🕒 When: Mid March / 16th of May
📍 Where: A bar on the seafront / Kieran's place
👥 With Whom: @debauchfairy & @hollow--sun
🔹 Summary: Henri meets with Kieran to tell him how wonderful everything has been lately / Henri meets with Kieran to tell him how shitty everything has been lately.
⛔ TW : wrspice
It had taken him on a bit of a whim. Henri told himself that he hadn’t been very fair to his new acquaintance (he would have said friend, but he never really knew where people stood on that), having barely communicated with them since that party at the beginning of the academic year. And so he had sent Kieran a message during his lunch break. The offer was not the most enticing he ever had, but he supposed a drink in the evening was far from the worst offer you could get. and so he was not completely surprised to see a positive response pop up in his notifications that afternoon.
For once, he had left his office right on time, and only dropped by Diana’s to wish her a nice evening before he headed out toward the bar they had settled on. He hadn’t been there yet, but it was on the sea front, which often was where you found the nicest establishments, so here was hoping they wouldn’t be sharing the room with rowdy crowds. He liked having conversations with people, if you hadn’t noticed.
If there was one thing that made him anxious, it was his arm. Kieran, he assumed, didn’t watch his archeology videos, and most likely wasn’t made aware of Henri’s amputation. Questions, he supposed, would be inevitable.
The good thing was, he didn’t precisely have time to feel nervous about it, because he was already nearing the place, and there was Kieran, right on time.
—-
There needed to be balance to all things, including any amount of chasing and being chased. Kieran didn’t mind going after the things (usually people) that intrigued him but that was usually more to set the bait and turn the tables, leave the floor open for them to then seek him out. Not to say that Kieran had forgotten about the promise made by the secretly easy-going bookworm at the frat party but the faun didn’t need to chase down promises to get what he wanted. Not even with the town acting up the way it seemed intent on doing these days.
And sure enough, without any prompting, the invite came. Henri reached out, innocuously, for drinks and Kieran agreed to grace the other with his presence.
Now, prepared for most things at any time since the unexpected usually meant chaos and fun, Kieran couldn’t lie and say he’d expected Henri to show up with one less limb than he’d previously possessed. That clearly explained why it had taken him this long to reach out to the faun, however. “Someone looks different. Do something new with your hair?” Kieran greeted, giving Henri’s shoulder (the one attached to a full arm) a lingering squeeze. Whatever creature had tried to tear through, or feast on, the rest of Henri had clearly failed. Maybe the man really was tougher than his exterior hinted at.
—-
Henri braced himself for it, because he could pinpoint when people noticed his missing arm for the first time. They usually either stared or stopped for a double take next. Yup. Still missing an arm.
But there was no expletive regarding his injury. Instead Kieran greeted him with humor and Henri felt like relief washed over him. “Trimmed it a little. The hairdresser went a bit wild,” now he doubted that Kieran was aware of the slayer’s mother, or of her running of a hair salon, but the thought of his mother being responsible for his condition, all because of an argument regarding mullets, made a smile tug at the corner of Henri’s lips.
He paused, taking in a deep breath, although he found that he didn't really need the extra air for bravery these days. This was turning into a routine. “Yes, it hurt like hell. No, I don't want to talk about it,” he explained, motioning with his only hand for them both to enter the bar. “Shall we ? Unless you wanted us to have a drink on the patio?” The weather wasn't too crappy after all and anyone normal always longed for those moments in the sun after a harsh winter.
—-
Seeing Henri’s eyes brighten at the joke was all the confirmation Kieran needed that most humans were bad at dealing with their so-called tragedies. The same had gone from Oliver, who had been so relieved to just be treated like he wasn’t perishing and Kieran was totally fine to think about that at any point, but for now he was just focusing on Henri and how nice that little quirk of his lips looked.
“Good, I didn’t get invited to drinks just to listen to you whine, anyway,” Kieran hummed, figuring Henri could take his honesty by now. And if not, well… the bind still hung slack between the two of them, invisible but consistent. Nodding towards the patio, Kieran didn’t waste any time ordering a jalapeno margarita, letting Henri put in his order as well before the faun leaned across the table. “So, is that the only thing that’s kept you too busy to reach out? See, I’ve upheld my end of the promise, stayed away from the library like a good boy.”
—
Blunt as they were, Kieran’s words were met with a snort from Henri, who followed him at a table in the sun and nearly immediately produced a pair of sunglasses from his Sandqvist backpack, the belt fastening now nearly child’s play for his right hand. “It is definitely one thing that has been keeping me busy, and well I’m still very busy with my work. I’ve been spending a great amount of time in the lab,” he couldn’t precisely drive left and right anymore, and Henri told himself that he’d wait until he was deemed ready for a prosthetic arm, to get back to driving. This being said, he had decided that he would get a new car. His father’s truck had done more than its duty and didn’t he deserve something nicer?
While he still preferred to keep things frugal, Henri had decided that he too could have nice things. When you worked as hard as he did (or almost wound up dead), you tended to get to that conclusion. All that work had to get him something in return.
“But huh, I also have been seeing someone. We made things official in December, though that has been… Well I think I was already down bad late July,” he shook his head. It felt silly saying it out loud. Like wow. For five whole months, he had really been living in a state of uncertainty regarding where all of this would be going. But she was worth it, and he knew that she needed the time. He still couldn’t believe that she agreed to it even if his accident (that was how he chose to talk about it in public) had definitely destroyed the last bits of uncertainty he had about him being a good match. “So that’s… Yeah. I do command you on the library bit, though I do wonder what you have been up to, then?”
—--
Succeeding in perfectly reading just how hard Henri could be pushed (pretty hard by Kieran’s estimate, which was just one of the reasons the faun treasured the little deal Henri had unwittingly walked himself into), Kieran joined the other at the table, watching with intrigue as deft fingers worked to effortlessly manage the things most required two pairs of hands for. Determined, too. “Oh, I assumed it would take more for you to roll over and give in.” All the more reason Kieran was drawn to the man, to the challenge. Although speaking of challenges…
Something warm that Kieran reluctantly recognized as infatuation twinkled in Henri’s eyes as he spoke and the faun leaned back in his chair, contemplating. Well, what was this, then? An attempt at friendship? To dangle the promise in Kieran’s face - the promise that did in fact not have clear enough terms to give it a deadline. Kieran hastened his attempts to wave over a server, very much finding the need for alcohol growing with this conversation and most of all, how pathetically smitten Henri looked. “Wow,” Kieran replied, not bothering to feign any sort of enthusiasm. Not down bad enough to not get flustered by Kieran at that frat party, but perhaps enough to be vague about promising anything concrete. Humans could get so sentimental and at least it gave Kieran a solid reason for why Henri had been holding back, a reason that had nothing to do with the faun’s pull.
“Oh, I’m always up to something. Trouble, mostly.” And dealing with the nonsense of the fading magic but that was neither here nor there. “Don’t tell me you brought me here to try and snake out of the deal we made just because you’re all smitten and mushy now,” Kieran pressed, curious to see if Henri even remembered. Whether or not he wanted Henri to be aware of just how binding the deal was remained to be seen, depended on how the other man would answer.
—-
“Yeah, wow,” Henri had caught onto the lack of enthusiasm, but it wasn’t like he expected the other to shake his arm in excitement and start chanting his name (now this sounded like an absolute nightmare to the slayer). From what he gathered, Kieran’s interest had been pretty clear the first time they met, but Henri didn’t think himself important or unique enough for this to be such a big deal. Plenty of other folks in the sea would play along just fine with his present dashing company.
