Garden of Eden

[Ehcorn]

((Continued from Accruing Debts))

If Remi had been alone, he would’ve angled himself into a nosedive directly above the Capital Building, opening his wings at the last moment to halt his descent before he smashed into the roof. For Sam’s sake, he behaved more like an airplane, circling overhead, lowering his altitude and speed with every pass.

By the time he could make out the individual plants in his garden, he’d slowed enough that gravity took hold of his body and dragged his feet down, forcing him into a vertical positioning. He hovered like an overgrown hummingbird above a stretch of walkway that extended from one side of his garden to the other, always mindful of his proximity to the thick vegetation that threatened to overtake what little space he’d cleared out for exactly this purpose. It was a constant battle of cutting back encroaching vines and rearranging pots, but it was a war he had to wage, else he’d destroy what he’d worked so hard to cultivate.

Leaves bent and swayed and rattled against each other with every burst of air he created, but none of his plants toppled before he made landfall and he carefully folded his wings at his back. With an equal amount of care, Remi relinquished his hold on Sam, easing him to the ground and extracting his arms from around him. Wordlessly, he reached for the box the vampire had carried for him, and once he had it in hand, he made his way to the door that would lead downstairs if he'd been willing to break the lock. It was the only spot in his garden that had any semblance of an overhang and acted as a shelter for his belongings against the elements, should any appear. Even after he'd set the box down and tucked it into the corner next to a suitcase, Remi lingered near the exit casting furtive glances at the vampire.

There was a lot to take in, and he wanted to give Sam an opportunity to see everything without his input.

His garden held a veritable jungle’s worth of plant life in every shade of green: vines wrapped their way up and around trellises; there were plants with giant, elephant-eared leaves; as well as some shrubbery and a few small trees that had been sculpted to frame various statues and fountains. Enclaves that hosted tables, chairs, and couches had been formed in the same way, with trellises and the vines that draped over them acting as rudimentary rooftops. Everything worked together to make the place feel like it was removed from the city, despite being at its very epicenter.

Remi eventually began to drum his fingers against his leg until he realized he was doing so, then jammed both hands into his pockets. His body transferred the nervous energy into pacing, and he made several rotations until he couldn't take it anymore. He faced Sam and cleared his throat. "So, what do you think? About the garden?"

[Existentially Odd]

When Sam had been set so carefully on his feet, there'd been a moment where Remi looked at him that'd felt breathless and anticipatory, like their eyes met and maybe their lips would, too... but Remi had just been trying to get his box out of Sam's arms and put it away. To cover up his embarrassment, Sam began exploring in earnest.

Thankfully, the garden was a delightful distraction. Samuel wasn't a foliage expert or fan of greenery particularly but he could see that this rooftop had been nurtured by someone who was. He strolled around curiously, realising there was more to it than just plants, inspecting the little special areas to sit and bask and finding each of them wonderful in their own way. It felt like there was very little walking space in between but that each space was a form of seclusion, the plants different and each arrangement unique and somehow perfect.

He'd meandered back to almost where he'd started when Remi spoke, causing Sam to straighten away from the plant he'd been inspecting - it had insanely thick and glossy leaves that he'd just had to touch - and beam at him. "I think it's amazing! All of it, it's just... relaxing and beautiful! You've done an amazing job. You have to have been working on this for months," he enthused, strolling towards Remi with a smile on his dial and his fingertips tucked into the front pockets of his jeans. He was feeling a lot more relaxed now and it showed in the lack of tension in his shoulders.

[Ehcorn]

He’d been right, after all. Sam was able to see the garden for what it was, not what it should be. Vretil, in the rare circumstances he’d complimented the space, had always followed it up with some critique — that plant could be over there, this one needed more shade, he should really consider starting a compost bin. Sam’s reaction had been pure, unadulterated appreciation that made Remi’s heart fill to the brim. He grinned at the approaching vampire, untucking his hands from their pockets so he could dry his oddly sweaty palms on the sides of his pants.

“Thank you,” Remi said, but his expression turned sheepish. “Months? I’m not sure how long that is, exactly, but maybe? If that’s how long it took for everything in the garden to turn from brown to green again. It didn’t take much, really. Plants want to survive.”

He half-turned to brush his fingers over the feathery soft edges of a fern; it was like Sam, preferring the darkness to the light. When he faced him again, Sam had drawn close enough to Remi that he could reach out and touch him. So that’s what he did. He brushed his fingers against Sam’s cool wrist the same way he’d touched the fern, then gestured for Sam to follow him to the largest of his hideaways, the one with a sectional sofa.

“Wisteria,” he said, looking at the thatch of vines that grew densely overhead, blocking what they might’ve seen of the stars. “When the growing season starts, it’ll be covered in purple flowers that smell—” He made a soft noise in the back of his throat. “—like home. If I’m still here when they bloom, you should come to smell them.”

Remi tore himself from imagining the mingled scent of ripened grapes and vanilla that would emanate from the rooftop when Spring came, breathed a short chuckle at himself, and then sat down at the end of the couch after pushing aside the wrinkled blankets and overstuffed pillows. The same couch that was big enough to sleep on was big enough for them to sit comfortably side-by-side on after he turned to ensure his wings weren't in the way. He patted the spot next to him so Sam knew that's what he'd intended.

