Dark Prince

♚ Sebastian Smythe. 17. Montgomery High. Quake and quiver, baby, here I come.

[darkprincesmythe]

hatefulhunter :

Sebastian’s reaction to his new personality was a little underwhelming, if the vampire was totally honest. But then, he wouldn’t expect the witch to make a scene in such a public place. For one, they were surrounded by Sebastian’s new peers, people he probably rubbed shoulders with. And besides that, it wasn’t very much his style.  He’d always been more about sleight of hand, and storing away information until he could use it to his advantage. ‘Clayton’ could work with that.

“Actually, it was through this thing that I noticed we shared classes.” He’d been ready to say ‘that you caught my eye’, but he knew that Sebastian would take far too much pleasure in that particular wording. “You were in the snap story of some guy called Tristan a couple times, and I recognized you from there.” That much was true. Finding out that Sebastian was in New York and which school he was going to had been easy enough. But discovering which classes he was taking in order to ensure they had the same ones proved more difficult. He quickly realized that the constant use of social media in recent years would be useful, and started attending student events and clubs to network. 

On the subject of how long he’d been in New York, he decided to stick with the well-known theory that the best lies were based largely in truth. “I first moved here a little after turning twenty. Traveled a little. But there’s only so many places you can go, y’know?” He elected to ignore the question about how he’d managed to get a place in the school. Sebastian probably knew the answer to that as well as he did, and it did nothing to aid his performance. 

Thus far, this act was easy. He’d spent a week or so ‘blending in’ with the student body before approaching Sebastian, and thus had made contact with a few other people from their classes. He knew the routines and what was ‘in’ in terms of social media and social activities of choice. All that was left to do was to test how far Sebastian would play along with this act. Any difficulties would lie in Sebastian rejecting this act in front of their ‘peers’. He’d then have to get rid of said peers, drop the classes, or lead everybody to believe that Sebastian was crazy. Which was preferable was yet to be decided.

    "What can I say?" asked Sebastian. "I get around." He knew of Hunter's past and knew of his ill regard for promiscuity and he was using that knowledge now. Even if only to highlight Hunter's discomfort and the fact of his knowledge of the other as some vague message veiled in innuenod. "Stick with me and you will too," he said. "In fact tonight I'm going to a party. You should come along." Sebastian stepped forward then and looked down purposefully at Hunter's screen for just a moment before they locked gazes again. "Oh but...don't bring anybody else. The invite is good for one only."

    Some might have read Sebastian's comments as jealousy or possessiveness but what use did he have for either of those things? Hunter was no longer openly his. And this Clayton guy would have to let himself be subject to Sebastian's pursuit if he intended to stick around him. This is what he did with hot guys he just met. He put the moves on them. If Hunter wasn't going to break character then neither was Sebastian.

    "Right," said Sebastian. "The world starts to feel a little...small after a while." An ode to the fact that Hunter was here of all places after having been in New Orleans. In fact Hunter seemed somewhat to appear wherever it was that Sebastian was. It was like he was not being preyed upon so much as followed by an otherwise purposeless vampire. Had that been the case? Had Hunter shown up in each place because of Sebastian? After all Hunter had no care for other vampires. He couldn't claim a desire for a sense of community as his reason for returning to his Kingdom in NOLA. It had also been less than a decade since Rachel's brutal murder and should anyone connected to Abby be looking for Hunter, he would've made an easy target out of himself. There was only one explanation that Sebastian could see. Hunter wouldn't kill him; maybe hurt him or try to. But mostly Hunter followed him and together they played this endless chess game.

    The signal for the beginning of class was the great barrage of students pouring into the door and Sebastian saw the tide swell. He started moving toward the door of the classroom. "Dear God it would be so boring if you were heterosexual. I'd still invite you to my parties but I'd have to at least see what you were like drunk." Sebastian was merely prattling now, but this 'Clayton' persona was new to him, wasn't he? Sebastian wanted to see how well he dealt with crass and overtly homosexual.

[darkprincesmythe]

hatefulhunter :

It had been a while since Sebastian had reached out to him with his gift, and was something he’d almost forgotten about. Not so much the fact that the witch was able to, but the way that it felt when he did. So Sebastian had probably confirmed to himself that this was indeed Hunter, but that didn’t mean he had to give up the fun and admit that outwardly.

Honestly, he had mixed feelings at Sebastian’s mention of eye candy. On one hand, he was unsurprised by this. Sebastian had always been open about that aspect of his life, and the vampire had grown used to it by now. But then, it had been a while since that had been aimed at anybody but himself. Still, he didn’t give it too much thought, knowing that Sebastian could sense at least a little of what he was feeling. If Sebastian wanted to play around with the other mortals whilst they were playing this game, that was fine by ‘Clayton’. He was ready to have some fun of his own.

Sebastian thought that he knew him. And on many levels, he did. But ‘Clayton’ foresaw that much of the fun in the coming days and weeks would be in throwing Sebastian; in making him question how well he’d known the other in the first place. When they’d been in New Orleans, Hunter had been very true to his ‘human’ self, personality-wise. He dated the same kind of girl he had during his lifetime, and showed the same level of respect for authority that he had. But in his mortal life, he never would have been caught smoking in the school bathrooms, or skipping classes. Those were convenient tweaks to his persona, meaning that he didn’t have to spend quite so much time with his dull classmates.

Much of what Sebastian thought he knew about Hunter lay in his ‘old man’ ways. The aspects of modern life that he disliked, and the parts that he misunderstood. Especially in his moral code, and traditional opinions. And true, these weren’t things the vampire could change easily. Much of this was deeply ingrained, and he was sure that it would be for a considerable time. But he could at least mask some of that to confuse the other. So at the mentions of Hunter being ‘super hot’, and of the eye candy, ‘Clayton’ merely smirked. 

