Tanzen-neko

Here is my Dec 14th entry for @voltage-vixen’s “Tis the Season for Smut 2.0″ Challenge. And I made it on time! Christmas miracle. Thanks to the ever awesome @voltage-vixen for the challenge. Hope you all enjoy!

Santa’s Little Helper (Shaw x MC)

MLQC

Tis the Season for Smut Challenge- Dec 14th:  “Why sit on Santa’s lap when you can sit on mine?”

Warnings: Semi-public sex, fingering, improper(?) use of evol (Full disclosure, I know nothing about electric sex toys. I just know they exist.)

“C’mon. Are you done yet or what?” Shaw’s irritated voice grated on your ears. Why or why had you asked him to come Christmas shopping with you? Was it because you kept canceling plans with him? No, that couldn’t be it. Shaw was notorious for texting you 20 minutes before whatever… activity you two had scheduled. And he never gave reasons! At least you were decent enough to explain why you couldn’t make it to a live that night, or the reason you couldn’t eat your weight in ramen. But Shaw was never that considerate. It was usually just a “change of plans. Contact you later” text. I mean, who was supposed to not worry with something like that?! You stomped your foot, before realizing you were in public. Hoping that your internal tantrum had gone unnoticed, you quickly shot a look around the mall. Luckily, none of the other last minute shoppers had seen your outburst. Shaw’s amused chuckle, however, alerted you to the fact that he had seen it all. Well, whatever. He should see it since he was the one who caused it. So instead of apologizing for your aggression, you tilted your nose up and headed to a rather garish and cluttered jewelry store. Kitty’s Corner was displayed proudly, the smell of bubblegum hitting your nose before you entered the store. It seemed like everything in sight was either pink or frilly, sales clerk included. She flashed you a bright smile as she twirled her curly pink locks. You smiled back at her, and held back a sigh. You didn’t really want to shop here, but it would be rude to leave when you just entered. It was all Shaw’s fault! So you forced yourself to browse the shelves, not really seeing anything that caught your eye until you hit a small display case near Hello Kitty charms and rings. There was a rather tame silver bracelet with delicate lavender gemstones studded along the top nestled on top of a white pillow. Shifting your bags to one arm, you ran your fingers gently along it.

“The stones are the same color as Shaw’s hair,” you thought absentmindedly, feeling a wave of affection for the annoying man. You flipped the bracelet over to check for the price tag. Oh. You immediately set it down. No amount of affection was worth that price tag. You turned around to search for Shaw. He was standing by the edge of the entrance as if he would burst into flames if he entered the store. He had his phone out, a small smirk at whatever he was looking at. It still blew your mind sometimes that he was related to Gavin.Though they shared the same striking amber eyes, Gavin’s face was ruggedly handsome while Shaw’s held a hint of boyish charm. Gavin was thick and sturdy, while Shaw’s form was lithe and slender. And don’t get started on their personalities. Given how stoic Gavin was, it was still quite easy to call him a dear and close friend. You wouldn’t dare to call Shaw an acquaintance on the best of days. He must have felt your prolonged gaze because he suddenly looked up. Feeling embarrassed at having been caught checking him out, you quickly averted your eyes to the ground before walking back over to him after shooting the sales lady one last smile. For once, he held his tongue. He put his phone away, and snatched some of the heavier bags from your hands. It caught you off guard, and you didn’t let go of the bags. Shaw rolled his eyes, glaring down at you.

“Geez. I’m not tryin’ to rob you or something. We both know you’re too weak to hold all this junk. Besides, all your gifts suck.” He laughed at your angry face, before walking away. Seriously… had you indulged in too much eggnog when you texted him? You made a face at his retreating back, childishly sticking your tongue out as you pulled at your eye. Dragging your feet as you followed behind him, you soaked up the atmosphere of the mall. Christmas had always been your favorite time. The hustle and bustle of the holiday season, the beautiful and over the top holiday light displays, and the wonderful smell of gingerbread and cinnamon that seemed to linger in all the stores. You loved seeing the chubby cheeked faces of children, rosy with the cold as they pressed their faces against toy stores. You loved gift giving, over eating with friends and family. Though you had never gotten to celebrate it romantically, it was still a hopeful dream. Shaw had slowed his pace to match yours. The two of you walked side by side in silence. You took the chance to steal peeks at him. Honestly when he wasn’t speaking, Shaw was quite attractive. You had thought so since the first time you had met him on the bus. You walked with him aimlessly, not sure where he was going, but enjoying the comfortable silence too much to ask. Besides, the answer came soon enough as your nose was assaulted with all the delicious smells of the food court. Pulling out two chairs, Shaw plopped down lazily in one and gestured at you to sit in the other. He threw the bags on the table and let out a long sigh. 

