"Yes, out here. You're starting to act like the one allergic to the sun," they teased gently, smiling softly but his concern was still clear in his eyes.
"Then we should at least try to take another walk tomorrow. It might help, even in short bursts." The last thing he wanted was for Matthew to become a recluse, or get who knows what other bad coping mechanisms.
"It's not the sun. I'm allergic to being outdoors." Like a target. Matthew could see the concern in Judas' eyes and he did not quite like seeing it there either, believing that it was there because he was currently so vulnerable and unable to defend himself.
"Tomorrow..." he agreed with a nod. Whether he would go through with it was another matter. "We can sit in a patch of sun next to the window if you're so concerned about me getting fresh air."
---------------
He could practically guess what Matthew was really thinking, always spinning something else to say instead of what he was actually feeling. Judas let out a soft sigh. They weren't going to win, and it wasn't worth fighting it.
"Fine," he relented, leading the fallen deity back towards the door. The last thing they wanted to do was piss Matthew off, lest he decide to kick Judas out and keep them from visiting. "Do you want me to get you some wine to relax with?"
---------------
Matthew followed, doing his best to appear as normal as possible as they entered the Hereafter once more and made their way past the building manager who was sitting behind the counter, resolutely minding his own business. The fallen deity would normally have just opened a portal straight up to his penthouse, but that was not going to happen right now.
They made their way to the elevators which took them up. "I could always do with some wine," he said with a nod when the elevator doors opened to the top floor and directly to Matthew's home. Now that there was no one else around, he allowed the pain to start showing in the way he moved towards one of the bigger windows like he suggested earlier. There was an air of gloom about the fallen deity that he still could not quite shake off.
"Did it feel like this for you when you got shot?" Matthew asked when Judas returned with the wine and sat down beside him.
---------------
The change between keeping up appearances and being in the safety of his home was almost instant. Judas watched his movements closely, looking for anything he thought was concerning. Once he was settled, the vampire moved through the penthouse, pouring the wine into a glass and bringing it to the fallen deity.
"The pain? Yeah. It hurt for a while, throbbing sometimes and made me feel like I was being ripped apart. Felt like I was turning into a vampire again." He was grateful to be far past that point, but they still wanted to take that damn pistol out of commission so it couldn't happen again. "If you mean the fear, no. I was angry. Still am. I refuse to let anything make me a prison in my own life again."
---------------
Matthew's eyes tracked Judas as they moved around his home to pour him his wine and bring it over. There was a distinct sense of familiarity the vampire moved with in his space now, a sight he appreciated but did not find that he could fully enjoy given his own physical and mental state.
"I hate it." Hated all of it and especially how dependent he was on things like human medicine to heal his body. Matthew reached out to take the glass with his right hand and brought it to his lips for a drink while leaning himself against Judas as best as he could. "I hate feeling like this..." Something he had said to Judas countless times by now that it was starting to sound like a mantra.
---------------
They could imagine what Matthew was likely thinking and feeling. They'd seen him powerless before, seen how desperate he became, and heard his worries. "I know. It'll get better. It doesn't last forever, it'll start to fade and your powers will come back." His own had come back but quicker, but he didn't have the magic Matthew did.
"I'm sorry I couldn't have remembered about the gun sooner and warned you. And I'm sorry I couldn't do anything to help you, even though you wouldn't have asked me for it, anyway." They did their best to not sound bitter about it. They were not Matthew's first choice to call. Then again, the fallen deity hadn't been his, either, but they also hadn't been talking during that time. This was different.
---------------
"Why are you apologising? It's not your fault... That dreadful witch was the one who shot me." Matthew knew from Judas' words that they were bitter that they were not the first person Matthew called upon getting shot. The fallen deity had even tried to hide his injured state from Judas in the beginning, mostly because he was incapacitated while his body tried to heal, but also...
"I didn't want you to see me in such a sorry state." Isabelle had been the one Matthew reached out to as he lay bleeding. "I wouldn't have wanted anyone to see me like that..." Matthew frowned, the corners of his lips turning downwards.
---------------
"Because if I had remembered in time, you wouldn't have been caught off guard." The thought that people he cared about were being hurt was not something he took likely, or even handled all that well. It was worse when Matthew had kept it from them.
"What, so you would have rather died than ask for help?" they questioned, feeling like they already knew the answer. "If you died for your ego, I would have never forgiven you."
---------------
"He tampered with your mind. What can you do against a psychic attack? It's not your fault," Matthew insisted because it seemed to be a running thing with Judas and having their mind messed with. It was not a pleasant thought.
"I got help!" the fallen deity pointed out. It was just help from vampires who were not Judas. "I called Isabelle." But even then, Matthew only did so when he started truly fearing for his death.
---------------
"Thanks for the reminder," he grumbled, feeling like a lost cause. It seemed like a waste to explain that he would feel guilty whether there was anything he could have done or not. Matthew barely knew what it felt like to be helpless, always armed with magic, and never mind helpless when it came to helping someone he cared about.
"You're dodging the question," they countered, calling him out without expecting to get a real answer. It was their own fault for hoping for a straight answer, ever. At the very least, he could be grateful that the fallen deity did eventually call someone. "I'm glad you did."
---------------
Matthew turned his face into Judas' shoulder, feeling some frustrations rise up in him. This could become the beginnings of an argument if prior experiences were any indication. Matthew had been so stressed about how vulnerable he had become and lashed out at Judas a number of times and it always came down to the same things.
"Fine. I'll answer. There are times when I do think that I'd rather just die. But I've been to the Underworld and I much prefer being up here even if it means I have to keep on living." It sounded grim speaking the words out loud like this, but Judas had asked. This was not something Matthew had confessed to many others...
---------------
The small physical connection helped remind Judas to calm down. Things had worked out, that was what was important.
"I know the feeling. Minus the Underworld part, of course." They shouldn't have been so anxious about the idea of Matthew dying when he would just be sent to the underworld. Turning his head, he pressed a small kiss to the top of Matthew's head before resting against it. "I want you here. I don't want to lose you." The fallen deity wasn't even his to lose, but that didn't stop his heart from aching at the thought.
---------------
"You know as a vampire, your soul will go down there too if your body is destroyed," Matthew pointed out. "You don't want to go down there. I don't want your soul to go down there either." They leaned into the kiss Judas pressed to the top of their head and let out another sigh which also caused his chest to hurt.
---------------
"Honestly, I'm hoping just to cease existing if my body is destroyed," he murmured in response. Death already sounded like a mercy to him, one he would never likely get. Being stuck in the underworld would be worse than Zamok. Judas slowly rubbed his hand on Matthew's back. "You should probably get some rest."
---------------
"That's a privilege only reserved for deities," Matthew grumbled at the fact that both of their souls would both be sent to the Underworld should their physical bodies be destroyed and there was a chance Judas' soul could be destroyed there too.
"Will you stay with me to rest?"
---------------
The only upside was the thought that he might still get to be with Matthew in the underworld, though he didn't suspect that would happen. "Sure, if it means you'll actually rest."
---------------
"What else would I get up to if it's not rest?" the fallen deity asked off-handedly and threaded his arm under Judas' elbow and took their hand. Matthew's cheek came to rest against the other's shoulder as he lowered his gaze to their clasped hands.
"Thank you. For looking after me..." he said softly.
---------------
"I'm sure you could find something to complain about for a few hours." It wouldn't be the first time. Judas let out a soft sigh, allowing their hands to join.
"Of course. I'll always want to take care of you." Judas pressed a kiss to his head. "That's what you do for people you love."
---------------
"You know me too well," Matthew responded with a small vaguely amused huff. He leaned into the kiss before turning his head to graze his lips against Judas'. "And also too kind to me..."
Matthew did not enjoy this particular Council meeting. He knew that it was an eventuality that the humans would find themselves a human representative, but it did not mean that Matthew had to like it. They had all gathered in the Council room in the library as usual, but the fallen deity had been on edge the entire time. He did not say much, neither did he bother to properly introduce himself to the human before he swiftly exited the Council room.
Without his magic, the fallen deity could only rely on more human means of transport to get back to the Hereafter, and his deep blue Bentley was waiting on the sidewalk as he exited the building. He slid into the passenger's door where Judas was already waiting for him in the driver's seat. They pulled the car away from the sidewalk as they made their way back to the Hereafter.
