homeless_pard | Bittersweet

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jason au

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Who: Requiem, Haeldryn, any?

When: A week before Khem delivers.

What: Contemplations of family and love.

"And here," he smiled, stepping back, power drill loose in one hand. "The curtains are secure hmm? Jason did well with the crib, and the large cradle in your room shouldst suffice..." since the revelation of twins. Still, he did what he could, pale fingers tracing down the forest green drapes.

"Aye," Khemrys smiled, rocking gently in the chair in the children's room. "The preparations for this have been touching. You are my family in this realm, and Jason my lord, and both moving to create a proper feeling of home."

"Don't forget the Rodere," he snorted, amused. "There's...so many baby gifts."

She laughed, hands tracing tiredly along her belly, "aye, certainly no forgetting. I'd no idea of what a baby shower was until they so showered me..." almost gifts raining from the ceiling in fact!

"They care," he chuckled softly, peering out the window to nod at the rat guard across the street. "I'd prefer you have more protection than less dear."

She chuckled, eyes sunken from days of uncomfortable sleep and growing awareness of how soon she might give birth, "aye. I know my sworn Lady will aid but she has...a very small presence in this world..."

"Your Gunnora will be delighted," he snorted. "And aid you in being calm and safe. Mattil promised me that you will not risk death in bearing your children, no matter her reach is purely at the clinic."

Khemrys watched a bit, still rocking and touching the toys gifted to them for the children..."I do not fear death, brother."

He sighed, turning attention back to her, "I do. Your death. That you will NOT die is a comfort,but the apprehension is still present."

"Trust in me?" she smiled.

"...always. I can still fret. You are well worth fretting over."

"Am I?" she chuckled. "Have you finished your letter?" she teased.

Ah.. Oh. He ducked his head, letting the drape fall, "I have....a bit of progress?" he admitted a touch sheepishly. No doubt it would surprise people to hear that note in his voice.

She stared at him, then casually threw the the soft, infant 'book' in her hands at him. The resulting squeak sound was amusing? "You know she waits ages to hear from you!"

"I KNOW!" he agreed, wincing. "What could I honestly give her? This world was hard for you..."

"She's rather a pragmatic lady," Khem drawled. "Finish and deliver if you are to avoid calls of cowardice."

"Ow," he laughed, but it was a dark, hesitant sound. "You wound me."

"Rather I care for you," she corrected, eyeing him. "You desire a lady. That is normal for a lord yes?"

Hell. He hated her logic some days. "You realize, my dear sister, that you are the brains in your household?"

She narrowed her eyes, "we have different knowledge bases my brother."

"Yes yes," he chuckled. "Still. I'll...finish tonight and have someone run the envelope to the stones tonight."

"Now," she noted. "You'll go do so now instead of delaying."

Requiem blinked and carefully set the drill down, "if you...like."

"Yes, go."

He stooped to kiss the top of her head and sighed, mind in turmoil. What was he suppose to say? The last few letters had been a stark presentation of facts. Explaining his world, opinions, his place in such...what was he suppose to add to that for a woman who thought well of him but had no context for this world?! He slipped to his own room and scooped up the pen on his desk to tap against his teeth. What to say.

What to say?

What to say...

He thought, somehow, the pleasure and comfort he'd found with Haeldryn was temporary. More the fool him. He dreamed of her weathered smiled and the soft feel of her skin. The wicked delight that danced in her eyes when she spotted him in the crowd...

She had always been rather breathtaking.

Words weren't enough honestly...

"You are terrible at this," Mattil chuckled, leaning against the far wall of his room. "Alive so long and yet you are awkward?"

Requiem snarled, throwing the pen at the sudden intrusion! "As if you'd do better here!"

"...fair," the god laughed, flicking the pen back, "I had the foresight to marry my lady. I've no regrets."

He snarled at the god, narrowing his eyes, "it is not so simple! Not in this world! Such as I...does not have a safe space. Comfort..."

Mattil cocked an eyebrow, amused, "you are mine, and my world is a kinder one. Write."