[Existentially Odd]

Samuel hadn't prepared himself for this at all.

When Remi had talked about his garden on the roof, Sam had pictured a few overflowing planters, maybe with some flowers bobbing in the breeze, not this lush sanctuary of green whispers and dancing moonlight that lent itself to lustful interludes.

When Remi had talked about flying him up here, he hadn't followed the thought through to realising he'd be finish up being wrapped in his strong, graceful arms only to be trapped up here until Remi saw fit to take him home.

And when Remi had agreed to work in close quarters with him, translating books, Sam had somehow forgotten how insanely attracted to Gene he'd been - crazy enough to make a fool of himself time and again - and hadn't seen any issue with cosying up to him in his romantic hideaway.

As he sank down onto the couch beside Remi, all of Samuel's ignorance came home to roost at once. He was suddenly, awkwardly aware of all of them when he looked over and found a beautiful angel turned sideways to face him - so that his glorious wings didn't get smushed on the seat back. He was sitting close and he'd just gently touched Sam's wrist. It was like a come-hither gesture... except he knew it wasn't. It was just Remi being friendly and kind. Oh, man.

He frowned, turning so that his elbow rested on the seat back and he was also facing Remi. He lifted his leg onto the couch and their knees met. He didn't move it away. "Wisteria, huh? Which home are you talking about, that it grows in?" he queried then realised it was a dumb question. Remi only remembered one home and didn't truly believe he'd ever had another. Sam was surprised to know a plant from here grew over there, in another plane, though.

[Ehcorn]

Remi answered the question in much the same way Sam had imagined he would’ve. “My only home,” he said, holding back a sigh. Earlier in the night, he would’ve let the sigh rip loose, rolled his eyes, made it clear what he thought of Sam’s belief that he hadn’t been born on the heavenly plane. Now, though, sitting next to him after having been on the receiving end of his kindness, Remi sought to be kind in return. He’d tell Sam something of his home, so he might begin to understand where he’d really come from.

“I’m not sure if it got its start here or there, but it flourishes on my realm. Take this,” he paused and lifted his hand to point at the living ceiling above them, “and imagine it everywhere. Some of the things the gardeners there can do with it… Like on my father’s estate?” Remi shook his head. “It’s astounding. There are whole walkways covered with the stuff. They’ll get it to wind its way up the columns and then it grows along the trellises between for miles if they let it.”

He went on to describe some of the other plant life that could be found on the heavenly plane, some far more fantastical and lush than anything that grew on Earth, but Hawaii, he said, came very close to feeling the same.

“Except for the volcanoes, though I can't say I mind not having those. I almost got caught above one that was erupting when I first came here.” He laughed and rubbed at the side of his face. “We might not have met if I’d hung around to see what all the smoke and fire was about.”

He didn't move his knee from Sam's, either.

[Existentially Odd]

Samuel listened to Remi talk about plants not because he found the topic interesting but because he found the man talking about the topic to be. The way his face lit up with enthusiasm was enchanting, captivating Sam's attention beyond the words. The angel was always beautiful but filled with joy and coated in dappled moonlight? He was breathtaking. It was a good thing Sam didn't need to breathe.

"Your father has an estate? Sounds fancy," Sam drawled with a lazy grin, settling a little closer to Remi because he leant back and cradled his head in his hand, his other hand absently combing his hair - which had become tousled while flying - out of the way and then falling to his lap to fiddle absently with the hem of his flannel shirt. "Does everyone there have one of those? Does it have a house on it - do angels even live in houses?" he queried, multiple questions about the other plane given voice as soon as they popped into his head.

[Ehcorn]

Remi’s surprise at Sam’s onslaught of questions came out in a breathy chuckle, but he did his best to answer them all. “We do live in houses, yes, but not like yours. They’re more open like this.” On ‘this’, he indicated the garden with a sweeping gesture. “Most don’t have actual walls, just columns, and there are sections left open in the roofs that we can fly out of if we want. They're a lot like the ancient buildings in Greece.”

He hadn’t shied away from Sam moving closer. If anything, it encouraged him to mimic his open body language by resting his arm on the back of the couch and leaving his hand to dangle between them.

"Not everyone has an estate, though. My father is ah… special. He commands angels in the war. A general. I didn’t get to see him much because of it.” He shrugged and tried to appear as if it didn’t bother him as much as it did, but a frown still pulled at his lips. His father had been chosen to perform a duty for all of angelkind that didn’t warrant him feeling sorry for himself.

“Vretil stayed with me so I wasn’t alone,” he added, trying on a smile for size and finding that it mostly fit.

[Existentially Odd]

"There's a war?" Sam asked in surprise, picturing Remi's father fighting or commanding angel troops against... who? Evil enemies? Or was that too cliché? it was possibly Dark Angels - Sam had read texts about their diametric opposition to one another, so a fight between them made sense - but that seemed a little too simplistic, too. He began imagining hordes of dark, terrifying creatures prolific enough to warrant Angels at war with them.