"That was a complete waste of time," the fallen deity grumbled as he looked out the window.
Matthew had been on edge about the meeting so it seemed like an obvious suggestion that Judas drive him. It would have been more fun if the fallen deity had agreed to their motorcycle but, alas, they would settle for the Bentley. He'd never really hung around the library before so he took the opportunity to explore it a bit, at least until he heard what sounded like the end of the meeting. He was already back outside and in his seat by the time Matthew joined him.
"Oh yeah?" he questioned as they pulled away from the sidewalk, headed back towards the Hereafter. "I'm sure it couldn't be that bad."
"Out here?" Matthew's eyes darted about and his hand tightened in the crook of Judas' elbow as if he were waiting to get pounced on, even when he knew that they were still within the confines of the Hereafter's protective wards.
"I wouldn't want you getting sunburnt," he said, voice soft as if he did not want others to hear him. Matthew trusted Judas to protect them, but he could not quite shake the anxiety that threatened to rise up at the back of his throat.
"Yes, out here. You're starting to act like the one allergic to the sun," they teased gently, smiling softly but his concern was still clear in his eyes.
"Then we should at least try to take another walk tomorrow. It might help, even in short bursts." The last thing he wanted was for Matthew to become a recluse, or get who knows what other bad coping mechanisms.
More than a month had passed since Matthew had been shot and left for dead by Roan. That meant more than a month of lying at home in bed recovering from his bullet and its effects. He had kept his current state of being a secret from most of the community, with only the elders --because that would have been the responsible thing to do -- and less than a handful of other individuals knowing that he was currently also depowered.
It was dreadful being this helpless and weak, but what was the worst was the bullet scar that did not seem to be disappearing, the scarred wound marring the otherwise perfect skin over his chest. Matthew hated it and was content with wallowing at home until one of Judas' visits where they were finally able to convince him to take a walk outside. He'd made sure to dress himself appropriately with the vampire's help, wanting to put on a front of normalcy even if the Hereafter staff and residents had not seen him since he got shot.
They made it once around the building, Matthew not wanting to stray far from the protective magical wards around the Hereafter, before he all but ordered their return. "I've had enough. I want to go home."
To say he had mixed emotions would be an understatement. The memories had come back too late to protect Matthew, filling him with guilt and anger and worry. Of course, the fallen deity was reluctant to let anyone see him in a vulnerable state, including them despite it all. They knew there was no changing his stubborn mind about anything, so they did what they could do, what they always did: show up.
Judas did not give him the opportunity to turn down his visits or his help, taking care of him how they could. If that meant walking with him today, they could do that. At first, it seemed like a good sign of improvement, but it was short-lived. It was barely a lap around the building before the man was insisting he'd had enough.
"Why don't we sit for a while? Who knows when you'll be outside next, you should enjoy it for a bit." Besides that, Judas knew this was the safest he would be, close to the Hereafter with a vampire closely observing the surroundings. Nobody was getting near them with a gun, not again.
Matthew hummed, feeling reassured by Judas' promise as he handed the vampire a glass of blood wine.
"You could. I've had many tutors in the past, but they never really panned out..." the fallen deity recalled because he always tried to distract said tutors other activities, but he was not about to voice that to Judas. "All I'm good at is drinking wine or having sex. Not exactly first date material, according to the forums." But not Astrid when he had asked her, he did not know if he could trust a demon like her though.
Matthew reached out to take Judas' wrist in his hand to tug them towards the canvases. "Teach me how to paint, Judas. I'll be a good student."
"I have a few guesses as to why." Leave it to Matthew to pay for a tutor and then happily distract them into not tutoring him. Judas was a different case, the fallen deity had put limits on what they could do together, which included his favorite means of distraction.
"I wouldn't have said no to that, either," he teased. It was cute to hear Matthew had gone on forums to do research. He didn't think anybody really knew what a good first date should be.
"First things first." Judas stepped away to grab his bag, carrying it over and pulling out the t-shirt he'd brought with him. "Put this on. You'll get paint on your sweater." He pulled out his overalls next and put them on. He was taking this seriously, which meant wearing his painting attire. It was already covered in splotches of paint, becoming a sort of mosaic of their own.
"Is there a particular topic you want to paint?"
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"Mmm... I know, but we have a promise," Matthew pointed out as he watched Judas bring their bag over to pull out some paint-stained clothes.
"I don't wear T-shirts..." the fallen deity said as he stared at offensive item of clothing in his hands before his eyes were drawn to Judas changing into their painting clothes instead. The vampire made for a much better view.
"I hadn't thought about that... But I do know that something like fruits would be easiest because of their simpler shapes," he said because all those tutors managed to get some information through.
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"Not even if it's one of my T-shirts for painting so you don't ruin your sweater?" he countered, though with the face Matthew was already making, he wasn't sure if there was anything he could do to convince him.
"Fruits are easy because they're simple shapes and colors. As long as you can get the silhouette of an object and the primary colors, it's recognisable. You could do the basic shape of a tree, or flowers. Breaking it down to the simplest shapes helps." Judas had read far too many books about art, and watched a handful of Bob Ross episodes when he had the available time. "You could paint the Hereafter, a basic building with windows."
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"Hmm..." Matthew still had to think about wearing Judas' T-shirt and he placed it on the table next to the wine. "I'll chance it with my sweater..." He had never worn one of these before, preferring to keep his body hidden under long sleeves and sharp lines.
"How dare you call the Hereafter a basic building?" the fallen deity shot Judas a look of mock offence. "It is anything but. But I suppose I could try. I'll have you to help fix any mistakes I make anyway," Matthew finished with a smile and stepped towards the array of paints and brushes before them to pick out what he needed to use. "What are you going to paint?"
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"Suit yourself." Judas had learned the hard way that long sleeves always managed to get some kind of paint or dirt on them, and no matter how hard they tried to stay clean, they still managed to get some kind of splatter on themselves.
They laughed at the dramatic response. "I meant the shape." It was mostly rectangular, with some details scattered throughout, but rectangular tall buildings were easy to paint, and then add in a couple of windows. "It's not really your painting if I do it. Besides, it doesn't need to be perfect. Painting is about you creating something, not perfecting it." There certainly weren't any of his paintings that he would saw were perfect. Good, sure, or something he enjoyed painting, definitely, but not perfect.
"Well, I suggested the Hereafter for you, so why don't you suggest something for me to paint."
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"I know you did," Matthew responded with a smile. He was certain that if he looked pleadingly enough at Judas that they would help fix his painting anyway. It was something he would have to test out later.
"You can't tell me that. Don't you know that I'm a perfectionist?" he sighed, not that he actually minded much when it came to painting. Matthew knew where he talents lay and it was not on a canvas.
The fallen deity tapped on the canvas with a brush as he thought about it. He could be a little self-centred. Judas would not mind. "You could paint me," Matthew suggested with a sly smile.
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Was Matthew teasing him? It was different from their usual banter and he wasn't entirely sure.
"I suspected as much," they chuckled. "You'll have to let it go for one day. Think you can handle that?" It was their turn to tease him, though there would surely be more opportunities later.
"I think I've painted you enough times," he countered, meeting his sly grin with one of their own. "Unless you're planning to pose for me?"
-------
"Hmmm... We'll have to wait and see," Matthew replied as he picked up some paint to start squeezing it out on a palette. He was not a total newbie to painting so he knew the basics of what to do, but that was not going to last for long. It did not matter though, Matthew told himself because he did not enjoy not knowing what to do, this was supposed to be fun.
"I look different today. I'm wearing a sweater," the fallen deity countered, amused at the look on Judas' face. "It's not everyday that someone gets to see me so dressed down like this." It was also a way to ensure that Judas' eyes were on him at all times. Matthew was truly greedy for the attention. "You'll have to paint me while I'm painting," he added mischievously.
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It would be interesting for them to see how their painting session went, whether it devolved into perfectionism chaos or he managed to trust the process. Either way, they would enjoy watching him and his process. He chuckled and rolled his eyes, though they couldn't deny that he looked cute in a sweater.
"You're right. You should let me take a picture, to document this day in my history books," he teased, though they certainly would take a photo is he allowed it. "Well, I guess I'll have to." Moving to his canvas, Judas adjusted it so he would be facing Matthew, able to see him while he worked. They wouldn't get to see the fallen deity's progress, but they could check in if they had to. Next was their turn to prep their palette, picking an assortment of paints. They were nice quality ones, similar to the ones they could afford now so he would have fun getting to work with them. "You're not allowed to peek at my painting," he announced.