Which made this a bit surprising, the insistence that Henri was trying to wiggle himself free from their deal. His eyebrows furrowed for a moment as he put together what deal he was even talking about. This felt a bit out of character for someone like Kieran. He was handsome, confident, and outgoing. It seemed absurd (and a bit rude) to bring up something that was now months old. Move on, etc. His head tilted to the side, and he raised an eyebrow in suspicion, but not quite recognition yet.
“I did not bring you here to try and snake out of any deal. I wanted to see you. I barely have time to see people lately. With well,” he motioned toward his arm, “and there’s my PhD program, and of course, I have been seeing someone amazing,” he paused, pressing his chin into his hand as he smiled. “So yeah, I want to catch up, so you better tell me more about you, because trouble is a very obvious response. That’s like me telling you I’ve been reading stuff. No shit.”
—
Points to Henri, he didn’t seem all that offended by Kieran’s complete lack of enthusiasm. Good - humans could get so touchy about silly things like love and relationships. “Well, congratulations or my condolences, whatever’s more fitting in your case. Enjoy it while it lasts, et cetera,” Kieran said, waving his hands as if to dismiss the topic as a whole. He had an inkling it would sneak back in any way, those smitten had an annoying habit of being unable to shut up about it. If that turned out to be the case, nothing was keeping Kieran here. Although the insistence that Henri had genuinely wanted to see him wasn’t harming any longing Kieran had to stay. It almost made up for the fawning Henri predictably snuck in there. And Kieran did enjoy talking about himself.
“Good,” he said simply, leaning back in the chair and offering a sparkling smile to the waiter as their drinks were brought over. “I suppose I can share some stories. Least I can do for someone who’s going through everything you are - with getting your degree, obviously.”
So, with a sip from the perfectly strong cocktail, Kieran reminisced about the fight that had broken out at Covet Couture over a designer purse, the touring band Kieran had seduced (no, not just a band member), the plans he had started to make for this year’s birthday celebrations in July. Any and all intriguing stories Kieran had amassed over the last few months despite the town’s attempts to mess with him, what with magic being the way it was and fae just dying. Henri wouldn’t be interested in any of that, not to mention that it would mean revealing Kieran’s secret, which he preferred to do in relation to showing off just how good his hypnosis could make someone feel. With Henri falling into the lie of a happy relationship, that would have to wait a while longer, still.
“So, just a little bit of everything. Perfectly avoiding the mess this town tries to make of everyone - suppose it helps that I thrive in the chaos so I’m much more adept in dealing with it.” Kieran leaned his elbows on the table, chin resting on folded hands. “Alright, your turn. Tell me something interesting.”
—-
“Congratulences?” He tried, a small smile tugging on his lips, not in mockery, but filled with playfulness that was certainly not the first thing about Henri that usually shone through on a normal day. But he was in a good mood. How could he not be ? His first thought went to Eve, and then next to the feedback he had just gotten on a class he’d taken. Ethics in archeology. A walk in the park, for someone who was often a bit too rigid about the rules. His physical therapy was going well too, and his doctor even said that there was a chance Henri could qualify for prosthetics by the end of the year, a thought that intrigued and scared him both, because all and all, he had started to get used to doing things with one hand. In eight months, surely that would be better yet, right ?
Heh. Eight months was plenty of time to think about it. No time to dwell on the whirl of thoughts that awaited him around the corner.
Craft beer in hand, Henri poured himself a glass, and leaned back into his chair. “Oh you thrive in chaos? I hadn't noticed.” Henri told himself that he should have avoided that sort of company, but most of the people he spoke to qualified as chaotic, which must have told him something about himself, had he been willing to listen.
Henri smirked. “Setting yourself up for a full summary of my past six academic months, that’s brave,” with a small chuckle, he furrowed his eyebrows next. What could he share ? Nothing about Jenny. Nothing about learning about Estella’s nature. The scribes were also off limits. “Failed to avoid the mess.” He paused. “Obviously.” Because he couldn't pretend that his left arm was something that just happened, even if it literally happened overnight. “Been learning to do things with my non-dominant hand. My sketches are shit now. My notes too.” And it would be a while before he fixed that, if he ever did. “But overall I suppose it's the same old. Caught up with so much media while on bed rest, which was nice.”
—-
It didn’t change the fact that Henri had fallen into the age-old trap of thinking a relationship was the path to joy but Kieran was impressed by his ability to not get all huffy about the faun’s attitude. Just as Kieran… respected wasn’t quite the word for it, more like tolerated, this human desire for connection or love or whatever the hell they wanted to call at, Kieran thought he deserved at least the same. Obviously his opinion was to be valued even more greatly but they just had such trouble wrapping their heads around the way he’d ascended the need for commitment. “Precisely,” Kieran praised, some positive reinforcement for Henri taking the jokes (that weren’t really jokes) on the chin.
Kieran chuckled at the playful threat - as if the faun would actually sit through some sort of retelling he had no interest in, which Henri seemed to know. “I’ve been called… what was it, risk inclined?” Instead of delving into whatever useless thing the other was researching, he wracked his brain for stories to tell. A difficult feat, following straight on the heels of Kieran’s exploits. As Henri drew attention to his missing limb again, Kieran found his curiosity spiking again. Who, or more likely what, had left him that way? And what made Henri so capable of brushing it off while many humans would have been left a nervous wreck, not this smiling, joking picture of nonchalance sitting in front of Kieran.
“Hmm, well, what of your beer pong skills? Now that’s a tragic loss. Tell me you’ve been getting some practice in there, too,” Kieran jokingly pleaded, smiling as he polished off more of his drink. The initial whiplash of Henri inviting him out just to wax poetic about his new partner had faded and lucky for Henri, he wasn’t entirely uninteresting company. Not enough to keep Kieran’s interest for any prolonged period of time, not fully dressed, anyway, but fine for a cocktail or two. For Kieran to keep an eye on the prize he’d been promised. “Oh! I’m sure you’ll manage something great for Halloween this year. Something with a muscle tank, since you still have a good one and a half nice arm to show off.”
—-
The conversation went on for longer than Henri anticipated and since he felt as though Kieran wouldn't be the sort to inflict on himself company he didn't like, the slayer told himself that he appreciated them enough too. He didn't like to invest time on people who weren't worth the trouble, but their conversations had come easy, and the hunter was all too aware that he needed to get out of his comfort zone. He didn't want to become the sort of person that couldn't accept novelty in his life. And sure enough, Kieran's honesty was a bit too blunt, but Henri could deal with that much more easily than he would with lies.
They parted ways with a promise to meet again before another 6 months had passed ; and with Henri once again tickled with this feeling that the other might not be human at all.
Henri didn't expect that it would be a little less than two months though. He didn't expect that the circumstances would have him able to keep not one but two of the promises he had made with the other.
But in the summit of Henri’s heartache, knowing all too well of Eve’s coping mechanisms, this had felt like the most hurtful thing to do, because it was absolutely out of character for him, because he hesitated every step of the way — When he messaged Kieran. When he showed up at his door. When the other man kissed him. — because Eve would know that this was personally aimed at her. And didn't she say that she would be watching?
