Amuse-Bouche

[Annalas]

(Continued from Line of Scrimmage)

The ride was smooth and exciting, just as Bill had hoped it would be. He had held on tightly to the vampire in front of him, feeling the vibrations run through his body as he leaned into every turn. Riding the motorcycle wasn't his favorite thing to do with David, but it was most definitely somewhere in the top three--right next to sex and cuddling. Well, he couldn't decide if he liked kissing or cuddling better, frankly, but he definitely loved the motorcycle.

As they slowed to a stop, Bill swung his long leg over and got off, thankfully not getting it caught on the motorcycle as he feared he would. The solid ground under his feet felt strange as he re-accustomed himself to walking, smiling brightly as he removed his helmet and handed it to David. Bill wasted no time in trying to fix his hair, which thankfully didn't feel as flat as he had thought--hairspray was a formidable foe of hat-hair, after all.

"That was fun," Bill stated the obvious, or at least something that should have been obviously from his huge grin. "Where to, now?"

They were at the boardwalk, and Bill could hear the noise of the crowds and the scent of food calling to him, promising a good (if not romantic) time with David.

[Existentially Odd]

David took Bill's helmet and secured it with his own to the bike, not really wanting to carry them around with him.  Satisfied that everything was in order, he pocketed his keys and gloves and took Bill's right hand in his left, walking with him towards where there were many more people.  "For a start, to wherever all those lovely smells are coming from," the blonde smiled, sniffing exaggeratedly.  He could smell people and cooking food but the ocean seemed angry tonight, he could hear it crashing on rocks with escalating agitation and it smelled very strongly on the air, too.  It seemed that turmoil was not restricted to just his insides.

Still, he couldn't help smiling at his companion and also observing him furtively as they walked, his gaze roving over the mortal's face hungrily when he glanced his way.  He was hungry, and he needed to drink but the restlessness inside him was more than that; he hungered for a connection he could see but felt was just out of his reach.  Bill was a tantalising treat but he had a meal in Cain... so why was he here, torturing himself with a morsel?  It might have something to do with chocolatey brown eyes, lips so kissable they were practically begging to be ravaged and a stupidly-endearing fear of life and the future.  Yeah, it just might.

"You wanted to get a cake, I believe?" David prompted, suppressing a sigh of frustration as he forced himself to look away from Bill.  The crowd was pretty sparse down here tonight, probably because the weather was cold and not all that pleasant to be out in, so he didn't have too many choices as far as drinking went.  "I might go grab that couple," he said quietly, nodding in the direction of a guy and a girl (he thought it was a girl, though he couldn't be sure from the angle) who were leaning on the railing staring at the ocean in the darkness, their arms thrown about one another and their coats thick to insulate them against the cold.  "Con them into stepping into the darkness for a little while," he said with a wink.

The spot the couple were standing in was being hit by the downlights on the boardwalk either side of them, but they were very near a closed tackle shop and it had some delightful shadows just behind it.  He'd be able to convince them both that they needed to sneak into those shadows for a little privacy and be none the wiser for his Domination.  Two was a risk David didn't normally take (especially since he had been lazy about his his powers for so long) but he was extra thirsty tonight and could do with more than the required amount of blood.  He hoped it would settle his misgivings and clear his head a little so that he didn't feel so fucking guilty every time he looked at Bill and felt a rush of attraction, too.

"You be okay for a couple of minutes?" he asked his companion with a gentle smile, letting go of Bill's hand as they walked and preparing to detour away from him for as long as it took to drink a bit from both mortals.

[Annalas]

Nope, he still didn't like it; the thought of luring people off to drink from them, that was. Somehow, though Bill knew that David probably wasn't going to drain them and dispose of their bodies, somehow it still felt wrong to him, as though vampires were a type of parasite that lived off of the blood of humans. Bill looked towards the dup before glancing away from them, radiating discomfort though he didn't mean to.

"It's a funnel cake," Bill explained to his companion with a little laugh, though he imagined it sounded hollow. He knew it didn't sound hollow, that was, it just felt hollow, as if he was distanced from David, or at the very least distancing himself from the act to be performed in the alley.

"And I'll be fine. Just up here," he pointed towards the stand, where there was a picture of a cake made of deep-fried strings of batter. That was the funnel cake Bill wanted, though he knew it wasn't the healthiest thing in the world. It was so, so good, though.

He gave David's hand a squeeze before going up to wait in line for the treat, taking a deep breath once he was away. Those people weren't willing, was all he could think. They didn't know about vampires, they were about to be taken advantage of, and he hadn't stopped it at all. How could he? David was a vampire and it would be unfair to make him wait to find someone in the know for his meal. He was a predator, this was what he did…and Bill was going to have to get used to it, because he wanted to date David. He was going to have to get used to it, because that was what his brother was now, and what Bill would eventually be. But why did it feel so wrong?

