homeless_pard | Guilty Pleasures

Entry tags:

jason au

Guilty Pleasures

Who: Khemrys, Raphael, Richard, Anita
When: A week or so after Khem moves into Lillian's spare bedroom to spare Anita's nerves.
What: Reconciliation. Ostensibly. (Not).

Khemrys woke with a dark feeling, hands shivering as she made her morning tea and passed Lillian a mug of soothing tisane. There had been more injuries recently, and many of the rats were uttering darkly that it was because Anita had all but said she didn't care for the rats now that they were sheltering Khemrys. As a consequence those that were probing at the St. Louis area were striking the rats first, many of whom still had non-shifter family or friends. A community, the wererats. It wasn't bad enough yet that Rafael had come to her to approach Jean Claude but she and Lillian were pulling full shifts at the hospital, twelve and twelve, that often bled far longer. Hence barely managing a meal before one or the other of them needed to sleep.

But today...today felt different. Something that had been hovering and vague was narrowing dark attention upon her specifically. It was certainly far from reassuring...but it was relieving in the fact that it meant that such may not be bleeding frustrations upon those who'd been kind to her. Just as she was trying to resign herself to whatever this was there was a knock on the apartment door, Rafael letting himself in after a moment, "ah, Khem...we've got silver..."

She gasped, dropping her mug and not even bothering to throw on a coat or shoes as she tore toward the hospital. The soonest she could get hands on the poor injured shifter the better in this case, they'd learned that in the past week at least? If she got them soonest silver didn't kill, nor did it even truly scar with her and her knowledge of drawing poisons.

At least awakening to power had been useful in some regard?

Rafael snorted and scooped her up within a few feet, he could get there FASTER and he had no idea where her shoes were. Fool woman. "I hear your shop misses you..." he noted, no reason not to have a pleasant conversation after all!

"And I it," she admitted, barely paying attention. "It has been a home, but it is the High Lord's in truth, no matter it was also funded by a heart's brother and my lord Jason."

"Homes are important though," he sighed, nodding to one of his that opened the door for them. "We're working on it okay?" If nothing else he'd approach Jean Claude about buying the damn thing if it came to it, he knew what assets were worth indulging after all. And damned if she hadn't been compounding medicines based on sending runners to her manager there...

"Stress not lord," she noted softly as he set her down by a bed, "all resolves itself in time. And homes may change." It was a distracted statement though as she knelt by the bleeding young man to see to his arm. Shot. A bullet. She was learning to hate this world's weapons, as if death were hard to ensure with lesser weapons! Feh! "He'll not lose the arm but it will take some hours, please ask others be seen to unless they too arrive silver-shot..." she murmured, cleaning the wound after sending the boy into a deep slumber.

"Of course, don't you dare drop on us." She'd done that a time or two since she'd started staying with them, pushing a new power too far...so a lot of people fed her snacks randomly and checked in on her just in case...

"Aye..." she didn't truly hear him and he resigned himself to getting a meal into her soon.

Far later the room went oddly quiet, Rafael was physically blocking the door baring his teeth in a display any rat would be wary of...but the warm, rich voice past him didn't seem to care. "I just want to meet her."

"She'd busy, Richard. Sit and wait if you really want."

"You can't stop me..."

"Is that a challenge?"

Khemrys blinked at the menace in that tone, rising and wiping her hands before touching her friend's shoulder, "who has come lord?"

"Lord?" Richard snorted, looking over the man's shoulder at her then blinking. "You're a stick of a thing aren't you?" How was this woman any kind of issue enough to twist Anita harder in the triumvirate?

"Respect to our healer," Raphael hissed.

"Healer huh?" the wolf reached forward to pinch Khemrys's chin, truly puzzled and trying to just...understand. No one was talking to him until Anita had called, teary, last night...

Khemry's eyes swam to gold in shock before she stepped back, she had been told since her arrival that she need NOT allow handling! "I have granted you no such familiarity lord!"

"...what has been given my wolves is mine," he noted gently. "I need to see."

"I granted no such to a wolf, lord, but to a man who wouldst not hand me to another so casually."