And now his back rested against the headrest, and he wanted to jump out of those bedsheets, walk out and do something incredibly pathetic. He wasn't even sure of what, except that it absolutely was a terrible idea. Henri would never manage to convince himself that he was fine, if this was how he handled the aftermath of his own solutions.
___
Of course Kieran hadn’t been surprised when Henri had shown up at his doorsteps and the mood had shifted so spectacularly. The faun was neither surprised by the sour ending to Henri’s relationship (context clues and predictability had provided as much) nor the fact that he’d sought out Kieran for balm on the wound that this sort of vulnerability inevitably led to. Henri hadn’t been susceptible to any ‘I told you so’ commentary from Kieran, although Henri did look good when he got frustrated, but he had been more than open to being distracted, to finally honoring the deal he had made over a game of beer pong. And Kieran was very good at distractions.
No matter the quality of the sex, it wasn’t enough to permanently drag Henri out of the slump he had willingly subjected himself to, and Kieran could practically taste it when the last sweet dredges of euphoria faded, replaced with the bitterness of hurt and maybe even regret. Presumably driven by the same frustrations and impulsivity that had brought him to Kieran’s door, Henri’s euphoria had been charged, almost electric. Over the now familiar undertones of dark beer and something more musty, only the sharp metallic taste was more pronounced, too. A drink of beer after you’d bitten your tongue.
The full taste of Henri’s enjoyment wasn’t the only revelation of the unexpected but welcome visit, as Henri’s skin, once exposed and lavished with attention, had spoken to layers that went beyond simple scholar and beer pong aficionado. There were too many scars to have Kieran believe he had just a simple human in his bed and the thought was exhilarating, not even Henri’s moping could ruin that. Which, speaking of– “It’s a good thing I don’t take criticism or I’d interpret that pout of yours as a negative review,” Kieran teased, stretching out languidly to then tuck back a strand of Henri’s hair.
___
God. He was such an asshole.
All this because he didn't want to go back to where he had been 7 days ago or to feel like he did last Sunday.
The back of Henri’s head pressed against the wall briefly before he slumped down onto his pillow. His hand nearly shot forward to catch Kieran’s before he messed with something that he had seen Eve care for so many times over the past half year : that stubborn strand of hair that curled at the front, and fell onto his forehead the second he did anything that didn't involve him sitting at a desk.
Registering what Kieran was saying seemed to help though, and Henri met the man’s gaze with a smile that barely lifted his lips. “You should take criticism. When it’s documented at least,” he paused, and his smile spread a bit more, “I’ll write you a full commentary with arguments, explanations and improvement suggestions,” but that's exactly the sort of thing that he could have told Eve (and led to his face meeting a pillow launched at full speed) and Henri opted for a complete change of subject. Conflict would be alright. At least he wouldn't be thinking about the arguments he hadn't managed to get through, if he had to come up with new ones for Kieran.
His hand reached out between them, pressing flat against the other’s chest before he slipped it onto his ribs. “I better not be wrong about that one,” he began, though… well he was not in the habit of ever being wrong, however it was some people felt about his certainties, “you’re not….” He wrinkled his nose, as though hoping that the other would cut him off and acquiesce. “You’re fae? Yeah ?” Much safer than telling someone potentially human that they weren't. At least he could pretend some bullshit about him being ethereal. He seemed like the sort to forget everything over well placed vanity pleasers.
—---
As annoying as Henri had been about his perfect (hah) relationship, his joy over the pointless thing had been sweet tasting and infectious. There was nothing of the sorts now, not once the final glow of what Henri had come here for had faded. Even so, Kieran found that his approach of not giving a shit about this horrible breakup was mildly effective, something like a smile tugging at the other man’s lips. Kieran huffed, tongue running over his teeth as the offer, maybe a joke, for a performance review was put out there. Partially because improvement suggestions hinted at Henri perhaps wanting to benefit from these improvements he wrongly thought Kieran needed. “I would love to read those and completely break your little arguments apart,” he purred, pressing into the contact Henri initiated.
An eyebrow quirked when Henri changed the subject, going so far as to admit he might possibly be wrong - he didn’t have Kieran’s unyielding belief that he was never wrong but he did seem the type to never willingly admit to his mistakes unless pressed so… “Yes?” Kieran pressed, curious, his own hand finding a scar to trail over (not the amputated limb, though, that seemed intimate in the wrong way, like something Kieran might have imagined this ex would have done). His wandering touch did momentarily halt once Henri finally spit out his thoughts.
There was doubt, so not a warden. Not that Kieran would have been bothered at the thought of doing what he did to Henri with a warden, that would have been a new kind of rush. Whatever Henri was, human, hunter or otherwise, he’d knowingly posed this question after the fact. “And?” Kieran asked, all nonchalance once the facts had settled comfortably in his mind, finger resuming its idle tracing across Henri’s skin. “You’ve already fulfilled your promise - nothing except longing to bring you back to me now, hmm?”
With his secret out and Henri’s still foggy, Kieran felt the lack of balance shift just so, which just wouldn’t do. With practiced ease, Kieran flipped himself to straddle the other, an air of challenge to the gesture. “I could say the same for you, though. Not just a regular boring human, right? I know I’m the fae here but no lying.” Or Kieran would just make him tell the truth, if the need arose.
___
“And?” The relief that came with being right about something that could have triggered so many questions otherwise washed over, and Henri ran a hand along his face at the lack of concern on Kieran’s features, as though, by doing so, he’d remind the other man that he owed him some kind of reaction, one that didn’t consist of travelling across a map of scars with idle nonchalance. “This was not about fulfilling promises,” and sure enough, that was another end result, but Henri had not shown up to his door thinking to himself: one thing off my to-do list.
The idea had been to mirror her coping mechanism, her bad habits. Why ? To feel closer to her? To let her know how much he didn’t care about any of this? To distance himself from who he was as a person ; attempt weaponizing that distance into a sturdy shield? He knew he told himself it was worth a try. Maybe some affection, someone else touching him. That would do it. That would fade the memory of everything that ever defined their shared intimacy, replacing it with something new.
“What if I was a regular boring human?” With a regular boring human job, regular boring human clothes… But no. I suppose I’m not that.” He owed it to Kieran to give him back the same degree of honesty. “I’m a hunter,” he looked up at the fae, his hand falling to his thigh, thumb massaging the muscle as though to ensure he’d stay right here. Close, touching him. He could have used a hug, he thought. But you didn’t ask for that. And maybe he didn’t deserve one.
“What about you? What are you?”
—---
As much as Kieran didn’t need any reassurances, it didn’t hurt to hear Henri assert that he hadn’t showed up here because of the promise. Whatever he’d come here searching for - a distraction, pleasure, great company - Henri had simply realized that Kieran was the best possible option. It made it matter even less that the promise was fulfilled, made it seem likelier that this still interesting character of the scholar with the surprising beer pong skills may show up on Kieran’s doorstep again.
A curiously posed question as Henri asked his little what-if, almost as if he wished he were just another unimpressive face in the crowd, vanishing into the background due to his various shades of beige. It wouldn’t have changed the fact that Kieran didn’t mind the man’s presence, wouldn’t change the sex having been as pleasurable as it was - but Kieran still much preferred the truth. A hunter, pinned underneath him, willingly slipping between his sheets despite strong suspicions that he was giving himself over to a fae. Kieran didn’t even bother to hide his face shifting with smugness, smirk close to insufferable as he regarded Henri with fresh eyes. It would certainly be beneficial to know a hunter who actually appreciated Kieran, instead of one who loathed him like that sad sack, Emilio.