-------
"That painting of yours can be the documentation," Matthew answered cheekily as he threw Judas a sideways glance before turning to his own canvas.
"I know. I'll be good and only look at it after you're done," the fallen deity added as he used his brush to pick up some colour. He had picked out a few different ones, mostly shades of grey since the Hereafter was a white-coloured building and he started by laying down a big rectangular shape with a base colour before he glanced back at Judas so see their eyes on him and he smiled.
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"Guess I better make it good." The only problem was the time limit. They weren't going to be able to do every detail or the background, but if he focused on the main subject, they should be able to capture it accurately. They'd painted Matthew enough times that it was easy to get the basic details down on the canvas easily before they started taking their time and adding in the finer details. When their eyes met, they easily smiled back, feeling a brief moment of shyness like he'd been caught staring. It passed quickly as they went back to the canvas, wanting to capture his expression and focus.
-------
Matthew caught that brief moment and his eyes crinkled in amusement, but that moment soon passed and Judas was back to focusing on their painting again. That prompted Matthew to turn back to his own rectangle, picking up another colour to add broad shadows to the building. His tutors had really taught him well enough because he was slowly remembering some of their teachings.
An hour passed soon enough with them both concentrating on their own paintings, their eyes catching from time to time whenever Matthew looked over his shoulder to watch Judas watch him. It was admittedly a very nice feeling, one that sent a slight shiver down his back especially when Judas had that look of concentration on his face.
"Shall we take a break?" Matthew suggested as he placed his brush down on the easel. His own painting looked sort of decent, but he was curious to see Judas', even though he promised the vampire that he would not peek. "You can come over and give me some pointers, Professor Samara."
-------
It didn't take long for them to get lost in their work, falling into familiar habits as they painted, letting their mind empty as they added details in different colors and shades. Every few minutes, they would glance over at Matthew to check a detail before stepping back into the painting. Hearing the man's voice, he was pulled out of his painting trance and they lifted their eyes to him.
"Sure," he replied after a moment, setting his brush and palette down and wiping his hands off on his overalls. Judas stretched and moved away from his canvas to Matthew's side. They hadn't been sure what to expect, but he seemed to have figured out adding shadows decently well. "It looks really good," he replied, still looking it over before turning their eyes to him and giving him a smile. "I thought you said you were bad at painting."
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"Does it?" Matthew chuckled. "I guess all those half-baked lessons did pay off." His painting was definitely still rather amateur though, especially compared to the types of work Matthew coveted in the art world. "But it still wouldn't be something I'd hang up on my wall. This is much too simple..." he returned Judas' smile with one of his own.
This was actually really nice. The way they just spent an hour in silence, each concentrating on their own painting and nothing else was something Matthew never imagined he could do with someone else, especially given how all his previous attempts at learning how to paint ended up. He did not mind this one ending up like his old lessons though, his mind supplied him from its depths and Matthew had to shake his head of the thought.
"Drink?" he asked a bit too quickly as he stepped towards the wine table. "I've prepared different blood wines here. And also that new drink from Dr. Ambrose. Severine. Have you tried it before?"
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It was cute to think he'd managed to learn something during his lessons, even if they were sure they didn't end like a normal lesson would have. "I glad you at least got something productive out of your lessons," they teased. "That's because you have overly fancy tastes. I'd hang this on my wall." Art to them was more about the meaning that anything else, which made this one special.
"Sure." They followed behind him, moving towards the table. "I haven't yet. I was meaning to get some to try, I want to be able to give her my feedback. I still need to congratulate her on the release." They absently scratched their arm, feeling a tad sheepish now. "I've kind of dropped the ball on that one. I've been so busy with the Rubicund that I haven't been a good friend."
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"It's not overly fancy. I just know what I like," Matthew responded haughtily. He was not going to delude himself into thinking he was a talented painter by any means. "Would you? No, you won't. That'd be embarrassing..." he said and picked up a wine glass to pour out some of that Severine.
"Well then you can let her know after today," he said and handed the glass to the vampire. "I'd like to know what you think too..." the fallen deity said curiously because he had his own blood wine business to think of.
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"Yes, and that's high end fancy things," they countered, though their tone and smile was still teasing. "It's not embarrassing. You painting a place you love. I want to hang it on my wall." That was what some of his artworks were, places he loved that he was able to recreate through their eyes. Matthew's painting fit right in.
"That's because it's your competitor." There was no way it would replace real blood wine, but having something like this was a major benefit to vampires everywhere. They took a moment to smell the artificial wine before taking a sip. It reminded him more of how drinks tasted when blood was added in after the fact. "It's not bad."
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"But it will look so... For lack of a better word, basic, compared to everything else you've surely got going on.." Matthew said with a sigh. He was going to have to figure out how to make sure Judas did not go home with his painting.
"Not really..." he said. "I've heard a number of other vampires say that it doesn't taste good." Matthew watched Judas' reaction as he drank. "Really?" he narrowed his eyes a little at the vampire. "Would you drink this over real blood? My blood?" he asked and gave Judas a rather flirtatious look.
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"I like it because you painted it." Their views on art were vastly different, but that was what made them feel special whenever Matthew liked what they painted.
"It doesn't taste like blood. It tastes like blood watered down. That's probably why. When the only taste you have is blood, less of that taste is weird," they explained, hoping to make sense of it. Judas rolled his eyes playfully. "Nothing will taste better than your blood and you know it. But this isn't about taste. It's about availability and survival."
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"Hmm... Doesn't sound very appetising..." Matthew commented and sent Judas a pleased smile when they complimented his blood.
"There are still a lot of individuals who would be fine with vampires feeding on them. This Severine seems like it would go against your very natures..." he added and plucked the glass from Judas' hand to replace it with a different glass with regular blood wine. "I, for one, would be more than happy to feed you."
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They could only shrug. It wasn't meant to be a delicious drink, just a safe substitute for those who needed it. He was surprised when the glass was pulled away, intending to drink the whole glass but now there was a different one in his hand that he could smell right away was regular blood wine. "A lot of things we do go against our nature. It's a good idea for if there's ever a shortage again." Though they didn't complain about not having to rely on it themselves.
"Does that mean I should only be feeding on you?" They asked, intent on teasing him.
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"Assuming Doctor Ambrose is able to create this in large enough quantities," Matthew brought up. "And I don't think nourishing yourselves should be something you have to go against your natures for. It's like asking a lion to become vegetarian..." he added with a shrug.
The fallen deity's gaze fixed on Judas' as his smile widened. Now wasn't that a thought? "You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Matthew teased in return. "Whatever would I do if you kept me hidden away somewhere just for your consumption?" And now that supposed light-hearted teasing suggestion seemed like something Matthew would not mind roleplaying. Hell, he really needed to get his mind out of the gutter. They were supposed to be taking things slow and Matthew already felt like pouncing on Judas an hour into their date.
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"I understand why she did it. It's better than nothing, even if not everyone will want to utilize it." He didn't see it as going against their nature, not when there were many who detested them for their nature.
"You'd enjoy it just as much," they countered, meeting Matthew's gaze. He was saying a lot of suggestive things for someone who wanted to take things slow. There was a brief moment where the fallen deity's pulse quickened and they smirked to themselves, sure it was because of them. "I would take very good care of you."
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"Hmm..." It seemed like they were going to have differing views on this topic and while Matthew was not a vampire himself, he often found himself defending them, their way of life and how they were perceived by others. "Blood lite just seems like it could be used to muzzle, that's all."
Matthew reached out and placed a hand along Judas' forearm as he took a small step closer. "Oh yeah? And how would you do that?" he asked, enjoying the way Judas was currently smirking at him.
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"You should be happy there's not a soul lite," they teased, although they were sure if anything was going to be equivalent, it would probably be a vampire soul. "I don't think having more options is a bad thing."
Matthew was looking at him with far too seductive a gaze for someone who wanted to go slow. He was asking for it, though. Judas took a small step forward, closing more of the space between them as their hand went to his waist. "I would spend my days worshipping that gorgeous body of yours, and making sure I bite every one of your pulse points."
