Man Crush Mondays

[Black Philip]

Reserved for EO

Jake had woken up and instantly checked Lovebite. It was a habit this last week. He'd been filling the last several nights with as much after work play as he could find. He needed the distraction, and while he wouldn't admit it to himself, he was also happy to get the validation of all those beautiful men. Sam had been helpful, although he hadn't been able to talk to her much about the problem. Lisa-Joe had no better luck, but she'd kept him busy with work and he'd slowly risen out of the worst of his recent episode. Kerr had ended up doing a number on him, and he also strangely missed Murphy. He hadn't the whole time they were still together, but now he would kill for the feel of his touch. Jake wondered what Kerr was doing now. Was he and Ben once again in the Honeymoon phase of their toxic relationship, or was Kerr just keeping his distance now that there was baggage between them? He didn't know, and he tried not to care.

Lovebite had a few messages waiting, but he ended up ignoring them all for a profile he spotted. Arik Leander. The last name was familiar. He was a shifter. That also rang a bell. Within a few minutes Jake remembered the former Oligrach for shifters had that name. He also apparently had a devastatingly hot son. Jake sent a message, and found within a few moments Arik had replied. After a quick exchange and additional pictures they'd decided to meet. Jake told the sexy shifter when he was off, around one in the morning, and within a few more minutes they'd set a date. Jake smiled at the prospect. This guy wanted to be a scholar, and Jake did still have plans to sire. Perhaps this could be more than a one night stand.

A week had passed since Kerr's strange visit, and during that time Jake had reflected on much of what happened. He hated Kerr less now, realizing that it was probably for the best they didn't have sex. He'd been reminded Kerr would never choose him over Ben, and that he wasn't doing himself any favors by being Kerr's emotional outlet for Ben. It just made him always a bridesmaid and never a bride. He was determined to find someone worthy of him, and if it couldn't be Kerr, then maybe it was this Arik. Worst case scenario, he was bangin hot. Sometimes that's all one needs for fun.

Jake dressed in skin tight black jeans, with rips all along  the knees. He wore a tight T-shirt that clung to his body, also black. His hair was combed cutely, and as he looked in the mirror he knew he looked ready. Once his workday of answering boring emails was over, he made his way up the lift and into the bar. Downstairs was fairly empty. The PA played metal, and the biker crowd was drinking heavily. Lisa-Joe was currently creaming some other vampire at arm wrestling, and Tyler strummed his guitar softly at an empty table.

Jake made his way upstairs. The music was dark, sexy and a tad tasteless. To Jake, it was perfect. The vibe on the second floor was far more busy, and the dancers moved atop their boxes as money was thrown at them. Freddy was working tonight, and putting on one hell of a show. He'd rebounded with the poor guy the night after Kerr, but once again he'd kicked him to the curb. Shit really did roll down hill. Freddy was sleeping with some guy named Jerry anyways. Jake claimed a private table in the back, two Brujah standing guard. He didn't really need them, but it sent a powerful vibe that Jake found guys liked, even if they pretended not to. He sent Arik his exact location through a pin, but followed it up with a text telling him what table he was at. Jake ordered a glass of blood, and waited for his date.

[Existentially Odd]

Arik's nose was twitching from the moment he ducked his way into the White Rabbit. A smorgasbord of scents accosted his highly-tuned olfactory sense, making him dizzy with the power of them. Sweat, alcohol, smoke, drugs and an odd undertone he'd come to recognise as uniquely vampire ever since he'd begun his adventures in seeking a sire. It coated every surface in the room, though there were high notes and low in that particular bouquet as well, telling him that many, many of the creatures frequented this place.

The one he was looking for wasn't in this part of the bar, though, so he didn't linger. He strode confidently through the lower level, checking his phone as he went, to be sure he was going to reach his desired location in a timely manner. He'd already taken too long trying to figure out what to wear. He'd been so suave in his texts with Jake, telling him he'd cancelled his 'plans' in order to come here and meet him. What he hadn't said was that his plans were with his phone and bed, because Jake finished work late and Arik had work early tomorrow. Like all cats, the shifter liked his sleep and he was usually in bed by ten on a weeknight.

