For the thousandth time that evening Julian checked his appearance in the floor-length mirror on the back of his bathroom door. He looked as well as he could look given the cast on his wrist and the shaved patch on the back of his head which, fortunately, his longish curls covered. He had on a pair of artfully worn jeans, faded in all the right places, which hugged his hips and ass in a way he approved of. He wore a grey-blue tee shirt that brought out more of the blue in his eyes than the green, and over that was a button-down shirt in a blue plaid print, left open and untucked.
He was so nervous about seeing Tavi that night. Evgeni and Jan hadn't left long ago, forced to wait until the sun went down. Julian had kissed them each goodbye, worried in spite of their reassurances that it hadn't been a one-time thing. He knew he needed them. As much as he needed Tavi. They accepted it, they would accept her. But hoping she could accept them... well, he thought, at least it was early to bring this up. Would have been far worse to discover this two years into a relationship.
He couldn't even describe how badly torn he was though.
Julian heard the knock at the door and his heart hammered hard against his chest. He took a deep breath and wiped his palms on his jeans. He could do this. He could feel Evgeni in his mind and Jan, too, more distant, but both warm and reassuring. He focused on them and leaned on them. That was all right, right? God, he needed them there.
He took a deep breath and went to the door. Still cautious (it hadn't been that long, after all), he opened it a crack. It was Tavi; he smiled at her, closed the door to slide the chain free, and then opened it again to let her in.
"Hey," he said, taking in her appearance. She was like a summer fairy or something equally wispy and delicate. "Oh. You look beautiful."
He wanted to hug her, touch her, but he held off. That would just be mean, if he was planning on going right ahead and hurting her. He felt his nerves rising to the surface again. "Come on in."
Coming to a theater near YOU!
It had been a rough couple of days since she had last seen Julian. A client came to her, escorted by one Nothos werewolf who had traded one human gang for a werewolf pack. His friend was being accused of murder involved in gang related violence. The human swore he was innocent and his friend believed him. The guy, Peter, swore that he had been several blocks away casing an apartment complex for the much more reasonable crime of breaking and entering. He says that he was out in the small courtyard looking up at the rows of windows looking for the hopeful signs of someone dumb enough to leave one cracked while they away. He said a teenage girl bowled him over with several bags of stuff on her way into one of the apartments. Peter had leaned down to help her pick up everything she had dropped. Wasn't he such a nice guy? Surely the girl would remember him and vouch for him at the time the murder was committed.
It sounded shaky and possibly unlikely but a pack mate was asking her to help the guy.
She spent all morning tracking this potentially fictitious girl down.
Peter told her where the apartment complex was and then she went about trying to find the girl. He didn't know which one she lived in so she had to go looking around for someone to ask. After several people someone finally agreed that there was a girl who fit that description. But...
She didn't live there 'no more'.
Tavi found out what apartment she -had- lived in and then tracked down the landlord. He told her a very unfortunate thing. The girl and her mother had been evicted for being unable to pay their rent.
That left her spending the remaining few hours before going home to change checking out shelters in the area. No one remembered seeing the girl or her mother.
She would have to try several of them again around meal time tomorrow and hope for a miracle. She also had their names and could possibly find something useful in their files. Surely the girl went to school in the area. If so there were records, next of kin, emergency contacts, etc... maybe something would be useful.
The case was pretty far from her mind at the moment. She was looking forward to enjoying time with Julian, not having to think very much, and possibly spending some quality time doing things that didn't require talking either.
Tavi looked almost normal tonight. She was wearing a summery maxi dress, against all advice for what short people should wear, but it was pretty. The top halter area and the bottom hem of the dress had a riot of flowers in several shades of orange and cream. The middle portion of the dress was the same spring green as her hair which was tucked up into a messy pile high on the back of her head, tendrils intentionally left free around her face; small cream colored flowers were tucked into the updo portion, It might be a little over done for the casual movie night date but after her day she wanted to feel pretty and flirty and not like at all like a girl at home in the gritty most urban parts of the city.
She was early, just a little, because she thought Julian might be hungry and want to eat before the movie instead of waiting until after. Since she was driving she felt she could at least offer him that choice.
Walking up to his door, she knocked and then waited. She wondered idly how things had gone with his vampire friend and some guy named Evgeni last night.
Julian Stephenson
11 years ago
Octavia Emiliano
11 years ago
Tavi grinned at Julian, her eyes darting appreciatively over his appearance. He knew how to dress even when he was in a look that was supposed to give the impression that he hadn't thought much about what he was wearing at all.
"Thank you." Tavi smiled again. "You look better." He looked almost like his normal self, aside from the cast on his wrist. There was very little left physically that told the world that he had been through something horrible. She thought again how strong he was on the inside and how that was just so incredibly sexy. How many of even her kind would have been smiling and looking well rested only a few short days after being beaten, scared and made to feel vulnerable? Julian was incredible.
He didn't reach out for a hug though which seemed a little odd. Tavi brushed it off; perhaps he was not yet ready to stand in open doorways.
Once inside, she went to the bed and took a seat. Pushing back with a little bounce so that she was sitting fully on the bed, her short legs dangling over the side. A fresh linen smell breezed upward with her movements but there was also other distinctive scents as well.
The musky smell of Julian was easy to discern and she remembered it well but there were others, also male, and almost as strong in the air.
The vampire and his friend.
Tavi kept her face poker neutral and thought about what this meant.
Had they compelled Julian? Maybe he had no knowledge of what they had done? She knew that some vampires could make people do things, even forget things. Maybe he was a...pet or whatever they called their human servants. Tavi thought she remembered that vampires could do something to compel loyalty but she didn't know how, how strong it was or if it could be broken. If Julian had been messed with against his will then the little punk kid was going to get a boot up his ass, her boot.
She had to remind herself that he was likely even less of a kid than she was. He could remember the bloody ice age for all she knew.
Looking up at Julian, Tavi decided to put some gentle detective skills to work tonight and see if she would be able to get an answer before she confronted Jan with steel toed boots.
"Was there something you wanted to talk about before we left?" He invited her in after all instead of stepping out. Maybe he had a confession to make.
"Thank you." Tavi smiled again. "You look better." He looked almost like his normal self, aside from the cast on his wrist. There was very little left physically that told the world that he had been through something horrible. She thought again how strong he was on the inside and how that was just so incredibly sexy. How many of even her kind would have been smiling and looking well rested only a few short days after being beaten, scared and made to feel vulnerable? Julian was incredible.
He didn't reach out for a hug though which seemed a little odd. Tavi brushed it off; perhaps he was not yet ready to stand in open doorways.
Once inside, she went to the bed and took a seat. Pushing back with a little bounce so that she was sitting fully on the bed, her short legs dangling over the side. A fresh linen smell breezed upward with her movements but there was also other distinctive scents as well.
The musky smell of Julian was easy to discern and she remembered it well but there were others, also male, and almost as strong in the air.
The vampire and his friend.
Tavi kept her face poker neutral and thought about what this meant.
Had they compelled Julian? Maybe he had no knowledge of what they had done? She knew that some vampires could make people do things, even forget things. Maybe he was a...pet or whatever they called their human servants. Tavi thought she remembered that vampires could do something to compel loyalty but she didn't know how, how strong it was or if it could be broken. If Julian had been messed with against his will then the little punk kid was going to get a boot up his ass, her boot.
She had to remind herself that he was likely even less of a kid than she was. He could remember the bloody ice age for all she knew.
Looking up at Julian, Tavi decided to put some gentle detective skills to work tonight and see if she would be able to get an answer before she confronted Jan with steel toed boots.
"Was there something you wanted to talk about before we left?" He invited her in after all instead of stepping out. Maybe he had a confession to make.
Julian Stephenson
11 years ago
Julian smiled at Tavi when she said he looked better. "Getting there," he said. In truth, he was aching and sore pretty much everywhere but it was a good kind of sore. Deep inside he knew he was mentally screwed up and he'd have to explode sooner or later, but personally he hoped that with Evgeni and Jan tethered to him he would stabilize and the feelings of anxiety would simply diffuse themselves. He'd never been tied to someone else's thoughts and emotions before. It was a support he'd never experienced, and combined with Jan's ability to make him feel certain things on command, Julian actually thought he might be able to cope.
When Tavi came in and settled down he closed the door and locked it, something he had never done with such regularity before, and then crossed the room to sit next to her. He didn't sit far from her; he was close enough so his leg brushed against hers. She didn't beat around the bush; the look on her face was was inquisitive and not accusatory.
Julian tried to settle his nerves and nodded at her. He carefully took her hand in both of his, looking down at it, so small. It might be punching him momentarily. Maybe he'd best keep a grip on it.
"Jan and Evgeni spent the night here," he said. He didn't look at her, his face blushing red with embarrassment but no shame... he couldn't be ashamed of spending time with them.
"Things got kind of... intense," he said softly. "Really intense. And, the thing is, I liked it. A lot."
Julian shook his head quickly then winced; that was a mistake. "I'm not gay," he said, "and, god, I know this is going to sound horrible but even after what we did I still want to spend time with you too. The same way."
He took a shaky breath. "But if they asked me to do it again, I would want to."
Finally he looked at Tavi. "I'm sorry," he said. "I know that's heavy stuff. Believe me, it's pretty new to me too and I never intended it to happen. But they've been supportive of me through some pretty rough stuff, just like you have, and it's almost impossible for me not to feel... an attachment."
They had told him it was all right to mention what they were, but Julian didn't really even know how to throw that into the mix. Wasn't it hard enough telling your new maybe-almost-girlfriend that you'd just had a threesome with two of your closest male friends, and you'd do it again at the drop of a hat? Oh and by the way, they drank my blood and I liked that too. No, no... definitely not the way to go just yet. Or, possibly, ever.
He supposed that his injuries might possibly be the reason he hadn't been smacked or punched yet but since she was letting him talk he continued. "I just want you to know I really... I mean, I love being with you. I didn't intend to hurt you or insult you. And I wanted you to know what was going on. I can't lie; it would be wrong to everyone involved. I don't want to make a choice, though. I don't want to choose one relationship over the other. You mean just as much to me, and you're every bit as much a friend even if you don't want... anything else."
Hell, if she wanted anything from him at all by this point it would be nothing short of miraculous. His hands were sweaty with nerves, and probably not very enjoyable clasped around hers. He was shaking a little too, like a kid on stage at his very first violin recital. In fact, he was almost starting to panic again. Twice in one day, not awesome. He was going to have to get a handle on that shit fast.
Relief came in the form of Evgeni's (and probably Jan's) calm reassurance, soothing, warm and loving, but concerned and initially a little alarmed. Julian felt it and visibly relaxed, tension leaving his back and shoulders. He gave a short, soft sigh. [It's okay. I'm just nervous,] he sent.
"Would it help my case at all if I told you they're vampires, and that we're sort of... mentally hooked together? They've been calming me down, helping me through it like you have. I think without the three of you I'd probably have had a meltdown by now."
He offered her a wry smile, uncertain of her reception at this point. Carefully he set her hand back down and removed his sweaty ones, all too conscious of his clammy skin, and well aware that he might need to move quickly to avoid a blow.
((ooc: emotions granted, lemme know if they need tweaking))
When Tavi came in and settled down he closed the door and locked it, something he had never done with such regularity before, and then crossed the room to sit next to her. He didn't sit far from her; he was close enough so his leg brushed against hers. She didn't beat around the bush; the look on her face was was inquisitive and not accusatory.
Julian tried to settle his nerves and nodded at her. He carefully took her hand in both of his, looking down at it, so small. It might be punching him momentarily. Maybe he'd best keep a grip on it.
"Jan and Evgeni spent the night here," he said. He didn't look at her, his face blushing red with embarrassment but no shame... he couldn't be ashamed of spending time with them.
"Things got kind of... intense," he said softly. "Really intense. And, the thing is, I liked it. A lot."
Julian shook his head quickly then winced; that was a mistake. "I'm not gay," he said, "and, god, I know this is going to sound horrible but even after what we did I still want to spend time with you too. The same way."
He took a shaky breath. "But if they asked me to do it again, I would want to."