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Matthew was about to say that a lite soul would probably be a vampire's one, but he refrained from doing so. "You already have plenty of options."
The fallen deity felt a shiver run down their body from what Judas was saying. He was known to have a preference for vampires and with that most definitely came a biting, or rather, feeding kink. Matthew's hand moved to press gently against Judas' chest but it was not to push them away. "That's... That would be ideal," he said, leaning his face in closer to Judas' so that his breath could ghost across the vampire's lips. "I'd be a very willing captive."
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"Not everybody has a cute fallen who's willing to keep them fed," he teased gently, unable to keep from smiling.
He loved getting to hear Matthew pulse quicken because of him. It gave them a confidence nothing else ever did. How could this gorgeous man be flattered by them? Judas leaned in a little closer, letting their noses brush, before leaning back. "Alas, I am meant to take things slow, and that means no sensual kisses, no lingering touches and certainly no sexy biting."
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Matthew was waiting for Judas to lean in more, this sort of interaction was clearly what he was more used to over a date, but the vampire was soon pulling away. Judas had clearly remembered the ground rules Matthew made them both promise to adhere to which on hindsight he was finding a little ridiculous in the moment.
He made a noise as Judas pulled away, the hand he had against their chest twisting into the fabric of the vampire's shirt to keep them from going too far. "This kiss doesn't have to be sensual..." Matthew said as he leaned in to brush his lips against Judas'.
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The look on Matthew's face was worth having to pull away, especially when he was pulling him back in. They wondered how long it would take for the fallen deity to crumble and give up on his rules. Their grip tightened on his waist as their lips met. Where he would normally leaned fully into the kiss until he was breathless, this kiss stayed soft and gentle.
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They had not kissed in awhile, not since the wine festival when their kiss blew things up between them again. But now that things were different and they were allowing themselves this, this kiss spoke volumes.
Matthew could feel Judas' hand tighten around their waist, betraying how the vampire was feeling even if the kiss remained soft. The fallen deity wanted to deepen the kiss, but he also knew that he made them both promise to take things slow. His tongue slid gently against the seam of Judas' lips before he groaned and tilted his head to the side to break the kiss , his trembling body clearly betraying how much he was holding back.
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Of course it would only take one kiss to bring their guard down completely. Matthew has this terrible ability to disarm when with just one kiss, making them willing to give him whatever he wanted. How was he ever supposed to focus when he was kissing them like that? Even as their lips separated, it didn't stop their nerves from being on fire, acutely aware of everywhere their bodies touched.
"I thought you said it wouldn't be sensual?" he murmured, still a little breathless.
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"That wasn't sensual," Matthew said in defense of himself even when the sudden tension arising between them definitely said otherwise. His hand moved from Judas' chest up to the side of his neck, his thumb gently rubbing circles against the skin of his throat.
"Do you want to kiss me again?" he asked, eyes darting down to Judas' lips before they were slowly dragged back up to meet the vampire's gaze.
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"I can hear your heartbeat, you can't lie to me," he countered. The way he continued touching them only made it worse. "Of course I do, but if we kiss any more, I'm going to push you up against something."
-------
Matthew hummed softly, thumb still rubbing those gentle circles. He never could lie to Judas when they were like this. This whole promise of not getting to any of the 'bases' was evidently already shattered since kissing was the first one according to the people on the forums, but Matthew could still hold out against getting further. Right?
"Oh, you definitely shouldn't do that..." he said and took the initiative to reluctantly pull himself away from Judas. "As much as I'd really enjoy it. We should get back to painting."
-------
He knew that would be enough to get Matthew to behave. Not that he necessarily thought they had to, but he understood why he wanted to go slow and agreed with it. They'd been friends, and they'd slept together, but they didn't know how to be something in between that. Maybe these dates would help them figure that out. He was able to relax once there was a bit of space between them.
"Think you can manage on your own, or do you need me to help you?"
-------
Matthew eyed Judas after they stepped away from him, his fingers rubbing the sleeve edge of his paint-stained sweater as he thought about the question.
"I could always use some help," he said and turned to walk over to his canvas, a glass of wine in hand, knowing that Judas would follow. "I've gotten the base shape down, but I'm terrible at details. Will you help me paint them in?" Matthew asked because this would give them the chance to work on the same canvas as well.
-------
They indeed followed behind, their eyes moving to the canvas. It was a solid start, and he could see the perfectionism in the crisp corners of the building.
"You should start with figuring out where you want the windows to be. Maybe use a light blue-grey to map them out. You can always cover it with the base color if you don't like the placement." Judas spent a lot of his time changing color palettes around to make images a little more surreal, but he could still paint a decent building.
-------
"A light blue-grey?" Matthew looked down at the paints he had with him and came to the conclusion that he was going to have to mix them to get that shade.
"Will you help me mix the right colour?" he looked back at Judas with another tilt of his head, giving the vampire a look that clearly told them that he knew what he needed to do, but he wanted Judas to do it for him. "You've got a better artistic eye."
-------
The way Matthew looked down at his paint palette was so strangely cute and Judas couldn't help their small chuckle. Grabbing an extra palette knife, they put their hand under Matthew's to steady the palette as they took small scoops of paint, white, grey and blue, and placed them in a clear section before mixing them together and adding a little more to adjust.
"How's that? A satisfying glass color?"
-------
Feeling Judas' hand against his own had Matthew's cheeks warming again from their proximity. Why did he keep putting himself in this situation? And why was Judas so calm? He watched as the vampire mixed the colours to produce a perfect shade for the windows.
"Mhm..." he nodded as he dipped his brush in some of that paint. "Now how am I supposed to start?"
-------
If he was going to continue to ask for help, he might as well humor him. Still supporting the hand holding the palette, they moved to stand behind him, chest brushing against his back as their other hand reached over to help guide the the hand holding the paintbrush. Their lips were close to Matthew's ear so they didn't speak too loudly, instead gently guiding his hand with the brush up toward the canvas.
"Try to space the windows evenly," he directed. "They don't need to be too big."
-------
Matthew tensed for a moment when Judas moved behind him and when he felt their solid form behind him and his other arm moved around to help guide his brush, he knew that Judas was doing this on purpose. And Matthew found that he could not help but melt back against them when he felt Judas' breath against his ear.
"You know... This is usually when those lessons with my old tutors would get disrupted..." he said, turning his head towards Judas' face to bring their lips closer together. Promises be damned!
-------
Were they having fun teasing him? Absolutely. It wasn't often they had this kind of power and they wanted to enjoy it while they could. He was immediately giving in to the vampire's touch, leaning back against them and letting them guide his hand.
"And whose fault is that?" they asked, meeting his eyes with a slight smirk. "I'm just helping you paint. Unless." They brushed their fingertips down Matthew's arm, continuing down his torso and along his waist before purposefully brushing their hand over his groin through his pants. "I could take the edge off."
-------
Matthew's head fell back against Judas' shoulder when he felt their fingers tracing their way down his body. And when his find finally reached down between his legs, the fallen deity gasped. Judas was right. He was indeed very on edge, had been since before they started painting. He was surprised he had even lasted this long.
"Mmm.. I know we promised to take this slow, but all this painting has been quite stressful for me. I think I'd appreciate this offer..." the brush and palette were still in his hands, making it so that he would be unable to use them while Judas used his. So much for his their self control.
-------
All it took was one touch, one brush of their hand down his body, and Matthew was crumbling. He had every intention of behaving, it was just a little bit of fun teasing him. And if he gave in... well, that was fun, too. Judas pressed his lips to the fallen deity's neck, placing soft kisses there.
"Maybe I should touch you just like this," he hummed, palming the growing bulge in Matthew's pants, "and make you come all over your painting."
-------
Matthew moaned when Judas' lips placed soft kisses against his neck. This was definitely third base terroritory now that the vampire's hand was down there.
"You're terrible. Don't make me ruin my painting..." he panted softly. "I've worked so hard on it."
-------
It hadn't taken long for Matthew to start panting, ready to fall apart in their hands in they wanted. And they did want that. Their own hand moved to the fallen deity's waist, pulling loose the button on his slacks.
"Yes, you have," they hummed, pressing a kiss close to his ear. Once he had the waist of his pants loose, Judas slipped their hand in and continued to touch him though less fabric. "Which do you think breaks less of your rules? My hand or my mouth?"