He believed his slumber sacrifice would be worth it. He hadn't found any vampire he liked enough to want to be bonded to them yet and none of them had been interested in more than a drink and a fuck, anyway. Most of them he refused after they drank because he wasn't in this for the sex. He could get that any time. He wanted more and there was a clock ticking away inside him that just got louder every day he woke up and looked in a mirror and saw minor changes. Another wrinkle forming around his eyes, a hair not looking as dark as the rest, a droop of skin beside his abs. Sure, it went away when he shifted position but who could say how long that would go on for? His time was limited.

Taking the stairs three at a time with his long legs, Arik bounded up to the second floor and paused just inside the entry to have a look around. Movement on a nearby box attracted his attention immediately, the swirling lights only enhancing the dancer's alluring moves. He watched the svelte man dance with small twitches of his head, absorbing every sway, every dip, every sinuous arm movement with the fascination of a cat eyeing prey. His feet shifted on the spot, settling him as he looked at another dancer, his eyes drawn over this man's body with quick movements as well.

Arik suddenly felt overdressed and doubted his choice in presentation. If Jake was constantly surrounded by slinky, near-naked men like these, how impressed would he be with Arik's teal suit and white shirt, sans tie? He'd dressed to impress, to prove that he was serious about meeting someone as important as District Leader Jake McCloud but had he made the right choice? If he'd showed more skin than just what was revealed by having his top three buttons undone, then- no. He cut his own thoughts off. Doubt was for losers. Jake had seen his Lovebite pic, he'd seen some skin. Now was the time to present the package.

Taking a deep breath and rolling his shoulders, Arik's fascination with the dancers broke and he headed for the back table he'd been told Jake would be at. The music swelled and coiled around him, echoing a powerful rhythm in his chest and curling in his ears, the eerie sounds achieved in the bridge scraping at his spine in an aggravating-yet-pleasant way. He didn't understand how such discomfort pleased him but he put it down to excitement; he was about to meet an important vampire and the music seemed to be carrying adrenaline through his veins along with its beat. The night was dark and full of possibilities.

Those possibilities seemed less easy to come by as he spied the man he sought, framed by two burly bouncers. As Arik strode up to Jake's table, they shifted to face him, their gazes challenging. Arik paused warily, poised on the balls of his feet and his fingers flicking as he stared back at them. He assessed first the man and then the woman, his gaze shifting rapidly between their eyes and their hands thereafter, because he knew that's where they'd move first, if they were going to take a swing at him. He was taller than them and not intimidated because he was certain his reflexes would save him from getting hurt (if Jake didn't) but he didn't want to directly challenge people Jake valued. He was confident, not stupid.

"Easy there, folks," he grinned cockily. "I think you'll find I'm expected." He raised his eyebrows and tilted his head slightly, waiting for them to relent and allow him passage to the table.

[Black Philip]

Jake was pleased that he didn't have to wait very long, seeing the tall cat shifter approaching due to his height more than anything else. Well, he didn't disappoint in the looks department. Jake found himself feeling small in a strange way that he could also see turning into physical chemistry, and as he watched Arik handle the Bruajh, he was impressed by his confidence. The first guard was Riley, Jake's page boy and more recently valet. He had sandy blonde hair, and blue eyes, and he was dressed all in black. The other was Amy, a small girl, but perhaps one of the toughest looking people in the bar. Her piercings, colored hair, tats, and generally mug gave her a greater than the sum of her parts aura. It said, try me bitch.

Tensions were becoming tigher at the White Rabbit lately. The election had riled up the staff, and many feared they'd lose their jobs and homes if Jake lost. Furthermore, the papers had been accusing Jake of many untrue things, and so naturally the Anarchs had become more defensive. At being told that the cat was expected, the pair turned back to look at Jake for reaction. He nodded, and the two parted the waters letting Arik have access to Jake's table.

The vampire was smiling, but his face was otherwise difficult to read. He said a quick "hi" as Arik sat, watching for however he situated himself. He found himself unsure how to begin. He wasn't used to being at a loss for words, and took it as a sign of his date's effect on him.

"Your name is Arik right," Jake wanted to confirm. "Sometimes I know people change them on apps."

[Existentially Odd]

Arik sat on Jake's right specifically so he'd be in the better position to lean across and shake his hand; he was right-hand dominant. Their knees were pressed together straight away beneath the table as Arik invaded Jake's space (he made it seem like he was too tall to keep to himself but that was just a tactic to get close immediately). He was secretly surprised by how young the guy looked in real life but it thrilled him, too. Someone like this would understand his determination to hang onto his youth; he'd done it, he'd understand where Arik was coming from. Arik looked him over as subtly as he was able. He was dressed simply, all in black, his hair arranged artfully. Understated. Arik could appreciate a vibe like that, especially since Jake was in his work place.