Finally he looked at Tavi. "I'm sorry," he said. "I know that's heavy stuff. Believe me, it's pretty new to me too and I never intended it to happen. But they've been supportive of me through some pretty rough stuff, just like you have, and it's almost impossible for me not to feel... an attachment."
They had told him it was all right to mention what they were, but Julian didn't really even know how to throw that into the mix. Wasn't it hard enough telling your new maybe-almost-girlfriend that you'd just had a threesome with two of your closest male friends, and you'd do it again at the drop of a hat? Oh and by the way, they drank my blood and I liked that too. No, no... definitely not the way to go just yet. Or, possibly, ever.
He supposed that his injuries might possibly be the reason he hadn't been smacked or punched yet but since she was letting him talk he continued. "I just want you to know I really... I mean, I love being with you. I didn't intend to hurt you or insult you. And I wanted you to know what was going on. I can't lie; it would be wrong to everyone involved. I don't want to make a choice, though. I don't want to choose one relationship over the other. You mean just as much to me, and you're every bit as much a friend even if you don't want... anything else."
Hell, if she wanted anything from him at all by this point it would be nothing short of miraculous. His hands were sweaty with nerves, and probably not very enjoyable clasped around hers. He was shaking a little too, like a kid on stage at his very first violin recital. In fact, he was almost starting to panic again. Twice in one day, not awesome. He was going to have to get a handle on that shit fast.
Relief came in the form of Evgeni's (and probably Jan's) calm reassurance, soothing, warm and loving, but concerned and initially a little alarmed. Julian felt it and visibly relaxed, tension leaving his back and shoulders. He gave a short, soft sigh. [It's okay. I'm just nervous,] he sent.
"Would it help my case at all if I told you they're vampires, and that we're sort of... mentally hooked together? They've been calming me down, helping me through it like you have. I think without the three of you I'd probably have had a meltdown by now."
He offered her a wry smile, uncertain of her reception at this point. Carefully he set her hand back down and removed his sweaty ones, all too conscious of his clammy skin, and well aware that he might need to move quickly to avoid a blow.
((ooc: emotions granted, lemme know if they need tweaking))
Octavia Emiliano
11 years ago
Tavi listened to Julian with interest. She hadn't expected him to get straight to it and had pretty much assumed that he would avoid the topic all together. He didn't and even if she decided that he needed an uppercut to the jaw she had to give him credit for being brave. Wimpy had certainly never been her thing so he was making the right choice on how to present this whole situation, straight up truth.
He quickly made it clear that he remembered the entire event. Julian also said that he would do it again in a heart beat. She nodded absently when he said he wasn't gay. She knew that and even marathon sex with two men wouldn't change her opinion there. She found some women attractive but she knew that she definitely preferred men. If his preference was a little more equal that still wouldn't make him gay. It just didn't make him totally straight either, at least not by some strict religious definition.
She suspected that the willingness to do it again counted out being coerced but she couldn't be entirely sure. Tavi might just have to have a little one on one chat with Julian's musician friend.
Julian was honest and that she appreciated most even if he was saying something that she wasn't particularly keen on. They had yet to define their relationship in terms of it even being a relationship much less a monogamous one so she knew that she had no real call to get righteously furious with him over who he spent his time with.
The biggest question, aside from whether he was somehow coerced, was whether or not she could live with it. Tavi wasn't sure yet. Being a part of a werewolf pack, something they hadn't gotten around to discussing, left her a little more open minded than some. Family was very important to the Vyusher R'asa but what each person considered family was decided amongst themselves, so long as everyone agreed upon it then no one cared how many parties were involved. In fact they would much rather a group of werewolves joined together than one of their number going outside the pack and having relations with a human who didn't want to be one of them.
He was obviously very nervous about all this, genuinely upset. Tavi sorted through her thoughts and figured she should say something about it. Before she could, Julian added one more piece of information. His friends were vampires and there was something about a link...was that the coercion thing that vampires were able to do? She wouldn't deny that Jan and Evgeni had helped Julian and looked after him. Not entirely the standard actions of evil undead. They were obviously honest with him about who they were, which made her uncomfortably aware that she had yet to be, He also looked very healthy; she had even commented on it so they obviously weren't sucking him dry either.
"I don't know if there is a way you could convince me of your answer but...did they compel you into any of this?' Tavi searched his eyes for answers. "They can do that.â€
She eyed him sidelong, "What do you mean a mental link with them?†Could they control him from far away? Was that how he sounded like he was the one making the decisions and agreeing to things she found surprising without a pale bloodsucker somewhere near by?
"I don't know how I feel about it, Julian. I suppose it depends on how it happened and why. A large part of me is worried for you.†Tavi frowned. After they were done talking about this then they needed to talk about her own confession but that wouldn't matter if she ended up storming out the door. Not that such a thing seemed likely at this point. "Another part of me would have liked to have had the chance to get to know you as the sole romantic interest for a while at least." That didn't seem so unreasonable. She wouldn't ask him to stop seeing his friends because he made it clear that he would choose them if a choice were demanded to be made. That was a little galling, perhaps it was the most upsetting thing about the whole situation. She hadn't gotten a chance to be the one he would choose and maybe even if he knew her better he would still always choose them.
He quickly made it clear that he remembered the entire event. Julian also said that he would do it again in a heart beat. She nodded absently when he said he wasn't gay. She knew that and even marathon sex with two men wouldn't change her opinion there. She found some women attractive but she knew that she definitely preferred men. If his preference was a little more equal that still wouldn't make him gay. It just didn't make him totally straight either, at least not by some strict religious definition.
She suspected that the willingness to do it again counted out being coerced but she couldn't be entirely sure. Tavi might just have to have a little one on one chat with Julian's musician friend.
Julian was honest and that she appreciated most even if he was saying something that she wasn't particularly keen on. They had yet to define their relationship in terms of it even being a relationship much less a monogamous one so she knew that she had no real call to get righteously furious with him over who he spent his time with.
The biggest question, aside from whether he was somehow coerced, was whether or not she could live with it. Tavi wasn't sure yet. Being a part of a werewolf pack, something they hadn't gotten around to discussing, left her a little more open minded than some. Family was very important to the Vyusher R'asa but what each person considered family was decided amongst themselves, so long as everyone agreed upon it then no one cared how many parties were involved. In fact they would much rather a group of werewolves joined together than one of their number going outside the pack and having relations with a human who didn't want to be one of them.
He was obviously very nervous about all this, genuinely upset. Tavi sorted through her thoughts and figured she should say something about it. Before she could, Julian added one more piece of information. His friends were vampires and there was something about a link...was that the coercion thing that vampires were able to do? She wouldn't deny that Jan and Evgeni had helped Julian and looked after him. Not entirely the standard actions of evil undead. They were obviously honest with him about who they were, which made her uncomfortably aware that she had yet to be, He also looked very healthy; she had even commented on it so they obviously weren't sucking him dry either.
"I don't know if there is a way you could convince me of your answer but...did they compel you into any of this?' Tavi searched his eyes for answers. "They can do that.â€
She eyed him sidelong, "What do you mean a mental link with them?†Could they control him from far away? Was that how he sounded like he was the one making the decisions and agreeing to things she found surprising without a pale bloodsucker somewhere near by?
"I don't know how I feel about it, Julian. I suppose it depends on how it happened and why. A large part of me is worried for you.†Tavi frowned. After they were done talking about this then they needed to talk about her own confession but that wouldn't matter if she ended up storming out the door. Not that such a thing seemed likely at this point. "Another part of me would have liked to have had the chance to get to know you as the sole romantic interest for a while at least." That didn't seem so unreasonable. She wouldn't ask him to stop seeing his friends because he made it clear that he would choose them if a choice were demanded to be made. That was a little galling, perhaps it was the most upsetting thing about the whole situation. She hadn't gotten a chance to be the one he would choose and maybe even if he knew her better he would still always choose them.
Julian Stephenson
11 years ago
Julian was amazed that there didn't seem to be any anger from Tavi. Not yet; maybe she just wasn't the explosive type. She listened to him quietly, clearly not happy, but she didn't immediately move to leave and that gave him hope that they could at least salvage a friendship out of this. His heart tugged at that; the traitorous organ wanted more than friendship. Julian knew the line about having his cake and eating it too, however, and if there was ever a more applicable situation he was hard-pressed to figure out what that would be.
He blinked at her first question. His immediate response was to simply answer it, and analyze silently while he did. "No," he said softly. "I wasn't compelled. Unless by compelled you mean, stuck into an unbelievably intense situation."
She asked about the bond and he figured it was best to explain both together anyway. "This is what happened," he said, looking down about as frequently as he looked up at her.
"When they came over, the first thing they did was confess to me about what they were. Seems the people who held me were vampires as well, and Evgeni and Jan wanted me to know the truth about that. While we were talking Evgeni made me an offer. I could be compelled, I guess, like you said, to either of them. Or he invited me to bond with him. It's a gift of his, I guess. I feel what he feels, he feels what I feel. And I can speak to him. In thoughts."
He shrugged helplessly. "It's a reassurance," he said. "I'm trying to handle everything well but I'm not ashamed to admit I'm afraid. I don't want to be helpless like that again, alone, injured, terrified for my life. This way, no matter where Evgeni is I can call to him. He didn't have to offer. In fact, he said if neither option was appealing then we'd let it go."
Julian shook his head. "I wanted it. I wanted to know someone would be there. And Evgei... he was there to set me free. As was Jan. Evgeni was the person who took the blindfold off my face, the first person I saw. They were the ones who sat with me at the hospital that night, until the sun was about to rise, before you came."
Intense emotion made his hands shake again and he clasped them tight, swallowed, and kept talking. "To do this bond Evgeni bit me, took some of my blood, and gave me a little of his in return. The biting, it felt... amazing. They told me it would but I wasn't ready for it. And then I felt Evgeni's feelings on top of mine and it was sensory overload, almost. I've never felt that aroused. One thing led to another and they woke up a part of me that doesn't want to go back to sleep."
Did being bi come in degrees? Was that what he was? Julian would still say now that his preference ran toward women. This particular one, even, but Evgeni and Jan held a certain place in his affections and he wasn't ashamed to admit it or give into it. What he found the most irritating about the entire situation, really, was the fact that now he had less to argue with when people assumed he was gay. That was just unfair.
He wanted to take Tavi's hand but he kept his clasped tightly. He bit his lip. "I want to get to know you that way," he pointed out softly. "What I found with Jan and Evgeni... I don't know, it's not exactly romance. I mean. No flowers or candles or anything. I love them and I want to spend time with them and I think I occasionally want to... maybe even have to... spend the night and the day with them. Jan is bonded to Evgeni too; we all feel each other's feelings through him. It's almost impossible not to know, not to share. I feel like they're a part of me. But it's not the same as going on a date, or trying to impress a woman I respect and enjoy spending time with."
He didn't know how to describe the things that he felt for Jan and Evgeni. He could only imagine the looks if he tried to bring them flowers or something. It amused him, actually. And yet there was a closeness and a love with them that approached a level of devotion he'd never experienced, except with his own family.
Now didn't seem to be the time to ask her how she knew about them. Why she wasn't driving him to the hospital now to have his meds checked. Why she wasn't recommending some kind of support hotline for kidnapping victims with delusions. There was enough on the table as it was, enough to deal with for now. He wanted to know, that was certain. He knew she was a detective but he was also aware that vampires appeared to have the whole 'hiding in plain sight' thing down to an art.
He gave another soft sigh. "I know you didn't bargain for any of this, and I am sorry. I wanted to tell you before we went anywhere so that if you wanted to go, you could. I don't want you to. I value your friendship if nothing else, but I still... I still want more."
He blinked at her first question. His immediate response was to simply answer it, and analyze silently while he did. "No," he said softly. "I wasn't compelled. Unless by compelled you mean, stuck into an unbelievably intense situation."
She asked about the bond and he figured it was best to explain both together anyway. "This is what happened," he said, looking down about as frequently as he looked up at her.
"When they came over, the first thing they did was confess to me about what they were. Seems the people who held me were vampires as well, and Evgeni and Jan wanted me to know the truth about that. While we were talking Evgeni made me an offer. I could be compelled, I guess, like you said, to either of them. Or he invited me to bond with him. It's a gift of his, I guess. I feel what he feels, he feels what I feel. And I can speak to him. In thoughts."