“A hunter,” Kieran breathed, fingers trailing a scar over Henri’s shoulder before they found their way towards Henri’s throat, just lingering. Reveling in the rush of splaying his hand over such a vulnerable spot, of knowing it was someone who had taken the lives of countless creatures yet willingly given himself over to Kieran. Well, not entirely without a fight, but it seemed Henri had clearly been holding out on him. Good, he knew his place, physical prowess aside. Kieran’s grin turned teasing as Henri pressed further.
“I can’t share all of my secrets in one go, can I? Have to keep you guessing, coming back for more,” Kieran murmured, closing the distance between their faces for a rough kiss - since he knew Henri could take it and apparently, much, much more.
—-
“That doesn't seem to bother you,” if anything, Kieran was uncharacteristically quiet then, as though deep in thought as to what else this might mean. Henri imagined the other one knew already that he wasn't dealing with a specific sort of hunter. The slayer didn't know nearly enough about fae, however, to pinpoint what the other man was but he wondered if he cared. Of course he was curious, and he would try to find out, but for now, it would not be because he cared, only because he didn't like not having all the answers. Leaving a question blank on a test had always been synonymous to heart ache, after all.
But he wasn't surprised when the answer to his question proved unhelpful, albeit definitely challenging and more assuredly cheeky. That even drew a faint scoff from Henri. He wouldn't get to the heart of the matter today, and he wouldn't find an answer to the matters of his own heart either. But like cold water on a burn, the feeling of Kieran’s body against his own sufficed in knocking other thoughts out of his head.
“Just say you want to see me again,” this wasn't what he had come here for but if he was feeling pragmatic (and he often did), this was a good arrangement, beneficial for certain.
She said she’d be watching him. Well Henri hoped that she was looking real close.
And maybe this wasn't the hug he so desperately wanted, but when he wrapped his arm around Kieran to flip him on his back, and pressed his chest against his to give him back a kiss that matched the former one, the hunter told himself that this wasn't so far off.
TIMING: Recent
LOCATION: The Mushroom Circle
PARTIES: Kieran @debauchfairy & Viv @vivlennox
SUMMARY: Viv makes a deal with Kieran to get into the back rooms of the Mushroom Circle.
CONTENT WARNINGS: None!
Going back to The Mushroom Circle was kind of like going back to the scene of the crime. She hadn’t promised Rhys anything in the club. No, that pillow talk had come days later, her mind blissfully idiotic in the afterglow, when even things she knew she shouldn’t do seemed like a good enough idea. But this was where her problems had all started. If she really thought about it, she should have added two weeks to the number of days she’d spent in exile there. After all, if she’d never agreed to go clubbing with her fellow acrobats, she never would have met Rhys, and she never would have gotten stuck.
Viv was sitting at the bar of the pub that served as the front facing business of what she knew was a club. Brown eyes were trained on the staff door, waiting for anyone to head in, or out of it. She’d tried so many times over the years to sneak in. But with none of her family to vouch for her, she was sidelined to the pub. She drew a long gulp from the pint glass that was sat in front of her at the bar, when she nearly choked on the beverage.
There was a man headed straight for the staff only door. And based on his outfit, he definitely was not clocking in for a shift. Viv hurried to jump down from the bar stool, throwing a crumpled twenty on the counter and chasing after the guy. “Hey- hey, wait up a minute!” Viv called after him. She skidded to a halt in front of him, wild eyed. “You’re going to the back room?” She asked, dropping her voice so that no oblivious humans overheard.
—-
Every so often, Kieran returned to The Mushroom Circle. It wasn’t his go to for a night or for… well, anything, really. Or it hadn’t been for a long time, until these last few months when the magic had started to betray him and everyone else who held it close in town (not that he cared much about their struggles). Mostly, Kieran’s glamor was fine. It had slipped a few times now, which was something the faun didn’t enjoy for a variety of reason, secrecy being fairly low on that list. For the most part, he’d charmed his way into a promise, even reveled a bit in the awe-struck expressions, a balm on the wound of being forced to show this side of himself before he decided it was time. In one case, he’d bolted. The thought tasted like acid and so now Kieran was here for two reasons - to not particularly worry if his glamor dropped in the secretive back rooms of the fae bar, and to see if anyone else was having the same exact troubles. Without revealing too much of his own, of course.
His skin prickled with the presence of fae, from bare arms to his abdomen, where the mild discomfort always settled. It was easy to brush off, to focus instead on the looks of approval Kieran had known the outfit for tonight would get - the sleeveless looks were always a crowd pleaser. Not usually to the point of someone shouting and running after him but this certainly wasn’t the first time.
Momentarily curious, Kieran did stop, turning to face this new fan - and then ducking his head to actually meet her gaze. A grin played on his lips right away. Fun sized. Her personality was visible in everything about her, from her hair to her clothes and the makeup, right down to the assertive look in her eyes. Kieran cocked an eyebrow but both of them slid up lazily when the little bundle of punk rock actually posed her question. “Someone knows a few secrets,” Kieran hummed, assessing the woman all over again with fresh eyes. Over-achieving human? Or something human adjacent, maybe. “What’s it to you?”
—-
Viv couldn’t help the part of her brain that immediately ran down the list of fae she knew of. She couldn’t quite place it- sometimes there were little quirks that made the answer seem so obvious. The way they styled themselves, or how they carried themself. But with the man who looked down at her with a languid sort of curiosity, she wasn’t quite sure. “I’ve been around.” It was barely an explanation, but there were ears up front, and Viv wasn’t sure just how many were human.
“My cousins took me into the back a few years back.” Viv turned her back to the room at large. She knew better than to think that just saying she’d been to the back would get her anywhere. “I didn’t have the password, but they vouched for me.” She pretended to stretch, grabbing at the elastic that held her hair up out of her face and letting down the curtain of faded pink hair. She shook it out, letting it hang around her face to hide her features from the rest of the room. When she looked back up at the man, red, slitted eyes stared up at him with a focused intensity. “A friend of mine went missing. A friend I met here. I’m hoping someone my have heard something.” She explained, serpentine eyes fixed and unblinking. “You gonna help a girl out, or no? I’ll buy you a round if you do.”
—-
A huff of a laugh slipped out at her vague answer - being coy wouldn’t help in this situation, where Kieran had something she wanted and what he desired in turn was information. “Oh, around,” he replied with amused sarcasm, dragging out the word and making it clear with his body language that he didn’t intend to stay for long if that was all this short and spunky stranger was going to give him. Again, Kieran hummed thoughtfully at her explanation, making it clear he was not simply going to take her word for it. “Maybe you should call up your cousins, then.”
Part of him wanted to stay and see just what else she’d try to sneak herself into the back rooms, and into Kieran’s good graces, while another was already simmering with boredom. He was craving a drink and a meal, not granting favors to desperate humans – oh. Fine, not human. Something similar to the broad shouldered man who’d turned into an even broader shouldered gator? Interest revived for a moment longer, Kieran’s head cocked at the explanation and the implications - she’d been involved with some sort of fae, who was nowhere to be found. Not shocking, considering the fickle nature of fae. “Honey, I don’t have any trouble getting people to buy me a round,” Kieran said smugly, arms crossing over his chest. “You’ll need to offer me something slightly more interesting than that because I’m not really in the business of charity.”