His gut was twisted into knots of distress by the time he got his funnel cake and paid for it. Looking around, he took it over to a bench and began to pick at it, his appetite gone at the thought of David feeding. Even though Bill had fed vampires before, it had been his own choice to do so. He had never been forced. It felt so wrong to just whip someone off the street and drink from them--the exact kind of thing that Bill feared would happen to him, as a human. Except not every vampire was David, and there were many, many other creatures out there that had no qualms about draining a human completely and tossing them aside like they were nothing. Humans didn't even have a chance.

By the time David re-joined him, Bill was on his way towards a train wreck of thinking, staring down at his food in dismay. It was hard for him to imagine doing the same thing to animals, must less humans. Was it possible to be a vegetarian vampire? Probably not--they needed blood to survive. The entire thought of becoming one of them and having to drink blood, never again tasting things like funnel cakes and peaches versus staying a human and being simple fodder for the masses, however unwilling, left his stomach curled into knots, the smile having long ago left his face the more he thought about it. There was no good solution, was there? He could only try to live and not think about everything. It was far harder than it sounded, however.

[Existentially Odd]

Once they went their separate ways, David forced Bill from his thoughts and focussed instead on convincing his victims to move towards the shadows with him.  It turned out they were a male and a female and quite young, still teenagers.  As he approached them silently, David scanned their thoughts and couldn't find any reference to vampires (or any sorts of supernaturals) in their memories, so he assumed neither had been drunk from and it was safe for him to do so.  He stood in the shadows of the tackle shop and planted the thought that sneaking over there would be a nice surprise in the female's head.  As she moved away, he had to settle the male by telling him to stay put and that he could follow in a few minutes.  Thankfully, the teenager was leaning back on the railing by the time the girl pliantly walked up to David, so he grasped her face in one hand and her shoulder in the other and encouraged her to bare her neck to him.

Even as he drank, listening to the rhythms of her heart to be sure she was healthy and had plenty of blood to give (you could never be sure with females, which was why he drank from males by preference), he was cursing his own lackadaisical attitude towards training in the past.  Tonight's little trick was going well so far but it was awkward and poorly executed, since he couldn't work two minds at once and he'd even allowed one to become startled.  That didn't bode well for remaining hidden from thoughts afterwards and he wasn't good enough to manipulate memories as he saw fit, so he was just taking his chances.  Hell, he could barely mask his perusal of active thoughts, let alone dig through memories smoothly.

After a minimal taste of the female (enough to settle the cravings that all this mental tomfoolery had caused, anyway) he closed off her wounds and straightened her up.  She was pleasantly aroused and kept running her hands up his arms, wanting to hug him and embrace him but at least she thought he was her boyfriend and wasn't aware of what had actually happened.  He dissuaded her gently as he summoned the man she actually wished to be touching and then a rather awkward - though convenient - thing happened when David ended up drinking from the male and being wedged between the two of them.  She had her arms wrapped about his waist and was nuzzling the back of his leather jacket while the mortal male was sighing and moaning appreciatively as his hips and hands moved restlessly against the front of him.  Although he'd begun drinking from the male gently, he quickly realised that he was going to lose control of the situation if he took too long so he began to drink faster.

By the time David closed the male's wounds and squeezed himself out of the middle, the couple were feverish in their need to get close to one another and their mouths met hungrily while he stood to the side and scanned their dominant thoughts.  Neither recognised his part in this, though there was some mild confusion from the girl about the texture of his clothing versus her boyfriend's and the boy felt the height discrepancy between David and his girlfriend was dissonant but he couldn't exactly figure out why he thought she'd been taller.  Thankfully, they were both just happy to be pressed together in the darkness away from prying eyes (he realised he might've pressed that aspect a little too much, in hindsight) so they didn't even look around to notice his shadowy form.  He walked away feeling slightly guilty but mostly ashamed that his talents were so poorly-trained that he'd taken at least ten minutes to execute what should've taken under five - and it certainly hadn't been flawless.

His hands were shoved in his pockets, his jacket still zipped up when he sat beside Bill and did his best to get rid of any sort of chagrined expression from his face by smiling at his mortal companion.  It melted into a frown as he noticed Bill's very intent stare at food he was holding but wasn't eating; it struck the vampire as strange.  "Are you alright?" he queried, mild concern in his voice because he thought Bill might be feeling unwell or could just be worrying about the money he'd spent on his food.