He shrugged helplessly. "It's a reassurance," he said. "I'm trying to handle everything well but I'm not ashamed to admit I'm afraid. I don't want to be helpless like that again, alone, injured, terrified for my life. This way, no matter where Evgeni is I can call to him. He didn't have to offer. In fact, he said if neither option was appealing then we'd let it go."
Julian shook his head. "I wanted it. I wanted to know someone would be there. And Evgei... he was there to set me free. As was Jan. Evgeni was the person who took the blindfold off my face, the first person I saw. They were the ones who sat with me at the hospital that night, until the sun was about to rise, before you came."
Intense emotion made his hands shake again and he clasped them tight, swallowed, and kept talking. "To do this bond Evgeni bit me, took some of my blood, and gave me a little of his in return. The biting, it felt... amazing. They told me it would but I wasn't ready for it. And then I felt Evgeni's feelings on top of mine and it was sensory overload, almost. I've never felt that aroused. One thing led to another and they woke up a part of me that doesn't want to go back to sleep."
Did being bi come in degrees? Was that what he was? Julian would still say now that his preference ran toward women. This particular one, even, but Evgeni and Jan held a certain place in his affections and he wasn't ashamed to admit it or give into it. What he found the most irritating about the entire situation, really, was the fact that now he had less to argue with when people assumed he was gay. That was just unfair.
He wanted to take Tavi's hand but he kept his clasped tightly. He bit his lip. "I want to get to know you that way," he pointed out softly. "What I found with Jan and Evgeni... I don't know, it's not exactly romance. I mean. No flowers or candles or anything. I love them and I want to spend time with them and I think I occasionally want to... maybe even have to... spend the night and the day with them. Jan is bonded to Evgeni too; we all feel each other's feelings through him. It's almost impossible not to know, not to share. I feel like they're a part of me. But it's not the same as going on a date, or trying to impress a woman I respect and enjoy spending time with."
He didn't know how to describe the things that he felt for Jan and Evgeni. He could only imagine the looks if he tried to bring them flowers or something. It amused him, actually. And yet there was a closeness and a love with them that approached a level of devotion he'd never experienced, except with his own family.
Now didn't seem to be the time to ask her how she knew about them. Why she wasn't driving him to the hospital now to have his meds checked. Why she wasn't recommending some kind of support hotline for kidnapping victims with delusions. There was enough on the table as it was, enough to deal with for now. He wanted to know, that was certain. He knew she was a detective but he was also aware that vampires appeared to have the whole 'hiding in plain sight' thing down to an art.
He gave another soft sigh. "I know you didn't bargain for any of this, and I am sorry. I wanted to tell you before we went anywhere so that if you wanted to go, you could. I don't want you to. I value your friendship if nothing else, but I still... I still want more."
Octavia Emiliano
11 years ago
Tavi listened to Julian explain what happened. She frowned and filed the information away when he said that the people who held him had been vampires also. It did place Jan and this Evgeni guy higher on her list that they would tell Julian who and what they were at all but especially that they had been willing to be honest with him about themselves and the fact that other vampires had been involved in his kidnapping. That was a harsh truth followed by some seriously bad news and they obviously did a good job of it somehow because Julian wasn't running around the apartment or hiding in a dark corner somewhere worried about all the monsters that suddenly became very real.
Of course not all the credit could go to the vampires, Julian was made of strong stuff and she wasn't surprised that he took it all in stride. Still there was a good way and a bad way to explain such things.
Tilting her head to the side, she listened as he went on. Apparently they told him about being compelled to one or the other of them and then given him that as a choice? There must be some benefit to it or why would Julian choose it. Interesting that they told him about it and offered it to him. Then there was this other choice of a bond between the vampire and Julian. They could feel each other's feelings and send thoughts to each other. That sounded creepy and cool all at the same time. He obviously trusted them very much if he willingly chose that option.
A part of her ran through the possibility that the whole story and the kidnapping and everything was somehow a set up to get Julian to choose to be a part of their little world but it was so far fetched that she couldn't even entertain the idea for a moment before huge gaping holes were blown into the theory. Why do some elaborate mind game acting stunt when they could have just compelled him to begin with if they really wanted? It seemed like a massive amount of trouble to go through and what about Julian would compel two vampires to go through such trouble? He was a great guy but he wasn't politically or financially powerful and if they wanted him because they were attracted to him then it seemed to her that they would want him to feel the same and that didn't need to involve a hostage scenario.
No, they were sounding like people that really cared about Julian. When she had met Jan he had been coming to spend time with Julian so that he wouldn't be alone. He had brought him orange juice to drink and that was kind of cute and sweet and thoughtful for someone who didn't eat anymore. Tavi had a hard time seeing the guy has a conniving mastermind of some convoluted plot to take over Julian's mind and heart. Maybe it was because he looked like a kid but she didn't think so. She looked like a kid and she knew that appearance was deceiving in her case and definitely was in his. The dark curls and sweet voice weren't fooling her a bit but she did have to admit that he looked pretty angelic. If Jan was a evil mastermind then he had the perfect disguise.
"I understand.†Tavi sighed when Julian explained that he wanted to know that someone would be there to help if there was ever a situation like the one he had been in. "I wish I could offer you the same kind of thing.†She could offer him a pack of werewolves but if he was caught by himself then there was no mental powers to contact the others, at least not that she personally had. She would be able to offer him the ability to not be a food source for vampires but that was just as likely to get him killed once a vampire found out what they were dealing with. The pack would have been a good alternative, a family, support, friends and a home but she would have to admit it didn't have the same guarantee. She would also say that it didn't have someone always in your head either but that didn't sound as horrible as many other things that could come to her mind.
She laughed softly when he explained that there wasn't romance and flowers with his friends. Well at least they sounded like guys. "You think I am all girlie and romantic?†Her brother would probably be doubled over in fit of laughter if he ever heard such a thing. Tavi gave Julian an incredulous look and then shrugged. She could be girlie and romantic sometimes. The little street tough bit, wearing leather and riding a motorcycle didn't mean she didn't want to be a girlie girl also.
With a long sigh, she looked at him after he was done speaking. He had stated all the things he wanted and she had to decide what she wanted. The trouble was that she wasn't sure. After a long thoughtful moment , Tavi explained "I don't want to give up on you yet. I am not sure how I feel about all this and what I think of you being so closely connected to two vampires but I don't think there is anything I can do about it anyway and I wouldn't want to just leave you to them.†She sighed and took his hand. "I don't know if I would be okay with sharing you but I suppose we will just have to find out.â€
Of course not all the credit could go to the vampires, Julian was made of strong stuff and she wasn't surprised that he took it all in stride. Still there was a good way and a bad way to explain such things.
Tilting her head to the side, she listened as he went on. Apparently they told him about being compelled to one or the other of them and then given him that as a choice? There must be some benefit to it or why would Julian choose it. Interesting that they told him about it and offered it to him. Then there was this other choice of a bond between the vampire and Julian. They could feel each other's feelings and send thoughts to each other. That sounded creepy and cool all at the same time. He obviously trusted them very much if he willingly chose that option.
A part of her ran through the possibility that the whole story and the kidnapping and everything was somehow a set up to get Julian to choose to be a part of their little world but it was so far fetched that she couldn't even entertain the idea for a moment before huge gaping holes were blown into the theory. Why do some elaborate mind game acting stunt when they could have just compelled him to begin with if they really wanted? It seemed like a massive amount of trouble to go through and what about Julian would compel two vampires to go through such trouble? He was a great guy but he wasn't politically or financially powerful and if they wanted him because they were attracted to him then it seemed to her that they would want him to feel the same and that didn't need to involve a hostage scenario.
No, they were sounding like people that really cared about Julian. When she had met Jan he had been coming to spend time with Julian so that he wouldn't be alone. He had brought him orange juice to drink and that was kind of cute and sweet and thoughtful for someone who didn't eat anymore. Tavi had a hard time seeing the guy has a conniving mastermind of some convoluted plot to take over Julian's mind and heart. Maybe it was because he looked like a kid but she didn't think so. She looked like a kid and she knew that appearance was deceiving in her case and definitely was in his. The dark curls and sweet voice weren't fooling her a bit but she did have to admit that he looked pretty angelic. If Jan was a evil mastermind then he had the perfect disguise.
"I understand.†Tavi sighed when Julian explained that he wanted to know that someone would be there to help if there was ever a situation like the one he had been in. "I wish I could offer you the same kind of thing.†She could offer him a pack of werewolves but if he was caught by himself then there was no mental powers to contact the others, at least not that she personally had. She would be able to offer him the ability to not be a food source for vampires but that was just as likely to get him killed once a vampire found out what they were dealing with. The pack would have been a good alternative, a family, support, friends and a home but she would have to admit it didn't have the same guarantee. She would also say that it didn't have someone always in your head either but that didn't sound as horrible as many other things that could come to her mind.
She laughed softly when he explained that there wasn't romance and flowers with his friends. Well at least they sounded like guys. "You think I am all girlie and romantic?†Her brother would probably be doubled over in fit of laughter if he ever heard such a thing. Tavi gave Julian an incredulous look and then shrugged. She could be girlie and romantic sometimes. The little street tough bit, wearing leather and riding a motorcycle didn't mean she didn't want to be a girlie girl also.
With a long sigh, she looked at him after he was done speaking. He had stated all the things he wanted and she had to decide what she wanted. The trouble was that she wasn't sure. After a long thoughtful moment , Tavi explained "I don't want to give up on you yet. I am not sure how I feel about all this and what I think of you being so closely connected to two vampires but I don't think there is anything I can do about it anyway and I wouldn't want to just leave you to them.†She sighed and took his hand. "I don't know if I would be okay with sharing you but I suppose we will just have to find out.â€
Julian Stephenson
11 years ago
Well, it was going along splendidly so far, although Julian couldn't quite ditch his nerves. He felt like he'd dealt Tavi a rough hand in the dating game thus far, and guilt made him jumpy and tense. He did recover well enough to tilt his head at her and gently quirk an eyebrow when she laughed at his views on dating - well, dating her, specifically.
"You know what I meant," he said with a fleeting smile. No flowers and candles, or few flowers and candles, maybe, but the romance, well, honestly, he wasn't sure romance was exactly a thing he'd ever experience with Jan and Evgeni. He didn't think it was too hammy of him to think they had kind of... transcended that. He felt it, anyway. He was in their heads for crying out loud.
When she finally sighed and spoke after he finished, Julian's heart stuttered when she didn't simply reject him out of hand. She would have been completely justified. He looked down, humbled by her willingness to try when he didn't feel worthy of her efforts, not with the way his life seemed to be lately.
"Don't give up," he said, his voice pleading softly.
When she took his hand he clasped hers between both of his again, softly with the injured one but more tightly with the good one. He waited a moment to make sure she was finished speaking.
"I don't think the bond thing is removable," he said hesitantly. "That's what Evgeni implied. It's here to stay and I wish I could tell you I regret it, but I don't."
He looked down. "I'm not right," he said with a soft, wry laugh. "I'm... kind of broken right now. It helps." He closed his eyes. "They help. You help. But that shouldn't be your reason for staying. I hope it isn't. But thank you."
Julian lifted her hand to his lips, touching them to it but not kissing it, just holding her against them. "I can't believe you're willing to try. That you're not telling me how crazy I am, telling stories about vampires and mental things."
He dropped his head, resting it against their joined hands. "God, Tavi, I don't deserve this but I swear I'm going to do my best to be worth the try. That's all I can ask."
There were so many things going wrong and right in his life, all at the same time, that he felt dizzy with it. Julian couldn't help but hope there weren't any more huge revelations forthcoming. At least a week, he silently begged the powers that be. Just give me a few days of boring before you throw the kitchen sink.
He sat there for a long minute or two, stabilizing himself, breathing. He knew it was important to have supportive friends around him. All the months of therapy after Andrea's death had left him at least well-prepared for future upsets. Julian couldn't imagine having a better network. He didn't feel even remotely guilty about hiding everything from his parents. He had left New York to get out from under their overprotective wings, after all. He was hardly going to terrify them by enlightening him about his recent past.