“Shopping is such a pain. I’m sure your feet are sore too. Never understand why you girls wear heels everywhere.”

You decided to be the bigger person, and not respond to Shaw. Truth be told, your feet were kinda’ sore. You had put off all your Christmas shopping until the week before. Not because you didn’t want to, but it was always so busy at work before Christmas and New Year that when you had free time, you just wanted to sleep. Once again, Shaw pulled out his phone. His face seemed more focused than before when you were in the store, and you let your eyes drift over his fingers that flew over his obscured screen with a purpose. You had noticed before how nice his hands were. Long, thin fingers. Wide palms clad in his fingerless gloves. You noticed that this pair too was worn down at the knuckles. Smiling to yourself, you decided to get him a new pair tomorrow when you were done with work. Suddenly, Shaw snapped his fingers in front of your face, a little blue spark flaring between his thumb and forefinger. You jumped and glared at him.

“You know, there are more normal ways to get someone’s attention than threatening them, Shaw.” He scoffed, a small playful smile on his face as he leaned towards you. You moved back on instinct, and his smile grew.

“Well, when someone’s calling your name for a few seconds and there’s no response…” Shaw trailed off. You rolled your eyes at him.

“Besides,” he said in a low, teasing voice. “There’s some other ways I can use my evol that are less… threatening. Let me know if you wanna’ find out what they are.” 

You looked at him for a moment, a look of disbelief on your face. Was Shaw flirting with you?? He turned back to his phone so nonchalantly, you felt like you hallucinated the whole moment. You cleared your throat, and looked around at all the different food spots. Slapping your hands on the table, you cleared your throat.

“Right. Well while we’re here, we should get something to eat. What are you in the mood for?” Shaw rolled his eyes at your question, propping his feet up on the table.

“Go get yourself something. I’ll sit here with the bags until you get back.” You nodded and made your way to a stand that advertised smoothies and fresh salads. Knowing that you were about to indulge over the upcoming weeks, you wanted to play it safe for now. Still, your eyes drifted over to the French fry place, mouth watering at the kimchi fries someone was happily paying for. He walked past you, the smell drifting towards you. You ‘hmphed’, trying to stay firm in your resolve. Unfortunately, when you were handed your smoothie, it began to weaken considerably. You sulked back to your seat, stomach gurgling loudly. There was no way this smoothie was going to satisfy you. But as you sat down, you let your head fill with thoughts of bbq, rice cake soup, and cake that you’d be able to enjoy with Minor, Kiki, and Willow. Since you were all single, you enjoyed having a little celebration at Willow’s apartment. You exchanged gifts, had drinks, and ate as much as you all could before putting on cheesy holiday movies. Maybe you would be able to get Victor to make you pudding. Your thoughts of food were interrupted by Shaw’s disbelieving noise.

“That all you eatin’?” You nodded, a glare on your face directed at the table next to the two of you. It was the guy from the kimchi stand, and his fries looked even more delicious as he and his friend dug in. “Must be nice,” you thought to yourself. The delicious flavors of lychee and pear burst over your tongue, but you weren’t happy. Shaw swung his legs off of the table, and stood up. He walked off without saying a word. You weren’t surprised. He was probably on his way to grab food. A while passed, and he still hadn’t returned. You figured he probably had to go to the bathroom before he grabbed food so you pulled out your own phone and pulled up Miracle Finder’s social media page. You liked to check for any posts about the show, though it wasn’t really your job outside office hours. You guys tried hard to keep your presence in the social world, and posted things that weren’t just about the show. When you made this move, you had actually seen an increase in both followers and viewers of the show. Currently, you guys were running a survey on what holiday esque evols the audience would like to see. So far your worker Santa and an adorable grandmother of 10 who could create multi colored light shows with her hands were in the lead. You sucked down the last bit of your smoothie. Maybe a cold drink wasn’t the wisest choice, but whatever. You were getting impatient while waiting for Shaw’s return. What the heck could be keeping him? You were contemplating calling him when he plopped back down in his seat, startling you with his sudden arrival. He flashed a lazy smirk at your jumpiness, and you resumed your glare from earlier before you smelled the delicious aroma of the take away container he had set down on the table. He shot you a knowing look as he opened the lid. Kimchi fries. Shaw tossed a fork your way before picking up one of his own.