“Something like that. As for whether I’m an asshole, you’ll have to be the judge of that.” At this point, he took out his new mobile phone and tapped a few times to get to his messages. The previous night, he’d spent much of it in bars for this very purpose. There were dozens of messages from various people he’d met. None he’d bothered to respond to as of yet, but if he was going to appear casual and inkeeping with modern culture, it was an essential that he spent any available time texting, rather than speaking to the people actually around him. He’d learned that from his observations. 

“Speaking of eye candy.” He tapped the top message, and glanced over the contents. Multiple messages from somebody who’d given him the name Tiffany. He had no reason to doubt that fact, but he had no intentions of getting to know her any better. He responded in a manner which he thought that somebody of ‘their age’ would, and locked his phone once more. He’d downloaded all of the applications which he remembered Sebastian using, and a few that he didn’t. Snapchat, Instagram, Tinder, Grindr. Everything he’d need in his phone to portray himself differently than Sebastian had grown to know him. 

    While the core tenets of Sebastian's personality remained unchanged it seemed that for Hunter, they had. He didn't know if this was merely to throw Sebastian off or if he'd turned over some kind of new leaf for being in New York. The younger male doubted the latter. It was likely he was trying his best to fit in. Which was strange. Sebastian couldn't quite figure out how much of this was Hunter's plot for revenge and how much of it was just routine for him. He didn't know why the Vampire would want to change things up by pretending to be somebody else, but Sebastian had already committed to playing along.

    Sebastian's brows rose as he watched Hunter texting someone else. If Hunter was trying to make him jealous then Sebastian didn't want to let on that it was having any effect on him whatsoever. He looked around at the passing students with nothing but mere disinterest as he watched their business. "Looks like you're a busy guy," he said. "With your head buried in that thing I'm surprised you noticed I was in some of your classes." That was neutral wasn't it? But Sebastian was used to having the attention of those both familiar and unacquainted.

    "I definitely never noticed you," Sebastian reiterated. His eyes seemed to narrow for just a passing second as he took on an interest. "How long have you been in New York, anyway?" he asked. "I mean the school isn't really accepting too many mid-term transfers. You must be good," said Sebastian. "Or have friends in high places." Sebastian expected Hunter to say something like he 'had a way with people' or some other thing to disguise the fact that he probably used his vampiric charm to hypnotize quite a number of people to get into this school.

    "Which is lucky for you. I only associate with the best."

[darkprincesmythe]

hatefulhunter :

To say that the amount of time the vampire spent thinking he’d been locked up in New Orleans was short would be a lie. He wasn’t about to admit that he spent a great deal of time wondering what Sebastian’s purpose for him would be, or whether the witch would bring people for him to feed from. And when his hunger finally reached the point that he started trying to find a way out, he was surprised to find that he’d been free to leave the entire time. But it also wouldn’t be true to say that the time he’d spent there was entirely unbearable, or even the worst experience he’d had thus far, in his life or afterlife. The vampire had been given plenty of time to reflect on his relationship with Sebastian, and to enjoy a moment of solace, no longer needing to worry about Jesse or Abby or any of the drama his lover had managed to get him into. 

He was unsure of exactly how long he’d spent down there, but once he’d ‘freed’ himself, his main concern was feeding himself and then finding Sebastian to even things out. Of course, he had no intention of falsely imprisoning him (or creating the illusion of doing so), but they both knew that he wasn’t one to let things slide.

And now, the vampire didn’t have a strategic plan of action or method to make Sebastian’s life hell. In all honesty, he wasn’t sure that he wanted to do that. Show that he wouldn’t take any shit, yes. Make clear that their past relationships didn’t let the young witch off the hook, yes. But at the prospect of hurting him, especially as revenge for what was clearly his petty idea of a game was something that didn’t quite sit right with him. Instead, he’d just allow himself to get caught once again in a game of cat and mouse, pulling the boy in only to drop him and laugh later, amusing himself as they repeated the motions over and over.

One thing he’d always liked about being a vampire was his awareness of peoples’ reactions. The change in heart rate, the minute facial tells that humans usually missed, caught up in their own little lives and ‘the moment’. Sebastian was better than most at masking his true feelings, that much he would admit. But it was still clear to him that the witch was thrown by his presence, if only for a moment. 

“I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about. Clayton, by the way.”

Sebastian enjoyed a game as much as he did, and given that he’d committed to this new persona, it wouldn’t hurt to have a little fun with it. It was something that he was used to by now. Moving, and changing. Little changes, mostly. He’d grown quite accustomed to people using different names for him, and it was something he thought that he adjusted to well. But he’d never really made that transition with another person to consider.

Of course, it would be an inconvenience if Sebastian continued to call him Hunter, but nothing he couldn’t easily fix. Letting people know that they’d misheard, or keeping public interactions with Sebastian to a minimum. He hadn’t decided yet, but he supposed it would depend entirely on Sebastian’s reaction.

    The response that past the other male's lips was not what Sebastian had envisioned. 'I wouldn't defile my undead body by touching you unless to feel you go lifeless beneath my fingers.' 'I plan to do so much more than rage fuck a piece of filth like you.' 'You honestly haven't changed. You'll never see what I do to you coming.' These and other sorts of responses were ones he expected to hear in the mellow tenor of Hunter's silken voice. Instead he'd gotten some act of cluelessness and a new name.