One thing nagged at him, though, and he finally looked curiously back up at Tavi. "How do you know? About them? You weren't surprised to hear it at all."
They didn't advertise, did they. Vampires here. Take pictures! Tell your friends! Tavi hadn't shown any surprise at all, had seemed to know something about them even. How? He'd gathered very quickly that their presence anywhere was not well known. Very closely guarded. Like, with their lives.
"You know what I meant," he said with a fleeting smile. No flowers and candles, or few flowers and candles, maybe, but the romance, well, honestly, he wasn't sure romance was exactly a thing he'd ever experience with Jan and Evgeni. He didn't think it was too hammy of him to think they had kind of... transcended that. He felt it, anyway. He was in their heads for crying out loud.
When she finally sighed and spoke after he finished, Julian's heart stuttered when she didn't simply reject him out of hand. She would have been completely justified. He looked down, humbled by her willingness to try when he didn't feel worthy of her efforts, not with the way his life seemed to be lately.
"Don't give up," he said, his voice pleading softly.
When she took his hand he clasped hers between both of his again, softly with the injured one but more tightly with the good one. He waited a moment to make sure she was finished speaking.
"I don't think the bond thing is removable," he said hesitantly. "That's what Evgeni implied. It's here to stay and I wish I could tell you I regret it, but I don't."
He looked down. "I'm not right," he said with a soft, wry laugh. "I'm... kind of broken right now. It helps." He closed his eyes. "They help. You help. But that shouldn't be your reason for staying. I hope it isn't. But thank you."
Julian lifted her hand to his lips, touching them to it but not kissing it, just holding her against them. "I can't believe you're willing to try. That you're not telling me how crazy I am, telling stories about vampires and mental things."
He dropped his head, resting it against their joined hands. "God, Tavi, I don't deserve this but I swear I'm going to do my best to be worth the try. That's all I can ask."
There were so many things going wrong and right in his life, all at the same time, that he felt dizzy with it. Julian couldn't help but hope there weren't any more huge revelations forthcoming. At least a week, he silently begged the powers that be. Just give me a few days of boring before you throw the kitchen sink.
He sat there for a long minute or two, stabilizing himself, breathing. He knew it was important to have supportive friends around him. All the months of therapy after Andrea's death had left him at least well-prepared for future upsets. Julian couldn't imagine having a better network. He didn't feel even remotely guilty about hiding everything from his parents. He had left New York to get out from under their overprotective wings, after all. He was hardly going to terrify them by enlightening him about his recent past.
One thing nagged at him, though, and he finally looked curiously back up at Tavi. "How do you know? About them? You weren't surprised to hear it at all."
They didn't advertise, did they. Vampires here. Take pictures! Tell your friends! Tavi hadn't shown any surprise at all, had seemed to know something about them even. How? He'd gathered very quickly that their presence anywhere was not well known. Very closely guarded. Like, with their lives.
Octavia Emiliano
11 years ago
"I believe that." Tavi agreed when Julian said that he was better because of the two vampires that had helped them. "If I didn't..." She shrugged. "It doesn't matter because I believe they care about you."
She watched Julian press his lips to her hand and she smiled. Now that she said that she was going to give him a chance she realized how relieved she was with the decision. She liked Julian a lot and she didn't want to give up on him just yet. Maybe she would have to eventually but when that time she would have a better idea of why.
He asked her the obvious question. "I wasn't surprised because I knew that Jan was a vampire. I found that out a couple of nights ago when I tossed him to the floor."
Tavi turned to face him more squarely and squeeze the hand in her own. "He was a lot stronger than he looked but then I am also." She cocked her head to the side and watched him for a moment. A thought hit her suddenly. Jan knew what she was and even though he was connected to Julian and Evgeni he hadn't told Julian her secret. That earned him some special kind of respect. At least if she had to share Julian then it wasn't with two complete undead assholes.
"They told you what they were but there are other non human beings out there." Tavi looked up into his blue green eyes. "I am a werewolf." She sighed softly. "Generally I try to make sure I am serious about someone before trying to explain that. Not many people deal with it very well." The last boyfriend hadn't and he was a damned werewolf himself. Irony. She had a feeling Julian would take it better but then he had found out about vampires just yesterday and was doing okay.
"I don't have many parlor tricks to convince you other than the obvious one." She smiled at him. "I could show other things but we'd really need to be outside for it."
Her other hand picked at a wrinkle on her dress. "I was born to werewolves and have been one all my life." That wasn't exactly normal but that was something to explain later when more detail was asked for.
"We age slower than humans. I am actually 41. Doesn't quite compare with the several centuries for impressive but I thought you might like to know. I know I look like too young to drink still but soon I will get to enjoy being a youthful adult for a few decades."
She was probably rambling, random facts. Tavi stopped and looked at him. "Are you okay with this? It seems you are getting the supernatural education crash course."
She watched Julian press his lips to her hand and she smiled. Now that she said that she was going to give him a chance she realized how relieved she was with the decision. She liked Julian a lot and she didn't want to give up on him just yet. Maybe she would have to eventually but when that time she would have a better idea of why.
He asked her the obvious question. "I wasn't surprised because I knew that Jan was a vampire. I found that out a couple of nights ago when I tossed him to the floor."
Tavi turned to face him more squarely and squeeze the hand in her own. "He was a lot stronger than he looked but then I am also." She cocked her head to the side and watched him for a moment. A thought hit her suddenly. Jan knew what she was and even though he was connected to Julian and Evgeni he hadn't told Julian her secret. That earned him some special kind of respect. At least if she had to share Julian then it wasn't with two complete undead assholes.
"They told you what they were but there are other non human beings out there." Tavi looked up into his blue green eyes. "I am a werewolf." She sighed softly. "Generally I try to make sure I am serious about someone before trying to explain that. Not many people deal with it very well." The last boyfriend hadn't and he was a damned werewolf himself. Irony. She had a feeling Julian would take it better but then he had found out about vampires just yesterday and was doing okay.
"I don't have many parlor tricks to convince you other than the obvious one." She smiled at him. "I could show other things but we'd really need to be outside for it."
Her other hand picked at a wrinkle on her dress. "I was born to werewolves and have been one all my life." That wasn't exactly normal but that was something to explain later when more detail was asked for.
"We age slower than humans. I am actually 41. Doesn't quite compare with the several centuries for impressive but I thought you might like to know. I know I look like too young to drink still but soon I will get to enjoy being a youthful adult for a few decades."
She was probably rambling, random facts. Tavi stopped and looked at him. "Are you okay with this? It seems you are getting the supernatural education crash course."
Julian Stephenson
11 years ago
Clearly, the powers that be were not in the mood to listen to him. As Tavi spoke and Julian soaked in her words, the kitchen sink came flying at him and he took it right in the face. He didn't speak while she was having her turn, not a single word or sound. He just continued to hold her hand, watching her and letting his mind work out the facts of what she was trying to explain.
She asked if he was okay and he smiled, maybe a little wanly, but it was genuine. "Yeah," he said. "I'm okay with it. Have to be, right? I mean, it's not like disbelief will make anyone go away or stop being what they are."
Inside his brain wanted to explode and his head was pounding ferociously but he settled himself down. His words couldn't have been all that inspiring so he squeezed Tavi's hand. "Really. I don't quite understand everything that's happening yet, but I'm getting there. This is a lot of learning to get all at once. Part of me is wondering if I'm still lying in a hospital bed in a coma having some strange series of dreams."
He lifted one hand to his head and rubbed it gently. Then he looked at Tavi thoughtfully. "You're a lot cuter than I would have expected a werewolf to be. Less furry."
Because he wanted to reassure her, and maybe himself, Julian leaned forward and kissed Tavi softly on the cheek. "Thank you for telling me," he said. "Um... is it okay to ask you about it? Not now. But later, maybe, as they come? If you don't want to discuss it with me just tell me."
Julian didn't know how one was expected to behave when one's potential girlfriend (and partners, for that matter) informed him that they weren't exactly human. To him, it made sense to ask. He had to respect what they wanted even if inside he was a babbling idiot. Which, at the moment, he wasn't. If vampires were real then hey, why not werewolves?
In hindsight it would have been nice if Jan and Evgeni had mentioned it. You know, oh hey, while we're on the topic, werewolves, totally a 'thing.' But there had been a lot going on and really it had never come up. Julian didn't think much of it other than that maybe, next time, a sticky note on the fridge or something.
Now, honestly, he wanted to spend time with Tavi and that was about it. He wanted to try to convince her he was worth the effort to stick with for at least a little while.
"Do you still want to go out?" he asked her. "We don't have to. We can stay here, order in, get a movie, or you can go if you want. I'll understand."
He'd dropped a bigger bomb on her, in his opinion, than she had on him. He didn't suppose it was any different, caring about his friend Tavi versus his friend Tavi the werewolf. It was just another facet of who she was. Julian, however, had given her more than just that to think about. He didn't want to be left alone but he felt certain that if she did decide to leave Jan and Evgeni would return.
He would rather Tavi stay, though. He wanted her company. Out, in, over sushi again, at a movie, whatever. He knew trying to make her do something would be counterproductive though. If she wanted to go and think about what he'd said, what he had done, he had to let her have that time.
She asked if he was okay and he smiled, maybe a little wanly, but it was genuine. "Yeah," he said. "I'm okay with it. Have to be, right? I mean, it's not like disbelief will make anyone go away or stop being what they are."
Inside his brain wanted to explode and his head was pounding ferociously but he settled himself down. His words couldn't have been all that inspiring so he squeezed Tavi's hand. "Really. I don't quite understand everything that's happening yet, but I'm getting there. This is a lot of learning to get all at once. Part of me is wondering if I'm still lying in a hospital bed in a coma having some strange series of dreams."
He lifted one hand to his head and rubbed it gently. Then he looked at Tavi thoughtfully. "You're a lot cuter than I would have expected a werewolf to be. Less furry."
Because he wanted to reassure her, and maybe himself, Julian leaned forward and kissed Tavi softly on the cheek. "Thank you for telling me," he said. "Um... is it okay to ask you about it? Not now. But later, maybe, as they come? If you don't want to discuss it with me just tell me."
Julian didn't know how one was expected to behave when one's potential girlfriend (and partners, for that matter) informed him that they weren't exactly human. To him, it made sense to ask. He had to respect what they wanted even if inside he was a babbling idiot. Which, at the moment, he wasn't. If vampires were real then hey, why not werewolves?
In hindsight it would have been nice if Jan and Evgeni had mentioned it. You know, oh hey, while we're on the topic, werewolves, totally a 'thing.' But there had been a lot going on and really it had never come up. Julian didn't think much of it other than that maybe, next time, a sticky note on the fridge or something.
Now, honestly, he wanted to spend time with Tavi and that was about it. He wanted to try to convince her he was worth the effort to stick with for at least a little while.
"Do you still want to go out?" he asked her. "We don't have to. We can stay here, order in, get a movie, or you can go if you want. I'll understand."
He'd dropped a bigger bomb on her, in his opinion, than she had on him. He didn't suppose it was any different, caring about his friend Tavi versus his friend Tavi the werewolf. It was just another facet of who she was. Julian, however, had given her more than just that to think about. He didn't want to be left alone but he felt certain that if she did decide to leave Jan and Evgeni would return.
He would rather Tavi stay, though. He wanted her company. Out, in, over sushi again, at a movie, whatever. He knew trying to make her do something would be counterproductive though. If she wanted to go and think about what he'd said, what he had done, he had to let her have that time.
Octavia Emiliano
11 years ago
His words weren't the most encouraging things ever and she briefly wondered if he had taken the vampire confession better. A part of her felt a little bitter, a bit sullen. She had to deal with him being a bed mate to two vampires and he said that he would just have to deal with her being a werewolf because he couldn't change it? It stung her pride too. She loved who and what she was; it wasn't a curse or a defect. They didn't tell humans because their sensibilities were easily bruised and because the ones that became stark raving mad over the truth had to be dealt with before they caused problems. She didn't want someone to have to kill Julian, especially if that someone had to be her, but she didn't think that was likely. He didn't seem happy about it but he also didn't appear to be ready to bolt and go screaming out into the night shouting about werewolves and monsters at the top of his lungs.