—-
Viv rolled her eyes, annoyed that she had to crane her head back in order to shoot the man a withering glare. “You think I’d be latching on to the nearest stranger if they were readily available? They had to get the show back on the road with the rest of my family.” There was a question in the back of her mind, gnawing at her as relentlessly as a dog with a bone, as to whether she’d been replaced yet. If her cousins had found someone suitable to fill the lamia sized hole in their act.
She looked the smug stranger up and down. She might not have added many new talents to her resume in the nearly three years she’d spent in Wicked’s Rest. But working at Flipped had taught her one thing— how to read people. She may have hated every second of dealing with annoying customers, but she’d had to learn how to tell who was going to take more effort for a good tip. Viv narrowed her eyes a moment as she thought, and heaved a sigh. “Well, you seem like just enough red flags to maybe be my type, but I’m not quite sure incredible tits and a terrible personality are your thing. So, and I’ve regretted saying shit like this before, but hey, what the fuck have I got to loose— what’ll it take? Name your price.”
—--
Her frustration was amusing, watching her fight the urge to snap at Kieran because she still had a use for him and calling someone names was rarely the way to get what you wanted. Kieran would have applauded the effort if he cared to, but then again, she wasn’t fighting her temper that hard. “And they left you here? Ouch,” he teased, unable to resist poking the bear (lizard? snake?). “You’re a showgirl?” Kieran could appreciate a fellow attention seeker, curiosity growing as he wondered what exactly her talents were and if they had anything to do with her non-human nature.
There was a sudden shift in her attitude, most likely the realization that being mildly interesting and asking nicely wasn’t going to get her anywhere. So she was smart enough. And observant enough to have noticed that her self-proclaimed incredible tits also wouldn’t work in enticing Kieran to help. The wording of her surrender did bring a genuinely amused smile to Kieran’s face, though. “I love a good terrible personality,” Kieran was only partially joking, and in doing so confirmed her suspicion that no, she was otherwise not his type. It was tempting to just leave her here, see what trouble she might get herself into dealing with a more opportunistic fae than Kieran. Lucky for the lamia, she’d managed to amuse him.
“I want the full story of this fae mess you got yourself into. And to know what sort of scales you’re hiding underneath all of that.”
—
“Didn’t have a choice.” Viv groused, crossing her arms like a bloccade across her chest. “They had to get the show on the road. Can’t shut the circus down for one person.” Not when moving around as much as they did kept them safe. His interest in her occupation didn’t go unnoticed. Despite the little game they both knew they were playing that he clearly had all the cards for, Viv couldn’t help but crack a little smile. “Don’t let the leather and snark fool you. I’m an acrobat.”
“Good. If you were hoping for me to fucking shit rainbows, and spew positivity, you’ve got the wrong fucking girl.” Viv stood there, pretending to mull over his request. In her heart, she knew it wasn’t even a question. She’d do whatever the fuck the man asked for her, so long as it got her into that room and didn’t put her further into a bind. She refused to extricate herself from one bear trap, only to end up stepping into another one. “Done.” She said, holding out her hand to seal the deal. “Assuming no one in the back room has a problem with it, I’ll slip into something more comfortable, once you get me inside.”
—-
That temper flared and spiked, to Kieran’s amusement - lamia were far from immune to his abilities so he wasn’t all that worried about the woman’s ire turning his way. “That must have hurt,” Kieran noted, tone of voice lacking any real empathy, just a simple observation. As she revealed her talents, his lips quirked again. “Wow. So you’re flexible. Must be very popular.”
More in tone with the leather and snark she mentioned, the lamia threw out some more aggression. No, Kieran had indeed not been hoping for something cute and sparkly, he rarely was. “Do I look like I’m interested in that?” he posed hypothetically, not expecting a real answer, but partially figuring he’d get one anyway. This woman seemed more than happy to listen to herself talk, which wasn’t always a bad quality, if you were at least mildly interesting. So far, she seemed to fit the bill.
Finally, after faking a moment of consideration, the woman agreed. Kieran grinned, waving her hand away and sealing the deal instead by leading her into the backroom. The tug of fae all around grew stronger, overpowered only by the curiosity of the lamia trailing him inside. “Kieran,” he offered once the two of them had settled into a nice corner, more secluded than Kieran normally preferred but they had a deal to complete. And he wasn’t really looking to attract the attention he usually wanted in here, not from any fae, at least. Those that weren’t fae, well… maybe trying to nab one of those from the fae that had brought them here would be a fun challenge for the rest of the evening. For now, though, it was story time.
—-
The woman sucked on her teeth, her eyes flickering around the bar to avoid the man and his astute observation. Of course it had hurt, saying goodbye. She’d refused to say the word. It had been see you later’s and I’ll catch up soon’s. Ever goodbye. Goodbye felt permanent. Goodbye meant she’d have to accept her new reality, and Viv was nowhere near ready to step out of her delusion that she’d find a way back home. At least she could latch on to the joke. She snorted, a flash of teeth lighting up her face for the briefest of moments. “Being flexible’s easy when you spend part time as one big prehensile tail. I’m great at parties.”
A slow smirk settled back on her lips. No, he didn’t seem the type to want some perky ray of sunshine to blab incessantly. That would be boring. Things were always more interesting when they had a bit of a dark streak. The fae’s hand closed around hers, and the serpent felt a shiver run down her spine as the new set of rules and regulations settled in. Viv let the man tow her inside, past the doors that had been a barricade for her for years. She followed him to the corner, as Kieran made himself at home. “Viv.” She replied, eyeing the other people milling about, drinking, laughing, enjoying their time… “Anyone back here going to have a shit fit if I slip into something more comfortable so I can keep up my end of the bargain?” She asked, rolling her neck as settled in.
—--
For the moment, Kieran was intrigued by his current company. He was also aware of countless other eyes trailing his new companion (and himself, obviously) and oh, was the faun glad that Viv wasn’t his responsibility. Once they finalized their deal, she was free to try and accomplish whatever it was she thought she would manage to accomplish in here and Kieran was free to not care. If she got caught up with an even more slippier fae than him, well, she’d been the one who’d begged to be let in. Some people, reptilian or not, never seemed to learn. It was beneficial to lesser fae than Kieran, those who didn’t have the charm or wit to actually work for their meals or deals, and relied on good old ignorance and naivety. Even if Viv didn’t seem too ignorant, Kieran couldn’t think of another reason for falling into a life-ruining deal with a fae.
“I don’t think you’ll be the strangest thing in here, sweetheart,” Kieran informed her, just as a nix with some sort of fluorescence glow around their gills and ridiculous little fish features walked past their table. As if to say ‘see?’ Kieran raised an eyebrow and then leaned back in the lavish leather of the booth.
—-
It was so nice to see people letting it all hang out. When the curtains were down and the stage lights were all dimmed, Viv would have been hard pressed to find a single one of her friends who still looked fully human. Scales and tails and wings were all on display, and it had always been so freeing to see everyone comfortable in their own skin. Seeing the nix stroll past had Viv’s heart twisting in her chest. But she didn’t have time to wallow in her own grief. She had work to do. And to do that, she had to keep up her end of the bargain.