[Annalas]

Bill looked up at David, forcing a grim smile on his face. He couldn't help but worry about the fact that he was dating a predator, or that he wanted to date a predator, or that his brother might well be a predator. He wants so much to just ignore the entire matter and focus on David, but right now all he could think was that if he kissed the vampire, he would be tasting the blood of other people. It was enough to force away any appetite he might have had.

"I'm fine," he answered, knowing that it was probably a lie. He tugged a hand out of the vampire's pocket and linked his hand with David's, ignoring the funnel cake on his lap. "Just…thinking. Dangerous thing, that."

He leaned up to kiss David on the cheek, strategically missing his lips. He was sure that he would forget about it by the end of the night, or else force himself to kiss David on the lips. They would be doing just that, after all, should this night lead to sex. He really did like having sex with David, too.

"Do you want a little bite?" Bill offered his funnel cake to David, knowing that the vampire would decline, of course. He didn't know how much David could eat before he got sick, after all. Did it just taste like ash in his mouth, or could he really taste human food?

[Existentially Odd]

David's frown only deepened as Bill's behaviour became even more strange.  A tendril of fear slithered down his spine and his mind took him back to their date a few nights before, when he finally understood he was being rejected by Bill.  Was this the same sort of thing?  Was he about to be told Bill had decided he wanted absolutely nothing to do with him now?

"No thanks, what are you thinking about?" he asked, genuinely alarmed and watching the mortal with wide eyes.

[Annalas]

How twisted was it, that as much as Bill was dreading the thought of living a life constantly on edge and waiting to be attacked, he wanted nothing more than to crawl into David’s lap and have the vampire comfort him? He really hadn’t known the vampire that long, but already he knew—or at least thought he knew—that David would not intentionally hurt him. He needed a distraction badly, and kissing David was very far out of the question as far as distractions went.

“Mortality,” Bill admitted, his eyes dropping down to their entwined hands. He supposed that now was as good a time as any to bring up the prospect of dating David. Despite his fear and misgivings, he knew that he couldn’t living a life without his older brother, and he was sure that Thomas felt the same…no matter how absent he had been the past year.

“I was thinking…I have been thinking, I mean. I told you I would, didn’t I?” he was stumbling over his own words, not getting to the point at all. He belatedly realized he couldn’t remember if he had told David he would think about it or if he had left the impression that the answer was a flat-out ‘no’.

He took a calming breath as his eyes flicked up to David’s, nervous at what sort of expression he would see. A frown. A frown wasn’t good at all, though it could simply be David trying to figure out what he was trying to say.

“If we date...” Bill began, forcing himself to pause and think about how he phrased things. He had been about to ask David if Bill had any garuntee of protection while they were dating, but then that would seem like that was the sole reason for dating David. He certainly didn’t want to leave that impression!

“I like you,” he changed tactics, only vaguely realizing that his line of conversation was probably extremely hard to follow at this point. “And I guess what I’m trying to say is…if I have to die—and I probably will eventually—I think I’d rather die dating you.”

That was a bit morbid, now that Bill thought about it. How else could he put it, though? He certainly didn’t want David to think that Bill wanted to date him just so he wouldn’t die alone! He dropped his eyes as he realized that no matter his fumbling and stalls, it might have seemed that way to David, anyway.

[Existentially Odd]

"Yeeees," David drawled when he was asked if Bill had told him he'd do some thinking - and he had, but David had more or less resigned himself to that being a way of deterring him without a confrontation.  The fact that Bill even brought it up again right now was a surprise to the vampire, who hadn't expected the topic to come up ever again (or maybe that was wishful thinking, since his arrangement with Cain had made things so terribly complicated).  He frowned, watching Bill exhale like he was trying to steady himself, but then the mortal said words that caused David to freeze, even while his heart flipped over in his chest.

If we date...

If?  He was thinking it was a possibility?  David blinked rapidly, his tongue sneaking out to wet his lips as he prepared to speak, but then Bill said... the most bizarre thing and it gave him pause.  His expression was quite nonplussed as he gazed at the mortal, a multitude of thoughts running through his head.

He'd rather die dating me?
Does he think I'm going to kill him?
What the fuck does he even mean?
He likes me, he said so... is this his way of saying he does want to date me?
That's so weird... but he's never exactly been the most boring carrot in the garden, has he?
Maybe it's a compliment... let's go with that and see if it's meant to be positive...