And then, because he was a little devious and a lot arrogant, he decided to push back on the information Remi had provided about the people he'd had available to him on his plane. "And your dad was away fighting it so you were left with your mentor guy - Vretil - but your mama wasn't there? And they didn't mention why?" he guessed, knowing full well it was because she was here, on the Earthly plane.

But what had they told Remi to explain that away?

[Ehcorn]

Before Remi could elaborate on the ongoing war between the light and the dark, he was lambasted by an unexpected question about his parentage. If he’d suspected that’s where Sam would’ve steered the conversation next, he might’ve been better prepared and able to swallow his pain, but the best he could do was hide his stricken expression. He pulled his arm from the back of the couch with the sole purpose of picking at the edge of his thumb, using it as an excuse to look away from Sam while he gathered himself.

He inhaled deeply and on his exhale, dragged his eyes back to the vampire and wet his lips. “I don’t remember her, though it’s no fault of hers. Father said he lost her in battle. I didn’t get the details. He doesn’t like talking about it.” He chuckled abruptly and it forced the rest of his frown away, though a sad smile wasn’t much of an improvement. “He doesn’t talk much at all, really, so I’m not surprised, but any time I asked about her, he… I don’t know, he'd get this look and I quit trying."

Given who they fought against and protected their territory from, Remi had no doubt it had been a gruesome end that his father had wanted to spare him from.

“Why do you want to know about her, anyway?” he asked, straightening and popping his arm back to the couch, though now his body was rigid and he tugged at the seam of the cushion fitfully. Something in Sam’s tone had made him feel like there was more to his questions than simple curiosity.

[Existentially Odd]

Samuel felt like slapping Remi - not angrily, just in a 'wake up, you beautiful fool!' kind of way. He was infuriated on the angel's behalf because the two men he was closest to in his life were clearly deceptive beings that didn't deserve the love and loyalty they received from a soul as trusting as Remi! Still, he wasn't going to win the angel over by continually bashing him on the head with his theories or by slandering his nearest and dearest, questioning their motives.

He suddenly couldn't wait to meet Vretil the next time he was in town.

"I was contemplating your species," he answered blithely, frowning convincingly and bouncing away from his true intention in a manner he hoped was a convincing as it felt. "You spoke of having a father so naturally I wondered about your mother and - forgive my crassness - but is that what it takes to make an Angel? Are y'all born and grow up? Are there Angel kids going to school over there? Or do you... pop out of a beautiful chrysalis fully formed and have to dry your wings before you can fly?" he asked, raising his eyebrows and grinning cheekily.

[Ehcorn]

“Oh,” Remi said, his hand becoming still as he ceased his assault of the cushion. Entire earthly religions had been formed around the idea that angels were benevolent celestial beings created from nothing to act as emissaries for God, so he could understand Sam’s confusion. Why would he mention a father if he hadn’t been born to a mother?

“Yeah, that’s all it takes to make an angel child — a mother and a father. I’d say we’re very similar to humans in that regard. We're born, we grow up. We don’t age like you, though… Well, like humans do. I won’t ever look any older than I do now." None of them did. Vretil sometimes talked about seeing the pyramids as they were being built in Egypt and he looked no older than Remi.

He bumped his knee against Sam’s. “So, no, we're not butterflies. Sorry if that's disappointing,” he laughed.

[Existentially Odd]

Samuel couldn't help but grin as Remi knocked his leg and teased him him about his butterfly analogy. The joke was on Remi because he was definitely a beautiful, exotic butterfly with his soft white wings and enchanting features. Sam's gaze flicked to the feathers in question, admiring them momentarily before he looked back into Remi's eyes.

"You're far prettier than a butterfly. How could that be disappointing? A bit more furry than one, though," he teased, reaching over with his free hand to caress Remi's beard, the tips of his fingers and thumb splayed either side of his face and stroking downward until they met at his chin. He was surprised at how soft Remi's beard was. It took a great deal of willpower to resist touching the lips buried within the fur.

[Ehcorn]

When Sam reached for him, Remi’s curiosity about what he meant to do had him lean forward to better accommodate the vampire. A part of him was convinced Sam wanted to remove a piece of lint or fleck of apple from his beard, but when his chill fingers remained, rifling through the hairs on his face to press into the sensitive skin beneath, his lashes fluttered and a smile ghosted his lips.

"Perhaps I’m more closely related to moths," he said, capturing Sam’s wrist and pulling at it until the vampire’s hand rested on his upper leg. Remi looked down with his head canted to the side as he conducted his own inspection, this one of Sam’s fingers. They appeared as if they'd been chipped from marble, and felt like it, too: smooth, cold, and hard, yet they’d been gentle upon his face. He lifted his hand from the vampire’s for a moment, but a notion to see if he could warm the cold flesh struck him and he curled his fingers around Sam's hand again.

He looked up. "Perhaps you’re a statue come to life." An admiring glint caught in his eyes as he traced Sam's strong features — brow to cheekbones to pouty mouth.