Viv stretched her arms overhead, every muscle in her body flexing and relaxing in a new configuration as her legs merged to become a long, pale tail. She yawned, curved fangs glinting in the ambient lighting as a forked tongue flickered out. Red eyes fixed on the man sitting with her, as a lazy smirk affixed itself to her face. “This sate your curiosity?"
—--
Something flashed across the lamia’s features as her eyes trailed the nix, a something that licked as a sort of yearning once Kieran managed to pinpoint it. He was more familiar with the carnal sort of yearning so it took a second to recognize this softer, sadder sort of feeling. It had the faun wondering if Viv had made a deal with a nix but he wasn’t curious enough to expand their deal for that knowledge. Once the brief flicker of emotion had come and gone, Viv turned her attention back, with what Kieran could now see was a practiced expression of nonchalance back on her face.
With all the comfort of someone in show business, Viv stretched and shifted, the flicker of something underneath the table pulling Kieran’s attention to the appearance of a tail. The soft pink seemed so out of sorts with the gritty, foul-mouthed owner of the scales and Kieran appreciated the dichotomy. Glancing back up, he was met with fangs, inhuman eyes and a tongue that had Kieran matching Viv’s smirk. “Now I see why you’re so popular at parties,” he joked, making a subtle nod towards her mouth.
—--
Laughter rumbled in her throat, as she threw her fingers up in a V, her serpentine tongue flickering out once more as she winked. “I had to find some way to make up for my sparkling personality.” The words came out as a slow hiss, and the lamia settled back in the plush booth.
“Alright,” She sighed, her tail idly curling around the base of the table, giving herself something to hold onto and pretend the rehashing of all the dirty details wasn’t a tremendously unmooring sensation. “So, you want the whole shit show from the top. I’m assuming you’d prefer I skip out the woe is me, sad childhood bullshit, and cut ahead to the actually fucking interesting part. But if you wanna hear about poor little baby snake shit, I can give you the cliff notes. Otherwise, I’m starting the story when I was seventeen.” Viv said as she skimmed over a cocktail list.
—-
So far, Kieran wasn’t regretting the dealing. As soon as she’d gotten what she wanted, Viv had loosened up some, not just a tough facade wrapped up in a tiny package. There was humor there, too. An attitude. She’d do well as company for a fun night out, Kieran thought. But for now, she had a story to tell. “Pretend I have the attention span of a child,” was Kieran’s answer - it was his deal but that didn’t mean he wanted to be sat here for hours on end, listening to someone’s boring troubles. The deal, the one Viv had apparently made with another fae, that was the juicy part. Presumably, a tiny bit of context would help.
“Better yet…” Kieran waved over a server, allowing for both of them to put in their drinks. “Let’s keep storytime to however long it takes me to finish a cocktail, deal? You’ll even get a headstart while they’re mixing.” With a lazy grin, Kieran leaned back, forcing focus away from the itching of other fae and onto Viv, clearly psyching herself up before telling a complete stranger the worst (presumably) mistake she’d ever made.
—-
Viv snorted. “I can work with that.” She wasn’t as good of a story teller as Tuck was. The faun could have an audience hung on his every word without even trying. And even then, when he was working and the clown was pantomiming everything, he still managed to hold everyone under the big top captive with his antics. But she’d learned from watching him at work, bringing everyone along on his romp of a tale around a bonfire more than enough times to understand how to hold someone’s interest.
“Well, to cut off the bulk of the fucking boring part, I joined the circus when I was seventeen. I figured it would be good for someone like me– Move around a lot, make sure no one ever gets to look too close and see what’s going on beneath the surface. And I figured everyone’s weird in the circus, so I’d blend in there too. But I lucked out, and managed to find a circus with the most like-minded set you could imagine. We’ve got all sorts. The owners are a bugbear and a faun, but there are lamia, nymphs, werewolves, zombies… you name it, they’ve probably got an act with us.” Viv picked up her drink the moment it was set down in front of her, taking a lengthy gulp, and letting the whiskey burn chase off the hesitation she had in telling the whole story to anyone. “Fuck me– shit’s strong. Okay. Anyway, yeah. We’ve got a fucking melting pot of all sorts, all looking to stay safe together. Kind of a family unit.”
It was more than kind of. They had been the only real family she’d ever known, and talking about them all so glibly had her ready to crawl out of her own skin. But if she spoke about them with any amount of sincerity, she’d be falling to pieces over just how much she fucking missed them. “I was with them for ten years. Worked in the sideshow during the day as a snake lady. People believe what they want to believe. They figure it’s all puppetry, and one of those fucking latex mermaid tails people buy on the internet. Then, at night, I worked as an acrobat.” And fuck, if the moment those stage lights had gone up every night hadn’t been the best part of Viv’s days. She loved the thrill of knowing she was moments away from tumbling through the air, and her friends would be right there to catch her before she could fall. She took another sip of her drink.
“Anyway, when we came to town, the acrobats were all out for the night– they’re all fae. Nymphs, mostly, and a Spriggan. And an Arkan Sonney as our good luck charm. He’s the fucking best– don’t play black jack with him though. Fucker counts cards. They got me in as their pet snake.” She snorted, shaking her head. “And that’s how I met the person I’m looking for. Rhys. Was kind of in a–” She paused, unsure of how to describe the short few weeks that had been so full of “—situationship. For lack of a better term. Or a fling, I guess… They were going to come with us when we left town. You’d think living with a bunch of fae for ten years would mean that I wasn’t fucking stupid enough to make promises, but I figured promising when I left that they could come with me would be an easy enough promise to keep. But I left for a rehearsal, and when I came back they were just… Gone. Apartment tossed, evidence of a fight. Iron. Blood.” She let out a shudder of a sigh as she downed the rest of her glass, and flagged the bartender for another. “And when we went to leave town a few days later, I couldn’t.” She shrugged. “And here we fucking are, almost three years later, with not a single fucking lead as to who took them, and how the fuck I can get out of this town.” A new glass was set down in front of her, and she raised it in a sarcastic little salute. “And that has been my end of the bargain.”
—-
Whatever Kieran had been expecting from this storytime, Viv somehow managed to outdo it. He wasn’t even sure when his expression of bored attention had shifted into genuinely listening, all but enraptured with the scene the lamia was painting. An actual, certified menagerie, with a faun at the forefront (made sense) and the way Viv described it making it sound like some funhouse mirror version of an aos sí. More than an aos sí, a family. Together for all of their differences, not in spite of them. All the wholesomeness of a child’s bedtime story. And yet, despite how fantastically sweet, too sweet, it was, Kieran felt that pang in his chest. Dull, barely noticeable after years of ignoring it, and it was easily ignored now too with the arrival of their drinks.
Latching onto the shitty deal Viv had made for herself was an easier story to listen to.
It was simpler to huff at a fae who had been stupid enough to let warden catch up with him, as well as the stupidity of getting infatuated, with someone whose lifespan couldn’t rival a fae’s by a mile to top it all off. Clearly not a lot of thought going on with this Rhys - who was someone Kieran hadn’t come across, to Viv’s detriment. True to her word, Viv had been speedy with the delivery of the story but just enough so, with how fast Kieran’s drink had vanished up the straw for no particular reason whatsoever.
The faint tug of the deal between them vanished as Viv raised her glass and Kieran breathed out something that might have been a laugh, holding up his drink to meet hers before swallowing down the last dredges. “Wow,” he finally spoke, successfully ignoring the pang from before but instead aware of how much he wanted another drink, or was it more that he wanted to feed? Oh, this nonsense magic was getting his signals all mixed up and even worse, Kieran felt his grasp on his glamor flicker. Things couldn’t go back to normal fast enough.