Requiem growled unhappily and clicked the pen a few times. There was a stack of letters under the blank page; Haeldryn's letters to him. Time being what it was between worlds, well, more from her than him...

...

Lady Haeldryn,

I miss you. Would you come?

Requiem.

"That is...incredibly honest," Mattil chuckled. "But sweet in a way. Send it."

Requiem glanced at the god then found an envelope to seal that small sentence in.

Yeah...he was fucking this up. "It will go out at dawn."

"Good," Mattil grinned. "You need more in your life."

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He pecked at her lips once more and tilted his head into her hand a moment. And yes, the waiter was absolutely getting a raise. Not that they weren't paid well here but...

"I am glad it meets your tastes," he smiled softly. "It is meant to titillate and tease, while being refreshing."

"All is so carefully planned in this 'club'," she observed. "And when your young men dance, you will be able to feed from those watching without taking blood?"

There was something in her voice that perhaps suggested that she might disappointed if he never again wished to take her in that manner again. Not that she would dare voice such a thing aloud. Coming here alone to all but throw herself upon him was already far bolder than she'd ever thought possible.

But may she be forever damned, she could not regret it. Not when he looked on her like that, with his kiss still fresh on her lips.

"Planning is a protection," he admitted quietly. "As not all are as accepting as you and those who enjoy our company. Planning prevents damages that stir the greater populace against us." But she was not among those for certain!

"And yes, I may, and do. It is a kinder feeding for those I do not wish intimacy with," he admitted. "But blood will ever be a temptation with some."

"Merely a temptation? Do you no longer require it?" She had to admit that she knew very little about the Night Walkers. And being gods-touched, mayhap Lord Requiem and his companions had grown in their gifted abilities since she had last seen him.

She took another sip of the drink. Yes, she quite liked this drink.

"With you my dear...it is incredibly tempting," he corrected with a laugh. Very. She had a lovely taste!

He was so charming when he laughed. She had seen him with him companions as the somber, serious support behind them. But those smiles and laughs he held for her made her heart flutter in her chest.

Moments like this it was all she could do to keep from begging him to bring her to his quarters and-

She quickly took another swallow of her drink. "You promised to teach me how to tempt your dancers with money," she choked out.

Oh he caught that look Haeldryn. It made him chuckle a moment more and give her a warm look, "of course, I have a handful of bills." From the ATM but hey it worked out. "The money here is a base ten system..." And he was happy to explain the bills he was pulling out and stacking in order? Not many of the higher ones of course but more than enough for a bit of fun on a Wednesday night!

"Coins of course I'll have to go find, so that will be a later lesson, and coins do not lend themselves to gifting as easily to you the men on stage..."

"Aye, I understand," she said after he'd explained. "But what is a proper amount to give? I would not insult them." Then she giggled. "Nor would I pelt them with coin and mar those beautiful bodies."

He laughed as well, amused, "some of them would enjoy such," he warned. JUST TO BE SAFE THERE! "You have a discerning eye to treat others as you do my dear, you will know practiced skills as opposed to enthusiasm. The new blood as it were tends to earn ones and fives, sometimes a ten on a good night. The more trained, higher."

She laughed gaily at that, catching his eye with a spark in her own. "A discerning eye, but I know naught of the talent it takes to dance in such a manner! If I needs must decide upon mine own experience, I could only draw on the memory of you in that forest glade and those lads will earn nothing for their labors!"

"Hmmm, a problem," he admitted with a grin. Poor lads. "Then perhaps imagine the youths when they start training? You know a youth who has first touched a sword against one that has been using such for a year or two yes? It is the same. A body is just a weapon in some cases."

"Ah, but you forget, lord: I did not train the young men with a sword, I treated their hurts. I may give all your money to the awkward child doing his best rather than the one most skilled with his...ah...weapon."

The blushing raged once again.

"Do you expect me to believe you never once watched young men training?" he countered, catching her hand to kiss her knuckles again in amusement. "Perhaps in your own youth, espying your own husband?" Hmmm?

