First-Time Outing

[pentagrandma]

Ash blinked back her surprise as she caught the mystifying glimmer in Jimmy’s gaze. When he spoke, she was further stunned into silence. Her lips were the only part of her that moved - shaping a soft little ‘o’ as alarm set further in with each additional remark. She hadn’t been ready! She hadn’t even really asked anything! And what the fuck had that murmuring been? She couldn’t hear it, but it looked like he had been saying something. Was he communing with spirits to get his answers? The fact that he’d gone from cheeky to near-solemn, too, only stoked her anxiety all the more.

It felt like a long time before she spoke next. Her lower lip curved inward to meet the tip of her tongue in a show of nerves, before she finally queried, “How do you predict a person’s future?” She took a moment to pray that he wouldn’t somehow turn that back around onto her. If his first answer had been any indication as to how this might pan, he wouldn’t require much to prophesize her course without prompting. Maybe he would do it to fuck with her. She didn't know him well, but she wouldn't put it past him.

[Black Philip]

This time Jimmy didn't whisper, but he did look like he was listening, and his eyes never left Ash. He changed a little more, his expression less expressive, his tone becoming less theatric. He smiled, a lazy, content grin, blinking for the first time in what felt like minutes.

"Oh a variety of ways," he began. "Sometimes the best way to see one's future is to look into their past. For example, I see the Adam to your Eve both in the past and in the future." He grew excited for a moment. "Oh my goodness. Is he your meaning? Oh wait, I'm not the one who's supposed to be asking questions."

He laughed hoarsely.

[pentagrandma]

Aislin widened her eyes, then let out a nervous trill of laughter. “God, that’s creepy,” she said - unsettled, but still in good humor. It didn’t matter to her that she was the one meant to be doing the asking; she still felt pressed to answer. With a shake of her head, she explained, “No. I thought he was once, but I know now that’s not the case. We’re too different; we want very different things for our lives.” There was a long pause, followed by, “... Will he be happy?” Last question.

[Black Philip]

Jimmy seemed to get philosophical at Ash's last query, placing fingers on his chin and looking up towards the heavens.

"Ding," He said, like an oven who's cookies were ready. He looked at Ash sadly and answered as best as the voices allowed him. "Happiness is such a fleeting feeling. Most people are lucky to really feel it once or twice in their lives. Will he have a moment of it? I see one or two, but I see a great deal more if he'd ended with you."

He looked sad, and for a second Ash would see Jimmy's face hold one of Adam's expressions perfectly. While Jimmy looked like Jimmy, Adam looked at Ash. After a moment, the fortune teller's face returned to look like himself. He regarded Ash, like she'd just missed her last shot. "Lovely meeting you, and thanks again for the game." He smiled oh so sweetly.

[pentagrandma]

That had been the wrong question to ask. With Adam staring out at her through Jimmy’s eyes, Ash was utterly crestfallen. Her heart suddenly lived in her throat, threatening to suffocate; and no matter how many times she tried, she couldn’t swallow it down.

She dipped her head to acknowledge his cordial words, too devastated to say anything beyond, “You’re on my jacket.” Helplessly, she gestured toward the stool on which they both sat; overwhelmed with the sudden need to leave.

[Existentially Odd]

Ash's distress got Dom moving. Thankfully, Jimmy's odd predictions had stopped him squirming around in Dom's lap, so he wasn't completely humiliated as he surged to his feet, lifting Jimmy with him like he weighed nothing (he wasn't exactly a feather but Dom lifted using his legs, and Jimmy was well balanced).

Depositing his passenger on his feet, Dom turned to collect Ash's jacket and held it out to her. "Are you okay? You don't have to go," he said lamely but her expression (which he hadn't seen clearly from his position behind Jimmy) said that she did. "Look!" he said as a way of delaying her, withdrawing her jacket before she could take it and turning to grab his phone as well. He navigated out of the contact screen he'd set up for Jimmy and madly added a new contact, holding his phone towards her, along with her jacket.