"Um.  So... you're saying that... " David began slowly, giving Bill plenty of time to jump in and clarify as he demonstrated that he was obviously confused by his wording, "you do want to date me... until you're old and ready to die?" he hazarded, his expression declaring that he was taking a stab in the dark here.  It sort of made sense to him, though, because Bill had been adamant about not wanting to become a vampire.  And he'd more or less said he liked him and wanted to date him... he was pretty sure, anyway.

[Annalas]

Oh thank god, David had understood his ramblings. Well, sort of. Bill didn't want to die, and he couldn't imagine himself being ready to die at any time in a human lifespan, whether that be fifty years from then or eighty. But statistically speaking, it was far more likely that he would die young, painfully, and alone. He really was trying not to think of that, though.

"If I happen to be old then, yeah," Bill agreed with a small smile. "Though I can't imagine dating you and wanting to die. I just mean…well, I'm a human, in a world full of vampires and werewolves and God knows what else. I'm…I'm not going to live very long just being a human, so…I'd rather go out with you and not regret not when my time comes."

Oh, he seemed so accepting of his mortality now, didn't he? The fact was, it simply terrified poor Bill. The knowledge that he would die not one day in the distant future, but more like one day in the next few years. He supposed that once he got a bit older, he would be safer from vampires; they tended to go after the younger humans, he had noticed at Risk. So if he lived into his forties or fifties, he probably has a chance. Then again, if he lived that long, his brother would still be nineteen, wouldn't he? That was equally as horrible, in Bill's mind.

"That is...if you still want to date me," he belatedly added.

[Existentially Odd]

Well, fuck.  So many thoughts and feelings crowded into David's head and body all at once that he found it difficult to process it all.  He pulled his hand away from Bill's and ran it through his hair, tucking the golden curls behind his ears compulsively as he looked down at the ground between his feet in an attempt to steady himself and work out what to say.  His other hand emerged from his jacket pocket at about the same time and scratched reflexively at his chin, his tongue wetting his lips yet again as he shifted in his seat, sitting forward yet turning to face Bill a little more.

As far as confessions went, this was hardly the heartfelt declaration he'd envisioned on their date a few nights ago.  He'd believed Bill would be enthusiastic, excited, trepidatious but abuzz, possibly even a little more loving... but it hadn't worked out that way at all.  Four nights ago, there'd just been surprise and awkward avoidance and a crushing realisation that they weren't wanting the same things at all.  Now there was this and... truly, it felt hollow.  Certainly, Bill had confessed that he liked him but telling him that he would date him simply because he didn't want to regret it later in life was hardly positive.  It was like a concession - to his libido when his head said it was stupid.  There was no hint of what the mortal's heart had to say, which was what hurt the vampire most, really.  Bill's words alluded to the fact that he believed he was a vulnerable mortal - despite the fact that David had assured him otherwise - and that he believed his days on the Earth were numbered, therefore he might as well try to enjoy it while it lasted.

And suddenly, it was all very clear to him, the choice between Bill and Cain.  Bill... his heart had wanted it to be Bill from the beginning, because he was so quirky and intelligent and sexy, but it hadn't worked out that way and now David knew why.  Bill would take a chance on him, because he liked him but, since he was likely to die soon anyway (in his head) there was no point throwing himself into anything scary.  Especially not anything where he might contemplate becoming a vampire - even if nobody was actively trying to sire him at this stage.  Everything with Bill was a trade off, a maybe, a logical rationalisation of feelings that David didn't share.  David really liked him and he just wanted to spend time with him, it was all very simple to him, but Bill didn't see it that way.

This mortal was too aware of the imbalance in their relationship for it to ever work properly, and though he couldn't say Cain was any different, he approached it in different ways.  Cain was grateful and appreciative of their differences, he didn't spend his time worrying about what sort of dangerous lifestyle he was leading, he was excited and passionate about spending his time with David.  Yes, he was too worshipful but David was confident that that would fade over time and they'd reach an equal regard for one another, despite species.  He couldn't see that happening with Bill... well, ever, at this stage and even though he wanted to work through that with him, his logical side told him it wasn't worth it.  It would just mean more hurt for him in the long run, because already Bill wasn't going into this with his heart on his sleeve and his head thinking about fun; he was slinking in, tip-toeing through the quandry of their differences and focussing on the parts that he did like, while trying to ignore all the rest of it that he couldn't cope with.  It wouldn't work between them, David saw it clearly.... but, unfortunately, that didn't make it hurt any less.

