Knocking on the door of the general store, Felicie waited, hands behind his back as Morrel opened the door. “The door is opened you know, you don’t have to knock.” The red head told him, stepping aside to let the masked man enter.
“I know but I feel rude entering when it’s a home visit and not a store visit.” Felicie replied, removing his cape upon walking inside.
“You are much too polite, doctor.” Morrel said and shook his head. “But nevermind that, the tea is ready so please join me in the kitchen. My little assistant and I cleaned it up prior.”
“Oh, you have an assistant now?” Leading him off into the kitchen, Morrel grabbed the kettle from the stove top and poured the tea into two cups, setting one down in front of Felicie.
“Yes, I do. A little girl by the name of Nero. Perhaps you’ve seen her around town?” The doctor paused as he removed his mask, setting it carefully in his lap then added sugar to the tea.
“A little girl you say? I don’t recall seeing her.”
“One day you’ll see her in here.” Morrel said, taking a seat across from the other man and poured a few spoonfuls of honey into his drink.
The two fell into a comfortable silence as they drank their tea before Morrel spoke again, a small grin on his lips. “So...it’s the librarian that’s pregnant.” As he spoke the words Felicie choked, sputtering out his tea before wiping his lips. “Careful, doctor.”
“H-how did you know? I didn’t say!” Felicie cried, blank eyes wide in astonishment. Morrel chuckled, his grin growing as he held out the cup to his tail, the snake taking a few laps.
“You don’t have to say, Felicie. You came from the library bleeding and spoke of giving a woman advice on an abortion. It wasn’t that hard to put to two and two together. Plus, I was ever so lucky to have Quinn come for a little visit. That proved my assumption right.”
“You...you didn’t tell her that I…”
“No, don’t worry. I understand your need for patient privacy and all that. For all she knows, I’m just incredibly clever. And I am, mind you.” The doctor heaved out a sigh of relief, sipping his tea to calm himself. “Besides, Quinn can be a little intimidating and I wouldn’t want her to hurt my “friend”.”
Felicie shuddered as he spoke the word ‘friend’, claws clicking against the glass of his cup as he held it tighter, avoiding looking to the chimera. “I understand your concern, good doctor. But do you think she actually has the gall to go and do it?”
“I...would hope not. It is not something I condone in. Killing a child is one of the worst sins you can commit.” Felicie said, taking a quick glance to the chimera who smiled at him from ear to ear.
“Then tell me why am I not in hell yet?” Morrel purred, placing a hand under his chin and leaned in. “You know, doctor. I don’t understand your take on religion. You swear that there is a heaven, a hell, and a God. But from where we’re sitting, there is nothing of the sorts. No power above to punish us for our sins. No pearly gates, no lakes of fire. How do you still believe?” Felicie cleared his throat, sipping his tea as he thought of how to answer such a complicated question.
“Easy, Ronmorrel. It’s all about keeping your faith. As long as you continue to believe, then there will always be a God for you to watch over you. And eventually, we will both leave this purgatory to our final resting places. I continue to believe in hopes that I will find my path towards God and Heaven.”
“At the rate you’re going, doctor, you will be joining me in Hell.”
A red blush started at the tips of Felicie’s ears and once again, he looked away but continued to feel Morrel’s eyes staring at him. “Say, Felicie, speaking of which...when was the last time I got to taste the tea off your lips?” The Doctor could feel the blush spreading from his ears down to his cheeks, burning it’s way to his neck. “I still have some marks left over from those talons of yours.”
“Enough, Ronmorrel.” Felicie said, voice coming out in a breath of air as his hands shook, a lone streak of blood running from the scar under his eye.
“But why? You enjoyed it, did you not?” Looking over the top of his cup, Morrel narrowed his eyes, watching the other squirm under his gaze. “You tell yourself you won’t do it again, but you still end up here. I would almost say...you like sinning under the eyes of your Lord.” His voice lowered, the hiss of a snake wrapped in liquid silver. “You like to call my name out, to have Him hear you blaspheme His name on your tongue. You enjoy to use those claws to mark me, so that you’re not the only one bleeding when we are finished.”
“I-I said...that’s enough, Ronmorrel.” Felicie said but with no power underneath, tea forgotten as he dug his nails into his pants, piercing his own skin.
“I bet I can get you to say my name so much more passionately.”
Reaching over, Morrel dragged a finger under the bleeding wound then wiped it on the doctor’s lips. “Tell me...does your “sin” taste good? Knowing what I make you feel when no one is around?” He said, placing a hand under Felicie’s chin as the doctor licked his lips, swallowing thickly. “Does it?” Taking in a breath, Felicie stood up, jumping as his mask clattered to the floor.
“I...I should go.” He said, heart beating rapidly in his chest as he picked up his mask, stopping as he stared into the red eyes of the snake.
“Don’t go…”The serpent hissed, flickering it’s tongue at him. Breath catching in his throat, Felicie backed away, hitting against the cabinet and fell to his bottom.
“What’s the matter, good doctor? Scared of a little snake?” Morrel asked, rising from his seat and stepped towards the man, placing a foot between his legs and leaned down. “He won’t bite, I promise. But I on the other hand...well, you already bare my marks upon your skin.”
“Morrel...please…” Slowly dropping to his knees and sitting upon the doctor's waist, Morrel licked his lips, leaning his face close, letting their breath intermingle.
“Too late, Felicie...you’ve already crossed the line once you said my name.” He allowed their lips to touch, allowed his fingers to find their way into the blond’s hair, allowed the blood from the doctor’s lips to find it’s way onto his; allowed his doctor to find his way into temptation.