-------
Matthew groaned when Judas' hand slipped inside his pants, the more intimate touch was definitely more welcome. The fact that they were still talking about his rules somehow made all of this even hotter, as if they still mattered when they clearly did not.
"Probably.. Your hand," Matthew whined, his hips bucking against that hand even though the idea of Judas' mouth was also extremely appealing. He did not even realise when the palette slipped from his hand until it hit the floor and splattered paint all over their pants. "Ah, fuck!" he cursed softly, but his now free hand moved downwards to cover Judas' to encourage it while the other reached back to tangle in the hair at the back of the vampire's head, the brush still in his grip.
-------
"Hand it is." The sound of the palette clattering to the ground was oddly cute, considering Matthew had shadows he often used to move things around as he pleased. Instead, he was so caught up in what Judas was doing that he didn't. He gave it a few moments before slipping his hand under the material of the fallen's underwear and wrapping his fingers around his length. "Should I make you come in your pants, or will you take them off for me?"
-------
Matthew's back arched when Judas' hand closed around him properly. "Hell. You're incorrigible..." he growled. His desperation was only because of how pent up he was feeling, nothing else, Matthew resolutely told himself.
He pushed his pants and underwear off with the hand that was covering Judas' before turning in the vampire's arms and sinking them both down to the newspaper-covered floor, any thoughts of their promise gone from his mind. He practically scrambled onto Judas' lap and leaned in to trace his tongue against their lips. He could not be the only one feeling this way. "Now make me come."
-------
He'd only had a moment to enjoy the freedom of movement for his hand when he was being pushed to the ground. It wasn't an unfamiliar feeling. Truthfully, it was Matthew's signature move, pushing them to the ground and climbing onto his lap. Still, they didn't fight it, their hands going to his waist. "That's what I was going to do. It's a little difficult in this position."
They had been enjoying holding him against their chest and planned on returning to that. Sitting up, he quickly scooped under Matthew's thighs and lifted him, turning him around on their lap and pulling him back against their chest, their lips returning to his neck and hand returning to wrap around his aching length. "Much better." He wanted to feel the heat of his body as it warmed with pleasure, and it had the added bonus of keeping the demon from touching them in return. If any of their own clothes were shed, they knew they wouldn't stop with just their hands.
-------
If there was one thing Matthew loved more than manhandling his lovers, it was being manhandled by them. Judas did just that when they refused to let him dictate how this was going to go because he suddenly found himself being picked up and turned around in the vampire's lap, his back against their chest as Judas recreated their previous position.
That simple act made his arousal spike and he whined when that hand closed around him again, his legs falling apart wantonly as he all but surrendered. He was not going to be able to do much to Judas like this, but it was clear that this was the vampire's intention. "Judas..." Matthew sighed, his face turning into Judas' so that he could nose along their cheek. "Please..."
-------
It was amazing how quickly Matthew gave in. Instead of fighting for control, he was letting Judas touch him as he pleased. That was thrilling enough for them. Their other hand was free to drag their fingers up and down the man's inner thigh, wanting to hear more of his beautiful noises and they focus their efforts on his length. They took up a steady pace, not too fast as he wanted to draw this out for a little while.
-------
It had been so long since they last did this together and there had been a time when Matthew truly believed that they never would again. But here they were and Matthew was torn between melting back against Judas and arching his back as their skilful hands worked his body.
His hand moved back down to cover the one Judas' hand around his arousal in an attempt to urge him to pick up speed. Matthew was more used to sex being quick, to getting his or his partner's pleasure out faster, so this drawn out pace had him squirming in the vampire's lap as the pleasure slowly built. "You're teasing me..." he breathed and made a point to push himself down against Judas' groin. Two could play at this game.
-------
Even as a hand wrapped around their own, nothing was going to stop him from doing as they pleased. They kept their pace the same, refusing to let the fallen rush this. "It's been well over a year since I've been able to touch you like this, and hear you sighing my name," they practically purred into his ear. "I'm going to take my time with you." Even as Matthew pushed back against him, the friction only strengthened their desire to make him completely fall apart.
Finally, they started to stroke his cock faster, pumping his fist around his needy arousal. "Moan for me." The tone was soft, but it was still a command. Judas wanted to hear every little noise that came from the man in front of him. He continued the fast pace, listening closely to Matthew's heart and his breathing. When it hitched, when they knew he was getting close, their hand suddenly stopped, denying him that release, at least for the moment.
-------
There was only so much Matthew could do in this position, especially with the way Judas had their arms around him. The hand that was covering the vampire's removed itself when it was clear that it was useless and he used it to ruck up his sweater instead, lifting it up over his stomach as he looked down to watch the way Judas' hand slid up and down his shaft. He did not need to do much to do exactly what Judas wanted, sighs and moans falling from his lips as the vampire continued to slowly take him apart.
The muscles in his stomach tensed when that cursed hand started to pick up speed and Matthew whined, his body trembling as the pleasure built and built. And he was about to tip over the edge, his breath coming in gasps when Judas' hand suddenly stopped. Matthew's body tensed, his hips moving as he tried to chase the release Judas was denying him. "What are you doing?" he whined, hands desperately grasping at whatever part of Judas he could reach. "Please, Judas, I need to... You're supposed to make me come."
-------
Thee was something so hot about the way Matthew couldn't look away from his own cock as Judas stroked it. He could see the sight over his shoulder, the two of them watching together. They were rewarded with beautiful sighs and moans that he wanted to keep all to himself.
That whine. If it was blood, it would have been the finest of flavours, and he would have become addicted in no time. "I'm going to." Their lips pressed to the fallen deity's neck, sucking a mark there before pulling away. It would fade quickly, but they would both know it had been there. "But you're going to come when I want you to." They placed a few more kisses to his neck as their fingers lightly toyed with his balls. After another minute or so, his hand returned to his aching length, fingers wrapping around it and beginning to stroke him once more.
-------
The coolness of Judas' lips against Matthew's neck had him shivering and he moaned when those lips closed against his skin to suck, drawing his heated blood just beneath the surface to leave a mark. Judas could be biting him too and yet he wasn't. How rude!
Matthew started squirming in Judas' lap when those fingers started up their teasing again. The brief respite had turned Matthew more desperate and when Judas' hand closed around him once more, he cried out the vampire's name as if they were his salvation. Shadows started curling around them as Matthew used his magic almost instinctively, one tendril snaking around Judas' hand to urge him on faster while others slid over and across Judas' body to tease and caress too. One of them even daring to venture between their bodies to rub at the vampire's own arousal. Matthew's plan was to turn Judas just as desperate, then maybe they would finally allow him his release.
-------
There were the shadows. They were amazed they hadn't appeared sooner, but Judas still didn't plan on letting him take control that easily. The speed of his hand slowly down once the shadow tendril wrapped around his hand. The one that slipped between their bodies and started teasing him in return was one he couldn't really stop, though he did enjoy the bit of pleasure it caused.
"Matthew," he chided, bringing his lips closer to his ear so he could speak even lower, drawing his full attention. "If you're going to rush me, I won't make you come at all."
-------
Matthew knew that if he really wanted to, getting Judas to do what he wanted would not be difficult, but that was what made this that much more fun and thrilling. The fallen deity trusted the other enough to surrender himself completely, giving Judas all the control was equal parts liberating and just extremely sexy.
He whined when Judas' hand slowed down, his thighs flexing as he tried arching his hips upwards because of that voice against his ear... Matthew could feel his own heart threatening to beat out of his chest with how physically riled up he was, but all he could do was turn his face towards Judas' once more, his heated breath ghosting against the vampire's lips. "I'll be good..." he breathed and his shadows retreated just enough, but not completely, to stop inhibiting Judas' movements. "I promise."
-------
They were not backing down, intent on keeping control of the situation. If Matthew just wanted to get off, he could do that himself. But, if he let them, they'd take very good care of him. They could see the darkness in his eyes, the aching need in the way his eyelids fluttered as their gazes met. Their eyes stayed locked on him, feeling the shadows retreat slightly though he could see they hadn't entirely disappeared in the corner of his vision.
"Let me take care of you." Judas pressed a small kiss to his lips before nipping at the bottom one, pulling it into their own mouth for a brief moment before releasing it. Their movements restarted, stroking his arousal a little slower than before at first, but it wasn't long before it was back at the previous quick pace.