[Existentially Odd]

At that moment, Samuel rather wished he were a statue. Statues wouldn’t be excruciatingly aware of just how close their face was to Remi’s, since he’d tugged him forward. And a statue wouldn’t be able to feel too many details about the corded muscle of the leg beneath his hand, nor imagine what might happen if he slid his hand higher. A statue wouldn’t feel resultant tingles and a livening in his jeans at that thought, either. At least he had the pulse rate of a statue so that his desires weren’t broadcast... unless Remi started paying closer attention.

Sam couldn’t let that happen but he was also fixed in place - not by a cement plinth but by indecision. His gaze was riveted on Remi’s mouth at first, and it filled him with warmth as he remembered kissing Gene. He didn’t care what Remi thought, he had intimate knowledge of those lips and he was keen for a reunion. Damnit. He forced his gaze away lest he get swallowed by temptation, his body lurching eagerly again upon lifting and viewing those ridiculous eyelashes and the mischievous glance they framed. There would be no respite, apparently.

Remi is only signalling relaxation, that’s all, Sam lectured himself, attempting to coach his thoughts away from deviance. Remi was his employee now, technically. Making a move on him would be the height of unprofessionalism. The angel was finally comfortable enough around him to touch him freely and joke with him and how did Sam plan on repaying that? By tainting it with a tawdry kiss. It would sour everything, burn up all the good faith he’d engendered tonight after Dominic had so easily painted him in a boorish light (which had also been accurate, unfortunately). It might even ruin their future working relationship, making spending hours upon hours poring over text and keyboard agonising with awkwardness.

How could even contemplate such disquieting consequences??

The answer was Remi. His eyes, his lips, his leg and everything in between had Samuel thrumming with inappropriate thoughts, his body quickening and his soul yearning. There’d always been something about this man that set him off, turning him into someone he wasn’t; bold, lascivious... predatory. Yes, that was it. Remi evoked his most fundamental instincts, the desire to chase, catch and conquer. He was temptation personified and Sam was drawn to him like the moth Remi joked he was. No one in history had had any luck fighting biology but Sam wanted to be the first? He was doomed.

Sam licked his lips, knowing Remi’s gaze was nearby. His hand was held in the warm cocoon of Remi’s but his thumb was free. It brushed firmly back and forth against the material covering Remi’s inner thigh, subtly reminding him of just how close to his crotch Sam’s hand was, how easily it could be slid higher. He held eye contact with Remi, acknowledging the compliment with his look while his brain struggled to craft a response that didn’t reveal everything he was thinking, rejecting hardness and better endowed and coming to life hastily.

“Would you like me to strip so you can position me in your garden? I assure you I’m a lot more manipulable than marble,” he teased, raising his eyebrows and giving Remi a half grin that felt rather wicked on his face.

[Ehcorn]

Remi’s mouth parted and he sucked in a short, surprised breath when Sam’s tongue made a brief appearance at the same time the vampire began swiping his thumb over his thigh, sending jolt after jolt directly to his groin. The same involuntary reaction that caused his heart to increase its tempo and heat to rise in his face made him tighten his hand around Sam’s, but he didn’t push him away yet.

He should’ve.

Then, perhaps, it would’ve been less of a struggle to stop the growing tell that his brain was losing a battle with his hormone-ridden body. And Sam wasn’t helping. Nor did Remi imagine he meant to. Not when he offered to shed his clothes and allow him to run his hands over him, feeling for himself the strong musculature that he’d only seen hints of so far. The prospect sent an electric tingle racing up Remi’s spine and into the base of his neck and over his scalp. Somehow, though, the shock managed to kickstart a small part of his brain that worked to remind him that he hadn’t spent more than a night in the vampire’s company.

He didn’t know Sam — not really. So far, Remi had learned that he was easy to talk to and laugh with, that he was capable of kindness and empathy, but most recently, he’d learned that Sam also had a knack for finding and pushing buttons that Remi didn’t know he had, and it was muddling everything up.

With a resigned sigh, he rearranged his fingers over Sam’s to trap his wayward thumb.

"I'm sure you’d," Remi began, but stopped and blinked when he heard his voice, thick with strain. He cleared his throat before he continued, "I’m sure you’d make a beautiful addition, but I prefer permanent statues.” And with that, he found the strength to push Sam’s hand farther away, closer to his knee. "You wouldn’t be able to stay there during the day," he elaborated, smiling softly.

[Existentially Odd]

Samuel frowned, his mind racing, reading a deeper meaning into Remi's words than just him being susceptible to the sun. He preferred permanent additions to his garden... and his life? Because an immortal being wasn't permanent enough? Or was he being viewed as part time because he was only around at night? Was he even reading the right thing into any of this, though? When Remi grabbed his thumb and moved his hand downward, it felt like he wasn't imagining it. He was physically and metaphorically being kept at a distance, then. Because he wasn't trustworthy yet?