    Sebastian reached out with his gift to feel the emotions coursing through whatever person was before him. Instead of curiosity or the emotions which usually came with meeting someone new, Sebastian found familiarity and a bit of humor. Most humans or even supernatural creatures weren't aware when Sebastian reached out to sense their emotions, but Hunter knew him, and had probably learned by now what he was doing. Still, Sebastian kept up the pretense. "My mistake," said Sebastian, a grin of polite misunderstanding on his face. "You look like somebody I used to know."

    The witch leaned in. "He was super hot, too. A bit of an asshole though." Sebastian moved to fall into step beside 'Clayton' then. His gaze swept over Clayton's body and Sebastian fully intended to give the stranger the same treatment he gave any other college boy whom caught his eye. He was still unabashed and way too forward. A lot of people found it to be too much. He remembered how Hunter hated him in his early days and couldn't stand the many come-ons and innuendos that Sebastian hurled his way. He would have to endure it once more.

    "You're not an asshole though, are you Clayton?" asked Sebastian. "So you said we had some classes together? Did you notice me in the lecture halls or something?" There was a twinkle in his eye. "I'm kind of surprised. Not that I caught your eye but that you didn't catch mine. I thought I'd already seen all the eye candy in my classes before today." Again the once over that indicated he was checking Clayton out. "Clearly I was wrong."

    The witch walked on, moving to allow some people in a hurry to pass between them, and he came back to Hunter's side as they made their way outside another of Sebastian's classes. "I'm Sebastian," he said, finally stopping. He had about a half hour before his next lecture. He'd purposefully booked them close together so he wouldn't have to spend too much time waiting for each to begin. His nights were as packed as his days because the city that never sleeps had plenty to offer an active boy like Sebastian. Even though lately he hadn't felt much like partying.

[darkprincesmythe]

hatefulhunter :

Over the past year or so, Sebastian had done a lot to test Hunter. And if it had been anybody else, Hunter would have solved the problem quickly and efficiently. But things had always been more complicated than that with Sebastian. He wasn’t sure whether it was more to do with his feelings for the witch or the fact that a huge part of him enjoyed the games, but either way he’d rather get even and wait for Sebastian to retaliate, than to win easily. 

When he heard that Sebastian had traveled back to New York, tracking him down from there was child’s play. Sebastian Smythe had never been one to keep a low profile, and he also enjoyed the perceived ‘finer’ things in life. Within a week or so of looking, Hunter had found the building his ex-lover was living in, as well as the college he was apparently attending. Then all that was left to do was to enroll himself. Of course, he had to find somebody who could give him fake IDs and documents. Clayton Goldspink was the name he’d be using, at least for the time being. Each time he moved, the vampire took on a new persona. Sure, there wasn’t very much he could do about his face, but changing his name and altering his age slightly made it easier to avoid raising suspicion. 

It had been a little more difficult to ensure that he’d be in the same classes as Sebastian, but if everything had been plain sailing, it would take away from the fun. Dinner with an elderly professor who had no close relatives resolved that particular issue, though.

The first time he saw the witch was in a busy hall, and the vampire took advantage of this fact, loitering for a while before falling into step just ahead of Sebastian. He couldn’t help but feel smug as he looked over his shoulder, taking a casual tone for the benefit of the many passers-by. 

“Looks like we have classes together.”

    It had been a long year for Sebastian Smythe. His father's death had thrown more than one wrench into more than one plan. When he'd first come to New York after graduation he'd had an overwhelming sense of freedom. True and utter freedom. It came with the promise of new adventures at school and with friends like Carson and Blaine. It had come with a boyfriend who Sebastian could never see fitting better with anyone but him. He had had it all.

    Emeric's passing had left a power vacuum in New Orleans and in his grief Sebastian had tossed all of that freedom and normalcy aside to go back and fill it. Call it a sense of honor, of duty, and legacy. For a while Sebastian had enjoyed the heady sense of power and had actively taken on a more involved role in shaping the future of New Orleans' supernatural community. It had truly started to feel like a Kingdom in his time there but it was not to last.

    He had never wanted that life for himself. When grief passed...when it got more exhausting to always look over his shoulder and never to have any fun...Sebastian began to rethink things. So he packed a few things and used his teleportation abilities to leave New Orleans in the dead of night. No one suspected anything for Sebastian rarely shared personal plans or thoughts. In fact he kept most of his constituents in the dark and always shrouded his movements in secrecy.

    New York was the place that had meant freedom from all of those things his father wanted for him, all that time ago. Though Sebastian realized he would never truly be free of his mantle as Emeric's son and as a witch whom once led the community back home, he could go back to the root of himself, which cared nothing for that same community. He had once been prepared to destroy it, just for fun, on a whim to threaten Carson with. He would always look over his shoulder but Sebastian also came out of the experience in Orleans knowing he could topple all obstacles in his way.

    He heard a familiar voice and for a moment Sebastian's heart stuttered. Then a grin appeared over his features. "I was wondering when you'd figure out you weren't actually locked up." Sebastian sipped at a coffee in his hands and kept walking. "You could've spent years down there. I was actually kind of hoping for that."

    What more could Hunter be here for than to exact some sort of revenge on Sebastian? It felt almost comfortable to the witch; expected. Familiar. He wasn't afraid. Something inside kept him from feeling fear. Their past entanglement, perhaps. Or a certain inkling which told him their story wasn't over. They each held piece of each other inside one another, or both of them may already have ceased to exist by now.

    "You here to rage fuck me for what happened?" He asked.