"Casual huh?" he mused, eyes stormy as he withdrew his hand. "And you're okay with others calling him?"

"It is his chosen role, lord, as he accepts my own boundaries I accept his choices within reason."

"Reason huh?" he sighed. "He's been...upset since you moved in here."

"Was I to stay where I caused such unrest to a woman who thinks herself a Power?" she countered gently, trying not to feel hurt that Jason might have sent this man.

"Thinks?" Richard rumbled dangerously.

Ah, yet another of the woman's toyed and twined hearts. She had grown lax in her words since living somewhere safe against such. "Aye, but certainly it is not why such as you came?" she noted, gratefully for Rafael's arm still between them.

"I came..." he sighed, "because she doesn't have your number."

...what? She blinked, "I don't understand."

"She's upset at the harm this is causing to our pack, so..."

"And so?" she sighed.

"So, here's her number. Please call her," he sighed, passing a piece of paper.

She accepted the slip, peering at it, "is this an order then lord?" Or attempt at such?

"...what? No. Just...I don't like either of them unhappy. My pack or Anita."

Ah, and so he sought her to broker peace though it had been the woman's words not her own that caused such a rift. "I see. Your concern is a kindness unto them."

"Kindness...right," he sighed, glanced at Rafael, then headed back outside.

The Rat King sighed and glanced over his shoulder at the healer, "are you alright?"

"That was their...third?" she mused.

"Yeah, that fucked up triumvirate of Power crap. Messes with his head. He used to be a decent guy, he still tries but..." yeah. "The power helps him hold the wolves safe, but he's strong enough to do that on his own now I think."

"One may hope," she sighed. "My thanks for the shield."

"Hey, part of my job girl. Now, that number..."

"I will call," she admitted, making the man wince. "I felt threatened today lord. There is ill intent and it bears upon me like the wind. Best to see what has been planned."

"Hell."

She chuckled as he pushed her toward the breakroom and firmly pointed at the cardboard container of curry before finding her a phone. She had one of her own, true, worn at her side in a silk pouch, but better mayhap that she did not give the number to Anita. "Aye, eating, eating..." yes, eating, then poking the number into the phone and setting it to speaker.

She preferred the 'speaker' setting, it let her use her hands in other projects, in this case, feeding herself! "Anita."

Ah, such a charming way to answer a phone. "You sent a lord with your number," Khemrys noted softly, Rafael shamelessly leaning in the door to listen. "If you wish to speak, lady..."

Anita sighed, shifting the phone on her shoulder and waving Micah out of the room. Finally, the bitch had taken the bait. She had plans, yes. "Look, I don't like you."

"Such is apparent, yes."

"But I don't like my people unhappy either. Jason's been moping and that has an effect on his work and his role as pomme." Not to mention the fucker had turned HER down when she'd tried to convince the man why his moping was idiotic.

"My lord Jason is very dedicated to his work in all roles," Khemrys noted stiffly.

"He's MINE. And Jean Claude's. And Richards. Don't forget that, so I have to pay attention to his health," Anita growled. Some words just got her back up and that was one of them. No one else got to claim her people. Obviously she just needed to show the man that this saint Khemrys was just like any other slut once a man stopped paying attention to her. Hence this...plan. "Look, vocabulary aside we should talk," she sighed.

"Are we not doing such?"

"Face to face," she snorted. "Neutral ground even, just some girl talk okay? I just want to work this out for my people."

Khemrys paused in her eating to glance at Rafael and sigh, rubbing a temple. She could already feel the headache. "As you like then."

"Good, meet me at the club. That lets Jason see you when his shift is over." A baited hook the bitch couldn't ignore, hopefully. More importantly she'd checked the schedules, Jason had a hen party, that meant her wolf would have his hands full until Khemrys was suitably...occupied.

"The club," Khemrys repeated, a touch stunned.

"He's told you about his work right? It's a good neutral zone and has better drinks."

Rafael was shaking his head, but Khemrys sighed, "alright then. When?"

"Tonight, seven."

"One hour," Rafael sighed, already leaning out of the door to arrange some security. Or driver. EITHER OR IN THIS CASE.