She raised her head with a haughty grin. "I did not need to steal glances in my youth: where I went, there they were. My husband had my favor the moment I caught him gawking."

She sipped her drink with a sly smile. "Of course, I did not tell him immediately. A bit of competition is healthy for men, and far better for them to not think you so easily won."

"True, you are a remarkable woman, I withdraw the question," he smiled. "Then I shall give you a degree of inside knowledge hmmm? We open with a known, then a new. New people are always spaced with a known, if not stellar, act. That way no one falls flat at an open nor leaves before seeing something they want again hmmm?"

Haeldryn smiled at him, gently touching his hand in thanks. "My thanks, young lord."

The server approached, nodding acknowledgement to Requiem before setting the dishes in front of Haeldryn. "Another drink for the lady?" He asked.

Haeldryn glanced at her drink and swallowed the last small bit. "Aye, I would, if I may? Though a glass of water wouldst be welcome."

"The lady is on my tab. Always," he noted to the server, just as he had to another when coming in. MORE PEOPLE WHO KNEW THE BETTER! "Bottled water." She wouldn't be used to fluoridated honestly.

Though...

"Glass bottles." Not plastic. He smiled at Haeldryn, "I'll explain later." Perhaps at the shp where they'd had to install some very high end filtration systems!

She looked confused. What else would a bottle be made from?

But the scent of food filled her and her stomach clenched in anticipation. She hadn't thought of how long since she'd last eaten until just not. However...

"I do not see how I could possibly eat all of this food, lord!" Even though they were touted as "small plates", there was quite a bit, especially with the board of meats and cheeses, to which she immediately took a portion of and began to eat.

"The meats and cheeses can be gifted back to Nathaniel and the dancers if you do not finish," he chuckled softly. "Easily. In fact we can invite Nathaniel after his set and he will easily finish anything you do not? Do not push yourself, nothing will be wasted."

Well, she trusted him. And she did remember that the young lords Nathaniel and Jason had had exceptional appetites. The pot pies were miniature; most of the female patrons of the club weren't looking for a full meal, but tempting them with filling small bites helped keep them from becoming too drunk too quickly. Haeldryn helped herself to two of them, and then picked through the Brussels sprouts with enthusiasm.

Just as her water and second drink were being delivered, the lights dimmed.

"Oh!" She looked to Requiem excitedly, then checked that all her money was laid out before her in piles according to their value. "It is starting?"

Well, shifters here did burn an insane amount of calories honestly. And having easy, handheld bites at hand might prove useful for her as well when she grew distracted! Such as now!

He chuckled, shifted his seat so she had an unobstructed view, "it is, indeed. And if any do tempt you my dear do give me pointers," he teased.

She paused and turned towards him, making no attempt to mask her fondness for him. "Lord Requiem, you were capable of tempting me to travel between worlds: I do not believe any of them could offer you 'pointers' for aught that you do not already possess in abundance."

"Mayhap," he smiled, sliding his arm around her waist and settling in comfortably, "but you also did not see the full range of possibility hmmm?" It was going to be fun either way?

Oh, but that was nice. She felt herself relax against him, a breath sliding out of her in contentment.

For that moment anyway.

Even with earplugs, the MC's voice booming through the space made her jump half out of her skin. Shrill cheers and whistles went up around her in response. And when the lights came up on stage, there were easily half a dozen young men there in varying styles of dress, but all looking quite dashing. She blinked in confusion, expecting...well, less of the clothing, much like she had seen backstage. Some of these young men were fully-

Oh. Nevermind. Those clothes were beginning to be peeled off, much to the appreciation of the crowd around her. Haeldryn covered her laugh with a hand as she watched a roomful of women become as raucous as any tavern in her own world.

Well, he had told her they were technically strip shows...in a letter...a while back...

When she jumped though he soothed a thumb along her hip, "they are a raucous lot, Americans," he agreed fondly. "Always so loud." But happy cacophony in this case?

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