"That's right, Arik," he confirmed, his deep bass voice naturally loud enough to boom over the music, matching his impressive height. He'd learnt to take his noticeability in his stride and turn it into a strength. He was used to being seen and heard easily but had yet to understand the range of vampiric senses and their potential sensitivities to his excessive nature. Arik reached out his large hand, eager to touch his companion so that his scent would be on him. On his hand, anyway. "Shall I call you Jake or do you prefer Mister District Leader?" he asked, his expression shifting playfully as he made the names he could call Jake sound more intimate than they should be. "Either way, it's a pleasure to meet you."

[Black Philip]

Jake felt himself becoming intrigued with Arik almost the moment he sat down. He had a command of the space he was in, and successfully pushed into Jake's without the vampire realizing, or minding. The touching of their knees didn't registrar beyond the fact that Jake thought his date was tall. He moved his own legs so they could intersect instead of rub. Now, a piece of their thighs touched, and Jake found himself a fan of how that felt. However, it wasn't just how Arik used the physical space. He also was successful at making Jake smile, which was a good sign for the moment you meet someone.

The deep base voice made him wonder what Arik thought of the fact his was higher pitched and more boyish. Jake had always wanted a vocal registrar like Arik's. He liked the way it cut through other noises, and compared to the loud music was more a life raft than a disturbance. It allowed him to focus on the date, and not the ambiance of the club. Had they been meeting at another location, Arik's clothes would've made Jake feel under dressed, but this was his place of work, and the White Rabbit was purposely far from a high class restaurant. What he liked about Arik's clothes, other than how he wore them instead of them wearing him, was that it showed he cared enough about this encounter to put forth real effort.

The suggestive comments got a quick eye roll and smile. "Mister District Leader is my father's name," he joked in return. "Call me Jake," he confirmed simply, squeezing Arik's hand affectionately. "And it's nice to meet you too."

"Do you want a drink, or water," he asked, seeing Manuel at the upstairs bar. He wondered what his current cat shifter would think of this one. Perhaps he should ask once the date was over.

[Existentially Odd]

Arik's booming laugh at Jake's joke rolled around inside their booth, further enclosing them into a bubble of interest where its two inhabitants were focussed intensely and only on one another. Arik watched Jake keenly, his gaze darting restlessly over his every movement, looking at his hand as it was squeezed and noting the crinkles at the edges of Jake's eyes that told him he was pleased by his attention and wanted more.

When Arik's hand was released, his elbow dropped onto the tabletop, his jaw resting in his palm as he gazed at Jake, a smile of wonder lifting one corner of his mouth. He was practically curled around to face the district leader, blocking out the potential sensory overload of the rest of the room by turning his back on it. He only had eyes for his date, though he wasn't really doing anything to him, apart from staring at his every feature and imagining what it would feel like to be bitten by him. And more.

"A drink would be great. You promised me one, on you," he said meaningfully, raising his eyebrows and grinning as Jake moved to beckon to someone only he could see past Arik, hesitated, looked at Arik and then continued with his action. He liked that Jake got his entendre and reacted to it subtly - with just a heated look - and then chose to ignore him. It left him thirsting for more of the leader's attention.

Arik smelt Manuel arrive before he even had time to say anything. He spun around and pressed his back to the the padded seat behind him warily, his hands braced against the edge of the table, his nostrils flaring and his eyes wide, all evidence of his casual flirting gone. Every muscle was tensed, his body coiled and ready to react to any perceived threat.

The muscular, dark-haired man before him was a big cat, like him, except he was vampire, too. Arik looked him over, intrigued by his mix of scents and drawn to him in a primal way. He was what Arik wanted to be. Is that what he'd smell like, once he was changed? His father was going to fucking kill him, if that was the case. It was predominantly feline, with an undertone of earth and stone that resulted in an ancient-smelling musk that was difficult to describe. It smelt like power.

Jake might look at Arik and interpret his expression as lusty, with his chin lowered and his pupils dilated, looking up through his lashes at Miguel. He wouldn't be far wrong. It wasn't his body that Arik wanted, though. It was that power, that scent of undeniable dominance. It wasn't something he'd prepared for when he'd made this decision - he'd never put any thought into how his change would affect his fundamental scent (even though his father had specifically shouted about it at him, multiple times) - but now that it was right there in front of him, he understood. And he wanted it more badly than ever.