Instead of being taken off guard by his glamor suddenly failing, Kieran allowed it to slip away, as if intentionally showing off. “You were right about one thing. Definitely should have known better than to make a promise like that.” Without warning, Kieran got to his feet, hooves, didn’t matter - extracting a few bills from his wallet. “Congratulations, it was tragic enough to get you a free drink. I haven’t heard of your Rhys but then again, other fae really are the least interesting kind. Hope you find him, or whatever. Enjoy your night, sweetheart.” Another drink, then reigning his glamor back in, and then a meal. Preferably two, simultaneously. A proper distraction.
[pm] That's such a good mindset. Like, everyone needs to feed, and there's all this damage done in the name of it! Dead animals, deforestation, plastic. That also kills! [User never cared about these kinds of conundrums as an alive person though.]
[pm] Starting to sound like a nymph Some lifeforms are worth the trouble they might cause. And you could argue that you'll surely make some poor human's vampire kink come true so you're giving back to society.
@enthrallinglyeden replied to your post “[after their night together, user stalks kieran's...”:
[pm] [del: I was doing a background check on you] I may have gotten carried away, I hope you don't mind. There is a person wearing part of the 24/25 Gucci collection in the background of this picture. That person is me.
[pm] They're there to be enjoyed. Don't compare to the real thing in person but I hope they held you over. Oh? Good taste, as we've established. I'm certain you had a wonderful time so you're welcome.
[after their night together, user stalks kieran's instagram. he comes across pictures from october 2024 where he spots a very familiar outfit in the background. user is definitely normal and not freaking out.] [pm] Hello. [link to Insta post] Was this YOUR birthday party?
[user immediately grins at the date of the post being sent - eden had to have scrolled down a long long while to come across this one]
[pm] Hello to you too. I see you've been very productive. And it was. I imagine you have a reason for asking.
As a business woman in Wicked's Rest, [User is definitely not a business woman.] I would like to offer my services for those who may require it! As we all know, girl boss culture is so in right now! (Who run the world? Girls!) I make very special, hand painted rocks! Yes, you heard me, hand painted rocks! For any occasion, friend, family, sweetheart, or even enemy!
Feel free to reach out if you too would like a fantastic, beautiful rock!
[user means to peruse this profile to confirm his suspicions that another child has been allowed online - ew - but instead spots a name that looks familiar]
Will you also be painting rocks for what is apparently our wedding later this summer, then?
TIMING: past, various
WARNINGS: mild wrspice, emotional manipulation, substance use
It was what faun were good at, was it not?
Fingers trailed curiously over skin that had once been warm, maybe even soft, now chilled and pulled taut by the unyielding grasp of death. It hadn’t been all that long, just a few hours but the spores that surrounded the corpse, the roots and vines enveloping and invading flesh, had all worked together efficiently to speed up the decomposition. A meal, one shared by the whole of the aos sí. Or most of the aos sí.
It had been a brief but glorious snack, a lost backpacker who had ventured too far off the path, accidentally finding himself within the loose borders of the aos sí territory. He had been surprised to stumble upon Kieran, certainly not dressed for a hike in his loose pants and revealing shirt, not that he had looked old enough to be all the way out here on his own anyway - a fact that hadn’t been too concerning for the human, who was already wrapped up under the faun’s spell. His smile had been nice, wide and giddy, and he’d laughed when Kieran had told him he tasted like a forest fire (what Kieran would later recognize as cigars) and oranges. The sound had been almost as sweet as the taste of his euphoria, just not quite as filling. There had been no complaints as Kieran beckoned for the human to come lie down on the soft moss with him, a soft sigh leaving the human’s lips as he laid unknowingly to his final rest. Kieran’s hunger had barely been touched when roots wrapped around the human’s neck, tightening and squeezing and cracking, the taste of his euphoria vanishing like smoke.
Kieran wet his lips, watching how quickly that wonderful bright light had vanished from the human’s eyes. It was always nice, the way they looked at him, so enamored. Kieran hadn’t seen enough death yet to be entirely unfazed by it. But it was nice how Azalea looked at him, too, especially when he’d done a good job.
“Come now, cervo,” someone called and Kieran was quick to withdraw his fingers from the corpse, from what had been a fleeting source of nourishment for him. Next time, he’d wait a little longer to have them lie down. Just to satiate his hunger a little bit better. As long as Azalea would allow it.
—---
“I’m telling you, they do taste different,” Kieran argued but there was little heat to his words - psilocybin had made all of those who had partaken loose and giddy, huddled around a small and very carefully contained fire. Alisia, a heath star moss nymph draped over her girlfriend, let out a huff.
“They taste like flesh and nourishment and like all of the nonsense destruction their civilisation brings with them,” she scoffed, immediately growing distracted by her girlfriend, whose winding, thin vines were slowly tickling Alisia’s throat, slinking over luscious patches of moss. Kieran rolled his eyes. She wouldn’t understand, anyway.
Shifting to reach for another piece of fruit, Kieran felt his antler snag, accompanied by a curse and then a hand wrapping around the most distant, and fragile, tine. “Mind yourself with those, cervo,” a voice drawled, the precious nickname distorted coming from Shiraz’s mouth - Kieran had always chalked it up to jealousy. He didn’t have a pet name given to him by Azalea and to top it off, Kieran suspected the weeping tree nymph was jealous of the faun’s looks, too. Not that Shiraz wasn’t easy on the eyes, just in a less traditional way than Kieran’s striking features, sharpened once he’d outgrown those teenage years. The faun had noticed all of the lingering glances, the frustration on the nymph’s face.
“No touching,” Kieran grumbled, yanking his head to pull his antlers away from the offensive grip, immediately turning to give Shiraz a sparkling smile. “And jealousy isn’t a good look on you.” Popping a piece of fruit into his mouth, Kieran bounced onto his hooves and sauntered away from the small group that clearly wasn’t worthy of his presence. There were others who appreciated him more, who asked questions about his hypnosis or praised him after a would-be intruder was stopped. They never sought out anything… more, never seeking to get as close to Kieran as they did their fellow nymphs, throughout the years explanations of ‘nature’ and ‘connection’ being thrown about. Not that Kieran needed explanations, or their time. He had Azalea, when she had moments to spare, and himself. Especially now, with his mind expanded and thoughts flowing freely, Kieran was totally fine finding a place all of his own to ride the high.
He’d all but dozed off when something soft brushed across his face, eyes flickering open as his nose tickled. Shiraz loomed over him, hand braced against the broad tree Kieran had settled against for the evening, vines cascading from his arm. Unbothered, from the mushrooms and also an unwillingness to show that he was ever bothered, Kieran raised a single eyebrow. “What reason would I have to be jealous of you?” Shiraz pushed, crouching now as he braced a second arm against the wood, curtains of vines enclosing Kieran on both sides. “Certainly not for those,” he added, huffing as he nodded towards the antlers.