Still, Sam took it as an excellent sign that Remi didn't remove his hand entirely and even if he rejected his offer of being a statue, the way he smiled at him was encouraging (and lovely). There was hope... but, again, Samuel's reservations rose up, attempting to stifle the good time he was having. As Remi's employer, he shouldn't be making moves on him. It was very difficult when he wasn't being dissuaded outright like he'd expected but Remi was pretty innocent. Maybe he didn't get it? Ah, but why'd he move his hand down if he didn't know what Sam was doing?

The alteration in his heart rate had been unmissable, the change in his tightened vocal cords obvious. Remi was interested in him; it confirmed for Sam that Gene's sexuality hadn't also been flipped when everything else had, which was a great relief. Remi had been offended the last time Sam asked (rightly so) and he'd been trying to figure out a more subtle way to ask ever since. He didn't need to now. Remi could be seduced... but Remi shouldn't be seduced by him! So who? Dominic? Gah!

Samuel shook his head vaguely, trying to clear up the rapid toing and froing his brain was doing trying to figure Remi and his motivations out. He needed to respond. Cut this short as he should, perhaps ask Remi to take him home and enjoy the many, many hours left in the night in restrained solitude. Or call Digital as soon as he got there and see if he could take his frustrations out on someone who definitely wouldn't move his hand lower.

He grinned back. "So you're only interested in full-time adornments, huh?" he queried, turning his hand within Remi's grasp in an effort to let go of his knee and thread his fingers in between Remi's, so that they were holding hands. He didn't feel overly warm anymore, which Sam took to mean that Remi's heat was behaving as all heat did and had invaded his cool flesh to achieve equilibrium. It was one of the true delights in spending time with living creatures.

"Vampires need not apply because there could be no casual... 'decorations' in your garden?" he asked softly, looking at Remi's mouth as he lifted his head off his hand and tilted it closer to Remi's face. The hand that had been supporting him dropped and brushed warmth emanating off Remi's dangling hand. Drawn to it, his pinky finger stretched outward and lightly caressed Remi's. "I didn't know you were such a traditionalist. Pity," he announced, disappointment evident in his tone and in the playful pout he wore.

With a sigh, he sat up and withdrew from Remi's personal space, pulling both his hands back and using them to press into the cushions either side of his body to lever himself a few inches away. He frowned down at it as he did and then looked up at Remi in the same manner. "Is this where you sleep?" he hazarded, aware that Remi's scent was potent here, like he spent a great deal of time on this couch - longer than a casual relaxation session warranted.

[Ehcorn]

It was like Sam had marched off, filled a bucket with ice water, and returned to dump it on Remi’s lap. For a while, all he managed to do was blink at Sam. Full-time adornments? Casual decorations? Assuming he wasn’t interested in him because he was a vampire? All he’d wanted to do was dissuade Sam from stripping and playing at being a statue without offending him, because it wasn’t something he’d mind happening, just… not right that moment.

He’d had every intention of explaining himself, but before he could, Sam disregarded him as a traditionalist and pulled out of his grasp. Remi recoiled from him, frowning and dragging his hands the rest of the way into his lap. It wasn’t fair. Just because he approached things differently didn’t mean he was wrong. He opened his mouth to tell Sam that, but the vampire’s final disbelieving question about his sleeping arrangements forced him from his seat and a few paces away.

Remi huffed and sharply flicked his wings out, but didn’t register that he’d knocked into the ceramic bust of Buddha at the center of his coffee table until it rolled off and hit the ground. Thankfully, it didn’t break, and the act of retrieving it and placing it back in its original spot gave him time to unruffle his feathers. He sighed and looked at Sam.

"Yes, that’s where I sleep. If you don’t want to sit there, you don’t have to. There are plenty of other chairs." Remi slid his hands into his pockets, one filled with the still unfamiliar hard plastic of his new phone, and shrugged. "It was big enough for us to sit next to each other, that's all." He dug his hands deeper into his pockets as he backtracked even further to address Sam’s original questions and accusations. "I’m clearly not any good at word games, so… I’m not going to try anymore. If you were talking about sex, then no. I don’t want anything casual. That’s not who I am, and I won’t pretend otherwise. I want to get to know someone first. It’s not because you’re vampire, it’s because I don’t know you as well as I want."

He tilted his head to the side as he regarded Sam, his eyebrows lifting marginally. "Not yet, at least."

[Existentially Odd]

Samuel was shocked when Remi pulled back, got up and walked away. The wing flip made Sam flinch, his eyebrows lifting in surprise at the drama of the action. It was undermined somewhat by the knocking off and reclaiming of the Buddha - to which Sam startled and began to help but then decided it was best left to Remi to fix so sat back, choosing not to interrupt because he could see that Remi had something to say. Boy, did he. The vampire's expression of surprise only got wider as Remi spoke his mind.