[darkprincesmythe]

hatefulhunter :

It was clear to Hunter that his presence affected Sebastian. He might be trying to act calm, but Hunter was getting completely mixed vibes from him and he had to wonder how much of that was just Sebastian having changed as a person since they’d last made contact. Of course, he’d heard rumours about his ex-lover since he’d returned to New Orleans, though he tried not to think about precisely how many of those rumours were true.

Until now, Hunter hadn’t noticed the werewolf beside Sebastian. His focus had solely been on the witch, and he cursed himself for being so laid back. Just because he doubted that Sebastian would kill him, didn’t mean that everybody in the residence would have the same hesitance. He couldn’t help but sneer at him, and was pleased when Sebastian shut him up. If Hunter had wanted to speak to werewolves, he would have visited the local dog park. 

“Some of the Vampires around town question your methods. They believe you’re drawing unnecessary attention.” Being careful wasn’t something he’d ever associated with the other, but now there was more at stake than somebody from school learning his secret. If Sebastian revealed himself, it would have much wider implications and it wasn’t something Hunter could see ending well.

That was how he justified coming here to himself. He wasn’t giving Sebastian a heads up, or showing concern for him. He was simply protecting his own interests, as was sensible. Coming back to New Orleans had had nothing to do with Sebastian, and he didn’t want him to think that was the case. Which was also the reason he kept his features indifferent as he headed closer to Sebastian, raising an eyebrow. 

“You’re making somewhat of a target out of yourself. You should be careful, I’d be just devastated if anything were to happen to you.” Telling the truth coated as sarcasm was something Hunter often caught himself doing but given how largely sarcasm featured in his dialect, he doubt it was something anybody would pick up on. Even somebody who’d been as close to him as Sebastian had, once upon a time.

  "I welcome dissent," said Sebastian. "Better that my doubters express themselves in the open than behind my back. I'm far too busy to seek out rumor and innuendo. I prefer the direct approach." Sebastian grinned. It wasn't as effortless as before, but he hadn't spent all of his high school years perfecting the mask that others saw for nothing. They had once thought him a silly boy, too busy chasing after his next orgasm to be much of a threat. That illusion, the amount of years Sebastian spent perfecting it, was one of his greatest weapons. No one had anticipated the cold, detached, and highly intelligent witch that had come back to lay claim to his father's legacy. Many had suffered for that mistake.

  "So I appreciate the directness of your warning," he said. A cool sneer seemed to color his smile. "But I'm a Smythe. I'm the Dark Prince. Having a target on my back is nothing new." Sebastian moved to stand in front of Hunter, eyes roving the features of his face, from his hairline, to his eyes, nose, and finally lingering on his lips. Sebastian began to circle the vampire with slow steps. "I must say...I'm absolutely touched that you came all this way just to tell me to watch my back."

  Sebastian made a full circle. He knew how this went. The thinly veiled threats were something that he'd grown accustomed to in his business dealings with species clans in the area. His eyes flashed, his voice saccharine sweet, "Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but...didn't you once brutally slaughter an innocent girl in town, someone well known? I hadn't realized you were back in town. But perhaps your friends are right. I should work on making sure everyone keeps a much lower profile. I would hate to think that you'd slip up again and threaten exposure to the delicate balance our world has with the humans." Sebastian stepped back into place, near his bodyguards. "If the rest of your kind is anything like you, maybe I should have a watch placed on the vampire nests in town, to make sure you don't step out of line, and everyone keeps nice and quiet, hm?"

  It was a classic tactic of tables turned. Hunter's kind doubted Sebastian's ability to keep their secret, and in turn, Sebastian knew he could use his power and influence to accuse the vampire kind of exactly the same thing. He was the one in power here, not them. A small part of him would find a sense of satisfaction at eradicating the little bottom feeding blood suckers, soulless as they were. Only his regard for Hunter kept him from actually wanting to wipe them all out.

  "By the way," Sebastian drawled. "Why didn't your delegate come to tell me this? Your kind has one for a reason." Each of the magical species had a delegate, one from the most powerful family or clan of each species, so that the governance of New Orleans' supernatural communities could at least appear to be democractic. It was one of the new ways Sebastian was attempting to unite the Supernatural communities, and keep better tabs on his enemies. He was trying to bring organization to a disjointed world. It was one of the feats his father never could achieve. Sebastian was casual, though, he wondered if Hunter had come to give him this message because he still cared about Sebastian and his well being. Why else even bother? Sebastian knew Hunter wasn't one to do something wastefully. Not unless driven by emotion, such as when he killed Rachel.

[darkprincesmythe]

hatefulhunter :

Sebastian’s presence was more overwhelming than Hunter could remember, and he cursed himself for thinking it. After all, Sebastian had cast him aside easily enough, there was no reason for him to hold onto any attachment he may have felt once. Not for somebody who was mortal, anyway. 

He’d tried to let go of their relationship with no negativity. When they’d first started dating, Hunter had seen that moment as inevitable. Sebastian was young and indecisive and mortal. Expecting a relationship with him to be anything other than short-term was stupid. Hunter didn’t like to feel stupid. So as much as he’d seen the end coming and told himself he was prepared for that, actually experiencing it had been another matter.

Still, he was here on business now. Sebastian wasn’t doing enough to keep the balance and and Hunter was here to remind him of the potential consequences of that. Yet he could feel himself being drawn in by Sebastian, scoffing at his comments. 

“Suicidal? Can one really be suicidal once they’re already dead?” He asked, then opened his arms to his side, looking away from Sebastian and towards his companions, almost challenging them. One or two looked tempted, but mostly they just looked to Sebastian for action. He allowed a tension to hold the air for a moment or two, quite enjoying the performance, before shrugging and turning his eyes back to the ‘dark prince’. “Thought as much.”