"Put your number in my phone. I'll text you so you have my number and then, if you need anything - anything at all! - you can contact me and I'll see if I can help you out. Cool?" he encouraged. He had no idea if she'd find the offer creepy but she looked so sad and the thought of her heading out into the night, ignorant to everything lurking in it and completely alone in the city, made him want to protect her, if he could. At the very least, she might need some furniture moved or something and he could definitely be of assistance then.

[pentagrandma]

Ash provided no response to Dom’s inquiry. In that moment, she wasn’t okay. She should have been, but she wasn’t. It wasn’t her responsibility to ensure Adam’s happiness; and she had tried to get him to come with her, only for him to stubbornly dig in his heels. She’d proven just as willful - determined to live her life for her, and only her - and so, she went. It was amicable. Why did she feel at fault?

... She could have handled the words on their own. It had been that expression that Jimmy wore; Adam's beseeching with another man's face. That look would haunt her, most like.

Her fingers closed, grasping weakly at air as Dom withdrew her jacket before she could claim it. When it was offered the second time, along with his phone, she took both with a bit more force than was necessary. Her anxiety was peaking; all she wanted to do was cocoon herself in the warmth of her bed, and drown her guilt in soothing music. Still, she entered her details - naming the contact, ‘Aislin (Ash) Delaney,’ and even going so far as to add a little note that read, ‘Sticks & Stakes’. With a forced smile, she passed Dom’s phone back to him.

“Thanks,” she said, “I had fun.” Not a lie, even if she didn’t feel it in the moment. She did appreciate his offer of help. After offering a parting wave to Jimmy, she turned and left - leaving her unfinished drink on the bar along the way. She sat in her car for a long while, head bowed over arms folded atop her steering-wheel. To anyone passing by, it would look like a drunken siesta.

When she felt she was no longer at risk of coughing up any vital organs, she drove home.

[Black Philip]

When Ash asked for her coat, Jimmy jumped in time with Dom's moves.He'd been hoping for a bit more stiffness near his rear, but understood delivering predictions was hardly hot. He managed a quick, "oh, pardon me," before stepping aside. He found it curious Dom wanted this other human's contact information. Weren't they done with her? She was nice and all, but it was Dom Jimmy was after. Still, he'd had good fun reading her aura and future. If she wasn't aware this city was strange before she was now. He'd done her a favor. He snickered internally.

"Bye," he managed as she practically ran from the pool hall. The moon child turned to Dom once she was gone, "was it something I said?"

He snickered externally this time, placing his hands on the gardenr's chest and moving in close enough to embrace.

[Existentially Odd]

As Ash hurried out of the pool hall, Dom texted her, like he'd promised he would.

This is Dominic Kaho's number. Sticks and Stakes. Let me know if you have any trouble settling in 

He barely got the message sent before his personal space was invaded by a very cocky

sexy as Hell

vampire. He slipped his phone into his back pocket with one hand while the other automatically wound around Jimmy's waist, his hand splayed across the small of his back and pressing him close. Once his phone was secured, Dom's other hand landed on Jimmy's hip. His gaze flicked over the shorter man's head, trying to gauge how much attention they were getting. When he determined it was next to none, he looked back into Jimmy's mossy peepers and smiled tentatively.

"You're exactly the kind of trouble I was hoping you'd help me learn to avoid," he murmured, finding it impossible to resist Jimmy's pull. His hands were filled with firm, cool vampire, his dick was still twitching in his pants, eager to push out and rub against a man he knew he was better off walking away from - right now - and he was juuust inebriated enough to not give a shit about any of that. His heart was pumping faster at the thought of being bitten and fucked and it was very difficult to think past it. "Where are we going?" he prompted, his dimples appearing as his grin widened.

He wanted to kiss those firm, pouty lips badly but he was holding himself in check. Just.