"Oh," Sam said at the conclusion of Remi's speech, feeling like he was being scolded - and rightly so. Of course, there was also a part of him that was rejoicing at those two little words, 'not yet', but he needed to temper his hope and focus on right now, if he wanted to realise that potential future. He'd been flirting, not trying to confuse Remi with word games but it didn't feel that way now. It felt like he'd been up to his old tricks, trying to dupe him and that wasn't true. He got up and approached Remi, pressing the palms of his hands together and looking contritely at the beautiful angel.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to confuse you, I was just being, uh, subtle. I didn't realise you wouldn't be offended if I just asked," he explained, licking his lips as his hands separated and tucked themselves into the back pockets of his jeans, resting on his ass. After a brief pause, he smiled and lifted his eyebrows slightly, attempting to look a little more humble. "So you're saying... once we get to know each other better, you'd be open to us exploring... a potential relationship... of some sort... maybe after the books are done?" he suggested awkwardly, shrugging because he wasn't sure what he wanted from Remi exactly. Though sex was the easiest place to start, he wanted to show that wasn't all he was interested in.

It seemed wisest to hold off on pushing anything while they were working together, too. Besides, that was excellent 'getting to know each other' time, so it would be working towards a goal (beyond having the texts translated, that was).

[Ehcorn]

When Sam approached, weilding an apology like a shield, Remi’s expression softened. His wings, which had been clamped tightly to his back, lifted along with his lips as he smiled at Sam. The vampire hadn’t been ridiculing him for wanting to take things slow, he’d been trying to get a feel for the situation without coming out and asking. Well, perhaps now he’d see how much easier it was to just ask. Instead of dancing ‘round and ‘round, they stood face to face and had a better understanding of each other than they had before.

"That’s exactly what I’m saying," he replied, nodding. "But I don’t like to put a limit on these things. It could happen sooner, it could happen later." It wasn’t like he could guarantee that his heart would click open the moment they closed the final of three books. If history was any indicator, it would happen well before that — especially if it took as long to translate everything as Sam had hinted.

"We don’t have to wait until I start work to begin, either." He lifted his hands from his pockets to cross one arm over his middle and rest his other elbow atop it to scrub at his chin thoughtfully. "Let’s see. It might come as a surprise, but I enjoy doing other things besides getting in trouble with the Ward and earning fines.” He paused, allowing a modicum of suspense to build before he announced that he liked to play the cello when he wasn’t gardening (though sometimes, he admitted, he played his cello to his garden).

"What about you? Did you discover you enjoyed flying enough to make it a new hobby? Or is there something else?" 

[Existentially Odd]

Initially, Samuel took Remi's offer of not needing to wait until they started work to mean a whole different thing - he thought Remi was saying they could maybe test out their attraction to each other now, rather than waiting. Get a little closer, maybe a little making out... but he quickly realised he had that wrong. Remi was only talking about sharing their interests and not having to wait to get to know each other. Just in general. His disappointment was palpable.

He pushed it aside, acknowledging that he liked the idea that Remi wasn't locked in to any particular timeline and he was open to them becoming... well, becoming a 'them'. He did have to keep reminding himself of that fact - that was what was important. It was just that Sam was also contemplating whether it would be worth waiting and hoping for. What if they restrained themselves, held the faith and then found there wasn't the spark he anticipated they'd have? They'd have wasted time. Surely some things were worth testing sooner, not later?

The mention of hobbies and flying reminded Sam of the mention of a certain Mexican skydiver earlier - and the spark of curiosity (jealousy) that had come with that. Would he be met with honesty if he asked about that, too? He got the feeling that Remi would but he wasn't sure he was ready to hear it. Remi didn't seem to be hung up on anyone - he'd have said so when talking about them having potential, surely? - so what did it matter who he'd been with, for how long and how long ago?

Sam didn't know but, for some reason, it did seem to matter to him.

His raised eyebrows (because he'd thought Remi was suggesting a trial run) lowered and became an easy laugh as the angel joked that he liked doing things other than getting into trouble. It made him think of Dreki playing and singing for him. Angels really were a musical bunch. "I'd love to hear you play sometime," he said genuinely, "I love the cello! And the violin - strings in general, really. I'm pretty boring in that my spare time looks a whole lot like my work time. I enjoy reading and researching, particularly artefacts and rare texts I want to acquire for the Library. I sometimes go to exotic places in search of them, so I travel occasionally, too. I've done a lot of travelling in my almost-two-hundred years. I've only been back on this continent for the last nineteen."

Sam's hands withdrew from his back pockets and his smile softened as he addressed Remi's final questions. "As for flying... " He stepped in close to the angel, reaching up to grip his shoulder in a gentle squeeze/massage manoeuvre before he reached forward and stroked downward on the edge of the wing closest to him with the backs of his fingers, his worshipful gaze watching his action. When his hand lowered to rest on Remi's waist, he looked into his eyes and smiled. "I enjoyed it. Mainly because I was in your arms. I'm looking forward to when you fly me home and I don't have a box to worry about, it can just be me hanging onto you. We can be a little more free, then."

His husky voice and direct look at Remi spoke volumes because he was trying for an effect. Testing the angel's interest now.

[Ehcorn]

Thinking about playing his cello for someone who actually possessed ears — perhaps while Sam planned out his next trip to some colorful locale in search of treasure — brought a smile to Remi’s lips. He’d done his fair share of traveling, too, though always at Vretil’s behest. What was it like to decide he wanted to go to a place and arrange for it to happen? Oh, it had to be such a beautiful, authentic freedom.

