit more, yes. Keeping calm.
That dream. Right.
That dream really should have been more of a marker to him that something was calling him to this place, drawing him in. It had been horrifying at the time, but...was it really so terrible? He can recall it, if he tries, clear as day....
But his lover presses on quickly, and so he dismisses the matter for now, softly groaning at the attention to his inner thigh. Best to let the thoughts travel a bit more, yes. Keeping calm.
That dream. Right.
That dream really should have been more of a marker to him that something was calling him to this place, drawing him in. It had been horrifying at the time, but...was it really so terrible? He can recall it, if he tries, clear as day....
"We can be... quite a lot to handle, the both of us. Neither of us are terrible subtle, are we? Well -- Father is a little more cryptic than I tend to be, but still.
Either way, you understand yourself better now. And you understand me better, now. And I'm learning about you, as well." Alfred requires a gentler touch. Slow progress, rather than jumping right into things.
Either way, you understand yourself better now. And you understand me better, now. And I'm learning about you, as well." Alfred requires a gentler touch. Slow progress, rather than jumping right into things.
"I...am good at listening to people who carry on a little. I'm thankful for that, because it...it's made your father a lot easier to understand." At least that was one thing that he had taken from his time with the Professor that was actually worthwhile.
He smiles again at Herbert's words, squeezing his hands back a little bit.
"...We have time to learn," he finally replies, slowly, reassuring himself just as much as he is reassuring the older vampire.
He smiles again at Herbert's words, squeezing his hands back a little bit.
"...We have time to learn," he finally replies, slowly, reassuring himself just as much as he is reassuring the older vampire.
It's better if he just presses on, rather than think about the past. Better to stay in the here and now.
Honestly, he wishes he could leave more lasting marks. Fingerprint shaped bruises all over Alfred's skin, scratch marks on his back and thighs, dark purple marks he's sucked into his skin. But they all disappear as quickly as he makes them, alas.
It doesn't, however, stop him from trying.
Honestly, he wishes he could leave more lasting marks. Fingerprint shaped bruises all over Alfred's skin, scratch marks on his back and thighs, dark purple marks he's sucked into his skin. But they all disappear as quickly as he makes them, alas.
It doesn't, however, stop him from trying.
Whatever Herbert is coming to grips with, the edges of it needle Alfred, bother him in a way he can't quite fully ignore - but he tries, oh he tries, especially under the attentions of long nails, soft lips, searching tongue. There are spots around his thighs and hips that make the little groans go quite loud indeed, and he's struggling not to move headlong into round two.
Part of his body, quite visibly, is beginning to disagree.
Biting his lip, he tries to think about the dream. It had been strange, with him leading Sarah on, with the Count looking...that way, with Herbert-
Wait.
"...You can guide...dreams, you said?"
Part of his body, quite visibly, is beginning to disagree.
Biting his lip, he tries to think about the dream. It had been strange, with him leading Sarah on, with the Count looking...that way, with Herbert-
Wait.
"...You can guide...dreams, you said?"
The air is still, now that much of the world has gone to rest. In the distance, the flock bleat only occasionally, faintly in their enclosures, largely done with their milling about. The chores are done, the sun has dropped away below the horizon, and the sound of the night insects has come to say hello. He smiles, looking out into the darkened sky.
It's become his favorite time of the day, even if he's a bit tired from his day of work.
Solin sits beneath the huge, gnarled tree at the edge of his field, one foot tucked up and under the other in a half cross-legged position. With scuffed, well-practiced fingers, he fixes more wool from his basket to the working end of the yarn on his drop spindle, twisting the fibers before letting the top-like wooden device fall and wind the wool down into yarn.
It's peaceful, spinning here, the night wind tousling his warm brown hair while he waits in what has become Their Place. He had loved this tree his whole life, but never more than he does these days.
Or rather, these nights.
That's been an adjustment, but one he's been more than willing to make.
It's become his favorite time of the day, even if he's a bit tired from his day of work.
Solin sits beneath the huge, gnarled tree at the edge of his field, one foot tucked up and under the other in a half cross-legged position. With scuffed, well-practiced fingers, he fixes more wool from his basket to the working end of the yarn on his drop spindle, twisting the fibers before letting the top-like wooden device fall and wind the wool down into yarn.