-------
Matthew nodded his assent, his hand moving up to tangle his fingers in the short hairs at the back of Judas' head when they kissed. And when their hand picked up again, he arched his back and his legs could not decide if they wanted to part even more of squeeze shut. They settled for trembling instead as Judas' hand brought his ever increasing pleasure up to new heights.
"Judas..." Matthew breathed, his eyelids fluttering as he tried to keep them open. He was so close. "Judas, I'm going to..." he gasped, his chest rising and falling as he was forced to take harsher and harsher pants.
-------
He much preferred Matthew holding onto him with his hands as opposed to his shadows. Even without him saying it, they could hear it in his heartbeat and feel it in the way his muscles tensed. For a moment, they considered letting him fall apart but then they decided against it. He wanted to see if Matthew could handle one more.
Their hand dropped away from his length, both hands moving instead to his thighs and pulled them open further, holding them there as they trembled. "When I let you come, I'm going to bite you and taste how good I made you feel."
-------
Matthew was going to explode, both literally and figuratively, as Judas continued to deny him again. He practically sobbed when the vampire's hand drew away, his hips wanting to buck once more but those same hands were now parting his legs and holding him in a way that prevented him from doing so.
Judas had never treated him like this before, taking charge and not giving in to Matthew's usual antics and demands, and as torturous as it felt, the fallen deity was loving it. And now that Judas was stating exactly what they were going to do, Matthew felt like he was about to go crazy. They both knew how much Matthew enjoyed being bitten like this and those words only made him more desperate. "When...?" he asked shakily and nodded, his hands clutching at Judas' arms, both squeezing and twisting in his flesh as his body trembled. "When will you let me come?"
-------
Despite how wracked with need Matthew was, he was keeping his promise and not trying to wrestle control from them. "Soon," they promised, lips skimming down his neck. "Close your eyes."
Slowly, he dragged his hand down his thigh and back up his shaft, fingers curling around him easily. Judas was also breathing a little heavier, their own desire building in their chest but not for their own body. They needed to see Matthew completely come apart.
They started slowly, testing just had wound up the fallen deity was. Soon, they were pumping their first around his perfect cock, thick and aching. "I love watching your hips buck into my hand," he purred into his ear. "I love hearing you pant and beg for me." Lips pressed cool kisses to his feverish skin, stealing the warmth for themselves. Their other hand moved to rest against Matthew's abdomen, feeling the way his muscles tensed.
For a long moment, he said nothing, simply pleasuring the man in front of him. Finally, he whispered in his ear once more, giving him permission. "Come for me, Matthew." And when he did, Judas sunk his teeth into his neck and let blood rush over his tongue.
-------
A loud whine fell from Matthew's lips when Judas' hand dragged up his body to close around his aching arousal once more, his body twitching from the sensations where it was definitely not enough but also too much. Matthew was fully leaning back against Judas now, his breath ragged as he took deep breaths through his mouth, eyes starting to blur as they were trained on Judas' hand as it moved up and down, up and down.
He whimpered when Judas' other hand splayed across his stomach, desperate sounds continuing to rise up in the air around them as Judas continued to draw out his pleasure and he closed his eyes. And when those words -- that sweet, sweet permission -- finally came, Matthew cried out as Judas' fangs broke skin and he came, his body bucking and doing as he was told to spill himself over and over into and onto his lover's hands.
Matthew was keening softly as he collapsed bonelessly against the solid form behind him, moisture trapped between long lashes as his eyes slowly fluttered open and savoured the sensations of bone-deep relaxation and Judas feeding on him. This sensation was something the fallen deity felt was as close to true peace that he could get and he sighed contentedly. "I'm glad we didn't keep that promise..." he said softly, happy for Judas to take as much as he wanted from him.
-------
The ecstasy flowing through Matthew's veins was unlike anything he'd tasted before. If he was going to become addicted to blood, it would be this specifically. They drank their fill before removing their fangs from his neck, tongue dragging over the mark until it closed.
His arms loosely wrapped around Matthew's waist, enjoying holding onto him like this. Judas nuzzled his face against the fallen deity's neck, savouring his warmth. "Of course you are," they chuckled. "I'm surprised you held out as long as you did."
-------
Matthew's fingers started tracing against Judas' forearms as he caught his breath, that feeling of relaxation slowly lifting, still leaving him in a relatively pliant state. "What a rude thing to say. I have self control..." Although clearly not much of it.
He turned his face towards Judas' once more to eye the expression on their face. "Did you manage to...?" Matthew asked since his focus was entirely on his own pleasure given what Judas was doing to him.
-------
Judas laughed, unconvinced by the response he received. If this was what he considered self control, then they would have to be concerned. Thankfully, it was simply fuel to tease him with. "Mmm, and that self control is splattered all over our hands," they countered, pressing another small kiss to his neck.
"No, but that wasn't the point. I'm fine." They weren't nearly as pent up as Matthew had been, and the friction hadn't been enough to leave them aching and needy.
-------
"I'd say that this is your fault," Matthew countered with a light sigh, enjoying the feel of Judas' lips against his neck and he waved a hand so that his magic cleaned up any evidence of his lack of self control quite nicely.
"Are you sure?" The fallen deity tended to get selfish and self-centred when it came to himself and his own pleasure, but that did not mean that he enjoyed leaving his partners unsatisfied. What would that mean about his own skills? "You could have your way with me given how agreeable I am right now..." Matthew teased as he lightly stretched like a satisfied cat in Judas' arms before turning around to get on his knees, one hand moving down between the vampire's legs, slipping past the waistband of their pants to curl around Judas' arousal.
-------
"I physically caused it but it's most definitely your neediness at fault." Judas had been doing their best to be good, it was Matthew who couldn't hold out. Not that they minded, they'd wanted to touch him. They'd wanted to hear him moaning their name again.
"I was trying to respect your rules and take things slow. I don't think having my way with you would be considered going slow." There was no stopping Matthew when he decided what he wanted and soon there was a hand teasing them and they sucked in a breath. "Matt," they warned. He'd been able to keep things controlled because they hadn't given in to their desires.
-------
"Judas..." Matthew said in response as he watched the different ways Judas' expression changed once his hand ventured down there.
"That we've gotten to third base already isn't slow," the fallen deity grinned. What he had learned about bases from those forums was really coming in handy. "Are you saying that we should be going slower?" For someone who came up with the rules to go slow, Matthew seemed to have completely dismissed them in favour of Judas' pleasure.
-------
They couldn't deny that Matthew's touch was making their length harden, eager to feel more even when his mind protested.
"Are you saying you don't care about going slow anymore?" It wouldn't be just like them to jump forward and forsake the other things. "I'm willing to wait to be pleasured by you if it means strengthening our relationship."
-------
Matthew was more than happy to throw the promise he made them both promise out the window in that moment, but when Judas was somehow able to be the voice of reason, it gave the fallen deity pause.
"No, I'm not. But don't you want release as well?" he asked. Matthew was not used to his partners holding back either, not when all of his previous experiences had been about mutually getting off. It felt odd not to give in return despite what they promised one another.
-------
Matthew looked almost confused and they couldn't help their small chuckle. A hand lifted to the fallen deity's cheek, pulling him into a slow but deep kiss.
"Maybe after we're done painting." Judas was feeling more committed to taking things slow than ever, not wanting this to go the way their previous attempts at becoming closer had. After all the trouble and hurt he'd caused, he couldn't risk ruining things again.
-------
Matthew's eyes lowered to half mast when Judas pulled him in for a kiss and he watched the vampire from beneath his lashes, a soft moan escaping him as they parted.
"Right. Of course," Matthew said as he drew his hand back. He still had to think about it for a moment, his mind wrapping itself around the idea of waiting even if it was exactly what he initially wanted them to do before he got distracted. "I guess someone has to keep us in check." And it was certainly not going to be Matthew.
-------
When Matthew was no longer touching him, he was able to let out a shaky breath. There was no way they would have been able to hold out much longer. They adjusted a bit before relaxing again, watching the fallen deity. "I didn't think it was going to be me, but I guess I can handle that." They pressed another small kiss to his lips. "We should get back to painting, though. Otherwise I'll have a half-finished Hereafter painting hanging on my wall."