"I do want to date you," he said cautiously, lifting his troubled gaze slowly from where he'd placed his hand on Bill's thigh and up to regard the mortal's beautiful brown eyes.  "But... I'm seeing someone else as well, so... it wouldn't be exclusive," he admitted apologetically, watching Bill's reaction carefully.  He expected that the mortal wouldn't take this news well, but he doubted it would hit him too hard, considering he didn't seem to be too caught up in the idea of them dating - not for any particularly romantic reasons, anyway - so it was the best way to go about it.  Giving him this information was his way of giving Bill the power to break off the relationship on his own terms, perhaps to feel like he'd been cheated on, wronged and thereby that he was gaining vindication by being the one to back out of it.  He was handing Bill the power, because the mortal didn't ever seem to feel he was in control.  It was the least David could do for him, considering how much he cared.

[Annalas]

Bill was unprepared for the sharp pain of rejection that came coursing through him with those words. He had been elated when David said that he did want to date Bill, only for his hopes to be crushed. David was seeing someone? So he didn't even want to date Bill, then, he just wanted the benefits of dating him…was that right? Bill was sure that the expression of hurt and surprise was quite visible on his face.

It only lasted a moment, however, as rational thought decided to take over that point. David had just asked him out four days ago, and Bill had very specifically not rejected the vampire then, promising only to think about it. And in those four days, he was seeing someone else? How long had this been going on? Why was he only now being honest with Bill? Why hadn't David said that this wasn't a date, so that Bill didn't go into it with hopes raised?

"I told you I would think about it," he uttered in disbelief. "You couldn't even wait four days for an answer before going off to be serious with someone else?"

It was probably another vampire, Bill thought maliciously. Or maybe David just did this kid of thing a lot and had more than one 'date' on the side, too. For the first time, David didn't seem like such a great guy in Bill's eyes. He had adored the vampire since he had first met him, trusted him, and now…he was flaky, at the least, a complete douchebag for leading Bill on at the worst.

It wasn't often that Bill got angry--he actually couldn't remember the last time he had. But when he did, he made sure the other person was very aware of it. Bill shoved David's hand off of his thigh, throughly peeved at this turn of events. He was embarrassed as much as he was angry, for putting himself out there only to be rejected. He shouldn't have been; it had only been four days. There were plenty of people he knew--mostly girls--that kept their potential boyfriends strung along for weeks, and David couldn't even wait four whole days? Or nights, in this case.

Bill stood up suddenly, taking hold of his funnel cake and launching it into the trash can. It had been a waste of money, but he would mourn that later, probably when he got home to break down and cry his heart out. He had liked David, a lot; he normally wouldn't even consider dating a vampire at all, but David…he had trusted David, had put himself out there…He was sure that David didn't have to read his mind to know his feelings in this matter.

[Existentially Odd]

David was quite shocked by Bill's emotional response; when he'd told himself how unemotional the mortal was and hinged a major decision on that factor, only to have it smacked back in his face, it left him hollow and floundering.  And confused.  He gaped at Bill as he was pushed away and the mortal stood up, looking angry and throwing his food away in a manner that confirmed that emotion, prompting David to stand just as rapidly and start defending himself.

"Hey," he said sharply, frowning at Bill and hoping he'd be looked at and listened to, "maybe you said that but you looked totally freaked out and I didn't exactly get warm and fuzzy feelings that you'd be coming back to me with a positive answer.  In fact, I was pretty damn sure you were so focussed on what I am and what you are that it was too much for you to even try - and hey, forgive me if I'm not exactly bowled over by your feelings when you tell me you'd rather die dating me now, like you don't really give a shit one way or the other but fucking me seems like something good to tick off your 'to do' list before you die!"

It wasn't going at all the way he wanted.  He hadn't meant to be this upset, to let his hurt show in snappy words and waving hands that flailed about, punctuating his points.  What he wanted to say was that he thought he wanted Bill far more than Bill wanted him, so he'd accepted someone to help him get over that, but he wasn't getting that message out in any sort of coherent manner.

"You're so much more to me than a fucking species or a convenience, I went out on a limb and told you I wanted you in my fucking life, full time - and you had to think about it!  How do you think that made me feel?"

[Annalas]

And now David was shouting right back at him. Bill forced back the part of him that wanted to curl into a ball and cry, because now that his brother wasn't here to defend him, Bill had to do it himself. A little over a year ago, this scene would never have happened. Bill would have run home crying to his big brother, and Tom would have confronted David on his behalf. He'd become pretty damn self-sufficient over the past year.

"Exactly!" Bill spat back at him. "Because that is all I ever see anymore! Me, and the people who are capable of grinding my bones to make their bread. Except for you, because I trusted you! If it were anyone else, it would have been a flat 'no', but for you I actually took the time to think about a decision that's pretty fucking important to me! I have to decide if it's even worth dating someone when I could wind up dead the next day because I am officially the lowest species on the totem pole, and I could end up coerced into a dark alley by one of your kind at any time, just like you just did to those two people! Except, not everyone is you, David, and there are more than plenty of vampires out there that wouldn't hesitate to drain the life from a passing human and I am defenseless.