“Eat,” he said before grabbing a forkful of his own. You shook your head, not wanting to give in to temptation coupled with the desire to not display your regret at only getting a smoothie. Honestly, that was wasted on Shaw. He shrugged before continuing to devour the greasy meal in front of you. You lasted for one more of his mouthfuls before you threw your resolve to the wind. Picking up your own utensil, you dug in. You let out a groan of appreciation after a particularly cheesy bite. Had anything ever tasted so good? Shaw shot a smile at you, sipping a cup that clearly wasn’t from the food court. You knew his gross soda combo was in there, but you didn’t want to ponder about where it had come from. Instead you just stuffed your face more. Everything was acceptable when you had kimchi fries. Except for when the container was down to the last two bites. Shaw made a show of throwing his fork down and commenting on how full he was. You tried (and failed) to keep the smile off your face. Maybe Shaw wasn’t so bad after all. That thought was immediately erased by him making fun of the sauce on your face. Such a little shit. 

All Along (Theo x MC) Chapter: 2/2

Ikemen Vampire

Warnings: No real warnings for this one besides a brief mention of vomit and a fluffy Theo!

“Hey, Theo. I think I’m gonna’ be sick.”

Before Theo could even process her statement or move, she threw up down the front of his shirt and jacket.

By the time he got _______ properly into bed, his shirt and jacket were soaked through with her sick. Even his trousers hadn’t been spared. He cursed Arthur (unable to put even the smallest amount of blame on his sweet older brother) again in his mind. This was the last time he ever let them take her out. The little idiot clearly couldn’t handle her drink. But even as he made his way to the baths, he couldn’t shake the image of her wide and pretty smile as she sat in the pub surrounded by them from his head. Nor could he shake the image of the hidden seductress from it either. He placed his clothes in the bin, and ran some water over them to try and get them in at least an easily washable state. He’d probably end up washing them himself in the morning, not wanting to subject Sebastian or Hondje to the clean up. Though it would serve her right to make her clean them. She was the reason they were in this state to begin with. Though if he took the time to think about it, a part of him was grateful for it. He was angry at himself for not having enough discipline in the first place. If he would have just put her to bed and not worried about undressing her, he wouldn’t have even ended up in that situation. Technically nothing had happened, but he couldn’t shake the guilty sensation of having seen her in such a state of undress.  As he stared at the dirty water and his wrinkled clothing, his nose crinkled up. Gods, and it was his favorite jacket too. He pulled them out, and wrung them out the best he could, pouring the water down the drain. Stripping completely, he grabbed a towel and made his way to the baths to soak after rinsing his body off in the shower. Sinking gratefully into the hot water he took a second to let it help him relax his shoulders. One of his favorite places besides Vincent’s studio was the baths. He wasn’t sure how, but the water was always at the perfect temperature each and every time he went. The low light always helped his contemplative mood, and he never seemed to overheat. That never stopped Hondje from fussing at him though about soaking too long. He scoffed as he thought about it. It was usually the only time she could talk to him without stuttering or pretty much running away. He dunked himself under, screwing his eyes shut tight. He stayed under until his lungs screamed and his skin felt like it was boiling. He resurfaced with a gasp, and pushed his hair out of his eyes. Suddenly behind him, he heard a long drawn out whistle. He turned in surprise, face instantly turning into a scowl when he saw who was standing there.

“Now, now. Don’t look so unhappy to see me, love. It may wound my heart,” Arthur drawled with a smile. Theo rolled his eyes and turned away from him. He heard Arthur rinse off before he joined him, letting out a pleased sigh as he sat in the water. Almost immediately, his pale face was flushed red from the heat.

“ By jove, no one makes a bath like Comte. I always want to thank the man on my knees every time after a soak.” Theo snorted at his exaggerated smile. He shoved down the curious part that wanted to know why he was back so soon, and where Vincent was. The thing about Arthur was he loved to tease Theo. If he showed the least interest in something, he would have to practically prostrate himself to get Arthur to answer straightforwardly. So he waited a moment, and let Arthur relax before he asked.

“You’re home early. Thought you and Vincent were going to drink the pub closed tonight or what not.” Arthur let out his obnoxious laugh, head tilted back on the tile.

“We ended up leaving early. I finally convinced a cute little cat to talk to me, and I may or may have been able to give it a few treats before it went to sleep after I cleaned it up. All curled up and grumpy.” Arthur massaged his shoulder with a fake grimace. “Little thing had some vicious claws though.”