"If there are no pressing injured here then I will be present," Khemrys allowed. "Should another arrive with dire injury you will be contacted."

"Be there," Anita snorted, hanging up. It irked her that the woman not only messed up the necessary balance in life but that she called Jean Claude High Lord obediently but didn't follow her directives properly. Bitch. "I'll be out," she snapped, breezing past Micah and Nat as she pulled her coat on.

She had things to do.

Events to set up.

If she recalled properly the set before Jason's was new blood. All masculine assurance and sculpted body, more than happy to take on a wilting virgin or two with the proper incentive. And by the time she had a drink or two in Khemrys, well, there'd be no resisting the Arduer. She could set the young man at any target she chose and Jason would fall back in line properly...

...and if that somehow didn't work no doubt seeing how Jason behaved with the parties that paid, well, that would achieve the same end wouldn't it? Finally things were looking up!

Better the woman drifted in the door alone, though someone had obviously made a suggestion as to wardrobe. None of those peasant skirts and laced blouses, no, she was in leather, kneehigh boots and black leggings under the sweeping, teasing edge of a coat that gave the illusion of a skirt with how it flared at the poor excuse for hips the woman had. Almost presentable then, a fact that made Anita smirk and wave at the bartender. They'd start easy, something fruity, light, and laced with powder.

She hadn't banked on the healer taking one sniff and setting the drink aside distastefully. Hell. "If you'd speak, lady?"

Anita sighed, waving for something else, "I need to know how to resolve this...thing....between us."

Khemrys blinked, hands soothing the coat edge along her knees as she considered that, "as I am aware, lady, I hold naught between us. You have no care for me, and so I have left."

"People remember you though," Anita sighed, sipping her own drink and watching as Khemrys set aside the next glass as well.

"I cannot and will not change the minds and memories of others, lady. Such is of the Left hand path and I do not walk such."

"Bullshit," Anita snorted. "They're happier, and healthier, forgetting. That's healing, not tampering."

"As the lady is not a healer I cannot agree," she noted gently, glancing at the stage as the performer before Jason stepped up to start his set.

Not bad, in Anita's experience, but then, Jean Claude didn't hire amateurs, it'd be a waste of hormones after all. "Look, fine, not forgetting, but you should end things. You're not coming back, Jean Claude won't have you, he's on my side."

"Ah," Khemrys mused softly, hands sliding in her lap again. "And you speak on his behalf then?"

FINALLY AN IN! "Of course."

"I see." Khemrys stopped fidgeting after she'd pulled her phone from it's pouch, fingers tracing one of the combinations she'd memorized. If Anita spoke with the High Lord's words then the man should not be surprised to be on speaker under the table edge now should he? "I have been naught but an aid to many here, I'd not think him so rash in his choices to bar me."

"He's come to his senses since whatever you did to him when the Council visited," she snorted. "Things are running better in your absence. "

"And yet the borders are sore taxed."

"No one would dare," Anita smiled.

"Then the numbers in the hospital have no bearing and sound no alarm to you?" Khemrys countered softly.

"My people know to tell me when there's need. I'm their protector."

"Ah, those who have sworn to you only then? The rats do not do so in my experience and so they do not fall under your protections despite treaties with the High Lord?"

"They don't feed the Arduer, by choice," Anita sighed, even the next mug of tea set aside by the picky little fake leopard.

"It is not a factor in their treaty," Khemrys countered gently. "They hold the border and intelligence in return for aid and shelter at need when they sound alarm. As they have."

"Not to me!"

"You are no war general, lady."

Fuck this shit. The target's set was over and she was tired of this game already, "I am the fucking protector, they come to me or to no one. Must not be a problem if they haven't asked my help. Also it's rude you won't drink with me. I've tried to accommodate you."

"I know doses when I scent them, lady," Khemrys noted quietly. "I am a healer after all."

"Bullshit, no one would dare try to drug you here, and your nose isn't were-good anyway, you're just being rude." She reached forward to sip one of the drinks as 'example' knowing it was nothing against her own ability. "See?"

"Foolishness, lady."

Anita sighed, "lady this, lady that, fuck you. I've been nice, Khemrys and you won't even give me my due as Jean Claude's partner. I'm High Lady to you."