It's peaceful, spinning here, the night wind tousling his warm brown hair while he waits in what has become Their Place. He had loved this tree his whole life, but never more than he does these days.
Or rather, these nights.
That's been an adjustment, but one he's been more than willing to make.
He thought this might be coming. He pauses, and rests his chin against Alfred's hip, looking up at him. "Guide is a good word for it. The dreamer's mind comes up with all the main details. I can't place anything in the dreams, but once in there I can move things around a bit. Like chess pieces on a pre-set board."
"Well thank goodness for that, because Father does tend to go on. And on. And on. If you catch him in the right mood. Or wrong mood, I suppose." Herbert makes a face and rolls his eyes, but it's with fondness. Mostly.
"We do. All the time we could possibly want."
"We do. All the time we could possibly want."
Alfred stares down at Herbert for a long moment, not angry, but definitely working something through very slowly in his head.
"...So...the dream I had...my first night here...?"
But like Herbert just said, he can't add anything to a dream. Only guide what's there.
Oh, that's.
Embarrassing.
"...So...the dream I had...my first night here...?"
But like Herbert just said, he can't add anything to a dream. Only guide what's there.
Oh, that's.
Embarrassing.
"I've...noticed." Alfred giggles a little at the face - but more because it just goes to show that vampire family dynamics are still family dynamics.
His heart still aches for what brought him here, it's true. But he's finding that he's glad he came, even if the process had hurt.
Something warm is blooming in him, and he smiles at Herbert. It had taken a long time for the undercurrent of anxiety to leave that smile.
But it's all gone now.
His heart still aches for what brought him here, it's true. But he's finding that he's glad he came, even if the process had hurt.
Something warm is blooming in him, and he smiles at Herbert. It had taken a long time for the undercurrent of anxiety to leave that smile.
But it's all gone now.
"Was fascinating." Herbert moves back up the bed to stretch out next to Alfred, stroking his fingers lazily back and forth over his stomach. Seeing how Alfred imagined his father. Shirtless, in leather pants. Moving so sinuously, like a panther on the prowl. And how Alfred imagined himself! Those black lace stockings were delightful. Herbert thinks he might have a pair, if Alfred ever wants to borrow them.
"Once I saw the direction things were going, what you seemed to want in the dream, I simply... helped things along. Tried to help you realize a few things about yourself."
"Once I saw the direction things were going, what you seemed to want in the dream, I simply... helped things along. Tried to help you realize a few things about yourself."
"Oh."
Alfred considers this, thinking back over the dream, over how it had gone. It would be easy to think that Herbert had bent things a little, but...what he's saying rings true.
Nothing he got in that dream was anything he didn't actually want.
Bringing a hand up to rub at his face, he laughs a little bit. "Well, you...you definitely did that," he jokes, glancing down at their current position.
"It...well, I should have listened to it more. I'm, ah... I'm...sorry about...the way your...father...."
That's really the awkward part of all this, to him.
Alfred considers this, thinking back over the dream, over how it had gone. It would be easy to think that Herbert had bent things a little, but...what he's saying rings true.
Nothing he got in that dream was anything he didn't actually want.
Bringing a hand up to rub at his face, he laughs a little bit. "Well, you...you definitely did that," he jokes, glancing down at their current position.
"It...well, I should have listened to it more. I'm, ah... I'm...sorry about...the way your...father...."
That's really the awkward part of all this, to him.
"The way he appeared in your dream, you mean?" Herbert spiders his fingers up Alfred's chest and taps his chin affectionately. "Father's had many lovers over the centuries. I've seen him in worse positions, I promise you."
Herbert turns to tuck himself up against Alfred's side and rests his hand against Alfred's chest. "Did it help you, then? The dream. Did you learn something about yourself?"
Herbert turns to tuck himself up against Alfred's side and rests his hand against Alfred's chest. "Did it help you, then? The dream. Did you learn something about yourself?"
"Oh. Ah. O-okay, then."
Well, it's good that Herbert doesn't seem to mind the fact that Alfred definitely dreamt about getting - in that figurative way that happens in dreams - thrown down and...well...things happened with the Georg from his dream. And at the time, he wasn't exactly not enjoying it.
As Herbert rolls and cuddles up, Alfred slides his arm around him, holding him close. It's good that he doesn't really feel the cold anymore, he thinks, or they might both be a little chilly by now.