"I'll have a bourbon milk punch," Arik ordered when Miguel asked him what he'd like to drink. He couldn't interpret the look the guy gave him but he didn't care if he was being judged for his choice of drink. When Miguel walked away to fulfil his order, Arik settled slowly, his grip on the table easing and his shoulders relaxing, lowering his upper body from its uptight clench, closer to the fluid frame he'd held since meeting Jake. It wasn't all there straight away, though, because the scent of the other cat lingered, putting him on edge as he turned to look back at his date.

"You have another cat here," he stated, meaning to sound casual but it came out like the accusation of a man who believes his partner has cheated on him. The level of possessiveness in his tone was unwarranted and he regretted it, the second he heard it, expecting Jake to reprimand him for it. That'd be fair.

[Black Philip]

Jake had only made the connection between Arik and Manuel when he thought to summon over the White Rabbit's resident upstairs bartender. He was also a high ranking Anarch, and kind of a legend in his own right. Jake hadn't asked too many questions when the panther showed up looking for a job, but he'd made sure to hire him quickly. He was curious what it would be like for two cats to share him for the moment, and found Arik's appraisal intriguing. If anyone understood the look of a man lusting after power it was Jake, and it made him more interested in him. Ventrue were all about the cultivation of power, and even in a city where clanned vampires were in the minority, a Ventrue still ruled it's metropolis. Arik was looking at his potential future, if he charmed Jake of course.

Manuel looked to Jake skeptically, eyes darting back and forth between the two men. He made no reaction to Arik's request for a drink, but did seem to smell him in a somewhat personal way, sticking his head down and taking a huge inhale of scent. He seemed to not hate what he found, giving Jake an approving nod. He walked back towards the bar to fulfill the order. "You're lucky, he hates almost everyone," Jake informed with a healthy amount of humor.

Arik's comment did come out somewhat possessive, but Jake found himself smiling. Arik seemed to already want exclusive rights to the Anarch, and while that might be a turn off for some, for someone who enjoys being worshiped, it was mother's milk. Jake didn't reflect that such a thing could easily get out of hand. For the moment, he just liked the attention. He extended a hand for Arik to take. He wanted to touch more of the other man.

"Yeah, but we're not each other's types," Jake joked. "He has a crush on my shot boy Quinn."

It was all the gossip around the White Rabbit, and Quinn seemed to be the only one unaware. "Besides," Jake said, adjusting his leg in a way that caused friction between them. "I can't sire him, and I do want to sire someone special."

He looked at Arik like if he played his cards right that might be him.

[Existentially Odd]

Arik didn't react to being told Miguel didn't hate him - his opinion only mattered as far as it influenced Jake's opinion, after all - but he was pleased to find out that the vampire-shifter and Jake weren't compatible. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to begin prying into just how available Jake was... when the information he sought fell right into his lap. His grin was exultant and predatory as his gazed raked his companion's features.

"You're interested in siring someone?" he repeated quietly, his tone one of wonder. "I want to be sired." His hand dropped onto Jake's thigh, pressed against his own, and squeezed it as if he couldn't contain his amazement that the two of them had found each other - and he was checking Jake was real. This seemed to be something out of his dreams. Just the possibility of it was exhilarating!

"My father thinks it's wrong and unnatural but I don't care. I don't wanna die in fifty years, my bones aching and my body wrinkled and disgusting," he screwed up his nose as he openly shared his vanity. "Not when I can do something about it. What's it like? Being a vampire?" he asked eagerly, his expression declaring he was ready to be starstruck by how amazing it was.

[Black Philip]

Jake found some of Arik's enthusiasm puzzling. His profile had clearly said he wanted to be a mentor, and Arik's a scholar. He supposed the in person confirmation was the kind of thing the young shifter wanted to hear, and that it was the prospect of being this close. Still, it made him slightly more wary than he'd been a moment before. The physical touch was appropriately distracting, and Jake felt an electric heat forming between them. He saw raw potential in this boy, but the mention of his father's opinion wasn't unimportant. Tau had once been a very important person in this city. He could be again, especially if he felt his son was in danger.

"I am," he said in reference to Arik's first question. "I have one child already, but she and I have a more traditional father/daughter relationship. I am looking for a partner, in both blood and... love."