Khemrys sighed, shifting to leave the booth, "you are not wed, lady, and have not taken any of the true responsibilities of such a title. If you'll not care for the lands proper, then you'll have no higher rank." It was common sense.

"Where do you think you're going?" Anita growled, grabbing the girl's wrist and letting her own power rise. "There's someone I want to introduce you to." Her role here was to submit and shatter that foolish dream Jason held, anything else was window dressing.

Khemrys froze, looking down at that grip, "you do not wish to test me lady." The words were near deadly calm, though gently said, somehow making the air seem muted and quiet despite the pounding music. "This meet was but a sham and an attempt to pad your own ego. I'll not be party to such."

"The hell you won't," Anita hissed, her other hand reaching for the man smiling and coming toward them.

"Awwww, is she shy?" the stripper smiled.

"Very," Anita purred as Jason's set cued up, women surging toward the stage.

Hmmm. Khemrys sighed and wrapped her fingers in turn about Anita then, "and so. Shouldst I find you an abuser, lady? One who seeks to harm those sworn to you?" The threat was again softly spoken, but no less real for that fact. Jean Claude was likely sending someone to prevent the shattering of the triumvirate, and her own escort was going to poke their heads in any moment to check on her...

...but she would not bow before this creature and the reek beginning to rise from her no.

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Ah...he was...

...others...

...but it meant nothing at work? Oh dear. She needed to think about that, her hands stilling in his shirt. There was a complicated wash of emotion across her face for a moment, from sadness to embarrassment, to settling on resignation as she shook her head slightly dismiss the thoughts yes. "Aye."

His thumbs stroked gently across her cheeks. "Khem," he said softly, "I told you what I did at the club. I don't want you to be upset thinking it's something it's not."

He sought her eyes in the darkness. "I love you. Just you."

"I know, I know," she sighed. "I just..." hadn't thought it would possibly be as hands on as it seemed it might be. She hadn't thought. She'd tried not to.

And yet...

He said he loved her. He hadn't said that before, that was...

...it helped?

He pressed his forehead to hers. "It's a lot. I get that." And while he'd told her, he certainly never jumped to show her, not in a way that she'd really, fully understand.

"What can I do?" he murmured, kissing her lightly.

"No...no it is your choice and your life as you desire it to be and that...I just need to take a moment." She'd been told, she'd known these things, honest, it was just details she needed to work on ignoring at times, right?

Sure.

She'd...probably talk to Beryl and Requiem about it honestly. They may know how to simply move past such.

"But truly....you care for me?"

"Hey." He pulled her close, not as before but more of a gentle embrace, kissing her temple softly. "It was how I wanted my life before you were in it. Things change. I know if I had to choose right now, it wouldn't be to move backwards."

There was a tinge of sadness that she could still wonder, but again he blamed the ones who raised her to think she could never be desirable to anyone. "Yes, I do, truly, care for you. I love you, Khem." He smiled against her ear. "And not just because we're half-dressed in your room."

How very strange. How strange that that word could make her feel secure and safe again despite the start of the mental spiral about others stripping Jason. "It's taught...that we need to prepare and accept a great many things should we ever wed," she admitted quietly. "It is harder in practice it seems. I will keep trying."

She would.

"Ah, yes, near, apologies lord I was working on your shirt as well." He wasn't near half naked yet!

He snorted softly in her ear. "You're allowed to have your thoughts on things. Just don't hide them from me?"

The last thing he wanted was for her to drag through each day with a plastered on smile while she fretted and withered inside. He grew up watching that; he wouldn't let Khemrys do the same.

He delicately nibbled her earlobe, smiling. "It's your night, my lady: I still have a lot of appreciation to show you."

"I'd not wish to complain," when he was so kind and truly wished to keep her, even if in a manner she wasn't accustomed to! "You've a right to your life and paths chosen lord." Every right!

Ah, right, back to popping stitches until that shirt could slither and slide between them. "Forgive me my foolish moments?"

"And so do you. Which is why," he grinned, feeling the shirt coming apart once again, "I ask you to talk to me. Or yell at me. Or whatever you're feeling, just let it out."