Though he had ignored Sebastian’s comment, his mind couldn’t help but linger on his words for a brief moment. It was exactly the kind of crap he’d expect Sebastian to come out with, and had it been a year earlier, he’d have reveled in the moment and teased him. But as things stood, playful banter wasn’t exactly on the cards.

  Sebastian watched as Hunter tried to snark him. Perhaps it was his own imagination, but the cool, detached superiority didn't have the same bite it once might have. Not even directed at the young witch himself. He couldn't say he blamed Hunter. Sebastian was trying to build a loyal following and to do that, he had to instill certainty in his followers that he would put down any threat quickly and without pause. Hunter gave him pause. At least inwardly. Outwardly he appeared far too bored by this whole thing to even be bothered with thoughts of being worried.

  Memories came to the forefront of Sebastian's mind, and he knew that if he tried to use his power to sense emotion on Hunter, the Vampire would know it. Sebastian so desperately wanted to know what Hunter was feeling. What was simmering beneath the surface of that pale skin at seeing his lover again? Sebastian was glad that Hunter didn't have his own gift. If he did, he would sense the light spark that was trying to will itself out of existence. The one that had beckoned Sebastian to Hunter all those many months ago, doubling into nearly a year, when they first began to talk and Sebastian easily could spend hours debating in circles about absolutely nothing, while enjoying every second.

  Still. There was a dimness behind Sebastian's eyes that hadn't been there before. All this had weighed so heavily upon him. He spent days and months breathing in the feeling of evil and of cold wrath, and spite. There was no emotional salve to soothe him in the off hours when he was alone. Sebastian had stopped taking lovers, even to fuck. He was afraid of any weakness, perceived or real, and until he had optimal control over his image, he couldn't risk any of it. A hook-up could be a spy for a rival coven or species, a innocent lay could be a young up-and-comer gunning for top spot. You could never be too careful.

  Sebastian turned that dimness into a slight edge as he looked into Hunter's eyes. "I'll assume you're here on business, since we both know there's little else that would bring you in front of me, in my home." The witch could snap his fingers and sun amulets around the room could beam to lightness, harming any vampire in it. Not that he thought Hunter would hurt him. If he'd been here for that, the male would have done it already. Still, there was this trap and several more for all types of supernatural beings, through the entire Smythe manor. "So let's not waste any more of each other's time, hm?"

  A lackey by his side, a hulking werewolf whom Sebastian kept for mere muscle, seemed to want to impress Sebasitan and so he bared his teeth and said, "Yeah. What did you come to tell the Smythe heir? The Prince has other business, and you don't got an appointment." Sebastian waved a hand in front of the wolf's mouth and muzzled him for good. He wouldn't be able to use his voice.

  He simply waited to see what Hunter would say. The tendrils of his gift curled outward, reaching across the room, but then stopping short before his senses reached Hunter. No...he wasn't to that point yet. He didn't want to know what hatred lay in Hunter's heart for him. Didn't want to feel it.

[hatefulhunter-blog-deactivated2]

With Sebastian back in New Orleans and Hunter no longer on the run, it didn’t take him long to follow suit and head south. There was nothing he’d been particularly attached to down there, but he reasoned that it was as good a place as any to settle temporarily. Besides, if he moved anywhere new, he’d probably have to attend High School again in order to give himself the longest amount of time in one place as was possible, and Hunter didn’t have the patience for whiny teenagers at the moment.

Since he’d returned, Hunter became more aware of just how many other vampires there were around. Perhaps that was because he hadn’t previously shown his face at Bourbon Heat very often at all, but more and more of his time was spent in the company of people like himself. He attended classes at the community college once a week to prevent his mind from turning to sludge, and the anger Hunter felt towards himself had settled to a manageable level.

But whilst he’d been made more aware of the other vampires around him, Hunter also became more aware of the witches he’d previously overlooked, too. And one witch in particular made his way into the conversations of Hunter’s peers much more frequently than he’d have liked. They talked about his pitiful attempt to replace his father and occasionally plotted against him. He wouldn’t say he was interested, per se. But revealing themselves would mean revealing Hunter, so it was in his best interests to attempt to negotiate with Sebastian. 

It had been fairly easy to convince the others to let him handle the situation. He explained that he’d been an acquaintance of Smythe’s during school and that he’d be able to penetrate whatever wards the witch might have had up. And on the day that he’d agreed to go, the only effort he’d put into his outfit was to ensure it looked entirely effortless. After all, he didn’t want Sebastian to think he cared what he thought. And Hunter currently had the upper hand, so he wasn’t about to throw that away by giving Sebastian something easy to comment on.

Making his way through the Smythe residence, Hunter followed the familiar scent he’d come to associate with his ex-boyfriend. Hearing his voice from the other side of a door, Hunter paused before swinging it open. As expected, everybody in the room reacted quickly to his presence and Hunter couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “Long time no see, Smythe.” His eyes were focused solely on Sebastian and he couldn’t help adding sarcastically, “Or is that ‘your Highness’?”

[darkprincesmythe]

  Sebastian had long left New York and the foolish dream of normalcy behind. What had he been thinking? He was just a boy who thought he could escape New Orleans and his legacy all at once, continuing to live as flippantly as he had before. This was not the case. As is natural with most, Sebastian matured, but only following the death of his father. He had never felt so intensely conflicted before. Sebastian always thought he didn't care about his father, in much the same way the elder Smythe had little regard for Sebastian or what he did. They couldn't control him anymore. Yet...when he died? Sebastian felt that loss in the most peculiar of ways. He wanted to honor the man that had often tormented him.