Perhaps she wasn't being fair to him. He did just find out and at least he hadn't pulled away. She supposed the scent of sex lingering in the room was still making her feel a little bitter, envious and jealous. She had been on this very bed two nights ago doing things with Julian and she didn't like not being involved in his intimate activities.
"It won't do any good to tell you you are not in a comma having really strange dreams." Tavi sighed softly. He had been hit on the head pretty hard; a coma was certainly a possibility but you can't convince someone that he isn't in a coma just by saying so and she didn't think the pinching thing applied to being comatose.
Raising her eyebrows at him, she smiled smugly when he mentioned her being too cute to be a werewolf. "I am a very pretty wolf too." Sometimes not natural looking but she thought she was pretty sleek. These days she had stopped dying her fur. Maybe she would do it for Halloween or some special occasion but honestly it was too much work. The shock value didn't really get a rise out of her mother anymore and that had been the original reason for doing it. Maybe if she could glow in the dark....Nah.
Smiling at his kiss on the cheek, she felt a little more relieved. Maybe he would be okay with this. He asked about asking her things and it was sweet of him to be thoughtful enough to worry about whether he was respecting her privacy. "Sure, ask me whatever you want."
He really was taking this okay. Her smile was much more like her own. "We can do whatever you like. Though more sushi and a movie or two here sounds great." She was really well dressed for staying home but it was just a dress and it had been for Julian anyway. So long as he got to see her looking all feminine and dressed up then that was all that mattered. "Uhm, I can't eat cooked things. That's why the sushi and the really floppy bacon." Tavi gave him a crooked half smile. "Not every werewolf has that trouble but some do. I figure it was because I have been a werewolf all my life. Some of us are gifted much later."
She looked at him and smiled. "So shall we see what redbox has and go pick some up? No b movies about werewolves, in London or Paris or any other city. Okay?" Tavi realized she had been a werewolf in London. It was just too cliche to bare thinking about.
Perhaps she wasn't being fair to him. He did just find out and at least he hadn't pulled away. She supposed the scent of sex lingering in the room was still making her feel a little bitter, envious and jealous. She had been on this very bed two nights ago doing things with Julian and she didn't like not being involved in his intimate activities.
"It won't do any good to tell you you are not in a comma having really strange dreams." Tavi sighed softly. He had been hit on the head pretty hard; a coma was certainly a possibility but you can't convince someone that he isn't in a coma just by saying so and she didn't think the pinching thing applied to being comatose.
Raising her eyebrows at him, she smiled smugly when he mentioned her being too cute to be a werewolf. "I am a very pretty wolf too." Sometimes not natural looking but she thought she was pretty sleek. These days she had stopped dying her fur. Maybe she would do it for Halloween or some special occasion but honestly it was too much work. The shock value didn't really get a rise out of her mother anymore and that had been the original reason for doing it. Maybe if she could glow in the dark....Nah.
Smiling at his kiss on the cheek, she felt a little more relieved. Maybe he would be okay with this. He asked about asking her things and it was sweet of him to be thoughtful enough to worry about whether he was respecting her privacy. "Sure, ask me whatever you want."
He really was taking this okay. Her smile was much more like her own. "We can do whatever you like. Though more sushi and a movie or two here sounds great." She was really well dressed for staying home but it was just a dress and it had been for Julian anyway. So long as he got to see her looking all feminine and dressed up then that was all that mattered. "Uhm, I can't eat cooked things. That's why the sushi and the really floppy bacon." Tavi gave him a crooked half smile. "Not every werewolf has that trouble but some do. I figure it was because I have been a werewolf all my life. Some of us are gifted much later."
She looked at him and smiled. "So shall we see what redbox has and go pick some up? No b movies about werewolves, in London or Paris or any other city. Okay?" Tavi realized she had been a werewolf in London. It was just too cliche to bare thinking about.
Julian Stephenson
11 years ago
Tavi didn't look completely enthusiastic with Julian's response but he didn't expect her to; she was a saint for having put up with his bullshit thus far. The fact that she was willing to test the waters of a pretty non-conventional relationship with him was surprising and gratifying. He really was going to do his best to make her happy - Jan and Evgeni too. His life was suddenly very full and he loved it.
Given permission to ask what he wanted, he raised his eyebrows and smiled. "Can I see sometime? Is it just during the full moon? And what do you mean pretty... it's not like in the movies, all slavering and growly and claws and fangs and all that?"
He couldn't restrain his smile at the probably child-like questions. If she was going to invite them, he'd definitely ask them. Maybe it would give him chance to show her he accepted her as she was. As with Jan and Evgeni, Julian didn't think it was his place to judge. If she told him she was a three-eyed purple monster he would still (probably) be looking at the same (well, maybe) Tavi.
Her next words only brought up more questions. "Huh," he said. "I thought you just really liked sushi. And... gifted? So you aren't all born werewolves?"
The way she'd said it before, it hadn't been clear and he hadn't really been thinking about it. Now he was intensely interested. "How do you become one? Movies again? Being bitten and all that?"
A sudden thought occurred to him. "No cooked meat at all? Is sushi all you can eat?"
It seemed a shame to rent a movie now, with a fascinating topic to discuss. Of course, it would be awful of him to make her feel like she was being interviewed or studied so Julian reined in his curiosity. "Okay, but we can still go out. You're so beautiful, it'd be a shame not to show it off."
He gestured to her dress, trying to make it clear he wasn't being chauvinistic. If he'd looked that good in that dress he'd have wanted to strut it in public too. It didn't matter to him that she was small and lithe. He did think she reminded him of a fairy or an elf.
Given permission to ask what he wanted, he raised his eyebrows and smiled. "Can I see sometime? Is it just during the full moon? And what do you mean pretty... it's not like in the movies, all slavering and growly and claws and fangs and all that?"
He couldn't restrain his smile at the probably child-like questions. If she was going to invite them, he'd definitely ask them. Maybe it would give him chance to show her he accepted her as she was. As with Jan and Evgeni, Julian didn't think it was his place to judge. If she told him she was a three-eyed purple monster he would still (probably) be looking at the same (well, maybe) Tavi.
Her next words only brought up more questions. "Huh," he said. "I thought you just really liked sushi. And... gifted? So you aren't all born werewolves?"
The way she'd said it before, it hadn't been clear and he hadn't really been thinking about it. Now he was intensely interested. "How do you become one? Movies again? Being bitten and all that?"
A sudden thought occurred to him. "No cooked meat at all? Is sushi all you can eat?"
It seemed a shame to rent a movie now, with a fascinating topic to discuss. Of course, it would be awful of him to make her feel like she was being interviewed or studied so Julian reined in his curiosity. "Okay, but we can still go out. You're so beautiful, it'd be a shame not to show it off."
He gestured to her dress, trying to make it clear he wasn't being chauvinistic. If he'd looked that good in that dress he'd have wanted to strut it in public too. It didn't matter to him that she was small and lithe. He did think she reminded him of a fairy or an elf.
Octavia Emiliano
11 years ago
Tavi nodded when he asked if he could see her change. She then giggled at the theater version of werewolves that he asked about. Still chuckling, she shook her head again. "You mean all." She hunched her shoulders, hooked her fingers into claws, crossed her eyes and reached for him with her tongue hanging out and making vague 'blar, arg, gargle, growl' noises at him. It didn't last long because she couldn't hold it without laughing. "I could see why you might doubt whether I was pretty." Tavi straightened up and smiled gently at him. "I don't have a humanoid furry form or anything. I turn into a wolf. A very pretty grey and white one." The last part was added rather primly. She hoped he agreed with her but there was really only one way to find that out.
"We can only change at night but any night will do. We have to change during the full moon." There were those who could keep it down to one night but she wasn't one of them.
Julian asked her about sushi and she nodded again very enthusiastically. "I love love LOVE sushi! I was so happy when it became popular in the west. It gives me something I can eat out with friends and lets me get to know cute sushi virgins at restaurants." She smiled at him. If it hadn't been for her love of raw fish and his sense of adventure they might have never met. Sushi was a chance to be social in a way that most people took for granted. Tavi thought very highly of it and it tasted delicious.
She considered the question about becoming a werewolf and how to explain. "It is a two part process. There is a passive part of the virus that a lot of people have and that can be passed on through contact with a werewolf. Unprotected sex for instance. But it doesn't turn you into a werewolf. You could have it your entire life and it wouldn't do anything but sit there. To activate the virus you have to then be bitten by a werewolf. So there really aren't that many accidental werewolf giftings going on." Tavi sighed and swung her legs a little. "In fact I only know of one here in Nachton who had that happen to him. He's a friend of mine and he was bitten when he was young by a new werewolf while they were both at a playground. He had to have already had the passive virus which was very unfortunate for him." She shrugged again, Kiyo didn't like being a werewolf and it hadn't been his choice. "It takes a really deep bite too, not just a nibble." She didn't want him shying away any time she was near his neck.
"My parents are werewolves so I was born with the passive virus already. Normally we gift children about the time they hit puberty but my twin brother and I were a special case. We were in danger of dying, born early and my mother made the difficult choice to gift us, at birth. As far as I know it had never been done before and with good reason really. We turned our first time before we could even walk." And her diet which might have been something like normal baby food had been something else after the milk stage. Her parents had all kinds of difficulties figuring out how what things she and Toby could and couldn't do and what things they needed, were allergic to and everything else with two tiny werewolves that couldn't really communicate.
"Any meat will do so long as its not cooked. I am a carnivore. Some people joke. I'm not kidding. Vegetables not only look like rabbit food to me but they upset my stomach. I have gotten used to a little rice but I don't plan on adding it as a staple of my diet any time soon."
Tavi smiled at him when he said that they should still go out and that she looked too pretty to stay in and watch movies. "Hmm, we could go to a bar perhaps, or a restaurant...that serves sushi or fondu." The fondu places gave you raw meat and let you cook it yourself. She could dip hers in the cooking pot just long enough to get the flavor and then pop it in her mouth. Those were another type of restaurant high on her favorite list. Tavi didn't want to suggest dancing to Julian with his hip making it hard for him to walk without a slight limp. She had thought of Terminus, and Kiyo, but Julian was currently sporting a cast on one hand and that made playing a lot of video games difficult. And neither of those were probably good for someone recovering from a severe concussion.
"We could go find your friends. If you like." A large part of her couldn't believe she had said that but another part of her wanted to see them with Julian just to make sure that the caring for him was as real as she thought it was.
"We can only change at night but any night will do. We have to change during the full moon." There were those who could keep it down to one night but she wasn't one of them.
Julian asked her about sushi and she nodded again very enthusiastically. "I love love LOVE sushi! I was so happy when it became popular in the west. It gives me something I can eat out with friends and lets me get to know cute sushi virgins at restaurants." She smiled at him. If it hadn't been for her love of raw fish and his sense of adventure they might have never met. Sushi was a chance to be social in a way that most people took for granted. Tavi thought very highly of it and it tasted delicious.
She considered the question about becoming a werewolf and how to explain. "It is a two part process. There is a passive part of the virus that a lot of people have and that can be passed on through contact with a werewolf. Unprotected sex for instance. But it doesn't turn you into a werewolf. You could have it your entire life and it wouldn't do anything but sit there. To activate the virus you have to then be bitten by a werewolf. So there really aren't that many accidental werewolf giftings going on." Tavi sighed and swung her legs a little. "In fact I only know of one here in Nachton who had that happen to him. He's a friend of mine and he was bitten when he was young by a new werewolf while they were both at a playground. He had to have already had the passive virus which was very unfortunate for him." She shrugged again, Kiyo didn't like being a werewolf and it hadn't been his choice. "It takes a really deep bite too, not just a nibble." She didn't want him shying away any time she was near his neck.