He was back to kissing and nipping at her neck. "I don't think you're foolish: I think I'd lose my mind with jealousy if you were on that stage instead of me."

"...how do I not then lord?" she asked softly. So very softly. How did she not grow so jealous? Jealousy was a new one on her honestly, she might have been jealous of the new young ladies at the abbey but her life had been well on it's way to strangeness by then.

Ah, but the tatters of his shirt made a lovely handle to pull him closer in the kiss didn't it?

"I didn't say you couldn't be. Just that you have to tell me." He kissed her deeply, letting her use the remnants of his shirt to guide where she wanted him. "You don't do casual, and that's fine. All I've really had is casual relationships, and that was fine...until I met you."

He broke away to find her eyes again. "Say it if you feel it: you can absolutely say, 'I really don't like other women touching you'. We can talk things out; I'm not going to lie to you. But we can't work through something if you don't tell me: no one guesses right every time."

"What is one to do when they are?" she admitted, looking at his chest after the kiss more than meeting his eyes. "It is how you live, and others make touch you, and your clothes..." and remove said clothes? How did someone handle being jealous of something intrinsic in another's life?

How was she to handle that? It was worse than him being on stage alone and handling his own clothes as a thought, far worse suddenly in her mind. Seeing the way the club was designed was not aiding her in trying to laugh it off. She'd not lingered on the details while dealing with Anita but...

...but.

He saw her stare at his chest, trying to find words she probably wasn't encouraged to voice in her world. He really didn't know; but he could feel there was so much more going on inside her than what she was allowing out. He let out a slow breath. "Maybe," he said gently, "Maybe I take a little leave of absence from the club. Give us some time to figure things out?"

She shook her head, "no...no, it's your life and what you choose to do. You enjoy it," immensely. She wanted him to enjoy living his life! It wasn't a solution to have him step away from such was it?

He smiled and reached to turn her face back to his. "I enjoy this, too." He kissed her lightly. "A little break won't kill me. Besides, we've both been stressed and busy and I wouldn't mind having more time with you."

His fingers reached up to trace her collarbone. "Ok?"

She swallowed at that, pulse fluttering under his fingers, "it's..." what Anita and similar people had said she'd do to him. Tame him, break him, make him miserable and pull him from the life he enjoyed...

"...alright."

"Alright then." He kissed her again, fingers continuing to trace across her collarbone and over her shoulders, down her ribs as he tried to shrug off the remaining bits of shirt.

"It will let us settle in here again properly?" she offered quietly, make the apartment theirs? Instead of just...hers?

"Such a waste of fabric." At least she was back to a chuckle as she watched the pieces fall, hands settling at his hips. "There is...summat I wish to try lord, if I may?"

There was a moment and almost a shy smile in the dark. "I think we could make that happen." If she was saying what he thought she was saying...

He cocked an eyebrow, not sure exactly where she was going with that. "What did you have in mind?"

"It wouldst be...soothing," she admitted to his quiet allowance. To build something between them?

Ah, back to full force blushing! "Ah, once I have your trews off...if I may try to, ah..." she had no idea how to ask about trying something like this! Oh powers what even was she thinking?!

Right, trying to approach it clinically was not helping here, at all, she just had to choke it out, right? "If I might familiarize myself with you...ah, with my mouth...mayhap?"

That definitely earned a surprised look and some soundless gaping. Where the hell was that coming from? Where did she even hear about...not that he didn't think it was a thing in other worlds, but..."I...where did you..."

He swallowed, pulling back hard on the reins of what his initial response wanted to be. "You don't have to, Khem..."

Somehow she gained an additional shade of red, so it was shocking it seemed, though Beryl had suggested a lot of the research material she'd chosen was 'for beginners' and...oh gods was he disgusted now?

Utterly. "Apologies. Please dismiss it." Please pretend she hadn't asked something awful.

You idiot, you can't keep your stupid mouth shut...

He smiled a bit awkwardly in confusion at her reaction, though. "Why are you apologizing?"

"I don't know, it's just..." she didn't want to disgust him?

Just...she was misstepping so badly this eve. "I'll not...ask to research again I'm sorry."

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