He felt so sheepish saying the last part, like it was an admission of weakness, or would come off too needy of cheesy. However, they were there to state what they wanted, and so Jake felt he owed it to Arik to say what his real long term goal was. If Arik only wanted the blood, then Jake was not the one for him.

"Being a vampire does mean eternal youth," Jake said pointing at his face. "I'm turning two hundred and eighty this year, and I still look like I can barley see a rated R movie, let alone buy a drink, but it has ups and downs. No sun is rough, but mind control is pretty cool. It's all a balance and a trade."

He wanted to add that he thought Arik should want it for more than just youth, but that was easy for Jake to say of all people. If they grew closer then he'd bring that up, but for now they were just talking. "Overall, I love being a vampire, if that helps." He smiled encouragingly.

[Existentially Odd]

Jake's confirmation of definitely wanting to sire and create a partner caused his heart to pound faster. Arik had been burnt once before by a vampire who'd made the claim but by the time they met up, the desire had supposedly 'passed'. Just like that. When Arik had threatened to report him, he'd changed his Lovebite profile details right in front of him but had still expected to drink from and fuck him. Arik had walked out.

This was different. Jake was genuine. Arik believed him because his face didn't twitch deceptively in any way and his scent remained balanced (vampires were harder to read that way but not impossible. He chose to believe what he smelt coming from this vampire). He wasn't sure about falling in love with Jake, he often got feelings mixed up with his baser instincts only to realise, once they'd been sated, that it was a passing infatuation, but he was open to the idea.

"Two hundred and eighty," Arik breathed, awed by Jake's age and his appearance. He looked him over again, with this new detail in mind. He really did look young and not only was he much shorter than Arik, he was fine-boned and fragile-looking. If he hadn't felt the steel that was his thigh, Arik would fear he could break Jake. He definitely couldn't, though. It was entirely the opposite.

Jake was a contradiction, a two-headed viper; appearing to be one thing but completely another. He was already fascinating to the young shifter.

"I like the sun and I don't know much about vampire powers," Arik explained apologetically, before following that with a hasty reassurance. "But I'm willing to learn! I want to know everything there is and I'll practise hard, too. I can live without the sun, I like the moon better anyway. Plus, I love the idea of powers that are actually useful and mind control sounds boss," he enthused with a grin, betraying his opinion that just shifting into a cougar - while cool - didn't do a damn thing for him except limit his life. There was definitely some resentment there.

[Black Philip]

Boss?

The kids today really had strange new ways of talking, and Jake felt his age a bit. He needed to watch more movies, or media with how the current eighteen year old's were talking. He prided himself on staying as young as he looked. It not only made him less likely to break the masquerade, but it helped him to understand the motivations of the human, the fledge, or in this case, the cat.

"We'll get to all the training, rules and other logistics," Jake said, clearly not wanting this to become the conversation of the moment. "If we have a few good nights together, we can start moving forward. Making sure we're a match is most important though, for me at least."

Jake had a nasty habit of running into things, especially romance, and had decided he wouldn't do that this time. Arik had to earn this gift/curse, and that wouldn't happen overnight. Still, there was a passion and willingness that was very Ventrue. Perhaps he was the one.

"Tell me about yourself," he instructed, sounding casual and kind, but clearly not asking it as a question Arik could say no to. "I want to know what motivates you, and what attracts you."

He smiled and pressed his thigh more directly into Arik's. He was hoping he'd be on Arik's list.

[Existentially Odd]

Arik nodded emphatically when Jake declared that making sure they were a match was his priority. It was a sticking point for Arik, too. It made him feel squirmy with discomfort to think that he might've found a guy who was interested in the same thing he was, that he liked but that didn't like him back. That would suck. Same if it was reversed. The odds that they'd meet, want the same thing and be compatible were very low but he pushed the squirmy feeling aside. He'd have to be honest and see how things went. He felt like it would go well, so far, but it was still a gamble he was betting his life on.

A half grin curled the corner of Arik's mouth and his pupils dilated again as Jake pushed his leg against his. He liked that Jake was direct and forthright, it was a lot like him. It was a good start. He took a swig of his drink, licking his lips and wincing as the alcohol burnt its way down his throat, carried on a wave of smooth milk. He looked at Jake's mouth as he put the glass down and swivelled as best he could in the confines of the booth to face Jake more directly. If he hooked his leg over Jake's, it would work best but that was a move he wasn't ready to make yet. Not on a District Leader.