"My parents are werewolves so I was born with the passive virus already. Normally we gift children about the time they hit puberty but my twin brother and I were a special case. We were in danger of dying, born early and my mother made the difficult choice to gift us, at birth. As far as I know it had never been done before and with good reason really. We turned our first time before we could even walk." And her diet which might have been something like normal baby food had been something else after the milk stage. Her parents had all kinds of difficulties figuring out how what things she and Toby could and couldn't do and what things they needed, were allergic to and everything else with two tiny werewolves that couldn't really communicate.
"Any meat will do so long as its not cooked. I am a carnivore. Some people joke. I'm not kidding. Vegetables not only look like rabbit food to me but they upset my stomach. I have gotten used to a little rice but I don't plan on adding it as a staple of my diet any time soon."
Tavi smiled at him when he said that they should still go out and that she looked too pretty to stay in and watch movies. "Hmm, we could go to a bar perhaps, or a restaurant...that serves sushi or fondu." The fondu places gave you raw meat and let you cook it yourself. She could dip hers in the cooking pot just long enough to get the flavor and then pop it in her mouth. Those were another type of restaurant high on her favorite list. Tavi didn't want to suggest dancing to Julian with his hip making it hard for him to walk without a slight limp. She had thought of Terminus, and Kiyo, but Julian was currently sporting a cast on one hand and that made playing a lot of video games difficult. And neither of those were probably good for someone recovering from a severe concussion.
"We could go find your friends. If you like." A large part of her couldn't believe she had said that but another part of her wanted to see them with Julian just to make sure that the caring for him was as real as she thought it was.
Julian Stephenson
11 years ago
Julian was happy that they were getting back to a more pleasant rapport. The awkward things were out in the open and they could start to get used to them, to work with them, work around them. He could so do this.
"At night, huh?" Julian glanced at the single window in his tiny studio. It was still covered up but it was dark out; Evgeni and Jan couldn't have left otherwise. He turned back to Tavi and raised his eyebrows. "I want to see you," he said, no hesitation in his voice. "If you don't mind."
Now that the initial shock of her confession was wearing out, he thought it was fucking cool. Julian wasn't that old; he'd grown up in a time of pop culture that included vampires and werewolves. He'd never seen Twilight or anything, but that wasn't the only movie or book series to explore the idea of the paranormal. Hell, he watched Being Human. Underworld. What guy wouldn't think real werewolves were awesome? And he was going to date one? Cool. Just... cool.
He laughed, relaxing further when Tavi flirted with him about their meeting. Impulsively he leaned forward and kissed her softly on the lips. "I love it too," he said, "and not just because it's tasty."
He wiggled his eyebrows at her and settled down a bit when she explained further about her kind. As she told him about herself he squeezed her hand a little tighter. She'd been a werewolf for her whole life and that was apparently a little unusual? She seemed so comfortable with it, it was obviously a good thing. Not like some sensational book or movie thing where it was a horrible thing to happen, like the way she described her friend.
"So, uh... does that mean I have this virus too?" His brow furrowed. He and Tavi had kissed. A lot. And, obviously, his mouth had not been confined to hers. It had been, well, pretty much everywhere. "If I get bitten I'll be a werewolf?"
He waited for her answer with mixed feelings. Did he want that? He didn't mind the virus thing, if it was a passive deal. It would just be good to know, something to be aware of. Another something to deal with on top of what was already going on, but he could handle that news.
She explained more about her eating, and with the lighter mood Julian felt like he could tease a little. He grinned at her. "So what you're telling me is, to cook you dinner I just need to pop a raw steak on a plate and hand it over? I think I just became Chef Julian."
Julian couldn't cook to save his life. Toast, eggs, ramen soup, tuna fish sandwiches... that he could handle. Putting together a meal? Way beyond him. This whole 'cooking for his date' thing had suddenly become a whole lot more attainable. Wait until he told his folks. Uh, no wait. Better not. He'd go home to visit and they'd expect him to show off his culinary skills by asking him to make them a steak dinner too. Bad idea.
He added a suggestion to Tavi's list of restaurants. "Sukiyaki? How about that?" It was like fondue, where you dipped raw meat and vegetables into hot broth. Surely that would be good too.
He reared back, eyes widening, when she suggested finding Jan and Evgeni. "You want to meet them? We can, if you really want. I can ask them now but... I'd rather have the night for ourselves. I want to know you. How about we go eat first? And then maybe... I don't know. The park and preserve or something? A nice, private, moonlit walk? If you want. Jan and Evgeni will be up all night. If you still want to hang out with them a little later we can. Just us for now though. Please?"
He looked at her earnestly. Julian couldn't dissemble. He was a bad liar. He really did want to spend time with Tavi as she was. He wanted to see her both ways, not because he needed proof but because he really did want to know who she was. He wanted to feel as intimate with her as he did with his... boyfriends? How the hell did he define that one?
"At night, huh?" Julian glanced at the single window in his tiny studio. It was still covered up but it was dark out; Evgeni and Jan couldn't have left otherwise. He turned back to Tavi and raised his eyebrows. "I want to see you," he said, no hesitation in his voice. "If you don't mind."
Now that the initial shock of her confession was wearing out, he thought it was fucking cool. Julian wasn't that old; he'd grown up in a time of pop culture that included vampires and werewolves. He'd never seen Twilight or anything, but that wasn't the only movie or book series to explore the idea of the paranormal. Hell, he watched Being Human. Underworld. What guy wouldn't think real werewolves were awesome? And he was going to date one? Cool. Just... cool.
He laughed, relaxing further when Tavi flirted with him about their meeting. Impulsively he leaned forward and kissed her softly on the lips. "I love it too," he said, "and not just because it's tasty."
He wiggled his eyebrows at her and settled down a bit when she explained further about her kind. As she told him about herself he squeezed her hand a little tighter. She'd been a werewolf for her whole life and that was apparently a little unusual? She seemed so comfortable with it, it was obviously a good thing. Not like some sensational book or movie thing where it was a horrible thing to happen, like the way she described her friend.
"So, uh... does that mean I have this virus too?" His brow furrowed. He and Tavi had kissed. A lot. And, obviously, his mouth had not been confined to hers. It had been, well, pretty much everywhere. "If I get bitten I'll be a werewolf?"
He waited for her answer with mixed feelings. Did he want that? He didn't mind the virus thing, if it was a passive deal. It would just be good to know, something to be aware of. Another something to deal with on top of what was already going on, but he could handle that news.
She explained more about her eating, and with the lighter mood Julian felt like he could tease a little. He grinned at her. "So what you're telling me is, to cook you dinner I just need to pop a raw steak on a plate and hand it over? I think I just became Chef Julian."
Julian couldn't cook to save his life. Toast, eggs, ramen soup, tuna fish sandwiches... that he could handle. Putting together a meal? Way beyond him. This whole 'cooking for his date' thing had suddenly become a whole lot more attainable. Wait until he told his folks. Uh, no wait. Better not. He'd go home to visit and they'd expect him to show off his culinary skills by asking him to make them a steak dinner too. Bad idea.
He added a suggestion to Tavi's list of restaurants. "Sukiyaki? How about that?" It was like fondue, where you dipped raw meat and vegetables into hot broth. Surely that would be good too.
He reared back, eyes widening, when she suggested finding Jan and Evgeni. "You want to meet them? We can, if you really want. I can ask them now but... I'd rather have the night for ourselves. I want to know you. How about we go eat first? And then maybe... I don't know. The park and preserve or something? A nice, private, moonlit walk? If you want. Jan and Evgeni will be up all night. If you still want to hang out with them a little later we can. Just us for now though. Please?"
He looked at her earnestly. Julian couldn't dissemble. He was a bad liar. He really did want to spend time with Tavi as she was. He wanted to see her both ways, not because he needed proof but because he really did want to know who she was. He wanted to feel as intimate with her as he did with his... boyfriends? How the hell did he define that one?
Octavia Emiliano
11 years ago
Tavi nodded. "Don't worry, I am perfectly willing to show you.†She could change in his apartment. It wasn't as glorious as seeing her out in the wild but perhaps it would be less intimidating. Julian didn't seem like he was having a hard time accepting these things, vampires and werewolves, but seeing a pair of fangs is a bit different than seeing a large wolf. She was small and still larger than a normal wolf, just not by very much. Ironic that she might seem initially so much more dangerous than a pair of vampires but there you go.
The kiss was a pleasant surprise and she beamed happily up at him afterward. If he still wanted to kiss her after seeing her change form then she was definitely willing to give this whole shared Julian thing a try. Not because she wanted to share him but because she thought he might be worth keeping in her life even with the awkward arrangement. It was still very seriously up for debate though and a large part of her couldn't imagine how this would likely work out well for everyone involved. If it didn't work out then Tavi thought it was time to go back to looking for someone within her pack. She was just a little tired of the dancing around portion of dating only to find that everything fell apart anyway. Finding a member of the r'asa, settling down and having children would make her parents happy. Well her father anyway, nothing had ever seemed to make her mother happy even the things that seemed like they should.
Julian asked about the virus and her smile fell away. "Yes, unfortunately it does mean that you definitely have it now if you didn't have it before. It is very easily transferred, I'm afraid, but it won't effect you in any way as it is. It doesn't even show up on lab tests.†With a sigh, she answered the rest. "If you were bitten hard enough to draw blood then yes, you would become a werewolf but that is the only way it would happen. No clawing, no sharing blood, saliva or anything else.†She hoped it didn't bother him too much. She couldn't exactly explain to every man she dated that she was giving him the passive form of a virus that humans couldn't test for, that had no symptoms and that he might already have simply by kissing him intimately.
They moved on to talk of her eating habits. "That is all it takes. If you want to be fancy then you can add a little sprig of parsley or something...no one eats that anyway.†At least not anyone she had seen.
She smiled at his suggestion and nodded. He really seemed to understand and was quick to come up with a clever dining solution that worked well for both of them. "I hope you like vegetables and stuff.†Because he was going to be eating his and hers.
The other suggestion she had was met with surprise. "Yes, I want to meet them. If I am going to share you then I want to know who I am sharing you with.†Tavi smiled but her eyes were still serious. "iI want to know that they are good to you. And perhaps you would agree that it is best if we could all get along?†There wasn't much hidden about a serious relationship within the R'asa. Honesty was very important, being open and understanding to the best of your ability was considered very good qualities. Not many people could handle her personality and there were very few wolves who were up to the challenge of dating her. It would be unwise to be stubborn and demanding with Julian who so far made her very happy. "We can enjoy dinner and some time to ourselves first. The night is young...and all that.â€
The kiss was a pleasant surprise and she beamed happily up at him afterward. If he still wanted to kiss her after seeing her change form then she was definitely willing to give this whole shared Julian thing a try. Not because she wanted to share him but because she thought he might be worth keeping in her life even with the awkward arrangement. It was still very seriously up for debate though and a large part of her couldn't imagine how this would likely work out well for everyone involved. If it didn't work out then Tavi thought it was time to go back to looking for someone within her pack. She was just a little tired of the dancing around portion of dating only to find that everything fell apart anyway. Finding a member of the r'asa, settling down and having children would make her parents happy. Well her father anyway, nothing had ever seemed to make her mother happy even the things that seemed like they should.
Julian asked about the virus and her smile fell away. "Yes, unfortunately it does mean that you definitely have it now if you didn't have it before. It is very easily transferred, I'm afraid, but it won't effect you in any way as it is. It doesn't even show up on lab tests.†With a sigh, she answered the rest. "If you were bitten hard enough to draw blood then yes, you would become a werewolf but that is the only way it would happen. No clawing, no sharing blood, saliva or anything else.†She hoped it didn't bother him too much. She couldn't exactly explain to every man she dated that she was giving him the passive form of a virus that humans couldn't test for, that had no symptoms and that he might already have simply by kissing him intimately.
They moved on to talk of her eating habits. "That is all it takes. If you want to be fancy then you can add a little sprig of parsley or something...no one eats that anyway.†At least not anyone she had seen.
She smiled at his suggestion and nodded. He really seemed to understand and was quick to come up with a clever dining solution that worked well for both of them. "I hope you like vegetables and stuff.†Because he was going to be eating his and hers.