Theo looked at him in confusion, but knew better than to try and ask more from his friend. He recognized Arthur’s faraway gaze, and weird smile. He was fantasizing or day dreaming about something and it was usually a topic Theo could do without. So he forced casualness into his voice as he asked where Vincent was. Arthur shrugged nonchalantly, not too worried about his whereabouts.

“I’m sure he’s in bed too. So stop worrying about your brother. He’s a big boy who can do big boy things without your help. Besides, I figured you’d have your hands full with your cutie.”

Theo turned angrily on Arthur who seemed unphased by his aggressiveness. It made Theo’s blood boil that Arthur seemed to relish in getting his hopes and heart in a mess.

“Leave it alone,” he ground out. Arthur just gave a low whistle in response as he leisurely rinsed his back. And if it gave Theo even the smallest amount of satisfaction to see him flinch as the hot water hit the marks on his back? Well, that was between Theo and his conscience.  

“You really need to get your head out of your ass, my friend. Do you really think Vincent wouldn’t want to accompany his own girlfriend back? What kind of partner would he be if he just let someone else whisk his sweet lover away?”

Arthur’s words just caused the guilt in Theo’s stomach to churn more. That’s right. His brother who was an extremely attentive person had trusted him of all people with the one he cared about most, and he had her compromised and on his lap. He wanted to gnash his teeth and rip out his own hair. First thing in the morning, he would apologize to both of them. And then maybe leave the mansion for a while. He wasn’t sure where he would go, maybe the hotel near the art gallery. He’d stay there until he gained their forgiveness, and maybe even longer to get himself over this crush. It would be painful, but worth it. He would fire her from helping him as well. Out of sight, out of mind. He knew it wasn’t as effective as it sounded, but at this point he was grasping at straws. Arthur seemed to take pity on him. He splashed over to him, and threw an arm around his shoulder. Despite the heat of the bath, his skin still felt cool to the touch. He stayed still instead of shaking him off until the coolness soothed him and caused him to let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. Even with Arthur’s laissez faire attitude and overall flippancy, he knew Theo just as well as Vincent did. Sometimes, he felt like Arthur knew him even more than Vincent did. He allowed himself to express dark parts of his soul to Arthur, parts that he would rather die again than let his beloved broer see. He was always so aware and conscious of the childhood and mental state of Vincent. He knew that he was safe. Safe in the manor, safe with all their companions. But more often than not, he felt himself taken back to that day when he held his dead brother in his arms, blood tainting the air with its sharp iron scent. Or of those days when no one would recognize the sheer genius of his work. But Hondje had. In fact, one of the first things she let him know was how celebrated and venerated his brother was in her world. He had almost broken down in tears when she told him. But he stuffed it down by habit, under layers and layers of indifference and aggression. And he wanted to do the same with Arthur. Shrug off his arm, and pretend he was fine. But he allowed himself a moment of weakness, and took the comfort of his friend.

After returning to his room, Theo felt a surge of embarrassment. Arthur wisely didn’t comment on any of their conversation or the fact that he needed comforting. He had removed his arm under the guise of rinsing his hair, and wanted to return to his room to see if his “kitten was ready to play again.” So he in turn had made his usual comment about Arthur being a leecher, and they had laughed before leaving the bath together. When he got to his room, he dumped his sodden clothes into his hamper, and collapsed on his bed, not bothering to remove the towel around his waist. It took him a moment of tossing and turning, his body feeling restless even though he wanted nothing more than to shut off his mind. He kept thinking about Hondje. How wet and glistening her pouty lips had been. The warmth of her sweat slicked skin. The wonderful curves of her ankles. A tiny part of him was regretting that he hadn’t touched them more. Bit into that thin and fragile flesh. With a long sigh, he gave up on sleep. Not without something to numb his mind. So he got up out of his sweaty sheets, reluctant to even part with that, before throwing on an over shirt, and a pair of trousers, without bothering to lace either up. He knew where Sebastian kept the whiskey in the side pantry in the kitchen. He would have a drink, listen to the sounds of the city, and be relaxed enough for the night. He lit the small lantern he kept by his bedside table, and slipped on the soft grey house slippers that were a birthday present from Vincent so many years ago. He eased his door open gently, worried about waking any of the house’s inhabitants. He paused in the hallway, listening for any ethereal sounds of Mozart’s piano music, or the soft steps of Jean before he nearly tiptoed to the kitchen. The mansion was so silent during his trek that he figured everyone was asleep. So no one could fault him if he jumped a little (just a little) when he reached the kitchen to see a shadowy figure eating a flaky apple tart that Sebastian had made that morning with a large glass of milk. Theo didn’t even need to prime and light the gas to recognize the shape of the pastry thief. It was his own dear brother.