"I know you don't get that notion anymore, but it's pretty damn scary and pardon me for not wanting to put anyone through that on a whim! So yeah, I fucking took the time to think about it. You couldn't even give me a week? Are you so desperate for fucking company that you just had to have someone to date? You're immortal, get used to being lonely."

He was hurt, and Bill was ejecting that hurt onto David. He had become rather loud, not caring that it was a public place. He was going to die anyway, so if they decided to kill him for telling other people about the existence of vampires, he might as well do some good before he went out. It was more likely that those passersby not in the know would assume that they were acting out a scene from an obscure play, however, rather than having a fight involving actual vampires.

"Guess it's a good thing I took the time to think, because now at least I know what kind of person I would have been with," he bit out sharply at David. "I thought you were safe."

[Existentially Odd]

Admittedly, David's gaze was flitting around them more than on Bill as the mortal vented, trying to ascertain how much damage was being done with his bold words.  If the Oligarchy had still been around, David would've been in a flat-out panic and dragging Bill away by now, considering how controversial his words were, but the political landscape was a lot more relaxed these nights.  Plus, the cold weather had kept most mortals indoors and the most Bill got was a surprised look from a guy walking far enough away from them that he had to have supernatural hearing to pick up what Bill said in the first place.  Still, he stepped closer to his companion so that he might be less inclined to use excessive volume next time he spoke.

"I am safe," David hissed, doing his best to suppress the hurt that the rest of Bill's words had roused.  He wanted to grab Bill and shake him, so he shoved his fists into his jacket pockets instead, able to figure out through the sting of his emotions that telling someone how safe you were while grabbing at them violently would seriously undermine your argument.

"And I want to keep you safe and make you see that you shouldn't be so worried all the time, but... fuck!  Don't you see?  It's not even about me seeing someone else a couple of nights because I thought I'd be lonely, I thought I'd lost you!  That you weren't interested in me because we're too different!  When I asked you over dinner and saw your reaction, yes, I pretty much gave up hope, even if I couldn't stop thinking about you but that's fine, tell me how glad you are that you know exactly the type of person I am just because I tried to keep myself distracted from the hurt of losing you!" David spat, his bitterness at the way everything had worked out evident in his words.  He shoved his face close to Bill's and said his final words angrily.

"If you asked, I'd end it with him, but would there be any point?"

[Annalas]

"What kind of couple would we be if you can't even respect me and listen to me when I said I need time to think about it?" Bill hissed. "That is not a 'no', that is an 'I will think about it'. I'm entitled to a few days to think!"

His voice was quieter now due to proximity, as Bill had always found it awkward and unnecessary to shout at a person right next to him. David's words were aimed at tearing through his heart, and they certainly hit their mark. Rather than backing down, however, Bill fought back. Fighting back was the only thing stopping him from curling up in a dark corner and crying until sunrise.

"I was fine with the way we were. You were the one that brought up the dating thing! Even if I had said no--which I didn't--you weren't losing me! You weren't gaining anything, but you weren't losing anything, either!"

'How stupid are you?' was on the tip of his tongue, but Bill was, for some reason, unwilling to cross that line. At David's next words, though, he was glad he hadn't. He paused, blinking in surprise at the offer. On one hand, David was being a bit flaky with the other guy, but on the other, Bill didn't know what David had promised him and that might be just fine with whomever. This wasn't about David's mysterious rebound, though…it was about Bill and David.

"Would you really?" Bill questioned, slightly mollified by the offer. His expression softened, hope once again blooming in his chest. A large part of him, while knowing that there was another and knowing what David had done, refused to believe that the vampire would so willingly hurt Bill like that. That part now blossomed, ebbing at Bill to let go of his anger and embrace David once more. He held off, though, trying not to get his hopes up.

Maybe it was all just an understanding, the hopeful part of him thought. Maybe when he meant 'dating' he just meant going on dates or hanging out before screwing, with no illusions of exclusivity involved. That would make sense, Bill thought with a pang. Why hadn't he thought that that was what David had meant? He hadn't even considered the option!

[Existentially Odd]

David straightened up, Bill's words swirling in his head and sighed out the air he'd been going to use to keep fighting.  The fact that Bill queried his intention of breaking up with Cain threw him quite dramatically and he turned blindly and sat on the seat again, his shoulders drooping and his torso hunched forward because his hands were still in his pockets and he leaned his elbows on his thighs.  He hadn't really been thinking when he'd said that; he'd been focussing on the latter part of his sentence, pointing out that there were too many differences between he and Bill for it to be worthwhile.  Now it seemed that Bill liked the idea of him splitting with Cain and he had to face that thought.

