#ft. valentin

[magnais]

for @valentinsocorro

Christmas, Magnai had assumed, was at least a one-off. Not once in their long acquaintance had the varcolac seen Spain's councilman dress in such a fashion and on the heels of their last conversation, he'd nearly felt like he was being baited. Was that a bad thing? Magnai hadn't determined his answer yet, but he'd given it a good shot eyeing all that bare expanse of back across from the Christmas banquet. He hadn't said a word, though. Wrong place, wrong time. And he might not have been the one Valentin was trying to bait, either way.

Now Magnai didn't really care if it was intended for him or not. He'd caught enough glimpses of the elder all evening to drive the alpha like a hound on a scent, followed it all the way outside to where Valentin was presumably waiting on the fireworks, that pensive look as ever in his gaze. Magnai didn't hesitate, at Valentin's elbow in a handful of strides, his voice gruff, "When the hell did you start this?" Emboldened by Valentin's teasing the last time they'd talked and the illusion that they were alone, at least for the moment, Magnai reached up and rubbed one of the pearls hanging from Valentin's ears between his fingers, tugging lightly before he dropped his hand, eyes flicking to his face from where they'd be decidedly lingering on his chest. "You bolstering support for an upcoming table vote, councilman?"

[adrasian]

for @valentinsocorro

Tucked off to the side of the sparring rings, Adrasia watched the vampire train and longed for his sword. He'd relinquished it long before the castles had gotten ahold of him but the celestial had never forgotten the feeling of the weapon in his hand, an extension of his will and his body, effortless. He thought perhaps the councilman understood that feeling as time slipped by watching Valentin pace through his exercises.

It had been unintentional, this voyeurism. Adrasia above all despaired at idleness and now that he was Roland's, there was a remarkable amount of time given to him for whatever the angel desired. The gymnasium was one of the simplest ways to make that time disappear, if he could tailor his visits to when it was most likely to be empty. The weariness of physical exertion never used to matter to Adrasia, but now it almost felt like a challenge to prove to himself he wouldn't succumb to something as trivial as an aching in his limbs. He was not alone, though, today. He had thought to slink by unnoticed until he had realized what the councilman was up to and spied the training weapon in his hand. Some fought here for entertainment, yes, but Valentin was alone and moved as grimly as if he was readying for war. Adrasia stared and felt the echoes of his own time as a soldier and wondered what the other man was training for.

Caught in his own thoughts, the celestial nearly startled when those cat-like eyes landed on him at the end of a form and he realized immediately that Valentin had known he was not unobserved. "Pardon the interruption," Adrasia stepped back, trying not to look as wary as he felt - he knew little of Spain's councilman, besides his reputation, "I was only observing. It is a rare thing to witness such fine swordplay these days." It was a sincere comment, rather than fawning. He would always recognize skill no matter its origin, even as he considered how a man like Valentin would doubtlessly have earned it.

[magnais]

for @valentinsocorro

It was just past dawn when Magnai felt the first true pangs of his rut take hold. He recognized it by the gnawing drive that couldn't be flesh-hunger, not after the way he'd gorged himself the night before anticipating what was to come. Denying himself had led to disaster before, so when the cravings found direction the varcolac let them lead him back into the castle, taking only the time to wash the hunt from his hands before his path led him towards the councilman's quarters. This was no unfamiliar craving either. It was one reason Magnai had long made an effort to rut with different partners every time, ones that would be far away when the cycle came around again: inevitably his instincts drove him first towards the ones the alpha had taken before to reassert his claim. A tricky thing if done at Krovs, when a slave could be owned by his next rut. But with another vampire...

Valentin's suite was quiet when Magnai let himself in, pale eyes gleaming in the half-light coming through the shaded windows. The ancient had given him a potent invitation not so long ago. He remembered the heaviness of Valentin's stare when he'd said it, intoning that Magnai was welcome to his bed any time he wished it. Enticing on any given day. Inevitable now, when the alpha could just as vividly remember the way Valentin had whined beneath him the first time he'd taken him in rut. He didn't hesitate even in the dark bedroom, seeing the gentle shape of the other's body beneath the covers, for once taking the rest Magnai knew he denied himself just as often as he refused to feed.

Valentin's scent only grew stronger as Magnai slunk into his bed, mud-caked boots abandoned on the carpet, stripped already to the waist as he leaned over him. He savored the lingering of his own scent on Valentin's sheets, the mattress sinking under his weight as one hand crept to the ancient's side. The heat of anticipation thrummed through him like a heartbeat, heady and invigorating. But there was no specter of rivalry lurking now as with the first time, no latent aggression. A low hum rose in Magnai's throat at the first brush of contact before his hand vanished beneath the sheet, thumb tucking into the waistband of the other's sleep-pants to draw them down over Valentin's hip. He said nothing to announce himself, only curled his fingers in the Spaniard's hair to loll Valentin's head his way, tongue tracing the line of his jaw before his mouth met the other's. Magnai felt it his right to claim that too, parting Valentin's pliant lips, licking deep with the blood of his hunt still lingering on his own tongue, lining the jagged edges of his fangs with red. The swell of the alpha's cock pressed into Valentin's thigh as Magnai's hands travelled between the other's legs, stroking over his soft length with the flat of his palm. Here was a feast laid out for him -- he only had to take it.

[magnais]

for @valentinsocorro

It was a matter of time until they saw each other again, as doggedly as Magnai had been avoiding the councilman. He'd humiliated himself thoroughly, said several things that shouldn't have been voiced, no matter if they were true. If Valentin still wanted anything to do with him, surely he would have approached the varcolac himself by this time, Magnai was certain. He would wait, stoic as he ever was, to see if there was any salvaging the camaraderie between them or it he should satisfy himself with distant professionalism from hereon. That would not have been so horrible, he argued with himself, it was Magnai's natural state, after all. Still, it had seemed like Valentin had wanted to indulge in something more. Something different.

Brooding on such fraught, emotion-based quandaries was not the alpha's way. What's done was done. But he still felt that stiff discomfort in his spine when he first glimpsed the Spaniard across the ballroom, Valentin unmistakable to him even behind the dramatic mask. The long coat over his suit nearly looked like a housecoat instead, domestic and refined all at once. The thought only made Magnai feel more uneasy which in turn only ignited a stern determination, contrary against his own discomfort. If there was going to be professionalism, it would have to be addressed. Perhaps Valentin had not approached him because Magnai was on the hook for it first, having been in the wrong. He ground his teeth a long moment, irritated by the revelation, before he arranged the right words.

"Councilman Socorro," The words came out level as the alpha approached the elder, inclining his head, eyes lowered, "I won't disturb you for long." Magnai lifted his chin again, expression carefully blank beneath his mask. "I believe I owe you an apology for my conduct the last time we met. I have no intentions to repeat the behavior, be assured. And no ill will towards you for yours. It was... a reasonable interference." The slightest grimace creased his lips, "It won't happen again."