“Vincent!”, he scolded. “Why aren’t you asleep?” Vincent at least had the good grace to look guilty as he wiped the crumbs off of his mouth, and Theo’s chest swelled with love for his brother. Even if he was still awake, and seemed to still be a little drunk.  Only after Theo set his lantern down and raised the gas level to cast more light into the kitchen did he smile. His smile stayed on his face, even as Theo launched into a complaint about him staying in such a dark room and eating so late. 

Theo stared at the offered piece of tart in his brother’s hand, the sweet and spicy scent pulling him in. He kept his unhappy pout on his face, but he still took the offered treat before heading to the cabinet. Chewing happily, he made a mental note to ask Sebastian to make more of these. He thought about Hondje, and thought about her relishing the spicy hint of nutmeg and cinnamon laced throughout the fruit compote. He internally growled at himself. How the hell was he going to get over her if he kept thinking about what type of sweets she would like?! He grabbed the whisky, slamming the bottle down a little too hard if the shocked face of Vincent was anything to go by. He didn’t say anything, however. He chose to shoot a grumpy look in his direction before he went to the cabinet and grabbed a couple of glasses, and poured out a drink for himself and his brother. He knew getting Vincent a bit more drunk before he told him about what happened with Hondje was the coward’s way out, but he knew he couldn’t wait until the morning when a stone cold sober Vincent was in his presence. Vincent took the drink, even though he still had that shocked look on his face. He raised his glass up to Theo, and he clinked his against it. They took their drink, and Theo took a deep breath. But before he started to speak, Vincent did.

“Why are you here and not with _______?” Vincent asked, head tilting slightly. Theo pinched the bridge of his nose. Even with the alcohol, he didn’t know how to tell Vincent. So he poured another shot. And downed it quickly. Vincent grabbed the bottle, and placed it next to him. His concerned eyes searched Theo’s face.

“Did, did it go badly? Oh, I’m so sorry Theo!!”

Theo did such a double take that Vincent couldn’t help laughing despite his weird behavior. Theo looked at Vincent, his face painted by the soft glow of the lamp. Did he not understand anything? This wasn’t a laughing matter, and he told him as much. His voice was laced in anger, but not at Vincent. Still, that didn’t stop him from being startled by the harshness of his voice. His face transformed from one of laughter to one full of perplexing concern. 

“Don’t just sit there and laugh when you don’t even know what a terrible person I am, broer. Don’t you dare. Vincent, I.. I like Hondje. A lot.” Vincent just continued to regard him quietly with that perplexed look on his face. 

“I know,” he said simply. Theo was floored. And here he was thinking he had hidden it so well. But if Arthur had mentioned it to him earlier, he should have thought about whether it was obvious to anyone else. Gods, did Hondje know? Is that why she was so weird with him? She probably felt terrible. She was such a sweet girl; no doubt she was afraid of driving any wedges between Theo and Vincent. 

“Theo, you didn’t answer my question. What happened with _______ that has you so upset?” Vincent reached an arm out, and placed it over his brother’s, a patient smile crossing his face. 

“I’m so sorry, Vincent. I didn’t mean for it to happen. I just wanted her to be comfortable. Truly. But I still undressed her, and she was on my lap, and I touched her as gently as I could. I didn’t mean for her to be in my lap. But I promise. I didn’t touch her at all. Just got her in bed after she threw up.” Vincent frowned, and Theo ducked his head low. He couldn’t bear to see his brother’s anger.

“Well I’m sure she’ll be mad at herself come morning.” Vincent chuckled. “ She certainly bungled this one. I can’t wait to tease her about it. And after I even drank more than usual for her sake.” Even though he was fussing, his voice held quite the amount of amusement. Theo looked at him like he had a screw loose. 

“Are you not understanding what I’m saying, Vincent? I saw your girlfriend in a compromising position. I love your girlfriend. I betrayed your trust!” Theo jumped up from his seat, chest heaving. What in the hell was wrong with people? First Arthur, now Vincent? Why was no one yelling at him about his dishonesty? Vincent stood up with him. Not in anger, but in worry. He grabbed his shoulders tightly. 