The other suggestion she had was met with surprise. "Yes, I want to meet them. If I am going to share you then I want to know who I am sharing you with.†Tavi smiled but her eyes were still serious. "iI want to know that they are good to you. And perhaps you would agree that it is best if we could all get along?†There wasn't much hidden about a serious relationship within the R'asa. Honesty was very important, being open and understanding to the best of your ability was considered very good qualities. Not many people could handle her personality and there were very few wolves who were up to the challenge of dating her. It would be unwise to be stubborn and demanding with Julian who so far made her very happy. "We can enjoy dinner and some time to ourselves first. The night is young...and all that.â€
Julian Stephenson
11 years ago
With things out in the open, Tavi was once again easy to talk to. Julian had always thought that about her, and it remained so now. He was looking forward to seeing her transformation, and her confirmation that he had a partial werewolf virus wasn't as worrisome. He knew about it, he could handle it. Don't get bitten by werewolves any time soon unless you want to be one. Forewarned was forearmed and all that. It was a little bit of a concern but in light of the last few days that bit of news was so far down on the register it was barely a blip on his radar.
Dining, too, seemed perfectly reasonable. "I love them. I'll eat just about anything," he said when she mentioned vegetables. "I just suck at cooking it myself."
Julian ate out a lot. Not only were his skills lacking but his kitchen was almost nonexistent and his schedule was usually a mess. He didn't do much food prep himself. Breakfast, usually, and maybe lunch if he was home. But dinner and other meals were take-out or dine-in.
They returned to the topic of his blossoming relationship with Jan and Evgeni, and Julian was now smiling, feeling a little more comfortable doing so. "They treat me well," he said, brushing the pad of his thumb over Tavi's knuckles. "You'll see."
It was sweet of her to be concerned, sweet of her to want to know them better. Part of him wanted to demonstrate for her, too, the bond that was between them. Julian closed his eyes and focused briefly, although Evgeni didn't feel far away.
[Think you and Jan could meet us a little later? Maybe out at the preserve in a few hours, or something? If you've got plans we can do it another night. Tavi just wants to get to know you better, which is a good idea. I think you'll like her too.]
Opening his eyes he looked at Tavi. "What now? Food first? Wolf first?"
He didn't want to push her or seem over-eager, but once again honesty won out and he grinned a little like a kid. "I have to admit, the idea of dating a werewolf is just cool. Who wouldn't think that?"
Especially in this day and age?
Dining, too, seemed perfectly reasonable. "I love them. I'll eat just about anything," he said when she mentioned vegetables. "I just suck at cooking it myself."
Julian ate out a lot. Not only were his skills lacking but his kitchen was almost nonexistent and his schedule was usually a mess. He didn't do much food prep himself. Breakfast, usually, and maybe lunch if he was home. But dinner and other meals were take-out or dine-in.
They returned to the topic of his blossoming relationship with Jan and Evgeni, and Julian was now smiling, feeling a little more comfortable doing so. "They treat me well," he said, brushing the pad of his thumb over Tavi's knuckles. "You'll see."
It was sweet of her to be concerned, sweet of her to want to know them better. Part of him wanted to demonstrate for her, too, the bond that was between them. Julian closed his eyes and focused briefly, although Evgeni didn't feel far away.
[Think you and Jan could meet us a little later? Maybe out at the preserve in a few hours, or something? If you've got plans we can do it another night. Tavi just wants to get to know you better, which is a good idea. I think you'll like her too.]
Opening his eyes he looked at Tavi. "What now? Food first? Wolf first?"
He didn't want to push her or seem over-eager, but once again honesty won out and he grinned a little like a kid. "I have to admit, the idea of dating a werewolf is just cool. Who wouldn't think that?"
Especially in this day and age?
Octavia Emiliano
11 years ago
They had something else in common, neither of them cooked. Tavi had the amusing thought that it was a trait that Julian's other companion's also shared...most likely. Who knows maybe one of the vampires was a culinary master. It seemed as impractical for them as it would be for a werewolf who didn't eat cooked food but she supposed that at least they actually -could- eat it. It just wouldn't do them any good.
"Well so long as you aren't secretly looking for a domestic goddess to bless you with better nutrition then I think we're good. I won't ask you to cook if you don't ask me to cook.†Tavi grinned. She would be more than happy to occasionally pick him up some food on the way home if he was busy or, like now, probably shouldn't drive.
Julian said that his two vampire friends treated him well and he didn't seem to be upset about her wanting to meet them. If he was willing to introduce them to his detective girlfriend then he obviously had nothing to hide. This whole honesty thing wasn't just an attack of conscience but a real honest effort to be open, from the looks of it. He really did seem to want it to work out for everyone and not just himself. She thought that maybe he wouldn't have wanted them all to mingle, not because of the scary werewolf P.I. Thing but because of the intimate relationship that he had with them. Often you didn't want to share those kinds of things with others but for this to work then there needed to be a greater than normal amount of disclosure.
Tavi stood up and pushed off the straps of her sandals and then slid out of them. She pulled the long dress over her head, smiling at him when he came into view again. "Wolf first.†Tossing the dress onto the bed, Tavi wiggled her arms out of the bra and flung it on top of the other garment. She wasn't wearing anything else.
She gave him an arched eyebrow and a grin before taking a step back. "Some people just can't handle a woman with a wild side.â€
Sitting down on the floor to the side of the table, she looked up at him and explained a little bit about the change before he saw it happening. "It is a rearranging of my body. Bones rearrange themselves, fur grows, muscles move. I am sure you've seen stuff like that on television and that is pretty close to the truth. It looks more painful than it is but a fast change...that actually is pretty brutal.†Tavi closed her eyes and summoned the wolf within her. She had been born doing this; it was more natural to her than it was for any werewolf she had ever met. Opening her eyes again, she regarded him calmly. "The rest is more dramatic.†She watched him with eyes that had expanded to hide the whites and whose color had lightened to a golden green. To her they always seemed to resemble her human eyes but with a warm light glowing within them.
Closing her eyes once again she continued the slow change. Occasionally Tavi would open her eyes to check on Julian and make sure that he wasn't completely horrified by what he saw. She was making it as smooth a shift as possible so that it did not look nearly as terrifying and painful as it had the potential to look. A new werewolf changing for the first couple of times generally had shifts that were so awkward and agonizing that they made her wince just watching them. After a certain point there really wasn't any going back; at that point, she closed her eyes again and abandoned herself to the rest of the transformation.
When it was done, she seated herself very patiently, wrapping her tail close to her body so that she didn't knock something over in his tiny apartment. Tavi tilted her head the side and regarded him once more. She lifted her chin and made a little noise that was sort of a questioning whine. It was difficult to communicate with a human in this form. She found herself hoping that he at least had plenty of canine experience growing up.
"Well so long as you aren't secretly looking for a domestic goddess to bless you with better nutrition then I think we're good. I won't ask you to cook if you don't ask me to cook.†Tavi grinned. She would be more than happy to occasionally pick him up some food on the way home if he was busy or, like now, probably shouldn't drive.
Julian said that his two vampire friends treated him well and he didn't seem to be upset about her wanting to meet them. If he was willing to introduce them to his detective girlfriend then he obviously had nothing to hide. This whole honesty thing wasn't just an attack of conscience but a real honest effort to be open, from the looks of it. He really did seem to want it to work out for everyone and not just himself. She thought that maybe he wouldn't have wanted them all to mingle, not because of the scary werewolf P.I. Thing but because of the intimate relationship that he had with them. Often you didn't want to share those kinds of things with others but for this to work then there needed to be a greater than normal amount of disclosure.
Tavi stood up and pushed off the straps of her sandals and then slid out of them. She pulled the long dress over her head, smiling at him when he came into view again. "Wolf first.†Tossing the dress onto the bed, Tavi wiggled her arms out of the bra and flung it on top of the other garment. She wasn't wearing anything else.
She gave him an arched eyebrow and a grin before taking a step back. "Some people just can't handle a woman with a wild side.â€
Sitting down on the floor to the side of the table, she looked up at him and explained a little bit about the change before he saw it happening. "It is a rearranging of my body. Bones rearrange themselves, fur grows, muscles move. I am sure you've seen stuff like that on television and that is pretty close to the truth. It looks more painful than it is but a fast change...that actually is pretty brutal.†Tavi closed her eyes and summoned the wolf within her. She had been born doing this; it was more natural to her than it was for any werewolf she had ever met. Opening her eyes again, she regarded him calmly. "The rest is more dramatic.†She watched him with eyes that had expanded to hide the whites and whose color had lightened to a golden green. To her they always seemed to resemble her human eyes but with a warm light glowing within them.
Closing her eyes once again she continued the slow change. Occasionally Tavi would open her eyes to check on Julian and make sure that he wasn't completely horrified by what he saw. She was making it as smooth a shift as possible so that it did not look nearly as terrifying and painful as it had the potential to look. A new werewolf changing for the first couple of times generally had shifts that were so awkward and agonizing that they made her wince just watching them. After a certain point there really wasn't any going back; at that point, she closed her eyes again and abandoned herself to the rest of the transformation.
When it was done, she seated herself very patiently, wrapping her tail close to her body so that she didn't knock something over in his tiny apartment. Tavi tilted her head the side and regarded him once more. She lifted her chin and made a little noise that was sort of a questioning whine. It was difficult to communicate with a human in this form. She found herself hoping that he at least had plenty of canine experience growing up.
Julian Stephenson
11 years ago
Julian grinned at the idea of Tavi the domestic goddess. Even though they hadn't been seeing each other that long even he could tell that just wasn't her thing. He shook his head quickly. "I can take care of myself," he explained, "I'm just not going to be producing any culinary masterpieces anytime soon."
Thank goodness he was hanging out with folks who could care less about that; if Julian's love life were based on his ability to prepare a meal he'd never get laid.
Tavi made the choice to demonstrate her 'other side' to him first, a fact he found greatly appealing when it appeared to be preceded by a short strip tease. "Nice," he said, permitting himself a little leer but unable to take his eyes off her anyway. "This werewolf thing already has a lot going for it."
He saw the change in her eyes when she reopened them after explaining it to him; that was amazing. They were a luminous green-gold, and he tried to focus on them and not the way her body began to slowly shift. That part he found unsettling. Every little noise or motion seemed to remind him of cars smashing together, a body being pushed out of place. It didn't frighten him or gross him out, but it didn't seem comfortable and it was difficult to watch. He did watch though, morbidly fascinated as Tavi's body shifted, grew, and changed.
When she was done he was staring wide-eyed, mouth open a little, and his brain was frantically reminding him to breathe, which he did in a quick intake of air. "Wow," he said. He slid off the day bed onto his knees in front of her, reaching up to caress the side of her face just he way he normally would have.
"I mean, wow," he repeated in a hushed tone. Her fur was a beautiful grey with bits of white in it, the fur thick and soft against his hand. He smoothed his palm down the side of her neck to her shoulder, suddenly wondering if it was a huge faux pas to pet your werewolf girlfriend. But she probably expected he'd touch her.
"You're more than pretty," he said, his lips tilting up into an awed smile. "That's just incredible Tavi."
Nothing like the movies. Nothing barbaric or half-human or slavering or beastly about it. Tavi was a full wolf, large and absolutely radiating wildness. "Holy crap," Julian breathed again. Hearing it was one thing, seeing it was another.
He sank down onto his heels, kneeling on them. For a while he just shook his head back and forth, letting his good hand wander over her. "I can't imagine what that must be like," he finally said. "Can you smell better? Hear? See?"
Then he blinked. "Oh my God, this place must smell like..."
His face flamed. Yeah, he'd taken the garbage out and all that but he, Jan and Evgeni had had one hell of a time in the last 24 hours. There were towels, sheets... on top of what already had to smell like 'guy' to begin with. He choked down his own embarrassment. "I'm really going to have to start cleaning better."
He checked his shirt, his jeans, suddenly wondering if he should go shower again. Or if it would even help. He watched TV; wolves had ridiculously keen senses of smell. It wouldn't surprise him if she could still smell that musty warehouse on him that he'd been in not three nights ago. Now, that was unsettling too. He hoped she couldn't; he wanted to have gotten rid of that by now.
Thank goodness he was hanging out with folks who could care less about that; if Julian's love life were based on his ability to prepare a meal he'd never get laid.