-------
"Hmm... I don't know how I thought it'd be me either," Matthew confessed after Judas graced him with another small kiss, speaking genuinely about his own flaws in a moment of rare truth.
Matthew pulled away and reached out for his discarded pants to pull them on. "I still don't know how I feel about you hanging this on your wall. It's not good enough..."
-------
Judas was soon back on his feet, offering his hand to Matthew to help him up as well. "I want it because you made it, regardless of how it turns out." It would be a reminder of their first real date. "Do you still want help, or do you think you can manage painting some windows?"
-------
Matthew took Judas' offered hand as he got up to stand before stepping closer to press their lips together once more to give them a deep kiss. There was something about the way Judas decided to get them back on track that warmed Matthew's cold heart. It was like they were both working towards something together and the fallen deity was grateful for it.
"You know I'd want you to stay here. But you should get back to your painting. I can handle some windows," Matthew said after he finally pulled away from the kiss.
-------
He hadn't expected another kiss but they didn't shy away from it, leaning into it and letting Matthew steal their breath away yet again. Their heart thumped in their chest, powered by the demon blood in their veins.
"I hope so, otherwise I'll never finish this portrait," he replied with a small chuckle. Hopefully they could keep from getting too distracted again. Judas pressed one more, albeit softer, kiss to his lips before stepping away and going back to his canvas. There was a warmer, more relaxed look to Matthew now that he wanted to capture.
-------
Judas did indeed do wonders with taking the edge off and when Matthew stepped back up to his canvas, the self-consciousness he felt from having the vampire's eyes on him had dissipated.
They spent the next hour in relative silence as they each focused on their own paintings. But Matthew was not an artist the way Judas was and he gradually got more restless as his painting progressed and he was left more unsure of where to take it. He kept glancing back at the vampire, only to witness the look of pure focus on Judas' face.
-------
It was nice to get back to painting. They always found the activity relaxing, taking their mind off of anything and everything, though it was hard to clear their thoughts completely when they were frequently looking over at Matthew while they painted his portrait. Eventually, their eyes met and he could see the fallen deity was not nearly as at ease as they were. "Is your painting done?" he asked, attempting to prompt the other man to tell them his thoughts.
-------
"I suppose..." Matthew replied as he angled himself towards Judas and tapped his paint brush against his chin. The painting definitely still looked like more could be done to make the details pop, but the fallen deity did not know how to go about that. "I feel like I might ruin it if I did anything more."
-------
They paused for a moment to watch his action, looking wonderfully cute and artistic at the moment. "Add small white highlights to some of the edges. That'll probably do the trick." Highlights, lowlights and midtones, all the key ingredients to a good piece of art. As for their own painting, they were adding high lights of their own. They'd done their best to get too deep into details, otherwise it wouldn't be finished in one sitting.
-------
Matthew nodded and turned back to his painting to add the highlights to the windows. His painting had veered into impressionist territory by now, or that was at least what he was trying to go for, and adding the highlights did help bring it to life. He spent another fifteen minutes on the windows before he declared that he was done.
"There's only so much painting I can handle," Matthew said as he placed his palette and paint brush down before turning to Judas. "How is your painting coming along?"
-------
The suggestion helped keep Matthew focused for a little while longer, enough time for them to put their own finishing touches on their portrait. Judas chuckled, setting his own palette down and wiping his hands on his overalls. "I think I'm done, too."
-------
Matthew shot Judas an eager look as he turned towards him. He had kept this promise, at least, and not snuck a peek at their painting. It was a small win he was going to take. He made his way over to Judas' easel and when he finally laid his eyes on the painting, it took his breath away. "That's beautiful..." Matthew said softly, his hand sliding into Judas'.
-------
He chuckled as he saw the look on Matthew's face, clearly excited. He didn't think there were many who would be as excited to be a painting of themselves. They watched him closely, wanting to see his reaction. It wasn't the greatest thing they'd ever painted, but they were proud of it for having done it in only a few hours. Once their hands were together, they gave it a small squeeze. "It helps that I had a very beautiful subject."
-------
Matthew laughed softly at the compliment. "Why thank you." Being painted was nothing new to the fallen deity, but seeing himself through Judas' eyes was what really mattered. "Me strong arming you into painting me aside, it's truly beautiful. You're very talented, Judas," he said because it needed to be said.
Carmen had been hoping for some peace and quiet from the hustle and bustle of the last day on set. While it was an exciting adrenaline rush, she also liked the opportunity to sneak a rare piece of chocolate or two and have five minutes alone.
It was what made her roll her eyes when she heard the knock at her trailer door, but her expression quickly softened when she recognised the voice, however surprised she was to find him there on their set. “Adam,” Carmen’s smiled brightened up her face, allowing herself to enjoy the easy way he called her ‘sweetheart’ and the way it made her heart flutter. “What are you doing here?” She flattened out the green of her dress as he stood to greet him.
“It’s going okay, I think. I was just sneaking in a snack before we start up again.” It was lots of dancing in the scene, which Carmen enjoyed. Her hands rested on Adam’s chest and she leant up to softly peck him on the lips.
"How is your day going?" She asked him, not moving from her spot close to his chest.
Having her beautiful smile directed at him felt like an honor he had to earn daily. "I wanted to see you, and I thought now would be a good time." It was too bad he wasn't working on the same set she was, but maybe it was for the best, lest he get distracted by her while they had to work. Besides, he wouldn't be able to keep from staring and that would definitely ruin any concept of keeping things private.
"Good idea, you need to keep your energy up." His hand instinctively went to her waist as their lips met, steadying her as she reached up and he leaned down.
"It's going well. Some hitches here and there, but when isn't there in film business," he replied with a light chuckle.
He was working on a different set, but it wasn't like his active participation was needed. Instead, he asked one of the crew to let him know if the team working on Grease took a break. They were nice enough to humor him, letting him know when that crew was taking a lunch break. Adam knew he'd be able to find her in her trailer, likely trying to relax for a short while.
"Carmen?" he called gently as he knocked, opening the door to step inside. When he saw her there, he felt his body relax, calmed by seeing her even if it ended up being a brief visit. "Hey, sweetheart," he hummed, a warm smile on his face. She looked so cute in her bright outfit. "Having a good day?"
Name: Adam Issawi
Age: 41
Role: Production Designer
How Long They Have Been Working in Hollywood: 10 years
Bio:
Art was always their passion. As a young child, it was their way of expressing themselves. They would often go to work with their parents and quietly sit under their desk coloring. As they got older, they kept their passion as a hobby, a motivator, while they progressed into the work force but it was never really enough to keep them happy. Still, they had to work to support himself, doing menial desk jobs and labour work. That was until he made friends with one Elliot Atwood that his future shifted.
He got a job working on set pieces at first, but over the years, his hard work and dedication, as well as their eye for detail and unique perspective, allowed him to slowly move up the ranks. This production was their first as the Production Designer, and it's safe to say they are truly in their element now.
Connections:
Elliot - see above! fave person probably
Carmen - girlfriend
"No, but one can never be too sure," Matthew responded with a light dismissive scoff because there had been a little nagging voice inside his mind that did indeed question if Judas would appear or not. It was a good thing that he could now tell it to shut up.
"I know, but you told me to set this up. I couldn't impose on you," he added and turned to head towards the table of wine in an attempt to hide the flush on his face from the clear compliment. Matthew was feeling a little out of sorts, and all because of this invisible added pressure of this being a date.
"I figured that we can spend the afternoon painting. It's something I'm rubbish at, but you enjoy it more than enough for the both of us," the fallen deity explained as he poured out two glasses of wine for them.
"I would never stand you up," they promised, their tone as affectionate as it was stern. It was not in their nature to dismiss something he put time and effort and planning into for them.
They chuckled and followed toward the table. He had done a fine job getting everything organized. From the brief glance around, it looked like they had everything they needed.
"Are you expecting me to give you a lesson in painting?" They teased, stopping at the table beside him. Judas certainly would enjoy it, he always enjoyed the time he spent painting whether the painting turned out good or not. "You could have picked something you're good at. I wouldn't have minded."
Caleb lowered the gun once he was done and his paper target started zipping back towards him, showing that all the bullets had landed on various parts of the target's chest, all hitting the mark.
"Thanks, Judas," the wolf said as he turned towards him. "I appreciate it." Caleb contemplated for a moment around bringing up what he was going through with his family and his relationship with Naz. There weren't many people he felt comfortable bringing it up with, especially if it had to do with his complicated family, but Judas did offer.