“Theo, calm down. Het is ok, hmm?” He rubbed at his shoulders until he calmed himself down. Sitting back in his chair, he sighed. This night had been so exhausting. He was very tired now. And he wanted nothing more than to go back to his bedroom, and sleep until he was able to face the day without feeling the remnants of this weird night. 

“Theo,” Vincent said in that soothing voice of his. “Theo, my foolish broer, _______ isn’t my girlfriend. In fact, she doesn’t even fancy me. It’s you. She likes you. Has for a while now. I thought tonight she would take the time to tell you. Well, that was the plan anyway. I guess she couldn’t really tell you how she feels when she’s throwing up.”

It took a moment for Vincent’s words to make sense. Yes, he could hear them. Yes, he knew individually what those words meant. But strung together in that type of sentence didn’t seem to compute. He just stared at Vincent blankly. Vincent stared right back at him, a gentle smile on his face while he watched the comprehension dawn on his face.

“Hondje likes me? Hondje likes me?” Even saying it out loud twice still didn’t set it in anymore strongly. Still, Vincent didn't lose patience with him. He just sat there with him, and held his hand until he settled down.

Theo headed back to his room after helping Vincent clean up his snack, and their late night drinks. He was still in a daze, but he planned on confronting _______ as soon as morning came. With this thought in his head, he was sure he wouldn’t be able to sleep. But as he stripped back down and settled in his bed, he was out within minutes. He came to, hearing the sounds of Sebastian and Jean murmuring in the hallway. He absentmindedly wondered if Jean had spent another night awake. Forcing his own heavy body out of bed, he washed up, and dressed. He made his bed. He grabbed the hamper and carried his still damp clothes outside to where Sebastian had the laundry he planned on washing with Hondje set up, the early morning air damp with dew. He knew he was stalling. When he had awoken, his liquid courage from last night had left him. Now all that remained was a man who was afraid. But he thought about Vincent’s words and Arthur’s teasing. He thought about how  _______ had clung tightly to him on their walk home. Had crawled into his lap, and draped herself over him. He trusted that she wasn’t the type to do that with anyone, drinking or otherwise. So with these facts in the forefront of his mind, he walked down the hallway to her room, ignoring his sweating palms and racing heartbeat. He took a deep breath when he reached her door before knocking three times. It took a moment, but she opened the door, a curious look on her face. He took a moment to look her over for any signs that she was worse for wear after last night. Her eyes were a bit bloodshot and puffy, but she didn’t look too bad.

All Along (Theo x MC) Chapter: 1/2

IkemenVampire

Warnings: No real warnings for this one besides a brief mention of vomit at the end, and a very frustrated Theo.

The pub was crowded and loud, but that didn’t stop Theo’s ability to hear her twinkling laugh over the raucous voices of the crowds. Posted at a table in the corner with his partner in crime Arthur, Theo was trying to ignore the overly sweet perfume of the two women hanging off of Arthur. He had no interest in the town harlots, despite having hooked up with the redhead in the past. Instead, all his attention was focused on a certain flush faced clumsy housekeeper who his dear brother Vincent casually had his arm thrown around as their heads brushed against each other’s during some private conversation. He snarled at the glass in his hand before slamming back the contents, the ice clinking against his teeth as he drained it. Always observant, Arthur’s eyebrows shot up at his friend’s display. Though Theo was a bit rough around the edges, he usually was not someone who was prone to public displays of anger. He searched the bar with his eyes to discover the source of his mate’s frustration, and once his eyes landed on a certain lady laughing freely with Theo’s older brother, he understood perfectly what was going on. Their darling resident and housekeeper _______had decided 2 days ago that instead of returning to her own time, she would stay here with the inhabitants of what she playfully dubbed “The Vampire House''. She claimed she had grown too attached to all of them, and the time period to leave. As a result, Arthur had insisted on taking her out to celebrate with himself, Vincent, and Theo. Of course, Theo had made it a point to state he couldn’t care less if she stayed or left, but Arthur knew his friend too well to believe him. His being at the pub was enough to show that. Arthur bit back a chuckle as he noticed that anytime she laughed or moved, Theo’s eyes were glued to her. He could lie as much to himself as he wanted to, but Arthur knew better. 

“Dear ladies, if you would be so kind as to excuse me, and my mate here. I believe we need to refill our cups, and join the residents of our happy home,” he stated to the pouting ladies. Truth be told, he was growing weary of these two particular birds anyway. Instead, he had been eyeing a rather cute barmaid with very short hair and glasses who was keeping to herself in the corner of the bar cleaning the same pristine mug, almost ignoring the boisterous crowd.