Remi wanted to ask where he’d ventured last and if he knew where he wanted to go next, but the vampire moved into his space and touched him in the same intimate manner he had when they’d sat next to each other on the couch. Somewhat unsurprisingly, Remi’s brain lost its connection. All he could focus on was the feeling of Sam’s hand on his shoulder, and then the sensation of his wing being stroked. Although they were incredibly sensitive to changes in air temperature, wind speed, and pressure, he didn’t feel any of it directly through his feathers — it was through the multitude of nerve endings in his skin. His eyes slid shut and he sighed contentedly.

Maybe instead of money in exchange for his translations, he could talk Sam into petting each of his feathers in the same manner. It would be heavenly.

He mourned the loss of touch, but not for long, since Sam had only lifted his hand to transfer the point of contact to his waist, effectively securing him in place. Not that he would’ve wanted to move. There was something heady and entrancing about their shared connection, minor as it was, and he wanted more. Remi slid one of his hands up the smooth planes of Sam’s chest, splaying his fingers as he stepped forward and closed what little distance remained between them. He felt no heartbeat, but his own rapid thudding made up for the absence.

It didn't take much when Sam was near for his heart to kick into high gear, it seemed.

"Free to do what?" he prompted as he traced a finger over Sam's collarbone and back down again, curious what he thought they’d be able to accomplish in the air.

[Existentially Odd]

Samuel watched as Remi smiled sweetly and then sighed and closed his eyes when his feathers were brushed. It was a very obvious sign of happiness and approval (for which Sam was grateful, since he hadn't been too confident about touching the angel's feathers directly - it might've been a sensation overload). When it was followed by a warm caress upon his cool skin (too much of it was blocked by his fluffy flannelette shirt, in his opinion) and collarbone, he gripped Remi's waist more firmly.

Frankly, he wasn't too concerned by what they could potentially accomplish in the air when he was touching Remi right now. He lifted his free hand and nimbly undid the buttons of his shirt, pulling the lapels out from beneath Remi's hand so that they had skin on skin contact. The angel's heartbeat was racing enticingly, pushing blood through his veins so that it pulsed in his palm, transferring into Sam's chest like a warm, vibrating current.

Sam smiled slowly, his gaze fixed on Remi's mouth. He already had his answer - about whether this would be worth waiting for - but definitive confirmation couldn't hurt. As long as it came from Remi, then he couldn't be accused of rushing anything. He licked his lips as he finished undoing his shirt and that hand moved to Remi's waist as well. He stepped in so that their bodies were pressed as closely together as Remi's hand on his chest allowed, his hands sliding around to Remi's lower back, his fingers lifting, spreading, stretching, seeking to brush the underside of Remi's wings as he briefly had the side of one a few moments ago.

"Well, I'm not too sure about that, now," he drawled, "I reckon you're the expert. What do you think we can manage if that pesky box isn't between us and it's just you and me pressed together, floating through the sky?" he queried with interest, tilting his head to regard the beautiful angel. His hair slid forward, arching over his eye as he looked intently at Remi, clenching his forearms in an effort to squeeze him as close to his body as possible.

[Ehcorn]

"We could manage plenty, but I can't say how long I'd be able to stay in the air," Remi murmured, too distracted by the continued contact with his wings to lend more power to his voice. He didn’t try to elaborate either, nor did he imagine he’d be able to for as long as he had access to the wide marble swath of skin Sam had exposed to him, one slip of a button at a time. Remi dragged his fingers over his cold flesh, surprised by how much more he looked and felt like the statue in The Luminary’s foyer than he’d imagined. Muscles shifted beneath his palm, reminding him of Sam’s assertion that he was far more malleable than anything chiseled from stone, despite appearances otherwise.

He lifted his head, his mouth parting slightly and his breath hanging in his throat. It’d be easy to turn his face just so, lean forward, and meet Sam in a kiss. He’d finally find out if the vampire’s lips were as likely to warm upon contact as the rest of him, but he’d also deliver a message that contradicted what he’d said moments earlier: that he needed to take things slow. Remi clenched his jaw and slid his hand downwards, skirting over a well-defined abdomen and obliques before he mirrored Sam and pushed his arms around his middle.

The space between them completely disappeared as Remi hugged Sam close and pillowed his cheek on his shoulder. What he couldn't see wouldn't tempt him. He sighed, and it was the steady sound of released tension. His heart rate slowed, his eyelids became heavy, and he smiled in the vague manner of someone completely at ease. Vretil would’ve had an absolute conniption if he’d popped in on them. Was he insane, allowing a vampire access his neck? But it was the furthest thing from his mind. Sam hadn’t behaved at all like he’d been led to believe he would, and he’d had plenty of opportunities before now to sink his fangs into his skin. If he did, he’d deal with it, but he wouldn’t fret when he hadn't been given reason to worry.

"I should probably get you home before I fall asleep standing here," Remi admitted reluctantly. He didn’t shift from his position except to tighten his arms around the vampire. "There’s no where for you to hide from the sun."

He'd have to remedy that before Sam visited next.