  There was never any way that he could've pleased Maxence, but, he could come back and make his funeral arrangements and then? He could make sure the Smythe name did not crumble into nothingness, the way his relationship with Hunter had done. It was all but a bitter memory shoved deep in the darkest unvisited corners of his mind.

  Since leaving, Sebastian had been constantly doing something. Setting up a new base of power in NOLA was not easy, but he was making a name for himself and he'd proven the hype that his witchcraft had garnered him in high school. He was no longer a pubescent teenager though. Sebastian was of age, and he had no qualms about crossing boundaries that Hunter often said he wouldn't let him cross before. Sebastian had used his magic for pure torture, and to inflict the greatest of pain. He also used it in a display of might, wiping out several of the Chang witches with ease. He protected those that converted their loyalties to him, but had also set up a network of spies around town.

  It was how he'd known for some time that Hunter was back. Sebastian did nothing about this. He remembered leaving his home unwarded, and he had taken precaution in case Hunter had ever decided to visit him again. His personal bedroom in particular was set with traps ready for the springing, all designed to bite this one particular vampire in the ass, hard.

  Sebastian finished his sentence and turned to look at Hunter as if he were a house pet that he couldn't quite be bothered with. His eyes were cold and held amusement in them as he spoke.

  "They say that it's only when you've had and then lost the sweetest of things in life that you truly realize how very valued they were." A smirk played at his lips. "After losing the long streak of your absence, I'd say I have to agree."

  His body turned to face the other and he behaved as though unphased at all. Though there was a dull ache just beneath his chest that he refused to acknowledge. "Clarington. Are you really so suicidal as this? I'm surprised at you."

[hatefulhunter-blog-deactivated2]

F2F2F » SEBLUNTER

[darkprincesmythe]

hatefulhunter:

Hunter had wondered how long it would take Sebastian to bring up Blaine, once he’d arrived in New York. It wasn’t that the vampire didn’t approve of Blaine, but he still hadn’t seen him and been able to evaluate how safe it was to have him around Sebastian, which made the notion of simply turning up at his door all the more ridiculous. Yet he ended up at Blaine and Carson’s door, frowning and leaving a large enough gap between him and Sebastian that he could intervene if he needed to. He glanced back at Sebastian after knocking on the door. “I hope you know that I won’t hesitate to kill him if he tries anything.” He warned, before turning his attention back to the door, listening for footsteps inside.

Sebastian chuckled. "You're like the most paranoid boyfriend ever and I've gotta admit. That's hot." The witch turned to face Hunter and stroked his face, letting a finger stray down the center of his chest. "It means you care about me. You want to protect my ass." He shrugged, knocking. "If he tries to make me his own little capri sun, then I'll enjoy watching you rip him to bits. Just make sure to do it inside and with no witnesses. I can't go to college with a murder rep following me. I'm turning over a new leaf." He knew he was talking a lot, but that was possibly because he didn't feel uneasy. He felt free. Freer than he had in a long while. New Orleans was like a looming storm cloud that he'd left far in the distance. His old life was gone. He'd kept what was most important close to his heart, and to his new residence, too. "Blaine! Hurry up. You can be dead, but do you have to be so slow?"

[darkprincesmythe]

Hunt: You can flash wherever you want, I'll aquire the place you'd like. Choose somewhere with a King size bed if it pleases you.

Seb: ...Well, where are you staying now?

[darkprincesmythe]

Hunt: How are you going to bring your things? Can you pull them with you?

Hunt: But what do you "need"?

Seb: Our encounter with Abby and Jesse should have taught you that 'magic in the hands of a capable witch' is the answer to everything.

Seb: First, a king size bed. Its only right for the Dark Prince. Second, a coffee shop of the highest quality adjacent to wherever the hell I'm sleeping.

Seb: Where am I sleeping, by the way? You know, where do I flash to? Chelsea? The Upper East Side?

[darkprincesmythe]

Seb: So. I'm all packed. And I'm coming there or whatever.

Seb: But before I come, there'll be a few things I need. ...Just like in bed ;)

[darkprincesmythe]

hatefulhunter:

Hunter wasn’t really sure what Sebastian was talking about, but he assumed it was some reference to something, and opted to simply roll his eyes. He liked seeing Sebastian smile, and since things seemed to be going much better than they had been earlier, Hunter allowed himself to relax.

Sometimes, he disliked the fact that he could note the smallest change in Sebastian’s breathing and his heartbeat. Sure, it was useful sometimes, but most of the time he thought it must alter their relationship somewhat. He couldn’t exactly help noticing, but he was sure things would be different if they were both human. Sensing the change in his boyfriend’s demeanor, Hunter watched him carefully. 

“What’re you thinking?” As much as Sebastian had already indulged him, if they were ever to be a remotely normal couple, they’d have to keep working on communication, and that included asking questions. Hunter was willing to be as open as Sebastian would, and if the witch didn’t want to answer, then that was his prerogative. He spread his fingers out against Sebastian’s waist, where he had placed it, and pulled him a little closer, eyes moving between Sebastian’s eyes and his own hand. Being this close to him was something they’d both have to get used to, and he wanted to soak in every detail and commit them to his memory.

Sebastian quirked a brow and smirked a bit. "It isn't obvious?" he asked.

The teenager leaned forward and pressed his lips against Hunter's, threading his fingers through Hunter's perfect hair, and seemingly inhaling him...the essence of him...through his lips. Sebastian looped a leg around Hunter's hips and pulled back. "I'm thinking that I want you." Sebastian's eyes flashed his own vulnerability at that statement, but only his eyes. The rest of him was perfectly assured. He swallowed and a placid smile lingered on the corners of his mouth.