Making sure to bow and kiss each of their cheeks to soothe any hurt feelings, he clapped Theo on the back, and practically dragged him along to the bar, and placed another drink order with the gruff man behind the counter, shooting a wink to the barmaid who rolled her eyes and made it a point to turn her back to him in response. He smiled lazily at her antics. What a stubborn cutie. As they waited, he let his eyes casually drift over to the merry party. 

“She’s really wormed her way into all of their hearts, hasn’t she?” he asked. Theo didn’t respond. Arthur tried to keep his voice as nonchalant as possible.

Though I’m glad she decided to stay, I can’t help but believe she stayed behind for someone. What say you, mate?” Theo finally rose to the bait. He turned on Arthur with a snarl.

“What the hell does it matter to me that she and Vincent have decided to couple up? If he wants a filthy mutt, then that’s on him. It’s none of my concern.” Arthur held back the exasperated chuckle that threatened to come out of his throat.

“You really believe she’s staying for him?” he asked in disbelief.

“Well it sure as hell ain’t me,” Theo growled out. “The little idiot’s petrified of me.”

The words burned in Theo’s mouth, but he forced them out. It was the truth, anyway. She had been afraid of him since day one. Whenever he had spoken to her, she would look everywhere else but at him. When he had encountered her in a room alone, she would wring her hands like a cornered animal. Any jokes, or teasing he made were met with wide eyes, and stuttering. So he had decided to leave her alone. Even though just watching her go about her day was enough to cause his heart to clench up. Or listening to her hum and laugh made his day all the less dreary. She had captured his heart before he had even known he had one. Ignoring the pang in his heart, he tapped his fingers impatiently on the counter. Arthur took mercy on his friend, but he couldn’t help but let out a sigh. When would Theo learn? Instead, when the bartender brought the drinks, he scooped Theo’s up before he could grab it.

“What the hell, Arthur?”

“Now, now Theo. We need to join our friends. You may be in a foul mood, but I think they would appreciate our company.”

Ignoring his protests, Arthur strolled over to the table, and smiled at the greetings. Plopping in the seat next to Vincent, he placed Theo’s drink across the table, and let out a chuckle at his friend’s scowl. He grabbed his drink up and downed it, loving the burn that seared down his throat. It was almost torture for Theo to be seated across from her, and not look into her smiling face. His foot brushed against hers, and he saw her jump. He caught her eye for a second before she looked down at her empty glass. 

“Everything ok, pet?” Arthur asked. Theo held back his jealousy. She wasn’t Arthur’s pet. She was his Hondje.  He held back his eye roll as she flashed Arthur one of her beautiful smiles.  

“Nothing, Arthur. My cup’s just empty. I’ll go get another.”

“I’ll come with you,” said Vincent, already standing up. She flashed him a grateful smile, as they made their way up to the bar, Theo’s chest humming with envy.

It was about an hour later, and it was clear that _________ had finally reached her limit. Her mouth seemed stuck in a perpetual smile, and her words were slightly slurred. Her laugh had become louder, and at one point, her head had dropped to Vincent’s shoulder. Theo felt the snarl coming to his face, almost bit through his lip to hold it back. He had never felt more sure of their relationship than he was in the moment. He pushed down the sadness that threatened him, and abruptly stood up. He missed the glance between Arthur and Vincent, however.

“That’s a right idea, mate. I’m sure we would all appreciate you getting her home safely,” he said.

Theo turned to him, flabbergasted. “I’m not taking her home! Why can’t you or Vincent?”

Arthur clucked his teeth. “‘Fraid not, dear. Vincent here promised me a night out, and I intend to keep him on that. Plus, I want to try my luck with that icy barmaid. It’s been a while since I saw…such delicious fresh blood around here. Besides, you seem to be on your way out anyway.”

Theo turned to Vincent for help, but quickly lost hope. His brother was looking up at him with his bright eyes, and that pleading smile he knew he couldn’t say no to. Knowing he was defeated, he let out a sigh. 