[Existentially Odd]

Samuel was touched by the notion that Remi would even contemplate him being there during the day. It indicated a level of familiarity he hadn't expected, despite the fact that they were standing pressed against each other, their arms around one another. He was surprised by how well they fit together, though he supposed he shouldn't've been. They'd fit together just as perfectly once but that was long ago, now. He closed his eyes and savoured the contact, his hands rubbing slowly up and down Remi's back rather than stroking his wings and his cheek resting on the back of the angel's head.

"Okay," he eventually agreed to the statement that Remi should be getting him home before he fell asleep, unsure how long they'd been in the garden or even how long they'd stood there holding each other. It seemed like hours but also a blink in time. Sam was surprised by how easily he was able to resist the urge to put his lips on Remi. The desire was still prevalent but he could suppress it in favour of appreciating what he had. It was a heartening change. "This is nice, though. Your heartbeat is soothing." That slow heartbeat was also an indicator that Remi was tired, he knew. Their enlightening evening getting to know each other had to come to an end.

Sam lifted his head and pressed his lips to Remi's hair, squeezing him a little tighter. "Reckon I could wrap myself around you and you fly me like this?" he murmured, shifting his feet to the outside of Remi's as if he was preparing to wrap his legs around his hips immediately. It would become obvious to Remi that, even though Sam had resisted the urge to kiss him or further their interaction, his body had still responded to Remi's proximity, partially firming up in his jeans. He didn't want to draw attention to it but he also wasn't ashamed Remi would figure it out.

[Ehcorn]

Pushed up against him like he was, it was impossible to ignore the sign of Sam’s arousal but he didn’t remark on it. The body often ran separate to the mind, and it wasn’t like Sam had done anything except hold him. He took his cheek from the vampire’s shoulder and craned back to raise his eyebrows at him following his suggestion, though. Remi admired his ability to restrain himself, but carrying him front-to-front would be the quickest way to short-circuit both of their brains. They didn’t need the temptation.

"Another time," he offered, slithering free of his grip and smiling wryly as he began to close his access to another temptation by buttoning Sam's shirt. When he’d finished, he smoothed his hand over Sam's chest and sighed. It had to be done, but he could still mourn his loss. The same went for how he had to carry his passenger, which wasn't nearly as enjoyable as what Sam had proposed, and instead ended up being identical to how he’d carried him when he’d brought him to visit his garden. He moved around the vampire to place a hand on his back and dipped down to scoop him up by the backs of his knees. Now, at least, Sam didn’t have to hang onto an awkwardly shaped and weighted box and was able to wrap his arms around his shoulders and help balance him.

Their takeoff looked a lot different than the first, where he’d had to run the length of a field and labor his way into the air. He stepped onto the highest ledge facing into the wind and spread his wings to billow out behind him like two white sails, creating enough lift that all he had to do was step off and they were flying. He took them close to The Luminary, but not close enough he’d risk setting off any Ward alarms, and found a secluded (and conveniently abandoned) lot nearby to land in.

With practiced movements, he eased Sam’s feet to the ground, but Remi didn’t hurry to release him. He ran his fingers along Sam’s arm and gathered his hand in his to tug him into facing him.

"Thank you for everything tonight," he said. "I had fun." He glanced skyward and rocked his head back and forth, then amended the statement with a laugh, "Well, after we paid the fine. The Ward's never fun."

[Existentially Odd]

Samuel smirked as Remi (wisely) dissuaded him from climbing up his body and latching onto him. He looked down his body, lifting an eyebrow as the angel buttoned his shirt in a gesture that was endearingly domestic and somehow intimate. He glanced up and watched Remi's face instead, his smile softening affectionately at the look of concentration he saw there. The caress on his chest had him wanting to cover Remi's hands with his own and follow through on the warm feelings shifting inside him, holding him in place while he stepped forward to kiss. But he couldn't, so he didn't.

He was really beginning to understand what an exercise in frustration spending time with Remi was going to be. It didn't give him second thoughts, exactly, just... it did give him pause. The potential relationship was feeling very real now that he was staring sacrifice in the face, knowing it wouldn't be easy. It would test him. That seemed appropriate, though - redemption and all that. Looking into Remi's eyes as he rose above his own desires and gathered Sam into his arms convinced the vampire that the gauntlet would be worth it. He cuddled in close, wrapping his arms around Remi's shoulders and nuzzling his face in against his throat while the world turned topsy turvy without them attached to it.

When they landed, Samuel appreciated Remi hanging onto him while he found his land feet, the brush of his warm hands travelling across the exposed flesh of his forearms sending tingles across his skin. He chuckled at the comment that the Ward wasn't fun, nodding gently. Instead of addressing Remi's compliment, he took a moment to double check that Remi could find the Academy and that he would definitely see him there the next night, sharing the time he'd definitely be available to work with the angel. Finally, with a smile and a brush of the back of Remi's hand with the back of his own, he made his farewell. "I had fun, too. I'll see you tomorrow night,"  he promised.

It took every ounce of willpower he could muster to turn and walk away from Remi at that moment. Sometimes the promise of the future was not enough.