Of all the wolves out there, Caleb was one of the few he tolerated, and the only one he liked. Thank god for that, because Naz really liked him, and it would be an issue if Judas didn't like her new boyfriend.
"Hmm? Oh, good. Great, honestly. It's an amazing house, and she took over most of the decorating. It's the nicest place I've ever lived in." They chuckled softly to themselves. "You should come visit. The three of us should have dinner. Or you two could, and I could just hang out, I guess." He might end up being the third wheel, but they were both too nice to let that happen.
This trip was more for Judas than it was her. Her friend had but their life on the line for her already and Naz wanted him safe as well. It was just gun's that she hated, feeling a strong aversion to the thing that was used to hunt her when she was alive. "I suppose that means I'm also not trained ballerina then," she replied, sighing for dramatic effect. The spirit was glad for any excuse to delay shooting the weapon, especially now that it was in her hand.
"That's not comforting," she muttered. Stepping up to the right spot, Naz aimed the weapon forward and adjusted as Judas guided her through it. Her eyes squeezed shut as she pulled the trigger, feeling the force of the shot push her back a step. When her eyes opened, she hadn't hit anywhere near the target at all.
"Maybe I shouldn't close my eyes next time?" she suggested.
"No, but you could make an excellent ballerina in any life," he replied, offering her an encouraging smile. Judas watched her closely, noticing how tense she still was, although he didn't expect her to be comfortable anyway. They kept quiet, not wanting to make a single discouraging sound by accident. "Probably. You know it doesn't disappear when you close your eyes? Not everything is as intangible as you," he teased gently.
"Think about the people you care about, who you want to protect, and focus on that feeling. It'll help."
“True.” Victoria agreed, hoping that she was sufficiently concealing any insecurities she might have felt about the subject with the confidence in her voice. Perhaps if she had been better at keeping her own emotions under control, she wouldn’t have died quite as soon. Still, she could be proud of her achievements at the Sanitorium, if nothing else.
The spirit gave a faint laugh, “Maybe with more alcohol in tow.” She humoured them. Sometimes Victoria did wish she could be more honest about her past but the feeling quickly passed when she remembered what that would likely mean for her.
"We can always go out drinking after this, I don't have any plans." Maybe some drinking and light socializing would be good for them. If their presence in the shooting range wasn't enough of an indicator of their mental states, the seriousness they took the activity with would have been. "I brought Naz here, to show her the ropes." He was telling Victoria because she would likely feel the same about the subject, it never hurt to arm themselves.
Elijiah nodded at Judas's answer, furrowing his brow. That could indicate something about how they were making these weapons,or that there was a specific spell they were using. "This is an insensitive question, so I apologize, but when artemis attacked you before, did the wounds leave a scar then?" He remembered helping Kang after that spate of attacks and recruiting the spirit into his coven as a dream magic teacher, but spirits and vampires were different enough that what they'd learned from Kang might not apply here. Still, it was worth offering. "Some of my healers might be able to help with that if you'd like to contact them."
"Yes," he replied simply, lifting his chin to show the scar on his neck. "It was a dagger that time. I think I still have it somewhere, or Matthew does." It was clearly a pattern, weapons enchanted to be dangerous, though the weapons themselves were getting increasingly more dangerous. "No offense, but I'm not a bit fan of witches. And I've spent enough time and money inking up my body that I'm not all that bothered by the scars anymore. I think there's some saying... scars are proof of survival, or something like that."
"I know how to work one," Caleb reassured Judas with a light laugh. His mother had made sure he learned about human weapons from a young age.
"Yeah?" He watched as Judas fired the remainder of their bullets. Pissed off seemed to be an understatement given how the vampire was behaving. But that thought flew from Caleb's mind when Judas said Augustine's name. The wolf tensed for a moment before schooling himself into some semblance of calm. No one apart from the Council knew that Augustine was technically still alive, but it did not stop Caleb from feeling guilty about keeping it a secret.
"I appreciate it. We're doing okay... Faye took it the hardest." Of course she would. "And, uh, Gwen's left the city, but I'm sure she'll be back at some point. Other than that, we're coping... I guess." What else could he say? Caleb had not seemed particular sad himself given what he knew and how difficult it was for him to fake an emotion he was not feeling, but Judas did not need to know that.
"Thank you for asking. You're a good friend, Judas," he said as he stepped up next to the vampire and picked up the gun on the counter, after which he immediately unloaded the entire clip into the paper target down the lane.
"Good," he replied, glad to know that even if he got depowered, Caleb would be able to protect himself. And Naz, that was important too.
He noted the way Caleb tensed, but didn't read into it. It was likely still a painful topic and the wolf was normally very reserved, so having something so vulnerable be public knowledge was probably stressful on top of being painful.
"If there's ever anything I can do, for any of you, please let me know." They may not have gotten along, but Judas had a quiet respect for everyone who came out of Zamok and tried to better themselves. The vampire stepped aside, giving Caleb the lane. They didn't go far, standing back and watching, just in case they might have some pointers for him. They weren't an expert by any means, but they wanted to help, if he could.
for: @judassamara
location: an art studio in garond
Ever since Matthew suggested during the Ice Festival that he and Judas take things slow and with a fresh start of getting to know each other, it seemed to have fallen on him to plan their first date. Saying that it was stressful for Matthew would have been an understatement, because the fallen deity did not have the habit or much experience when it came to dates, a human ritual that he had watched play out many times in those romance movies he secretly enjoyed.
It took Matthew a few weeks to finally decide on an activity they could do together and when the day came, he got Judas to meet him at an art studio that could be rented by the hour. Matthew had booked it for full twenty-four hours just in case, and arrived earlier to boss the studio owner around to help him set up the space. Canvases were set up on easels, paints and brushes on tables and newspaper papered the floor before he sent the human off. Glasses and bottles of blood wine and regular wine sat on a separate table and Matthew was moving them this way and that, trying to get them to sit perfectly when he heard a knock on the studio door.
He padded over to the door, already dressed in a soft, worn sweater that he did not mind getting dirty and a loose pair of old slacks. "Hi," Matthew greeted Judas when he opened the door to usher the vampire inside. "You made it," he smiled, cheeks warming just a little to betray how he was feeling. "Come in."
They had wanted Matthew to plan the first date for a couple of reasons. They wanted it to be the right pace for him, not too soon but still something they could enjoy together. Knowing them, it would have been the next day if he had the time for it. Instead, he left it in Matthew's hands, letting him set the bar for what their dates would look like. When they'd finally received a date, time and location, they couldn't help but laugh. Still, they showed up, wearing their usual casual clothes but the shirt was one he already worn for panting and he'd brought his painting overalls in case it seemed like they'd be making a mess. Now that they had the money to afford nice clothes that they liked, they took care not to ruin them. They brought an extra shirt in case the fallen deity didn't have anything he didn't want to stain.
His assumption seemed correct when Matthew appeared, though he looked far more casual that they have ever seen him. "Hi," Judas greeted in return, stepping inside once he was invited in. "Were you expecting me not to?" he teased, setting his bag down. "I have my own studio we could have used, and yet you still went to all this trouble. You're so cute."
"I try." She chuckled at being called amazing, the self confidence that Max often had on display had been sorely lacking in the past few months. Life was a mess and they just were trying to scramble through it. After all if they couldn't show up for their friends then how could she ask them to do the same. "You got it. Legos it is." She pulled out the set for the tuxedo cat and a little fold out table they could work on. Was she over prepared..... maybe
"When I was in college I had this girlfriend she was so sweet and she'd always buy me legos when I was stressing over a piece. Said something about the simple task of following the instructions helped her think." She shrugged, it had worked really well it was a shame the girl had decided that Vievecor was too much. Not that Max could blame them. "I feel like this is a dumb question but I gotta.... You've built legos before right?"
He watched her set up the table, amazed at how prepared she had been for this. They would have to take a page out of her book and figure out how to be a good, supportive friend for when it would inevitably be his turn.
"That's really cute," he replied, imagining a younger Max stressed over her school work and doing legos in her living room. "Uh, no? I mean, I've seen them before but they weren't a thing before I was locked up." It was something they certainly wanted to try, to see if it was an activity they would really like or if one time would be enough.