He felt like shit.  It was worse than he'd even anticipated it would be, knowing that there were two mortals that he cared strongly about, because now he was actually faced with changing his mind when he thought he'd chosen.  Could he hurt Cain like that?  He hated to think of the blue-eyed beauty's face falling when he told him that he'd changed his mind but the alternative was walking away from Bill here and now, leaving things a mess between them and accepting that he was considered a bastard - not even for the wrong reasons, which was maybe the worst part of it.  And Bill was right; if he'd actually wanted him, why the fuck hadn't he waited a few more nights before jumping ship entirely?  He did want him, though, even now, even knowing it was probably the worst choice and he should've left the conversation about five minutes ago, when he was the asshole and Bill could congratulate himself on barely escaping a doomed relationship.

"I asked to date you because I wanted to be with you all the time.  I wanted to go to sleep beside you and know that you'd be there when I opened my eyes, I wanted a chance to... well.  When you said you had to think about it, it was more than that I thought I'd lost you, I realised we weren't in the same place.  You weren't ready to move in with me or... anything else.  Cain's not the right person but I figured I could get used to that because he's where I wanted you to be.  Yes, I'd end it with him if you asked but does that mean you're ready to be with me?  Full time?" he challenged, his words all said steadily and carefully as he tried to sort through everything even while he was saying it.  His gaze lifted, seeking Bill's brown eyes so that he might ascertain where the mortal was coming from.

[Annalas]

Cain. He had a name now. Bill immediately dismissed this little factoid, though, instead concentrating on what David was saying. He walked over and sat beside the vampire, attempting to understand what could possibly have driven David into another man's arms so quickly. He couldn't deny his shock at David's explanation.

"You want me to move in with you?" he echoed. That was a far different proposition that simply 'dating', to him. Moving in was something that people did once they had been dating for a little while, not before they began dating!

"And…if I asked you to give me a few days to think about that, about actually being ready to move in with you," Bill began timidly. "Would you actually wait for me?"

It didn't take him long at all to decide whether or not that was something he wanted. He did want it. It might have actually made the decision to date David easier, because if the vampire invited him to move in, then it was as a full time lover and not simply something he wanted to 'try'. It would lend Bill even more protection, as well, which definitely wasn't a bad thing. The truth was, Bill had already made up his mind on this--he simply wanted to know if David were willingly to give him the time to make a decision, something he hadn't before. Why was he even giving David a second chance?

"…He's not living with you now, is he?" a belated thought struck him, causing Bill to wrinkle his nose. That would make the decision for him once and for all, truly.

[Existentially Odd]

David shook his head gently.  "No, I - he has his place and I have mine.  I stayed there but I didn't like it, it makes me nervous being away from my place.  I... have another room, you know.  You could have the other half of the house if you want it, if you don't want - look, do you want to be with me?" he demanded suddenly, his almost-timid tone when talking about his spare room disappearing as he turned sharply towards Bill and looked hard at him.  He couldn't handle working in what-ifs and maybes any more, he needed to know where he stood.

"Is that what you're saying?  That you do want me to end it with him because you want to be my boyfriend?  You want us to be a thing, whether you live with me or not?  I mean yeah, I could give you time to think about it, but what does your gut say?  Can you handle being with me when you know I drink from random people, that I'm that kind of vampire?" he asked, his tone somewhat condescending because he sensed Bill's disapproval.  Maybe it came from a place of fear but that was still what it was; he was morally opposed to what David was.  Did it matter how many days he took to think things over if it all came back to that, in the end?  They weren't suited and would never succeed if that wasn't addressed openly now.

[Annalas]

"I told you I did," Bill told him honestly. There was no hesitance in his voice. "I thought about it. I do."

The deciding factor had been whether or not Bill would eventually regret it. If his brother was a vampire--which sources said he was--then Bill would eventually need to become one, too. More than that, Bill would need to learn to respect and love vampires in general, too. It was true that it bothered him a bit now, that David could just take a few people into a back alley and drink from them without their consent; but eventually he would become immune and desensitized to it.

"I normally wouldn't, I mean, but…I do like you…a lot…and I trust you. I trust you not to intentionally hurt me or any other human unless they deserve it." Bill's eyes lowers his hands, where he was wringing them in his lap; he didn't know where they stood now, only that they weren't fighting, per se.