[Black Philip]

Jimmy smiled proudly at being called trouble. It was a great compliment, and he rewarded his companion by cupping his crotch in his hand, a light massage being worked through his fingers. They were mostly hidden from view, and Jimmy decided anyone who got close enough would become very confused. He wanted to rile Dom up. He wanted him to be afraid of getting caught. He wanted him hard, and he wanted him to feel it all more than normal. Jimmy let his own passion pass through to Dom; a mix of hunger, horny feelings, and the smugness from his trial with Ash. He leaned in to kiss his new toy, and whispered into his ear.

"Well if I can't just drag you into the bathroom, or your car, we could always go back to my place."

Jimmy hoped he'd get to bite Dom in the bathroom. The danger made it hot.

[Existentially Odd]

Dom felt like he was drowning and Jimmy was both the water trying to drag him under and the lifeline that would set him free. His hand instinctively followed Jimmy’s to his crotch, resting on the back of it and trying to process that peculiar sensation of a vampire’s malleable-stone touch as it brought his dick back to life. His clothes were an uncomfortable barrier, dulling the sensations he wanted direct contact for but this was neither the time nor the place. The intent was there, however, and his dick hardened, thirsty for more, betterfaster, tightersqueezingandpulsing.

He took a breath, looking furtively past Jimmy’s face, feeling like they were being stared at, that someone would say something and they’d get caught. He usually wasn’t one for public displays but his head was a maelstrom tonight and all he could think about was how powerful Jimmy was, what it’d be like for him to sink his fangs into him while he fucked him, how hard he’d cum. If he bit him now, Dom knew he’d likely strip and spread his ass, splayed across the pool table, onlookers be damned and he despaired at that weakness in himself. It was getting worse! He felt like he was losing his mind in a whirlpool of desire, lust and hunger taking chunks out of his rational mind and leaving him a hot, quivering pile of need.

“Your place,” he whimpered, staring at Jimmy’s lips.  He wasn’t sure how he’d manage to walk out of this pool hall, let alone get there but he knew he needed to find a way. He gripped Jimmy’s hand, working up the courage to pull it away from his throbbing crotch long enough for some blood to get to his head and allow him to think. “Definitely your place. Is it far?”

[Black Philip]

It was to be a home visit, and Jimmy pulled away with a sexual cruelty, deigning Dom access to his flesh. His expression was a teasing one, and he let his pretty eyes linger on Dom's now very errect rod. It didn't take second sight to see that Dom would be a handful. Jimmy wryly smirked once more, and motioned for Dom to follow with a subtle movement of his eyes and neck. It somehow said, follow me human, even if a syllable was never uttered. Jimmy delighted in the control. It made his nipples hard, and his body felt electric as he imagined Dom presenting his neck, his ass, and whatever else Jimmy required of him.

What did old Grousedark call them; mortals so eager to please they're not even human? Blood Dolls?

Jimmy's sire appeared beside him for a moment. He was a tall older fellow with a large top hat and a set of gentleman's clothes. Coat, waistcoat, shirt, trousers, winged tipped shoes and a jeweled walking stick adorned an older looking fellow, his expression the same wry smirk Jimmy had worn all night. If Dom was looking he'd see Jimmy's had face turned to one of displeasure and the vampire was looking at seemingly nothing.

"Indeed I did, James," the phantom whispered. "Although that's such a vulgar term. Don't you agree?

Jimmy blinked hie eyes, and then the visage was gone. A bit of the pool hustler's edge was replaced by something more anxious and he allowed Dom to touch his body once more. He knew Dom hadn't seen the image. Nobody else ever did. He just ignored the ghost now. A full five seconds after Dom asked him, Jimmy realized he hadn't answered.

"Oh, ugh no. Not far at all. It's a nice flat. You'll see."

He sounded shaky at first, but quickly regained his silver tongue. He wasn't going to let a hallucination ruin his night. He led Dom from the pool hall, Ash nothing but a sound bite in his memory. He wouldn't even remember her once James reemerged. It always happened that way.

/End