"Okay. So, I was born here in the city ten years ago. My dad's a cougar shifter, my mum's a diamondback rattlesnake shifter. I have a cougar sister named Nebi and a brother and sister that're snakes. We cougars age faster than the snakes so my little brother and sister? Yeah, they actually look ten but Nebi and I look older every time we shift. I'm trying not to shift too much lately - not for the last, oh, at least a year, a year and a half - to see if I can stay looking like this when I get turned," he admitted, shrugging sheepishly as he admitted the lengths of his vanity.

"So, my mother schooled us and we all lived together 'til I was four, then she took the snakelets and left town because my dad's a dick. He never loved her but he's completely into this mortal chick named Morgaine who doesn't give a shit that she broke up my family. Dad's been gone most of the last five years because Morgaine found someone else, I think, so he's been off in the wild. I live alone pretty much. I have a job, I do data entry at a brokerage firm. Nine to five and weekends off. It pays the bills," he smirked, lifting his eyebrows to show he was philosophical about his 'daily grind'.

"I'm not really motivated by it, to be honest. For the past eighteen months I've dedicated myself to finding a sire. It got a lot easier when Lovebite came along but I've been burnt there, too. It's hard even finding someone interested in siring, let alone someone I'd be willingly connected to for eternity. Plus, I'm... well, I'm an acquired taste," he grinned, looking like he was proud of that, rather than ashamed. "I've been called a lot of names - overbearing, arrogant, relentless, possessive, extra. I've never had a relationship that lasted longer than a month, I always do something to piss them off and they leave me. I'm a lot. An acquired taste," he laughed again but the descriptions were stacking up and undermining his confidence.

Telling the guy you were hoping to impress that he was likely to get sick of you in a week was probably not the smartest move. It proved he was honest but also reckless. It sounded like he was on a job interview and trying to talk his future employer out of hiring him, who would do that? Arik licked his lips again - nervously, this time - his brows furrowing as he glanced away and then back at Jake.

"As for what attracts me... well, I'm attracted to you. I like guys. A lot. When I was young, I was into girls but not any more. I don't like feeling like I'm going to crush the life out of whoever I'm with and girls are too fragile. Plus, I'm attracted to the power of men. Physically, emotionally, politically, whatever. I mean, you're smaller than me but you're like... fur covered steel. Pretty on the outside and deadly underneath. I don't think you'd get pissed off without telling me what I did wrong. I hate guessing games, I'd rather be directly told. I'll probably argue like hell - I have a tendency to do that - but not if I'm wrong. I'm passionate, I'm not stupid. I can apologise, I just... I'm usually right, so I don't need to," he laughed confidently.

A second later, that confidence left him as he realised it was time to shut up and listen to Jake's verdict on his uncompromising sales pitch. If Jake didn't like what he'd just heard... Arik would be getting a polite dismissal in the next few minutes. He grabbed his drink and sipped it, unnerved by the prospect he'd just sealed his fate. He watched Jake over the rim of the glass, his heart hammering.

[Black Philip]

Jake was often the spotlight, the star, the man everyone was listening to. It came with being a vampire bad ass, who also happened to be a District Leader. It was nice to sit back and listen to someone else's life, and he felt the truthfulness of the cat's words more than anything else. He was earnest and direct! Jake felt a kinship with that. He hated the fanciful games the ancient's and dark angels played. He could deal with some arguments, and admitted there was chemistry into conflict. Arik had passed his first test, not that Jake had realized he was administering one. He leaned towards the gorgeous man cat, and guided him by the chin until their lips touched. It was soft, almost nothing, but Jake's big eyes bore into Arik's, and it was like there was nothing else of interest in the entire room.

He asked some followups about shifter aging, but tried his best not to sound like a tourist of the experience. He desired enough to understand the context. The details could come as they kept talking. Jake felt surreal at being almost two-hundred and seventy years older than Arik, something about it just not feeling right. Then again, age was only a number, and Arik was clearly a full man at ten. Jake looked younger, which only added to the hilarious bit of irony. Jake ended up supposing it was all relative for immortals. He wondered if Charon felt like he was ten. That would explain a lot.