"Yes. It...it took me a while to understand it, but...yes." A little smile, and he tries to think back. "I...I think it was the most vivid time I've dreamt about anything...like that. I'm...I'm actually sort of...glad, knowing you were...there for it."
Well, it's good that Herbert doesn't seem to mind the fact that Alfred definitely dreamt about getting - in that figurative way that happens in dreams - thrown down and...well...things happened with the Georg from his dream. And at the time, he wasn't exactly not enjoying it.
As Herbert rolls and cuddles up, Alfred slides his arm around him, holding him close. It's good that he doesn't really feel the cold anymore, he thinks, or they might both be a little chilly by now.
"Yes. It...it took me a while to understand it, but...yes." A little smile, and he tries to think back. "I...I think it was the most vivid time I've dreamt about anything...like that. I'm...I'm actually sort of...glad, knowing you were...there for it."
Admittedly, there was quite a lot to unpack about Alfred's dream. A lot of depth there. Such a difference in how Alfred acts and how Herbert thinks he wants to act. To be pursued, to be wanted. Perhaps to be dominated, in some sense. And maybe Herbert can give that to him. Slowly, in pieces, so Alfred can ease into it.
"I'll have to peek in on your dreams more often, then. Make sure you're having good ones."
"I'll have to peek in on your dreams more often, then. Make sure you're having good ones."
Even Alfred has no idea how to begin unpacking it all, to be completely honest. But tonight has been a start, learning about himself by degrees. Another step on a journey, and with a sweet and willing guide. Purring a little, he nuzzles up against his lover, peering at him through his thick eyelashes.
"I would like that, I think. I just hope none of them are too...embarrassing."
But he's smiling, plainly not that worried about it. Experimentally, he tries to focus on Herbert, pursing his lips a little -
'So...can you hear this?'
"I would like that, I think. I just hope none of them are too...embarrassing."
But he's smiling, plainly not that worried about it. Experimentally, he tries to focus on Herbert, pursing his lips a little -
'So...can you hear this?'
He feels so relaxed, so at peace right now. Curled around his lover, the boy he adores so much, with all his heart. And then he hears, quite clearly though as if it was spoken from a distance, Alfred speaking to him with his mind.
Herbert gasps in delight and pats Alfred's chest proudly. "I did hear that, look at you! That's incredible, you're learning so quickly."
Herbert gasps in delight and pats Alfred's chest proudly. "I did hear that, look at you! That's incredible, you're learning so quickly."
"Ah! Really?" Alfred is positively beaming, absolutely giddy with this entire evening. He feels happy, safe, strong...and loved. So, so loved.
Hugging Herbert just a little tighter, he tries to make his grin a little bit sly and doesn't quiiiiite get there - still, it's cute, and his fangs are even this time.
"So you...you liked...what I was thinking, while we were...ah...during?"
Hugging Herbert just a little tighter, he tries to make his grin a little bit sly and doesn't quiiiiite get there - still, it's cute, and his fangs are even this time.
"So you...you liked...what I was thinking, while we were...ah...during?"
"Mmhmm, I did. You were so possessive. So... dominant. It made me feel very wanted. Like you couldn't wait to have me. It was incredibly attractive. And so is that smile of yours." Which gets rewarded with a kiss and a single finger dragged slowly down the centre of Alfred's chest.
"O-oh, well..."
The kiss and drag of the finger are both met with another little purr, rumbling low in his throat. He traces little spirals on Herbert's skin with his own fingertips, his very carefully filed claws very softly scratching.
"I'm...I'm not really sure where it came from, but it...I don't know. It felt...right? Sort of like I was in that dream, a little bit."
The kiss and drag of the finger are both met with another little purr, rumbling low in his throat. He traces little spirals on Herbert's skin with his own fingertips, his very carefully filed claws very softly scratching.
"I'm...I'm not really sure where it came from, but it...I don't know. It felt...right? Sort of like I was in that dream, a little bit."
"I liked those stockings you were wearing, in the dream. They suited you. The black lace? Delicious." He hums at the touch, the light scratch of nails against his skin.
"You can be rough with me, you know. You can be like you were in your head. Say all those things out loud. If you'd like."
"You can be rough with me, you know. You can be like you were in your head. Say all those things out loud. If you'd like."
Page 19 of 59