His hard length pushed into Hunter's pelvis, and he intentionally thrust it forward some more. "Look. I'm turning you into a mind reader." He laid back, pulling the hem of his shirt up a bit. "What am I thinking now, babe?"

[darkprincesmythe]

hatefulhunter:

“I mean a lot of things, I suppose.” Hunter said with a slight shrug of his shoulders, listening to Sebastian speak. “This… Isn’t exactly how most first relationships work, and I don’t want to hold you back from experiences. If you want anything, all you have to do is ask.” He was partially talking about sex as well, but while he suspected that was one of Sebastian’s main concerns in a relationship, Hunter didn’t care much as long as Sebastian was content.

When Sebastian seemed to want to talk more though, Hunter got the picture and allowed himself to become more comfortable where he lay, hand moving to cup his boyfriend’s cheek and interrupting his own thought process when he took a moment to laugh at Sebastian’s choice of words. “I happen to like when you’re an ass. I know that we didn’t always see eye to eye before, but I don’t want you to change anything about who you are. This is… Well, there are certainly aspects of this that are new to me, and I’m just pleased that I can experience them with you.” 

Sebastian wasn’t the first boyfriend Hunter had had, and he wasn’t even the first human he’d dated. But with Rachel, he’d never cared about her this strongly, and when he’d dated vampires, he’d never had to worry so much about their welfare. Finding a balance between wanting to protect Sebastian and trusting that he could take care of himself was difficult, but Sebastian’s powers made it easier and he was sure he’d get used to it in time. “I love you, ‘Bas. And I know I might not always show it in the best way, but I do. And whatever dating you entails, I guess I’ve already signed up for.”

"Look at us," Sebastian laughed, shaking his head. "We're pretty much a cheesy rom-com right now. I'm not sure whether to kiss you again or puke up my breakfast."

The teenager leaned forward and pressed his lips softly against Hunter's, brushing them together a few times. "I opted for the tidier of the two." There was a smile dancing across Sebastian's lips, first lifting the corners of them, and then making them dip in satisfaction. "Yeah. I've signed up for it too. It's just there's no actual contract involved here. That'd be too much like marriage. And, just no. I'm not having a runaway marriage." Sebastian did his best impression of Bella Swan in the movies, even though he was sure Hunter wouldn't get it, "There's only one reason girls my age get married. Everyone'll think I've got one on the way." He chuckled, knowing he was being stupid. He cleared his throat, and laid back, relaxing. It was amazing how relaxed he could be around his boyfriend, and that kind of comfort had been a rare thing for the witch for a long time. His father had made that so. But this was an intimacy he'd never known. Sebastian felt himself grow serious, and his chest rose with a breath. He reached across the expanse of space between them and let his hand slide over the back of one of Hunter's. And then he gently brought it to his waist, angling into the touch so that if Hunter kept going he'd grip the cheeks of Sebastian's ass.

[darkprincesmythe]

hatefulhunter:

Hunter may not have been able to sense Sebastian’s emotions at that moment in time, but the change in pace was only too obvious and Hunter was unsure of how to respond, because he didn’t know if it was a positive or negative change.  He knew that this wasn’t Sebastian had anticipated or necessarily wanted, but he also wasn’t sure how he could do a 180 and change the atmosphere back to one closer to Sebastian’s expectations.

At Sebastian’s joke, Hunter simply looked up at him. Perhaps the fact that he didn’t understand the joke said a lot more about their relationship than the joke itself did, but it made Hunter uneasy. While he knew that Sebastian only made jokes to set himself firmly back within his comfort zone after opening up, he couldn’t help but wish his boyfriend would take things a little more seriously sometimes.

“I know this isn’t exactly what you had in mind, and I’m sorry, but I’ll make more of an effort from now on. To… Pay attention to what you want, and to attend to your needs. I mean it when I say that I love you, and your happiness is a definite priority for me.” Now that he was marginally calmer, he chanced kissing Sebastian’s neck, inhaling deeply for a moment before cupping the back of his neck to keep him close. “"Anything you want, just say it.”

"What...you mean, us...having sex for the first time?" asked Sebastian. "Is that what you're talking about?" Sebastian shook his head once, eyes pensive yet active for half a second. "As long as you're there, it's perfect. Okay?" asked Sebastian.

Sebastian wasn't sure if that was the only thing that Hunter was talking about when he mentioned Sebastian's happiness, but he didn't know what else to say on the matter. Now that he was receiving more emotional honesty from Hunter in the moment he was realizing how little he was used to facing it. He turned contently into the kiss to his neck, being receptive completely to the man without any fear or mistrust. He had relaxed himself now, so it wasn't an issue. The hand to the back of his head made Sebastian give pause, and he looked into Hunter's eyes for a few moments. "I just want this whole thing not to always have to be a big...cock-fight. I'm working on being more open with you. Less of an ass. That's because you're different. I told you when we first started talking that I don't let people close. That's just who I am." Sebastian shrugged. "But I've never had a boyfriend either. This is...new. So, I'm giving this whole 'doing things I don't do' thing a shot."

What more there was to say, Sebastian didn't know. But he felt like that's all he was feeling in the moment. If he was totally off base and that's not what Hunter meant, then they'd talk more about that in a few minutes, he supposed.