If they got serious, Jake would want Arik to quit the silly mortal job. He'd want access to him at night hours, and didn't want to hear about having to get up for work. Still, he liked that Arik did seem to value hard work. Jake had achieved a lot, and even Sam bore an impressive resume for her age. This was an ambitious family. Jake considered that if Tau chose to make this whole thing into a headache that it would likely happen after Arik had been sired. It was better to ask for forgiveness than permission, or so they saying goes. For now, he filed away the name Morgaine, and decided to ask around the bar about her. It never hurt to have a little leverage.

Despite the overall positive effects of Arik's words, there were a few clunkers. His comments about women being fragile wouldn't last around Lisa-Joe or Sam, and Jake really didn't want either of them to break Arik's bones. He rationalized that it was a shifter thing, or a youth thing, but in time Arik would learn that when you're a vampire, physical strength is all about age, not biological sex. The other concern was Arik's list of negative traits. In addition to sharing a few, Jake didn't like the idea of being possessed. He was no caged bird, and wanted to potentially enjoy others with whoever he ended up siring. Murphy Hilton had ruined physical monogamy for him. Emotional monogamy however was very much on the table. He wanted a partner who wouldn't bore him, and Arik had him riveted so far. Maybe it would fade out in a week, but Jake decided that was next week's problem.

"You're right that I'll tell you off," he admitted. "I got a mouth on me, and I roll my eyes a lot. I can be a real dick." Jake didn't understand why he was saying all of this, but ended up feeling like Arik's share prompted his own.

"My point is, I'm not perfect. I'm not looking for perfect. I'm looking for a partner."

Then, as if he'd forgotten to say it earlier, he added, "oh, and you're really fucking hot. It deserves to be preserved for eternity."

It was a bit of a hook, but Jake knew he wanted this to progress, and decided it didn't hurt to use Arik's language and play to his expectations. Jake was selling a whole new way of existing after all.

He moved in to kiss this pretty kitty, and sincerely hoped he wouldn't get scratched.

[Existentially Odd]

Arik was flattered by Jake's interest in his current species, happy to answer all his questions with a proud smile. As they talked, his gaze roved the vampire's face inquisitively, tracking the way his muscles moved, the micro expressions he exhibited that projected his intrigue, fancy and, yes, disapproval in a couple of places. Arik was too enraptured by Jake as a living, intelligent, beautiful package to examine what would challenge them in any depth; it could wait.

He giggled when Jake declared he could be a real dick but his humour faded at the message that perfection wasn't needed. A partner was. It was humbling. Arik's grin broadened again almost immediately when he was told he was hot and deserved to be preserved. That sentiment was mutual. "You haven't even seen my best feature, yet," he promised, leaning in to meet Jake's lips. The booth was constrictive and their difference in height wasn't ideal in such a space but Arik contorted with enthusiasm to make it happen.

Jake's lips were cool and smooth. He brushed them with his own hotter ones, his tongue peeking out to swipe and taste. He wasn't sure if Jake would enjoy the sensation, but he'd transformed his tongue to partial cougar form. It was rougher, broader and flatter than most so, once he'd tentatively prodded Jake's lips apart, he thrust his tongue into his mouth boldly, dancing with Jake's in rough, slow strokes designed to titillate and intrigue. Once the initial surprise was past, Arik tilted his head and deepened the kiss, wishing he wasn't trapped in this damn booth and could get his hands properly involved as well.

[Black Philip]

Jake found Arik easy to talk to, the honesty and openness he advertised coming through in his actions. Jake wanted to listen to him talk more, but at his overt suggestion about his "best part," Jake stuck his hand under the table, and lightly placed it over his crotch. He squeezed his hand lightly, finding the mound where this best part waited. He feared that he was being too aggressive, but something about Arik said aggression was not only cool, it was wanted.

The sensation of Arik's tongue was new! Jake's eyes widened for a moment, looking to confirm that Arik's tongue had somehow changed. It felt nice to french with, and Jake wondered where else that tongue would feel different. He let his own frenching skills come through, rewarding Arik with a deep kiss, before pulling back enough just to make him want the deeper placement again. It worked to build Jake's desire as they exchanged spit. Jake's hand now held a handful, and he now too resented the table that was between them.  The two bodyguards looked at one another, Riley subtlety rolling his eyes. He and Amy had been practicing telepathy with one another, and the boss looked distracted enough to send a short message.

Think they'll skip oral or what?

Amy didn't laugh, but the corner of her mouth formed a tight smile as she stared off into the dance floor. She hoped the boss would take this private soon.