Tavi made the choice to demonstrate her 'other side' to him first, a fact he found greatly appealing when it appeared to be preceded by a short strip tease. "Nice," he said, permitting himself a little leer but unable to take his eyes off her anyway. "This werewolf thing already has a lot going for it."
He saw the change in her eyes when she reopened them after explaining it to him; that was amazing. They were a luminous green-gold, and he tried to focus on them and not the way her body began to slowly shift. That part he found unsettling. Every little noise or motion seemed to remind him of cars smashing together, a body being pushed out of place. It didn't frighten him or gross him out, but it didn't seem comfortable and it was difficult to watch. He did watch though, morbidly fascinated as Tavi's body shifted, grew, and changed.
When she was done he was staring wide-eyed, mouth open a little, and his brain was frantically reminding him to breathe, which he did in a quick intake of air. "Wow," he said. He slid off the day bed onto his knees in front of her, reaching up to caress the side of her face just he way he normally would have.
"I mean, wow," he repeated in a hushed tone. Her fur was a beautiful grey with bits of white in it, the fur thick and soft against his hand. He smoothed his palm down the side of her neck to her shoulder, suddenly wondering if it was a huge faux pas to pet your werewolf girlfriend. But she probably expected he'd touch her.
"You're more than pretty," he said, his lips tilting up into an awed smile. "That's just incredible Tavi."
Nothing like the movies. Nothing barbaric or half-human or slavering or beastly about it. Tavi was a full wolf, large and absolutely radiating wildness. "Holy crap," Julian breathed again. Hearing it was one thing, seeing it was another.
He sank down onto his heels, kneeling on them. For a while he just shook his head back and forth, letting his good hand wander over her. "I can't imagine what that must be like," he finally said. "Can you smell better? Hear? See?"
Then he blinked. "Oh my God, this place must smell like..."
His face flamed. Yeah, he'd taken the garbage out and all that but he, Jan and Evgeni had had one hell of a time in the last 24 hours. There were towels, sheets... on top of what already had to smell like 'guy' to begin with. He choked down his own embarrassment. "I'm really going to have to start cleaning better."
He checked his shirt, his jeans, suddenly wondering if he should go shower again. Or if it would even help. He watched TV; wolves had ridiculously keen senses of smell. It wouldn't surprise him if she could still smell that musty warehouse on him that he'd been in not three nights ago. Now, that was unsettling too. He hoped she couldn't; he wanted to have gotten rid of that by now.
Octavia Emiliano
11 years ago
Wow was the word of the moment, Tavi thought with amusement as she listened to Julian express himself. She was incredibly relieved, almost faint with it. Luckily she had four feet beneath her and superb balance besides. Seeing him move toward her instead of away made her nearly giddy happy.
She nuzzled his hand with her cheek and inched a little closer. As far as werewolves got, she was one of the least terrifying. From a human's viewpoint, she was still huge but she knew that it could be much much worse. Tavi glanced around the tiny apartment and wondered if a Kadzait could even given its furry ass in here. The mental image of an unhappily cramped member of the other pack knocking things over with the swish of its tail before claiming the entirety of Julian's bed was enough to make her giggle...if she could have giggled in this form.
Julian's hand on her fur was nice and her eyes slid closed for a moment while she enjoyed it. He then asked her a question. Tavi tilted her head up several times in a canine version of an affirmative nod. Yes, she saw better, heard better and all the rest.
Realization seemed to hit him. Tavi watched him carefully. He turned a lovely shade of red; in this form she could almost see the heat rising from him. She could certainly feel it, her muzzle only a few inches from his cheek. Leaning back, she nodded again and then settled her head down in his lap. From here he strongly smelled of soap, sex and other men.
His muttered statement caused her to snort softly in amusement. Tavi tilted her body over to roll partially on her side and looked up at him from one golden green eye and snorted softly again.
Getting up, she moved away from him and let the change take her once more. She hoped this restaurant was quick with the service because after changing forms twice so soon after one and another she was going to be ravenous.
She nuzzled his hand with her cheek and inched a little closer. As far as werewolves got, she was one of the least terrifying. From a human's viewpoint, she was still huge but she knew that it could be much much worse. Tavi glanced around the tiny apartment and wondered if a Kadzait could even given its furry ass in here. The mental image of an unhappily cramped member of the other pack knocking things over with the swish of its tail before claiming the entirety of Julian's bed was enough to make her giggle...if she could have giggled in this form.
Julian's hand on her fur was nice and her eyes slid closed for a moment while she enjoyed it. He then asked her a question. Tavi tilted her head up several times in a canine version of an affirmative nod. Yes, she saw better, heard better and all the rest.
Realization seemed to hit him. Tavi watched him carefully. He turned a lovely shade of red; in this form she could almost see the heat rising from him. She could certainly feel it, her muzzle only a few inches from his cheek. Leaning back, she nodded again and then settled her head down in his lap. From here he strongly smelled of soap, sex and other men.
His muttered statement caused her to snort softly in amusement. Tavi tilted her body over to roll partially on her side and looked up at him from one golden green eye and snorted softly again.
Getting up, she moved away from him and let the change take her once more. She hoped this restaurant was quick with the service because after changing forms twice so soon after one and another she was going to be ravenous.
Julian Stephenson
11 years ago
Tavi couldn't speak as a wolf but she could clearly understand and communicate, anyway. Julian couldn't stop shaking his head in awe, his hand trembling a little. All too soon Tavi was changing back, and he pounced on her before she had a chance to get her clothing back on. Sliding his arms around her slim shoulders he tugged her close and kissed her hard, closing his eyes and giving a little hum of desire. He didn't intend to act on it unless she seemed to want him to, but kissing her just felt right.
"Tavi," he said when he broke away, "sorry. That was just so damn hot."
He flashed her a boyish smile. The vampire thing was awesome, but the werewolf right in front of him had been pretty spectacular. Julian couldn't say which he thought was cooler. He did suspect he was lucky to have friends in both camps, though, to let him think it was 'cool' instead of terrifying. He was already skillfully trying to forget that his captors had been of the vampiric persuasion.
"That didn't seem to hurt. Did it hurt? I hope not. I don't know what I was expecting, but that wasn't it. It was awesome."
He was babbling like an over-excited teenager now, and made a visible effort to shut himself up. He moved back to the day bed and sat down, still sort of bouncing on the mattress.
"I just can't believe how awesome that was."
What would it feel like, to be able to run around like that? To feel your legs beneath you as you ran through the woods or something? Julian glanced down at his hip and frowned briefly.
"It probably doesn't work so well if you don't have all your parts, huh?"
He hadn't told Tavi about the details of his car accident but of course she'd seen the scars. He wasn't trying to hide the fact that he was referring to himself; he figured it was a logical thing to think of - how it would feel if it was you doing the wolf-thing. It sort of made him sad to think that even if he ever did get bitten he'd probably be just as lame a werewolf as he was a human. He could dream though; he didn't really think he was going to be bitten by a werewolf. Unless love bites counted, and he was certainly hoping for some of those later.
"Still want to go eat?"
"Tavi," he said when he broke away, "sorry. That was just so damn hot."
He flashed her a boyish smile. The vampire thing was awesome, but the werewolf right in front of him had been pretty spectacular. Julian couldn't say which he thought was cooler. He did suspect he was lucky to have friends in both camps, though, to let him think it was 'cool' instead of terrifying. He was already skillfully trying to forget that his captors had been of the vampiric persuasion.
"That didn't seem to hurt. Did it hurt? I hope not. I don't know what I was expecting, but that wasn't it. It was awesome."
He was babbling like an over-excited teenager now, and made a visible effort to shut himself up. He moved back to the day bed and sat down, still sort of bouncing on the mattress.
"I just can't believe how awesome that was."
What would it feel like, to be able to run around like that? To feel your legs beneath you as you ran through the woods or something? Julian glanced down at his hip and frowned briefly.
"It probably doesn't work so well if you don't have all your parts, huh?"
He hadn't told Tavi about the details of his car accident but of course she'd seen the scars. He wasn't trying to hide the fact that he was referring to himself; he figured it was a logical thing to think of - how it would feel if it was you doing the wolf-thing. It sort of made him sad to think that even if he ever did get bitten he'd probably be just as lame a werewolf as he was a human. He could dream though; he didn't really think he was going to be bitten by a werewolf. Unless love bites counted, and he was certainly hoping for some of those later.
"Still want to go eat?"
Octavia Emiliano
11 years ago
Coming away from Julian's kiss, Tavi raised her eyebrows at him. A surprised chuckle escaped her lips. "I have never heard that before.†Some werewolves thought she was a nice looking wolf, sexy, strong, impossible to catch and completely wild but the act of changing was nothing new to them and not something exciting or interesting by itself.
"I am glad you are okay with it.†She reached up and held his face in both her hands, turning slightly worried green eyes up to meet his. "You don't know how rare that is. I was afraid of this moment and figured it would be farther down the line. I thought I might lose you because of it.†That was always the fear and it had happened before.
He asked her about the change and whether it hurt. She frowned softly and considered. "I don't think it hurts. Not like that. Maybe I am used to it.†She shrugged slightly. It was hard to describe how it felt having everything shift around like it did. "I didn't fight it and I didn't force it. Those things make it hurt. We can change very quickly if we need to but that's a bitch.†Tavi cuddled against his chest,feeling the heat of him through his clothing. She held him tight and rubbed her cheek against his shirt. That her clothes still lay on the bed didn't bother her in the slightest.
She glanced up at him and saw his eyes trail down to his hip. His statement made her sad. Shaking her head, Tavi answered. "The virus can't make things that weren't there before you are gifted. I've seen wolves do fine without being completely whole, missing an eye or a leg. They do better as wolves than humans but....†What could she say? Being a werewolf would make him healthier and he would likely be a very strong mate despite not being completely whole but he would struggle for acceptance. She would gladly and proudly stand at his side and demand the pack give him a chance but she knew that Jan and Evgeni could offer him something that might be better. It was hard to think of it as better but there was immortality and acceptance there and that was hard to argue with. "it is harder on them than the rest of us. It takes a strong person to prove they are better than their injuries. I think you could do it and I also think you shouldn't have to.†Tavi set her jaw stubbornly, wishing the pack was different, more civilized perhaps.
Hopefully Julian wasn't considering either choice tonight. She didn't think she could bare him making that decision and pulling even further away from her.
Julian let it go and asked another very important question. This one about food. "Yes, I am starving!â€
"I am glad you are okay with it.†She reached up and held his face in both her hands, turning slightly worried green eyes up to meet his. "You don't know how rare that is. I was afraid of this moment and figured it would be farther down the line. I thought I might lose you because of it.†That was always the fear and it had happened before.
He asked her about the change and whether it hurt. She frowned softly and considered. "I don't think it hurts. Not like that. Maybe I am used to it.†She shrugged slightly. It was hard to describe how it felt having everything shift around like it did. "I didn't fight it and I didn't force it. Those things make it hurt. We can change very quickly if we need to but that's a bitch.†Tavi cuddled against his chest,feeling the heat of him through his clothing. She held him tight and rubbed her cheek against his shirt. That her clothes still lay on the bed didn't bother her in the slightest.
She glanced up at him and saw his eyes trail down to his hip. His statement made her sad. Shaking her head, Tavi answered. "The virus can't make things that weren't there before you are gifted. I've seen wolves do fine without being completely whole, missing an eye or a leg. They do better as wolves than humans but....†What could she say? Being a werewolf would make him healthier and he would likely be a very strong mate despite not being completely whole but he would struggle for acceptance. She would gladly and proudly stand at his side and demand the pack give him a chance but she knew that Jan and Evgeni could offer him something that might be better. It was hard to think of it as better but there was immortality and acceptance there and that was hard to argue with. "it is harder on them than the rest of us. It takes a strong person to prove they are better than their injuries. I think you could do it and I also think you shouldn't have to.†Tavi set her jaw stubbornly, wishing the pack was different, more civilized perhaps.
Hopefully Julian wasn't considering either choice tonight. She didn't think she could bare him making that decision and pulling even further away from her.
Julian let it go and asked another very important question. This one about food. "Yes, I am starving!â€