[hatefulhunter-blog-deactivated2]

Ordinarily, Sebastian would probably have had no effect on him. When Hunter was frustrated, he usually had to resolve the issue, instead of just being talked out of his mood. But Sebastian’s tone was one that he hadn’t experienced on the witch before, it caught his attention. Listening to him speak, and open up, Hunter knew how difficult it must have been. He appreciated the effort, because it had been difficult for him too, and he supposed this must be progress. Letting himself relax under Sebastian’s touch, Hunter put a hand in his hair and turned his head the slightest amount to give the witch better access. He wasn’t sure whether or not Sebastian had kissed his neck before, but it was the first time Hunter had been self-conscious enough to think about the fact that it was one of the first times in a long time that somebody had been kissing his neck and not feeding from him. Hunter knew that he should say something in response to Sebastian, but he couldn’t decide what was appropriate. While he appreciated the sentiment, Hunter wasn’t sure he wanted to wait. He certainly wasn’t in the mood anymore, but waiting would imply a certain length of time passing, where Hunter simply required an hour or so to allow his mental state to return to normal and regain control of his emotions. But Sebastian was really trying, and that meant a lot to him. “Thank you,” He settled for, turning to press a kiss against Sebastian’s cheek, and using the opportunity to take a long look at him.

[darkprincesmythe]

Sebastian felt the kiss to his cheek, and the soft 'thank you,' that Hunter supplied. He couldn't help but feel glad that Hunter couldn't sense emotions the way that Sebastian could, lest his boyfriend be able to sense the tiny twinge of disappointment that came and went like the flash of a lightning bug in a dark summer's night. It wasn't that Sebastian wasn't glad that he'd seemingly dissipated Hunter's quiet storm from within. Without use of his magic, too. But it was more the fact that he'd said so much and opened himself up so much and hadn't gotten much in return. Sebastian was used to being closed off, and an emotionless ass to people as a barrier to them. He could tell that Hunter also had trouble with emotions too, and expressing them the right way. Whether that was a Hunter thing or a vampire thing, Sebastian didn't know, and probably wouldn't any time soon.

He nodded. "Anytime," he said, easily. A smile tugged briefly at the corners of his lips and he leaned forward to start kissing again. This time he engulfed Hunter's mouth, and it was a little rough. Perhaps to offset any feeling of softness that he'd just given his boyfriend. He reached up and ran his fingers through Hunter's hair, and then curled them into the thickness of the strands and tugged. "So, did I watch enough Dr. Phil to make that passable?" He cracked a grin, slipping easily back into his impish humor.

[hatefulhunter-blog-deactivated2]

Hunter simply rolled his eyes at Sebastian’s comment, but didn’t argue with him. Sebastian spoke whenever he felt like it, and regardless of situation. Hunter didn’t mind too much, considering Sebastian’s sense of self and entitlement were one of the things that drew the vampire to him in the first place.

“That’s not what I meant.” He quickly sighed, trying to amend his mistakes. “Do you remember the conversation we had a while back? I wouldn’t have sex with you when we first started dating because I wanted it to mean something. I wanted you to know that sex could be more than just exchanging orgasms with somebody you find attractive.” Hunter reached for Sebastian’s hands, looking down at his palms as he considered his words carefully. “I want to connect with you. And it’s not that I don’t trust you, I wouldn’t be opposed to you using it in the future. Just… Right now.” “I’ve told you before that I don’t care that you’re not a virgin. I’d be a hypocrite if I did. But it’s not about that.” His voice was a little less controlled than he’d have liked, but this really wasn’t going to plan at all. “Sorry, this is..” Precisely the reason he didn’t speak open and honestly about his feelings. There was a huge amount of room for misunderstanding, and while his aim had been to make Sebastian feel special and show him that he loved him, he’d managed to do the opposite. Hunter sat further away from his boyfriend, eyebrows furrowed deeply and frustration written across his face.

[darkprincesmythe]

Sebastian saw Hunter pulling away and felt his frustration peaking. He almost started to reach out with his gift and return Hunter to a calm state. But he didn't. Hunter wanted real, so. This would be all real. He moved over to Hunter, and shook his head. "Hey, hey, hey," he said. "I'm...I want this to be special too, okay? This is the first time I'm having sex with a guy that I've said I love you with. And, you're the first guy I've ever said that to. Because you're the only one that's ever made me feel that. And." Sebastian paused, afraid to go on. Speaking this freely about his emotions was just not something that he did. But he could see that Hunter was going out on a limb for him, and he didn't want his boyfriend to be the only one. Maybe that's what love meant. Making a fool out of yourself to make the one you want feel better about making a fool of themselves too. A fool with their emotions. "That makes me kind of scared. Nervous, too. But I wouldn't even consider doing any of this romantic crap unless I trusted you. It's already going to be special, because it's going to be with you. So if you want to wait. We'll wait. I...honestly don't...mind." And for the first time he'd ever said that to a guy? He actually meant it. Sebastian had almost said 'I honestly don't care,' but he did care. He cared a lot. What was he supposed to do with that feeling? Either way, he'd already said what he had. Sebastian moved close and put his hands on Hunter's sides, kissing his neck and cheek, and jaw, in a lazy pattern. The physical stuff is what made sense to him. He just hoped it was helping.

[darkprincesmythe]

text 💘 huntbastian

Hunt: Wouldn't they be able to sense that?

Hunt: It does. And if it's another pulling factor, we could go anywhere you chose. It's not like I have any commitments anywhere.

Seb: I don't know. Probably. But you've been in my house before. I'm sure even if my family did sense that, they don't care enough about it.

Seb: Well. I'm going to be like one of those stupid teenagers on all those tween dramas you see on TV and say it. I love you, too.