“You have 5 minutes to get her outside. I’ll be there waiting.” Without waiting for an answer, he stormed outside. In truth, his heart was pounding, and the cold wind felt amazing on his hot face. He thought about flagging down a carriage, but quickly ditched the idea. The rolling motion may upset the little idiot’s stomach. It had nothing to do with the fact he didn’t know how he would react to being in an intimate space with her. Especially now that she was his brother’s. So he would play the polite gentleman whom his brother had entrusted with his beloved. He heard rather than saw ________ exit the front of the door. Trying to nonchalantly turn to see her, he grit his teeth at the intimate picture she completed with Vincent. The lanterns from the entrance seemed to weave themselves through her hair, and light her eyes on fire. Vincent was whispering something to her that must have upset her because she began to gnaw at her fingernail in a blatant display of uncertainty. Unable to help himself, Theo felt a fond feeling swept through his heart even if it was flavored heavily with bitterness at the pretty picture the two people he loved most in the world made together. He supposed if he knew of anyone who was worthy of Hondje, it was Vincent. The sweet man would dote on her, and treat her like the princess she was. Someone like Theo was too gruff; too rough to know how to handle something as precious as spun glass. Even as he told himself this, he couldn’t stop the lifting of his lip to bare a single fang as if that would chase Vincent away. He was instantly filled with shame, and turned his face away, not wanting to be caught prying into a clearly intimate moment.  In a second, he heard the clacking sound of her low heeled boots as she raced towards him. The smell of her sweat hitting Theo’s sensitive nose made his head swim. He desperately wanted to get close enough to try and lick up her neck, to taste the skin that held back her distracting pulse. She came up beside him, and after throwing one last glance back at Vincent finally turning to him.

“Thanks for taking me home, Theo. I know you probably wanted to stay out with Vincent and Arthur. Sorry to inconvenience you.” She mumbled it all out without once glancing at his face. Instead, it felt like she was going to burn a hole through the lining of his jacket. Theo waved a hand at her apology.

“If you were that concerned with it Hondje, you wouldn’t have gotten drunk. Let’s go home before it gets cold out.” Without waiting for a response, Theo turned and began walking. And if he walked at a slower pace to make sure she could keep up, well he wouldn’t admit it. It wasn’t long, however, before he could tell she wasn’t doing too well with the walking. Feeling irritation with his stubbornness about renting a carriage, he stopped walking to glance around. Due to the late hour, he didn’t see any unoccupied carriages. he cursed underneath his breath, and felt __________ sway by his side.

“Theo? Is everything ok?” Her sweet voice washed over him, and he felt the urge to ask her to say his name again. He turned around, his back to her.

“You’re walking too slow,” he grumbled as he squatted down.  She still hesitated, staring at him with those wide, wide eyes.

“Are you sure I won’t be too heavy?” she asked. When he let out a growl in response, she let out a chuckle before almost indulgently grasping around his shoulders. Theo felt himself almost shudder at the feel of her body against his back. The feel of her breasts pressed against him. He grabbed her thighs and brought her legs around his waist, making sure she was still properly covered by her dress. He knew he was being too protective, but the thought of anyone getting a glance at her shapely legs made him clinch his jaw. Unable to stop the shaking of his hands, he prayed she was too drunk to feel it. Those prayers must have been answered because instead of commenting, she just murmured something too low for him to hear and gripped around him closer. Theo began walking faster than necessary. He was sure he was jarring her, but if he had to continue to walk with her scent swirling around him like this any longer, he was bound to lose it. She didn’t seem to mind his pace, however. In fact, it seemed to be lulling her into a relaxed state. She nuzzled into his neck sleepily. Theo didn’t even have to look at her to know that her eyes would be closed as well. He was constantly impressed by her ability to sleep anywhere, and he couldn’t smother down the surge of emotion he felt at her display of trust. He had meant what he said to Arthur earlier; she never seemed to be at peace around him. So for her to sleep like this must be due to the alcohol. Still, Theo would convince himself otherwise, if just for tonight. Before he knew it, her soft snores brushed against his ear. Theo almost let out a sigh of disappointment when he saw the front of the mansion. Not sure how to go about grabbing his key without setting her down, he leaned forward so most of her weight was on top of him. Unable to reach his own pockets, he fumbled with her skirt, trying his hardest not to touch her too much. Still, just the fact that he was touching her skirt and petticoats got his heart racing. Mercifully, he was able to get her key out and the front door opened. Shifting her around again, he went back to carrying her on his back and made his way to her bedroom. The lamps were turned down low in the hallways, and he could hear the soft sound of piano music drifting through the silence. Any other time he would pause to appreciate Mozart’s playing, but right now he was a man on a mission. ________ began to stir and wake up, so he murmured nonsensical soothing words. Belatedly, he realized she was already awake.