“Azalea likes me more,” Kieran answered simply, enjoying the way Shiraz’s eyes narrowed. “And, I’m prettier than you. Was that all?” He smiled, still too high to really worry if this might become physical, explaining why he didn’t even flinch at the hand moving to grab his face. The nymph’s fingertips were rough, almost bark-like, scratching Kieran’s skin but it was such a different sort of touch to the way Azalea sometimes gently stroked his cheek that Kieran was entranced. And he finally recognized the darkness in Shiraz’s eyes for what it was - not annoyance or jealousy, but longing.
“Is that all you’re good for? Working your magic and being pretty?” Before Kieran could even counter, rough lips pressed against his own. Not his first kiss but the first that had made his mind go blank so fast - some evenings, during a bit of fun and chaos, Kieran tended to receive a few stray, lazy kisses from those not entirely monogamous with their partners but it meant very little and made him feel even less. Because it never led to anything more, not with him. But now, as a foreign tongue wandered into his mouth, Kieran’s nerve endings came alive. The grip on his face tightened and it spiked annoyance in the faun, a sense of defiance mixed in with this new rush. His own hand moved to search for some purchase, finding the long locks of hair on the back of Shiraz’s head, giving a tug in turn.
The kiss ended abruptly enough to leave Kieran gasping for breath, blinking at the sudden loss of contact. A silent command. Kieran’s mind stuttered and lagged, argued that only Azalea was technically allowed to tell him what to do and outside of that, he controlled himself, he stood out. He was special. But what he thought mattered very little to how his body reacted, entirely starved of anything like this and needing it almost desperately. It had gotten easier, shoving down his inner restlessness that sometimes threatened to burst out, only barely contained by the moments where Kieran got the chance to feed or evenings like tonight where his mind could escape, or rarer evenings still where they momentarily forgot to exclude him as other and together, they all just had fun. The restlessness, the hunger, all of it was a dull ache that now burned after being teased with the promise of something new, exciting. A release. Even if it was one that didn’t feel quite right.
His silence was taken as the agreement it technically was, anything to feel lips properly pressed against his own once again. “Put those away,” Shiraz demanded, giving a tug at Kieran’s antler that yanked uncomfortably at his neck. Biting his tongue to hold back an argument, to prevent himself from yanking on one of those dangling vines right back, Kieran brought up his glamor on an inhale. “Good,” Shiraz murmured and Kieran didn’t enjoy the praise, not like he did when it felt truly earned. But he did enjoy hands roaming his chest, his abdomen and lower still so he swallowed the discomfort of it, focusing on the pleasure of it instead.
It was what faun were good at, was it not?
—-----
The coffee was still too warm to drink as Kieran settled on the veranda, afternoon sun still shining too brightly to trick anyone into thinking it was morning. Kieran had just woken up but there was little worry over things like the hour of day here. As a general consensus, anyway. Some people still scurried off to work from time to time, even if they were consistently made fun of for it, but mostly, things were done when they were done, simple as that. Sleep came when it beckoned, people ate when they hungered - except for Kieran, who would have been hard pressed to even feel the first inkling of hunger in a community of those who begged to be fed on. Kieran could barely keep up. It was wonderful.
It had happened slowly and unintentionally, just a small group of people Kieran had charmed into housing him, eventually leading to their discovery of his unglamored form. They had already been quite taken with him, partially thanks to the hypnosis-induced evenings of enjoyment they’d already shared, but something shifted, then. As if they’d come to fully appreciate the rarity of who they had living with them, that Kieran truly was something special. Person by person, it had grown, gatherings open to anyone willing to truly let loose, enjoy themselves. Not ask too many questions, at least not at first. Kieran had never wanted for anything since leaving his old community behind, why should he when he could ask oh-so nicely for anything he wanted, knowing he’d get it? That soon extended to his closest circle of faithful admirers, who never longed for food or wine or lodging, and in the blink of an eye, Kieran had gotten used to every night - or day, when the clocks truly got twisted - being whatever he wanted it to be.
To the benefit of the humans too, of course, those that had made the decision to stay, to grow this little community. They were free from the expectations of society, the rules and boundaries. They could enjoy themselves, enjoy each other and, obviously most importantly, Kieran could enjoy them. If not carnally then their euphoria. Their presence and adorations, their stories and willingness to listen to Kieran share his own tales through the last decades. Even when he wasn’t actively using his magic, they all still looked at him like those humans did back in the woods, one after the other. Only Kieran wouldn’t lead them to their death, wouldn’t leave them to rot. No, he took care of his things, kept them happy, made them feel pleasure. The natural order of things, really.
@debauchfairy replied to your post “[pm] So you have the secret to what's kinkier than...”:
[pm] Didn't keep you waiting too long, did I? I had some loose ends to tie up, and some people. Nothing that couldn't be cut with some scissors, I haven't replaced the broken cuffs yet, but I'll consider getting an extra key when I do, just for you.
Ah, boo. I would have made a deal with you for some stories if I'd realized you had ones I'd actually be interested in. Suppose I'll have to settle for giving you new stories to keep secret.
[pm] You didn't keep me waitin', no. Just wasn't sure if you'd lost interest. Like I said, I'm sure you ain't wantin' for rope bunnies willing participants. [...] Careful, now. If you lose the key again, you'd be relyin' on my good nature and helpful spirit to get you out of a bind. Outside of work, I might be a real jackass.
[...] Now, alright, I never said I didn't have stories. You already heard this one, though. Wild imagination of yours, I'm sure you can put it together. Don't think it would shock you. ;)
'Sides, ain't the ledger skewed against you, far as deals go? Y'ain't got me laughin' or blushin', much less smilin'. If you want to make an offer, be my guest. [User, no.]
[pm] Of course not, I still have a prize to claim [user is not referring to the deal]. And I'm very good at juggling willing participants, don't you worry your pretty little head. Please, all you public servants are pathologically wired to help people. Not that I'm worried, I can be very persuasive. You wouldn't believe the minds I've changed.
Oh, he has puns. Don't suppose you need a vivid imagination, then, sure the job gives you all sorts of ideas. Do you keep a list? Check things off as you satiate your curiosity? I'm sure you're not wanting for any participants, either.
So impatient. If you're that excited to start filming, I won't stop you.
Oh, are you one of those "I tell it like it is" sort of people? If your honesty is an excuse to be mean, you might just be an asshole. Ow. You don't think juggling is alluring? A little ball action.
OK. Well, your loss on the stink bombs. They're super valuable and useful. And worth a lot. And I need money so badly
Oh, motherfucker. Hello, treasured member of our business community / public services. During the month of June, I, [insert firefighter name here] Firefighter Kelly Brooks, will be inspecting the fire alarms and fire suppression systems at [insert business/agency name here] Covet Couture. Please plan accordingly, as the inspection will be random. If you have any questions, please ask them here. If you have received this message in error, please let me us know. Just forward it to your boss. Please do not interrupt the firefighter, as he's just trying to do his job. [User thinks that might make Kieran work harder to interrupt, actually.]
Well, well. You know there's no need for a complicated ruse just to come visit the store, experience its outstanding customer service. Everyone is welcome.
[pm] Sure! depending on the them. You are not my #1 on my list of people to spare when hungry. But up there! Love the spirit though. Yes, you think control is overrated? Even when the bodies pile?
[pm] Mm, it's not really a contest. Oh right, sentiment. Like I said, as long as it's not my body in a pile. Accidents happen, folks have to feed, que sera sera.
Your help is noted and unappreciated <3 Maybe you should take your own advice since things getting stuck in hair seems to be such a large part of your life.
snowghoul
dededos
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