"And even if it freaks me out now…it's not you. It's the fact that I just don't wanna die, and last I checked, that's a completely human thing to feel."

He was glad that Cain didn't live with David--that would have been too much, he knew. Bill was surprised that David was even offering him the other room, and somehow that made it completely okay to move in with David. There was no pressure, because it would be just like roommates, that way. Still, he didn't want to reveal that he was willing to move in until he knew where they stood.

[Existentially Odd]

David merely nodded, watching Bill and contemplating how and when he should talk to Cain.  Likely the sooner the better.  He suddenly had the overwhelming urge to be close to Bill, to be sure about this, so he reached over and scooped him up, pulling the mortal onto his lap so that he was sitting sideways, with his calves hanging down against David's right leg.  The vampire wrapped his arms about Bill's waist and pressed his face in against his warm neck, closing his eyes and breathing him in.  He was comforted by the familiar smell of Bill, the feel of him in his embrace and it made him feel better.

"It is.  It's a completely human thing to feel, you're right," he whispered, pressing his lips to Bill's flesh and wishing he had more to say, something insightful and summative, that would put all this right, but all he had were the facts.  "Should I... take you back home and go see him tonight?" he queried.

[Annalas]

David moved suddenly, causing Bill to let out a small squeak of surprise as he was moved. He didn't mind in the least, though, as his arms wrapped around David to cling to him tightly. He had been trying to figure out a way to move closer to David anyway, craving that physical contact as he always did.

"If you must," Bill agreed, knowing that it was better that David break it off sooner rather than later. On the other hand, Bill really didn't want to return home while David was off doing who-knew-what with Cain or whatever his name was. He especially didn't want to return home to a drunk father and nothing but housework to do.

"Though I was thinking…" he mused, tugging a lock of David's hair gently, "I don't have work tomorrow….maybe you could just drop me off at your place?"

He sounded hopeful, and it was a compromise that he could definitely live with. He certainly didn't want to go with David to confront Cain, but he could be there waiting when David came back, for sure.

[Existentially Odd]

"Okay," David agreed quietly and lifted his head away from Bill's neck, working his hand up the mortal's body to cup the other side of it as he finally managed to look sorrowfully into his deep brown eyes.  "I'm sorry, you know," he admitted.  "For thinking the worst and giving up on you and then getting us into this... shitty situation.  I'm sorry I didn't trust you more, that I didn't trust you cared enough to come around.  I'll try to make it up to you," he vowed.

The first thing he'd do would be visit Cain and break up with him, after all.  He sure hoped that would make Bill feel better about everything because he was pretty fucking certain it was going to make him feel like absolute shit and he doubted Cain would be smiling on the other side of it, either.  Someone had to get some benefit out of this fucked-up situation.

[Annalas]

If Bill were the vindictive type, he would be congratulating himself right now on how well he had David wrapped around his little finger. As it was, though, he was quite content with how things were between them at the moment. He had the sense that David wanted him, enough to actually choose him over someone else. Except for his brother, no one had ever done such a thing for Bill, which lent to his surprise at the fact that David would. After all, even the alcohol was more important than Bill when it came to his father.

Bill smiled, looping his hands around David's neck. He easily accepted David's apology, though in his mind it should never have been warranted--David should have respected him enough to believe him when he was thinking about something like this.

"Just don't let it happen again," Bill reasoned before leaning forward to press his lips against David's.

While David had to prove that he wanted Bill more by breaking up with Cain, Bill knew that he had to prove he was okay with David's lifestyle, too. That, unfortunately, came with drinking blood, and it was silly to ask David to brush his teeth after every meal for Bill's sake. He was going to have to get over it sometime, so why not now? Why not prove to his lover now that he could accept him for what he was, even if the thought of tasting other people's blood repulsed Bill. It was David, and David was worth tasting a little blood, Bill reasoned. Maybe he cared for the vampire a little more than he would admit.

[Existentially Odd]

David kept his lips closed, though he did enjoy the feel of Bill's mouth against his.  It just... felt wrong, considering he'd been kissing Cain so much and still hadn't been honest with the other mortal about things.  He had no idea that Bill was thinking he'd taste like blood, or he'd have proved that he didn't, by now.  He pulled away first and stood, effortlessly depositing Bill on his feet as he did so.

"I won't," he promised, doing his best to summon a smile and not succeeding flawlessly.  "C'mon, I'll take you home and... get this over with," he announced ominously, taking Bill's hand and heading towards his bike.  As happy as he was to finally be able to claim Bill as his, he couldn't properly enjoy that development until he'd released Cain.  He didn't imagine he'd be smiling properly any time soon.